Chapter 8 : The Student Arts Exhibition.

Ava was in her apartment at night, working on a project for her university. She was making a tiny model of a modern building as part of her architecture assignment. Ava had spent the entire holiday on this project. She was serious about making it just right. Her hands were covered in glue, and her clothes had paint stains. 

With precision scissors, she cut out the final piece, a small replica of a modern building. She added it carefully, making sure it fit perfectly with the rest of the model.

When she stepped back to look at her work, she felt proud. The model turned out just as she had imagined it. Every little detail, from the streets to the trees and tiny people, was exactly as she had planned. She needed to show it to her brother. 

Ava entered the kitchen where Elara was busy preparing dinner. She could smell the delicious aroma of Elara's cooking.

 Elara noticed Ava's presence and turned to her holding a spatula in one hand, a smile on his face. "Hey there, little architect! How's the model coming along?"

Ava grinned and replied, "It's finally finished! I'm really excited about it. But I won't show it to you here. Let's go to my room. I've set up a small display for it."

Elara playfully raised an eyebrow. "Oh, going all fancy with a private exhibit, huh? Alright, I'll be there in a minute. Just let me finish up here."

Ava was too excited to wait, and she playfully grabbed her brother's hand. "Nope, you can't wait. It's a surprise! Come on!"

Ava was too excited to wait, and she playfully grabbed her brother's hand. "Nope, you can't wait. You'll see now."

Elara laughed as Ava pulled him away from the kitchen, abandoning his cooking temporarily. Ava guided her brother into her room, and there on her desk stood the architectural model. 

Elara looked at the model with genuine interest. "Wow, Ava, this is impressive!" he exclaimed. "You've really outdone yourself, Ava."

Ava beamed with joy. "I'm glad you like it. I put a lot of effort into this, and it's a big part of my final project."

 Elara looked at his watch. "I hate to break up the discussion, but dinner won't cook itself. Let's head back to the kitchen."

Ava sighed in resignation but then smiled. "Alright, let's go back. But promise me, when I become a famous architect, you'll visit one of my real buildings, not just models."

Elara grinned. "Deal, Ava. I'll be the first in line for the grand opening."

Just then, her phone started buzzing. Ava glanced at the screen and noticed that it was Ibrahim calling. Panic crept into her eyes, but she tried to keep her normal. She wasn't ready to discuss about Ibrahim with her brother just yet.

She quickly made an excuse. "Oh, it's Farah calling me. I should take this."

Elara nodded understandingly. "Sure, go ahead. I'll finish up dinner while you talk to Farah." With that Elara went to kitchen.

Ava stood on her balcony, anxiety gnawing at her as she held the phone to her ear. 

"Hello," he greeted, "what are you doing, Ava?" The sound of Ibrahim's voice, deep and confident, immediately set her on edge.

Ava took a deep breath to steady herself. She replied, "I'm just working on my project for university."

Ibrahim, on the other end of the line, took a drag from his cigarette as he peered out the window. The dim glow of a cigarette visible in the darkness.

"Good," he replied, "Have you thought about my proposal? What's your answer, Ava?"

Ava remained silent, her heart pounding in her chest. Ibrahim spoke firmly, "Ava? I'm waiting for your answer."

"I have thought about it, Mr. Ibrahim," she began, her voice trembling. "But I....I'm not ready for a relationship right now. And... And I would appreciate it if you didn't call me further."

Ibrahim's patience was wearing thin. He asked, "Ava, tell me, why are you not ready?"

"It's not the right time for me, Mr. Ibrahim. My studies and exams are crucial, and I need to focus on them. I hope you can understand my situation." Ava explained.

Ibrahim clenched his jaw, his cigarette smoldering in the ashtray. His tone grew more intense as he asked, "Why are you pushing me away, Ava?

Ava took a hold of the railing of balcony and told, "I'm not pushing you away, but I'm not ready for this yet."

Ibrahim was not pleased. He flicked his cigarette out the window, watching it fall to the ground below. "Ava, you don't understand. When Ibrahim wants something, he gets it. I don't take 'no' as answer. Remember this, Ava—I will make you mine."

With those words, the call ended abruptly, leaving Ava trembling on her balcony. She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. 

Meanwhile, Ibrahim stared out of his window, the tension in his shoulders evident. The rejection stung, but he wasn't one to back down easily.

Seven days had passed since Ava's last conversation with Ibrahim, and during this time, she hadn't received any calls or messages from him. It was a relief for Ava. 

She returned to her usual routine of studying and working on her architectural projects. As an architecture student, her life was filled with sketches, designs, and blueprints. 

In these seven days, she had also managed to create two beautiful paintings. Her university hosted a monthly student art exhibition where students from various departments could showcase their artistic talents. She had been participating in this event for the past two years. Not only did it allow her to explore her passion for art, but it also provided her with a source of income from the art pieces she sold.

The day of the Student Arts Exhibition had finally arrived. The university's gallery had been filled with various artworks created by the talented students.The gallery was buzzing with visitors, including students, professors, and art enthusiasts, all gathered to appreciate the creative talents of the participants. 

Ava had her two paintings displayed. The first painting, titled "Innocence Unveiled," was a portrait of a little girl with sparkling eyes. The second, named "Undersea Reverie," depicted the mystical underworld of the sea.

Many art enthusiasts and her professors couldn't help but admire Ava's work. Her friends, Nurul and Hafiz were also there to support her. And Ava greeted them with a smile.

Hafiz playfully said, "Ava, you always manage to make us look bad. These paintings are spectacular!"

Ava laughed, "Don't be too hard on yourselves. You have your own talents, and besides, I'm just doing what I love."

Nurul nodded in agreement, "Ava, you've really outdone yourself this time."

Hafiz, who had a tradition of buying one of Ava's paintings at every exhibition, pointed at "Innocence Unveiled" and said, "Ava, this one? I'll take it. How much?"

Ava chuckled, "It's not too expensive; I want you to have it."

While chatting with Hafiz and Nurul, Ava felt an odd sensation, as if someone was watching her. She turned her head to scan the room but found everyone engrossed in their conversations and admiring the art. She dismissed the feeling. It could be her imagination.

Nurul, noticing Ava's momentary distraction, asked, "Ava, is something bothering you? You seemed a bit lost just now."

Ava shook her head and smiled, appreciating the concern. "No, it's nothing."

.......

Ava hailed a cab to return home. The Student Arts Exhibition came to an end. Both her paintings had found appreciative buyers, and she was thrilled that her art would now adorn the homes of others.

After some moments, the cab pulled up in front of her apartment building. The driver politely informed her of the fare, and she quickly settled the payment before exiting the vehicle.

"Thank you," she said to the driver with a warm smile. The driver nodded in acknowledgment. 

Upon entering her apartment building, the security guard, informed her, "I'm sorry, ma'am, but the lift isn't working at the moment."

Ava furrowed her brow in confusion. "Why is the lift not working now? It was perfectly fine when I used it this evening."

The security guard shrugged slightly and explained, "I'm not sure, ma'am. It seems to have stopped working suddenly. We've already called for a technician to come and fix it, but it might take some time."

Ava sighed, realizing that she had no other option but to take the stairs for climbing. However, little did she know that this seemingly ordinary act of taking the stairs would lead to a life-altering event, one that would change her life forever.