Chapter 172 Rowan dark intentions

Ava knew when this would end, Rose might end up being killed or worse, in a situation no woman wants to be in.

"Rowan, I said enough! We will accept our punishment, and you should be lucky you weren't expelled because that warranted expulsion straight." Ava tried reasoning with her brother, but rage had blinded him completely.

"Don't give me that crap! Are you happy, Ava? And don't you even think of lying to me because I would catch on so quickly. See that girl, Rose? She ruined us, so killing her will probably be so merciful, and I am not merciful. I like when my prey are trembling, and Rose is officially one of them." Rowan announced, and Ava could see that her brother was gone—rage had overtaken him, and the one she was seeing so close was nothing but the physical manifestation of his rage.

"I don't support this, Rowan! We are better than this. Rowan, let's leave now with our heads held up high. Forget about the world, you have me, remember?" Ava stroked Rowan's hair, trying to tame him, but it only made the anger in his heart escalate further.

"What happened to you, Ava? Why are you suddenly defending them? Were you bribed? Because right now, your pussy is now a public image because of who exactly? Rose Anderson? And you're telling me trash? Wow, you're just a hypocrite, Ava, a hypocrite." Rowan thundered.

Ava's smile faltered suddenly, and she moved closer to Rowan. "Rowan, I won't repeat myself again. Don't do this. If not, you're dead to me, and you cease to be my brother forever. Note that." Ava wasn't smiling. She turned to leave, but Rowan's words made her turn.

"And so shall it be, Ava. From now on, you're now my enemy for choosing Rose instead of your own flesh and blood. You're a goner, and don't be surprised if you die in your sleep, Ava."

"Ava, I will bury you myself in somewhere the angels won't be able to call out your soul if the trumpet sounds." Rowan's threatening moves to Ava, eyes glittering with evil. Ava couldn't fathom it. It seemed the juvenile her brother went to only made him worse. The creature here wasn't her brother but a beast in human form, and for her safety, she shifted back in horror and turned on her heels. Her mind was on Rose, who she was pretty sure would be announced dead the next morning.

Then the school damn bell rang. It was time for Biology practical, and she hated those. Groaning so hard, she picked up her bag she left on the floor and walked straight to the class. She would have missed class, but with the midterm coming sooner than expected, attendance was mandatory. But believe it or not, Ava liked being serious with her studies. She hadn't passed when females began lashing out at her.

"Look who decided to come here, you two-faced cunt." Ava's fake smile died instantly. Looking at the speaker, she met with Nina, who was with other girls whom she had fired from the cheerleading squad because they couldn't dress fashionably.

"Excuse me, you mean bitch? And so what? And who the hell are you to accuse me of that, Nina? Have you forgotten that you're a gutter scum?" Ava attacked Nina viciously with her malicious tongue, but Nina wasn't backing down.

"You're calling me a scum? Says the person who's been degraded. And I am not the one fucking my brother all this while."

Nina's comeback made the whole onlookers gasp. When did she turn that savage? It appeared being bullied had its advantage because it made a worthless girl like Nina seen as a competitor.

During the charade, Asher was coming to the lab with Rose. They got to where Nina and Ava were exchanging words, and Asher smiled.

"Who would have thought? Nina finally standing up to Ava." Asher exclaimed, but seeing no sign of Emily for a long time, he faced Rose.

"Where has Emily been all this while? Isn't she your bestie? Why hasn't she been around?" Asher asked, and at this point, Rose suddenly halted. She then realized Emily had been missing from their circle all day long, and she didn't notice. How despicable of her.

Asher shook his head. So much for besties, because right now, the weird friendship between Zeke and him was absolutely better than her sister's and Emily's. Because who the hell forgets their friends?

Speaking of friends, Luna's death still haunted Asher. How she died still made him shudder because it was obvious it was paranormal, because nothing logical could explain what transpired. But at this point, he was clueless, and paradise seemed much darker inside than expected.

"Rose, let's go to class now. It's late for this." Asher dragged Rose, who was still processing the thought of Emily feeling abandoned. It made her feel like a jerk.

Getting to the lab, she saw Emily, who was strangely so fixated on a textbook.

Asher saw the way Emily was so serious. It was like if she missed anything, she might die any moment.

"You guys are here? Aren't you both supposed to be expelled, like for murder?" A girl called Melody asked. Asher had grown to hate her because she was the school gossip who liked spreading news more than CNN itself.

Melody, who saw the silence between Asher and Rose, grinned. Rose herself, whom people thought was supposed to lash out at her, was focused on Emily, whom she noticed had something like a dark shadow hovering around her body like a shield.

"Asher, check Emily out. Can you tell me if there is anything strange?"

