Old Bully or New Buddy?

~At Johnsons' House~

Bismika's P.O.V.

"Mika you there? Guess what? I bet you would have never guessed this. Get ready for the ultimate supraaaaiiisseee"

Even with my phone one foot away from my ear, I can still hear my bestie screaming her heart out. I can't help but smile at her childishness.

"It would be a shame if my ear becomes deaf to your screams before I even could hear the surprise."- making a serious tone, I mock Scarlet.

Now, I am expecting some nag from her like always. She is damn good at making a pouty face! Whenever I make fun of her, she acts like my words have severely hurt her sentiment. Even at the most harmless joke, she can make herself look like a victim of serious abuse! Such a drama queen I got here!

But this time, she really gives me a surprise. Instead of her nagging and whining, her excited voice again rings through my ear.

"Mika you can say whatever you want. But the very moment I'm giving you the surprise, you'll also start the Zumba dance from joy."

My brows get knitted at the thought of me trying the weird Zumba steps with my noodle limbs. But truth to be told, her jazzed voice has psyched me up for something exciting. However, this sweet girl is determined to mess with my nervous system with her mysterious pauses.

"If you really want your best friend to get evicted from her house for performing noisy steps in the middle of the night, you should spill the bean early."- I try to sound sassy.

"Ha ha ha. Getting impatient? So unlike you. Well, you should get used to these changes. Cause from tomorrow your life's gonna change!"- my loudmouth of friend bragges about something beyond my understanding.

"You're gonna change my life!?"- I deadpan at her. "And when did you get Aladin's magic lamp?"

"Very funny."-her blunt voice come through the phone. Imagining that she is making a poker face while answering, makes me smile again.

"Hugh"- she continues sighing. "I thought you would be as happy as me, hearing that my father got transferred again and we have returned to our old house."

Their old house? Is she trying to say that they have returned to OUR TOWN?

My eyes gleam with excitement! I am anticipating hearing her joyful words. But Scarlet, being the fancy pants she is, has already decided to bug me big time. So, she kept her mouth shut halfway through our conversation until I decided to scold her in my half-ass angry voice.

"Whaaat? You dead there? You returned to your old house?"

"Yup." She finally replies. "Aaaaannndd…"

Ughhhh! Here she goes with her dramatic long pauses!

"Aaannnddd?"- I ask impatiently.

"And what"? - she makes it sound as nonchalant as possible. "Now um gonna live that same damn town as yours. And not to mention, this poor me is has gotten the admission in same high school as yours."

Maaaannnnnn! Did I hear her correctly? Scarlet, my only friend, has returned to me!

"Is this kind of prank?"- my voice comes shaking. It is still hard to believe.

"Hugh"- my drama queen sighs again. "Listen Mika baby. Each and every word I have told you is true. I, Scarlet Winter, am now your new neighbor, a new classmate and greatest well-wisher who will kick your boyfriend 'Mr. Sorrow' out of your life."

No word escapes from my mouth. But my eyes are honest with their role. Tears streak through my face. This news is too overwhelming considering how I have spent the day.

"Miikaa? Ya listening?"

"U-uhm so h-happy"- my voice cracks.

"Hey girly."- Scarlet's concerned tone flows through the phone. "Don't get that emotional. It's tacky to show too much love"

I can imagine a pout on her face. She never fails to make me smile.

"So, are my eyes gonna blessed by tomorrow?"- I try my best to hide my emotion by mocking her back. But my stupid voice ditches so badly that I as well have to cringe hearing my cracked-up voice.

"He he,"- Scarlet giggles like the stupid she is. "Yes yes. Angel Scarlet has granted your wish young lady. Just wait till the morning baby girl."

This girrlll! Never underestimate Ms. Scarlet's skill in over drama. Never ever.

"Um dying here to see you,"- it is my turn to pout.

"Me too Mika,"- for the first time my friend sounds serious for that night. "Just wait. You won't be alone anymore."

My heart clenches a bit. I never have talked about Liam to Scarlet. She doesn't even know him. She had been transferred from our middle school before that loathsome creature made his entry. All she knows are that, I have no friends at school, Johnsons are still bitter toward me and my only well-wisher granny also had left the house. So, Scarlet has the idea of all those minor reasons for my suffering but not the major ones.

"Hey lazyass?"- Scarlet's irritated voice brings me back to reality. "You fell asleep?"

"No my highness. Your motivational speech just made me daydream that you were actually being thoughtful for me."

"Ha ha,"- her stupid giggles again! "Pause your daydream at this hour of the night and get some sleep. And yes, you are allowed to dream sweetly about me while sleeping since you don't have anyone in your mind who might pay a visit in your dream."

My heart skipped a bit at her last phrase. What happened in the parking lot, came rushing through my mind.

