Chapter 8

Puma picked the papers that Mimi Ann had left and on one was a drawing of four people that looked like the three of them and Mimi Ann who lazily lay on the floor in front of them. On the other paper was written lyrics titled "Look back more".

The first sentences were written:

Snatch me away, pull me with you. Force me into this unwanted union.

No matter how much you try I'll never be part of you. My heart will never yearn for you.

I always remember how it was like before.

I always compare everything with how it used to be back then, with her, just her.

They say to never look back and look forward always.

But how can I when she is stuck back there?

I want her, only her even if she was only a cold corpse.

So I'll look back more.

I can't see a future, all I feel is anger when I look at you.

But back there is a whole life.

So I'll look back more.

*

He looked up at the other two and sighed, "These lyrics look original at least. I like her plan."

"Why? We don't need a new member." Said Cleotha stubbornly, "We are fine the way we are, aren't we?"

"What's the harm in allowing her to join anyway?" asked Wilder, "Look at the drawing. It will be really nice if we could actually change our style to that, right? Everybody looks down on us and she is right. It's going to be a very long way till we get any kind of support that we actually need." he pushed the drawing to Cleotha who was immediately rendered speechless with what she saw. "Read the lyrics too. We need her probably even more than she needs us."

The three huddled around the two pieces of paper for a long time. "How come she is so good?" asked Cleotha. "The kid can draw too!" she sounded a little envious.

"Who knows? Whether she had connections or she is the one writing I don't care. All I know is that she is probably as good as she says." Said Puma, "Let's try her out. If she is capable of launching Arrow without us and they sing those lyrics in a good song then we really are doomed."

Cleotha was the first to move away and the two boys looks at her in anticipation. They had always worked as a team and only made decisions if all three of them agreed so they needed the girl on board. Seeing the two of them she could not reject them and ended up saying. "Fine then, but if she messes up she is gone."

"Cool." Puma and Wilder high fived and then hugged Cleotha. The decision had been made.

*

Mimi Ann had just walked away when Cleotha, Puma and Wilder rushed out. King furrowed his brows as he walked towards them meeting them halfway. "What are you doing with Mimi Ann?" he asked authoritatively.

"Nothing much." Said Cleotha lightly, "Why do you care though? She's is just an unknown newcomer. Don't tell me you like her?" she added teasingly.

The young man frowned, "That's disgusting." He said, "Anyway stay away from her. She doesn't really belong with hopeless outcasts like you." He turned around and walked away leaving the three contemplating on what his deal was about. He turned a corner and stopped frowning slightly then peeked at the three.

Puma was the first to speak, "That girl has something to do with the Panthers?"

"I think it's the Jameses." Wilder sighed, "Didn't she say that she wanted to piss off Minnie James for some reason? Now I'm starting to wonder if it's a good idea to let her join us if she is about making trouble."

"It doesn't matter anyway, right? Nobody knows who she is. She might be some rich foreigner or something like that." Cleotha said with an anticipating smile, "Either way is she makes trouble I'll just blame you both and then I'll clean it up. When BARD makes a decision, we don't go back on it." She gestured for them to keep going and the three followed in the direction Mimi Ann had gone.

When they found her, the girl was sitting on the roof, knees up with a book on her lap and looking down with a serious face. The view at the rooftop was beautiful. You could see just about the whole school and get the freshest air of all. The best part about it was that it was quiet and peaceful. Mimi Ann sat there drawing and didn't even notice when the three arrived and were standing behind her until Cleotha said, "We agreed to let you join BARD."

The girl slowly put away her things and turned around looking satisfied even though she didn't expect them to agree so soon. An arrogant smirk rose on her lips, "I never said I wanted to join BARD." She said. "I think BARD is lame actually."

"You…" Cleotha seemed like she was about to attack but Puma held her back.

"Calm down. She is doing it on purpose." He said. "Let's just communicate with words right now."

Mimi Ann chuckled seeing their interactions then said, "What I want is for BARD to join Arrow." She pointed out in a relaxed manner as she leaned lazily on the wall making her look like a gangster, "I don't want my name associated with BARD at all."

The other girl rolled her eyes clearly hating how Mimi Ann was behaving, "Whatever, let's work together then." She forced herself to walk towards her and stretched her hand for a handshake.

Mimi Ann just looked at the hand for a long while and she smirked, "No copying, we will appreciate KARD and BTS and BTOB the way they are but not copy them. Not their name, fandom names, style or anything. We are the original Arrow. That's the only way we can ever get attention and defeat Snowflake." She said then pushed away the hand that now hung awkwardly in front of her but the girl was still forcing a smile, "Are you upset? I hate fakeness. If you are upset just show it. Don't try to be sweet. Be yourself and don't try to give a good impression all the time even when you don't feel like it. I know that's what the industry demands but we are not for it."

Cleotha scoffed as if she couldn't believe her, "Are you saying that I'm fake?"

