∞∞∞
{THE ORIENTATION}
“Trust me! Can’t wait for tommorow!” Cindy giggled, and they stuck hands before entering the car, driving off.
_____
“What just happened?” Jennifer said from the other side of the road.
She’s in her car with Miranda and Leslie.
They actually came to shop in the boutique, but they saw Cindy and Seven going in with Alexa, so they had stopped to see what’d happen.
“Where’s Alexa?” Miranda said, sticking her head out of the window to look around.
“Is she a needle? You’d have seen her if she’s anywhere around” Leslie rolled eyes.
“Why did they go in with her then leave without her?” Jennifer asked curiously, squeezing her brows thoughtfully.
“Girls, let’s just go” Leslie said.
“Really? We shouldn’t go in to check for Alexa?” Miranda said.
“Maybe they left her inside to do her shopping alone, who knows?” Leslie replied.
“Something smells fishy though, why would they come shopping with Alexa of all people? I’m sure Cindy’s hatred for her will double cos she was chosen to play the Cello” Miranda said.
“Please go, we don’t have much time” Leslie told the driver, and the man brought the car to life, driving into the road.
“So gist! Jenn do you have a boyfriend?” Miranda asked, facing her.
“Are you a virgin?” Miranda asked, and Jennifer blinked, looking from one to another.
“Answer quickly I’m so curious!” Leslie pouted, and she laughed.
“Fine I have a boyfriend till last night, he broke up with me cos he fell for another girl” she said.
“What!” The girls chorused.
“And… I’m not a virgin, I lost my virginity to him last year in highschool” Jennifer added.
“What the hell! And now he dumped you cos he fell for another girl? What rubbish!” Miranda said angrily.
“Let’s go set his house on fire! Let’s burn him together with his family! I don’t mind commiting the arson cos what the hell?” Leslie shouted.
“Girls calm down” Jennifer laughed.
“Don’t tell us to calm down!” They shouted at once,and Jennifer went down on her chair with three blinks, staring at the two angry lions as they released deep breaths.
“I got dumped, not you both, so stop taking it personal” she said.
“I’m just so pissed, men are dogs” Leslie said, fanning herself with her hands.
“Not all of them” the driver replied from the front.
“Sam, can you focus on driving?” Jennifer said, and he nodded.
“So what about you guys?” She faced them.
“I’m just eighteen cos I started school a year earlier than I should, so my mum says no to boyfriend till I turn nineteen” Miranda said.
“I’m 20 cos I started school a year late, so I have an ex, but we broke up cos he said I’m too fat, so I’m not a virgin” Leslie said.
“Fat? You’re only fat in the @zz” Jennifer replied.
“Back then I was really fat, so I worked out, and my body goal came out perfectly. I’ll do anything to maintain this current shape so Ethan would notice me!” Leslie smiled, palming her face.
“Ethan?” Jennifer blinked.
“The youngest professor in our major, he’s 25” Miranda said.
“Oh Leslie, you’ve gone crazy!” Jennifer laughed
“Is there a rule that says students can’t crush on their professors?” Leslie smiled like a fool again.
“Leave her alone, she’s always senseless when it comes to Prof Ethan” Miranda whispered, and Jennifer nodded.
“Anyways, what’s the problem with The Beautiful Knights or what the hell are they called?” She said.
“Don’t tell me you have a crush on one of them” Leslie quickly said.
“Over my dead body!” Jennifer said.
“Good! I see no reason why girls turn foolish at their appearance” Leslie smirked.
“But they’re cute!! Especially Kiss and Vance!” Miranda gushed.
“She’s got a crush on one of them” Leslie whispered.
“Actually, I talked back at Aaron today, at the Graveyard” Jennifer said, and they both faced her swiftly.
“What!”
•••
Lecturer Moravia was already seated in the living room when Veronica appeared, flaunting her black hair as she walked elegantly to her.
“Mrs McDonnell!” Moravia stood quickly.
“I’m sure you know why I called you here already” Veronica replied, taking the cup of coffee in front of her.
