CHAPTER 67: CHAPTER 67

"Don’t talk to her like that, Rhea."

The words echoed in Rhea’s ears, louder than any of Athaliah’s creepy whispers. She stared at Tia, who was looking back with a cold, unfamiliar expression. Rhea’s throat tightened. "Tia, what did you just say?"

"You are scaring her by acting so strongly like this." Tia shielded Athaliah like Rhea was trying to hit her.

Rhea heart tightened, at her gesture. Her eyes moved to Athaliah and a smug had planted roofs on her face.

Rhea stepped forward, "Don’t you see what she’s doing?" Rhea’s voice broke, sharp and trembling. "Can’t you see? She’s not what she seems—"

Tia stepped in front of Athaliah, arm outstretched, like a shield. Her glare pinned Rhea where she stood. "She did nothing. You are just being hostile for me no reason."

Rhea feeling dejected hoisted her bag over her shoulder. She didn’t turn back. She just walked. Out of the classroom, down the hallway, her legs moving on their own.

The words were a brand burned into her mind: "Don’t talk to her like that, Rhea. You are just being hostile." Not him or her, but Rhea. As if she were the problem. The thought made her stomach churn. Her best friend had chosen an unsettling stranger over her.

The faculty hallway felt endless. Rhea’s legs ached, her mind a blank space filled only by the sting of Tia’s betrayal. There was only one place she could go. She ran, her knuckles white as she made her away down to the school library.

Getting inside, she scanned for a secluded space.

The library swallowed her whole, its silence pressing on her ears. She stumbled into the back corner, dropped her bag, and the tears didn’t even have her the time to settle in first before they fell down her cheeks. She buried her head in her arms, tears streamed down like waterfall, her heart aching in way It had never ached before.

Why did Tia speak to me like that? Was I really being hostile? Did I had a frightened expression she had to make that face and a shielded gesture like that?

The silence in the library made through questions echoed louder in her skull.

Rhea suddenly sat up, sniffing, her eyes darting without focusing her mind contemplating.

Tia has never spoken to me like this before. You guys just become friends and I’m already the stranger?

At the same time — back at the class....

"Will she be okay." Athaliah asked with a concern frown.

"I’m so sorry she spoke to you that way." Tia sooth Athaliah, her eyes pleading as she sooth Athaliah.

"No, it’s my fault," Athaliah said in a soft tone. "I shouldn’t have spoken to you, and it’s like I was driving a wedge between you two." She wiped a single tear from her eye, looking away from Tia.

"Oh no. God no. You weren’t," Tia insisted. "I know how much you like her. It’s just that Rhea doesn’t know how to act around people who..." Tia struggled to find the right word.

"Intrusive?" Athaliah offered, completing Tia’s sentence.

"No, I wouldn’t say that. I’d say you are strong-headed and charming."

"That’s so nice of you." Athaliah smiled sweetly.

"So don’t worry. I’ll talk to her so she doesn’t do this next time. Why don’t you guys try to get to know yourselves?" Tia suggested.

And Athaliah hungry munched on it. "That’s a great idea. Why don’t we all go in a date this weekend?"

"Yeah. But don’t you think just the both of you going would make you guys connect faster." Tia momentarily glanced at the door.

"I don’t know. What if she...gets angry again... and..." Her expression sagged as she dragged her words, her brows dipping together.

Tia stared at her pondering her words. "I think the three of us going will be better."

"Yeah!" She exclaimed excitedly. "I’m looking forward to it." Her tone holding a strange hint of satisfaction.

Back at the library.....

"I’m going to remove that girl from anything around me and anyone close to me." With determination Rhea rose and headed home.

For the first time in a long while Rhea entered her apartment it felt lonely. Her gaze swept through the couch, to the kitchen to Tia’s room, and her room.

And everything echoed a life she did want someone to come into an sabotage.

She fervently clenched to her reservoir of; distancing Athaliah from her life.

Rhea was staring at a blank screen, a mug of cold tea in her hands, when she heard the key scraped in the lock. Rhea braced herself, her heart thumping a frantic clash against her ribs.

The door opened and then closed with a quiet click. Tia stepped in, but she didn’t say a word. She into through the apartment, dropping her keys and bag on the counter then glanced toward the couch where Rhea sat.

