After breakfast, I rushed out of the cozy kitchen, grabbing my bag and heading out the door. The entire conversation with Juniper replayed in my mind as I drove to school.
I was pleasantly surprised by how nice she was. She had this tough exterior, was really sweet and caring, and there was something adorable about the way her stern face softened when she talked.
Finally, I arrived at the exam hall, my heart racing with anticipation. After stepping into the hall, time flew away, taking me on a long ride with anatomy. The three-hour exam felt like an eternity.
But now, I stood outside the exam hall, exhaling deeply as I let the warm sunlight wash over me.
Helen appeared behind me, flinging her arms around my shoulder and exclaimed, “Honey, we survived!”
I grinned, hugging her back. “Yeah, I did, but you don’t look like someone who survived.” I scoffed, my eyes wandering all over her in ridicule.
Her curly hair was a mess, with a few strands falling from her ponytail, emphasizing her exhausted yet endearing expression.
But just to get on her toes, I added with a mischievous grin, “It looks like you just crawled out of hell.”
“Traitor!” she teased, jabbing my arm with a mock-offended scowl. “You’ve been secretly studying, haven’t you? While I’ve been stuck in academic quicksand, you’re over here, looking all smug and unaffected like you just strolled out of a spa, while I’ve been drowning in textbooks.”
She looked away, crossing her arms as her legs tapped on the ground.
I chuckled, shaking my head. I thought I was the dramatic one, but I guess I’m not.
“Hey, put yourself together; you never liked school in the first place,” I teased, and we both burst into a fit of laughter.
As we laughed, Helen’s exhaustion momentarily wore off, and we stumbled toward the cafeteria with our arms still wrapped around each other.
“Okay, let’s celebrate! Coffee and gossip?” she suggested with a wide smile, and I just nodded in agreement. “Coffee in the afternoon? Sounds perfect to me.”
As we strolled toward the cafeteria, Helen’s expression turned curious as she changed the subject. “Spill the beans, Sarah. What’s been going on lately? You’ve been… distant.”
I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. “Well, um… I um…”
Why can’t I just bring myself to tell her I am in love with an older guy and have been busy lately with our issues?
“Um, what?” she raised an eyebrow, nudging me to continue but was momentarily distracted by a very familiar figure.
“Oh my God, isn’t that… Vincent?” I remarked, my eyes fixed on the scene in front of me. Vincent had a girl pinned to a wall, kissing her like there was no tomorrow.
Helen turned from their direction, her face turning sour as her lips twitched. “I’ll kill that guy,” she said through gritted teeth as her eyes blazed for a split second.
I grinned mischievously. “Hey, Helen, I thought you said you wanted revenge; this seems like the right time.” I winked with a wide grin, and she placed her hand on her chin as if in deep thought.
“Are you seriously thinking about it?” I asked incredulously, a playful scowl etched on my face.
Suddenly, Helen’s expression transformed, a sly smile spreading across her face. Then, with a long stride, she crossed the distance between them.
Vincent caught her eye, and their gaze locked in a charged moment.
But Helen immediately snapped out of his gaze and turned to the girl. “Hey, I’m sorry to interrupt, but um… I will have to borrow this guy for a moment; we have a score to settle.”
She smiled at the girl, and the next second, her hands flew in the air and came crashing down on Vincent’s cheek, the sound of the slap echoing through the air.
Vincent’s head jerked to the side, his eyes widening in shock as he stumbled backward, releasing the girl from his grasp.
The girl’s eyes darted to Helen, a mix of surprise and gratitude flashing across her face.
Helen’s hand still trembled with the force of the slap, her chest heaving with anger. “That’s for using and dumping me, and you’re disgusting,” she spat, a smirk curling on her lips.
Vincent’s face darkened, his jaw clenched in rage. “You think you can just slap me and get away with it, Helen?” he growled, taking a step closer, but I quickly intervened, my smile growing wider.
Before he could process the slap from Helen, my palm connected with his cheek, the crack of the slap shattering through the air.
“And that’s for those dirty looks you gave me; next time, you won’t look at my boobs,” I spat, briefly glancing at Helen. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she turned to me, a satisfied grin still plastered on her face. I winked at her, and we exchanged knowing glances.
Vincent’s face reddened with rage, his eyes darting between us. “You two think you can take me down?” he snarled, taking another step closer.
But Helen and I stood firm, our confidence buoyed by our solidarity. Helen crossed her arms, a smirk still curling on her lips. “If you’re ready for another roll, then we’re just getting started.”
I chuckled, my eyes never leaving Vincent’s. “I never liked you from the start; those smiles were pretense,” I confessed with a shrug.
The girl, now freed from Vincent’s grasp, backed away slowly, her eyes wide with unease. “Uh, thanks, I guess,” she stammered before making a hasty retreat.
As the girl disappeared into the crowd, Helen turned to me. “Shall we celebrate our victory with coffee and gossip?”
“Sounds perfect again,” I grinned as we completely ignored Vincent seething behind us. Yeah, he wouldn’t retaliate, or else he would want to get beaten to a pulp. That’s one advantage of being pretty girls in school.
We sauntered off to the restaurant, laughing our asses off, leaving Vincent’s scowling face behind. Inside, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods enveloped us, further lifting our spirits as we brimmed with delight.
Over steaming cups of coffee, we relived the slap-filled moment, giggling uncontrollably. Helen mimicked Vincent’s shocked expression, and I snorted, nearly spitting out my coffee.
That was my best part of the joke, really.
“I’m so proud of you,” I said, grinning at Helen.
“Thanks, partner in crime,” she replied, clinking her cup against mine.
As we sipped our coffee, our conversation flowed effortlessly, covering everything from school gossip to our personal lives. I considered opening up about my older guy situation but hesitated, unsure if I was ready to share.
Maybe I might share it with her after I and Mr. Clinton complete our little bet.
After a relaxing hour, we finished our coffee and prepared to go home. As I approached my car (borrowed car), Helen grabbed my arm, pulling me back, her eyebrows raised in a familiar suspicious manner.
“You still haven’t told me how you got this car.”
I chuckled, scratching the back of my head. Then a better excuse popped into my head, a way to escape her pending relentless questions and also give her a hint of the truth.
“I’ve got a sugar daddy,” I whispered to Helen, my voice barely audible over the chatter of the students beside us.
Helen’s eyes widened as a wide smile spread on her lips. “Finally!” she exclaimed, adding, “Now spill the tea!”
I leaned in and whispered again with a sly grin, “Let’s just say he’s older, wealthy, and ridiculously handsome.”
Helen’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “How old?”
“Um…” I drawled, still hesitating. “Old enough to know better.”
“Oh my God, has he fucked you yet?” Helen’s voice echoed through the parking lot, drawing curious glances from nearby students.
Shit, this bitch!
I immediately shushed her, dragging her into the car to avoid unwanted attention from the prying eyes. As soon as we settled into the car, Helen bombarded me with questions that almost made my head spin.
My best friend has always been a pain in my ass!
Still, I refused to totally fill her in on all the juicy details-skipping some parts for some other time. The time when I was certain Mr. Clinton was completely mine alone.