"Can't you see we're all trying to dance here?" Maine asked.
"I said I'm sorry!" I repeated.
"No, do you think we're all playing here? They're here sweating, and you're here doing everything, minutes after they've done theirs!"
"I wasn't…"
"You're not even that good at dancing, and you think it's funny!?"
"I didn't think anything funny!"
"Like a smile doesn't mean you're joking!"
"I wasn't joking!" I shouted back.
"Are you talking back at me?"
"Well you're accusing me! I can't stay silent."
"Get out!" She suddenly said, and everywhere went silent.
I took my jacket, my cap, and walked out.
I was shaking with anger, then out on our field, as I walked still blinded in my rage, I saw Mike, at the high school entrance talking to a girl.
"Mike!" I called, with my voice sounding so high.
If he didn't answer, I was just going to cry right there, it was so unfair, and embarrassing. Did she have to go that far?
"Mike!" I called again, and this time, he turned around.
I beckoned him over with my hands with a pleading expression on my face, and he said something to the girl.
Just a talk would be okay for me.
He ran to me with a smile.
"What's up Pris?" He asked.
"Cool. Just… just wanted to see what's going on with you." I said.
"I'm doing fine, but you look… A little disorganized."
"I was dancing."
"Are they planning on murdering you guys or something?" He asked, and I laughed.
"I really don't know."
"Did something happen?"
"No, nothing happened. I'm… I'm fine." I said, and he led me to the bench.
"I know when something's wrong… you're probably dying to tell me inside."
"Okay, it's just dance practice, and Maine. She's been shouting, and being cranky, all the time. I was dancing and concentrating on the music, but suddenly lost focus and… and…" I stopped as the back of my throat felt raw, with my eyes watering.
"She just started shouting like…like… like I was busy playing or something! She also said… said that I… that I wasn't good at dancing." I said, and took a deep breath, as my tears found their way down my cheeks.
"I… I put my all into that dance, whatever, she's been trying to round up on me all week!" I said, and sniffed, as my voice changed, and Mike hugged me.
"She says you don't know how to dance." He said, and scoffed. "Who's she to judge that? I think I'll do that instead, you'd dance, and I'd make a video of you. My phone and I would do the judging."
"No I don't want to dance."
"I didn't catch that."
"I don't want to dance." I repeated.
"Speak louder, I don't hear a thing."
"I DON'T WANT TO DANCE."
"Oh come on… you're not talking to your lover, speak up." He said, I smiled, and it turned into a giggle.
"Hey, you're laughing now."
"No I'm not! I'm still crying, I still want to cry."
"Cry on. I'll sing…" He said, and sang… "Rockabye baby, rockabye...
I'm going to rock you.
Rockabye baby, don't you cry…
Somebody's got you…" He sang as he patted my back.
Wow! His voice was more than nice.
"Awww, you got me blushing now!" I said, as I pulled away from his hug.
"I just love that smile on your face… don't let monkey Maine wipe it off. Okay?"
I gave my hysterical laugh which made him smile, and smoothen my hair.
Then he took the yellow cap, and placed it on my head.
"Monkey Maine. Ha! Fits well. Let me tell you something." I said, and he brought his ear closer.
"Now that you mention it, I think she does look like a monkey." I whispered.
"See? People's names tell me what animal they look like." he said, whispering back in my ear.
"What about mine?" I asked.
"Parrot Priscilla… Priscilla parrot. It suits you, you talk a lot…"
"I talk a lot?"
"You do… and you do it without stopping, like as though you're rapping. Gosh!"
"Let's take a picture." He said, raising his phone.
"What do you see?" He asked, and I laughed.
"I see Whitney standing, and looking like she wants to cut me… maybe you into pieces." I replied, and he laughed.
"Okay jokes apart… do we look suspicious?"
"Suspicious how?"
"Like as though I'm cheating on her with you."