“I don’t really… Know” Moravia said slowly.
Veronica had a sip of the coffee and faced her.
“The Cello! Why isn’t my daughter playing it! I specifically told you about her talent cos I’ll be present at the orientation too! You know how much the mayor cherishes any student who plays the cello, and yet you choose a scholarship thing for it? Are you crazy?” She said.
Moravia quickly went on her knees and bowed
“I’m so sorry Mrs McDonnell, the thing is they both played the cello in front of the students, and Alexa was obviously more…
Veronica dumped the coffee on her face before she could finish, and she stopped talking.
“I’m so sorry Mrs McDonnell! I’m very…
“I don’t know how you’re gonna handle it, My Cindy must play the cello tommorow! Make it happen!” Veronica interrupted.
“I already took care of it, so no need doing all these” Cindy said, coming in.
She was chewing gum as she walked towards the stairs.
“Baby!” Veronica stood, rushing to her.
She blocked her and stroked her hair fondly, caressing her face.
“What did you do? How did you handle it?” She smiled.
“I have my ways, so let lecturer Moravia go” Cindy rolled eyes.
“I trust you baby, go take your bath and come back for dessert, then we can go for shopping together against tommorow” veroni kissed her forehead.
“I h@ťě it when you do that” she rolled eyes again and went upstairs.
“Mummy loves you!” Veronica shouted after her before facing Moravia.
“What are you doing? Leave!” She snapped.
•••
Teddy sat on a chair in the middle of the park, his diary is on his laps.
He was getting ideas as he looked at the couples around, and he’s writing a poem down.
“You make me laugh when I wanna cry”
“Make me live when I wanna die”
“Make me smile when I wanna frown”
“You’re my NOW, my IS, my WAS.
“When you call my name, I begin to blush”
“I’m afraid people notice I need you so much”
“When I’m with you, my time flies fast…
His hand stopped moving on the diary immediately, and he stood when he saw a man selling cotton candies.
He got his bag and ran to him.
“Nicholas!”
“Wait… Teddy?” The man’s eyes lit up immediately.
“Yeah it’s me!” Teddy smiled sadly.
“I knew it!”
“Where’d you go? You’re the only one who sells cotton candy in this park” Teddy said.
“Had to go take care of my sick mother, but now I’m back fully” Nicholas smiled again, looking around.
“Where’s Angel?” He asked, and Teddy bit his lip hard.
“You both are like Romeo and Juliet, don’t tell me you broke up! You both are my regular customers in this park two years ago yunno?” Nicholas said, and tears escaped Teddy’s eyes.
He started rubbing the star pendant on his necklace, and Nicholas’s eyes widened.
“She’s… She’s dead” Teddy cried, and Nicholas gasped.
“What!”
“She fell from that rollercoaster” Teddy sniffed, pointing at the particular one.
“The girl who fell and died in this park, was Angel?” Nicholas gasped again, and Teddy nodded.
“Jeez!” Nicholas fought back his tears, taking Teddy’s hand.
They went to the chair together and sat, then he started wiping his tears.
“It must have been so hard on you, I’m so sorry”
Teddy got a pink cotton candy from him, and he smiled as he stared at it. It was Angel’s favorite.
“I’m so sorry” Nicholas said again.
“Promise me you won’t stop coming to this park anymore, I want to eat pink cotton candy here everyday just like I did with her back then” Teddy said.
“I promise, anything for you Mr handsome” Nicholas said, stroking his long hair.
•••
<6TH LANE HOTEL>
It’s the most popular of all Lane hotels in New York, so it gets the richest patronizers.
It has a total of 100 floors, but the 99th floor belongs to The Beautiful Knights. Pascal snatched it completely from his dad.
Any day they decide not to go to their respective houses, they come to the hotel to lodge together.
They’re currently in the bathroom, bathing together.
“Finally I f-__-ked Delilah!” Pascal announced.
“The holiest girl in our major?” Vance replied.
“No one is too holy when it comes to my rod” Pascal replied, pointing at his long Ďïčk.
