Previously On Triplets Apart:
Mariyah spills the beans to Jada about her second kiss with Cody but she's unsure of their awkward romance. Jada reassures her and gives her new relationship advice. But when it's Jada's turn to talk about her and Tariq, she withdraws, saying they're just really good friends.
***
For once, I feel like sitting with my friends in the cafeteria to have lunch. This is the same table that most of the other minions can only wish to sit and I still try to understand why college is programmed this way. The entire situation reminds me of Kyrie and his group of friends in high school. Tariq always leaves them to come and have lunch with me but I wouldn't want them thinking in any way that he's choosing me over them; hence why I'm here now.
I normally eat somewhere outside under a gazebo or something because the crowd is less there. As I make my way to the table, persons steal glances at me then pretend as if they're not looking.. I'm not sure why people are scared of me. Well, actually, I am sure.
Mariyah feels my forehead playfully.
"What?" I snap.
"I'm just tryna see if you're okay. You never sit with anyone to eat." She grins, I discreetly roll my eyes.
"Oh.. my parents are launching a new organization called the Erica Smith Foundation.. Erica was an 8 year old who died from lung cancer. The cause of her death is mainly because of the shortage of equipment in the hospital, she could've lived longer or even survived by getting a transplant so the aim of this foundation is to raise money to provide the Alpha's Children's Hospital with the best medical supplies in abundance." She explains but I'm not sure as to where she's going with this or what it has to do with me.
"Oh, that's nice of them." I smile, thinking back on Paige.
"Well..." she trails off.. "Its mainly my dad's idea but they're having the event at the White House next week Saturday and my mom desperately wants me to bring my friend. Sooo..." she bites a nail and I pick up on where she's going with this. That's why she's so nervous, she knows these type of gatherings aren't my thing.
"I don't know, M.. I'm really busy these days, I have a lot of shit going on. And the White House? That's kind of.." I rock my head side to side, in search of the right word.. "extreme for me."
"J, I really want you to be there.. can you at least think about it?"
"Alright, I'll think about it."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She squeals.
I smile then look ahead of me to see Emma leaving the table and coming towards me. I assume that she's approaching me because of her narrowed eye contact.
I adjust my expression to my usual straight face as she walks up. We all come to a halt, standing only inches apart.
"garbage detected." My random imaginary friend's voice echoes in my head and I conceal the snort of laughter that threatens to escapes through my nose.
Zinh, why are you this way?
"Hey." She says, placing a hand at her nonexistent hip.
"Sup." I reply dryly, Mariyah silently looks away.
"So I've been thinking, the question you asked when we went to the games, why did you want to know that?"
"Because ever since I met you guys, I've been sensing a weird vibe between you two separately. Even that very day, he was ignoring your calls, why was that?" I ask with squinted eyes, tilting my head slightly, acting as if I don't already know.
"We have a.. little bit of history." she shrugs her shoulders, searching her mind for a more suitable answer.
"History?" I raise a brow with a smirk and she seems annoyed now, exactly what I wanted.
"Just be careful."
"Be careful of what?"
"Is he your boyfriend?" She earns a laugh from me for that one.
But why would she think that? Does it seem that way?
"Oh no." I shake my head and she smiles and attempts to walk away.
"Be careful of what?" I ask, stopping her in her tracks. She turns on her heels facing me again.
"He's a player." A fake smile dancing on her lips.
"So what does that has to do with me?" I raise an eyebrow again.
"I know he has a crush on you. I'm not stupid, we saw the tattoos. All of a sudden both of you have similar tattoos at the same place at the same time. It's all apart of his little game, Jada."
Why would someone put on a permanent tattoo, inked to their skin all for the interest of a game? Well, it is removable, he said it himself but.. is he playing some kind of game with me?
"Have you lost your marbles Emma? What the hell are you talking about?" I'm not sure why I'm so annoyed. My brows knit, my hands spread apart.
"He's a womanizer, a fuck boy. He doesn't want you, you're not even is type." Her hands gesture my entire torso in disapproval and I feel so disrespected by this.
"Why? Because you're not?" I retort and she raises her eyebrows.
"What?" She snaps. I can tell she wasn't expecting such come back and her eyes search mine, she's wondering if I know something.
"You have all this shit to say about him but yet still you're around him every day, why? Why do you still hang with the people he hangs with?"
"This... this isn't about me."
"I think it is about you. You're so in love with him, and that's okay. But because he doesn't feel the same way, he doesn't even sees you at all, that's why you're so mad. You don't want anyone else to have him because you can't, right? But I got news for you Ems, I don't want him. He's just my... friend." I shrug, a taunting smile creeps away at my face which seems to make her even more annoyed.
"You don't know what you're talking about. I don't 'love' Tariq." She adds air quotes to the word 'love'. She scowls as if I'm being ridiculous.
"If you don't 'love' him, you sure as hell still want him.. and that's what got him stabbed and your brother expelled!" I spit harshly throwing up a hand. She dresses back as her eyes shoots daggers at me. She is shocked with the realization that I know the story and I mentally face palm myself for yapping. It's not like it's a secret or anything, everyone knows.
