Chapitre 4: 100 Days to Catch Up
The morning was a haze of lectures and assignments, but by lunchtime, I was grateful for the break. I headed for my usual spot near the basketball court, the only place on campus that gave me some semblance of peace.
I set my bag down and opened my notebook, reviewing my ever-growing to-do list. 99 days until midterms. No pressure, right?
A little further down the court, I spotted Ethan and Kia leaning against the fence. Their voices were low, casual, and I couldn't help but let my mind wander toward their thoughts.
Kia's mind was the first to surface.
"Why does he have to look so good even when he's being annoying? Ugh, stop staring. Be cool, Kia."
The corners of my lips twitched involuntarily. I looked up at them. Ethan was laughing, his hands gesturing wildly as he told some story. Kia was smiling, but his thoughts told a different story.
"That grin is going to be the death of me. God, he's so confident. How does he do that? Does he even know how distracting he is?"
I had to bite my lip to stop myself from grinning outright. Kia's crush on Ethan was so obvious in his head, even if he was doing a decent job of hiding it outwardly.
"You're smiling," Liam's voice broke into my thoughts, startling me.
I turned to see him standing beside me, his tray of food balanced on one hand as he raised an eyebrow at me.
"What's so funny?" he asked, plopping down onto the bench.
"Nothing," I said quickly, snapping my notebook shut and shoving it into my bag.
He tilted his head, clearly not buying it. "Uh-huh. Sure. Nothing made you smile like that."
"It's not important," I said, brushing it off. "Why are you here? Don't you have a fan club to entertain?"
"Harsh," Liam said with a grin. "Maybe I just enjoy your company. Ever think of that?"
I rolled my eyes, but the teasing lilt in his voice managed to distract me from Kia's thoughts.
The afternoon passed uneventfully until history class. I was trying to catch up on the week's notes when Clara, the class president, walked in, clipboard in hand.
"Attention, everyone!" she said, her voice carrying over the chatter. "Just a reminder: we have 99 days left until midterms. Make sure you're all studying hard!"
I felt my chest tighten. 99 days. That's not enough. Not even close.
I stared at my notebook, the words blurring together as my mind spiraled. How am I supposed to cover months of material in 99 days? What if I can't do it? What if I fail?
"Ava?" Liam's voice pulled me back to reality.
I looked up, realizing my breathing had quickened and my pencil was pressed so hard against the paper it was leaving dents.
"You okay?" he asked, his tone unusually gentle.
"I'm fine," I said automatically, though the tension in my shoulders probably said otherwise.
Liam didn't let it go. "Look, I get it. Midterms are stressful. But you've been keeping up so far, right?"
"Barely," I muttered.
He leaned back in his chair, his confidence annoyingly unshakable. "You're gonna be fine. You're smart. Plus, you've got 99 days, not 99 minutes. That's plenty of time to catch up."
I raised an eyebrow at him. "You make it sound so easy."
"It's not about easy," he said with a shrug. "It's about taking it one step at a time. You've got this."
His words were simple, but somehow, they calmed the storm in my head.
"Thanks," I said softly.
"Anytime," he replied, his grin returning.
Then he glanced at the clock and groaned. "Speaking of time, I've got a basketball match tonight. Coach is going to kill me if I'm late."
I smirked. "You're seriously juggling midterms and basketball? How does that even work?"
"Carefully," he said with a wink. "You should come watch, you know. It might be good for you to unwind."
I rolled my eyes. "I'll think about it."
The conversation shifted back to history as class went on, but I couldn't stop myself from glancing at Kia and Ethan across the room. Kia's mind was quieter now, but every once in a while, I'd catch a stray thought—something about Ethan's laugh or the way he leaned back in his chair.
I smiled again, grateful for the small, sweet distractions in my otherwise chaotic day
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
Abdul_wadood_0017
Abdul_wadood_0017 I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! Writing Ava’s journey has been such a fulfilling experience, especially moments like these where her interactions with others push her out of her comfort zone. I wanted to show a mix of Ava’s vulnerability and strength, as well as the way Liam’s calm energy complements her stressed state.
Adding Kia’s subtle crush was a fun way to bring in a softer, more lighthearted element without detracting from Ava’s perspective. Relationships take time to build, and I love planting these little seeds for what’s to come.
Thank you so much for reading! Your feedback means the world to me, so feel free to share your thoughts. It’s your support that inspires me to keep writing Ava’s story
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone