Living Up To It

Iris had gone through almost all the hallways in search of Nia and Cassie but to no avail. She glanced at her wristwatch and noticed it had already been 30 minutes since she started. She was on the verge of giving up when a voice called her from behind.

She swiftly turned in the direction of the call and it was Nia. She instinctively let out a sigh of relief while she met up with her.

"Hey," Iris mumbled with a deadpan gaze – nearing Nia. "Where have you girls been? I've been searching everywhere for you. I thought you girls even turned into thin air." She ridiculed.

Nia jerked her head with a raised eyebrow; a scoff escaping her lip. "Stop exaggerating Iris–" She grinned. "Come on," She continued, hooking Iris' arm. "Let's go." She pulled her– about to leave but then Iris held herself back; bringing Nia to an apparent halt.

"So what did you girls talk about?" She hastily muttered – Nia deftly glancing at her with furrowed brows while the expression on her face screamed her confusion. Like a naughty child caught in a bad act, she wheezed; a sheepish grin sweeping across her face while she draped her hand around Iris' shoulders.

"Come on Iris, it's nothing serious." She informed but Iris just stared at her with darted eyes and a creased eyebrow– not convinced. "What?" Nia chuckled, staring into those piercing eyes that looked like they could see through her. "Enough already." She scowled, "Let's go grab something." She went on, dragging Iris off. "I'm famished." She added.

"But you should first tell me what you guys talked about." Iris protested while they headed to the cafeteria.

"Trust me, Iris, it's nothing serious," Nia replied as their voices started to fade away. She was by now starting to get comfortable around Iris as she reminded her of her childhood friend Jackeline.

"I still want to know." Iris insisted, their voices fading into the distance while they kept disagreeing with each other.

After about 10mins walk, they scampered into the cafeteria. At that instant, the piercing and daggering eyes of the students traveled their way– resting on Nia as they froze in their steps; followed by murmurs here and there.

"What's– going on here?" Nia uttered skeptically as she threw a quizzical gaze at Iris.

"Ha–" Iris muttered, thinking of a good excuse but her mind refused to cooperate.

"Just ignore them." She snubbed, pulling Nia towards the counter.

Deep down, Nia felt there was something Iris was hiding from her or better still, didn't want her to remember– that's in the worst-case scenario.

She was about to inquire from Iris as her curious mind wouldn't let it slide when a voice interrupted, making her glance at the individual while her pace slowed.

"She sure got the guts to come back." A chestnut hair girl among the group of students seated around the table just before the counter sneered as they walked by. She instinctively paused in her tracks–quite confused.

It was by then that she realized that almost the entire student harbors some sort of disdain against her but the reason behind was what she couldn't place her hand on.

"Why stopping?" She heard Iris' voice invade her subconscious mind; making her jerk her gaze towards her as Cassie's words rang back to her. "Come on, let's get something to eat." Iris gestured– having the slightest idea of what was going on in Nia's mind.

Though the puzzled look on her face screamed her plight, Iris ignored it– going ahead to order their meals.

"Is there something I should know, Iris?" Nia queried with expectancy while Iris handed the tray over to her. Her eyes unconsciously traveled to the rice garnished with some veggies and juice sitting right beside it on her tray then back to Iris.

"Well, the thing is..." Iris stuttered while they turned on their feet. "You almost killed Vicky last summer." Just as the words managed their way out of Iris' mouth– someone slammed the shoulder into Nia's; making her tray fall from her hands.

She deftly glanced between the spilled meal on the floor to the culprit and was not surprised when she met the smiling gaze of Cassie.

"Oops," She intentionally covers her mouth with a mocking smile dancing merrily on her lips while she stared at the spilled meal all over Nia's shoes and skit.

"Didn't see you." She added and without an apology, strolled off together with her friends as a smugish grin swept across her face.

Nia stared at her back while she quivered with indignation. She could feel her body locked up with rage while she fought back the urge of exploding.

"Hey, are you okay?" Iris asked, glancing between the already fading back of Cassie and to Nia.

"Yes," Nia replied–swiftly looking between her soiled uniform and then to Iris. She clicked her tongue, slightly brushing her skit with her hand, "I'll leave to the washroom." She informed.

Iris instinctively nodded her reply while she hunched over, picking the tray up. "Let me help with this." She answered. Nia slightly nodded– not concentrated on Iris and shrugged off.

Just when she turned on her feet, Emery staggered into the cafeteria; not aware of what had happened but feeling something was off. At that moment, he met heads-on with Nia who just glanced at him while she passed by but then, he noticed the dirt on her skit.

He tilted his head, staring skeptically at her back as his gaze traveled to the counter. Like an eagle, his eyes instinctively settled on the spilled food on the floor and then on Iris. His brows furrowed–puzzled.

"What's going on here?" He grumbled mentally to himself