CHAPTER 19

~A friend is, as it were, a second self~

~Cicero.

Beyonce: Run the world

SERAPHINA'S POV

"Bia pass me the ketchup please." Miskha requested. She almost finished the entire bottle.

"How come you're stick-thin?" Enrique asked.

"Tell me about it." Nathan chuckled.

Miskha wasn't the least bit fazed by the conversation going on about her. If anything, she was more invested in the mountain of fries on the table.

"This place beautiful. " Bia mumbled, looking around.

"Just like you princessa." Kabia rasped out. Bia lowered her head, hiding her flushed face.

Kabia doesn't hide his feelings for Bia. Being the blunt freak that he's, he warned all the other jocks to back off from the Italian beauty. Bia's the prettiest in the school, with her natural, waist-length, platinum blonde hair and coal-black eyes. The girl could pass as Miss universe without breaking a sweat. She's the epitome of beauty and doesn't even know it. For she's too shy, although, equally savage.

"You'll be the death of the girl you douchebag." Severina smacked him upside the head and the result was a guttural groan.

"Who else here thinks that Severina should be married to Kabia?" Leila asked.

"Our house will be the lounging area for paramedics," Severina smirked, chewing on a piece of lettuce.

"But why Rina?" Kabia pouted. Bia laughed at his facial expression and he gave her a genuine smile in return.

I inwardly cooed at the brief romantic exchange between them. I sometimes wish Kabia wasn't such a playboy and Bia wasn't too shy. They'd make a perfect couple. The bad boy and the good girl. Ugh, Wattpad days.

"Because you wouldn't change and I'll kill you." Severina mused.

"What are you thinking about?" Enrique whispered in my ear.

"Just wishing the Kabia ship will sail sometime soon." He intertwined our fingers and brought it up to his lips, kissing my knuckles. Such a romantic.

"I love you," I whispered

"And I love you."

"Not them again."  Lalia huffed and for a moment I thought she was referring to Enrique and I until I saw everyone's attention turned to a couple few tables away from ours. Zara and Tyler. How awesome.

Zara was cackling loudly at something Tyler whispered in her ear. I suppressed myself from rolling my eyes at their childish antics and averted my gaze.

" I hate this bitch." Maya seethed, eyeing them with distaste.

"And what in God's name is she wearing? who pairs a bodycon dress with sneakers?" Miskha exclaimed, rather loudly.

"Miskha." Sophia whisper-yelled, laughing. We couldn't contain our amusement and as a result, the couple's attention redirected to our table. Hats off to team Miskha once again.

Zara whispered something in Tyler's ear and he nodded. She looked at me and smirked before getting up, majestically walking her way to our table. I only hope this isn't what I think it's.

It's exactly what you think it is bitch,  my subconscious chimed in, but I pushed her to the back of my head.

The witch sat on the empty seat beside Nathan, just adjacent to Miskha.

"Bia pass me the salt." Miskha stretched out a hand.

"Too much sodium is bad for one's health you know." Zara started.

"I'm not Phina who entertains your nonsense and bickers with you. I fight, just saying." Miskha warned before going back to eating her food. One thing I love about Miskha was the fact that she doesn't do beef. You upset her and she beats the crap out of you. Either fight or get your ass whooped. Her one-lifetime rule.

"All bark no bite." Zara scoffed.

"I dreamt giving you a black eye the previous night and most of my dreams always come true. I wouldn't dare me if I were you." Miskha calmly stated, her tone underlying warning.

Tyler joined the table moments later and sat beside Zara.

"I'd love to see you prove me wrong," Zara smirked. I wish she remains silent. As much as I hate her, I wouldn't want her to end the day with a black eye.

"Zara, if you don't mind telling me, where did you get those sneakers from?" Malu asked with a slight hint of mockery.

"Forever 21." She snapped.

"Figured as much. My puppy has them and it's the same brand." The grin on Malu's face was nothing near genuine.

Everyone was struggling to keep a straight face since the restaurant was pretty crowded.

"And who are you wearing on your lips?" Sophia followed next. Her tone held a generous amount of mockery as well. Although not as obvious as Malu's, because she's a shy type.

"Excuse me?" Zara snarled.

"As in which lipstick brand have you applied on your still chapped lips. Don't you understand basic English chica?" Miskha taunted, and that did it.

Kabia was the first to lose it, shamelessly laughing in the poor girl's face. Bia and Sophia, being the shy types, suddenly got interested in the paintings lining the walls of the restaurant. Don't even get me started on the guys. I'm certain Nathan was filming, with the way he discreetly angled his phone and thought no one was watching. Snake.

Tyler surprisingly wasn't the least bit interested in the scene. He was busy discussing football with Ace, Enrique and Caleb. It was as though he didn't care about his girlfriend being publicly embarrassed. And they claimed to be in love.

