Hello, Mr. Umbrella

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"What in the world are you talking about? My best friend isn't an online sociopath."

Aggravation arose. The cold and burning sensation of vexation reeked from Aliyah's words. She wasn't best friends with a sociopathic bimbo. Daphne McDuffie was her best friend right from when they ate lunches in paper bags; she was like a protector of the weakest. Daphne literally was the one who gave her wings—without her, twelve grade would have been hell. It was outrageous to think she could set up an Instagram account just to bully people—even her best friend. She was a teenager who sought attention, but she never wanted to be internet-infamous.

The idea of Daphne being Gossip Gurl was totally crazy.

"Aliyah. I think she is," Bilal said, trying to sound more mature. Him talking mature was underrating, he wasn't supposed to be acting mature, he was supposed to be, provided by the years he spent acting.

He sure knew the buttons to push, even though he was pushing them unintentionally. Bilal was the last person Aliyah wanted to hear an opinion from: the conversation they had really put her over the edge that she never wanted to hear him speak to her again—and the idiot didn't take the hint, he was trying to act like freaking William James Sidis at the wrong moment. "I didn't ask for your opinion, actor."

James didn't like when Aliyah got angry, but he sure loved the hatred that emitted from Aliyah to Bilal.

"It's just a suggestion," Luna said, swallowing the food that was frozen in her throat. The vexation she saw in Aliyah's eyes was different from the one she'd seen the other day at school. She trusted her friend so much she'll do anything for her. "Why do you even trust her this much?" She asked suddenly out of curiosity and didn't bother if the cat died or not.

"Because she's my best friend!" Aliyah yelled loudly, calling the attention of the patrons in Zaytoona at them. "She's my best friend right from seventh grade, I trust her with my life, she's not GG. I heard about what you did at the Mayor's Manor and no one accused you of being Gossip Gurl, yet because my friend gave an unhelpful advice you think she's gaslighting us? Even Mr. Actor has the guts to agree to your coo-coo theory. This is pure nonsense." She shot all of the venomous words she'd been hiding right from the restaurant's entrance at them.

"Aliyah, calm down," James laid his hand on her shoulder, patting it gently. "It's just a suggestion."

Aliyah knocked his hand off.

"Don't even touch me, I know you also think she's Gossip Gurl, well, for your information; I wish the real GG exposes whatever you're hiding James, so we can all be on the same page." Aliyah snapped and without wasting much time, she exited the restaurant forgetting to bring the Sujuk her sister yearned for out with her.

"What the hell just happened now?" James questioned with a very surprised and pale face.

Bilal smirked softly, "the meeting just ended y'all. Enjoy your meal, it's Ramadan Eve." He said triumphantly, flushing the fermented halal sausage down with the fresh pineapple juice.

* * *

Aliyah knew troubles awaited her inside her own house, yet she flung the door open without hesitation. And she was right, right on the sofa was her mother in her pyjamas; a white headscarf was wrapped loosely around her head. She looked tired and she was even dozing off. Next to her was Safiya: she bailed on Aliyah for an unknown reason. It was obvious, things weren't going to be alright.

Sneaking inside was the last option she had, but the staircase in the Santos' mansion once again didn't support Aliyah's plan, they creaked louder than they've ever done.