The Traps of Black Swan

Nikun teased Aaron, got all the information out when Aaron had asked Ava before he let go of Aaron.

The sullen child smiled as soon as a small tray having two cupcakes pushed next to her book. Aaron sat opposite to her and watched her enjoy a cupcake, even smearing some cream on her face.

The cupcake was her favorite, especially the one he baked. Will she stop visiting them once she gets tired of it? Even he was pessimistic sometimes.

Ava pushed the tray back saying, "I only ordered one."

He came out of his thoughts and pushed it back to her, "One for the customer Ava Kelly, another one for…" Her eyes widened assuming he might say 'Girlfriend' and he chuckled, "My little friend."

She will be promoted to ninth grade after exams so she retorted, "I am not little."

He ignored her words. Taking a tissue, he rubbed her nose tip that had cream, "Eat the cupcake. Don't look like one."

Ava imagined herself in a cupcake fancy dress and retorted, "I am not a cupcake."

Instead of cupcakes' glutton, Cupcake sounded nice. "You are not a cupcake. You are Cupcake, Cupcake." He teased her, satisfied he got a good name for the cupcakes' glutton.

"I am not." She retorted without understanding why Zain calls her Pumpkin and Aaron chose Cupcake. 'I am not food.' She wanted to tell them.

He repeated the nickname prefixing with 'Little' every now and then as he enjoyed another round of banter.

At last. she pointed her finger at him, "Senior Aaron, you are such a bully." Winning against him was so difficult.

"Thank you, Cupcake."

Ava: "..."

'I didn't compliment you.' She doubted her understanding of the word bully.

She thought about the funny name she could keep for him and called out, "Then you will be… hmmm... Ronron."

At the same time, Nikun called him, "Aaron."

Ava glanced at Nikun and pointed to the counter for Aaron. With a mischievous smile, "Run, Ronron, run." She giggled at the lame name leaving him speechless.

He couldn't believe he was also capable of talking nonsense. His aim to make a new cupcake flavor was to get a chance to speak to her about the exams. Instead, he got jealous, they bantered and got new nicknames. And the one who was responsible for all of it was chuckling heartily repeating 'Ronron run Ronron.'

He pinched her cheek to get her attention, "I won't be making new flavors as our exams are near." Ava nodded in understanding as she stopped laughing. "And you, stop thinking of girlfriend-boyfriend. Focus on your studies."

Ava happily wobbled her head. The relationship was still alien to her and her main focus was to study so she was glad.

Aaron took a step to leave, then turned to her. He had seen fear when she had stopped herself from saying something. "And, you have me and Nick. We will never leave you."

A smile slowly bloomed, as she hummed with a nod of her head.

….

The three weeks were the busiest, the cafe had become a study place for numerous student groups, Aaron was busy handling the cafe, revising his course, and helping Ava. Nick was revising with his book next to the counter.

Meanwhile, Aaron had become Ronron of Ava and she had become Cupcake of Aaron.

They completed the exams and Ava parted from the two that day knowing the cafe will be open in summer too. She was looking forward to an amazing summer holiday and Aaron's birthday.

But nothing went as planned, her mother banned her from stepping out right after looking at her wearing a pretty dress and happily leaving the villa. Ava was practically under house arrest without the right to step into the lawn. The maids always locked her in the room when Maisie, Shane, and Jose had gone on summer vacation to some island.

Aaron had taught her to use kitchen utensils and gadgets. So she knew to cook noodles, eggs, and other easy dishes so she wasn't starving out. Anyway, she missed Aaron and Nikun terribly. She didn't get a chance to tell them she won't be going.

Nikun missed her too but not as much as Aaron. The latter didn't like the feeling of loss. Each day felt boring and long. Shawn and Ariel, who had heard about Cupcake, also dropped by to meet her.  Mehak who was dropping by sometime also asked about Ava. She was taking Nikun out but Aaron stubbornly stayed, in case his Cupcake might drop by.

Aaron finally got to see her on the school reopening day. She looked healthy and he was glad about it. He cued her that they will meet in the cafe when she was in the line at the assembly hall, eager to reach him.

In the evening, Ava waited for her mother to meet her home teacher who repeatedly asked her if Maisie or Shane came.

Ava saw Maisie leaving Jose's classroom without coming to hers. She started running behind her to request her to meet the home teacher.

Maisie feigned ignorance and grounded her teeth hearing, "Mom… Mom…" But Maisie didn't stop. She helped Jose to the car and ordered the driver to leave.

Ava kept running behind her mother's car hoping she could meet the home teacher but the car didn't stop.

A part of Ava knew her mother didn't care to visit her home teacher. She was there for Jose, her beloved son. Yet Ava didn't give up and ran behind the car hoping she might stop, even if it's for pity.

While running on the corner of the road shouting to stop the car, she tripped and fell on her face with her school bag on her back.

The pain instantly shot through her nerves, she wanted to cry due to pain, maybe for being ignored by her mother. She was too stubborn, she didn't want to cry when she felt many gazes on her.

She controlled her tears but the scrape at her knees was too painful causing a tear to roll down on her cheek startling her. She wiped her cheek very quickly and clenched her teeth hard. She was about to get up from the road, Aaron kneeled in front of her.

She smiled at him as though nothing happened to her and saw him open his arms and say, "Come to me."

Ava glanced at her school dress and looked at him. She sniffled, pushing back her tears, "I dirtied my clothes." She innocently said without showing pain or sadness. She didn't want to spoil his clothes.

Aaron didn't force her but simply said, "You aren't dirty Cupcake."

'Filthy.' Her mother always called her it, so hearing she wasn't dirty, her tears gushed out without restraints. And she had missed him too much so she ran into his arms and burst into tears.

The first time she had someone to lean on and cry her pain and that someone didn't call her jinx.

Leaning on the door frame of the cafe, Nikun smiled. He watched Aaron pick her up and dust off her skirt. Without even trying, their simple, heart-warming love story had started when he gave her his hand to walk together.

Nikun and Aaron met her home teacher saying her parents weren't in the city. Whereas the home teacher had an idea of what must have happened seeing her swollen eyes so she didn't complain. Instead, she privately decided to contact Hayden Kelly to complain about Ava's parents for neglecting her.

After that day, Ava always followed Aaron like a little obedient girlfriend. Even though Aaron and Ava didn't vocalize to each other about their relationship, it was like a silent agreement between them.

Since she said, sixteen years to have a boyfriend, Aaron thought to ask her out officially after she turns sixteen. He was happy as it was, teasing her, playing with her, and helping her.

Ava wasn't denying it whenever Nikun was mentioning Aaron as 'your boyfriend.' or if Aaron was mentioning her as 'My little wife.' Cupcake changed to 'My Cupcake' Ava would slightly blush but still argue with him for cupcakes.

At the same time, Ava stopped expecting anything from her parents and always looked for Aaron's guidance instead of theirs or busy Hayden. So she didn't have anything to speak with them.

Her mother would still find her and slap her or kick venting her failure frustration on Ava but the latter would eat them silently. She didn't cry like before, instead, she would plan her next day with Aaron.

Another happiest year of her life was nearing the end, to set the new beginning.. Ava was floating in the clouds enjoying her simple, fun life without knowing her joyful days were ending soon.