NIYA'S POV:-
I didn't want the sun to rise, I just wanted the darkness to linger a little longer than usual. Why not? I didn't want to go anywhere with Cedric, even if there were eight other people going. He was so rude and arrogant, I couldn't believe Amanda was able to handle being with him.
But alas, my peaceful slumber was interrupted by a persistent shaking. "Hello, Miss. Wake up," a voice called out. No, not just any voice. The voice of the one and only Cassie, sister to the great Blake and expert wake-up call giver.
I groaned and tried to roll over, hoping she'd get the hint and leave me alone. But Cassie was like a leech, determined to stick around and drain all my energy. "Wake up, Niya," she continued to annoy me with her irritating voice.
"Shush, go away," I grumbled, pulling the covers over my head. But Cassie was persistent, like a mosquito that just won't leave you alone.
"You need to get ready, Niya. We have to go to the mall," she insisted. The mall? On a Saturday morning? No way. I'd rather face a horde of undead zombies than spend my weekend at the mall.
But Cassie was relentless. "Take this and pour it on her," she instructed someone else. Oh no, she wasn't going to douse me with cold water, was she? I'd rather navigate through a field of landmines, or have a tooth pulled without anesthesia than be drenched in icy water on a Saturday morning.
I shot out of bed, ready to defend myself. "Okay, I'm up," I surrendered, raising my hands in surrender.
"Wow, nice timing there, Niya," Cassie chuckled as she patted my shoulder. Cady and Amanda giggled along with her.
"What's so funny?" I narrowed my eyes at them, but that only made them laugh harder.
"That's cute," Amanda chuckled as she pulled my cheeks.
"Ewww, why would you do that?" I rubbed my stinging cheeks, trying to escape her grasp.
"You look absolutely adorable when you do that eye thing," she exclaimed as she lounged on my bed, her feet in the air like she was on a chaise lounge.
I couldn't help but chuckle at her dramatics. "Seriously, what are you girls even doing here? Don't you have your own beds to hog?" I was just about to sink back into my own cozy nest when Cady interrupted me.
"Oh no you don't, missy," she declared, yanking the quilt away from me with a flourish. "Time to get up and get moving. We've got a mall trip and a bridesmaid dress fitting on the schedule for the day."
I let out a groan. "Is my presence at the dress fitting really necessary? Do I really have to subject myself to all that girly frill and lace?"
"Yes, Niya," Amanda piped up from her spot on my bed, now snuggled up in the fetal position. "You need to try on a dress too. It's not every day you get to be a bridesmaid, you know. And think of all the Instagram opportunities!"
"But I already have a dress," I protested, opening my wardrobe to survey my options. "I'll just wear that one."
"Uh-uh, no way," Amanda chuckled. "You're wearing a bridesmaid dress. And trust me, you'll look absolutely fabulous in it. It'll be like a fashion show for your Instagram followers."
I froze in my tracks, my eyes wide with shock. "What do you mean, a bridesmaid dress? Me? You've got to be kidding."
"Please don't say no," Amanda begged, giving me her best puppy dog eyes. All I could think about was her transforming into a wolf and pulling the same face.
It's not my fault - she's a wolf, after all. "I can't," I sighed. "We're not even friends."
"Come on, I need girls on my side for the wedding," Amanda pleaded. "I don't have many of them. Please, be a dear and say yes. You'll be saving me from a bridal party full of dudes."
I couldn't resist the pleading faces of Amanda and the other two girls. Reluctantly, I gave in. "Fine, I'll do it," I groaned.
"Yay!" they all cheered, tackling me in a hug.
I really need to work on saying the word "no." So, I escaped to the bathroom for a shower. But just as I was about to turn on the water, I heard the sound of my bedroom door closing.
"Thank goodness they're gone," I breathed a sigh of relief, lathering up my shampoo. There are two best things in this world: a comfy bed and a warm shower.
Feeling refreshed, I emerged from the bathroom and got dressed in a yellow crop top, black trousers, and a white scarf. I slipped on some black sneakers and was ready to face the day. Here goes nothing!
As I walked downstairs, I noticed that everyone was sitting at the breakfast table with smiles on their faces, except for one. I mean, seriously, what crawled up Cedric's butt and died this morning? The guy looks like he's about to murder someone before even seeing me.
"Hi, everyone!" I chirped as I sat down at the table, practically salivating at the sight of the delicious food in front of me.
