Chapter 116 - Going Separate Ways

A minute passed and James still hadn't uttered a word. Finally, Ava decided to speak first, "I think it would be best if we go our own separate ways. I'm sure there are plenty of people that are the same age around that can hang out with you and Prince Edward. If you know what I mean." Her voice was shaking as she said those words. 

James was unsure how to take her words. He looked at her straight in her eyes, but she averted her gaze quickly as if she were fighting tears that were about to fall.

His ego was hit tremendously, and the only thing he could do was act bravely, "You're right. We should...go our own separate ways." He then managed to stand up proudly.

He then sadly bid her goodbye before turning to leave without looking back. Leaving Ava still seated. dumbfounded from the way James accepted what she said just like that.

She had to compose herself before making her way to where Gizelle was waiting for her.

===

"Are you okay? Is everything alright? I saw him walk out looking like the world just collapsed on him. What happened?" Gizelle bombarded Ava with questions while feeling sorry for the young girl who seemed to be dejected.

Ava just shrugged it off as if nothing had happened.

"Let's go to our next class. I'm sure you have the same schedule as I do, right?" She said as she wrapped her scarf tightly to cover her young face.

"Yes, we have the same schedule. Let's go!" Gizelle said as she ushered Ava towards another building.

It was the longest day of Ava's life. She sat in her other class like a zombie. Gizelle just watched her with her mouth shut. It is not the time yet for her to ask if there's anything she could do. She will let Ava bring it up to her on her own if or when she felt like it, and then give her the best advice she can. As long as she doesn't ask about love, she can handle it all. 

During lunchtime, Ava only played with her food and took a couple of bites. She constantly sighed while looking around for something or someone. Gizelle figured that she might be looking for James, but he was nowhere around the cafeteria.

===

That night when Gizelle was sending her reports about Ava's daily activities, she didn't mention her feeling down all day. She only said the core subjects, such as diligence, brilliantness, and can run along with the big guys. She was not shy by all means and quickly answered when the Professor asked her anything. She was calm and patient.

Ava didn't eat dinner and requested Gizelle to leave her alone and let her sleep early. She used the weather as an excuse before shutting herself in her room. Gizelle let her be.

In case Ava got hungry, Gizelle had ordered some takeout and kept it in her room. She stayed up till late hours in case Ava looked for her.

Gizelle installed a surveillance camera inside Ava's room for security purposes, and it's a good thing she did that. She could see that Ava was lying down on her bed sound asleep.

Unknown to her that Ava was awake and crying her young heart out. She was trying to be brave and told James to go their separate ways, but that's only to check if he had any kind of feelings for her besides as a younger sister.

She didn't know that her heart would ache when he accepted it wholeheartedly without batting an eye. She needed to come to terms with the situation and let go already. That's what her mind was telling her. But her heart was aching and in need to heal first.

=== 

The next day, Ava's eyes looked like that of a Panda from the restless night she had. She wasn't able to get a wink of sleep while thinking of what she should do the next day if she should run into James. She wracked her brain all night long but came up empty. Before she realized the time, her alarm clock began to play.

"Ohhh, my head hurts..." She murmured as she sat up and stretched her aching body. Then she slowly put her feet down on the floor before slowly getting up to walk towards the bathroom like a zombie, with hair all over the place from her tossing and turning all night long.

Once inside the bathroom she turned the lights on before turning on the faucet to wash her face with cold water to wake herself up. After washing her face, she took her toothbrush and put toothpaste on it so she could brush her teeth. Still moving like a zombie.

While she was brushing her teeth, she caught a glimpse of her face in the mirror and her eyes widened.

What she saw in the bathroom mirror had taken her back. She almost fell seeing the giant eye bags under her eyes. She was a mess.

She briskly finished brushing her teeth and turned on the shower before stripping naked. Once the water was warm enough she jumped into the shower to wake herself up.

She was so quick that it only took her less than 10 minutes rather than her usual half an hour or more shower time.

Luckily there was a heater in the bathroom, but as soon as she stepped out of the shower, the cold hit her and her body clad with just a towel shivered.

It's going to take a while for her to get used to the weather, growing up in a tropical country where there was never any snow. She ran towards her bed and bundled herself up to keep warm, with wet hair and all.

She was still shivering like crazy when a light knock on the door could be heard before it opened, and Gizelle walked in with a tray of food and hot chocolate for her to drink.

"Good morning! I brought you hot chocolate. Why don't you take a sip to warm your body." She said as she sat it down on the end table by the side of the bed.

"Thank you!" Said Ava, still shivering, "Brrrr-- why is it so freaking cold in Massachusetts?" She complained while slowly lifting the cover so she could put on clothes.

Gizelle smiled, seeing she was only wearing a towel wrapped around her body.

"I would be cold too if I were only wearing a towel like you." She bantered while handing Ava some underwear she took from the drawer nearby.

Ava swiftly took it and put it on. Then, one by one, Gizelle handed her clothes and she swiftly put them on. Once she was fully clothed, she sat down on her vanity, and Gizelle started drying her hair with a blow dryer.

"I can do it!" Said Ava as she tried to take the blow dryer from Gizelle. 

"It's faster if I do it, go ahead and start eating while I'm doing this," Gizelle ordered her like a mother hen.

Thirty minutes later, they were downstairs heading out for their class.

===

Meanwhile, at Harvard, it was James's official first day at school. Since Prince Edward was not with him, Tiny kept him company as they searched for his classroom. Once they found it, both of them entered. James looked for a seat in the back row so Tiny could sit behind him.

The other students that were already inside the classroom began whispering with each other as they passed them. James just kept on going straight towards the back without a care in the world.

Once he was seated, Tiny went right behind him and sat down. He could see heads all turned, watching them while murmuring.

When the Professor arrived, Tiny got up and went to speak to him. A moment later, he went back up and once again sat behind James.

That got the other students curious as to who they were. 

Another Asian student suddenly gasped before showing something to the person next to her. 

"Oh my God! That's him! Unbelievable!" Exclaimed the girl while she kept on turning her head and looking at James.

Tiny saw the whole thing, and he had an idea of what they were thinking. The Asian girl thought James was Ashton.

A smile crept on his lips. He couldn't wait for the class to be over. He knows for sure that they will be asking James for an autograph.. He can't wait to see how he will handle the situation.