'Shut up your stupid mind. There's nothing to fantasize about the hottest boy in our school. He is million light years away from your reach!'- my brain put a forehand scolding performance.

"Thank you very much, your highness,"- my mouth has to interrupt before my brain can get too worked up. "Poor Bismika is blessed to get the permission to dream about the DRAMA Queen. But I would rather like to dream about some of my 2D anime characters,"- I continue.

"He he. Okay okay. Let's get proper sleep for now. Though I don't know how much my excitement will let us sleep. But however, let's try"

"Ya. Tomorrow is a big day for us. I also won't be able to get much sleep. Anyway. Goodnight."

"Ya. Goodnight. See ya tomorrow,"- and she ends the call with a beep sound.

I still can't believe that she will be at my school the following morning! It seems like, after ages,

I am anticipating going to school. I went to my tacky makeshift bed with a delighted mind.

~In the Morning~

Me humming while making breakfast is a rare view to see. But being too excited to see Scarlet I'm displaying this rare scene in the kitchen.

"You packed my lunch?"- Carla's cold voice comes from the breakfast bar.

I look at her to meet those honey brown eyes which sre expressing nothing but hatred.

"Uhm-m. Are you leaving early?"- lowering my gaze I ask her.

"So, I'm not allowed to get my lunch packed early unless I'm leaving before long?"- Carla sounds ratty.

"No! Uhm. I didn't m-mean that."- I find my voice is getting lower with each second. I've lost the urge to tell that I am maintaining the regular routine. I used to pack her lunch after finishing breakfast and she isn't leaving early either. So, those mean words from her were only to hurt me. Well, I should be more careful so that my happy face doesn't spoil their mood.

Anyways, I finished the rest of the with a gloomy face as usual so that people around me didn't have to throw meaningless words at me again.

After finishing all the chores I set out for school. Walking through the lonely path, the only thing I could think about was how to deal with Liam while being around Scarlet!

I never had told Scarlet anything about the bullies before. In the beginning, I hid it from her cause I didn't want to make her more anxious. But later, when things started to get messy, I never dared to tell her how I was enduring all the pain like a SPINELESS without any protest. I never wanted to show my best friend this pathetic cowardly nature of mine. Neither I have planned to let her know this time! And it isn't for my prestige's sake only! I am concerned for Scarlet as well.

Scarlet is a sweet, innocent, normal teen girl. But the number of times I have seen her getting mad after hearing Carla's behavior, it is hard to believe that she won't take any stand for me against that pack of hyenas. And that is the last thing I want in my life.

Liam always makes sure that none of our classmates ever got along well with me. Thus, I don't have friends, not even the nerd ones. He even threatened some of those innocent students who had come to talk to me.

Hence, I have to ignore Liam while Scarlet is around me. There's no way I'm going to let something bad happen to my precious friend.

~At Anthony J. High School~

Third person's P.O.V.

Climbing half of the stairs, Bismika has halted by Liam's voice. Even though Liam's voice is getting closer, she isn't sure whether to run like the other times, as another faint voice has reached her ears. A sweet, familiar voice that belongs to someone special.

'No. It can't be!'- this is all she could say before her legs takes a bold decision. She climbs down the stairs to clear the doubt.

"OOO—MMM-GGGG. Mikaaaa!"- Scarlet rushes toward me and braces Bismika with a tight hug.

-Cough, cough, cough-Bismika coughs as Scarlet is squeezing the air out of her lungs.

"Ohh. Sorry, sorry."- Scarlet apologizes innocently. She gives her a rest before continuing again.

"Liam, this is my best friend Bismika. She is the one I was talking about. And Bismika, this is Liam. Today he helped me a lot with office procedures and stuff."- Scarlet smiled at Liam while blushing.

"Hi, Bismika,"- Liam smirked.

"I actually know Bismika. We were in the same middle school."- looking back at Scarlet, he continued. "So, it's like we're old friends. Aren't we?"- Liam cracks the worst joke ever. His eyes are gleaming with mischievousness.

On the other Bismika, who is still in shock, couldn't come up with anything to handle the situation.

"Uh-MM. Yes."- Bismika lies with a dry voice.

"Wow. That's great,"- Scarlet seems excited. "I wasn't hoping to make new friends this early. And thank you again, Liam. You have been a great help."

"The pleasure is all mine, dear."

Bismika sees her friend blushing as Liam winks at her.

'What friend? What help? What are they talking about? How come Liam is being sweet around me?''- thousands of questions are nesting inside her head. But she gives it rest as the bell rings through their ears and they leave separately for their respective classes.

Bismika couldn't concentrate in any of her classes. She is going through the most colossal emotional turmoil. All she has needed is a shoulder to rest her head on. She had thought that return of Scarlet would at least provide that supportive role to her tragilarious story called life. But as usual, her crappy luck has to play those plot-twisting games.