"So, should we hit the road now?" Amanda asked, clinging to Cedric's arm like a limpet as I continued to chow down.
"Let her finish," Blake said, pouring some tea for me with a smile.
"Thanks, Blakey," I said, surprised. "But I never told you I was a tea fanatic."
"You didn't have to," he chuckled. "Cassie told me all about your epic tea showdown. I thought it would be best to keep a steady supply on hand in case of any future tea-related warfare."
I giggled at the memory as I polished off my tea. Then, we all headed out for the mall. I scanned the area for Blake's car, but it was nowhere to be found.
"Blakey, where's your car?" I asked, nudging him playfully.
"Could you please stop poking me in the ribs?" he said, giving me a stern look.
"Can you stop poking me in the ribs? It's like you're trying to find my appendix or something," he grumbled, giving me a death stare. I made a guilty baby face in response. "We're all going in one car," he sighed.
"All of us in one car?" I asked, skeptical.
"Yep, it's a limo," he said with a dramatic flourish. "We don't want to cramp our style by squeezing into a regular car. Plus, it'll give Amanda and Cedric more room to make out."
"All of us? In one car?" I asked, my eyebrows shooting up.
"Yep, it's a limo," he replied, nonchalantly.
"Are you kidding me?
"A limo to the mall? That's a bit much, don't you think?" I rolled my eyes, my inner monologue going "show off, show off."
"Come on, let's go," Blake said, taking my hand and leading me towards the limo.
But as I caught a glimpse of the inside of the limo, I wanted to turn tail and run. Amanda was practically sitting on Cedric's lap, and they were squeezed together so tightly that they looked like Siamese twins.
"I can't do this," I mumbled, pulling back.
"Don't worry, just get in," Blake said, pushing me towards the limo.
"No way, I'm not getting in there," I whispered, pulling back again. "This thing is a mobile petri dish for STDs."
"Don't worry, we'll just sit on opposite sides," Blake said, pushing me inside.
I hesitantly took my seat in the limo, trying to avoid looking at Amanda and Cedric's constant PDA. It was like being stuck in a romantic comedy movie, and I was the third wheel who just wanted to get out of there.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," I muttered to myself as the limo pulled out of the driveway.
"Don't worry, Niya," Blake said, trying to reassure me. "It's just a short ride to the mall. You can handle it."
But the ride felt like it took an eternity, with Amanda and Cedric practically making out the entire time. I needed to cleanse my eyes with acid or dip myself in holy water when it was over.
Finally, we arrived at the mall. "Thank goodness," I breathed a sigh of relief as I stepped out of the limo. "I thought I was going to suffocate in there with all that lovey-dovey stuff going on."
"You did it!" Blake chuckled. "I knew you could do it."
But as we walked through the mall, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was living in a Dora the Explorer episode
We did it!
We did it!
We did it together!
Yeah!
We survived the hungry wolves.
We did it!
We did it!
Hooray!
I started singing at the top of my lungs as Blake joined in, high-fiving each other as people stared at us. But as we sang and danced, we heard a throat clearing behind us. We turned to find Cedric standing there, looking embarrassed.
"Um, guys? Can you not do that in public?" he asked, his voice laced with irritation.
"What? Singing in public is a crime now?" I asked, pretending to be offended.
"Well, it is if you're tone-deaf," Blake teased, causing me to playfully punch him in the arm.
"Hey, I'm not that bad," I protested.
"Yeah, you're worse," Cedric said, causing us all to burst out laughing.
"Well now, you two need to learn to behave. What will people think?" Cedric pointed his finger at us, with a particular emphasis on me.
"Uh, I don't really care what people think," I scoffed, causing Cedric's ego to take a hit.
"You watch your mouth," Cedric took a step closer to me, his face red with anger.
Blake stepped in between me and Cedric, trying to diffuse the situation. "Come on, calm down, bro."
But I wasn't ready to back down yet. "Or what, Cedric? What are you gonna do?" I tried to push Blake out of the way, but he didn't budge.
"Niya, stop it," Blake warned me.
"What's the matter, Cedric? Cat got your tongue?" I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a jab at him.
"Get out of my way, Blake," Cedric growled, trying to get to me. But Blake stood his ground.
Amanda placed a calming hand on Cedric's chest. "Come on, love, we're in public. Chill out." Cedric took a deep breath and nodded, visibly trying to calm himself down.
"I'll deal with you later," he narrowed his eyes at me before storming off.