"He got stabbed because he was a douche! He and my brother and the rest of the guys made stupid ass pacts and bets to sleep with girls, they thought of it as some sick races or something. Apart of the rules was that sisters was off limits. My brother was wrong for what he did to Tariq but he wasn't only upset because of what Tariq did, he was mad because he knew that Tariq was a fucking dog and he only used me and tossed me aside and it's only a matter of time before he does the same to you! Any day now Jada, because he has you right where he wants you!" She spits back twice as harsh.
"No. It wasn't apart of Tariq's agenda to use you, he didn't even want you, youuu Emma, you threw yourself at him. Your brother stabbed Tariq because you couldn't resist the urge to be a whore!" I shot back 3 times more harshly and I can almost see the fumes leaving her reddened ears.
I gasp loudly as my face is impacted with a hard slap in result, twisting my face to one side as my hair now covers the side that's facing her. I stagger backwards a little.
Mariyah gasps loudly and covers her mouth in shock. Everyone's attention turns to us abruptly and the surroundings gets silent with a few whispers.
I turn my neck slowly back to her direction, cricking my neck back in it's rightful place.
I take a good glare at her, wondering if she has any clue, any clue at all as to what she just did.
Ahhh, no she fucking didn't! I chuckle.
This bitch has officially lost all her way.
I lower my food and my Gucci bag down on someone's table near by, their faces gets covered in horror.
I turn around, pacing towards Emma in fury, I can literally feel the redness on my ears and the veins in my neck popping out.
Mariyah calls out to me but nothing will stop me from breaking Emma's skinny ass in half.
"I'll show why you shouldn't mess with a bitch like me!" I growl.
Opening my palm then slapping her in the face, so hard, she staggers all the way back, almost collapsing, ruining her perfect blonde curls. I pace closer then fist grabs her clothes in the chest area with both hands, pulling her towards me for a more forceful impact then throwing her body, causing her to crash backwards on some kids table, spilling all their food. She screams out in pain.
By this, half the school's population is gathered around us, screaming, cheering and shouting.
"Fight! Fight fight!" Is the only words that's echoing through my ears and I'm disappointed to say that it's driving me even more.
Emma shakily gets up and runs on to me with all her might, her hands lands in my chest, causing both of us to fall, and she's on top of me. I hiss from the impact of my body hitting the floor.
I grab her by the hair and flick her off me, now I'm flipped over and on top of her.
Raising my hand, I throw a fist to her jawline, she screams out from the impact. I punch her in the face once more as she's holding on to my clothes. The same clothes my parents spent thousands of dollars on. The redness on her cheek is quickly visible which gives me a sense of great satisfaction so I throw another punch to the eye. Her makeup is a lot, but not enough to conceal the purple color that shadows over her eye. I raise my hand again, then the feeling a pair of strong arms grasps me and pulls me off of her, parting the fight.
I groan loudly, trying to go at Emma but the strong arms grip me from under my armpit, locking over my shoulders, holding me back.
"Jada!" Tariq's voice shouts and for the moment he is all I can hear through all the noise.
"Get off me!" I shout and he lets me go. I yank my arm up away from him.
His presence makes me no longer want to whoop Emma's ass. Not because he's here but because my brain suddenly flashes back the horrible things Emma said about him and I'm disgusted by his actions. I don't want to see him... or her.
I go and grab my bag, leaving the food behind. Exiting the room, the crowd hurriedly clears out a passage for me to walk as if they're parting the red sea. Mariyah runs behind me.
As I stomp outside, I hear Tariq calling out to me.
"Jada!" He shouts.
"Stay away from me!" I spit, immediately turning around to him and holding up an index finger in warning.
"J." He whines and I leave him rooted to his spot confused with his hands apart.
How could he have been such a douchebag? Using girls? Bets? Fucking races? The thought of it alone makes nauseous. How could I have gotten close to someone like that?
A few minutes later, I find myself in the principal's office with a deep scowl.
"The last time I saw you in here, what did I say would happen if I see your face in here again?" Principal Hutchinson asks, his orange suit with pink tie makes me want to run his body through a shredder. The man's dressing and choice of colors are ridiculous! Emma and I are both seated in front of him. She holds a pack of ice against the affected areas of her face as she stays silent.
I can't help but feel bad for doing that to her, what had gotten over me? There isn't any cuts or bruises but swellings.
I stare at my principal in question with squinted eyes, clueless of what he had said before, simply because I wasn't listening. By the look on my face, he senses that I don't have a clue about what he's talking about.
"Well, since you don't know, let me refresh your memory.. you're suspended!" He pulls out a paper and signs somethings.
"What?! She hit me first!" I exclaim, leaning forward in my seat towards him.
"3 days!" He retorts. I plop back down in my seat, throwing my hands up, I turn my face away and shake my head in irritation.
He places two papers at the front of his desk for Emma and I.
"How she hit me and I'm suspended?" I grab my paper.
"Weren't you both apart of the fight?" He's making me feel stupid and I hate it.
"It's because she's white! Isn't that it?" I huff, immediately grabbing my bag and storming out.
***
Smh.. Jada.. Jada.. Jada.. tsk tsk tsk..
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