"Well, you took me to the bench, sat me down. I cried, you hugged me, and next thing, I'm laughing, you're smoothing my hair, and putting my cap on me affectionately.
"Then I whisper something in your ear, and you whisper back in mine, it does look like what lovers would do, and now it seems like we're taking pictures."
"Holy shit! We're going to have a long argument about trust, jeez."
"You guys argue?"
"A lot, she's always feeling insecure, and scared that some girl is going to take me away, and it kills me. Sometimes I shout, and tell her to leave me alone…"
"Mike why would you shout at a girl?" I interrupted.
"Just imagine being home, My mum's arguing with my sisters, about why she isn't allowed to bring her men into any room she likes, including their room.
"Now, I manage to escape from the heat of it all, expecting some lovely comfort from the girl I like, but all she does is shout and accuse me of cheating on her… why wouldn't I raise my voice in all that frustration?"
"Okay, I think I understand."
"The time I dread, is when you guys become freshmen, she's going to follow me all around, Jeez."
"Love is like that, sometimes it gets tiring, but with time, you'll learn to understand yourselves." I said.
"It's been two years now, understand?"
"Still, you need more than two years to understand a difficult person."
"Why do you talk like a relationship expert when you've never been in one?" He asked, and I laughed.
"I guess in my past life, I've been into a lot of relationships." I said, and he laughed loudly.
<<<
After school, Poppy and I went to the house, brought the rabbit down to the mini living room, and let it hop around.
Poppy gave me lectures on the drugs used on it, and I was busy scratching its ears when Calby Waters came in looking around, followed by Shawn, Hudley, then Liam, and lastly Freddie.
They all looked at me, then passed.
I didn't like the fact that Calby Waters was among them, given the fact that she was my… No… was considering herself to be my rival.
Poppy came down with the rabbit's syringe while they had all settled themselves on the couch, but Freddie and Calby were at the small dining table talking about something I wished to know.
"So, give it a shot and study its reactions, then write them on this notepad." Poppy said, handing me the shot, and the notepad.
"No, I don't think I can."
"Why not?"
"It doesn't like taking shots, it's extremely painful, and it breaks my heart to give it one." I said, and Poppy laughed.
"You're actually helping it out, you know that?" Shawn said to me.
"I do… but still, it's…" I said, and the rabbit, as though sensing what was about to happen, began to hop away.
"Hey, come back Carrie… oh please Pris get Carrie would you?" Poppy said while filling the syringe.
"I'll get her." I said standing up…
Jeez, the stupid rabbit had gone towards the direction of the dining, and it climbed the table.
"Aaaah!" Calby gave a fake scream.
"It's just a sick rabbit, it won't bite. Coo, come here, come here Carrie, it won't hurt a bit." I said, and it hopped over to Freddie's side.
I sighed, and went around the table trying to catch it since it was proving silly.
Just then, Calby took the wine she had been drinking, and when I went around to her side, to catch Carrie, already feeling stupid, she purposefully poured it all over my white.
I opened my mouth, but closed it, as I couldn't find the words to say.
"I'm truly sorry… so sorry."
"It's… it's okay." I said, feeling embarrassed.
"How did that happen, lady?" Poppy asked Calby.
"It was accidental." Calby said, with a sincere look in her eyes, and I started to think it was really accidental.
"Follow me, Pris." Poppy said, and we went up the stairs together.
"I thought she did it on purpose." I said, feeling guilty, that I had thought she did it on purpose.
"She did it purposefully… she looked around to see if anyone was watching, then flipped her wrist, pouring the wine all over your white, they'd better play her well." She said, and I smiled.
* I think I like poppy.* I thought.
We got to her room, and she opened up her cupboard.
"Hmm, take these." She said, giving me wine gym shorts, and a cropped white hoodie.
I wore the clothes, and looked in the mirror.
I looked cool.
"She'd better not try nonsense with this, or its fire with her." she said, and I smiled.
Just then, we heard some noise downstairs, and we looked at each other.
