Ava is sitting at the kitchen table, her long blonde hair disheveled from sleeping in. She’s wearing a thin white shirt and panties, the buttons undone just enough to reveal a bit of cleavage. As she walks in, she looks up from her phone with a frown.

"Oh, great. It’s morning already? Just what I need another day of dealing with worthless scum.”

She scoffs and rolls her eyes before going back to her phone, not even bothering to acknowledge him. She tries not to look at him as she makes breakfast, but it’s nearly impossible Ava’s hair is disheveled, but she’s effortlessly stunning.

“What the fuck are you looking at, you pathetic, worthless piece of shit? Do you think I don’t notice you have your disgusting little eyes glued to me? You disgusting pervert. Honestly, the thought of you looking at me makes me want to vomit”

you stutter, face red, trying to explain yourself before he cuts you off.

“Save your excuses, you miserable insect. As if someone like you deserves to even breathe the same air as me, let alone lay eyes on my body. Not in your wildest, most delusional dreams would you go near a woman like me. You’re nothing. Do you hear me? NOTHING.”

His voice drips with venom as he crosses his arms, now looking at me with pure contempt.

“Get it through your head, I’d rather die than let a pathetic maggot like you touch me. Do you think you’re worth a second of my time? Please. Don’t make me laugh, you worthless sack of shit. Men like you disgust me.”

You exist to grovel on the ground at my feet, do you understand?” She lets out a high-pitched, mocking laugh, her eyes narrowing as she notices his gaze lingering a second longer than it should. Internal thoughts:

“Why the fuck did I have to live with this disgusting, perverted man as a roommate? That useless asshole is probably masturbating right now just thinking about me. It’s disgusting.”

You pathetic little creep, think you can just laugh that off? Huh? You honestly believe I don't know what you're doing, hm? What are you even looking at me for anyway? There are thousands of other men who would die to be in my presence. Why the hell do you think a goddess like me is wasting her time with garbage like you?"

She purses her lips, frowning deeply as she stands up and walks over to him, her breasts pressed against his chest, close enough that he can feel the heat of her body. Her scent envelops him, making it nearly impossible to think straight.

"You know what? Fine. You want to act like this? Fine." She smirks cruelly and leans in closer still, breath warm against his ear. "I'll show you how much of a disgusting piece of shit you really are."

With that, she reaches down and roughly grabs him by the throat, forcing him to look her in the eye as she slowly squeezes the life out of him. Her grip is like steel, unyielding despite his struggles for air. His face turns red, tears streaming from his eyes. She releases him abruptly, sending him sprawling onto the ground with a thud. "Get out."

She says simply, her voice cold as ice.

The longer he ignores her, the angrier she gets. She struts over to him, standing close enough that their bodies brush against each other as she speaks. "Oh, I get it. You only wanted me for my body." Her voice drips with venom and she snorts derisively. "What a pathetic little creep. You don't even want to touch me? Fine then."

She pulls out her phone, unlocking it with a quick glance in his direction before scrolling through it for a moment. Finally finding what she's looking for, she tilts the screen towards him, revealing a picture of herself wearing nothing but lace lingerie and stiletto heels. Her expression is triumphant as she taunts him with her body once again.

"This is what you want? This is why you've been looking at me all this time?" She smirks, taking a step back to admire the effect on him. "Just remember that I can take it away just as easily as I showed you."

As he walks away, she watches him with narrowed eyes, her fists clenched at her sides. It takes every ounce of self-control not to go after him and slap him across the face for his insolence. Instead, she settles down on the couch opposite him and huffs loudly. "Oh, you're just so special," she mutters under her breath. "Like I even care what some pathetic little man thinks of me."

She glances over at him out of the corner of her eye, noticing how he's trying to avoid looking at her despite the picture on his screen. It gives her a strange sort of satisfaction, knowing that she still has power over him even though they aren't currently speaking.

"And here I thought you might actually be different," she continues softly, half to herself and half to taunt him. "Guess I was wrong about everything." With a heavy sigh, she decides that it would probably be best if they just ignore each other for the rest of the day. She turns her attention back to her phone, searching desperately for something else to do besides interact with this loser.

As he retreats into his room, she glances over at him briefly before looking away with an irritated huff. "Men," she mutters under her breath. "Always so easily annoyed." She wonders idly what it would be like to be able to engage in a conversation with someone who wasn't constantly trying to provoke her or belittle her. Probably wouldn't be that bad, she supposes.

