WARNING: This story contains graphic depictions of violence and other mature or controversial themes/topics that not all audiences will find suitable. Please continue reading at your own risk.
***
♪ Yes, I didn't talk to anyone. ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdvVwMRfPM
♪ I was made fun of by everyone. ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFasF5SjyM
♪ It's something I wish could be undone. ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvVNWNukYb
♪ She asked me. I wish I'd had respond. ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1A63N40ivL
♪ But hear me out: We're all worth being loved! ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmUfIf65o0
♪ Please hear me out: We're all worth being loved! ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJr0N4y7VBp
♪ I'm crying out: We're all worth being loved! ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKo7LuMKp0C
♪ I have no doubt we're all worth being loved! ♪
♪ Please, I beg you all, let's become friends! ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5ggyRR2eW
♪ Let's not judge each other by what's been! ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGad4SKwliw
♪ It was years ago! It came and went! ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQ3RCdM0cv
♪ That's a past chapter! New one begins! ♪
***
Something
***
Hermon asked, "Orabel, who's this—?" before Orabel would place her hoof over his mouth again.
"I'll ask the questions," said Orabel.
In the last chapter of Something... what started as a simple walk through the park turned into a debate between 1098 and Orabel over Ikjot! Orabel revealed her true feelings towards the boy, and they certainly spoke the words I-don't-care. OUCH! In addition, 1098 learned something else: Ikjot really did have his reasons for not trusting Herbertia! Seeing four girls discuss their plans to give guys a bad name proved to her that she indeed owed Ikjot an apology.
1098 grew a stern expression and thought, Wow.... With girls like them, it's no wonder Ikjot's turned out to be the way he is.
One can't fully fault Ikjot... especially when he sees himself as protecting Herbertia by trying to make her quit smoking. But Ikjot learned the hard way that he couldn't force his own life choices on other people.
Herbertia grabbed the box and lighter from Ikjot's hands while interrupting, "AND LET ME TELL YOU ONE DARN THING: I TAKE ORDERS FROM NO ONE! NO ONE! YOU KEEP YOUR PAWS OFF MY STUFF!"
Ikjot grabbed her items again and said, "No...."
Herbertia angrily grinded her teeth and punched Ikjot in the face.
Ikjot fell to the ground with a bloody nose and mouth, releasing her cigarette and lighter as a reflex.
Upon realizing what she had done, Herbertia immediately gasped with worry, leaned down to him and placed her hand near his back. She stared at his injuries while saying, "Ikjot, I am so sorry! Are you okay—?!"
Ikjot may have gotten what he deserved, but 1098 still stood up for his mishap, especially through a telepathic communication she and Ikjot had at bedtime.
1098 thought to Ikjot, Well... regardless, you still didn't deserve to be brutalized; no one deserves that.
Well... I mean, maybe it was my fault, thought Ikjot.
Let's hope Herbertia doesn't find out about this one! 1098, you know Herbertia doesn't want you chatting away with HER man! But how is Ikjot going to survive at school now that his face is useless...? It all starts in today's chapter... of Something!
***
Something8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayHJKwX9pj
158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmD5Kq97Pl6
Ikjot's New Face
***
It was seven-thirty Monday morning at Our Lord's Appearance Catholic Church and School. So far, in terms of the people I knew, Piper, Orabel, Ilana and Hyacinth were there, and they were talking with each other.
"I never thought that song was by them!" laughed Ilana to Piper, apparently talking about some band.
Piper said with awe, "I know! They are so awesome and they're in my top ten list of metal artists!"
"Xandra likes Sulfur and Skull Heads, right?" asked Hyacinth.
"Of course!" laughed Orabel. "Otherwise, Ikjot would have never sang one of their songs for her!" Then she laughed again.
Ilana also laughed and replied, "HE IS SO DESPERATE!"
With a smug smile, Piper told them, "Let's face it—he's a loser!"
"So is that Herbertia girl that was pretending to be his girlfriend!" happily said Ilana.
"I heard of her," said Orabel, puzzling. "Isn't she that redhead girl in your class?"
"Her hair's more like a dark auburn, and yeah!" said Hyacinth.
