16 Tit for tat

Zara eagerly wanted her mom to rest and to take up some responsibility but Rose had strictly forbid her to seek work and focus on studies until she graduated. As usual she was huddled at the cafeteria table, her nose buried in books.

Veronica decided to have some fun and slowly tiptoed upto her and loudly said, "Boo". Zara nearly jumped from her seat and her books went toppling down the table as Veronica roared with laughter.

Zara repositioned her glasses on her nose and began running after Veronica through the cafeteria. Veronica giggled and called her more names that made Zara determined to smack her best friend with the heaviest book she had.

Veronica ran behind a boy carrying his food tray and Zara whipped her book, narrowly missing the guy's head though his cap went flying. Veronica went hysterical and taunted her, "C'mon, don't tell me you have already given up."

Zara mouthed a sorry to him as he hurriedly got away from the prancing girls. Veronica continued running and headed towards the entrance door, her hair flying in the air that Zara had difficulty catching. Zara was dressed in her usual attire and her slippery shoes were making it difficult for her to keep up.

Yet, it felt good to run around like crazy, she couldn't remember when she had last run around the cafeteria or anything for that matter. She had always been a shy and studious girl.

Soon, the crowd started cheering with echoes of "Yo get her" and "Boo" and Zara felt horrified for a moment to see so many people watching her. She was almost at the door behind Veronica so she felt she could slip behind the doors before she got herself embarrassed. Veronica's voice kept calling to her so she decided to give her one last smack.

She wildly swung her book that connected not with Veronica but another person- the last person she would have wanted it to be. No, it wasn't Jake. Guess who? Rebecca.

Rebecca and her gang were walking in the cafeteria when Veronica crashed into them. However, it was Zara whose book emptied the coke bottle on her dress. Zara was stunned as was the rest of the cafeteria to see that the sparkling white short dress that Rebecca was wearing was now an odd combination of white and brown.

Zara wanted to mouth an apology but she heard a faint giggling and could see from the corner of her eye that Veronica was struggling to keep herself together. Zara eyed her to keep shut but Veronica burst into laughter and soon Rebecca's gang followed suit.

Within a matter of seconds, the entire cafeteria erupted into laughter and Zara too joined in. Rebecca who had been momentarily stunned was now fuming as anger slowly built up and her face and ears became red.

She looked at her friends, who immediately suppressed their laughter and Zara too stopped though Veronica went on and on.

Rebecca stomped her feet, "You find this funny. Wait, I'll show what fun means."

Zara immediately opened her mouth, "Sorry, I wasn't aiming at you but at V."

Rebecca ignored her and went to the counter and ordered a large slushy. Zara followed her, "Look, you may think I did it on purpose but I didn't. I'm sorry okay."

Rebecca said, "But, I'm not."

Zara wanted to ask what she meant but Rebecca dumped the slushy on Zara's head before she had time to react.

Mr Turner who had been watching tried to intervene, "Look girls, take it easy. There is no need for this."

Rebecca ordered the largest ice-cream available and the whole cafeteria went silent. Zara's eyes were beginning to form tears that were threatening to leak out. Veronica tried to reason, "See, tit for tat. There is no reason to go overboard."

Rebecca revealed a poisonous smile, "It isn't tit for tat until I hear the entire crowd laugh at you."

Zara tried to back away while Rebecca barked, "Give me my ice-cream, old man or it will be very, very bad for you."

Mr Turner was helpless. Rebecca was the only child of a wealthy businessman and he couldn't afford to deny her. Yet he stood where he was and Veronica grabbed the largest ice-cream tub and took out four large scoops of different flavours. She growled, "Don't ever mess with me" as she emptied the ice-cream tub on Zara's head. Veronica tried to intervene but Zara signalled her to stay put.

She instead eyed Rebecca, "Happy? You have fulfilled your heart's deepest desire, haven't you? You have no real friends and no real life. The swarm of bees behind you that you think are your friends are there just because you are rich. You know what, you are nothing but a pompous, living-in-my-own-bubble, arrogant bully."

Zara had never said such things to Rebecca or to anyone and she felt happy though she was dripped in slushy and ice-cream. A tear finally escaped her eye and she feared that she would wallow in front of the entire school. So, she began running through the door when a hand caught her. "Hey, where are you going?"

Jake's voice filled her ears and he took a second to see her drenched in ice-cream, ice dripping from her hair as she shivered from cold.

His jaw clenched and his eyes filled with contempt, "Who did this?"

Zara didn't want any more drama so she said, "Nothing, I accidentally slipped." She began running away but he caught at her arm and brought her inside, dragging her in the center. He looked around to see Rebecca glaring daggers at both of them. He instantly knew what must have happened.

As the crowd watched anxiously, Jake took a large slushy went upto Zara and stood in front of her. Zara looked up at him, "What are you doing?"

He thrust the plastic glass in her hand, "You know what to do"

Zara looked horrified, "No, absolutely not."

Jake smiled, "Well then, I guess I'll do it myself." He then took the glass and toppled it above his head as he got soaked.

Zara stood stunned as he then proceeded to come near her and put a finger on her cheek scooping the ice-cream off her cheek. He then put it in his mouth as gasps of oohs and aahs went through the crowd. Zara's eyes were squeezed shut and she didn't want to open them. Electricity coursed through her body as if she were made of copper wires instead of blood and veins.

She felt her insides melt like ice-cream at his touch. Jake's lips were mere inches from hers and he desperately wished to close the gap and taste her lips. Though, he had to pull away reluctantly as every eye was trained on them. Jake then took his hands in hers and said loudly and clearly, "You are sweet enough. There is no need to bathe in sugar."

Veronica grinned and started clapping and cheering loudly. The crowd went mad as they joined her too and a fuming Rebecca left the cafeteria.

Zara opened her eyes to look around as she finally began crying and Jake's hands went around her as they stood embraced in each other's arms in front of the entire school.