บททั้งหมดของ Too Young To Want Him: บทที่ 31 - บทที่ 40

The hall was strange. Immediately, Ava entered.Even before anybody mentioned it, she saw it, before she even got to her locker. There was a lapse in conversation. Laughter got quieter. There was a constant stream of people. She kept her head down, clutched her bag close, as all the eyes could be closed.She caught murmurs, tender yet keen enough to hurt."That's her.""She's engaged, right?""So young."Ava did not want to hear, but to hear her shoes on the floor. Each step increased the rate of her heart. She had been aware that this would occur, but knowing it did not make it any easier.She turned the dial a few times, uncertainly at her locker. She had to make two attempts to open it."Ava."She raised her eyes to be met with a pale face of Riley standing beside her with an expression of concern."Hey," Ava said quietly.Riley looked about, after which she leaned forward. "Are you okay?"Ava forced a small smile. "I'm fine."Riley frowned. "You don't look fine."The girls, as Ava

Bella was sitting on her bed with her laptop open, her phone next to it, and a notebook on it and in front of her. The room was extremely silent, with the only sounds the slight clicking of keys and the low buzzing of the overhead fan. And this was no more inquisitive; it was certitude gradually droning. She opened the Insta page of Ava and began to scroll. Announcement of engagement, Bella muttered. “Two weeks ago.” She jotted the date down.Then she scrolled way back. Photos. Comments. Tagged posts. She gazed at a photograph made months before a coffee mug on a table, with the light of the sun in it. Bella checked the caption. “Quiet day at home.” Bella frowned. “Home,” she repeated. She clicked on the date. Now her fingers were moving more rapidly. Saying this slowly she added, “That was the same week.” She opened the profile of Mark and sifted through his posts from that time including location, time, and remarks. Bella leaned back a bit. She avoided saying to herself t

The hospital corridor reeked with cleaning spray and some sweet smell. Ava stood stiffly on the waiting chair with her hands on her stomach. Patricia was sitting beside her, erect, impatient, already irritated at the time.Waited too long, Patricia checked her watch a third time. “This is not how pregnant women should be kept.”Ava didn't answer. She checked the floor tiles counting the little cracks. She felt sick in her stomach, but she did not know whether it was the baby or nerves."Sit properly," Patricia added. "You're slouching."Ava sat up on her heels.A door was opened and Ava was called by name. Patricia rose in front of Ava even more before she could attempt any answer.“We're coming,” said Patricia.The interior of the exam room was too white and bright. Ava got on the bed gradually and Patricia was near the counter observing every step of Ava like a guard.The physician made a pleasant entrance. "Good morning, Ava. And you must be her mother.""Yes," Patricia replied. "I

Ava got out of the little grocery store which was close to the house when the afternoon sun was down. She carried two heavy bags and the plastic was forced to fit tightly around the goods. She was on her tensed shoulders and pale of face.She moved slowly forward a couple of times and paused.Her stomach tightened. It was not pain, but the burden bearing on her arms. She changed one bag to make it more balanced but to no avail. As she walked she bumped her legs against the bags.Marcus was standing by his car across the street behind her. He was now through with his errands. At first, he didn’t notice Ava. Then he saw her.He froze.She looked thinner and tired. She moved more slowly than normal but cautiously, in a manner that constricted his chest.Marcus advised himself to turn his head.He didn’t.Ava took a couple of steps and paused. She exhaled a little and dropped one of the bags on the ground. She patted her back a second or so, and then sat up, and looked ahead, as though she

Bella was sitting at her desk, her laptop on. She glowed on her face because of the screen light. The air was still and all that could be heard was the humming of a ceiling fan. She had closed the door and pulled up the curtains. She had no desire for someone to interrupt. She had tabbed and dated notes on her screen, screenshots, messages, and photos. Bella sat back, folded her arms, and noticed everything attentively.So,” she said to herself again, “let us look at that.”One of these folders was Timeline.The initial one bore the date when Ava broke up with Mark. The second one was the one when Ava told her that she was pregnant. The third note depicted the time Marcus was at home.Bella's lips curled a little.“That rift,” she said, “never heals. Whatever the number of times I look.”Her phone buzzed. A message from Mark.Mark: Are you still awake?Bella responded and typed quickly.Bella: Yes. What's wrong?A moment passed.Mark: I can't sleep. Everything feels off.Bella gave a