“Kiss, you’re mad” Vance laughed.
“Wish you could talk freely like this everytime” Pascal laughed.
“Wait… Your birthday is in a week!” Vance suddenly said.
“You’re just remembering? I should ki|| you” Pascal replied.
“You forgot my birthday too last year, so you have no right to accuse me” Vance replied.
“So I have the longest Ďïčk here” Pascal said, scanning their Ďïčks.
“Can you stop already?” Vance laughed.
“Why? Are you jealous? Yours is only fat, not long” Pascal replied, grabbing it.
“Kiss stop! Drop my Ďïčk or I’m gonna…
“Do what?” Pascal smirked, squeezing it.
“Arggggghhh!!!!” Vance screamed, and Pascal finally let it go.
“f-__-k you” Vance spat.
“f-__-k you too bro!” Pascal laughed.
“At least I’m better than someone” Vance said, and they both turned to Aaron who has been quiet.
“Mr Walker, is everything ok?” Pascal said, unable to hide the mockery in his voice.
“Just call him Aaron” Vance replied.
“Jennifer said Aaron is an ugly name” Pascal replied, trying not to laugh.
Aaron faced him angrily, and that angry look made Pascal finally laugh it out.
“Sorry but I can’t hold it back” he giggled, resting on Vance who has started laughing too.
“What? You think I’ll scream your name like other senseless girls?” Pascal said in Jennifer’s voice.
“I’m Jennifer Sanders, my mom taught me better!” Vance completed it, and they both fell on the ground as they started laughing again.
Aaron picked the bottle of shampoo and threw it at them before storming out of the bathroom.
He could still hear their laughter as he wrapped a towel on his waist and got his phone.
He dialled the mayor’s line immediately.
“Aaron? What again?” His voice came.
“Dad, can you get Jennifer Sanders out of the school? I might just ki|| her” Aaron replied.
“I have no reason to expell anyone cos of you, you’re a bully” Mayor replied.
“Dad!!”
“If you have nothing else to say…
“And why do we have to receive lectures in same hall as scholarship students? Why is…
Mayor hung up before he could land, and he threw his phone against the wall angrily.
“Urrgg!!!” He groaned, messing up his hair.
Alex and Alexa’s face appeared in his memory again, and he punched the wall as his body began shaking angrily.
“I’ll ki|| you both I swear, it’s an eye… For an eye”
•••
Alex and Mrs O’Brien came down from a taxi in front of the school, and they ran in in search of Alexa.
She has been nowhere to be found since some hours ago.
“Alexa!” Alex screamed, rushing into their hall.
“Alexa where are you!”
“Alexa!”
“You should have come home with her! You should have waited for her!” Mrs O’Brien said fearfully.
“You know how stubborn she is mum, don’t even try to say it’s my fault” Alex replied, running so another hall.
“Alexa!!!” He screamed, getting his phone to dial her line for the thirtieth time, but it’s still same. She’s not picking.
“My daughter… Where’s my daughter!!!” Mrs O’Brien started crying.
“Alexa!!!” Alex screamed again.
•••
“OH M GEE!!!” Tanya screamed when Jennifer came down in her baby blue gown, looking gorgeously adorable.
The gown is slightly dragging behind, but the front is lifted to her ankles, so her shoes are visible as she walked.
Her hair is down, but a cute sunlight hairpin was attached to it, same product as her shoes. Tanya did her makeup.
“Baby pose! I need to have you on my phone!” Tanya shouted, snapping her pictures already.
Jennifer started posing on the rails, showing off the beauty of the gown on her.
“My baby is so preeetyyy!” Tanya kissed her lips on screen, and Jennifer laughed, finally climbing down.
“I’m sure you’ll be the prettiest girl at the orientation!” Tanya hugged her.
“I love you so much mum!”
“I love you too baby!” Tanya kissed her cheeks before leading her out of the house into her car.
Sam drove her out of the house.
•••
Freshmen were already streaming into the hall in twos and threes, all gorgeously dressed for the orientation that’s starting in thirty minutes.
