TWO--SNOOPING AND TRESPASSING

True to his words, she found Ethan seated on her creaseless bed with his legs crossed over each other. His hands were tucked in his hoodie pockets and he squinted in the dim lamplight, the only illumination in the room.

"Why did you turn off the lights?" She feigned a snarl to hide her excitement. She never turned it off even when she was going out.

Weird, but that's Ava.

The lights came on almost immediately with a flick. "Sorry, baby". His breath warmed the small of her back. He was right behind her now. He was not touching her but she could feel butterflies in her belly already.

She felt his eyes on her bare knees all of a sudden. "What's that bruise?" He asked.

Oops! He had noticed

"It's nothing"

"Tell me"

"One of my usual falls. This one was on the court. I was playing and I just fell onto the grass"

He examined the spot and blew air on it. It didn't look so fresh.

When he looked up, he noticed her mood had turned sour; she never liked to talk about things that worried her.

She had a list of them in memory and talking about them didn't help. Maybe it did, a little with Ethan, but not any help major, frankly.

First, She fell all the time because her steps were all-the-time awkward. It was not something she could control. Barely noticeable but her family and Ethan knew.

She had her ailing dad to worry about. That was second.

Her broke mom.

The 'bondage' she was in, in her own home

The Mandibles who wanted her boyfriend. That was her major worry

Life after graduation

Grief of Tyler's loss, and the unknown face in her dream- the guy who always smiled at her and nursed her bruises before wake-up time. That one no one knew about yet. Was that actually a topic of worry though? He never hurt her.

Ethan decided to tease her to lighten up her mood.

"It's time to wear your pajamas. Don't you think?" He subtly whispered in her ears.

"It's so cold outside but it feels hot in here" He whispered sending chuckles out of her mouth.

She knew that tone. He said that all the time even if the weather was just fine.

"Should we tune in to Netflix or just chill together? play games or just chat?" She turned to face him and dared him to say another word.

"Shall I help you with your pyjamas? Where did you hang it?" He rambled on, effortlessly teasing her.

"You know when I..

"I poisoned supper. Your plate particularly" Ava fobbed, all of a sudden; it was very necessary at that point.

" What?"

She laughed, jumping to her bed, still in her school wear. Over games later that night, she changed into mufti, when he wasn't looking.

"I'm changing my seat tomorrow" she announced.

"Why? You don't want to get the award for the neatest locker owner at graduation day anymore?" He arched a brow.

"I no longer can take Kath's rudeness. I have put up with her for too long" she sighed, placing her head on his shoulder.

"Because of the Mistress Penelope painting?"

"Yes, Ethan, and many more. You know what that painting exemplifies, don't you?" She snarled again, this time she was about to flip her lid.

He shrugged.

"Penelope is a name for a group of snoopers here in Tuscaloosa. They work together with the Mandible, and what do you think drawing your portrait under one of 'Penelope slaves' meant? She's ridiculing you, don't you know that? She wants to put you under their control" She paused to catch her breath.

"How do you even know all these?"

"Because I know Mach is one of the Mandibles, and he's out to get you if you keep living carelessly and walking home in the dark instead of catching the fucking bus!"

Ava covered her mouth immediately she realized her folly. But thankfully, her mother was a slightly heavy sleeper. She hoped Jason didn't hear her yell though- he rarely ever slept.

The Mandibles were juvenile delinquents that paraded the city, sometimes aimlessly.

They were said to be a group of teenage and middle-aged 'men' who were out to get other tough or helpless boys to join them by enticing them with money, trips and heavy partying.

All they did was force them to sell marijuana across the country, gamble and snatch people's partners. They did all sort of crimes that seemed little.

Subtle criminals. The Mandibles were a bunch of bitter youngsters.

Hate was an understatement for what Ava felt for the group. Even so, the existence of the group worried her more than it annoyed her. And all the worry, or at least 90% of it, was for her high school love, Ethan Miller.

Reason she said 'yes' to his proposal on one Hangout music fest that held in Alabama the previous year, because, when the poor guy joined their school around the time the school term was about closing, looking glum and needy, she started to feel like it was her duty to protect him.

She started to like him on his first day at school. The features on his face and body were very attractive. Green eyes, unlike her blue ones, pointed nose, kissable lips and a well-chiseled jaw. It was love at first sight.

It got stronger when he asked her if she was okay and offered her tissues for her tears, when he found her crying at the back of the school building one afternoon.

It was the day she heard the news of her father's mishap. Ethan literally made her feel better in a way no one else could have.

His soft voice and his dimpled smile made her smile even in her worst moment.

"Life is tough but all it takes to pull through is being tougher than it is. If you need someone to talk to, I'm just three rows away from you"

If looks or stares could kill, Ethan's would have buried her that afternoon.

"I think you're paranoid, Ava" his salty voice cut through her thoughts. Her hand was still pressed over her mouth, to stifle yelps and yawns.

"No, I'm not paranoid. It's true", she responded, jerking out of her reverie. "Mach is one of the Mandibles, I can beat my chest to that" she flopped on the bed, sighing.

"Look, Ava. I might be sixteen but I have only one fear in this world and it is neither death nor the Mandibles" he scratched the back of his earlobes and scrutinized his girlfriend's face.

"That's not my business. All I'm saying is you are too careless. You act like you don't care if something bad happens to you, and that, " she said, pointing a finger at him, "does not sit right with me" she whispered. The curtains shook and both of them rubbed their shoulders, swallowing some air.

Ava got up and propped the pillows and then wore a big coat over her pyjamas. It was half past 11 and she was not done talking sense into him.

"It's not that I don't care. It's just...I'm not afraid of it. I don't think anything is worse than what I've suffered, except if something bad happens to my sister. Then, that's worse"

She knew part of his story, at least the part he had explained to her over their first date. He no longer lived at home, but he had a sister there, under the hands of his brutal stepmom, one that could pass for the devil himself. She also knew that all that filled his pretty little head was saving her, his sister that is.

"Please don't walk home in the night, especially not alone. Stay indoors if you have nothing doing. Please, Ethan, or ..."

"Or what?"

"Nothing. Just do that for me. You know I love you very much" she rubbed his chin and slightly brushed her lips on his cheek. He chuckled.

"Tell me why you think the Mandibles can catch me. You know I'm a street boy, right? That's where I grew up, for six years. Six tough years" he whispered, resting his head on a pillow.

"Why do you think I'm an easy catch? I sincerely want a response"

Ava hesitated answering. She sighed and cupped her hands underneath her breasts for split seconds.

"I'm waiting" he demanded

"Because Tyler died" she said with a small voice.

"Who is Tyler?"

"I know I haven't told you this story before, but my brother was killed here in Tuscaloosa, some five years ago. Brought home in a pool of his blood. He was only thirteen"

He was speechless.

"You can call me paranoid but it's just me not wanting to lose another loved one. Not anymore. Tyler's tougher than tough can be, but he was no match for them." Her eyes grew misty as the memory of that night flooded her mind all over again.

He moved an inch closer and rocked her back and forth. He was beyond shocked to hear her story.

They've been together almost a year, but she had hidden that tragic reality from him, because it was not something you could be proud of.