The younger girl nodded, "You know it in your heart. You hate how I speak to you and how I behave but you fake like you don't care. Arrow is not about that. With Arrow what you see is what you get." She said, "I know the industry demands that you be something acceptable but really, I'm here to change that."

"Would you dare call me fake again?" asked Cleotha.

"Yes."

"Mimi Ann! If you want us to get along then you better behave." Wilder warned, "We don't care who you are. We just want to work together peacefully."

"It's ok, I don't care what she thinks anyway." She smiled as if nothing could get to her and Mimi Ann scoffed then rolled her eyes, "What? Can't understand the concept of taking the high road? When facing people like you I just have to let your words roll off my back."

The girl smirked arrogantly, "You're sweet, Cleotha."

The older girl smiled, "Thank you."

"No need to thank me. What I mean is that you're sickeningly sweet that I fear I might get my teeth rotten if I hang around you for too long. You can't have a smiley face when you're crying inside." She got up to her feet then stretched, "It makes you look pathetic." She sounded even lazier when she spoke, "This sweet persona you are acting is super boring. It makes me sick."

Cleotha pretended like she didn't hear her then said, "Let's work together in peace then."

She turned around headed to the door when Mimi Ann called out, "Being angry is part of being human." She said and Cleotha stopped but didn't turn back around, "But being sweet isn't that's why I think sweetness is usually faked thereby it becomes annoying and people get tired of it. BARD is that sickeningly sweet group that if it continued like that it would become more and more unpopular. I heard you were once very popular when you started but people got tired of your sweetness I'm sure." That smirk grew even more arrogant when she added, "There is no shame in getting upset or angry, at least you are less pathetic when you are angry… at least for a moment."

Cleotha didn't even look back and walked away. Puma and Wilder didn't even have anything to rebut and followed Cleotha. Even though Mimi Ann's words sounded harsh, they all agreed that she was right to a certain extent.

*

King saw Cleotha walk out and Wilder was right behind her. He blocked Puma's way when he walked out. Hands deep inside his pockets he asked, "What are you doing with Mimi Ann?"

Puma furrowed his brows, "What has that got to do with you?"

King glared at him, "You better go tell your friends to disagree with Mimi Ann. I don't want you to join hands with her otherwise…"

"What?" Puma challenged, "Are you going to blacklist me like you did before because I didn't want to join the Panthers or basketball and wanted to sing?"

"You're the school's top soccer star, what are you doing singing like you have nothing better to do?" he scoffed, "Puma, you are headed towards being a soccer player. Don't play around with Mimi Ann. She is just a child. If I hear that you broke her heart or hurt her I'll literally kill you."

The other boy shrugged, "Why? I know she is just sixteen but kid knows how to take care of herself." He said, "I don't know why you're so worried. You know that I like sweet and cute girls. She is too hard headed and strong willed for my taste but I might try her if I have the time. I'm not seeing anyone these days anyway."

King turned a cold glare at him, "I'm warning you. Convince your little group of outcasts to stay away from her. Football players should concentrate on their game. I think it's well proven that music really isn't your thing."

"You're the heir to Q, what are you doing playing basketball?" asked Puma, "The whole country… no, the whole world knows that you're to take over Q Industries. Why don't you drop basketball then?" he looked at the fashion sneakers he was wearing then moved his right foot saying, "I heard that this is your design and creation. You're talented in shoes man. I love this design."

"Don't change the subject. I…"

"Whoa!" Mimi Ann who had been hiding to eavesdrop on their conversations suddenly appeared, "You designed those? Wow, you're talented, kid."

Puma looked at King to see his reaction and when he did he chuckled, "See ya!" he walked away but not before he threw the other boy a mocking stare.

Mimi Ann looked at Puma's shoes as if she was studying them. After he turned a corner she looked back at King who seemed to have said something when she was busy studying the shoes. "You are brilliant. Now that's a shoe, am I right?"

"I said what did I say about hanging out with those outcasts?" King ignored her question and threw his own question in a stern voice. "Are you going to do as I say?"

"No at all. So what inspired that design?" she looked down at his shoes then smiled, "Whoa, young man, you really do have some talent." She said looking genuinely impressed but King wasn't interested in being praised that much at the moment as he looked at her without a change in his facial expression.

"Do you want me to resort to forcing you away from them?"

"You're such a talent in this area, junior Q. How fashionable." She said completely ignoring his words. "My male leader of Arrow was right. I think you really are wasting talent playing basketball… well, not that you're bad at playing basketball though." She really meant what she said but the guy was really too good at basketball too. He really was vice captain for a very good reason. She frowned slightly then nodded, "You can do both, you know. When you retire from the sport you can then go on with your destiny, junior Q." She walked around him and left just like that, leaving him speechless.

The girl had lectured him and hadn't even listened to his words or fear him. She could so coolly ignore him… what a talent.

*********

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