“It’ll just take a second to make sure everything’s okay back there. What if our business partners see this? “Chivalry’s dead. As they pulled out onto the road, Ava’s phone buzzed in the cup holder. This is not a charity event,” she muttered under her breath. He had never been this close to Ava outside of school, and the thought of seeing her in a more personal setting made his palms sweat. Then she noticed the problem. Another had a “Math is Life” hoodie. She strolled like she was casting a movie and pick the last remaining nerd, Julian Weiss—tall, pale, perpetually reading something by Carl Sagan. But deep down, she knew it was just the tip of the iceberg with this monster. As they approached the house, Jake could feel his heart racing. She felt violated, used, and she wanted to scream. For Amanda. The cool night air hit him as they stepped outside, the stars winking in the clear California sky.
