THREE

Autumn is so beautiful for Avelyn who loves the amazing sight of falling yellow leaves on her school grounds. With a big smile Avelyn stretched out her hand and let the yellow leaves fall one by one on her palms. It's lucky for her to be able to attend this elite school. If it weren't for her brilliant bright brain, her mother certainly couldn't have sent her to this expensive school. Even so, she should always take heart whenever the students in this school looked at her with scorn. To them she is just a nerd student who is so annoying because this poor girl with various economic limitations can beat them in school rankings. There is no doubt that Avelyn is a smart student in her class, even at her school, so that the committee board has never stopped giving her scholarships. Even until she graduated, everything was guaranteed by the school board.

"What are you doing, nerd?"

That call, Avelyn was used to hearing it. And she didn't have to bother putting her strength into it. She just needs to walk away, as if she never heard anything and leave them annoyed at being ignored.

"I won't let you ignore me, nerd."

Avelyn jerked backwards as those strong hands gripped her wrists hard. And without looking at the bully, Avelyn already knew who she was dealing with.

"What's the matter that a school prince like you suddenly approaches a nerd like me?" asked Avelyn sarcastically. One thing that makes some students at this school dislike her is because of her arrogant.

"They were right about you."

"Okay? I guess no one really knows me but myself." Avelyn replied still sarcastically. Sometimes she wondered why she wasn't born in a rich family so she wouldn't have to experience this disgusting humiliation.

"I want to know you."

Avelyn frowned. Still facing her back to the man with one hand held behind her back, she thought that the man was starting to go crazy and talk.

"So look at me right now."

Avelyn did not expect that the prince of the school, Michael Phoenix, would spin her body in a single hard beat and make her body sway at once until she hit the man's chest hard. Then when Avelyn looked up, Michael's captivating smile had held her in silence. She is simply paralyzed by the charm of Michael which she has often underestimated because she has never really dealt with him. But now that he was hugging her with one hand and the other that she had deliberately tucked into the pocket of his trousers, Avelyn had to admit her defeat to his charm.

“Ave! Hello... Avelyn Right? Are you daydreaming again?"

Avelyn blinked and found herself resting her chin on the dining table with the sight of Rebecca on her hips in front of her.

"I've been screaming since earlier, and you're just daydreaming?" Rebecca grunted irritably. She saw that the woman was wearing a neat complete outfit. Meanwhile, she was still clad in Rebecca's silk pajamas that she had borrowed last night from her.

"Shall we go now?" Avelyn asked in a daze.

Last night she asked Rebecca to accompany her to pick up stuff from her mansion. But now she felt reluctant to step into the house because she was afraid that all the memories would cloud her eyes because of the pile of tears that welled there.

“This afternoon I have a shooting schedule, Ave. So we really have to go now," said Rebecca exasperatedly, glancing at the clock that had shown it was eleven o'clock.

"Anyway, and as far as I remember you also have a shooting schedule starting Thursday."

"That's in two days," said Avelyn as she looked at the calendar on Rebecca's kitchen wall. "Why do you know my schedule?"

"Mr. McLean, someone who took over Michael's agency announced yesterday."

"Did you meet him?"

"The schedule is sent via email. You must not have opened it because you were too busy with your sadness.” Rebecca grumbled as she checked her cellphone to show Avelyn the scheduled shoot.

“I don't blame you if you're still sad over Michael's death. But life must go on, Ave. You can't go on like this. One day you will meet another man who will bring happiness to you. Then you will live happily with cute children like the Disney princess stories that my mother always told me," said Rebecca at length, her face twinkled.

"I'm moving to LA."

"What?! What's this joke? Is this April Fools' Day?" Rebecca asked angrily, staring at her unfortunate calendar that was showing August, not April.

"You're leaving me, Ave?" Rebecca asked with tears. She immediately ran towards Avelyn and hugged her tightly. "What about your contract?"

"I'll pay the fine with the money from the sale of our house. There's nothing I can do here, Bec."

This is a big decision. For more than three days, she finally found the right choice of country with various considerations. Initially she wanted to choose Paris because it is a country with dozens of high-end fashion that will become her favorite. But then she thought of Michael's grave here which would be difficult to reach if she went to a country too far away. Finally she decided to move to LA and start everything there with the new spirit that she had been preparing since yesterday.

"You can visit me if you miss me," Avelyn tried to comfort Rebecca who didn't want to let go of her embrace yet. She knew Rebecca was deeply saddened by this decision, but she had to.

"Promise me you will introduce me to the handsome actors there." Rebecca finally ended the hugging event with a frown on her face.

"Erm... but before I bring it to you, I will date him first." Avelyn replied playfully, pinching chubby Rebecca's cheek in exasperation. "I think you're getting chubby." commented Avelyn mischievously.

"Not!" shouted Rebecca irritably and immediately took a few steps back away from Avelyn.

"Did your mom stuff you a lot of food when you were in San Diego?" Avelyn continued flirting with Rebecca, sorting clothes from her black suitcase.

“No, Ave! You know, I'm afraid the agency will make me go on a diet again like before," Rebecca grumbled irritably.

Avelyn remembers very well how tortured Rebecca was when the agency told her to lose eight pounds last month. Almost every day Rebecca's diet is only vegetables and a little meat cooked without seasoning. Rebecca obviously screamed her rage every time she faced her diet because she almost died of boredom with it all.

"But you look fuller."

“God damn, Ave! I want to choke your lips right now. Even my aunt calls me like a walking broom stick because my body is too thin. So you better get into your room to change clothes. I'm waiting in the living room," said Rebecca embarrassedly and immediately pushed Avelyn into the room.

As for Avelyn seemed so satisfied with her seducing that she had managed to irritate Rebecca as she waited for her in the living room.