"Phew, that was close," I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
"What was that all about, and why did you have to challenge him like that?" Blake rubbed his face in frustration.
"Hey, he started it," I narrowed my eyes at him.
"How do you figure that?" Blake challenged me.
"Well, he just barged in and started bossing us around," I argued.
"That's not starting it," Blake rolled his eyes. "Come on, Niya. He's just trying to do the right thing," Blake tried to reason with me.
"The right thing? More like controlling everything and everyone," I argued.
"That's enough," Blake held up his hands in surrender. "You know what, forget it" Blake walked away, without even looking at me. Seriously?
As I walked into the mall, I spotted Cassie and Tyler waiting for me. "Hey there, my favorite shopping buddy!" Cassie said, linking her arm through mine. "Ready to hit the mall and drain our bank accounts dry?"
We made our way through the ground floor, taking in the sights and sounds of the busy mall. The bright fluorescent lights and the sound of bustling crowds filled the air as we passed by the children's section, filled with racks of tiny clothes and toys on display.
"Heaven's above! Niya are you?" Cassie asked, whispering in my ear.
"What no, I'm not, are you crazy?" I yelled at her.
"Then why the kids section?" She folded her hands.
"I'm just shopping for Nydia and Dean. They grow out of clothes so fast, it's like they're trying to break the bank."I replied, laughing.
I browsed through the racks of dresses and jumpers for Nydia and blazers and t-shirts for Dean. I even found a pair of cute girl's shoes and some stylish boy's sneakers.
"Should we head up to the other floors now and let our credit cards feel the burn?" Cassie asked, and I nodded in agreement.
As we arrived on the upper floor, I was already carrying 10 bags and Cassie had 25. She still wanted to do more shopping, so we headed into Victoria's Secret. The store was crowded and filled with the scent of perfumes and lotions. I felt a bit awkward being in there with a group of people, but Cady dragged me inside.
To my surprise, I saw Cedric there, helping Amanda choose lingerie. It was a bit strange to see him in a store like this, but I guess it's not really my place to judge.
"Hey Cedric, what are you doing here? I didn't know you were into frilly things," I joked, trying to get on his nerve.
"Just helping Amanda pick out some new lingerie. You know how us guys love to shop for our ladies," he replied with a wink.
"Oh, I see. You're just a regular lingerie connoisseur," I teased, come on get into your foul mood.
"Hey, a man has to know his way around the lingerie department if he wants to keep his lady happy," Cedric chuckled.
I guess today's not my day!!
I couldn't help but feel embarrassed being in the store, so I decided to step outside and wait for everyone else to finish shopping. As I stood by the railing, looking down at all the happy shoppers below, I couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness for them. Despite their seemingly joyful exteriors, I knew that many of them were struggling with their own inner turmoil
"Hey," someone whispered, tapping me on the shoulder. I turned around, my heart racing as I saw the familiar tattoo on the neck.
"Fuck, it's you," he snarled, pulling out a phone from his pocket.
I quickly walked away from the group of people near the escalator, trying to put as much distance between us as possible. But he followed me, his phone clutched tightly in his hand.
I made my way down to the basement, my heart pounding in my chest. There were rows of parked cars down here, and I wrapped my scarf around my face, not wanting anyone to recognize me.
I thought I had lost him, but he was still following me. I darted behind a car, panting as I tried to catch my breath. But he searched for me, cursing and kicking the tire of the car when he couldn't find me.
He tried calling someone, and I knew I had to stop him. I didn't want to do this, but I had no choice. I crept up behind him, trying to stay as quiet as possible.
When his back was turned, I tackled him to the ground and slammed his head against the concrete floor, holding him down with my knee on his back and my arm around his neck.
He struggled against me, but I was determined to stop him from making that call. I muffled his cries for help with a handkerchief, and I could hear a faint hello on the other end of the line.
I closed my eyes and snapped his neck, ending his struggle. A tear rolled down my cheek as I collapsed beside the lifeless body.
I heard footsteps approaching the parking lot, and I knew I had to leave. My body was shaking as I walked away from the scene, trying to compose myself. When I returned to the group, I wiped the sweat from my forehead and tried to act normal, but my mind was racing with fear and guilt.
"Where did you go?" Amanda asked, her voice laced with concern as she clung to Cedric's arm.
"I--- I--" I stuttered, feeling my cheeks flush with guilt. "I got a call from one of my friends, so I just went to talk to her," I lied, unable to meet her gaze.