"You're all immature." Zara snorted, tucking a loose strand behind her ear.

"Says the girl who applied water paint on her hair in the name of dying," Severina remarked, shocking everyone. Today wasn't Zara's day. It's never a good day for her with my friends around.

The look on her face after Severina's remark was priceless. It was one of pure hurt. Honestly, Severina was the last person I expected that from.

She kept to herself after that, and the group also decided to give her a break. The conversation flowed smoothly until the waiter arrived with our drinks. He gently placed my gluten-free orange drink on the table, being cautious not to spill anything.

"Young, dumb, young, dumb and broke. Young, dumb, broke high school kid." Miskha sang, bobbing her head for effect. The provocation in her words as clear as day, and man was it hilarious?

We all turned to Zara, eager for her reaction, but she clenched her jaw and focused on removing nothing from her nails. I lightly chuckled and grabbed my drink, about to take a sip but for Zara's voice stilling my movement.

"What's that on your hands Seraphina?" She drew her brows together and squinted.

"What?"

Instead of responding, she leaned in and to my utmost horror, smacked my hand, sending the entire glass flying. The object loudly crashed on the tiles and some of the drink spilt on Maya's thighs, causing her to emit a shrill scream. I initially pinned her reaction on anger, but after seeing blood uncontrollably oozing from the gash on her thighs, I froze on spot.

"Holy shit."

"What the hell?"

Everyone was bewildered, even some passersby stopped to see. The bleeding wasn't what astounded everyone, but the fact that she bled without a single piece of glass touching her did. A waitress nearby rushed over to inspect the wound and gasped.

"It's Acid. Someone get me a baking soda quick!" She barked.

Acid!

"How? why?" I blurted out at once.

"The drink contains a very strong acid." She explained and applied some white stuff, I'm guessing the baking soda, on Maya's thighs making her screamed out in pain.

"How could you tell?" Enrique scrutinised the young lady with skepticism.

"I'm a nurse, and besides, the tiles said it all." She gestured towards the floor, which had turned completely black. Small cracks could even be seen upon close observation.

Maya's chest rapidly rises and fell, her breathing coming out in short gasps. I was scared to death, hopeless and bottom-line guilty. The drink was meant for me. I was supposed to be in her position, not the other way round.

"I'm calling the paramedics now!" Ace shouted.

"No need. I've neutralized it. she'll soon be back on her feet. An hour or two of rest is all that's needed." The lady assured.

I was on the verge of exhaling in relief until I heard a loud smack. I pushed through the crowd gathered at our table to the front. The scene I saw was horrendous but definitely not unexpected.

Miskha was on top of Zara and repeatedly delivering hard punches on her face. I reached for Miskha's collar but was pulled back by Severina.

"Try that and I'll kill you. If you know how hard I've prayed for this day, you'll second your decision." She gritted out with a murderous look.

"Yes! you go girl. Hit her. Kill the bitch Pontero!". Kabia was standing on the table, recording the fight, and cheering Miskha.

I was confused, astounded and hopeless. I stood there, helplessly watching my friend take away somebody else's life. Two hefty men eventually came to the rescue, lifting a thrashing Miskha off Zara, whose face was a bloodied mess. Not to mention, swollen like a hot air balloon. Tyler emerged from the crowd and hoisted her up, taking heavy strides towards the exit.

"Where's the dumb bitch? where she at?!" Miskha growled, running towards us with the two securities hot on her trail. How did she even manage to break free from men fifty times her size?

"Miss, I'm sorry but we'll have to ask you out." One of the Guy took ahold of her arm.

"And I'm sorry, but I'll have to reject you." She smirked. Trust her to make kinky remarks in the middle of chaos.

The restaurant was jam-packed as everyone took the scene in. Some even recording.

"Miskha got nerves," Enrique said from beside me, chuckling.

"Understatement of the year." I sighed.

As for Maya, she'd passed out and was currently in the arms of a bulky guy, who seemed to be slightly disturbed by her weight.

"Kabia, here. Help him take Maya to the car." Sophia said, as though she could read my mind. Kabia took the keys from her and together with the guy, carried an unconscious Maya out of the crowded restaurant.

Miskha was still battling with the securities.

"It's okay, she came with us." I intervened, taking her from the men.

"With all due respect Miss Del Varia, she has to leave." One of the guys persisted.

"That wouldn't be a problem. We're on it right away." I affirmed.

"Hell no! I'm not moving a centim...

"You're leaving this instant. No further discussion." I glared at her.

"Whatever." She mumbled and walked out. Where the hell was she heading to again?

"Where to Miskha?" Asher mused.

"My French fries. I'm not leaving them behind." She grumbled and stormed past us with two plates, full of fries.

"I love her." Bia laughed.

"I've given up." I sighed in exhaustion.

************************************ Who else loves team Miskha?

Next update soon.