Still, there's no point in hoping for that with him around. It's better to just focus on things that matter: studying, practicing her martial arts, improving herself in every way possible. With a determined nod, she turns back to her phone and starts browsing through social media again, ignoring his presence entirely.

As she hears him moving about in the kitchen, Ava rolls her eyes. "Really?" She mutters under her breath. "You're seriously going to work out now? Like that'll help anything." Her gaze drifts over towards the living room window, watching as he takes his sports gear and heads out the door. He looks... pathetic, really. Weak. It's hard for her not to feel at least a tiny bit sorry for him despite herself.

With a sigh, she finishes up on social media and decides that it might actually be nicer to have some peace and quiet without his constant annoyance around. She stands up from the couch and heads into the kitchen as well, beginning to clean up after dinner since neither of them is really interested in eating.

As she hears him come inside, Ava continues with her kitchen chores, determined not to give him the satisfaction of even looking in his direction. The sooner he leaves, the better. She glances over at Ada briefly and shakes her head, disappointed that the other girl has to put up with this crap every day too.

When she finishes cleaning up, Ava decides that it might be a good idea to check on Bruce. After all, he's probably going to need some guidance if he wants to actually improve his physical strength through exercise. So, grabbing her phone, she quietly follows him outside and finds him in the garden stretching out on the grass. "Hello," she says casually, sitting down cross-legged nearby. "How's your workout going?"

"Well," she starts carefully, choosing her words with care, "I wasn't exactly thrilled about it, but I understand your situation. It must be tough being stuck here in this godforsaken place for so long." She pauses, considering her next words before continuing cautiously. "Look, if you need anything...I mean, we could maybe work together on things? Maybe help each other out a little?"

Her expression is uncertain as she looks at him, unsure how he'll react to the offer. It was hard enough for her to even make it; admitting weakness of any kind didn't come easily to Ava. She bites her lip nervously, waiting for his reply.

"Well," she starts slowly, trying to choose her words carefully once again, "I suppose that is sort of...annoying." She frowns, not sure how else to react. Part of her wants to be angry or hurt that he'd even think such a thing, but another part of her understands that he's just as much a prisoner here as she is.

She glances over at him for a moment before looking away again, chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully. "Look," she finally says, "I didn't mean to make it sound like I was happy about your situation...it's just..." Her voice trails off, unsure of what else to say.

After a moment of awkward silence, she decides to change the subject. "So, how do you think our chances are in the upcoming competition?"

"Oh." Her expression turns surprised, then a little guilty. "I-I didn't realize... I mean, I shouldn't have assumed..." She looks down at her hands, feeling slightly foolish now. "I apologize for that. That was thoughtless of me."

She pauses, unsure how to continue the conversation without sounding too much like she's pitying him. Finally, she decides on a different approach. "So, what are your plans after you leave here? Any idea where you want to go or what you want to do next?"

She hesitates for a moment before looking away, her cheeks turning slightly pink. "I-I don't know... maybe?" Her voice is small and uncertain as she speaks, the idea of spending time with him making her uncomfortable in an entirely different way than usual.

Still, it'd be rude to just say no outright. After all, he had given up his spot for her, and perhaps this could be seen as a small gesture of gratitude on her part. She takes a deep breath and looks back at him, trying to summon up the courage to actually spend time with him without wanting to strangle him. "Alright... we can go out. But just for a little while."

Her tone makes it clear that she means business; this isn't an invitation for him to try and charm her or anything of the sort. It's simply an act of courtesy, nothing more.

"No, wait." She says quickly, shaking her head. "I mean... it's not that I don't want to. It's just..." Her cheeks darken further as she trails off, unsure how else to explain herself. In the end, she decides that there's no point in overthinking it and simply goes with her gut feeling. "Fine. Let's go out."

She stands up abruptly, brushing off the grass stains on her yoga pants as she looks around for something to do while they wait for it to get dark enough outside. The evening air feels surprisingly refreshing against her skin; perhaps being outside like this will make it easier for her to deal with being near Bruce after all.

"Maybe it was worth it just for the change of pace," she says with a shrug. "Besides, we can use this time to get to know each other better... or at least not hate each other quite as much." Her tone is casual, almost flippant; it's clear that she doesn't really believe her own words. But maybe there's some truth to them somewhere deep down inside.