Blake had been ignoring me since we entered the mall, and Cedric gave me strange looks, as if he knew I was hiding something.
"Can we leave now?" I asked, hoping to get out of there as soon as possible.
Everyone nodded in agreement, and I was the first one to get into the Limo when it arrived. I wanted to get as far away from the mall as possible.
Blake glared at me suspiciously, but I just shrugged and tried to act casual. I knew I had to get a hold of myself and face the consequences of my actions.
I took a deep breath and sat upright until we arrived at the store where we needed to try on dresses. Despite the weight of my guilt, I knew I had to put on a brave face and move forward.
As we walked into the bridal shop, I could feel the excitement and nerves emanating from Amanda. "Good afternoon Ma'am," the girl from the store greeted us, bowing as she spoke.
Amanda smiled and replied, "We are here to try out the wedding gown and the bridesmaid dresses."
The store girl led us to the fitting rooms, where Amanda eagerly tried on her stunning wedding gown. The white, body-fitting fishtail dress was adorned with a long veil, and Amanda looked absolutely beautiful as she gazed at herself in the mirror. But as I looked at Amanda, tears streamed down her face.
"I can't believe this is happening," she sobbed. "I never thought I'd find someone who loves me for who I am, and now I get to marry him." she sniffled.
"You look beautiful Amanda," I told her, and she mouthed a thank you in response.
"Ma'am, do you want to try on the other dresses?" the store girl politely asked us.
"Yes, let's do this." Amanda wiped away her tears and nodded.
Next, t store girl brought out the bridesmaid dresses for us to try on. She handed me a beautiful peach off-shoulder dress, which was a knee-length tight fit. I went into the fitting room to change, and when I emerged, Amanda hugged me and whispered, "You look beautiful."
She then encouraged me to look at myself in the mirror, and as I did, I was overwhelmed with emotion. The dress was perfect, and I felt like a true bridesmaid standing by my best friend on her special day.
As I stood in front of the mirror, the guilt weighed heavily on my shoulders. The image of that man, struggling beneath me as I snapped his neck, haunted my thoughts. It was either him or me, I reminded myself. But no matter how hard I tried to justify my actions, the guilt gnawed at my conscience.
I couldn't bring myself to smile or join in the excitement of trying on bridesmaid dresses with Cady and Cassie. All I could think about was the crime I had committed and the consequences that might come with it.
As we left the bridal shop and climbed into the limo, the news on the radio announced a murder at the mall. I forced myself to keep a neutral expression, even as my stomach churned with fear. What if someone saw me? What if I was caught?
******
"I'm so hungry, I could eat a whole chicken bucket!" Blake half-yelled as we walked into KFC. Everyone chuckled at his enthusiasm, and I couldn't help but smile too..
I ordered a giant bucket of chicken. As we waited for our orders, I ate quietly while everyone else chatted and laughed. I couldn't shake the feeling of awkwardness between Blake and I. He didn't even look in my direction, and I couldn't blame him. I was angry with him too.
"So what time are we heading to the club?" Cady asked, practically bouncing with excitement.
"It's 4 now, so we'll leave by 8," Cedric informed us, and everyone nodded in agreement.
"You're up for clubbing right, Niya?" Amanda asked, giving me a teasing smile.
"I don't know," I shrugged, not feeling too enthusiastic about the idea.
"Oh come on, don't be a party pooper!" Amanda exclaimed, before being cut off by Cedric. "It's okay, baby. Don't force people. If they want to join us, they will."
Well, I guess I have to prove him wrong. "You know what? I'm up for clubbing," I said with a wink, and Amanda squealed with excitement.
"Yes! It's going to be a memorable night," Cassie clapped her hand. "We'll dance our worries away and have a blast!"
I just hoped that things would go smoothly, and that there would be no problems. As we left KFC and headed back to the house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of nervous anticipation.
It was going to be a long, restless night as I waited for the clubbing to begin. But I was determined to have a good time and make the most of this new start, even though it was off to a rocky start.
So much for a new start, I thought to myself as I slumped down on my bed and let a single tear slip down my cheek.
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Author's Note:-
Dear readers,
I just wanted to let you know that this chapter has been edited since its original posting.
I hope the changes have improved your reading experience and made the story more enjoyable.
As always, thank you for your support and for taking the time to read my work
If any mistakes please let me know
And please do vote
Thank you❣️
❣️🕊️PEACE🕊️❣️