Question of the chapter -

What is your opinion about Delna and Andrew?

Janet's P. O. V

"Delna, where have you been?" I ask her as soon as I see her outside my class. School is finally over and thankfully the rest of the day passed without any incidents.

"Well after the mess in the morning, I thought I'd leave you two cousins to mend it. I didn't want to drag myself into the mess. Well, is it sorted or you're going to need my help?" she asks me and I shake my head.

"It's almost sorted. Nothing I can't handle. Anyway, listen, I wanted to ask you something. Do you know of anyone who wouldn't mind working back stage for me? I need a team of at least five people..."

She looks down and scratches her eyebrow in thought."I'll try to find out. Why don't you ask the last year volunteers? I'm sure there must have been some people working in the drama team last year," she suggests and I tap my head from the back.

Why didn't I think of this? Oh yes, because I'm a foolish monkey.

I hug her tightly and sway a little."That is an amazing idea. Thanks a ton Delna. You know I love you right?"

She chuckles before hugging me back. She nods on my shoulder and I pull back, smiling at her.

"Where is Andrew? I haven't seen him since morning, have you?" I ask her and her expression falls for a second, her cheeks reddening and her eyes widening. She quickly covers it up, thinking I wouldn't catch that.

Like I wouldn't.

I mentally smirk but don't change my expression physically, because if I do then that would definitely scare her off and I don't want that. She clears her throat before explaining.

"Well, he was really drunk last night, so I took him home-uh as in his home and then his mom was there and-uh I left him with her, so I guess he's probably to hungover to attend today..." she trails of and I nod with a serious expression but mentally, my reaction is the complete opposite.

Oh yeah. He's too hungover or too embarrassed and shy.

"Okay then, I'll catch you tomorrow? I'm heading to meet Kiara, to sort things out," I ask and she nods before lifting her hands with a thumps up, wishing me all the best.

I smile and walk towards my car, mentally preparing for what is about to come.

**************************

"We reached."

I say and finally break the silence in the car. I had met Kiara in the parking lot where she was already waiting inside the car.

I got in and during the entire ten minutes drive to the mall, none of us spoke a word. She seemed to be in deep thought and I didn't know what to do because this is the first time she's so quite.

"Common lets do this," she mutters before getting out of the car. We walk into the mall, the cool air conditioned air hitting my face immediately. We're surrounded by a lot of people, some mothers with their children holding ice creams, some boy friends who are holding their girl friend's hands, some groups of middle school girls hang out in the mall, trying to act all cool and finally some people who have actually come to the mall for shopping.

There is noise and fancy shop lights everywhere, everything looking expensive and perfect. Kiara walks towards a store and I catch her bag, halting her.

"Let's go there first," I jerk my head in the direction of a cafe and she shakes her head.

"No lets go there first," she argues, trying to pull her bag from my hold.

"Kiara, understand. Let's just go there," I persist, pulling her bag again.

"No, I want to go there!" she half yells and turns with a jerk, the bag pulling me with it ahead. My feet slip on the tiles and I lose balance, but luckily I control it and I don't fall.

I glare at her and notice the surroundings to see people staring at us. I leave the bag and walk ahead, into the store.

This is enough. She wants to play it tough. So be it.

I walk directly into the cosmetics section, looking around and regretting it. I know barely anything about this section and I just angrily walked in here. Yes, I do use them when I have to, but Kiara does all that for me. So much so, that she doesn't let me touch her stuff.

I don't really blame her. I don't have a very smooth history with these things.

I see Kiara walk in slowly, a smirk on her face. She definitely understood my dilemma.

No cousin. I'm not giving you that satisfaction.

I moved to the rack and took a pencil sort of thing. It had a plastic line with divided it into two.

This has to have a lid.

I pull the top gently and slowly, trying to pull out the lid.

Not happening. I pull harder, one part in one hand and the other part in another.

Still not happening.

Someone clears their throat and I look up to see its none other than Kiara. Her hand is outstretched I'm front of me. She's pursed her lips in order to control her laughter but her eyes give it away.

I frown."Its not opening." I bang the pencil in her hand before continuing,"You really think you're stronger th-" I shut up.

Why? Because she rolled the lower half and the red stick comes out. I look away and grab it from her hand, scrutinising it.

She clears her throat again before speaking,"Listen Janet-"

I cut her off."If you have something stuck in your throat, you should buy water. Besides, this is the first time I came across a red liner."

She runs a hand down her face and sighs. She comes closer to me and move my index finger. Thats when I read the word next to liner.

Lip liner.

Yeah Janet. Stupidity worth showcasing.

"Janet what the hell happened last night? Will you please tell me?"

I sigh. I look her in the eye and tell her everything, how she confessed to me and how she passed out and I took her home, leaving the Steven part out.

She sighs and we both together look at the floor and then at everything else but at each other.

"Janet, I'm sorry I kept this from you. I really wanted to tell you-"

I cut her off by shaking her shoulder and putting a finger on my lip.

"Shh. You don't need to say sorry. If you would have told me this after ten years also, I wouldn't feel bad."

She frowns at my exaggeration. I chuckle and carry on."Okay maybe I would feel a little bad but I get it. You weren't ready to accept it. As long as I am the first one to know, I don't mind," I say with a wink and she smiles at me.

She then looks at my upper arm and her smile falters. She chews her lip in thought. I narrow my eyebrows and look between her and my arm, scrutinising it to see if something is wrong.

"You started gyming?" she asks me and I shake my head, having no clue where this is going.

"So then how is that you managed to carry me from the pier to the car and from the car to my room, alone?" she asks and my mouth open and closes like a fish.

"Your mom helped me," I say half the truth, in hope she forgets about the other half. She nods once before thwarting my hopes.

"And how did you carry me from the pier to the car?"

"Uh-Stevenjusthappenedtobethereandhecarriedyoutothecar."

I say softly and quickly, in one breath. She narrowed her eyes at me before placing her hands on her hips and stepping closer to me.

"Now, say it again. Slowly this time."

"Steven just happened to be there and he found me struggling. So he picked you up and carried you to the car," I explain, waiting for her reaction.

I don't know why, but I didn't want Kiara to know it was Steven. It's weird, it's not like he's from the mafia, he just helped. But still.

"Steven, as in Steven Rome helped me?" she asked, looking flabbergasted. Her eyes had gone wide and she put her index finger on her chest, to stress on the 'me'.

I nod and she raises her eyebrows and nods, really slowly.

"So what is it, between you two?" she asks, crossing her arms on her chest.

I shrug."Nothing. We're being punished for being caught in an inappropriate place together and..." I quote Steven from today and I'm about to slip the deal part when I correct myself,"we're expected to work together to represent the school."

She half smiles before nodding.

That reminds me.

"Kiara, what did you decide?" I ask her without any preamble and she rolls her tongue in her mouth.

She's about to answer when someone disturbs us.

"You guys mind clearing the aisle? There's less space to walk," the old lady in an expensive suit taunts us and that's when we realise we're in the same spot, blocking the way.

We move away and I start walking towards the other sections after sighing, wondering what I'm going to do. Kiara catches up with me before answering.

"Yes Janet. Let's do this Drama shit, together."

***************************

Longer than usual, I know. But I wanted this over. Didn't want to stretch this more.

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