PART 1 -

“Now that’s what us mortals call drop dead gorgeous,” i said in awe.

She grinned rather reluctantly.”Don’t try to spare my feelings, Henna. Tell the truth, so help you God. Do i look okay?”

“No you don’t. You look smashing!…Perfect for monthsaires.” i teased.

She sought the seat beside me.

“You remember?” she asked.

How could i forget?

“I detected, actually. You manifested the signs and symptoms yesterday, like agitation, drumming of fingers, flipping through the calendar for the nth time, and-”

“cut it out!” she laughed. So did i.

I noticed the paperbag she placed underneath the table.

“Anything edible in there?” i asked hopefully.

I saw a flicker of hesitancy in her eyes. If i hadn’t known her for 10 years, i wouldn’t have noticed.

“Nothing. Don’t get your hopes up. Just some junk from my room. I’ll throw them away later.”

Then her face lit up like midday sunshine. I didn’t even have to turn my neck to know.

There he was, carrying a bouquet of multi-colored roses and looking divine.

“Happy 3rd,” he uttered.

“Happy 3rd.” She replied breathlessly.

i looked away. i don’t need to see their lingering stares. Not today.

“Hey, Henna.” he finally greeted.

“Hi Kent.”

“What’s up?”

“Nothing too major. Not like you, obviously.” I joked. He smiled a small smile.

“How’s Thrace?”

Darn!Do i really need to talk about my pain in the ass ex-boyfriend?

“Henna really couldn’t care less.” Isle saved me from answering.

“What? Another breakup?” Kent spluttered.

I rolled my eyes.

“If my calculations are right, that’s the 5th time this month. And we’re still on the third week. What’s going on, Henna? You seem to be changing boyfriends as fast as your changing t-shirts?” Kent said.

I laughed. “Don’t worry about me. What’s high school without playgirls? We have a reputation to live up to, you know. They don’t give me the title for nothing.” i chuckled. ” Anyways, why are you guys still sitting around? Go date. This day comes to end.”

“Oh, yeah. We gotta stop over at Lee’s place first. I need to hand him something.” Isle said.

“looks like we have to go.” Kent stood up.

“Yeah. You guys enjoy the rest of the day.” I said.

“Bye!”

And they stalked off, hand in hand. I watched them, unconsciously biting my lower lip. If i had only been one notch smarter, this might have been an entirely different picture.

“Why are you even staring at them? Are you a masochist?” a voice sent me back to earth.

“Blaire. How long have you been there?”

She took Isle’s former seat. And signed.

“You’re being hard on yourself again, are you?” she looked right at me.

I avoided her gaze.

“I’m okay, Blaire. Stop being overly dramatic.” I turned to look at the school building.

“Stop the pretense. Drop it, Henna. I know you to the core. How could you stand this? If you can’t be brutally honest to Isle, then at least be honest to yourself.” Blaire said.

“Blaire, please.”

“You still haven’t forgiven yourself, haven’t you?”

I signed.

“That’s why you can’t tell Kent that the reason why you embraced being a ‘playgirl’ is because-”

“Blaire, stop it.”

“You’re not the only one who makes mistakes Henna.”

I couldn’t stand it.

I grabbed my things and seized the chance to escape her. Blaire, my ego.

“Wait, you left something!” she cried after me.

It was Isle’s paper bag. Without giving it a thought, i took it from her.