RACHEL’S POV
Shawn has been acting distant and cold since his wedding to that brat and it made her worried.
He no longer held long conversations with her or even went for lunch with her. It was not like he did these things all the time, but he used to be more indulgent than his present self. She knew she had to get rid of that brat and she was doing it soon.
Deciding to try her luck once again in the past few days, she stood up and walked to his office.
“Hey, Shawny.” She greeted as she got into his office.
“Not now, please. I have a lot to do today,” He said in a dismissing tone.
“This has been your excuse for the past few days or even weeks. You keep avoiding and shutting me out. Tell me, did I do something wrong and I will apologize?”
“You did nothing wrong. I told you already that this is not about you.”
“I Know you do, but I still know you are not entirely telling the truth. You can confide in me.”
“I am fine, Rachel. You should return to your office.”
“Before I leave, will you at least have lunch with me after a long time?”
“You Know the answer, but I will tell you again. The answer is no, Rachel. Now, can I go back to work.”
“Fine. How about we hang out after work today?”
He turned to look at her in puzzlement. She looked away. She knew she sounded desperate but could not help it. She wanted him! Was that too much to ask for?
“I will be tired and resting at home. Just give up, Rachel. Have a nice day.”
Seeing he was still adamant as ever, she walked out in resignation.
She got to her office and slumped on the chair, clueless on what to do. She was restless and sad. She got up and walked to the window as she looked down at the world below.
Suddenly, a thought struck her.
The girl’s best friend! Yes, that was who she needed for the plan to work.
She walked back to her chair and picked up her phone from the table. she dialed Max’s number and he picked on the first ring.
“Yo! What’s good?”
“I want a meeting with that girl’s best friend. The boy.”
“What girl?”
“Are you dumb? Which other girl am I interested in?”
“Oh! You mean the rich little married girl?”
“You are so stupid. I said I want a meeting with her best friend.”
“I don’t know how possible that will be…”
“Shut up! I don’t pay you to play games of probability. Set a damn meeting with him. I don’t care how you are gonna do it.” She yelled and ended the call.
He was beginning to get on her nerves, and as soon as she got Shawn to be hers, she would get rid of him.
She finally managed to get back to work, even though intermittently, she stopped to glance at her phone in anticipation of Max’s call or message.
Soon, it was time for lunch but she didn’t feel like eating so she stayed back in her office. Her phone soon rang, and it was Max calling.
“I just tailed him to his house. He stays at 1 Sanders street.”
“So, how do I meet him?”
“I’m still working on that. I will give you feedback soon.”
“I want it this evening and it should not exceed.” She ended the call and kept her phone away.
She began to pace the length of her office. She was losing her patience and getting desperate by the day.
Soon, it was closing time and she parked her things and headed out. She was tempted to go to Shawn’s office but thought against it as she made her way downstairs.
She got into her car and drove off. While heading home, Max called.
“He plays football with some black neighborhood kids almost every evening. I think that will be the perfect time to talk to him.”
“That’s good. I want to meet him.”
TIFFANY’S POV
The next day at school, news of her removal from the students body committee had spread like wildfire across the school.
The students kept giving her a jeering and mocking look as she walked to class. It was only a few that looked at her with sympathy and pity in their eyes.
“Oh, look who we have here.” Mary said as she blocked her path with her minions.
“Not now, Please.”
“Oh, look at her voice. So pathetic and sad. So you were not as Intelligent as you appeared to be after all. Imagine the almighty Tiffany Dion being kicked out of the students body committee.”
“Well, it shows I’m human and for being human, it means I’m not perfect. Can you leave the way now?”
“Get back! I’m still talking to you.” Mary said and held her back.
“I do not want trouble. Leave my way, Mary Quevara.”
“And if I don’t, loser?”
“You get your ugly face ruined by my nails. Back off!” Freya said, getting in front of Tiffany.
“I can see the center of your head, Fred. Move away, you dwarf!”
“I know you are dumb but I will keep correcting you. It’s Freya and Fred.”
“No Matter how hard you try to make yourself get accepted, you will always be the male that you are. Now, stay out of this.”
“I think you should leave, Mary.” Timothy said, joining them.
“And what are you? Their Messiah?”
“And their defender too. Now, run along with your puppets.”
“How dare you call them puppets?” Mary shrieked.
“I’m sorry, minions rather. Go away with your minions.”
She huffed angrily and then turned to Freya and Tiffany, “This is far from over.” And with that, she walked away with her minions trailing behind.
“What did I ever do to elicit such hatred from her?” Tiffany asked, turning to look at her friends.
“Don’t dwell your thoughts on it, Tiff. You have to understand that you don’t necessarily have to offend people before they hate you. It’s just the nature of humans. Everyone must not like you.” Timothy replied, patting her shoulder.
“But I think Mary’s hatred is too much. That girl is a lunatic. It’s been years. Years of hating on Tiff nonstop.”
“Don’t give thought to it, Tiff. You have better things to worry about. Let’s go.” They all walked to class together and as they passed the hallway, students could not stop staring, murmuring bad pointing fingers at her.
She felt like the ground should open and swallow her because the shame was nearly impossible to bear.
She got to class and the same treatment was meted out to her by her classmates. They kept murmuring in low tones, pointing at her and laughing.
“This is just a phase. You will scale through.” Freya said and held her hand reassuringly.
Soon, a teacher entered the class and order was restored.
Throughout the lessons, she could not concentrate and her mind kept wandering to thoughts of how things had taken a turn for the worst in the past few weeks.
Shawn’s Ill treatment of her had taken a huge toll on her , hence her inability to concentrate on school work. He always found a way to make life difficult for her and she has no option but to endure for the sake of her father.
“A penny for your thought, Tiff.” Freya said, snapping her out of her reverie.
“I’m sorry.”
“Stop being sorry and think of a way to get yourself out of the mess you are in. Thinking doesn’t and has never solved a problem. How do you intend to get back on track when all you do is zone out?”
“It’s so hard, Freya. I’m getting depressed.”
“And you can decide not to fall into depression if only you will pick yourself up and keep fighting. You are strong, Tiff. Now is the time to show your strength to the world. Show them that even in the face of adversaries, you can still be all that you can be.”
She nodded as she threw herself into Freya’s arms and burst into tears.