Such effrontery! Bianca raged and raised her hand to hit her!
“Before you do…” The princess Alexis, who was unused to being pushed around, coldly cut her short. “Remember you’re an ambassador of the school and there are surveillance watching you.” She stated.
Bianca froze completely. The revelation seemed to have cooled her flaming temper, and reminded her of her covert but infallible ways of getting back at certain bitches!
She dropped her hand and took a few dangerous steps away slowly, putting some distance between them and looking like a snake preparing to strike!
But she didn’t.
“Just a quick reminder…” She venomously growled, keeping her voice above a whisper audaciously.
“This isn’t over.” The fire blazing in her eyes was proof enough.
If Natalia was scared, she no longer showed it. Instead, she dryly rolled her eyes and made a bored face, undaunted.
Bianca raised a corner of her lips in a smirk, which looked like a nasty bee sting. She shoulder bumped the princess on her way out and her girls followed suit.
If the slut wanted a challenge, the Queen Bee was game!
Natalia let out the frightened breath she didn’t realize she was holding as soon as the B. R. A. T. S. left.
“What the hell just happened?” Elva whispered to no one in particular, looking lifelessly pale.
“The witch’s got a rival, that’s what!” Nicky gutted, a bright glimmer in her eyes. “Finally, someone else in this school stands up to her! Natalia, believe it or not, now that everyone sees that Bianca and her bitchy squad aren’t so unchallengeable, the students will finally have their voices back! The B. R. A. T. S can’t keep on having their way by being big time bullies!”
“But that wasn’t part of the plan. Her situation is so delicate. Her instruction was to lay low!” Elva muttered worriedly, still visibly shaken.
Having attended a regular school in the past, oh Elva was way too aware of how brawls like this between girls, usually turned out. Nicky raised a confused eyebrow.
“I.. I mean she only just resumed and stirring trouble on her first week isn’t right. Right?” She quickly covered up.
“But I didn’t. He started it!” Natalia whined, ‘righteously’ feeling wronged.
“It doesn’t matter who started it! Because now, YOU have a dangerous witch blinded by extreme jealousy and fury out to hurt you! Do you now get it??” Elva emphasized.
“Girls, we’re awfully late to class! Let’s hurry, we’ll talk about it later.” Nicky suddenly screeched in realization.
“The best thing to do right now is to stay away from Arian De’ Argent at any cost! Being close to him is enough trouble as it is.” Elva calculated as they made their way to class.
“Fine.” The princess grumbled with a pout.
Elva held her hand. “Promise me!”
“Fine, I promise!” She gushed and suddenly remembered she’d left her jacket in the garden!
Natalia groaned and rushed off to get it, promising the girls she’ld be right behind them. Nicky chuckled and pulled Elva along who was ready to accompany her like a fussing mother!
Natalia got to the garden and found her jacket. She picked it up with a pretty smile and turned to rush out but suddenly halted, almost bumping into…
“Ricky?”
In response to her greeting, Ricky shared his naturally foxy smile which had a legendary reputation of making girls swoon, as he walked further towards her. Natalia didn’t know whether to step away or not, so she just stood still.
Ricky stopped a few feet from her, expecting her to leave like she wanted?
“I didn’t know you’d be here.” He offered casually. Natalia silently let out a tensed breath.
“I actually come here sometimes when I need to think.” He walked over to the cute white bench which she’d left her jacket on and sat.
“You…. wanna sit?” He offered thoughtfully, noticing her reluctance to leave.
Natalia knew Elva was probably gonna skin her alive for skipping class, but the look on Ricky’s face told her helplessly soft side that he needed some company.
So, she nodded and gently sat next to him, keeping a polite distance between them.
“I’m sorry about Arian. He could be one helluva douche sometimes.” Ricky apologized and Natalia chuckled. The word sounded funny so she asked him what it meant.
He shot her a bewildered look. “You don’t know what that is?”
She nodded like an innocent flower. Ricky blinked rapidly in stun.
“Then forget I said it ’cause it’s a bad word.”
“But why would you use it on your friend?” Her Bambi eyes increased in curiosity. And for the first time in his playboy life, Ricky stared at a girl uncomfortably.
“Because… It… Just forget it. So, you from ’round here?” He swiftly changed the conversation, leaning on the backrest and returning his oppressively cool aura.
“Nope. Quite far away.” Natalia answered, feeling a little homesick. “What about you?”
Ricky gave a tight smile, hesitance etched on his excessively pretty features. Both which Natalia didn’t notice.
“Dad’s American, mom’s Korean. But we’ve lived here our whole lives.” He answered slowly.
“Oh.” She breathed and faced down, fumbling with her jacket on her legs.
Some minutes passed in a comfortable silence.
“You said you come here sometimes to think… May I ask what it’s about?” She softly bit her lip.
Ricky sighed with a distant look in his eyes. “Home, college, the future…. and that girl.”
Natalia could feel the heavy emotions in his voice. He was looking straight ahead but she could still see his pain.
Suddenly, an idea popped!
She hastily reached into her shoulder bag and brought out a gigantic bar of chocolate. Then she cutely waved it across his face, ultimately breaking his trance.