"C'mon let's go check what's going on." Poppy said, and she left the room. I quickly packed my clothes into my bag, and went after her.
" Mummy! Aaaah! What a nice surprise! I missed you!!!" I heard Poppy saying, as I stood at the top of the stairs.
I didn't like meeting people's parents, but I couldn't just hang there.
I walked down the stairs gingerly, and saw a beauty standing before me…
She was dressed in white trousers and a white t-shirt, with a pretty black jacket which stopped at her knees.
She looked really fancy, her heels were something Mera would die for. They were a shiny black with large diamonds on them, and she completed her dashing look with a little exquisite black purse in her hands.
Her hair was shoulder-length and black, a black that shone in the light. She also had green eyes, Freddie's eyes, and a lovely smile, she was SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL!
Then she saw me.
"Hey there." She said, and I blushed.
"Hi." I said shyly.
I looked at Freddie, and they looked at me as though I appeared there by magic.
And I thought…
* Did I happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? *
"Uh, I'll just get going… I just…" I said, uncomfortably.
"I'm Bianca and you are…"
"Pris. Priscilla."
"Priscilla… I like that name a lot. Do you know how to bake? I had a friend once, her name was Priscilla, and she loved to bake."
"Yeah I know how to bake, and I like baking also."
"That's nice… mind if I call you Scilla?"
"I don't mind. I'm cool with it." I replied, and Carrie hopped around her.
"Oh, what a cute thing, is it yours, Poppy?" She said, bending down, and stroking its head as though it were a puppy.
"It's mine… for my project." I said.
"You're here on a project? Aren't you…?"
"Mum, mum, can you bake me something?" Freddie said, trying to make her stand, then he put his arm round her, and led her to the kitchen.
He came back minutes later.
"Why are you here?" He asked me.
"It's weird when you say it like that, I've been here since…" I was saying, but he interrupted.
"I thought…" He started to say, but Poppy cut him off.
"She was with me, and it's totally cool if mum tries to match make you guys, it's better than that Calby whatever." Poppy said, staring at Freddie.
"Where is she?" I asked.
All the boys looked at the curtains, behind which, Calby stood like a statue.
"Why is she there?" I asked.
"Because my mum is gonna start calling her my girlfriend, and none of them wants to introduce her as their girlfriend." he said, in a whisper so calby wouldn't hear, and the boys laughed.
"Well, she isn't perfect. Is she? And my girlfriends are always perfect. Bianca knows that." Shawn said.
"Well, I've got a real girlfriend that I want to introduce to Bianca" Hudley said.
"I don't like her. Not one bit." Liam added.
"And I just want to play her." Freddie whispered like it didn't matter.
"Play her well. Meanwhile, Mum can get busy at her favorite matchmaking game with you, and Pris." Poppy said, and went to the kitchen.
"Well, since you want to play her, the least you could do is introducing her, am I wrong?" I asked Freddie in a whisper.
"Butt out of it, my mum shouldn't know about stuff like that. Can you tell your mum you see fun in breaking boys' hearts?"
"Then why do you do it?" I asked.
"Don't question me." He snapped, and I went to take a seat in the dining.
"Let's bring her out, and say she just got here. Moreover, she isn't saying anything about you or them." Liam said.
"But, she will say tons when no one's around, and I'm not in a mood to hear all that." Freddie replied, then Poppy returned, handing me ice cream.
"I told mum you're Freddie's crush, don't tell him." she whispered and laughed.
"What?" I said smiling… I liked the idea.
Calby was told she could come out, and she took a seat opposite me.
The boys whispered a little to each other, before coming to take seats.
I began to feel uncomfortable as Shawn and Liam sat on either side of me.
"I'm really sorry for the wine stuff" Calby apologized once more.
"It's okay." I replied.
"Do you like Mike?" She asked all of a sudden, and for some reason, I looked around.
"No… he's just my friend."