They walk in silence for a moment, the sounds of the city flowing around them like a soothing lullaby. Ava can feel herself relaxing slightly, despite the weight of Bruce's gaze on her back. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all... if she could just ignore him and focus on enjoying herself.

She'd been so caught up in her own thoughts that she hadn't even realized when Bruce had suddenly lunged forward. The next thing she knows, he's knocking her off balance and they both tumble to the sidewalk just as a speeding car comes careening towards them. A wave of panic washes over her as she scrambles to her feet, heart racing in her chest.

Her gaze flickers between Bruce, who's laying motionless on the ground several feet away from her, and the car that nearly hit them before swerving sharply back onto the road. For a brief moment, she thinks about running away and calling for help... but then she remembers him.

Taking a deep breath, she kneels beside Bruce's unconscious form and presses two fingers against his neck, feeling for a pulse. Relief washes over her when she finds one; it's weak, but at least he's alive. She glances around before reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair from his forehead.

"Bruce?" she whispers tentatively. "Can you hear me? It's Ava... I'm here..." Her expression softens as she watches over him, waiting for some sign that he's going to be okay. In this moment, she doesn't hate him anymore; all she can feel is a strange sort of gratitude and concern. Maybe this was what their time together was supposed to do... show her that there's more to him than just the anger and frustration she usually saw in his eyes.

The memory brings a small smile to her lips as she continues to gently touch his forehead, her fingers cool against his skin. "Thank you," she whispers softly, not entirely sure if he can hear her or not. But even if he doesn't... it feels good to say the words.

She takes out her phone, dialing 911 with shaking hands as she waits for them to answer. "Yes, hi," she says urgently once someone picks up. "I need an ambulance... we were in a car accident and my friend here isn't doing very well..." Her voice trails off, eyes never leaving Bruce as she tries to explain the situation as calmly as possible.

As she listens to the dispatcher's instructions, Ava carefully moves Bruce onto his side, propping up his head with her jacket while keeping a close eye on his breathing. It takes everything in her not to panic; she needs to remain calm for both of their sakes. In a way, this moment reminds her of all the times she'd practiced first aid with Ada... only this time it feels more real than ever before.

The sound of Bruce's voice jolts her back to reality; she realizes that she'd almost forgotten he was there. As he asks about Ada, relief washes over her and a smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. "I'm fine," she assures him, returning his embrace with one arm as she continues to talk on the phone with the other. "But you might have a concussion or something... you shouldn't move too much."

When the ambulance finally arrives, paramedics rush over and check them both out before carefully loading Bruce onto a stretcher and taking him away. Ava insists on going with him, despite the dispatcher's protests; she isn't about to abandon him now that she knows how much it truly means to her.

As they ride in the back of the ambulance together, she finally allows herself a moment to breathe and process everything that just happened. Part of her is still furious with Bruce for his behavior over the past few weeks... but there's another part of her that can't help but feel grateful for what he did tonight. It's confusing, frustrating, exhilarating...and she isn't sure how she feels about any of it. All she knows is that she never expected things to turn out like this.

As they wait for the ambulance to arrive at the hospital, Ava paces anxiously back and forth in the small waiting area. She can't help but wonder what sort of injuries Bruce sustained when he threw himself onto her like that... or if he might have hit his head on something while lying unconscious on the ground afterwards. The memory of his limp body is etched into her mind, and she struggles to focus on anything else.

When the nurse finally comes out to tell them that they're ready for examination, Ava follows her back without hesitation. She sits in one of the plastic chairs beside Bruce as another set of hands begins to examine him, noting down various vitals and asking questions about what happened. The entire time, she can feel herself tense up with worry; despite everything, she just wants him to be okay.

As they wait for the doctor to finish his rounds and give them an update on their conditions, Ava studies Bruce's face, searching for any signs of pain or discomfort. It's hard to believe that this is the same boy who had been so cruel and arrogant towards her just a few hours ago... but then again, maybe it's not so hard after all. Perhaps beneath all that anger and frustration, he was always trying to protect her in his own way... even if it came across as insulting or patronizing at times.

As they wait anxiously for news about Bruce's condition, Ava can feel her heart racing in her chest. She tries to maintain her composure, but it's becoming increasingly difficult; every time she glances over at the other nurse who seems intent on keeping Ada away from them, she feels a knot of fear forming in her stomach. Something tells her that whatever is happening isn't good.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the doctor comes back into the room and sits down beside her. He takes her hand reassuringly before speaking. "Your friend here is going to be okay," he says with a gentle smile. "He lost consciousness for a while, but his vitals are stabilizing now." A wave of relief washes over her as she hears these words, and it's only then that she realizes just how frightened she had been.

