"WHAT'S SHE GOING TO DO when she wants to head out and realizes that she left her car key with you?" I amusedly asked Scarlett as we stepped out of the lecture hall.

"She might as well get a new car."

We laughed, walking down the hallway that led to the entrance of the building. I tilted my gaze to the area I had seen him twice before and surely enough, Adrian was standing there, conversing with Carlos. It seemed that I was the reason he had been covering his face with a nose mask all the while because today he was not wearing one.

"What's that?" Scarlett asked as she noticed that my attention was divided.

"Just my former coworker," I said, tilting my gaze forward again as we walked past him and out of the faculty building.

It was Thursday, exactly one week since Thomas broke up with me. The wound he had cut into my heart was still fresh and it hurt deep down like the breakup happened yesterday. I knew quite alright that I wasn't supposed to feel that way at all. He was a stupid guy for cheating on me and he didn't deserve me, nor my feelings. But what was I supposed to do when I had blindly established love in all his lies?

"You've started working on your design, right?" Scarlett suddenly popped up the question.

"Who told you that? It was Samantha, wasn't it? That gossip."

She laughed, "Just answer the question."

"I have. I've not started sewing anything yet but I finalized the design sketch yesterday."

She smiled as we walked out of the college building, "When you build up your fashion business, employ me into a very high seat."

"Shouldn't you be walking towards establishing one of your own?" I laughed.

"I'd rather let you do all the work."

I breathed out another laugh, "Cheapskate."

I shifted my gaze to the far end of my Northeast and there he was, laughing heartily with Serena Landore. White, five-foot-seven, cheerful; She was the exact opposite of who I was and I wondered if she was the type of girl he had wanted from the start.

His right arm wrapped around her waist as she sat on the balcony of the second floor, while he stood in front of her- specifically between her thighs.

As I stared at his face to remind myself of how he looked, I noticed a little band-aid on his cheek. I thought that was the only injury he had incurred but then again, there was a dark-blue cast around his left arm which helplessly clung by him. I just knew for sure that those were my three musketeers' signatures. I snickered.

Scarlett traced my gaze, then turned to stare at me, "His microwave fell on his arm when Samantha flung it away. It wouldn't be that painful, would it? He's just overreacting."

I burst into laughter as Scarlett said that.

"We didn't even touch him. We just broke his things and ran off."

"Did you break the little framed picture of me and him?" I asked, a little tense, "It was on his study desk."

Scarlett stared randomly as she pondered, "I think so."

"Scarlett, I bought that frame with my money!" I yelled, smiling in contrast as we walked towards the school gates.

"I didn't break it. It was uhm..."

She stared at me and smiled, "How much was it?"

I smiled back, amused by her, "Forget it. Instead, give me your setting spray. Mine sucks."

"No way I'm giving you that. Remember how I had to beg Anna all night before she gave it to me? How about this? I'll treat you to lunch and you forget about the frame," Scarlett trailed behind me.

"You better go hand Anna her keys before it's time for her to head to the studio."

"Right. I'll see you later. Forgive me, okay?" Scarlett waved as she walked in the opposite direction.

I turned to stare at the couple on the balcony one more time, watching as Thomas now hugged Serena Landore with his face buried in her chest. There was a huge smile of affection that overtook her lips and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

I had that same smile on my lips just two weeks ago when I heard that Thomas would be picking me up from work because I passed out. Who knew that I'd be getting replaced in a matter of days? All those things I did with Thomas that I found so loving and sweet, Serena was the one experiencing it now. She was dwelling in the activities that Thomas and I once shared.

Thomas whispered in her ear for a second and she nodded, letting go of him before he walked off with a cute smile on his face. I had never seen him with that kind of smile ever since I knew him.

I stared at Serena Landore as she lovingly watched Thomas leave, her doe eyes making her gaze even more cute. All of a sudden, her gaze flicked and fell on me at once. Just like the other day, her eyes were cold and it felt as if they were mocking me.

"It was so easy to steal the guy you desperately clung unto," they said to me.

"What are you looking at?" I heard Scarlett yell from far behind me.

Before she could run past me and towards the building Serena was, I quickly grabbed her waist and pulled her back.

"I'll kill her!"

I held her with all my might as she tried to free herself from me, "Scarlett, please let's leave."

She pushed my hands off her and started to storm towards the building, "You filthy whore! You're a fucking—"

"Scarlett!" I yelled as I quickly grabbed her waist again, then spoke in a soft voice while our eyes met, "Stop it. Please."

She stared viciously at Serena who stared back with a calm gaze, unperturbed by Scarlett's outpour. From down the hall of the balcony, I could see Thomas heading back to meet Serena with that same smile on his face. He wasn't even aware that his ex-girlfriend was outside the building, holding her friend back from hurting his new girlfriend because of what he did.

"Let's leave," I said.

I held her hand and pulled her out of the college grounds while she complied.

"Did you give Annabelle her keys?" I asked her as we walked down the sidewalk while waiting for a cab to pass by.

Scarlett remained mute.

"You were so quick," I added, "Did you run or was Anna already heading to our faculty?"

"How can you be okay?" She solemnly asked, staring ahead.

I sighed, "You girls don't want me to cry but you don't expect me to be okay either. Pick a side will you?"

I let out a soft laugh and adjusted my glasses.

"I'm sorry for not being available for you to talk to when you found out what that bastard did. It must have been hard bearing that alone. Samantha told us that you even passed out on the street."