"Be careful, rumors are going around that you want to steal people's boyfriends, and also you've been kicked out of the dance team because you don't know how to dance…" she said with a pitiful look on her face.
"Sorry? It's not…" I was saying, but Hudley cut in.
"She got kicked out?" He asked.
"Yeah, we were all dancing, working our butts off, but she was slowing down intentionally, and smiling because it seemed funny to her. She also dances awkwardly, so Maine kicked her out today."
"That's not…"
"Just like that?" Liam asked.
"Why would you join the dance team when you don't know how to dance?" Poppy asked with a laugh, and my tears were shouting. 'Pave the way, we're coming to clean your cheeks and sweep the dust off it!'
She was making me look bad, and I kept on getting interrupted each time I tried to talk.
"That's not what…"
"And she didn't even apologize." Calby added, and I decided I had heard enough.
I stood up.
"Shut up! If you know you want to say only mean things, shut up! If it's only lies you want to spin, then shut your useless mouth up." I said and left.
"I didn't know she had that side to her." I heard Shawn say.
"She's always pretending, that's why no one likes her." I heard Calby say, and walked blindly into the kitchen.
"Wondering if I could help." I said.
"Oh thanks, I could use an extra pair of hands, take this apron." she said, giving me a pink and white polka-dotted apron.
"So, what are you baking?"
"I was thinking of baking cakes with everyone's flavor, Poppy likes Vanilla, Freddie likes strawberry, Shawn likes banana, Liam likes icing sugar, Hudley likes a mix of all the flavors and you like…?"
"Chocolate." I answered.
"Aww, I like chocolate also. So we'll add chocolate coating to the list… let's start baking."
After baking one batch and talking about her life, she asked…
"I heard you shouting earlier, can I know what happened?"
"It's just, there's this girl back in the dining that was saying cruel things that weren't true and…" And I found myself telling her how I got caught in thoughts, then accused of not being serious, and she was such a good listener.
I ended up telling her how I felt about Freddie, and after repeating it many times that I wasn't crushing, she said…
"It's totally okay for you to feel that way for a guy, when is your project ending?"
"Sunday."
"Before Sunday, you should find out how you feel… if it's a budding crush or something else."
"Okay." I said feeling better.
After baking the cakes, we coated them in everyone's different flavor, then took them to the dining and served it round.
I took a seat while she served chilled sweetened milk round in glass cups, and when she was done, she sat.
"So, I was thinking, while you're all here, why don't we get ourselves busy?" Bianca said.
I took a spoonful of cake and put it in my mouth.
It felt so small, if only I could put it all in my mouth at once.
"What is that?". Poppy asked.
"Hmm, it's a little creative stuff, Poppy and I will judge them… oh my! Didn't see you there, you must be Poppy's friend." She said, spotting Calby.
"No, I'm Freddie's friend, and I must say you look too beautiful to be his mother." Calby said.
"Why thank you, you're also looking too beautiful to be his friend." She said, and Calby blushed.
"Thanks." She replied.
"Mum can we get on with what you were saying?" Freddie asked, I had seen him roll his eyes when Bianca complimented Calby.
"Oh yeah, my bad, so I, and Poppy will be the judges since we both like to judge. The thing is, we'd pick you in pairs of two, and you're to make up something that can really impress me.
"Anything, so I'd be giving you exactly an hour. Here's the lovely part about it. The winners get to use my credit card."
"Oh my!" Liam exclaimed.
The boys bent their head, and began to talk in low voices.
"If they win, my balance is going to hit the zeroes." Bianca said, and we giggled.
"Okay, take this sheet of paper, wrap it up, pass it round, write your names, and give them back to me." She said.
Each person wrote their names on papers and gave them to her.
I could totally read the look on Calby's face, she wished for hers and Freddie's names to be put together.
Bianca juggled the papers in her hands, and smiled at me.
I gave her a smile in return.
"Okay." She said, taking out two and opening them up.
"Liam and Hudley... oh, I do not like that combination." she said.
