Edited 22/4/30

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Chapter Four

I let the warm water rain over me. My head firmly placed against the glass of the shower door. My sweat leaves brushes off my body and down the drain. My eyes hurt to open.

I'm scared to sleep.

The same nightmare haunts me, I went to bed at 4 am last night, and now my head hurts and my eyes won't stay open.

It's all my fault

I turn the shower off and step out to check the remains of myself in the mirror.

Apart from the bags under my eyes, and my messy hair. I can go to school and put up the front of everything in my life is normal. I'll just use a lot of makeup to try cover up my reality.

After spending 30 minutes on hair and makeup, I went to my wardrobe to find a baggy shirt and pants for school.

I clip my wig into place and put my spare pair of glasses on.

Although still feeling like rubbish, I look better than before.

In the kitchen Finn is munching on 'Captain Crunch' this brings a smile to my face as I remember last night.

"Morning Finn." I greet, walking over to the fridge to find some fruit.

"Are you okay?" Finn asks, when he sees my face.

"Yeah, why?" I try keep my under control facade up, but I can tell he's curious about me.

Finn doesn't say anything just gets up and wraps me into a hug.

"I heard you last night at 3 am, mucking around." I freeze into the hug, I don't want Finn to worry about me. He's fifteen he should be having fun, not taking care of his distressed nightmare prone sister.

"Why were you up so late?" Finn asks pulling away from me to look me in the eye.

"I h-had some paperwork to finish." I stutter. Why did I stutter?

Finn raises his eyebrow in a curious glance before taking his seat back down at the counter to finish his cereal.

"Please, look after yourself." he says sadly.

This is exactly what I didn't want to happen! He doesn't need to worry about me.

"Finn, I'm fine, seriously" I lie. I hate lying to him.

He doesn't say anything, just slowly nods his head as if he wasn't sure he should.

I grab an apple, and head for the door. It's around 7:30, school doesn't start for another hour and half. That should be enough time to walk to school and clear my head.

"Bye Finn." I yell out to him.

"Bye." He replies flatly. I hate when Finn isn't his usual self. I hate that it's my fault.

It's always my fault. Everything is my fault.

My stomach churns at the words, but I carry on walking.

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"Ava can I see you after class?" Mr Dom asks me. I simply nod my head.

Mr Dom, is my biology teacher. He's an older man with a bald head. Always wears his white lab coat, because he thinks he's a real scientist.

The bell rings signalling end of class, I wait for everyone to leave before going over to Mr Dom's desk.

"Ava, your grade is dropping, and I'm worried about it." Mr Dom starts explaining.

This will be an easy fix, I'll just get one of the nerdy gang members to do it for me. "I've got a new student who can help, he will tutor you."

Wait what? A tutor. This is no longer an easy fix. This is really bad, and Mr Dom said 'he' will tutor me. My tutor is a boy!

"No no, I can pick myself up, I don't need anyone to help." I try reason with him, but he's shaking his head the entire time.

"He's already agreed to do it with you, you will meet in the library at lunch to discuss a timetable, for when and where he can tutor you." Mr Dom blabs on.

No distractions A. I shake my head. If I have a tutor, that means I have less time at the gang.

"No, I can do it myself" I argue with Mr Dom. "Please, I'll study more."

"Ava it's either this or I'll get your parents in to discuss taking extra classes."

"But-"

"I feel a tutor would be more beneficial, and you can begin immediately!" Mr Dom cuts me off, clearly sick of my attitude.

"Can't you give me a chance to fix my grade alone before forcing me to be tutored?!"

When did schools force kids to be tutored. What kind of education board allows this?

"Ava I'm not forcing you. If you don't want to be tutored you can arrange at the office a schedule to come in on the weekend for extra classes." Mr Dom looks down at his papers.

I'm about to continue arguing, but Mr Dom stands up from his desk with papers in hand and walks towards the door. He opens the door and gestures for me to leave.

I sling my bag over my back, and exit the classroom in a grump.

What am I supposed to do now?

Sighing I decide to walk to the library as I have a free period now and I have to decide what I'm going to do before I meet with the tutor.

I bet the tutor will be ugly. Not that it matters, but he probably has a Pokemon collection, and has never spoken to a girl before.