“Quick thoughts reliever??” She beamed and Ricky breezily laughed out…
***
“You know, you look really familiar.” Nicky commented as they left the last class prior to lunch break.
“Huh?” Elva hummed.
“You look familiar. Like I’ve seen you before…. but can’t seem to pinpoint where exactly.” Nicky repeated, futilely racking her brain to recollect.
Elva casually shrugged. “I guess I have those faces.” They got to their lockers and dropped their books.
“Where’s Nat??” She worriedly asked, looking around the crowded corridor.
No sooner were the words out, than two familiar laughters echoed down the hallway making Elva’s heart skip a million beats.
Elva and Nicky flipped around as well as a numberless other eyes to see Natalia and Ricky smiling and walking together.
The princess was walking quite carefree as she held onto her bag, unlike Ricky, whose steps were definite with an unrestrained touch of arrogance. He walked, pocketing.
Natalia said something again which made him nudge her with an elbow and smirk. Then they got to the girls.
“Oppa! (Older brother!)” Nicky smiled and leaned over to give him a kiss.
Elva’s eyes flew wide open but Natalia remained cool, still beaming. Ricky had told her earlier.
“Hey, Nick.” He spared her a soft smile. “Um… It’s been nice meeting you, Natalia. Please excuse me.” He murmured and walked away.
“Bye!” The Princess cheerfully waved.
“Brother??” Elva shrieked the moment he disappeared around a corner.
“Yeah. We’re twins.” Nicky flippantly replied and walked on ahead with Natalia to the cafeteria, leaving her behind.
“Twins???” She screamed again, drawing every attention to herself.
But Elva didn’t give a damn! She rushed after them still reeling in untold shock and anxiety.
A loud clattering welcomed the girls as they got into the cafeteria. Apparently, the B. R. A. T. S were in the limelight again.
Bianca had purposely tripped a girl with a lunch tray because she was walking slowly in front of her. And what was worse?
The poor girl was on glasses!
She hastily bent over and tried picking her stuff up despite her tears.
“You oaf! Now look, you’ve ruined my shoes! Do you know how much these costs?? Enough to buy you and your wretched family seven times over!” She shrieked, pointing at a drop of ketchup on her white boots.
Nicky scoffed angrily, cursing the day the witch became queen!
If Ricky hadn’t the first twin and the heir to Winter Corps, Nicky’s net worth would’ve been higher than Bianca’s, making her queen automatically.
But unfortunately, she wasn’t.
The girl tried wiping away the ketchup stain with the hem of her shirtsleeve but Bianca cringed and kicked her hands away!
As if that wasn’t enough, she slapped her!
The echo vibrated round the hall! But no one moved an inch. They all knew when Bianca was in her elements, and when not to interfere. Not like the conceited, rich kids cared to anyway.
With all the attention they paid, a gust of wind might’ve passed by.
Bianca degradingly tossed Tiffany’s napkin on her face and ordered her to wipe the entire boot clean! The scholarship students in the hall bit their lips in pity as they watched the scene. After all, that was all they could do.
But the next minute, the napkin was flung on Bianca’s face in a wham!
The whole hall gasped!
Elva, who was still getting over the ‘twin’ shock, blinked rapidly.
‘Lord spare us!’ She groaned as she and Nicky shared a look before rushing after Natalia who was already involved!
“What the…. Get the shit off!” Bianca screamed at her girls, shrinking from the ‘infested’ rag on her face.
The B. R. A. T. S gasped and rushed to her while Natalia ignored the whole lot and crouched before the girl. She used her jacket to clean her glasses then helped the poor girl wear it after wiping her tears with a kind smile.
“Bitch!” Bianca yelled in fury when the napkin was off. “What the f…”
“Were you born with a speaker in your vocal cords? You’re being noisy. I can hear you. After all, I’m right here.” Natalia pointed the obvious, sparing her a cold glance.
Bianca gasped in disbelief.
The Princess returned to the girl with a soft smile and wrapped the jacket around her because her shirt was messed up as well.
The stunned girl tried a smile which failed and disappeared…. after nervously glancing at an enraged Bee.
That jacket was rare! Elva’s eyelid twitched. She had only bought one piece at the store because it was a limited edition and the only one in stock!
The fashionista in her cried!!
~ Woah! Did you see that?? So sweet!
~ (Scoffs) Now they’re gonna get it from Queen Bee!
~ Sheesh! You’re such a dummy!
~ Guys, look! That jacket cost about 856 million as of yesterday!… And the auction price keeps skyrocketing!!!
~ Huhu! I’m sooo ready for the freaking after party!
~ Evil human! I wonder why she’s queen.
~ Giving such a priceless item to that street rat? (Snorts). Such a waste of asset!
~ My cousin tried to purchase that jacket yesterday, but the greedy dealer wouldn’t settle for less than a billion!!… Wuwu! If I’d known the rich girl didn’t value it that much, I’ld have acted the middleman and benefitted the most!
~ Girls! Get your spare phones ready in case it takes long!
~ Shuush! Look, it’s starting!!
All these and many more went round the cafeteria as Natalia stood back up and looked Bianca straight in the eyes, with her friends flanking her this time…
Chapter 18