"Why?" Calby asked innocently.
"They're what they call money suckers, my credit card won't last a day." She said, and Liam and Hudley laughed.
"That's right Bianca, I've got a whole list, should I show you?"
"Never mind, I'm counting on you Scilla." She said, and I was surprised to hear her call my name.
"Uh… I won't let you down." I said, and faked a smile.
"The next couple are Shawn and… Calby."
Calby's face fell.
"I'm fine with anyone." Shawn said.
"And the last couple…" Bianca said with a mischievous smile. "Freddie and Scilla." she revealed.
Calby looked as though I was meat, and she was the butcher, this was pure luck, I didn't expect it too.
"Eat up, eat up and find a place where you won't be disturbed, and make something up please, I and poppy will be waiting." She said, and I used to opportunity to gobble up the cake, and drank my milk, faster than I had eaten the cakes.
When we were done, Freddie stood up, and I followed.
"Where are we going?" I asked him.
"My room of course, where else? Or are you scared I'll do something to you?" He said with a stupid smirk on his face.
"You should be scared I'll do something to you." I bluffed.
He stopped, then laughed…
"Tell me… what exactly can you do?.. to me."
"Let's move it, I haven't got all day." I said, avoiding his eyes, which he refused to take off me.
"Not until you tell me the reason I should be scared to be in a room with you."
"Well… in my previous school, I… I was a known thief… I stole…"
"Aw, I'm so scared, you're going to steal my heart?" He said with a drip of sarcasm in his voice.
"Who said I steal hearts?" I said alarmed.
"You don't look like the robbing type, I bet any Halloween outfit is enough to scare you."
I scoffed, and when I turned my head, I saw Bianca staring and smiling at me.
I cleared my throat.
"Let's move it, please." I said.
"Ladies first."
"Since when was that rule so important?" I said, climbing the stairs and hating the feeling of not knowing whether he was staring or not.
We got to his room and he locked the door.
"It's okay, remember I'm the scared one." he said in a mocking tone.
"I never said anything."
"Oh really? What if I turn off the lights?"
"Why… why would you… tu... turn off the lights?"
"To get you scared… It'd be quite a spectacle to see you jumping the window to escape." he said, and I faked a laugh.
"That's not going to happen." I said, in a little voice, and he sat on the bed while I sat on a chair next to his door.
"So, let's do it this way, you think of something that you think your mum would love, and I'll think of something she'd like based on how I know her." I said, and he nodded.
"Sounds cool to me."
"Can I get a book?" I asked.
"There's one on the table next to you." he said, laying down on the bed.
I took the book, and the pen next to it.
I felt if I wrote Bianca a love song, she'd appreciate it. I could write about Freddie's facial features, and anyone would think they're hers, I just needed to change the gender.
*His eyes, so pretty;
I could stare at them all day.
Their lovely green;
Like flowers on a summer's day
And when he smiles…
I feel like the whole world's mine.
He's just got that style;
Makes my heart a butterfly
That charm, day, and night.
His hair, so dark but still so bright
Ooooooh... aaaaaaah*
"I've got no idea in my head, what are you doing?" He asked, and beckoned me to come over and sit with him.
I hesitated at first, but eventually sat, leaving a lot of space between us. Not because I thought he could actually do anything to me, but just because it felt awkward to be alone with him.
"Just writing a song."
"Let me take a look."
I looked at the song and noticed I had used the pronouns 'He and his' instead of 'She and her'!
"Let me take a look." He stressed, but I shook my head.
"I want to see."
"That's not the real thing… uh, hang on…"
"What's in the song that I can't see?"
YOU.
And anyone would know the song is talking about him, and ooh he'd tease me forever!
"Oh, did you write a song about a guy?" He asked, teasingly.
"Aah!" I screamed at how close he had come to the answer, and he seemed taken aback.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Aah! Why… why on earth… earth would I…"
"Then show me." He said, with determination in his green eyes.
"Show…"
Gosh!