Ava

"Are you guys going out?"

"Nope, we are staying home."

"I'm bored."

"I know, what's with your parents?" I stopped working on my laptop and looked at Valerie my brother's lover.

"They think I need to see boys," I say as she started laughing.

"Really?"

"Yup! Now that you and Vincent are back together. They think I need to find someone before its too late."

"Hmm, to be honest, it's true Ava, I mean you are going to turn twenty-two soon. You should meet men of your age."

"Not you too Valarie, honestly I'm happy right now and I'm not sure about loving someone." I'm cautious about what I'm saying because Valerie will find out the truth that I love someone. She waited for my brother all these years, I'm sure she knows how I feel if she sees my face.

"You know I think you love someone." there you go.

"Nope." I said cooly.

"Haha... I know when someone is in love darling. You can hide that thing from anyone but not from me."

I looked at her to see her having an amusing smile. "I don't wanna talk about that," I replied shrugging my shoulders.

It's not that I don't like telling about my love towards Brad to Valerie. I'm not yet ready to tell anyone.

"Don't wanna talk about what?" I heard Vincent's voice.

"Nothing." Valerie told him and he kissed her cheek before snuggling beside her.

"Eww... No PDA please..." I tell them.

"Go away then," Vincent says kissing Valerie's cheek again.

"You are very cuddly, you know you behave like a puppy dog carving for Valerie's attention," I tell Vincent who rolled his eyes at me.

"I always carve for Adria's attention." Vincent calls Valerie by her middle name Adria. No-one calls her as Adria so it's special between them. I don't know what she calls my six foot two idiotic brother.

"I'm bored. Let's go-to shopping like old days Valerie."

"Yup! I'm thinking the same. It's been a while that we both went shopping."

"I will also join you guys."

"You can tag with us." Valerie smiled at him while I shook my head.

From a few days, my parents are encouraging me to meet people and start going out. They think I'm wasting my youth. To be honest I kinda feel the same. I mean I wanted to start my studio and I did, I was busy with all the work for a whole year. But now I have other three people who would help me with work.

I think I really need to start exploring things and enjoy my youth.

Brad went back to Las Vegas. I never got a message from him nor I messaged him. It's too awkward to message him after what happened last week.

"Lunch is served, come and eat it when it's warm," mumma said walking into the living room.

I met this guy Felix three days ago. It was my mom's set up, she wanted me to meet someone and according to her, I'm not going to meet someone on my now so she set up a date with her friend's son.

We met in a good restaurant, he is a mechanical engineering graduate. At present, he is having his training session. It was a good date but I don't know I didn't like it. Felix is a good guy who speaks a lot. There is this friendliness around him but that didn't charm me.

Vincent was the first one who laughed so much when he heard from me about the date. He doesn't know about the date thing as my mumma feared he would ruin that for me. He even said to her that I'm too young to date anyone.

He didn't do anything as I didn't like Felix. Felix tried to talk to me but I always excused saying I have work.

I changed into a pair of jean shorts and a black tee. Leaving my hair open I waited for Vincent and Valerie to come.

"What are you doing here bro?" I turned my gaze from my phone to Vincent to see him looking at someone behind me.

I rotated my head to see Brad standing there like a hulk taking me by surprise.

"I came to meet you, are you guys are going somewhere?" Brad replied to Vincent looking at me for second before shifting his gaze to Vincent.

"Hey hi Brad!" Valerie said hugging Brad. He hugged her back, he treated Valerie like his sister and Valerie treated Vincent's friends as her own brothers.

"We are going to the mall. You have to come with us." Valerie exclaimed.

"Yes bro, you have to join us." Vincent tells him while I put my sunglasses on. I don't want to give Valerie any clues.

"Sure." Vincent took the driving seat, Valerie sat in the passenger seat while I and Brad settled back seat. His body literally occupied half of the seats. I and Valerie spoke all the way to the mall while the boys stayed quite.

"You both has to cover your faces. I don't want paparazzi or your fans following us." I said with a pouting face. Vincent is a celebrity along with Brad. Brad may don't like people surrounding him but he can't stop them from recognising him.

"Brad be with Ava." Vincent said pulling Valarie with him. I looked at them with open mouth. How can he ditch me...

Without saying anything I walked inside the mall, Brad was following me closely. The mall isn't rushy like on weekends. Good thing...

I entered the elevator and Brad did the same thing. I didn't dare to look at his side. Even he didn't say hi to me. How rude...

I got out quickly and wandered into a random shop. New collections arrived and this my favourite season. The fall season, I was looking at racks when he started speaking.

"Who is he?" I lifted my head and looked around to see about who he is asking.

"Who?"

"Restaurant guy." There was this frown on his face. Is he talking about Felix? How did he know about that?

"How do you know about that?" I asked with curiosity.

