THE FIGHT

By the time the car screeched to a halt, Ava's chest rose as he glanced at the mall standing tall outside of the car window.

Tilting to Hazel in the driver's seat, "Let's shop somewhere else, guys. I'm having a bad feeling about this place," she deplored earnestly.

"Why? Because your boyfriend owns this mall?" Freya raised a question from the back seat.

"What are you saying, Freya? Shouldn't she be glad that her boyfriend owns the mall instead?" Hazel interjected, eyes serious.

Ava immediately lost the urge to argue with them and only sighed softly.

"Come on, Ava. Don't worry about the expenses, Zac has got you covered," Hazel pressed on with a glossy smile etched on her lips as she pushed the door and got down first.

"Come on now, Ava. We don't have the whole day," Freya put in after noticing that Ava wasn't making an attempt to leave the car.

Ava then exhaled another deep breath before pushing the door open and descending from the car.

***

"If I should understand what you are trying to say, Arianna. You mean Zachary has fallen in love with Aurora's nanny?" Mia Dawson drawled out her words. Her eyes flashing and nose flaring.

Arianna tore her eyes from Mia's face to the bag shelf in front of them, shaking her head slowly.

"I can't believe it either, Mia. And that's why I came to inform you. If you truly like my boss then you better get rid of that college girl as soon as possible," she took her gaze back to Mia's face and said in a dominant voice. Her eyes sharpening.

Arianna had met Mia fewer times in the past and was vividly aware of her feelings for her brother-in-law- Zac.

For this reason, she had purposely come to her so that she could help her eliminate Ava. If she were to take the task upon herself, Zac would definitely find out about it and no doubt, he might just behead her.

Loving Mia's facial expression, she spoke up again to stir the pot further, "You need to see the way boss stares at this girl, Mia. And not only that, even Aurora seemed to like her very much too,"

"You're right about that, Arianna. She wouldn't stop talking about her babysitter in Zac's mansion even when I warned her to stop talking about her," Mia uttered, her jaw clenching in reproach.

Right after Mia completed her words, a chattering noise from their opposite fluttered to where they stood.

Arianna's well-trimmed brows formed into a pleat as she watched the three ladies glided nearer.

"Speaking of the devil, there she is in the middle," she rumbled out menacingly, her eyes not moving from Ava's figure among her friends.

Mia forced her attention to the girls, the one in the middle to be precise and anger instantly rushed up in her heart as she charged toward Ava and snatched the red-silvery dress she was admiring.

Unsophisticated pair of blue eyes met Mia's, she was staring down at Ava fiercely as if daring her to argue.

However, Ava had recognized her almost immediately.

Knowing fully well that she was related to Zac and on top of that, she was a crazy woman, inferring from the first impression she had illustrated the last time, and wouldn't like to cross lines with someone like her.

Ava put on a soft smile and said politely, "You can have it if you like it,"

Finishing her brief words, she attempted to turn away when Mia suddenly snatched a handful of her long hair, compelling Ava to cry out in pain.

"You lowlife bitch! Who do you think you are to be seen around Zac, huh?" Mia shrieked, practically spitting fire.

This sudden commotion attracted everyone's attention, including Hazel and Freya who had initially walked off in the same direction and left Ava in the back.

"Please, let me go," Ava cried out in pain, holding Mia's hand that was grabbing her hair.

A deep smirk tugged at Arianna's lips as she crossed her arms over her chest from where she stood, enjoying the scene.

Just then, Hazel and Freya rushed to the scene.

A flash of worry and anger crossed Hazel's face as she scurried toward them and hauled Ava from Mia's grip.

But Mia was stubborn, not letting go of Ava's hair, and moved along with her everywhere.

All this time, she was still shouting and screaming, "Bitch! How dare you attract Zac's attention? Who are you? Who birthed a dirty dog like you?"

Hazel was now fuming steam at this point and with all the strength she had, she pushed Mia so hard that Mia lost balance and hit herself against a mannequin, crashing helplessly to the floor along with the dummy.

The few customers that had been standing there all the time couldn't help the laughter that left their mouths while the attendants made sure they hide theirs.

Stunned, all the smiles and teasing wiped out from Arianna's face as she sprinted toward Mia on the floor and helped her stand up.

"The next time you lay your filthy hands on Ava then I'll rip off your eyes and feed them to our house dog, do you understand?" Hazel threatened ferociously, planning to lung at Mia once again but Ava and Freya had soon held her back, saying soothing words to her in a low voice.

Arianna came forward this time, unable to stand Hazel's rude manner toward Mia.

"Do you have a death wish? Do you even have an idea of who you just tampered with?" she gritted out, facing Hazel squarely.

"I know her very well so you really don't need to remind me. And do you also know who your godmother had just messed with?" Hazel questioned back in the same tone as Arianna.

She was back to looking at Mia as she pointed a finger in Ava's way.

"She is Ava, the only lady who had involuntarily won the popular Zachary's heart. So if you have any problem with that you should only blame it on your misfortune, not my Ava," Hazel pointed out in a more aggressive tone.

Arianna's heart blistered upon listening to Hazel's utterances and the same could be said about Mia's.

So, it was no longer news among Ava's friends too? They also knew that Zac has grew fond of Ava?

Ava swallowed hard over the pang burning in her chest as she reached out a hand and held Hazel closely. "That's enough, Hazel. Let's leave already,"

"I remember who you are, girl," Mia started, moving to where Hazel stood implanted.

"Even though I never thought we'll be meeting so soon, I warned you never to talk back to me again but you didn't only do that this time but embarrassed me," she expressed as bitter as she felt, her eyes wrapping around Hazel's and holding it.

"I anticipate your worse, Mia Dawson," Hazel drawled out provocatively, her chin high in confidence.

*

More tears rolled down Ava's cheek freely while raising her head up to the sky. There hung the half-curved moon, surrounded by gazillions of twinkling stars.

They winked at her as if mocking her for her pathetic feelings.

She could no longer deny her feelings for Zac. She loved him and was thinking could be a little chance for them to be together.

Of course, Zac wasn't the problem. He had never given her an otherwise impression and she was intending to strengthen the relationship, ready to bestow whatever it takes.

However, it seemed she was destined to remain lonely for the rest of her life.

Maybe not that lonely because she couldn't ask for better friends than Hazel and Freya.

They were always there for her.
These people were so kind to her and prepared to do anything just to see her happy and for this, she was invariably grateful.

But speaking in terms of men, Cole was her first man who had left her shattered and chose her sister over her.

Now, it was Zachary Gonzalez, the most popular man among ladies in the whole wide city but never took a fancy to any of them but her.

The look in his eyes whenever he looked at Ava implied that there could still be a soft spot in his black heart.

Buzz! Buzz!

Ava retrieved her device from her jean skirt while she cleaned her face with the back of her hand.

Her heart made a skip the moment she registered the caller ID. It was Zac.

But why was he calling so late in the night?

She forced herself to gulp down her salivary, and cleared her throat before swiping up the green sign.

"Sweetheart," the huskiness of his rich American accent met Ava's ears, sending a rush of chills skating down her flesh.

Ava gulped again and before she had a chance to say anything, Zac continued, "What are you doing to me, Tinkerbell? I can't get any sleep,"

This even sent her belly tipping, sloshing with a sensation.