radicalducati Chapter 184
Chapter 184
The library felt quieter than usual after Ryan’s departure, but the tension in the air lingered. Janice paced back and forth in front of the table, her hands on her hips, her jaw set in anger. Avery sat slumped in her chair, staring at her hands, trying to ignore the sting of Ryan’s words.
“Lego nose? Really? What kind of pathetic insult is that?” Janice fumed, practically vibrating with fury. “Who even thinks to say something like that? That guy is insufferable!”
“It’s not just the nose comment,” Avery said softly, her voice barely audible. “It’s everything. The constant insults, the laughing, the way he treats me like I don’t belong here. Like I’m nothing.”
Janice stopped pacing and leaned on the table, fixing Avery with a determined look. “Okay, no. We’re not doing this. You’re not ‘nothing.’ You’re Avery Kane Deveraux, future badass. You’re smart, kind, and way better than that meathead. But if we don’t put him in his place now, he’s never going to stop.”
Avery sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “Janice, I just want to stay under the radar. If we go after him, we’re stooping to his level.”
Janice raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Oh, this isn’t stooping. This is strategy.”
“What kind of strategy?”
Janice’s grin widened. “We’re going to hack into the school’s announcement system and broadcast an embarrassing video of him. Maybe that one where he trips during practice or gets hit in the face with a football. That’ll knock him off his high horse.”
Avery’s eyes widened in alarm. “Janice! No! That’s—”
“Perfect?” Janice interrupted. “Yes. It is. It’s genius, actually.”
“It’s wrong,” Avery insisted, shaking her head. “I don’t want to be like him. Petty and cruel.”
Janice groaned and threw her hands in the air. “Aves, this isn’t about being cruel. It’s about showing him he can’t push you around without consequences. If you don’t stand up to him, he’ll just keep doing it. Trust me on this.”
Avery hesitated, her mind racing. She wanted to believe Janice was right, but the idea of stooping to Ryan’s level made her stomach churn.
“Let me think about it,” she said finally.
Janice huffed but nodded. “Fine. But don’t take too long. Guys like Ryan don’t stop unless you make them.”
The Kane-Deveraux family dinners were always a formal affair, complete with polished silverware, crystal glasses, and a chef-prepared meal. Tonight was no different. Avery sat at the long dining table, trying to blend into the background while her parents, Theo and Alessia, engaged in their usual critiques.
“Have you looked at Avery’s grades recently?” Alessia asked Theo, her tone sharp yet casual.
Theo set down his glass of wine and nodded. “I have. They’re fine, but not exceptional. Not what we expect from a Deveraux.”
Avery stiffened, her fork paused mid-air. “My grades are good,” she said quietly.
“Good isn’t enough,” Alessia replied, dabbing her mouth with a napkin. “Your cousins are all excelling—straight A’s, extracurricular achievements, leadership roles. You should be aiming higher, Avery.”
Avery’s younger brother, Oliver, snickered. At fourteen, he was the family golden child—charming, athletic, and effortlessly confident.
“Maybe Avery’s too busy eating to focus on school,” Oliver teased, grinning as he reached for another roll.
“Oliver,” Theo said, though there was no real reprimand in his tone. Alessia gave a small, disapproving shake of her head, but her lips twitched as though suppressing a smile.
Avery’s cheeks burned, and she pushed her plate away. “I’m done,” she mumbled, standing abruptly.
“Sit down, Avery,” Alessia said, her voice laced with warning.
Avery hesitated but remained standing, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “I’m not hungry anymore.” Without waiting for a response, she turned and left the dining room, her footsteps echoing through the hallway as she retreated to her room.
Avery slammed her door shut and leaned against it, her eyes burning with unshed tears. The weight of the day—the taunts from Ryan, the judgment from her parents, and Oliver’s cruel joke—felt suffocating. She slid to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
“Avery, it’s me,” Alessia’s voice called from the other side of the door.
Avery wiped her eyes quickly and stood, composing herself before opening the door a crack. “What?”
Alessia stepped inside, holding a small, glossy book in her perfectly manicured hands. She extended it toward Avery, her expression unreadable.
“What’s this?” Avery asked, frowning as she took the book.
“It’s a diet plan,” Alessia said simply. “I thought it might help.”
Avery’s chest tightened as she stared at the book, its cover adorned with images of slim, smiling models.
“You don’t need to say anything,” Alessia added, her tone almost gentle. “Just… think about it. We only want what’s best for you, Avery. You’re a Deveraux, and you should look like one.”