006 - LEAVING

006

LEAVING

NOVA

After my argument with Nova in the media room, I'm sure it's no longer news. Everyone heard. The whole media department knows that I recorded Enzo and my brother talking. And... and somehow, it'll get to their ears. It probably already has.

Noah already knows, that's for fucking sure. He just didn't have proof to point accusing fingers at me. But now, he sure does.

I can't face both of them. So I do what I've never been so good at doing. I gather my stuff from my locker and I skip school.

I still can't believe Ava did that to Enzo. Alright, fine. It's a lot easier to believe she'd throw Enzo under the bus. But then what about me? She didn't think about how it'll affect me. I'm her best friend. She's my best friend.

Fucking hell. I wrap my hands around my hair, tugging roughly at the roots. It does hurt. It hurts to hear those words from her. It hurts that she doesn't feel remorseful for her actions.

She still thinks she's right. Classic Ava.

I thought I knew half of the person she is. Turns out, I'm deadass wrong. Ava's never been the kind of girl to take corrections and own up to her mistakes. She'd defend her actions till you concede.

Raising my head, our house is staring back at me. I've walked this far, miles from school, to not see Enzo or Noah at school.

I'd just hide in my room until after school and they'd come back. The front door's open when I step inside the house, which immediately sets off an alarm in my head. There's a muffled sound coming from the television which tells me someone is home.

"Shit!" I murmur, walking down the little corridor before revealing myself to whoever is in the living room.

"Nova?"

I inhale slightly. Thank goodness it's mom, even though I'm about to have an earful since I skipped school. My parents have a strict give-your-all-to-education rule that my brother and I find funny considering they both dropped out of college and are still widely successful in life, running their own businesses.

Mom always says that's not the point, that their experiences were different, that the world is more competitive now. But Noah and I have never truly understood what the point is, beyond 'do as I say, not as I did.'

"What happened, baby? Why are you home?" Mom pauses the show on the television, to give me her now undivided attention.

I press my lips together. I feel so fucking ashamed. My throat dry. How do I even begin to explain this mess? Where do I start?

"Are you going to answer me or what, Nova?"

I nod, my eyes finding their way to the show she's watching on the TV. It takes me five seconds to realize she's not just watching a reality TV show or some boring documentary. It's... news. From my school.

The dread I was feeling when I left school suddenly found its way back into my mind. My palms suddenly feel clammy and I can't meet Mom's eyes.

"Does this have something to do with the recording that's public?" Mom proceeds to ask.

I gasp. She knows about the recording? She just said the recording is public. Public? What the hell does that mean? How public did Ava make the recording? Not just school, not just the local grapevine, but public? Like, for everyone?

My hands start shaking.

Mom sighs and pats the seat next to her. "Come here, baby."

It's a surprise I still know how to use my legs as I make my way over to where she's sitting. I place my hands on my lap and inhale, my eyes turning blurry instantly.

"Did you make the recording?"

My breaths turn shaky as the first roll of tears pool out of my eyes. "Y...yes."

Mom shuts her eyes, breathing in and making no other sound. I know that look she has on her face. It's one of disappointment... and disbelief?

"You posted it too?"

I shake my head. "No. Ava did."

Mom's brow raise. "Your Ava?"

I nod. "Yes."

Mom shrugs. "I've been trying to get to your father before this issue gets out of hand. It's already escalating. If I can get in contact with your dad now, he could be of some help, he knows people, he knows how to handle these things, how to make calls and smooth things over, how to contain a PR disaster. But if it's later... I'm not sure what help he could give if it's already blown out of proportion. Where's your phone?"

I dig through my backpack and pull out my phone, handing it to mom.

She unlocks it with my face, and starts going through it. Minutes later, she plays the voice recording and we both sit through it, listening to Enzo and Noah's voices.

She finally drops my phone and folds her arms. "This is bad."

I sniff. "I know, mom. I know."

"Baby, this was so wrong of you. I'm trying to think of words to say that won't make you feel worse than you already feel. I know you feel awful."

I swallow, more tears spilling down my cheeks. "I'm sorry."

"I know you are. But you're gonna feel a lot worse when your brothers get back."

"I didn't want to. I promise, I didn't want to. But Mia was going forward and I just felt... stuck. And... I was just so foolish for trusting Ava with my phone."

"I know baby, I know." Mom tells me, her one hand rubbing my back soothingly while she's dialling Dad's number with the second hand.

"Noah's gonna hate me." I mutter, wiping my tears which is ridiculous as more keeps pooling out. "Dad is gonna be so mad at me."

Mom gives me a pitiful look, then she looks back at her phone. "Your Dad is probably on his flight already. I'm sure that's why his phone is switched off."

I wipe my face, sitting upright. "Isn't there anything you can do for now?"

"There is something." Mom says and I am all eager to hear her words. "I'm gonna take you to Joan's place so you can stay there for a couple of weeks until we get this all sorted out."

I blink my wet lashes rapidly. "What?"

Mom nods. "I don't want arguing, baby. This isn't a discussion."

"You're sending me away? Mom, no. I can't just run away. That makes me look even more guilty!"

"You are guilty. You are guilty of making the recording, Nova," Mom says. "But right now, I'm not trying to manage your guilt. I am trying to shield you from the fallout. Look at the screen."

I turn my head slowly toward the television. The local news ticker is scrolling rapidly across the bottom of the broadcast.

High school hockey prodigy and top draft prospect Enzo Vance embroiled in ongoing audio scandal.

It's already on the local news.

"Aunt Joan lives two hours away in the valley," Mom continues, standing up and gently but firmly grabbing my trembling hands. "There are no reporters there. No angry internet trolls. No sports agents. And most importantly... Noah won't be there."

The mention of my brother makes my stomach do a sickening flip. "Is he... is he that angry?"

"He's protective, Nova. Of you, normally. But Enzo is his brother in every way but blood. When Noah connects the dots and realizes it was your phone that captured that conversation in our own living room, which I'm sure he already has... I don't want you here for that confrontation. Not until your father gets back and we can handle this properly."

My eyes are redrimmed as I nod.

"So go upstairs and get your things." Mom urges.

A minute later, I'm upstairs throwing my clothes into my suitcase. My hands don't stop shaking as I pull the zipper shut and reach for my duffel bag. I throw my essentials into it and zip it shut.

My phone's on my bed and it's been buzzing nonstop. I finally force myself to look at the lock screen. There are several texts from unknown numbers and then the school group chat.

>Unknown Number: You're a snake for doing that to Enzo.

>Unknown Number: How much did the media department pay you for the tape?

>Ridgeview Group Chat: Noah, where the fuck is your sister?

They're putting the pieces together. The whole school is. Because of the screaming match Ava and I had in the media room, it took less than an hour for the rumors to solidify into facts.

I grab my duffel bag and throw it over my shoulder before reaching for my suitcase. As I rush toward the door, I catch my reflection in the mirror. White as a sheet, eyes bloodshot, looking exactly like what Ava called me.

A coward.

"Nova! We need to leave before the school day ends!" Mom calls from the bottom of the stairs, her car keys jingling.

I guess I am a coward after all.