"It wasn't that big of a deal. I was just tired," I said.

"I've known you for almost three years and in those three years, you were consistent in loving the bastard with all your heart. So, I can't even judge you for passing out because of what he did to you."

I thinned my lips.

"You'll be fine, Wendy."

"I hope so."

She looked behind us, then hooked her arm around mine before whispering, "Let's run."

"Why?"

"Scarlett, you better pray I don't catch you!" I heard someone whose voice sounded like Annabelle yell from far behind us.

I turned around for a split second to confirm that it was indeed Annabelle before Scarlett pulled me into a run with her.

"Why is she running after you?" I breathlessly inquired as we turned right at the intersection.

Scarlett brought out Annabelle's car keys from her purse and that was enough answer for me. I laughed as we held hands and ran together, creating a fairly clean distance between Annabelle and us.

"Stop right there!" Annabelle yelled from behind us, "Thief!"

We ran into Beanie's cafe and Scarlett hid behind the counter, crouching on the floor. It was so surprising how we were able to cover a ten-minute car ride so quickly.

"What's going on here?" Clara asked, watching us with disdain as we snickered and shushed ourselves.

"Help a girl out, will you? I'm being chased," Scarlett replied in a hushed tone.

"Non-workers are not permitted into this section of the cafe."

"I'm the friend of a worker and she's right here with me," Scarlett responded, "So, just permit me this once."

The bell jingled as Annabelle burst into the cafe. She was panting heavily but there was not a single bead of sweat on her forehead.

"Where is she?" She asked me, "Don't you dare lie to me. I saw her run into this cafe with you. Where is she?"

"The restroom," She answered herself before I could even make out a word.

"Leave now," I bent down and whispered to Scarlett

"She's not there," Annabelle said as she walked out of the women's restroom and I quickly raised my head before she could notice.

"She couldn't have gone into the men's, could she? But then again, she's crazy enough to do that," she turned to Clara, "Excuse me, did you see any lady walk in here? About this tall with wavy dark-brown hair and freakishly terrifying eyes."

I crossed my fingers, hoping that Clara would not reveal Scarlett's hideout. To my delight, Clara looked away from Annabelle's gaze.

Annabelle sighed, "I asked you a question."

"I'm sorry. I just didn't have an answer."

Annabelle sighed again, digging her fingers into her hair to smoothen it backwards. She often reminded me why she was sought by fashion brands to model their outfits. I mean, I was an aspiring designer too and I had already booked her down for when my design would be ready. Could I really be friends with a goddess like herself?

"Fine. I guess I'll go. I know she might be somewhere in here but I'll leave. Tell her to send me my car keys," Annabelle turned around to walk out of the cafe and I softly exhaled.

"I repeat," Clara suddenly started as Annabelle placed her hand on the door handle, "Non-workers are not permitted into this section of the cafe. Please get up from underneath the counter and leave, miss."

Clara, how could you?

Annabelle turned around to face the counter with widened eyes, just as Scarlett slowly got up from underneath the counter.

"Hello, welcome to Beanie's Cafe. What can I get you?" Scarlett said to Annabelle, sounding so professional.

Annabelle and I burst into laughter while Clara stood, still watching us with those auburn eyes of hers.

Scarlett turned to Clara, "That wasn't cool. If I were being chased by a serial killer, would you rat me out like that?"

"You didn't even buy anything from the cafe," she replied.

"Oh, so when my life is on the line and I run in here for help next time, I should first of all order a croissant?" Scarlett walked out of the counter and stood beside Annabelle, "There, I've left your luxurious counter that's made of gold and gemstones."

"It's okay, Scar," I said, "I'm sure she didn't mean it that way. She was just trying to do her job."

Scarlett pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and placed it on the counter as she stared at Clara, "If you're that enthusiastic, then why don't you handle Wendy's job for today too? Fourteen-sixty-four per hour, right? This should cover her payment for today."

She turned to me, "Wendy, let's go."

Annabelle stepped in and placed another hundred dollar bill over Scarlett's, "For the inconvenience. I heard your manager won't be around until next week. Can you make sure you don't bring this to his attention? If it's inconvenient for you, please let me know."

Clara stared at the cash on the counter, then tapped on it with the digital pen she was holding, "Double it."

Scarlett and I frowned, "What?"

Rather than joining us to yell, Annabelle pulled out two hundred-dollar bills and placed them on the counter, "So, we're good?"

Clara picked up the cash, "Sure."

I stared at Clara with widened eyes as Annabelle pulled me out of the cafe. Her cute facade had deceived me into thinking that she was innocent. She could haggle prices!

"Don't you think that was too much? Four hundred dollars just to have me for four hours?" I said from the middle of the two ladies as we walked back to the school grounds together.

"That girl's a thief," Scarlett added.

"Speaking of thieves, where's my car key?" Annabelle glared over my head and at Scarlett.

Standing between them, I felt like a midget. To my right was a model who was five-foot-eight and to my right was a five-foot-six girlie. What was a five-foot-four girl looking for in between them? But then again, I felt safe. These two 'mothers' were shielding me from all the troubles of the world.

I held their hands as Annabelle dipped her car key into her pocket, "Let's run."

"Or take a cab?" Scarlett asked.

"Don't be lazy, Scar. Let's run!" Annabelle broke into a run and pulled us along as we three held hands.

The cold breeze had never felt so good against my skin.

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Tip: People are often amused by how Wendy, Annabelle and Scarlett remain friends even with the diversity of their appearance and personality.