"Okay, nerd!" laughed Orabel, rolling her eyes to Hyacinth correcting the detail of Herbertia's hair color.
Ilana whispered to Orabel and Piper, "Don't tell anyone, but I'm gonna punch Herbertia in the back this morning."
Piper gasped with shock and said, "Get ouuuuuut!"
"That'll be so cool!" happily exclaimed Orabel. "Give that liar a pain beyond this world!"
"More like beyond the universe!" laughed Ilana.
Meanwhile at the front gates, a white van was the next vehicle in the car line to pull up before the entrance. One of the staff women, a somewhat elderly and brown rabbit with glasses and short scraggly hair, approached the vehicle and opened the passenger front door, revealing Xandra who had a smile and told her, "Good morning, Mrs. Hegg!"
Xandra then stepped out of the van while Mrs. Hegg gave her a hug and happily replied, "Awwww, Xandra, how have you been?!"
Xandra slowly released her grip while she looked Mrs. Hegg in the face and said with a bright smile, "Oh, I've been just fine, Mrs. Hegg." Xandra happily went on to say, "I've actually..." and so on and so on. We all know what Xandra was going to say wasn't genuine nor truthful.
"HEY, EVERYONE, LOOK!" happily shouted a skunk girl from the third grade line while pointing to Xandra in the distance. "IT'S XANDRA!"
"XANDRA?!" elatedly exclaimed everyone before cheering with joy.
"THE HIGHEST OF THE COOL IN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL IS HERE!" exclaimed a fox girl in the seventh grade line. In that same line, a zebra girl exclaimed, "THAT HIGHEST OF THE COOL IN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL HAS A NAME: XANDRA QUENELDA DAUD!"
Once she was done talking with Mrs. Hegg, Xandra gave her another hug, walked off with a wave to her—followed by waving bye to Glendon, her father—while the next vehicle drove up. Then Xandra turned her attention to the cheering students. She turned up her nose with closed eyes, a small frown and walked past the entry gates that led to the inner school grounds.
All the other children currently walking to their lines would immediately split themselves into two crowds, paving a clear path for Xandra to walk through while they went on to cheer, "WE LOVE YOU, XANDRA!"
Xandra, in response, would smile and shyly chuckle while she'd look to the ground.
At the end of both crowds was Sister Nylah Zita who, with open arms, said, "XANDRA!" Upon reaching the teacher, Xandra was hugged by her while Sister Nylah Zita continued, "Oh, Xandra, you are just such a sweet little angel! I heard that you even wrote in your diary of how much you loved the staff members!"
Keeping her smile, Xandra thought, So Ikjot even added in some hoopla of how much I loved the teachers, ey...? Looks like he really knew what he was doing. And yet, he doesn't deserve any thanks, because he's a loser.... Hehe.
Our computer teacher, Mr. Nutbrown, walked beside Sister Nylah Zita with his arms wide open and said, "Let's ALL give Xandra a big ol' hug!" With that, all of the staff members gathered around Xandra to give her a big group hug.
Yup... thought Xandra, Ikjot must've really outdone himself—everyone loves me now! The diary lie's finally kicked in and I'll be even more believable now than before! At least he did one thing right in 2005, this time.
***
Now in her fifth grade line, Xandra laughingly told Piper, Orabel, Ilana and Hyacinth, "And don't even get me started on how fat Wynfred's mom is! I've seen her before; did you know she was in a wheelchair?"
"Wynfred, you mean?" asked Ilana.
"No, her mom," said Xandra.
Ilana replied, "OH, wow! No! No, I didn't!"
Before any of them could say anything else, a fourth grade girl cat came to Xandra from behind and elatedly asked with bright eyes, "Um... excuse me, highest of the cool in the whole school...?"
Xandra looked to that fourth grade cat and said with a bright smile, "Oh, hey! What's up?"
The girl shyly puzzled with saying, "Um...." Then she took out a small pen and paper. "Can I have your autograph?!"
Xandra shyly chuckled with the other girls and said, "Sure!" before holding out her hands. "I'll be taking those...."
And the fourth grade girl handed Xandra the pen and paper.
On the small paper, Xandra signed her name [Xandra] with four sparkles on each side, held the paper and pen before the little girl and said, "Here ya go!"