"Vincent and boys." So this man is jealous... I see.

"Oh yeah, mumma arranged the date. She thinks he is perfect for me. She is already planning for my wedding," I said the lies just to see his reaction.

"Wedding? You like that guy?" he asked as his eyes turned dark.

"Hmm..." I turned around going through the clothes.

"I mean he is good, has a good sense of humour, my family already knows him. He makes me laugh, I felt comfortable around him. He already confessed his feelings. I'm okay with the wedding."

"Are you kidding me?"

"No, why would I joke around Brad," I say showing him my face that I'm dead serious.

"You can't marry that guy," he states darkly. If someone stood in my position. They would have peed in their pants.

"Why can't I Brad?" I played along to see how he feels about me. I'm not naive to not understand all these signs. I know he likes me but I want to hear words from him. He gave me a blank look, I know I caught him there.

I took three fall-themed dresses which felt soft against my palm. I will try them.

"You are too young."

"Ah?"

"You are too young to get married or even date." I rolled my eyes at that.

"Brad, I'm going to turn twenty-two soon. I'm not going to be young any year... I need to find someone and this is the right time," I tell him walking into the trial room.

I changed into one of the dresses I brought when I heard the banging on the door.

"Brad what?" I kind of yelled for banging on the door as I opened. There were few girls who are looking at our side with shock written over their faces. Must be thinking what this buff man is doing in a women's trial area.

"Are you nuts? You can't come here. Go and stand there I will come there!"

"So you really like that guy?"

"Huh? Just go, Brad. Will talk later."

"Tell me." He is literally glaring at me hard.

"Yes. Are you happy now! Go!" I pushed him away as people started looking at our way weirdly.

Instead of going away he pushed me inside the cubic room and got inside closing the door with a bang. My eyes are wide open.

"What are you doing Brad! This isn't good. Let's go people are watching us."

"Let them watch!" he said in his dangerous voice.

"Okay, what's your problem Brad. Why are you behaving like this?"

He didn't say anything as I looked up to see why he isn't saying anything, his gaze was settled on my lips and without wasting a second his lips met mine taking me by shock and surprise.

Because of the height problem and the little place we have in this cubic is making things worse. I don't know how to describe this I mean I kissed before but it was just a peck.

He grunted when I didn't kiss him back. All doubts were thrown away when he sucked my lips and I started kissing him back wrapping my arms around his waist. He was bending over to kiss me...

He lifted me off the ground, wrapping my legs around his waist and arms around his neck while my back is leaning against the makeshift wall of this cubic.

The kiss was deep and I know I'm not turning my back on him or on my feelings towards him. I will try hard to get him, now that he was the one who kissed first which means he too have the same feelings like me...

We parted away breathing heavily with my eyes closed forehead against his. "You are not seeing anyone from now on," he whispered.

I nodded my head knowing not to say anything because Brad isn't the one who would easily say those three magical words. I have to wait for that.

"Words Ava."

"Yes."

I got down brushing my hair with my fingers. Brad stepped out so that I can change into my clothes. I wasn't surprised to see him standing in front of the cubic.

He took the dresses from my hands. I felt every inch of happiness in me swelling with pride and joy.

I shopped for a while and asked Brad if it is good or not. He didn't allow the dresses or tops which has low cuts and short frocks. He doesn't like the idea of showing cleavage, the air will blow my frocks up if I wear short frocks. His words not mine.

Brad paid for them even though I don't like it. I told him that I'm capable of buying my own clothes. I think he didn't like that as he glared me and threw the debit card at the billing girl who was scared of seeing Brad. She immediately took his card with shaky hands.

He carried my bags and people who recognised him started taking videos in their phone making me uncomfortable. Now my face will be on social media and they will surely make a news out of it.

"Go out with me tomorrow."

"Nope."

"I will be there by nine or eight. So be ready by eight. Wear casual and you are being with me the whole day."

I shook my head with a smile as we saw Vincent and Valerie.

"We need to go, paparazzi is outside." Vincent said while Valerie is looking at me and Brad with a knowing smile.

*

"So Brad MacCarthy huh?" Valerie commented wandering into my room. I sat on my bed and told her the story.

"I knew it."

"How?" I asked her dumbly.

"I mean I knew you would be falling for one of Vincent's friends. But never thought it was Brad."

"Brad is the only one on whom I set my eyes from the day he stepped into this house," I tell her.

"He is a great guy, I'm happy for Ava. I am sure Vincent will agree to your relationship," she says her opinion.

"He didn't propose to me yet."

"You really expect a proposal from Brad? His actions speak louder than his words."

"True."

She left my room as Vincent called her. Vincent can't stay a minute away from her. He really missed her all these years, I'm happy for my brother. Valerie is the perfect partner for him, they faced so many problems but today they are together. I don't want them to part away.