But none of them spoke for a while. The silence between them was louder than any shout.

"I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you earlier." Tia began, "I shouldn’t have acted that way."

"No. It not your fault. I shouldn’t have acted that way. Like a child."

Like Athaliah. She frown the moment the thought crept into her mind

Tia took a deep breath, before striding towards Rhea. "You weren’t acting like a child. You were just reacting to something new and it normal to act that way."

"Thanks." Rhea replied softly, a faint smile on her face.

"You have to have others as your friends too. You just have to be lenient with her. And I bet you, you’d like her." She added.

Tia’s words made Rhea’svmouth twisted, the smile dissolving into a thin, grim line.

"Um." Rhea replied.

I know I’m being selfish by trying to push Athaliah away from Tia. But what is happening with us I don’t like it.

Tia gaze at Rhea for a beat before adding, "So why don’t we go out doing the weekend."

"I love that."

"You, Athaliah and I." Tia’s completed sentence shattered the smile on Rhea’s face once again.

But she did show it, she pressed her lips in a thin line, it’s corner angled upwards, nodding in agreement to the plan.

And the weekend came in a flash....

Rhea stood before her mirror, getting dressed.

Tia and Athaliah laugher, ringing through the whole apartment.

Athaliah had arrived some hours ago, beaming at the front door like it was her birthday.

Flashback....

"Hey Rhea." Athaliah immediately pushed her way inside the moment the door was opeed, not waiting to be invited, almost knocking Rhea off her feet.

"Athaliah it’s..." Rhea eyes moved to the wall clock. "6am!" She exclaimed, clutching on her loose night gown.

"So? Can’t you hear birds chirping outside already?" Athaliah fell on that couch, she angled her head, lips curled in a faint sneer, as if humoring a child.

"Rhea who was that at this time of the day?" Tia’s voice seeped through the air, wandering from the bedroom to the living room.

"It’s Athaliah."

"That’s early." Tia said making her way towards them.

"When were you girls going to get ready? Time isn’t waiting for anyone of you." Athaliah jumped to her feet into Tia’s arms. "And besides I can’t wait to spend more time with Rhea." She flashed a grin.

What a fake. Rhea thought. She keeps claiming she wants to be friends but she is clingy to Tia rather than me. It makes me question if this is about being friends or destroying my friendship?

End of flashed back...

Rhea stepped out of the room looking breathtaking. Her hair laid perfectly, the soft reddish-pink color on her plump lips made them inviting to be kissed. "I’m ready," she said.

"Rhea, you look so beautiful in that!" Tia shrieked, her palms pressed together and resting on her chin.

A few hours later, the buzz of the city filled the air, and the smell of coffee from a quaint little café enveloped the air, so did the chatter of other customers.

The girls sat at a table for three outside on the balcony, the morning sun warm on their faces, as they shared small talk and laughter over dessert and ice cream.

"You won’t believe it," Tia recounted, sharing a story with Athaliah, "but Rhea started crying, saying she needed ice cream like a baby."

"Yeah, Tia, do you still remember that day at Auntie—"

Before Rhea could finish her question, Athaliah cut her off. "Tia, how come you didn’t tell me you were from Miami?"

Rhea went quiet again, staring at Athaliah speaking to Tia like she hadn’t just cut her off again for the tenth time.

"Oh, really?" Tia responded, somehow oblivious to whatever was happening at the table.

Rhea said nothing else, just sat there and watched them as their conversation went on.

When Tia suddenly excused herself to the bathroom, Rhea leaned forward.

"Bet you’re enjoying this triumph, aren’t you?" Rhea asked with a thin smile, bringing a forkful of cake to her mouth.

"Very much, actually," Athaliah replied, cocking her head ever so slightly, her tone dripping with disdain.

"What I don’t get is why you came with this act of friendship, Which turns out that’s not why you are here. " Rhea said, her voice not wavering. "Is it? You’re here to take my friends, right, like you did Luke?"

"Friendship with you?" Athaliah snorted, her eyes glinting with contempt. "Oh no. I’m not trying to take your friends; I’m here to take everything. Luke was just the first."