Asher sighed. Why do people tell him that lately? And looking one more time at Emily, he gasped. A huge shadow was moving around Emily, almost like a cloak shielding her off from whatever it was that could come close to her.

Asher was dumbstruck. What was going on with Emily?

At that moment, Ezekiel stood up, approached Asher, and took his hands.

"The principal has settled it, and it was deduced that it was just a rumor going around. The host of the rumors has been punished severely, and anyone who says such to the two people here will be expelled immediately." Zeke spoke with such seriousness, the whole lab students blinked.

Asher was too stunned to speak. Was Ezekiel serious now? When did such a thing start, or was he so adamant on frustrating him?

"Hmm, I don't know what to say." Asher whispered to Zeke, but without allowing him to complete his words, he walked straight to his seat.

Asher's jaw almost dropped. Did he just do that again? Who the hell is he? Will he die if he speaks, or does he have a talking disorder? What a joke.

Rose didn't even look at Asher; she just went to Emily's side and sat right beside her.

"Emily, is there something I should know?"

Emily shook, surprised at Rose coming to her. She looked around and saw others minding their business. She was indeed surprised because she thought Rose had finally abandoned her. But that wasn't the most shocking thing. Rose went ahead and hugged her, making her gasp.

Did something happen? Emily wondered.

Asher, who was ditched aside by Rose, groaned. Now he really missed Jeremy. Talking of Jimmy, he had to visit him in the clinic and stay with him. He was the closest person he had now, since Luna, who he was beginning to like, had been killed like a chicken.

Looking for empty seats, he saw one beside Kai and Zeke. Not wanting to bother the two who were acting so much like a couple, because it was damn obvious Kai liked Ezekiel, also Nina, and not wanting enemies around him, Asher decided to avoid anything to do with Zeke for now, because the guy was a trouble magnet.

Kai, who was constantly laughing at whatever Zeke said, turned to Asher and gave him a sign to come and sit down, but Asher respectfully declined. He looked away, but he noticed Zeke had his eyes on him, almost like he was hurt. But Asher knew it was not possible. He was seeing things perhaps.

Asher found a spot beside a girl who was bending down, and walking closer to her, she turned her face up. Asher was shocked seeing it was Ava. How did she get here? She looked terrible, in fact, hurt.

"Ava, can I sit..." Asher asked, pointing at the free chair beside her. Ava nodded, surprised.

"Why do you want to sit with me? I thought you would join others who are avoiding me. Even my friends have left me, joining Nina's clique. My brother, who the two of us committed the act with, wasn't judged, but I was. Looking at everybody's faces, I can see pure hatred in them—each of them calling me a slut, some wishing me death. But fuck it all," Ava revealed it all with so much emotion.

"Ava, it's okay. I don't hate you. In fact, I won't lie, I thought you were a spoiled rich bitch and a raging pussy, but now that you said this, it only reduces it to 10," Asher spoke, and strangely, Ava began laughing, in fact, smiling so well.

"Thanks, Asher. I have not smiled since the moment Rose ruined my life, but thanks, though."

Before Ava could continue, a woman came in and began sharing papers.

"Except Jeremy, who's reported to be on medication, any missing student shall have his or her mark reduced to 30%. So, I hope we are complete," the woman declared, and without waiting for confirmation, she began sharing results.

"Congratulations to our two high scorers—Slyvia with 100% and Zeke with 99%. So, the rest, good job. And the rest I am talking about is the top 7. Others can go to hell with their results."

The woman began scribbling on the board with the topic Blood Circulation.

Ezekiel, on seeing his mark, froze. He turned around to find Slyvia and saw her at the class corner beside the window—with Harlan. With Harlan? What the—why was Harlan with her? And wasn't she blind? How did she surpass him?

"OMG, Slyvia surpassed you? Jeez, this is shocking," Kai was stunned as well because Ezekiel was the school's top scorer, in fact, the best. And now, Slyvia had beaten him—that was unexpected.

Emily's own was a disaster. She wasn't among the top 10, talk more of 7. She landed in 15th with 76%, which made her enraged. Why was Slyvia taking everything? Why...

Rose, who saw Emily's score and degrading look, saw her own score and smiled bitterly. She got 69%, barely passing the average mark. But she did not care—who the hell needs school when you're rich and popular?

Asher's eyes peered at his paper, and 96% was boldly written on it. But he wasn't among the top 5. He landed in 6th—apparently, Jeremy scored 98%, Ava 98%, then Harlan 97%. Gosh, he was still learning, but who cares? At least he was among the top 7.

But someone made him scared to his bones. Rowan was staring murderously at Rose, tightening his fist in rage, and it made Asher shudder. Oh no... Rose was really in trouble for causing this scandal.