The banquet (I)

The Forest - 3.45 AM

"Hah!" Ava who couldn't help but fell asleep felt a sudden shake on the tree. She was forcefully awakened to the reality she was facing. The windy breeze seemed keen to bring her along to enjoy the unknown height from the tree to the ground.

"Hah...hah..." her breath rushed. In a split second, a while back, she thought that the grim reaper was really coming for her. Thankfully, her reflex was quick. The moment she felt like going off balance, she pushed her body forward and hug the huge trunk in front of her. It didn't fit in her arms, but it made her feel secure.

"Urghh," she let out a sudden growl. There was a sharp pain on her chest. She used her less dominant hand to touch the metal item that seemed to have stabbed her front area. 'My necklace,' she touched its surface before finally holding it within her palm.

A vivid replica of the necklace she was wearing was formed inside her mind. There were two pendants hanging on its thin chain. The first one was in the shaped of a rabbit and the other in the formed of a key. Both pendants were given by the two people she loved the most. Zen and her grandfather.

The similarity between the two was the time they gave it to her. It was when they left her. A force farewell that none of them could avoid.

Ava couldn't help but go down the memory lane again. Cold tears once again kissed her cheek. The night was cold, amplifying the suffering she was going through due to the pain reverted from the past.

***

One year ago

Willow Residence

***

Today marked Ava's one-year anniversary of living in the Willow Residence. Early in the morning, she would have breakfast with Zen and her grandpa and it would end with Ava losing a game of chess against Zen. Then, as per their agreement, the winner could request anything from the loser and sadly for Ava, Zen would always request her to do some physical exercises.

"You need the stamina to argue with me," he would often say this to make sense of his demand. Ava thought that it would be fine for it was merely letting her sweat a little. Only when she experienced a tiny percent of Zen's intense workout, did she begged for him to let her surrender. Yet, the devil boy wouldn't listen and create a set of workouts for her to complete.

From noon to an hour before dinner, Ava would shut herself at the study room for some lessons. Her timetable was packed since she wanted to catch up to Zen's timetable. When her grandfather knew about this, he decided to take matters in his own hand and fired all the teachers arguing that they were the ones to be blamed.

Ava could only sigh and strategized a series of persuasion after, Willow Sr. finally approved of the timetable she had planned for herself.

"What are you thinking of?" a voice disturbed Ava's concentration. She was actually daydreaming while reading a book. The printed words entered her mind without going through the complete analytical process of the little thinking machine in her brain.

Ava stared at Zen who seemed a lot taller compared to the first time she met him a year ago. She noticed that as days went by, Zen's was becoming more handsome. The aura he executed was that of a fighter. He had become someone beyond the reach of his peers. Sadly, he was her troublemaker. Even though, in times of difficulties, he would always be there for her.

"What?" Zen asked before taking the seat next to Ava. He noticed the attention that was directed to him. "Hmm?" he tilted his head to have a closer look at the attention giver.

Startled. Ava reflexively leaned back and accidentally hit the pillar behind her. That made the boy bursts into a peal of laughter. Ava was angry but the pain on her head made tears to play sliding on her face.

"Ava, are you okay? does it hurt? wait here," Zen was clearly worried after seeing the tears on Ava's cheek. He ran towards the residence and came back a few minutes later carrying a first-aid kit.

"Let me see," he checked the part that had kissed the pillar and saw that it was swollen. Ava could hear his teeth clicked in annoyance. "I'm sorry," there was regret in his voice which surprised her for it was clearly not his fault.

"Why are you apologizing? It was my fault," she said. She shrieked when the ointment was pressed against the swollen part on her head using a cotton bud. "Hmm, then we are both sorry," the boy said. The way he talked, Ava knew he was grinning. She smiled, comfortable with the remaining silent accompanied the two of them.

"Ava, about the banquet tonight. Do you know that your father will be there?" Zen closed the book he was reading and slowly leaned against the chair. Ava's head was on the table with her hand as a cushion.

She loved it when he called her name. She had forgotten when the nickname 'little girl' was dropped and replaced with her real name. The only thing she remembered was that Zen initiated to forget their past arguments. Of course, the silly fight was still ongoing and they both enjoyed every competition suggested by the other. Except, Ava dislikes the prerequisite of losing a match against him.

"Should I really call her my father?" her muffled voice softened as it reached the end. She buried her head under her arms. Zen watched her playing with her hair while hiding her face. "Do you hate him?" he asked and followed her action of resting his head on the table. He looked at the girl who was now staring at him.

Ava pondered over Zen's question. She recalled the confession her grandfather did sometimes ago about the deeds of his father. "He betrayed my mom," she mentioned. "This is enough to hate him," she exhaled as soon as she spoke.

"But do you really hate him?" Zen pressed. Ava lifted her head, her eyes were staring at Zen who was also repeating the same action. That question hit her hard. She shook her head for she didn't know whether the feeling she had was hate or something else.

From what her grandfather was telling her, her father or Dorian Loki married her mother for the inheritance that belonged to her mother. The only problem was that her mother declined the offer of inheriting the W&J Corporation for the reason that she wanted to be a full mother for her unborn baby; Ava.

Jenny Anne Willow Sr.; Ava's mother revealed her intention to her husband only to know that he used that as a reason to cheat on her with someone closest to her; Reyna Patrick, the adopted child of the Willow's branch family; the Smith couple and also, Jenny's best friend.

"Hmm," Ava pinched her cheek. She felt dizzy from recalling too much-unwanted information. Zen chuckled, he knew the reason behind Ava's habit of cheek pinching. "Don't force yourself," he said. Yet, his fingers were already on her cheek, adding the redness on it.

Ava scowled not believing what he just did. Still, she was too lazy to pursue the matter. "Why do you think he cheated on mom?" she asked in a low voice and watched as Zen shook his head. "We are too young to understand the matter of heart," he casually answered but Ava knew he intended to make her laugh.

"Not funny," she smirked and after a while, a sigh left her tiny lips. "Grandpa wants me to go tonight. Will you go? Please come, I'm still not used to mingle with the high maintenance children," she requested with her brown eyes pleaded for him to agree.

"Well, I'll be your usual bodyguard," Zen answered. He watched the face of the little girl in front of her brightened once he agreed to her request. That face put a smile on his face.

"Young Master Zen, the grandmaster is calling you to his room," a butler that was assigned to Zen reported. "Hmm, it's rare for grandpa to be home this early." Ava raised one of her eyebrows. She hoped for the butler to give some sort of explanation.

"Young Miss Ava, he just returned a while ago," Ava's eyes closed in disappointment once she listened to the little details of information provided by the butler. "Ava, wait for me here," Zen stood up, his right hand on Ava's left shoulder. "Should I go with you?" Ava held his hand. She felt another pat on her shoulder and soon, she watched him disappeared from her sight.

'Okey then,' Ava thought and continued reading her book who was long waiting for its reader.