CHAPTER 11 - Friend

Friday, 5:17 PM.

It was a calm and smooth day for Maeve until right now.

2 minutes ago, when she walking past this street, a group of guys keep appearing from every direction circling her around. Everyone with mischievous grins on their faces. Maeve glanced to her left and right, front and back, she estimated there’s about 8 of them.

“Hey, you sure this is the girl?” Someone began.

“Too bad she’s alone today.” Someone else uttered.

“Who cares if it wasn’t the right girl, girls are girls anyway. Hahaha,” the other guy concluded.

“Yeah, right, little missy?” Then the guy who stood in her front taunted.

Maeve sighed.

“First of all, I’m sorry, I walk home alone today. I had already broken up with my girlfriend and about my friend, the blond-haired girl, we walked home separately. So, it’s just me today.” She explained.

She knew three of them must be those three they took care of from the other day.

“I see, it’s a shame, huh?” The front guy responded.

“My condolences for your break up. Pftt..”

“Hahaha”

She could hear mocking voices along with some laughter from the back. She turns around and glares at them.

“Oh, by the way, do you happen to remember us?” The back guy mentioned.

Maeve just shook her head means: So what if I do?

“How dare you forget the pain you left to me..” He sounds disappointed as he starts stepping closer to her. Maeve could sense the rest of them also start moving.

‘I can handle for like 3, but with this many..’ She hissed.

One of them tried to grab her arm but she dodged and kicked his hand. The guy bellowed in pain.

“Hoho.. as expected..” The front guy complimented and took out a knife from his pocket.

In the meantime, there're two of them continued trying to catch her from the opposite direction but she leaped and they bump into each other. She then lands on one of their shoulders while another one tries to catch her again but she swiftly grabs the guy’s hair and bumps his head with the one she landed on. She leaps away and kicks his back, they collide together.

Maeve lands on the ground beautifully.

“Wa-wait..! this is unfair, you got so many of you even though you are guys. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” She provoked.

“Guys! Don’t falter, with a girl like her, it’s just the same as we’re against a strong man. No need to feel ashamed.” The guy with the knife reminds.

“Hey, that’s just so rude! I’m not a man, you pathetic coward!” Maeve countered as she slaps a guy who’s getting closer to her with her schoolbag.

Suddenly one of them manages to grab both her shoulder. She gasped.

“I like you. Please be my girl!” He pleaded.

“...”

“Let go of me!!” She snapped and kicked his tummy.

“Heh! What are you doing, Idiot?!” one of his friends asked for his stupid act before trying to catch Maeve as well.

Maeve just keeps dodging, kicking, and knocking whoever trying to get closer to her. She feels her strengths are draining and she will get caught at this rate.

“But guys, she’s my type. Strong and cute.” That guy gets back to his feet and defends himself.

Maeve knows she needs to get away from them because she doesn’t think she could handle them anymore. Not to mention one of them got a knife.

“She tries to run!” The knife-guy stated.

“Wait!” The clowns barked.

“Like hell!” She yelled.

***

“Hello,” at the middle of the road, a sweet voice suddenly greets her.

Demi got confused.

“Err... Hello..?” She responded.

“Nice to meet you, I am Laurel Brie. I just came from Riverville.” The girl introduced herself.

“Oh, you… Nice to meet you, and.. welcome I guess..” Demi beamed but still seems confused.

“I just enrolled in Everhills Middle School.” She shared.

“Oh, really? I attended that school.” Demi admitted.

“Really?!” The girl got thrilled.

“Yeah, in the 3rd year.” Demi continued.

“Me too! I’m in class 3-B, how ‘bout you?” She excitedly said.

“3-A,” Demi stated.

“I see. Then, please look after me.” The girl asked.

“No problem. By the way, my name is Demi. Havenia Demi.” She introduced.

“Nice to meet you, Demi!” She sang.

Demi just cracks a smile.

***

Reina just finished kicking out the last guy. The knife-guy.

“What’s this? You are the only one with the knife, yet you’re too chicken to do anything! How shameful!” She complains.

Maeve picks up the knife he dropped earlier when Reina kicks it from his hand. She stare at it for a second before wiping up blood trickled from her mouth. Unfortunately, she got a blow earlier before Reina appears and helps her.

“Thank you..” She voiced.

Reina is the school ‘queen’, not only because she’s the most beautiful girl in the school but also the strongest. Strength and beauty make you a queen.

Reina shifted her gaze to Maeve with a serious expression. She stepped closer to her and grabbed her hand. She then dragged her somewhere else away from all those unconscious bad guys.

Maeve just quietly follows her.

“Listen, I don’t like you! So I didn’t help you because I like you. But, I even hate and am disgusted with guys like this. Got it?” She expressed.

“Oh..” Maeve responded.

“And obviously, I hate you because you’re so close with Alan. Along with that busty blond girl!” She continued.

“Am I not allowed to?” Maeve inquired.

Reina’s forehead frowned. Looks uncomfortable and irritates with the question.

A second later,

“Oh, do you like Alan? Are you jealous?” Maeve guessed.

Reina twinged for the guess has hit the right mark. Her face turned red from the evening sunlight. No, obviously because she’s being shy.

Maeve grinned.

“I see… don’t worry, we’re just friends.” She chirped.

Reina doesn’t give any response, clearly unsatisfied with that statement.

“Moreover, I’m into girls,” Maeve added.

“So, is that blonde was your girlfriend?” Reina sounds interested in that statement.

“No, she’s straight.” Maeve denied.

“What?! So, I should worry about her…” Reina concluded.

“ I said no worries, neither of us dating Alan! Demi didn’t interested in boys, she just loves to study and money!” Maeve proclaimed.

“An explanation like that won’t make me feel better and relax,” Reina argued.

“Alright, alright, I understand. So, you liked Alan?” She asked again.

“Do not ask that question twice!” Reina snapped.

Maeve let out a smirk.

“Why don’t you talk to him? He’s an easygoing guy. I’m sure he will be very happy to know you.” Maeve suggested.

“I cannot do that…” Reina breathed.

“Why not?” Asked Maeve.

“I don’t want to be his friend.” She confessed.

Maeve raised her brow.

“If I become his friend, it will be more difficult to change our relationship later.. that’s why I decided, I don’t wanna befriend someone I liked,” Reina explained.

Maeve stays quiet.

“I know you won’t understand.” She uttered.

“I understand,” Maeve replied.

Reina averted her gaze to her.

“I feel like that too, when I loved someone, it would be difficult to like her/him…” She shared.

Reina titled her head. Trying to process that statement.

“But, you know… I used to have a friend when I was a kid, but one day he treat me like a girl. As if he likes me, he never tells me, though. So, I believed friends can become something else later.” Maeve expressed.

Reina just looked away ignoring Maeve’s story.

“Still, I hate you.” She commented as she started to walk away.

“See you tomorrow, then,” Maeve reminded.

No respond from Reina.

- CHAPTER 11 ENDS -