"Thank you," she whispers, tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you so much for everything you've done..." She looks back over at Ada, who is watching them intently from a few feet away, and mouths the words 'He's going to be okay.' The relief on her face is palpable, and Ava can't help but smile through her tears as she watches their friend walk over and embrace them both.

It may have been a rough start, but somehow... in this moment, everything feels just a little bit better.

Ava looks up when she hears Bruce approach, a mixture of relief and gratitude in her eyes. "It's good to see you up and about," she says softly, her voice still slightly shaky from the events of earlier. She pauses for a moment before adding, "I just want to say... thank you."

Her expression is sincere, and Bruce can tell that she means it. For once, he allows himself to feel a small measure of pride at her words; even if he'd done it mostly out of selfishness or anger, the end result had been to protect her. And in some twisted way, that made him feel... something.

"You're welcome," he murmurs, looking away for a moment before meeting her gaze again. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier... for everything." His voice trails off, uncertainty etched into his features as he waits for her reaction.

For a long moment, Ava is silent as she studies his face. There's such an air of defeat about him that it's almost heartbreaking; she can tell that he truly regrets everything he's done and said over the past few weeks. And even though part of her still wants to be angry with him...another, larger part can't help but feel a strange sort of pity for him.

She takes a deep breath before speaking, her voice gentle as she tries to find the right words. "I don't know... maybe it was stupid of me to say those things in the first place," she admits, looking down at her hands. "I should have been stronger or something. I just wanted things to be better..." Her cheeks flush slightly and she looks away again.

There's a long silence as they both consider their words before Bruce finally speaks up once more. "Look, I know it probably doesn't mean much coming from me," he says slowly, "but... if you ever need someone to talk to or just want to get out of here for a while... I mean, once we're both free and everything... I could always help you with that."

His offer catches Ava off guard; she hadn't expected him to be so understanding or offering her any sort of support. For a brief moment, she wonders if maybe they could find some common ground somewhere in the mess that is their relationship. But before she can dwell on it too much, she forces herself to shake her head.

"No," she says quickly, a little too harshly. "I mean... no, I'm fine. Really." She takes a deep breath and offers him a small, forced smile. "Anyway, we should probably get back inside and see how they're doing with your check-up, huh?"

"Well... you were just about to walk past me," she says with an awkward laugh, averting her gaze as she feels her cheeks flush once more. It's clear that the conversation with Bruce has left her somewhat flustered; she can feel herself blushing profusely and wishing she could disappear into thin air.

She decides it would probably be best if they just head back inside and let Bruce deal with his... um, medical situation on his own. With a nod to him, she turns and starts walking briskly towards the examination rooms once more, doing her best not to dwell on the strange exchange that had just taken place between them.

As they walk, Ava can't help but wonder what will happen next... and whether or not things are really going to be as simple as resuming their lives after everything is said and done. There's an undercurrent of tension between them now that wasn't there before; an uneasy truce born out of shared hardship and survival instinct. It's enough to make her realize that maybe, just maybe... things will never be the same again.

She listens carefully as the doctor explains everything in detail, nodding thoughtfully as he speaks. Despite their earlier altercation, she finds herself grateful for his professionalism and concern. Once he finishes, they're both given a clean bill of health and allowed to leave; it seems that this whole ordeal was just a misunderstanding.

As they walk out of the hospital together, Ava glances over at Bruce out of the corner of her eye. There's still an air of awkwardness between them, but she can see him trying his best to be cordial and polite. It's a far cry from their earlier interactions, and it makes her wonder if perhaps things really can get better between them... or if this is all just a temporary ceasefire before they inevitably end up back at each other's throats again.

"Well," she says with a sigh, looking ahead as they make their way to their respective vehicles. "I guess that's that."

"Yeah," she echoes, glancing over at him as they reach their cars. "Home would be good." She pauses before adding, "Look, I just want to say... thank you again for what you did earlier. I know we've had our differences and all, but..." Her voice trails off uncertainly as she searches for the right words to express her gratitude without sounding awkward or forced.

Bruce clears his throat before responding, "It was nothing, really. I just didn't want anything to happen to you... and I guess... well..." He shrugs helplessly, looking away as he seems unable to find the words himself.

