Ch.24: A Day of Pamper

The sky was blue, clouds drifted across, and the sun shined bright. "So, is anybody over the crazy week we had?" asked Lisa, lying on the couch as she stared up at the ceiling.

"I mean, the first week in a new school, I find out my best friend is a witch, and the first new friend we make is a badass sword-wielding chick. Oh, can't forget about the crazy vampires who are the icing on the cake!" Sarcasm laced her voice as the three girls sat together in the living room of Dia and Lisa's dorm, talking about the crazy week they shared.

"You know what!" Alice stood from the chair, drawing their eyes onto herself.

"Today is too good of a day to be lazing inside! Let's go out and get some fresh air!" announced Alice, looking refreshed and humble in a short yellow dress with a white t-shirt worn underneath. Dia looked at the other girl and nodded her head. Standing on her feet, she sported a cute pink blouse paired with short jeans.

"Oh, what the hell! It's not like we got anything better to do." Lisa stood on her feet and dusted herself. She wore her long raven hair in a high ponytail today. The gray buckle skirt she wore was split on the side, revealing shorts and showed off her long, slim brown legs, paired with a baby blue cropped blouse.

Lisa reached for her wallet, shoving it in Dia's pink mini-backpack purse while Alice grabbed her purse and the three girls left the dorm.

When they first arrived at the location, far out in the woods by its lonesome, both Lisa and Dia stared blankly at the spooky desolate cottage presenting the image of a stereotypical witch house.

"Alice, are you sure this is the right place?" asked an unsure Lisa.

"Don't judge a book by its cover," advised Alice with a smile.

Opening the door that chimed, signifying a guest had arrived, the interior inside was completely different from the outward appearance. Splashes of vivid artwork covered the walls, displaying lakes, trees, all with black and white swans as if they were telling a story. The chairs were a mixture of blue and purple, depicting even more artwork on the back.

A shrub of flowers hung from the ceiling with vines filling in the cracks and seams, giving off a romantic and fairytale atmosphere. Beside the cash register counter was a display that showed off a variety of ravishingly crafted desserts. Each type of dessert looked like a sculptured piece of fine art.

After a challenging debate, the girls finally knew what they wanted and gave their order to the cute feminine boy standing behind the cash register. While ringing up their orders, another girl in a short goth maid dress retrieved their desserts and placed them on a tray. Once they paid, Lisa picked up the tray.

Besides them, only five more people seemed to be occupying the building, making it feel almost empty. In the far corner of the room, made to resemble a bird cage, was a booth the girls occupied.

"It looks so pretty that I'm afraid to eat it~!" Dia found her dessert irresistible, too pretty to eat, taking pictures of it with her phone.

The dessert she ordered was a strawberry parfait, consisting of creamy strawberry ice cream, fresh strawberries, and pink macaroons. It was decorated with a square shape of chocolate, edible flowers, and gold flecks sprinkled on top.

"Not only does it look good, but it tastes like heaven!" praised Lisa, who scooped a bite of her dome-shaped lemon mousse cake that was elegantly garnished with pieces of white chocolate into her mouth.

"As I said, this place has got the best desserts!" chimed Alice with pride, digging into a fancy slice of chocolate cake, happy by her suggestion's outcome. The girls indulged themselves with desserts first before talking about their week.

"So, what's your story with Leena? How do you know her?" asked Alice, and Dia began telling her story of her ex-boyfriend dumping her like a piece of trash for Leena. Retelling the story, she thought she had gotten over her feelings, but the humiliation and the heartbreak still lingered.

"I still find it weird how Alex suddenly changed into an asshat. I wasn't too fond of him at first, but I felt as if he honestly had feelings for you. Well, you gotta be careful of the people you trust 'cause if I ever meet that asshole again, my fist is meeting his face." Lisa punched her fist into her hand, itching for a fight.

"Sorry to hear about your trashy ex-boyfriend, but stealing other people's boyfriends is what Leena does," said Alice.

"What do you mean?" asked both Lisa and Dia.

"Lisa is a seductress. Every attractive boy that catches her attention, she seduces them and gets them to fall in love with her, only to ruthlessly dump them when she's finished playing with them. Sorry to say, Dia, but you aren't the first one she has done this to."

Alice took a sip of her boba tea when a thought hit her. "Now that we're on the subject, I think I may know how you wound up on her radar. Leena is a conqueror. I've seen her flirting with Ethan a couple of times, but just like with all the other girls, minus you of course, he turned her down. With her track record, Leena's admirers and ex-lovers stretch from humans to vampires and even werewolves. No one has been able to resist her, except for Ethan, who she's determined to make hers. Knowing someone has managed to capture a heart of a target that she couldn't acquire must've pissed her off."

"So you're saying this same girl who seduces and steals away other girls' boyfriends is throwing a tantrum because one guy turned her down, and she's taking it out on Dia? Excuse my language, but what a crazy bitch!" Lisa scoffed at the nonsense she had just heard.

"Leena is a powerful vampire who comes from a high-ranking family, the twin sister of Philip," said Alice.

"Who the heck is Philip?" questioned Lisa. Alice took another sip of her drink before answering.

"The vampire that attacked us that night," revealed Alice as flashbacks of the night in the greenhouse replayed in the girl's head.

"No way! Well, that explains it. Crazy runs in the family genes!" said Lisa.

"Dia, I'm telling you this for your own good, but please be careful. Leena is wild and unpredictable. Even Sara knows not to cross her as there is only one other person I know who can rival her ruthless nature."

Dia took her friend's warning to heart, knowing the other girl was looking out for her.

"Hey, have you got in touch with your aunt yet? What about your big bro?" asked Lisa.

"My aunt texted me back saying she'll get in touch with me once she's free, and my brother, for some weird reason, has his phone turned off. I texted my aunt about it 'cause she wasn't picking up my calls, and she said that he's busy with work, but what if they are lying to me, just like with my parent's death? In my dream, a car incident didn't kill them, they were murdered and it was kept secret from me, but why?"

"We don't have the answers. Only your aunt and brother do but try not to let emotions cloud your judgment. They love you, Dia, meaning they did what they did for a good reason. So just like what you did with Ethan, do the same for your family." Lisa comforted the desperate girl seeking answers, giving Dia an encouraging smile before deciding to change the topic.

"This is a day of relaxation, which means no whining and crying! So ladies, let's pamper ourselves! To the salon!" proclaimed Lisa, standing up on her feet.

"There's a nail salon in the city with decent reviews and prices. Want to go check it out?" asked Alice.

"Alright, let's go!" said Lisa as the girls bought bus tickets and headed into the heart of the city. They strolled the rest of the way, enjoying sightseeing. A number of stores lined up against each other, bustling with customers. Sale people stood outside their doors selling things from food and clothes, to cosmetics in order to promote their business.

"Welcome to our nail salon! How can we help you lovely ladies today?" greeted the lady at the door, welcoming them inside.

"Yes, we would like mani-pedis, please!" Lisa answered confidently, and the lady showed them a smile before welcoming them inside. The girls enjoyed getting their feet and hands soaked in a rose bath before having their nails tended to.

When they left the establishment, the girls felt rejuvenated and prettified. Lisa was in love with her new chrome blue acrylic nails as she couldn't stop staring at them. Alice decided to keep things simple with yellow french tipped acrylics, while Dia decided on an ombre color of cotton candy blue and pink.

After admiring her new nails, Lisa stopped and turned around with a grin. "Now that we have our nails and toes done, let's go to the mall and do some shopping!"