Chapter seventeen

Grabbing me by the shoulders Yusa violently pushed me down onto the seat of a chair. She gave me a stern look with extreme intensity.

It shook me to my core if I had to be honest.

"Clover, you must listen to what I am about to tell you."

Gulping down a large bile of saliva I looked up at the girl who looked like the most terrifying cheerleader coach.

"It is crucial you follow every single thing I am about to tell you. Do you understand?"

I nodded my head in agreement without saying a word. It felt like I couldn't really speak at that point.

"I need an answer, Clover. A verbal answer!"

Shaking me by the shoulders her grip tightened as my fear intensified.

"Y-yeah!"

"Good"

Letting me go she smiled sweetly at me with her head tilted to the side. Okay, I'm getting super psycho vibes from this girl. Is it weird that I get that and can relate?

"Alright, we need a game plan."

Straightening herself out she closed her eyes in thought while stroking her imaginary beard.

"First I need you to tell me about your current relationship with Novel. How he knows you, how you know him. How often do you speak to each other? Are you in a good place with him? Everything, don't leave a single thing out!"

Our relationship?

Well, if you can call me stalki- I mean carefully observing him from a certain distance, making notes of his favourite places to hang out, keeping tabs on his tastes in both music, fashion and food, a good relationship then...yeah we have a strong thing going.

"Start with a simple description"

Looking up at the girl with a blank face I said in a monotone voice.

"Non-existent"

She gave me an odd look as if she did not believe my words at all.

"Uhm, what do you mean by ' non-existent '?"

"I mean exactly that. The guy barely knows I exist. If anything I'm less than a faceless onlooker to him. Think of it as an extra with no name, no back story, and no connection to the main character, who in this case is Novel."

Appalled by my words her mouth hung agape in complete shock. Well, I'd also be shocked if I were in her shoes. What else would you think after I so casually spoke with Novel only to end up being like a stranger to him?

I mean was she there when we spoke? The guy even forgot my name a few seconds after telling him!

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me that you've never, not even once spoken to Novel?"

"Not until today that is."

Giving a heavy sigh of frustration she turned her back to me and placed her palms on the table. Her head hung in complete submission. She looked defeated. Something I know better than anyone. Suddenly my eyes widened in remembrance, index finger pointed up to the ceiling.

"Oh, I did speak to him once on my first day of school. I mean he only told me to get off his seat, but that still counts, right?"

Looking up at her in hope she slowly turned to me, palms still firmly placed on the table. Voice low and eyes not concealing any deep emotions brewing beneath the surface she said to me with irritation,

"Clover, that info means nothing to me. It's complete garbage and won't help with a single thing you simple-minded dope!"

Offended by her words I could not hold myself back from retorting back with equal irritation.

"Oh, what do you know you freaking mush for brains? Even if I had any useful info to give you wouldn't know what to do with it. A black widow knows more about romance than you, and they eat their mates!"

"How dare you!"

Gasping at my words she finally turned her whole body to mine. Glaring at me with no filter she pointed a finger at me.

"I'm helping you here you ungrateful, insufferable, wild bore!"

Did this bitch just call me a wild bore?!

Slamming my hand onto the table beside me I stood up to her level, eye to eye with an equally fierce glare of my own.

"It's not like I asked for you to use me as a means to win a dumb bet which by the way I did not consent to, you conniving, unlikable garbage crap!"

"Excuse me!"

"You are excused!"

We were now standing chest to chest, breaths heavy and glares fully displayed.

"You really think you're all that but you're not!"

She seethed through clenched teeth grabbing me by the shirt.

"Oh, you're one to talk. Why don't you get off your high horse and act like a real human being for once?"

I harshly stated as I grabbed her by the collar in a rough hold.

"Oh, really now?"

She proceeded to grind her forehead against mine. Not being one to back off so easily I did the same to her.

"Yeah, really"

Just as we were about to get physical with each other the sudden burst of the door opening forced our heads to turn at the sound. In came a frivolous Erica with hair disarray and chest heaving up and down in a frantic.

"Have you guys seen Somila?!"

She asked with wide eyes and in panic.

Yusa and I still holding onto each other looked at one another and in a low whisper I asked,

"What the hell is she on about?"

"I don't know, this girl is a lunatic!"

Lifting a brow in question, our faces were still quite close to one another mind you I continued to whisper.

"Should we pretend like we care and ask or just outright ignore her?"

"Just tell her we couldn't give a single shit about it. But like tone it down"

She answered with a blank face.

"How about you stop brainstorming since it's pretty much useless since I can hear you two idiots!"

Erica loudly exclaimed with one hand on the doorknob and the other on her hip, all her weight on one leg.

"And what are you two even doing so close to each other, am I disturbing something?"

She asked with a brow-raised smirk fully displayed. Like we were holding a swarm of wasps we quickly let go of each other. Pushing away from our close proximity we turned away and looked to the opposite sides.

Yusa awkwardly coughed while I admired the dandy artwork on the wall. Huh, someone drew a funny-looking banana and...are those walnuts underneath it?

"Okayy...weirdos"

Coming in and closing the door Erica crossed her arms and sat atop one of the computer desks in the room.

