Trust: firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something.

~~~

Their eyes impaled me questioningly as both Davis and I automatically ended our game. Silence embedded what used to be a lively atmosphere and etched into my mouth as I faltered.

"Ava? What is it?" Sasha peered into my eyes curiously.

I refused to meet her vision in fear and instead relied on my gaze to focus on Dina in desperation. She hesitantly looked around before sighing, stepping forward and moving towards me.

Why was I so scared?

Their awareness wasn't going to change my situation, it wasn't going to get rid of the demonic coughs I frequently had. It wouldn't make the pressured pains in my lungs vanish. It wouldn't remove the threat over me. It wouldn't change anything.

"What does Davis know that we can't?" Jesse narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

I took a step back, my eyes looking back at the shadowed humans who all appeared too untrustworthy. I'd barely known any of them for long enough, but if they couldn't change anything, their knowledge wouldn't make an impact to me.

My mouth uttered the confessing words like slow drips from a broken tap, "I have Cystic Fibrosis."

Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic. Fibrosis. Those daunting words were just a disease. They weren't going to make me die in the next few seconds, they were just eating away my future years.

"Ava!" Sadia's loud voice broke the silence, "You built the tension as if you were admitting to a crime."

The darkness that had drowned her figure disappeared and I muttered, "It's not something I like talking about."

Ken patted my shoulder as his brown eyes warmly glowed, "You don't need to talk about it if that's what you want."

"Yeah," Sasha added before glaring at her boyfriend, "Justin doesn't know how to not sound accusing."

Layers after layers were removed against the silhouettes that I'd feared from. There was a part of me that almost felt cautious at their words, why were they treating it as nothing? Weren't they going to acknowledge it?

This was what I wanted though. I'd had my chance to mourn and be an emotional wreck, there was no point being miserable with a whole new group of people. They had done the opposite of what I'd expected, "Thanks."

I earnestly smiled at the group, feeling as though I'd slid right into a fitted segment. We shared a moment of mutual relief before Davis broke in, "Well thanks for ruining our game."

Jesse rolled his eyes, "Want me to finesse you at Air Hockey too?"

Before the two guys had a chance to break into a rivalled argument, Justin interrupted, "We're leaving now, morons."

As we shifted out of the arcade, I followed Davina's pace and we met eyes, "Good going," She whispered, supportively warming me up.

~

"Ava! The doors for you!" Mum shouted from downstairs.

I yawned loudly and then groaned, "Can't I sleep in for one day?"

"Get down here young lady!" Her voice switched automatically and I sighed.

I glared at the light that was peering through my wooden blinds then scowled, "It's only eleven, who told you to invade me?"

I swung open my door, expecting to see Dina already halfway up the stairs. Instead, the empty staircase welcomed me to continue my journey, much to my despair.

Mum had probably invited her for a chat in the kitchen.

My legs had trailed halfway down the flight before I announced, "Meet me in the bed because I need more sleep."

I expected my best friend to wittily reply, but another voice swiftly suggested, "Well I'm up for that too Avacado."

A chill ran down my spine and I instinctively shoved a hand through my dishevelled hair. I widened my eyes and met the warm pair of Davis's.

Not waiting for an explanation, I dropped onto the step and exclaimed, "Mum, there's a pest here!"

"Ava," Her figure appeared as she swung her bag over her shoulder, "I've got to speed off now, but I'll leave you in this gentleman's care."

My eyes bulged in disbelief as Davis charmingly revealed his signature smile to my Mum, watching her walk out as my mouth hung open.

What the hell was happening?

"This is a dream," I shook my head, "This isn't normal."

"About that offer," Davis interrupted, gazing up at me with a smirk.

"Get out," I clenched my fists, "You're the last thing I need in the weekend."

"Too bad," He shrugged, "Dina set me up for this."

"Davina," I slithered myself down the stairs until we eventually stood face to face, "Only I can call her Dina."

He rolled his eyes, "Your breath stinks."

"So does your existence," I glared at him and imagined that lasers would deteriorate him.

"Look honey, I didn't bother coming her for no reason," He sighed before giving me his rare serious gaze.

I mirrored the exhalation and then yelled, "I don't know why you're here for God's sake!"

My voice echoed against the walls in refractions as silence followed awkwardly for a few dreadful seconds, "Oh..."

"Yeah," I crossed my arms around my chest and then pointed at my Mickey Mouse pyjama shorts, "As you can see I had plans."

"Look," He tugged at his ponytail, "She asked me to take you running with me."

I blinked in a daze and then snorted, "You're not serious, are you?"

"Why else would I turn up here?" He raised his eyebrows to emphasise his valid point.

I groaned for the hundredth time, "I hate public exercise."

"Go and get ready," He scowled at my expression, "You're wasting my precious time."

I huffed in annoyance and proceeded to stare into his almond eyes, trying to snap Davis out of his athletic bubble. I was hungry and honestly just wanted to laze around for the rest of the day. So why was my brain telling me to just give in?

Because in this condition, exercise is good.

The words from my doctor relapsed in my mind and I caved in, accepting the inevitable.

"Get me a banana from the kitchen, you're treating me to brunch after this." I called out, ignoring his triumphant face and running back up the stairs.

