9 viii

FLASHBACK

Megan (O.View)

I was alone in our vegetable stand today. Mom can't make it because she's sick so I need to take matters into my own hands.

Fortunately, it's market day so it's gonna be the busiest day of the week. It only means one thing, it'll be a prosperous selling day and I'm ready for it!

I'm almost settled with my display when ,out of nowhere, a car pulled over in front of me.

I stood up straight and prepared my biggest smile but I turned it out into a frown as soon as Alexandria Fiorelli, went out of there and gave me a crocodile smile.

Well, she looks like a crocodile herself.

"Hey, cheapskate!" she said in a jolly tone.

" What do you want?" I said defensively.

" I just want to ask you about something,"

" What is it?"

" How much money do you want me to give you so you'll get out of my freaking sight!" she lashed out like a mad ape in front of me and pushed every displayed vegetables in the table in front of her. She left with her car after that and even run over some of it.

Tears left my eyes as I picked up everything that fell on the ground.

It was a total mess!

" Mom is gonna kill me!" I muttered in between my sobs.

" How much is all of that?" I heard someone said in a low voice.

I looked up and stood straight as soon as I saw her face. She's familiar.

" Oh! I'm so sorry," I exclaimed and wiped my tears with my hands. I was sorry for the mess.

" No, it's fine. It's just that my brother needs biodegradables for his compost pit at home in the garden and I think I can still use those as one," she's referring to those in the ground.

I furrowed my brows.

" Do you think my vegetables are garbage?"

The woman blinked twice. I think she didn't see that coming from me.

" No, that's not what I meant," she emphasized.

I sighed.

" I know, It's fine. I can give you those wrecked ones for your brother's compost pit but these vegetables on the ground... well, I can still sell these," I explained.

I started picking up those wrecked vegetables especially those ones the gorilla, Alexandria, ran over with.

I halted when I saw that familiar woman helped out. She has a trash bag with her.

" Where did you get that?" I asked her. She answered by pointing out a pick up truck nearby.

She looks sassy and picking up things beside the common road is so out of her flair.

I shrugged my shoulders and proceed doing what I'm doing.

It almost took an hour for us to finally settle everything up. I can say she's a really big help.

I was calculating her purchased items when she suddenly put some good amount of lucre beside me.

I furrowed by brows at her, again.

" I'm not good in math but I think biodegradables don't cost that much," I said and solitarily took the right amount and gave her back almost a quarter half of it.

" I wish I could help you or something," she said.

I sighed in defeat.

" Look! I can sell all of these!" she insisted and started gathering customers around. She even did a good job on sales talking.

" Fine," I said amidst her bold moves.

She smiled showing her 'dents du bonheur'.

END OF FLASHBACK

Alexandria (O.View)

2003

An ongoing debate of second graders is on the emporium. I was, actually.

On the opposition is my bestfriend, Lea.

See, she's my bestfriend so it is more of a friendly debate. I maybe an excellent defender but she is, too.

After the debate, we both were declared as the winner and I'm so happy for it. We both are.

It's been like that for years until Lea needs to transfer to a different primary school ...

... and I hate it.

I walked out of the house and sat on a bench nearby a big cat-shape topiary trying to calm myself.

Few minutes later, I was totally fine when I saw this little rascal trying to cut our shrubs.

I furrowed my brows.

I approached her and stomped on her little ugly star-shaped topiary, as ugly as her.

I grinned as I saw her dismayed look at me.

I looked down at her and furrowed my brows in the most menacing way.

She left after that. I was still grinning when I felt something is crawling on me.

I screamed in total fear as soon as I saw red spots manifesting my legs and ankles!

The maids immediately come on my aid and carried me to the living room.

Mom almost hyperventilated as soon as she saw the red spots on my legs and immediately went away to phone someone.

" Doc, help us!" I heard her exclaimed in fear. I was crying hard and don't know what to do.

Mrs. de Claussone, Lea's Mom, approached me. I stopped crying when I saw her furrowing her brows. I think she doesn't give a sympathy on me, she's keeping a straight face.

" I saw how you shamelessly stomped on that little girl's topiary. I think you gave yourself your own karma," she said in a low voice just enough for me to hear and glanced at my legs " It's actually just a hay fever. It goes off after a few minutes," she added and walked out of the house, after that.

" I can't believe her!" I shouted and was kicking my feet in animosity. I shrieked in pain when my feet hit the round table! It hit hard!

Lea's mom hated me since the first time we met but Lea is such a nice kid so I keep my contact with her.

Every summer she would visit me and we'll play till the sun sets. We'll also have our sleepovers with the other kids on the residential and hang out on different high end places, beaches, tourist spots etc. through out our juvenile years.

Until, Mrs. de Clausonne introduced Lea to Megan.

I was astounded as I looked at the both of them staring at each other. I got goosebumps as I stare at them for a few more minutes. I glanced at Mrs. de Claussone, she doesn't seem to notice something a bit off about those two.

A few days later, I went to her house first thing in the morning. I wanted to ask her something about this issue circling on the university, especially the queer guys.

I parked my car outside her house and went inside an unlock foyer. I thought it's a bit suspicious, though.

I was astounded to find her watching some kind of crap with her new found friends. They were everywhere in the living room.

I knew them as hollywood brats who has gender issues. I am not into social media but these guys are everywhere.

" Hey, Alex! " a blue haired girl smiled and stood up to greet me. I won't actually noticed her if it wasn't for her diastemas. It was Lea.

" You dyed your hair," I said.

" It's just temporary," she said and shrugged her shoulders. She then led me on the couch.

A pretty girl with a long and amber hair was about to sit beside me but Lea didn't let her. She even gave her a warning look. I knew her as Kristen.

" That's not the girl, right?" Kristen chuckled.

I looked at Lea.

" What girl is she talking about?" I asked her, I'm curious.

" The one she has a crush on," Kristen answered " Megan, " she added.

I looked at her susupiciously. Why is she talking about that poor girl?

" Get out of my sight, flirty shithead," said another girl behind us, I knew her as Cara. She was talking to Kristen who was towering infront of us.

The whole scene was like a queer get-together so I ended up going home in the end.

I hate the fact that Lea's gone different and she's actually hanging out with those freaks.

A few days later, I was about to turn left when I saw someone familiar beside the common road.

I parked infront of her. It was the poor girl Megan and her cheap vegetable stand.

" So she has a crush on her?" I told myself and get off the car, I cringed at her smiling at me.

"Hey, cheapskate!" I said in a jolly tone.

" What do you want?" she said defensively.

" I just want to ask you about something,"

" What is it?"

I furrowed my brows at her.

" How much money do you want me to give you so you'll get out of my freaking sight!" I lashed out and pushed every displayed vegetables in the table in front of me.

I looked down at her as she picked up some of it on the floor.

I left her after that but immediately pulled over as soon as I saw Lea approached her, out of nowhere, on my side mirror.

Where did she come from!