Angel in the Courtyard [Book 2]

Chapter 62 - Arisa

Yikes. I assumed Tomasia and Zander broke up, but I shouldn't have addressed it so casually. She clearly never got the chance to end things properly with the playboy. It made sense. Break ups were hard. I knew that, but I couldn't stop the words from coming out of my mouth. When I saw how terror stricken Tomasia looked, I went straight into protective-mode. I was just doing my job. Hopefully, she would see it that way too.

"So, this is how you're going to handle it?" Zander asked, looking past me at his ex-girlfriend. "You block my number, freeze me out, and have Arisa Hoffman tell me we're over?"

Tomasia stayed quiet.

Zander tried to get to her again, but Matilda and Krish blocked him. "Take a hint asshole," the former Vice President snarled.

"Mind your business," he retorted.

Paulie spoke up next. "You're the one who needs to mind his business. Leave Tomasia alone."

"Be gone Thot," Krish added.

Zander feigned a laugh. "Fine," he said. "Be this way, but let me make myself perfectly clear, Tommy. We're not over. You want to sulk? Sulk. You want space? I'll give you that too. Do what you need to do to snap out of it, but after that you and I are going to be together again. I'm not giving you up. Not today, not ever. You're mine so don't delude yourself into thinking otherwise."

I didn't have to look at Tomasia to know why she wasn't saying anything back to him. Her sniffling was enough indication.

Zander whipped back and stormed off. Krish exhaled sharply and immediately moved to give Tomasia a hug. Paulie patted her back for comfort. Matilda and I on the other hand kept our distance. We both knew that a crying Tomasia was a rare sight, but neither of us were good at handling her. That's why we were so grateful for Paulie and Krish's support.

"What the heck is a Thot?" Matilda asked.

I shrugged. "Krish, what's a Thot?"

"That hoe over there," Krish explained.

Matilda and I immediately broke down laughing, which instigated Tomasia to also break out a smile. Tears and all. "It's so befitting," she cried.

"Isn't it though?" Krish beamed proudly.

Paulie shook her head. "That's not what she needs to hear right now, you guys!"

"I think that's exactly what she needs to hear," Krish rebutted. "If anything's going to help her get over that stage-five-clinger, it's remembering how much of a hoe he is."

"They don't call him the school's playboy for nothing," Matilda added.

Tomasia's smile faltered. Ah crap. That was pushing it a little. "He will come to accept things in the end," I said, trying to change the subject. "He's stubborn but not stupid."

"Depends on who you ask," Matilda joked.

"Thank you," Tomasia said, looking at Paulie and Krish. "You don't even know me—and yet you both helped."

"Of course!" Krish exclaimed. "I might not know the details, but anyone who makes a strong independent woman—not to mention, the former student body president of our school—cry then he will answer to me."

"And me," Paulie said.

Tomasia locked eyes with me. "You have really nice friends, Arisa."

"You're welcome to borrow them," I smiled.

Krish clapped his hands together as Tomasia collected herself. "Onto another important matter," he said, eyeing me. "Paulie and I have been too terrified to ask, but are you seriously dating Khaleel Abdul?"

"Oh yeah!" Paulie chimed in. "You two have been hanging out a lot since last term and you insisted he was just a friend, even though the sexual chemistry says otherwise."

"We've seen you two drive off in that sedan together!" Krish added. "Not to mention the henna on your hands! Are you two friends with benny? Spill the tea!"

The tension returned. I didn't know how to answer them with Matilda around. "Uh," I drawled. "This isn't something we need to talk about right now."

"It's okay," the former Vice President said. "I'm not interested in the delinquent anymore."

Krish and Paulie gasped at the revelation. "You like Khaleel Abdul?" they asked in sync.

"Liked," Matilda corrected. "Past tense. He's Arisa's problem now."

I scratched the back of my head. "I, still um...really don't feel comfortable talking about him openly."

Paulie pointed her finger at me. "She's not denying it! That's a yes to dating! It's a yes!"