chapter 7. The crazy hacker

Ava rode her bicycle into the school premises and parked it at the designated spot. She slung her bag on her shoulders and made her way to her class.

"Here comes this uncultured and sassy girl".

"She always looks awful with that makeup".

"No one has ever told her that the foundation doesn't suit her skin tone?"

Ava heard all the chattering and pretended that she did not. Her red hair stood out in the sea of students as they made way for her whenever she comes close to them. She weaved her way through the crowd to her class.

They booed immediately she stepped into the class.

"What is this disgusting thing doing here?"

"I thought she changed school".

"it would have been better for her to be a bimbo, she is an ugly duckling".

" Hey, what's up with this make-up, this is a disaster. Forget it", Lily observed.

"If you do not know what to say then don't say it. This is not the first time am using makeup".

"I know but today's makeover is so horrible, did you clear the store! I know her majesty can be tyrannical sometimes but....."

"Have you done your assignment?" cut her off.

Lily's face changed as soon as she realized the class had gone quiet.

"Damn you, Ava, you could have given me heads up".

" No girl, go in for it".

"Just you wait, this is not over", Lily smiled mischievously.

" Miss Anderson, I presume that you are done with your assignment. Can you share some of the steps with the class?" Mr Luther the mathematics teacher did not let her off.

Lily felt like crying but she summoned up the courage to tell him that she did not do it.

Ava's lips curled in a smile of revenge as she threw her a provocative smile. She knows the art of lip-reading hence she knew that it wasn't over between them.

After the morning sessions, Ava and Lily went to the pool at the back of the school. This was their leisure point anytime they had nothing to do.

Three bullies had followed them to the poolside just to harass Lily.

"Hey, I sent someone to call you yesterday but you ignored me. Do you know my status in this school?" The rudest one looked at them like they were small fries.

Ava had been absentmindedly throwing pebbles into the pool. One of them came to drag Lily away. Ava stood up.

"Even if you want to kick a dog, look at the owner first"

"Who is this idiot?"

"I heard she is the worst student in her class".

"You still have some time to change your mind and walk away".

"Who do you think you are?" He was about to slap Ava when she held his hand effortlessly and twisted it backwards. A blood-curdling scream broke out.

The rest of the boys came up to beat Ava but she delivered a kick to them at certain vitals that rendered them weak. They began to panic as she advanced toward them.

" I, her majesty truly hate arrogance. Who are you to behave arrogantly before me?" She broke their arms and twisted their legs while they yelled for mercy. Ava had already switched to a vicious mood such that Lily was scared.

"Now crawl by yourselves and disappear from my sight".

They crawled on their belly while enduring the pain.

" Before I forget, if you ever crossed paths with me or my friend, scamper for safety else if I lay my eyes on you... I will break all the bones in your body".

They shuddered in fear because she looked like a monster to them. This soft-looking and a hideous girl could be this violent?

Ava led Lily back to the cafeteria and they ordered their meal. Just then the school belle and her minions sauntered in. Ava concentrated on her meal but they made up their seek her out.

"Sandy wants to use hat seat", one of the girls said.

" And so what? Do we look weak to you people?", Lily was furious and almost choked on her food.

"Eat your food, not everything that buzzes around your ears are insects"

"Really?" Ava commented half-heartedly

"Some are flustered"

The other students puked blood, what a sharp tongue! Nancy looked as if she had swallowed a fly.

"Let's go", Lily stood up and the school beauty mad to slap her. Ava gripped her hand and balled it into a fist.

" What are you doing?"

"Ha, what do you think am doing? She exerted pressure on her knuckles. Nancy's complexion gradually turned pale.

The other students were excited to watch the showdown between the ugliest girl and the school beauty.

" Can you afford to bear the consequences if anything happens to Nancy?" one of her friends said.

"Quickly let go of her".

" There is nobody that I Ava can't afford to offend, bring it on. I will be waiting for you".

The rest of the student's gape at her as she further twisted Nancy's hand and bone-cracking sounds were heard. Cold sweat dripped down her face.

"Next time, make good use of your hand. Don't go around randomly hitting people", she dusted her hands and walked away with Lily in tow.

Lily was anxious about the outcome of offending the two people.

" Ava, am worried about you, will you be fine?"