"Ava, you're going to make this sacrifice for comfort food later." I told myself, peeling off my pyjamas and grabbing the next best thing.

The warmth of today was frustrating, because I knew that wearing a jacket over my clothes would only make me sweat.

I shrugged on my grey pair of Sports shorts from school, stumbling to find a decent tank top and settling for a soft blue one. My feet drove themselves to the bathroom and I desperately splashed cold water over my face, then looked back up at my reflection.

"Those are battle scars."

Whilst brushing my teeth, my mind wavered to the image of Davis. It was hard to take him in this manner, wearing a T-shirt that only enhanced his muscles and holding a stone expression.

~

"Slow...down!"

My aching limbs came to a halt as I heavily panted, my chest ferociously raging in a heated pain.

As I wiped the sweat off my forehead, Davis remarked, "I'm surprised you kept up with me all this time."

I stared at him in disbelief, "How are you not struggling to breathe?"

The boy chuckled, "I'm used to it, this is my way of letting off steam."

I fell to my feet in exhaustion and watched the merry people below us, the vibrant grass sloped downwards and Davis soon joined me on the edge.

"Admit it, that feeling in your body is satisfying."

I bit my lip in hesitance, allowing myself to feel the sensation that was etching itself through my joints. "I guess it means I'm doing something."

"You are so stubborn." He exclaimed, grinning mischievously.

"Am not!" I rolled my eyes, my lips curled themselves into a smile as I realised that my reaction was so predictable.

"You said that on purpose." I chuckled and punched his muscular arm.

"You fell for it," Davis rubbed his arm, "That hurt."

"That says a lot, Mr Tough."

"Well you see how it feels." His voice held the same sharpness as the edge of a knife, and he caught me completely off guard as his hand teasingly shoved my shoulder.

Taken by surprise, I flinched at the contact and felt my body lose balance, my eyes building the image of the bottom of an entire grassy hill.

"If I go down, so do you!" I shouted out my words in a rush, my fingers grabbing the white material of Davis's chest.

He released a loud yell at the unexpected revenge, and a second later we were heaped together like tumbleweed. A nearby family sighed at our rowdy behaviour but my eyes were squeezed tightly shut, afraid of seeing someone's disapproving reaction.

The earthly ground brushed against my bare legs and arms and Davis burst into chuckles as my head began to spin; like a dizzy Ferris Wheel.

We came to a stop and I stretched my body upwards, "Ugh, you moron," I murmured and looked around at two girls who were pointing and giggling at the pair of us.

"You do realise what they're laughing at, right?" His voice was projected from an odd angle, and when I met the sight my voice instantly groaned.

Underneath my body, Davis appeared to be quite satisfied at what looked like a straddling scene. His chest rumbled with a deep laugh and my cheeks burnt red in embarrassment as I slapped his cheek.

"You jerk! Don't push me again." I complained, tripping to move away from him and stretching my body to decramp that sudden fall.

"I..." His voice came to a sudden pause and I looked up in curiousity before my heart plummeted to a deep district in my stomach.

Davis's eyes had peeled onto the mass of marks that solemnly sat on my arms. His expression looked cloudy and I felt myself tremble in fear as I self-consciously took a step back. A flash of anger had been lit in his features and it was as if a storm had been unleashed.

When he moved himself towards me, I expected something scolding and immediately squeezed my eyes shut, awaiting a blow.

So when a compressing motion overtook my body, and my head was pressed against an obstruction, a small gasp was the least of my reactions.

Davis had reflected my supposed 'stubbornness' as he refused to release me, his head resting firmly on my shoulder.

I blinked back tears at the sudden comfort and leaned into him, accepting the empathetic gesture and hiding myself into his physique as if it was a refuge.

"I'm not moving for a while." His voice murmured into my ear, as vibrations ran through me.

Flustered, I shrugged away his arms with a beetroot face. To my dismay, Davis proceeded to hug me tighter until I was almost suffocating, "You dummy!" I groaned, "Do I look like a Carebear?"

He perked up and his tone became lighter, "No, you're an Avacado."

"It's called an Avocado." I corrected him, releasing myself from his grip and staring into him, failing to recognise how I had a similar red face to his.

"It's called a nickname."

"You're called a nuisance."

"You mean you love it."

"Dream on."

"Only for you," He winked.

I sighed and placed a hand on my cheek in embarrassment, "You suck."

He gave me a wink before standing up and offering his hand, "And that makes me Davis."

A/N: Okaaay guys, this is a slightly shorter chapter because my little cousin wanted to help me create a cast (she's a sweetie). I'll admit that I've gone to previous chapters and made a few alterations. Without further ado, here we go!

*Mumbles yaaay cuz I'm excited*

~~~~~

Hailee Steinfeld - Ava Lockhart

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Jaden Smith - Davis Banks

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Nishi Munshi - Davina/ Dina Patel

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Ludi Lin - Ken Liu

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Peyton List - Sasha Pearson

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Spencer List - Jesse Pearson

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Saima Chowdhury - Sadia Akhter

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David Henrie - Justin Blake

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Monica Bellucci - Heather Lockhart

~

How do you like them?? I was amazed when I realised that Peyton List had a twin, it was perfect!

Baiii x