Chapter 34

Ava and Kelly were in the chemistry lab performing experiments for class. 

"I finished all my experiments," Kelly said.

"Oh I think I might have done one of the steps wrong, I'm getting the wrong result. I need to do these experiments once more," Ava said.

"Sure, I'll wait for you," Kelly said as she went to wash the beakers.

"It's okay, you can go back to the dorms and take a nap. I'll finish this experiment and will be right behind you," Ava said.

"No, it's okay, let's go together," Kelly refused.

"You still need to work at the cafe later, go and rest, you need to get back your energy," Ava said.

"Okay, if you insist," Kelly nodded and went back to the dorm. 

Ava was one of the last ones left at the lab. Everybody else had finished their experiments and left. Lily was having difficulty with her experiments as well and was frustrated. But the difference between them is that Lily was very lazy, and once she's failed, she wouldn't try again. She wanted everything handed to her on a silver platter, but this time around, there was no one to help her.

They only had two weeks before the exams, and instead of studying, she was partying, clubbing, drinking, and going out with different guys every night.

She saw Ava in the lab still doing the experiments, Lily had always been jealous of her, she was very beautiful, and she always got good grades.

Since no else was in the lab, Lily hatched an evil idea in her head. It was one of her perfect ideas, and this would definitely benefit her greatly, she thought.

She went to the harmful chemicals section and looked through the test tubes, finding what she wanted, she made sure all the doors and windows were closed and opened the tube, for the chemical to ooze out slowly.

Ava was too intent to get the right answer to her experiment that it took time for her to notice there was a weird smell in the lab, when she did she tried to get out, but all the doors were shut closed. She shouted and banged on the doors, but there was no one near enough to help her.

Ava could not breathe, her heart started beating faster, as time passed by, the chemical in the tube had been dispersed in the small lab, and because there was no air circulating in the lab, it became very potent. 

Ava started coughing very hard, her body trying to fight and dispel the noxious fumes. 

When she tried to get her cellphone, so she could call Kelly to come to help her, she passed out. 

Hardin usually texted Kelly or Ava after the end of his classes so they could hang out. He was in luck, Ava was still in the lab, and he didn't have Kelly to interfere with their time together. 

He headed to the lab and found out that all the doors were already locked, but they were all locked from the outside, he thought, Ava had probably finished her experiment and went back to the dorms, wanting to catch before she does, he calls her cellphone. 

That's when he heard it, someone's phone was ringing inside the lab, it was highly unlikely that Ava was still in there when the doors were bolted from the outside, he thought, but when he opened the door to investigate a weird smell welcomed him. Covering his nose with his shirt he went inside to see whose cellphone was ringing. And that's when he saw Ava lying on the floor. 

He shook her shoulders to wake her up, "Ava! Wake up! Ava!" he yelled, but she was already unconscious, so he took her in his arms and ran to the college clinic.

Adrenaline and panic got him to the clinic, which was two blocks away, in no time. As he laid her on the bed, he frantically alerted the doctor what was happening, "Doc, please check her, I found her passed out in the lab, and there was a weird smell coming out of the door when I saw her," he was panicking.

"I hope I got to her in time," he said as the doctor checked her.

"She probably inhaled very harmful chemicals, that��s why she passed out," the doctor said as he put an oxygen mask on her face, "this will help deliver fresh air into her lungs faster." Ava's whole body had turned a little blue, she was running out of oxygen.

"Will she be okay?" Hardin asked. 

"We still need to observe her, hopefully, the chemicals were not that harmful, we will need to investigate the lab as well to be able to give a better diagnosis, but it seems like you got there in time, her color is coming back," the doctor explained. "She might have some sore throat from too much coughing and a slight headache, just get her some pain medication for the headache and some honey lemon drops for her throat."

"Thank you doctor ", Hardin said.

Hardin looked at Ava, he was right, her color was slowly coming back, she wasn't blue or gray anymore. It scared him when he saw that her pretty face was slightly blue, and her lips looked very dry.

He was wondering how she got locked up in the lab with the chemical fumes, was it an accident or did someone do it on purpose, but who had the motive to do that to Ava, as far as he knew everyone on campus liked her, he never heard of anyone talking ill of her.

He called Kelly to let her know what happened.

Hurrying to the clinic, "Hardin what happened to Ava. Is she okay?" Kelly asked. He explained everything to Kelly as they waited for Ava to get better.

"Ava is very careful in the lab. She stayed because she made a wrong step, it's impossible, she could not have opened a dangerous chemical that was toxic because that wasn't even part of the experiment. I don't think it was an accident," Kelly suggested.

"But who would do such a thing to her?," he wondered, "Let's think about it later, for now, we should concentrate on taking care of Ava," Hardin said.

Kelly nodded.

A few hours later, Ava slowly opened her eyes. She sees Kelly sitting on a chair, keeping watch over her, "Ava thank god you are awake. How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Water," Ava whispered. Kelly helped her sip water through a straw to help her drink. The doctor had said her throat would be dry because of the accident.

"What happened?" Ava asked, her voice hoarse. 

As Hardin recounted his experience, Ava said, "I don't know, but as soon as I smelled this strong odor, I tried opening the doors to let the air in but the doors were locked from the outside. Did somebody lock me in on purpose?" she wondered.

"Ava does not worry about anything. Focus on recovering. The doctor said to get you some pain medicine and some honey lemon drops for your throat, so I'll go get them and come back," Hardin said.

"Ava I'm sorry for leaving you behind. It's my fault, if I wouldn't have left you alone, you would be fine," Kelly said with tears in her eyes.

"Kelly, stop blaming yourself, it's not your fault, don't be too hard on yourself," Ava said, "But there is one thing you can do to make it up to me," Ava said.

"Please tell me, I will do anything for you," Kelly said, she was determined not to let Ava out of her sight.

"You should take care of me till I get well," Ava said smilingly.

"Sure, of course, I would do it even if you didn't ask," Kelly laughed, "that's what besties do."

And they both giggled.

Later Lily learned that Ava had escaped, she was very angry because not only did her plan fail, but Hardin, her crush, was the person who saved Ava.