I frown at the thought, and start making my way to the library.

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"Nerdy Ava, needs a tutor. I'm actually really surprised."

I look up from my book, to find Caleb leaning against the table staring at me.

"What do you want?" I huff, as I continue reading my book.

"To discuss when and where you would like to be tutored." He smirks.

If I had a glass of water then you could imagine what I would look like as I processed Caleb's words. Let's just say, spit would be everywhere, because my jaw is currently on the floor in shock.

"Wait what?" I choke out, trying to regather the breath I had lost.

"I'm tutoring a nerd, this is classic." Caleb laughs as he pulls out a seat opposite me and sits down.

"W-what?" I stutter, while watching as he smirks at me.

His stupid handsome smirk.

"You seem surprised?" Caleb questions while picking up my book and flicking through the pages.

I don't reply back, mostly because I'm still in shock.

How is Caleb smart? He hangs out with idiots like Adam. Oh my god. Caleb is a closet nerd.

"I'll come to your house tomorrow." He says while standing back up.

I find my voice and frown. "I have plans." I reply.

"Your a nerd. Nerds don't have friends, so nerds don't have plans." He states slowly, in a teacher manor.

"Your assumption of a nerd is completely wrong." I reply curtly. snatching my book back off him.

"Whatever, just cancel the plans you have." he laughs like it's obvious as he begins walking away.

"You're not coming to my house." I say realising that Caleb can't see my mansion, and that I don't want Finn to find out I'm getting tutored. I'm his smart, motivated big sister. Not his dumb sister who needs help.

"Fine, meet me tomorrow after school by my car." he replies, as he walks out of the library.

I frown, my eyebrows pulling together at the idea of having to spend time with him.

Now I have to ride in his car. After school. When I should be at the gang house.

Tommy isn't going to be happy. That reminds me.

'Ring ring

Ring ring'

"Hello?" Tommy answers.

"I've got bad news." I reply, getting out of my seat and walking towards the entrance.

"That's never good" he replies plainly.

"I've been failing biology, and have now got a tutor." I exit the library and continue walking down the pathway towards my last class.

"Great. Just great." Tommy's voice is bottomless and my toes curl. His voice is deep and those three words alone, may seem harmless but because it's Tommy. It's actually quite terrifying.

He could either be calm and hang up on me, or he could go ballistic. It's a coin toss really.

I don't say anything, and instead wait for him to speak.

"I'm pulling you out of school." he growls.

I look around me, making sure no one can hear before replying. "Your not pulling me out. I'll work harder. I'll ace my test, he will be gone in less than a month. Who is in charge here anyway?"

"We don't have a mon- wait did you say he?" He coldly replies.

My blood churns at his voice.

"Yeah, his names Caleb."

The silence of him hanging up follows after.

"Did he really just hang up on me?" I murmur to myself in question.

"Who did nerdy Ava?" Adam asks.

I freeze. How much of that conversation did he hear?

"W-what?" I stutter, picking up my pace as I walk.

Adam stick his foot out in front of mine. I can clearly see it, but if I dodged it I wouldn't look like nerd. Nerds fall over a lot.

I base my behaviour at school off the stereotypical nerd of every fictional high school story.

Which is why I'm now currently sprawled out on the floor.

Adam and his goons laugh behind me. I turn to see Caleb in the back with a smirk on his face.

Students in the hallways circle around me and Adam. All filming. Hoping to catch a glimpse of me lashing out at Adam. But I never do. He has never caught me at my worst before.

So I stand. Straighten my shirt, sling my bag over my back, and continue walking.

I won't let anyone get the satisfaction of getting a reaction from me.

As I leave the formed circle, I hear students boo, and make chicken noises.

I'm smarter than that.

So I walk alone, towards my last class.

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"Get in A!" Tommy yells at me through the rolled down window.

I turn to see him. His eyes pierce into mine. I look behind me and around the road, making sure no one can see me.

After school finished 15 minutes ago, I've been walking home. That is until Tommy found me.

Reluctantly I climb into the car. Tommy rolls up the window, neither of us speaking.

I can tell Tommy is furious. His hair is tangled, he smells like sweat and you can practically see the smoke blowing out of his ears.

