Chapter 11

"For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today."- African Proverb

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Planning is difficult. I don't know how many people plan and live up to that, but now I have a renowned admiration for them. We have been in my room for more than two hours, and Isa and Penny are writing something in the notebook arguing furiously once in a while. Sam also chimes in at the middle, but I am not permitted to hear their plan because it's a 'Surprise.' They put an earphone in my ears with rock music blasting to the point I felt like I would lose my hearing ability. I don't think it's fair though since I am the Subject. Isa was trying to communicate with me using her hands and gesturing I remove the headphones, but I pretended I didn't understand Revenge is sweet! She huffed and came to my direction, wrenching the earphone out of my ears forcefully.

"We have finished." she said, anger in my action clear in her voice. Sam and Penny are still sitting on the floor with an open notebook and many finished treats surrounding them. I was the only one in the corner of the bed, and rather than them coming to this comfortable piece of furniture, Isa pulled me down and put me on the floor, my back resting on the bed. "So," Isa said, sitting cross legged beside me. We both were facing Penny and Sam. "As I said, we had finished the entire thing." she stretched her hand to Penny, and Penny put the notebook in her hands. "Look,'' she said after passing a few pages.

1. Who is Justin?, It read and under it was a bunch of questions. Who is he?, How many siblings does he have?, and more random questions. Then the question became personal like: who are his phone contacts? What is his deepest secret? What are his insecurities? I gave Isa a confused look. "We will all fill on those spaces after we manage to get the answers."

"And how do we plan to do that?" I asked. "Some of the questions are easy ,but others like His contacts, how do you plan to find that out?" I was confused, but the 3 of them looked at each other having a silent conversation "What!?" I asked. "Steal his phone?"

"We are not thieves." Isa smiled hugging me. "We will hack his phone."

"WHAT!" I can not believe she said that. I can expect it from Isa but the others... "Penny you agree with this?" I questioned, the Penny I know would never agree to this. Penny just ducked her head. "There is no way I would agree to that, it is completely illegal and immoral." I whispered "What if we get arrested?!"

"Stop shh," Isa soothed me.

"What is wrong with you Isa? That is invading personal space."

"We won't get arrested, I know a guy." Isa's eyes flickered to Penny.

"What are you, a mafia now?" I asked sarcastically.

"Cassandra." Isa scolded. From the day of our reunion, she didn't call me by my full name and that made me shut up. "Are you in or out?" she stared straight into my eyes. "We are doing this for you," she poked my chest. "For you. Be Grateful. This is the only way." I am grateful ,and I don't want them to see me as I am not so I dropped the subject-for now. The atmosphere was tense with the lingering unsolved argument, but we ignored it and continued "We have 15 days." Isa said. "So in 15 days, we have to fill all this space." And boy there was a lot of space. Isa opened another page.

2. The subject. Unlike the first one, this page didn't have any blanks. It was well written.

Name: Cassandra Davis.

Height: 5'4.

Eye color: Dark brown.

Hair color: Brown with blond ends. When I saw Isa, she whispered,

"We will fix your hair, don't worry" while ruffling it.

Hobbies: Horseback riding, Dancing, Camping and taking selfies

Academic Achievement: B student

Behavior: Courageous, Bold, Have a policy that women don't need men, hates arrogance, fun to be with and full of life, Fashionista and Instagram influencer . Whenever I say I saw it all, Isa will find a way to surprise me.

"Isa I don't do any of this stuff. I am not this girl." I pulled my hair in frustration. "I don't dance; I can't dance." I said.

"Everything in life is learned and I," Isa hugged me from the side. "Am here to help you be HER. Is there a hobby you might like to add?" She asked. I don't know, I don't have talent or hobbies.

"She can take pictures." Penny said. I can take pictures ,but I can't say I am good at it. "Put it on the paper." When I saw Isa, she nodded her head handing me the pen.

"I didn't know you were a good photographer, I would have asked you to take my Instagram posts." Isa grinned ,and I hesitantly write my hobby down.

"Don't count on that." I added for good measure. "Then what?" I asked and seeing the rest of the notebook empty

"The plan has 5 parts." Isa showed me 5 fingers. "You already know the two, which will simultaneously take place in the next 2 weeks. I will reveal the other parts, seeing how involved you are." she said.

"Why don't you tell me now?" Curiosity got the better of me.

