Messed Up

Chapter 2

She smirked internally at the shocked look of her classmates. Her friends, Natasha and Maddy, grinned at her, happy to see their friend finally pleased with herself. Ava had worked hard all summer to get the body she wanted. She grew taller and lost all the excess fat. She was glad she went on a diet and worked out because not only did she look good now but she also felt healthier and more confident.

She sat down at the back of the class with Nat and Maddy sitting next to her. They waited silently, quietly talking among themselves as they waited for Ms. Brooks, they new lit teacher, to call roll. Laughing at something Maddy showed her, she glanced around the room only to land on the infuriatingly cute Mark Calers. Immediately, she froze. Her friends, noticing her sudden stiffness, glanced curiously at her.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

She didn't answer and it didn't take them too long to figure out what had sent their friend in such a state. As much as Ava wanted to detach her feelings for Mark from her, all the pent up emotions broke the barrier and flooded her brain.

"Hey! Snap out of it," Nat said, gently shaking her shoulders, "He's going to notice you staring."

Her words jarred Ava out of her trance and she glanced at her friends, who had a solemn and concerned looks on their faces.

"Why do you look like someone died. It's just him. I'm fine."

They didn't seem convinced but they slowly smiled, returning to their usual hyper states. Ava loved her friends more than anything. They sticked to her through everything. They've been there for her when Mark broke her heart, when she failed her math test (which was pretty devastating for her since she worked hard to having a high GPA) and, more importantly, they put up with her craziness. They were there to comfort her whenever she needed it. She couldn't have asked for better friends.

"Ok, if you don't know already, I'm Nina Brooks. I'm going to be your AP Lang teacher for this year. I must warn you, it is a hard course and requires you to always be on top of things. I'm sure you all know the AP policies. Alright, that's enough for now. I'm going to take roll and if you know anyone who isn't here and is supposed to be, please tell me." She smiled at us before taking roll.

"Ava Summers." She was jolted from her thoughts and immediately noticed the class looking at her. She even felt a familiar gaze burn through the side of her head. She answered back, murmuring a "here" and slumped back in her seat. She couldn't help but glance at Mark who, to her immense shock and embarrassment, was looking at her with curious and stunned eyes.

She instantly looked away and towards Ms. Brooks, who was still calling roll. Turning in her seat to face Nat and Maddy, she tried to talk to them to calm her rapidly beating heart.

"Have you heard what Shawn Mendes released yesterday? I swear, it literally brought tears to my eyes. It was beautiful." Ava conversed quietly.

Her friends, probably noticing Mark's intense gaze on their best friend, quickly took part in the conversation, chatting eagerly until Ms. Brooks shushed them all.

"There really is nothing to do as of now so you guys can talk and meet new people I guess. Just don't be too loud. I don't want Ms. Johnson complaining about the class misbehaving on the first day. Carry on."

Ava's phone buzzed in front of her and looking it, she saw that it was Cho.

Cho: Is Mark in any of your classes this year?

Ava rolled her eyes, chuckling softly to herself at the predictable question.

Ava: Of course he is. Life hates me don't you know by now?