"I will be fine, what can happen to me?"

" Hey, that competition is the day after tomorrow so will you come to school?"

"I don think so after all I don't score higher than 10 per cent"

"Nobody told you to be a bullllard"

"Mood spoiler", Ava bumped her shoulder and ran away.

Somewhere in New York City at 10 am...

" Mom, am back", Quincy slumped onto the couch in the living room while her maids helped her to remove her shoes and massage her aching feet.

"Quincy Hobbs, Where have you been? What happened to you?" The mother rushed down to the see her looked exhausted and the clothes were rumpled.

"Mom... I have hit a jackpot", She yelled out.

" At where?"

"Well, I happen to be the daughter-in-law of the Lawson's", Quincy jumped up and down.

" You must be joking right?" She stood up and sat down again.

"Mom, I am fated to be with Xavier lawson. I cannot believe my luck"

She went on to explain to her what happened.

Both mother and daughter began to day dream about the change in the circle of their friends. How high they will hold their head from now onwards?

She began to call some of her friends to share the good news. She had no care in the world and began to plan Quincy's wedding right away.

The door was pushed open from the outside and Hobbs Shaw's tall figure came into sight. He stopped in his track and saw the wife telling the butler what to write.

The stepped closer and the butler greeted him with respect.

He waved him aside and settled himself on the couch. He raised his eyebrows in askance.

"Our daughter is engaged to Xavier Lawson", she grinned widely.

" When did this happen?"

She narrated the whole story to him while the former was in deep thought.

"This forced marriage never ends up well. There is no mutual love and it's what spices up marriage"

"Love can grow with time"

"Love is not dependent on time. Do you wish to see her get frustrated if the marriage doesn't work out?"

" At least she will get the necessary connections before the marriage ends. even the asset can be split in case of divorce. she will still have something to fall back on"

"How can you be so callous to your child?"

"We are not having this conversation anymore".

"Stop right there".

Bernice Hobbs continued to head towards her room, soon after Hobbs heard a loud bang on the door.

Hobbs had no choice but to head towards their bedroom too. He had no idea how to settle this issue with Bernice.

Xavier woke up to experience severe headaches and neck cramps. He had to transport himself around with an electronic wheelchair that support voice commands.

While wheeling himself around he remembered that he had to head to the company to know if the programmer had done his job.

On arrival at his company, he was wheeled by his secretary towards the IT department. Ava was busy tapping away at the keys, switching from one computer to another while ordering the other staff on the sidelines around. Xavier came in quietly and unannounced while observing Ava from the rear. The fingers were too cute and too slender for a man, even her figure looked small and frail from an up-close inspection.

" I can see how hard-working you are?"

Ava adjusted her fake hair and groaned internally. She had her back straight and ramrod as she tapped the keys at the speed of light such that he became dazed and got lost while looking at her.

Ava saw through him at a glance and paused for a second.

"Does Mr CEO have anything to tell this subordinate of his?"

"Huh".

Xavier was lost and saw the staff stealing weird glances at him.

He glared at them, they froze and turned away immediately. Ava's lips tilted at a familiar angle and Xavier thought he was seeing things.

"An done, the firewall is unforgettable and well-secured".

"The experts came forward to test the security system one after the other".

Xavier Observed everything with keen interest while code 001 had crossed his legs and had he assumed the posture of a big yet reckless boss.

" Can we talk in my office?"

"I am not sure if that will be possible but a deal is a deal", Ava bounced out. Go to his office with him? Not a chance.

"There is something weird about him, follow him", he signalled to one of his subordinates.

Ava knew that she was being followed yet she calmly walks into a big convenience store. She would never be careless to avoid being caught.

Being trailed is what most people are scared of but Ava quietly entered the restroom and changed back to her original self with waist-length dark hair. She avoided the cameras along the corridor and went out.

everyone was stunned by her beauty when she came out. She needed a camouflage hence she shopped for a few things that came to her mind.

Ava flaunted her hair and took a cab directly to her house. She had seen the credit alert from Xavier so she didn't worry about bumping or having anything to do with him.

This subordinate kept checking the road for the frail-looking young man but he did not see him come out. They had missed him......What will happen to him now that he has no idea where he could find that idiot? That crazy hacker! Just wait till I get you, he hit the steering.