"Do you trust me?" Isa asked in all seriousness and I answered without the need to think about it.

"I do. I trust you." I smiled at her.

"Then let us do it my way." after that, Isa got up using my shoulders as leverage. She was heavy and was groaning in pain when her foot touched the ground. I heard some bones cracking. "I don't think all this junk food agreed with me." she burped when she was at full height. I myself have a stomach ache, and I told myself it's because of my excess consumption of sugar and chips rather than what we are doing. Isa made her way to my closet and opened it like she had every right to do so. She started to move the racks and after a few minutes, she gave me a disapproving look over her shoulder.

"What are you, 70?" Isa grumbled. "There is nothing in here." I wear the same type of cloth. I don't see the point of buying clothes I wouldn't wear. "Disgraziato!" Isa used a line that she probably heard from a movie.

"It's what I wear." I defended myself.

"Not any more. I mean look at this thing," she started to move the clothes on the rack, and I was thankful she didn't throw out the clothes like she did in her house. "Jeans, cardigans, blouse, jeans,'' She was moving the racks "Cardigan. Oh," Isa stopped and showed me the black short dress. ''This is cute. You would wear it next week." She winked at me. Good luck with that cause I ain't wearing that anywhere ,but I didn't say that out loud. There was no need to cause unnecessary fights between us. "Blouse ,and more jeans…" Isa exaggeratedly took a gulp of air. "We will go shopping next week." she ordered. "You have money, Right?" I do. My parents give me a monthly allowance ,but I have nowhere to spend it.

"Ya, I do."

"Can I come with you guys?" Penny tentatively asked.

"Of Course Pen Pen." Isa said and closed the closet. "The only reason I didn't put that in the garbage is because you need it for the next 2 weeks. After that, I will personally take care of it." She sat beside me.

"Aren't we taking this a little bit too far?" asked Sam ,and before Isa could reply there was a knock on my door, startling all of us.

"Honey, dinner's ready." my mom's voice came from behind the door. I got up so fast, all the content of my stomach threatened to come out. I saw my room and it was a mess. My bed was disheveled, there were plastic bags everywhere, a lot of chips littering the ground and sticking to the carpet. There was even spilled soda. If she comes in here, she will lose it and forbid my friends to ever come again.

"Coming mom, give me a minute." I shouted, and Isa giggled. I wanted to put my hands in her mouth to stop her but my death glare was enough for her to try to sniffle her laughter.

"Make it fast, you don't want it to get cold." and I heard her retreating footsteps.

"What's funny?" I asked since Penny and Sam seems to share the humor.

"Your face-" and more giggles from Isa "Your face when you heard your mom's voice," she was in full blown laughter, and I hit her with a pillow.

"We should go, it's late." said Penny yawning. It was 8 pm but all this talking surely made her tired. All of them got up from their positions.

"Will you call a taxi?" I asked.

"No, I will take them." Isa put her head on my shoulder, closing her eyes. "I brought them, and I will take them back. We need to meet more often now." She said and brought all our hands together. "We have to stick together."

"I am tired, let's go." grumbled Sam, pulling her hand away.

"Party pooper," Isa whispered. "I will text you the details." with that they all made their way to the door.

"I will walk you to the door," I followed them out of the room. It's obvious my mom knows they were inside the room, but I pushed them out of the front door sending them kisses and slammed the door on their faces.

"Did your friends leave?" my mom asked from the dining room arranging the meal on the table. She probably heard us. My room is not soundproof and we were not discrete either.

"Ya." I replied, still camped in my spot.

"Why didn't you tell me they were coming? I would have thought It was a boy if I didn't know you well." she gave me a pointed stare waiting for my explanation. It's funny that my mom thinks she knows me. It would have been better if it was a boy in my room than what I have been doing, plotting against someone. I shut my mouth and didn't give her any explanation. She signed and came to where I stood still holding a spatula in her hands. Since I was in the first stair step, I needed to bow my head to look at her. "Honey," she said. "I am going back to work tomorrow ,and I made all that-" she pointed her spatula to the dining table. "So that you could have a home cooked meal before I became busy and have no time to do it." I appreciate her effort but the mention of food makes me want to puke.

"I am tired mom,'' I said, making my way up the stairs. Her face fell at my words so I added. "It smells delicious. Put mine in the fridge." I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds but for today I am really tired.