I decide to speak first.

To clear the air.

Nice and friendly.

"What the hell Tommy, you can't seriously be angry at me about this! It's out of my control, it's either this or weekend classes!" I say harshly. It didn't sound that harsh in my head. However when Tommy looks at me, his eyes cold, dark and menacing, I flinch a bit.

"You needed to keep your grades up, and now we have to deal with a little nerd messing around in our business!" he shouts back at me, his voice matches his eyes. Cold and dark.

I hold the small laugh at Tommy calling Caleb a little nerd.

"Can you relax!?" I yell, bringing my hands to my temples to massage the now forming headache.

He doesn't reply.

"Tommy, I'll fix this." I reason with him.

"You better fix it, or I'm pulling you out A. Don't mess this up." he shouts back at me, and I sigh.

"Shut up, oh and who is in charge of your pay check anyway? Couldn't possibly be me, because that would mean I was in charge of you, but instead it sounds like you are ordering me around." I mutter sarcastically.

He hears me but chooses to ignore me.

After a moment Tommy's phone rings.

"What?" He answers grumpily.

"When?" He asks, shifting in his seat. A glint in his eye, I can see his mood shifting.

"We are almost there, hold on." Tommy hangs up the phone, turns the car around and steps on the gas.

"What's going on?!" I shout over the rev of the engine.

"A race."

It's all he has to say for my anger to deflate. Excitement rushes through me, and I find myself urging Tommy to drive faster.

I remove my wig and glasses, climbing into the back. I grab my spare suitcase with my normal clothes in them.

Plain maroon v neck and leather black skinny jeans.

I tie my brown hair into a messy bun, changing into my clothes. Aware of the fact Tommy watches me almost the whole time.

"Eyes on the road." I say smirking. Tommy just rolls his eyes.

"How do I look?" I ask when I sit back down in my seat.

"Like a gang leader." Tommy replies with a thumbs up.

I smirk and watch the road as I see the road turn to trail, then to dirt. Then eventually the large clearing of the track.

Cars and people are everywhere. Races are going on and music is pounding its way into the car from the crowd speakers.

We pull up beside Sam's car. I get out and the crowd surrounding Sam swarms to me.

I don't say anything, I simply walk over to Greg. The guy who runs the racing events here.

"Afternoon A." He smiles at me, locking me into a hug. Greg has always been the over-friendly type.

"Hi" I reply curtly. He didn't act on it, considering I am always like this.

"You wanna race?" he asks me.

I raise my eye brow as if to say 'what else do you think I'm here for?'.

He understands and smiles. His wide grin covering his entire face.

I hand over $500 and walk back to my car that Sam had drove here.

A black 2014 Ford Mustang.

I smile at the shiny car staring back at me.

"Alright, ladies and gentleman. We have the crowd favourite A-" everyone cheers and chants my name. I smirk and wave. "-going up against, Cameron Rose."

I smirk at remembering our last race. The race where I won, after he drifted to far, smashing his range rover into a large tree. Range rovers aren't fast enough for races like this.

I start my car, the rev of the engine makes everyone cheer, my excitement grows.

I drive over to the start line.

Eventually a red Audi RS6 drives into the spot next to me.

At least Cameron got a faster car.

I roll down my window on his side, he rolls down his.

I wave at him and he smiles.

Me and Cameron have always been friends. His parents knew my parents, so from childhood we have been close.

"Good luck Cam!" I laugh.

He rolls his eyes, but a smile etches at the side of his lips.

I roll my window back up and look at Greg who holds our money in an envelope and has a handkerchief he will use to start the race.

$500 fee to pay if you want to race. If you win you get your 500 and the other racers 500.

The crowd bid on who will win.

"Good luck." Tommy mouths at me. I can't hear him over my engine roaring. But I nod, a smile tugging at my lips.

With that, Greg drops the handkerchief and Cameron and I both go racing racing down the dirt track.

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Thank you to anyone who had read this massive chapter. It was definitely very long. My apologises if you lost interest. 

Next chapter will be the gang, and finding a way around Caleb the tutor.

If you enjoyed this chapter, or are enjoying the book please vote, comment and share!

Xx

- mcjennels