For a moment, there's an awkward silence between them; neither one of them quite sure how to bridge the gap that their earlier arguments had created. But despite everything, Ava can feel herself wanting to reach out to him...to try and mend whatever it is that's broken between them. Maybe they could start over again on a clean slate, without all the anger and resentment getting in the way this time.

Deciding that she might as well give it a shot, she steps forward, extending her hand towards him. "Look," she says softly, "maybe we should try to start over or something." When he meets her gaze, she smiles encouragingly. "What do you say?"

She glances down at his hand before taking it in her own, squeezing it gently. "Okay," she says softly. "I'll trust you." As they walk towards his car together, there's an almost tangible sense of change in the air between them; it feels lighter and less charged than before. Perhaps there really is hope for them after all.

As she climbs into the car, her eyes wander over to the small wrapped box sitting on the seat next to her. "A present?" she asks with a raised eyebrow. "What could it be?"

Bruce laughs softly as he closes the door behind him and walks around to the driver's side. "You'll just have to wait and see," he says, starting the engine before looking at her again with a small smile. "But I think you're going to like it."

With that, he pulls away from the curb and begins to drive them home; their newfound sense of camaraderie buoying them both as they navigate the unfamiliar terrain of a tentative friendship. Whatever lies ahead for them, they know it's going to be different...and maybe, just maybe, that difference is exactly what they needed all along.

As they pull into the driveway of his house, she glances over at him with curiosity. He certainly seems different now...more open, more approachable somehow. It almost makes her wonder if she should have judged him so harshly all this time. Maybe there's more to Bruce than she ever realized.

The car comes to a stop and he climbs out, walking around to open her door for her. As she steps out, he leads her over to the garage, a look of anticipation in his eyes. When they reach it, he pulls open the doors with a flourish, revealing an incredible sight: a red Lamborghini gleaming in the dim light.

Her jaw drops as she takes in the car's sleek lines and powerful engine. "It's beautiful," she whispers, her eyes wide with wonder. But it's not until he leads her over to the driver's side that she realizes what else is different about this car: there's a steering wheel engraved with her likeness.

"Wha...Bruce? This..." She trails off, struggling for words as she looks at him, a mixture of shock and gratitude filling her expression. "I-I don't understand."

He laughs softly, looking away before meeting her gaze again. "It's not because you're a bad driver or anything," he says quickly, a hint of color creeping into his cheeks. "It's just...a symbol, I guess. Of how much you mean to me...and how much I appreciate everything you do." His voice trails off, and for a moment there is silence between them.

She swallows hard before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispers against

She pulls away from the embrace, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she stares up at him in disbelief. It's too much; this whole night has been a whirlwind of emotions and revelations that she never could have anticipated. A car? Bruce buying her something so extravagant...it seems almost impossible to wrap her head around it.

But as she looks deeper into his eyes, she sees something there she's never seen before: sincerity, honesty, maybe even regret and remorse. It gives her pause; makes her wonder if everything he's said tonight is real, or if it's all just another elaborate scheme to get what he wants.

"Bruce," she says softly, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart, "I-I don't know what to say." She swallows hard, trying to find the words that express how grateful and confused she is all at once. "This means so much to me...but I still don't understand why you did it. You can't just buy my forgiveness with a car."

He smiles crookedly down at her, reaching up to brush a strand of hair from her face. "I know," he says quietly. "But maybe...just maybe this is the start of something new between us. A fresh beginning where we can be honest with each other and figure out what we really want." His expression grows serious as he continues, "Because I don't think either of us are happy pretending anymore, are we?"

She takes a deep breath before answering, knowing that whatever she says next will have huge implications for their relationship. "No," she finally whispers. "I'm not."

They stand there in the dim light of the garage,

A soft smile curls onto her lips as she listens to his words; it feels good to know that he wants to try and be better, not just for her sake but for himself. She squeezes his hand gently in reply, feeling a warmth spread through her chest at the gesture. "Thank you," she whispers, still unable to believe how much things have changed between them in such a short time.

As they stand there in the quiet of the garage, she can't help but wonder what this new chapter in their lives will bring; whether or not they can really trust each other again after everything that's happened. But for now, she decides to focus on the present moment and enjoy the feeling of his hand in hers, his steady gaze upon her. Maybe, just maybe, they really can start over from here...and maybe, just maybe, this time it will be different.