Jennifer spotted her friends immediately she came in, and they both rushed to her.
“MG! I told you the gown is made for you! You’re the prettiest girl here babe!” Leslie shouted.
“I should have bought this type yesterday!” Miranda pouted, her pink gown looking cute on her.
“Be content!” Leslie pulled her cheek, and Jennifer smiled.
Alex suddenly ran past them, bumping into Jennifer.
“I’m sorry have you seen Alexa?” He asked impatiently.
“Alexa? No why?” Jennifer replied.
“She went missing since last yesterday” Alex replied and rushed away.
“What!” The girls chorused.
“Wait….” Jennifer said, remembering what they saw at Pop Bag boutique yesterday.
“The ceremony will start in twenty minutes, and she’s not here yet? The Cello performance is the first program” Leslie said.
Jennifer suddenly heaped her gown in her arms and ran out of the hall.
“I knew it, Cindy and Seven did something to her in that boutique” she muttered as she ran through the hallway that led out, but someone suddenly pulled her into a corner, and she found herself backing the wall in front of Aaron.
“You again?” She said. He was holding her shoulders firmly.
“You have to respect me for a long stay in this school, I know how to hurt girls too” he smirked.
“What? You’ll hurt me like you did to Alexa and Alex? My mum is the chairwoman of Maelsa group for your information, so touching me means death. Even without my mum’s reputation, I can easily face off to you, who do you think you are?” She scoffed, trying to free herself, but he pinned her harder.
“Fifteen minutes before the start of the orientation!” A voice boomed throughout the building, and her eyes widened.
“Alexa” Jennifer muttered, trying to get away from him again, but he held tighter.
“Let me go bastard!” She struggled.
“What? My name is ugly? You can’t get on your knees and trip for me like other girls do? How are you different from them?” He said.
“I’m different cos I’m Jennifer Sanders! Get that? Now let me go before I ki|| you!” She struggled again.
“Read my lips, I’ll ki|| you” Aaron muttered dangerously.
“Read my lips, I’ll ki|| you” Jennifer mimicked him and started laughing.
“You sound like a programmed robot yunno? Let me go!” She screamed.
“Aaron!” A familiar voice called from the other side, and he turned around to look.
Jennifer took the opportunity and pushed him away, running out of the hall.
Aaron walked to the place he heard the voice from, but no one’s there.
“Who played a trick on me?” He mumbled, pocketing his hands before walking away.
Teddy came out afterwards.
•••
“Why is Jennifer not here yet? The ceremony is starting” Miranda said worriedly beside Leslie.
They’re already sitting, and the school management are all present already, including the Mayor himself.
“Cello performance! Alexa O’Brien!” Lecturer Moravia said through the speakers, but no sign of Alexa.
“Alexa O’Brien!” She shouted again, and Seven smiled beside Vernon.
“She’s at Pop Bag!” She said, and they laughed.
“She really didn’t come” Miranda muttered.
“In her absence, I’ll call on Cindy McDonnell” Moravia said, and a thunderous clap followed as Cindy appeared on the stage.
She’s wearing a pure white gown, looking so beautiful together with the crown on her head.
She was smiling as she walked to the stage majestically, and the clapping continued.
“That’s my only daughter” Veronica said beside the Mayor.
“She’s just as beautiful as her mother” Mayor replied, and Veronica smiled before focusing on the stage again.
Cindy got to the cello and picked the bow, but just as she was about to sit…
“Alexa is here!” Jennifer’s voice screamed from the door, and everyone stood.
Alexa came in, wearing the black gown Cindy bought for her yesterday.
She wasn’t smiling as she started walking to Cindy with Jennifer.
“What’s happening” Veronica stood.
“How did she get out!” Seven gasped.
Immediately Jennifer got to Cindy, she slapped her hard on the right cheek, and everyone gasped as she fell.
Alexa snatched the bow from her immediately.
“I told you yesterday, that you can’t stop me… Cindy McDonnell” she smiled.
TBC…