WHAT VICIOUS ONE HAVE YOU PICKED UP THIS TIME?

The ringing of the alarm only added to Camille's miseries as she almost smashed it against the wall.

"What nonsense is this? Just what nonsense is this?" she lamented burying her head into her pillow. She had been thinking of what happened since yesterday. All those dramas weren't going well with her and today was first day of classes.

Dragging her exhausted and pained body from sleeping wrongly, she made her way to the bathroom and did her business. She looked at the vanity with hatred as if it was the source of all her problems. How was she going to make herself look so sweet and happy like nothing affects her.

***

"Camille, please promise me you will always smile," Meethi whined like a child while dragging her.

"Why? Why should I smile?" Camille sighed exasperated.

"Because they have evidence that I did that to the little boy. If you don't smile, they'll assume they have leverage over us."

"I can't promise you that but I won't frown. You're like a big sister to me but now you're behaving like the little one," she chuckled.

"Yeah, maturity isn't by age you know. If I was matured enough earlier, I wouldn't have been blackmailed almost dragging my whole family into this mess."

***

"No! This colour's ugly," a purple lipstick was tossed away.

"Gross," an orange coloured one was dropped.

"Irritating," a yellow coloured one dropped.

"Foolish," a pick one shattered.

"Rubbish," a cream coloured one was thrown.

"Disgusting," the white was dropped.

She sighed and looked back at herself from the mirror.

"What is wrong with me?" she cried.

-----

Siddharth came out from his room with dark blue shirt, fitted black jeans and sneakers when his mother, Rani Winters came out,

"Are you going to school now?"

"Yeah."

"OK. Have you had breakfast?" Rani asked.

"No."

"Do you want to eat?"

"No."

"Your sis..."

"Sister is in school. I might meet her. I might not."

"OK, go well. I'll be waiting for your return," she placed a light peck on his cheeks and walked away.

The place was deadly silent as the workers walked on their toes to avoid making any tiny noise.

Looking at his mother's departing figure, Siddharth turned and left the house using the back passage.

And the whole house was gravely still once again. Even the air was suffocating.

-----

All the hallways were crowded as students pushed and struggled to get into the classes and reserve a good seat.

The two girls walking together attracted a lot of attention. Many eyes drilled into them as some talked,

"Isn't that Meethi? One of our beauties from high school? Oh my God she's attending this university. Am so excited," someone squealed.

This erupted waves of discussions,

"I've always hated that girl. She's too arrogant."

"Yeah, I heard anything she wants, she gets. To the extent she wanted to steal her friend's boyfriend and they separated."

"Who was the friend?"

"It was Love."

"I'm glad they realized themselves and broke the friendship. And it seems she'd found another humble dog."

"Hey you guys shut up. You don't know anything."

"Who's that?"

"It's Emily. She also has some influence and is among the Meethi group."

"Really? She should come at us if she can."

"Hey speak for yourself."

"You can't just cover the truth because you have some influence," another countered. Some began quarreling and everyone forgot about the struggle for getting to classes as they debated.

Camille decided that they pass another route to avoid being antagonized by the crowd. Her small face was locked sternly in a frown. Some people are great gossips.

"Hello, hello. Who do we have here with my dearest Meethi?" a familiar voice to Meethi uttered making her skin crawl.

Camille looked at this man, he is advancing in life about in his forty's if she isn't mistaken. He also looks like one who would go to the spa every weekend and hire an experience make-up artist to keep charming girls with looks.

"It seems like someone is scrutinizing me like am a new pair of species in the animal kingdom," he chuckled.

"Well, it seems you recognise yourself well," Camille uttered impatiently wondering why someone from nowhere will suddenly delay her.

The man frowned contemplatively and then broke out again in a glorious smile.

"Haha. Meethi, i think your friend here is a badmouth. Love and Cynthia aren't like that right? Just kidding. Well jokes aside, I am Professor Johnson Gates, I believe dearest Meethi is best friend with my sweet daughter, Cynthia Gates and I know you've met her too so young pretty miss, would you like to introduce yourself officially to me,"Johnson smiled.

Ooooh, so that's it. This man is Cynthia's father. Not surprising.

"Well, Professor Johnson," Camille addressed him, "I'd like you to know we're on our way to class and I don't owe you an introduction. Excuse us," she took Meethi's hand in hers and strode away with a sneer on her face.

Johnson stood there with a blank expression. And then after their departure, his lips curled up in a menacing smile,

"Oh my Meethi, what vicious one have you picked up this time?"