Ava walked toward them slowly, eyes moving from Ezra to the guy standing at the door. She looked at Jace for a second and then something between disbelief and amusement crossed her face.

"Don't tell me this is your friend." She stopped a few feet away, shaking her head slightly. "Well. You attract what you are."

Jace looked at her, then at Ezra, then back at her. He folded his arms across his chest, unbothered.

"It is quite unfortunate that this is your sister." His voice was calm but the words had an edge to them. "It is really the opposite of how highly you described her."

Ezra stood right in the middle of them both, head turning from one side to the other like he was watching something he didn't fully understand yet. He let out a small uncomfortable laugh.

"So you two know each other?" He looked between them. "I actually like the fact that you are both starting off on the wrong foot."

"Remember the brat I was telling you about, the one who did this to my shirt." Jace pointed directly at Ava without blinking. "Well look at her standing right in front of you."

"Brat." Ava scoffed, the word landing on her like a slap she refused to feel. "Don't forget you tried to make advances at this same brat."

Ezra's head snapped toward Jace. "Advances. Jace is that true?"

"No." Jace's voice went up a little, not quite a shout but close enough. He turned to Ezra with the kind of expression that said he couldn't believe this was even a conversation. "Come on, will you believe her. I mean you have seen me with different girls before. You should really know my type."

Ezra thought about it for half a second. "True."

Ava looked at them both and felt the irritation rise sharp and fast in her chest.

"Oh, why don't you fix him a meal yourself then." She turned around before anyone could respond. "Because there is no way I am cooking for this jerk."

She marched straight to her room, chest heaving, each step carrying the full weight of her annoyance.

"Ava, don't do this, I am so hungry." Ezra scrambled after her, his voice dropping into the kind of desperate tone only a hungry person could manage. His footsteps followed close behind her down the hallway.

What came next was a loud bang. She shut the door right in his face.

Ezra stood there staring at the door for a moment like he was hoping it would open again on its own.

"Just let her go." Jace's voice came from behind him. "I can do the cooking." He reached for the hem of his shirt and started pulling it off.

"No, no, no." Ezra spun around fast, eyes wide, voice suddenly very high. "Do not take off your shirt here. Please put something on." He shot a nervous glance toward Ava's door like the walls had eyes.

Jace paused, looked at him, then slowly pulled the shirt back on. He took a slow breath through his nose like he was doing Ezra a favour.

"Your sister is not that attractive so relax." He turned and walked back toward the kitchen, already scanning the counter to see what Ava had started.

Ezra followed behind him quietly. "I agree." He muttered.

A few hours passed before hunger finally won.

Ava came out of her room quietly, the anger mostly gone now, replaced by the very loud and very insistent reminder that she hadn't eaten anything. She looked around the living room. No sign of Jace. She figured he had already left and felt the tension in her shoulders drop just slightly.

She went straight to the kitchen, grabbed a plate and a spoon and scooped out a reasonable amount of food. Then she leaned back against the kitchen counter, plate in hand, and took a huge bite.

She spat it out immediately.

It was so salty it was almost impressive. She stood there staring at the plate, tongue still processing the damage, when she heard footsteps behind her.

She turned around.

Jace was leaning against the kitchen doorway, arms folded, that smug look sitting on his face like it had always lived there.

"You really thought I would cook for you to eat." A short scoff left him like the idea alone was entertaining. "You are so delusional."

"So you did this on purpose." She set the plate down on the counter, the sound of it hitting the surface carrying every bit of frustration she was feeling.

"Of course." He didn't even blink. "And I don't mind doing it over again."

Ava looked at him for one long second, then brushed past him without another word. He followed her out of the kitchen like he had nothing better to do. She walked into her room, grabbed a few clothes and stuffed them into a bag. Then she turned around and found him still there, leaning now against her doorframe like he owned the place.

"Before I come back tomorrow, you should be gone by then." She shouldered her bag and made her way toward the front door.

"I will think about it." He lifted one hand and waved her off slowly, that annoying smile still sitting right where she wanted to wipe it from.

She left without looking back.

She flagged down a cab and climbed in, dropping into the seat with a long quiet exhale. While the city moved past the window she pulled out her phone and texted Valerie.

Sleeping over tonight. Will explain when I get there.

When she arrived, Valerie already had food waiting for her. She didn't even ask questions, just handed Ava a plate and let her eat in peace. That was the thing about Valerie. She always knew when to talk and when to just be there.

After eating, Ava pulled out a fresh notebook and started carefully copying out everything from Valerie's coffee stained notes. The writing was still visible underneath the damage, just barely, and she was going to get every single word out of it before it got any worse.

"Ava." Valerie sat up in bed, watching her with tired eyes full of concern. "There is too much for you to write. Come to bed. You don't have to do this tonight."

"Don't worry I can manage." Ava kept her eyes on the page, pen moving steadily. "When I am tired I will come to bed. I promise."

Valerie looked at her for a moment longer, the kind of look that said she knew exactly how that promise was going to go.

"I know you won't agree." She sighed softly and pulled her duvet up around her shoulders, eyes slowly closing as sleep quietly took her.

Ava kept writing.