Brushstrokes 003

Tuesday, September 12th

—

Ava walked into her English class and took a seat in the back row, hoping to avoid any unwanted attention. As she pulled out her textbook, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Hey, I'm Sophie. Mind if I sit here?" a girl with curly hair and glasses asked.

Ava was surprised but nodded her head. "Sure, go ahead."

Sophie sat down next to Ava and smiled. "I'm new here. Do you mind if I ask what we're learning today?"

Ava hesitated for a moment. She wasn't used to making new friends and wasn't sure if she wanted to be bothered. But something about Sophie's smile made her feel at ease. "We're discussing Shakespeare's sonnets," she replied.

Sophie's eyes lit up. "Oh, I love Shakespeare! Do you have a favorite sonnet?"

Ava thought for a moment before responding. "Sonnet 18, the one that starts 'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?'"

Sophie nodded in agreement. "That's a good one. I like Sonnet 116, the one about love being an ever-fixed mark."

As the class started, Ava found herself getting more and more engaged in the discussion, thanks to Sophie's enthusiasm. The two of them shared insights about the language and themes of the sonnets, and Ava found herself opening up to Sophie in a way she hadn't with anyone else at school.

After class, as they were gathering their things, Sophie turned to Ava. "Do you want to grab lunch together?"

Ava hesitated, but something about Sophie's warmth and genuine interest in their class made her feel like she should say yes. "Sure, that sounds great."

As they walked to the cafeteria, Ava asked Sophie more about herself. She learned that Sophie had just moved to the area with her family, and that English was her favorite subject. They talked about their interests, their families, and their hopes for the future.

As they sat down to eat, Ava realized that she had made a new friend. It was a strange feeling for her, as she had always been something of a loner. But Sophie's easygoing nature and intelligent conversation made Ava feel like she had found someone she could trust.

The two of them continued to eat and chat, discussing everything from their favorite books to their experiences with bullying at school. Ava found herself opening up more and more to Sophie, telling her things that she had never shared with anyone else.

"See you next English class, Ava! It was great to meet you," Sophie said with a smile. She waved as she walked out of the classroom, and Ava felt a sense of excitement for the next English class. She couldn't wait to see Sophie again and get to know her even better.

As Ava walked home from school, her mind was filled with thoughts of Jack, Max, and Sophie. She couldn't help but feel conflicted about her feelings towards each of them.

On one hand, there was Jack. He was cool, confident, and always seemed to have a sense of mystery about him. Ava couldn't deny that she was attracted to him, but she also couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something. She wondered if he knew more about Emily and Mia than he let on.

Then there was Max. He was sweet, funny, and made her laugh. She enjoyed spending time with him, but she felt like he was too eager to please. She wondered if he had any secrets of his own, or if he was just a genuinely nice guy.

And then there was Sophie. Ava had only just met her, but she already felt a connection with her. Sophie was smart, witty, and didn't seem to care about what anyone else thought of her. Ava admired her confidence, and she couldn't help but feel like they could be great friends.

As she walked, Ava tried to sort out her feelings. She knew she couldn't keep leading all three of them on, but she didn't know how to choose between them. She wondered if she even had to choose at all.

Maybe she could just be friends with all of them, she thought. After all, she didn't have to date anyone right now. She could focus on her investigation into Emily and Mia's deaths, and maybe even enlist their help.

But then she thought about how complicated that could get. What if they all found out about each other? What if they all had their own agendas when it came to the investigation? She didn't want to risk losing any of them, but she also didn't want to keep anything from them.

Lost in thought, Ava arrived at her house. She went to her room and sat on her bed, still trying to sort out her feelings. She pulled out her notebook and started to write down her thoughts.

After a few minutes, she realized that she was overthinking things. Maybe she didn't have to choose between Jack, Max, and Sophie right now. Maybe she could just focus on being friends with all of them, and see where things went.

With that decision made, Ava felt a weight lifted off her shoulders. She closed her notebook and decided to take a break from her investigation for the rest of the day. She turned on some music and started to get ready for dinner, feeling much more at ease than she had before.