Stay Away
698 Words
Ava walked through the school hallway with her eyes locked on the floor, earbuds in—even though her playlist was paused. It was easier this way. If she didn’t look at anyone, maybe no one would look at her.
Especially not him.
She felt it—the way Ethan stared at her from across the hall, waiting, hoping. But she didn’t stop. Didn’t slow down.
Not today.
Not again.
The last time she got close to him, she was humiliated, bullied, splashed with coffee, and labeled “trash girl” by half the school. Even after Principal Holloway called Madison Cross into the office, nothing had changed.
If anything, it got worse.
Just yesterday, Ava opened her locker to find a note taped inside.
“He doesn’t want you. He pities you. Stay in your lane.”
That same day, someone dumped glitter in her bag.
She knew exactly who was behind it.
Later that afternoon, Ethan spotted her near the back exit, alone.
“Hey!” he called.
Ava froze, then turned slowly, keeping her expression blank.
“Hi,” she said flatly.
“I haven’t seen you at practice,” he said. “You used to stop by sometimes…”
She raised an eyebrow. “That must’ve been a different girl. You’ve got fans—go ask one of them.”
Ethan blinked, thrown off. “What? Ava, I’m just saying—”
“I’m not interested in football,” she interrupted. “Or locker room drama. Or whatever else comes with being in your… orbit.”
“Ava, come on. Why are you acting like this?”
She laughed once—cold and sarcastic. “Because getting bullied, insulted, and humiliated in front of the entire school was so much fun. Let’s do that again.”
“Ava, I didn’t ask for any of that to happen—”
“No,” she said sharply. “But being near you paints a target on my back. Madison won’t stop. Not just because she hates me, but because she still loves you.”
Ethan went quiet.
He couldn’t deny that.
“I’ll handle her,” he said finally.
Ava shook her head. “That’s not your job. I’m not your responsibility, Ethan.”
“You’re my friend.”
“Not anymore,” she whispered.
And then she walked away, her footsteps heavy.
The next day, Madison stood at her locker like she owned the hallway.
When Ava walked by, Madison smirked. “Still think you can walk around like you matter?”
Ava didn’t answer.
“You think he’s gonna wait for you forever?” Madison continued. “He’ll realize what you are soon enough—broken, plain, unwanted.”
Ava clenched her fists but kept walking.
“Oh, and by the way,” Madison called louder. “Don’t even think about coming to his game tomorrow. Nobody wants a pity case on the bleachers.”
Students around them looked over, some snickering, others unsure.
Madison smiled wide.
Power.
That night, Ava stared at Ethan’s message on her phone.
Ethan: Game tomorrow. I want you there.
She didn’t reply.
Instead, she opened her job search tab and kept scrolling.
Cashier – Part time. Must be 16+.
Hostess needed – Evenings and weekends.
She’d rather chase money to help her mom than chase a boy who brought more chaos than calm.
Her mom knocked lightly on the door.
“Ava, you okay?”
“Yeah. Just tired.”
She wasn’t.
She was tired of hoping, of liking someone she couldn’t have, of fighting a war she never asked for.
Meanwhile, Ethan sat in the locker room after practice. His teammates had gone. His father hadn’t said a word to him today—not even a “good game.”
He opened his phone.
Still no reply from Ava.
He thought of her laugh. Her sarcasm. Even her eye-rolls.
She used to smile at him.
Now she barely looked his way.
He didn’t blame her.
Not really.
But he missed her.
And if tomorrow’s game didn’t go well—if she wasn’t in the crowd—he wasn’t sure if he’d feel like showing up at all.
- Writer