"So, you were saying something about Somila?"

I asked to try and get us back on track.

"Yeah, she just up and left while I was busy dressing her."

"And you think we'd know where she went? She was left with you. How would I know where she ran off to if I was too busy dealing with this idiot here?"

Hey, takes one to know one, you freaking moron!

To those who are still lost, last you saw us my so-called friend sold me off for a dumb bet against another so-called friend. After the exchange was completed we went our separate ways with Erica and Somila taking Mr Rooster's classroom, while Yusa and I took up the computer lab.

We call it a computer lab but it's just an ordinary classroom with tons of computers. So not a lab room in any way.

"Wait, what'd you do to make her take off on you like that?"

Curious to know the cause of her running away I asked the fire head. Her response was quite a surprise really. Stroking her hair in awkwardness she looked to the side.

"I might have maybe just maybe gone a little, tiny bit far with the dress up, maybe"

Looking over to Yusa her face mimicked mine. Expression as blank as a clear sheet of paper. Both she and I had the same feeling of giving up on our friend.

"Erica, what did you do to the poor, fragile girl?"

"Nothing"

She answered with a pout, her index fingers kissing as she looked to the side away from our gaze.

"Huh, you've always been a troublesome child. Maybe leaving Somila to you was a bad idea"

Yusa whispered the last part to herself.

"Hey! I'm not that bad"

Yusa and I gave her a flat look making her shy away in guilt.

I hadn't known Erica for long but the time I've spent with them has already taught me the kind of personality this girl has.

"We both know that isn't true"

"Yeah, hehe"

Scratching her lion mane she awkwardly laughed. Sighing out I shook my head with my hand on my temple.

"Where did she run off to?"

"That's the thing, I don't know! She just took off out the door before I could even tell her to stop!"

"What is it that you almost forced her to wear that terrified her that much?"

Yusa questioned her arms crossed and leaning against one of the long desks.

"Nothing, I swear! I just showed her a pic of clothing I had in my locker that I know would look great on her!"

Again, we gave the questionable girl sceptical looks.

"Okay, if it's not that bad then you won't mind showing us the pic now would you?"

Holding out my hand for the phone she rolled her eyes at me but pulled the phone out of her pocket anyway.

"Ugh, fine! But don't even think about judging it! You have to keep in mind that she has to look sexy and attractive to get a catch"

What kind of analogy is that? Novel isn't a fish or some exotic animal waiting to be caught.

"Let's just take a look at it first and then decide"

"And make sure to hide your nude pics or any of that nasty stuff you might have"

Insulted by Yusa's accusations, Erica's mouth fell open in offense.

"Geez, what do you take me for, a pervert?"

"Yes"

We both answered without hesitation.

"Ugh, well I'm not okay?"

"You sure you don't have any pics you'd want to be hidden from us though?"

Handing over her phone she rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue at us.

"Yes, I'm sure...actually wait"

Taking back her phone after a small pause she tapped away on the screen. Quite suspicious for someone who has nothing to hide.

"Aha, nothing to hide ey?"

"Nothing at all apparently"

We commented giving her looks of suspicion. She glanced up at us, still typing on her phone rolled her eyes, and stuck her tongue out.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't act like you don't have anything you'd want to hide from others too"

Humming to herself Yusa nodded her head in agreement.

"True, it's not like I'd want people to see the murder plans- I mean the bloody pictures, no what I meant was the many pictures of...creative tools I have saved on my phone. Yeah that's what I meant"

Do you think that's any better than the last two you mentioned? Looking at her wide-eyed and shocked I shook my head at the aspiring killer.

What the hell is wrong with this girl?

"What?"

"Huh, nothing"

I just can't with her but at the same time, I can't really judge what she has on her phone. If people were to go on her phone they'd be terrified of her, if they went on mine? Well, they'd be scarred for life.

I have an uncountable amount of pictures of Novel, Adam and Chris.

Do not ask how I have so many pics when I've only been here less than a month. All I can say is don't underestimate the power of a stalke- I mean a very dedicated admirer.

"Okay, done! Here you go. This is the pic"

Finally handing over the device I flipped the phone over to take a look at the outfit. And I had to say...this girl was absolutely insane!

What is that? Is that even proper clothing material?

"Pretty dope right?"

Simultaneously looking up at her our faces had one simple thing written all over them, horror.

Complete and utter horror!

"Erica! This isn't clothing, this is just extremely tight leather in the shape of clothes!"

"Yusa's right, I'd never be caught dead in something like this and I'm pretty open-minded about clothing"

"Yeah I can see that"

"What does that mean?"

What's wrong with the way I dress?

"Okay, stop insulting Clover over her poor choice of clothing"

"You too!?"

They laughed at my hurt face. These monsters!

"But seriously Erica, this is terrible. Especially for Somila!"

Poking at her chest Yusa questioned the girl's sanity.

"I'd run if I were her too"

"Ah, wha-"

"Anyway, for now, that doesn't matter"

Ignoring the crazy lady we devised a plan to go find the whereabouts of our lost friend.

"So, where to first?"