Taking the pen and paper, the little girl said, "THANKS, XANDRA!" and hugged her. "WE LOVE YOU!"
I'm all for hugs, so long as they don't come from Ikjot, thought Xandra while, with a shy chuckle, hugged the fourth grade girl back. She said aloud, "Awww, I love you too!" then let go. "Have fun at school today!"
Running back to her line, the fourth grade girl elatedly replied, "Thanks, Xan! You too!"
To Orabel, Piper said with a shrug, "I wonder when someone's gonna ask for our autograph...."
Xandra said with a smile, "The real question is when won't they? You two are so irresistible!"
Both very charmed, Piper and Orabel said, "Awwwww!"
Then Orabel told Piper, "She so deserves to be the highest of the cool in the school!"
"I know, right?!" said Piper. "She's so nice!"
Keep believing that while I slowly destroy you both... thought Xandra, still keeping a smile.
Just then, Yosef, with Voleta beside her, came to the fifth grade line and said, "Hey, Xandra!"
Xandra whooped and said while giving her a high-five, "YO, YOSEF! What up?!"
"Nothin' much!" Yosef told Xandra. "Just got high over the weekend!"
Xandra elatedly smiled and told Yosef, "Oh, good! You're on your way to livin' forever!"
Shaking Xandra's hand, Yosef told her, "Xandra, let me just say thank you! It's like you've finally found the fountain of youth for us or something!"
"Hey, if everyone drinks and smokes, you could all live forever just like me!" Then Xandra looked down with disappointment and shook her head while going on to say, "It's just so sad that some people don't wanna do it."
"But why do people keep making all those reports about it being bad for our health?" asked Hyacinth with a shrug.
"Those are just government conspiracies," said Ilana with folded arms.
"Do people in your family have to do it too, Xandra?" Piper asked in wonder. "Or are they naturally immortal just like you?"
"I would guess they're immortal already," said Yosef. "How else could Xandra be born immortal if her mom or dad weren't already?"
With a straight face, Xandra told them, "Actually, no. I'm the only natural immortal in my family; but ya, my folks do the drinkin' and smokin' stuff too."
"There's gonna be so many immortals on the planet at this rate!" said Piper with shock. "I mean, just look at all the people out here smoking and drinking, guys!"
"Oh, absolutely!" said Xandra with a pleasant smile.
Piper happily said, "Xandra, you're so awesome!" before giving Xandra a high-five. "You're helping everyone share in your naturally born gift; that's so amazing!"
Xandra happily said, "Wooooo! Hey, it's just me givin' to everyone in need, girls!" Then Xandra thought, Man, these people are so easy to fool! HA! Between me takin' over Righteous Korrigan and them sellin' their souls to smoking and drinking, I don't know what's more enjoyable! Xandra looked around and continued thinking, Hmm... I wonder where Helena is? Man, I remember the first time that loser gave me a present—it was so funny to destroy it right in front of her, just to hurt her feelings! HA! She cried so hard and I laughed SO much, ha-ha! Just then, Xandra looked to the front gates and saw that Wynfred was approaching. She thought, Perfect... And so, Xandra reached under her shirt and took out two small papers. From there, she dropped one behind Yosef's feet, then waited for Wynfred to arrive to their fifth grade line. And once Wynfred arrived, Xandra said, "Hey, Wynfred!"
"Hey, what's up?!" asked Wynfred while she high-fived Xandra.
"Not much!" said Xandra, keeping eye-contact with Wynfred while dropping the second paper before her feet. With a chuckle, she continued, "Just gettin' so much attention today! How about you?"
"Wow, why?" asked Wynfred.
"Cause of my diary, remember?"
"Oh, right! The one that Ikj—"
"Impossibly the best! I know, right?" Then Xandra thought, You big fat idiot! Why you always gotta be so dumb?! Revealing Ikjot as the one who made that diary would reveal it's fake and I'd maim your fat face!
"Uh..." puzzled Wynfred, feeling a bit awkward about Xandra interrupting her. She even called her out on this by asking, "Curious, why did you cut me?"
"Oh my gosh!" panicked Xandra before placing her hand on Wynfred's shoulder. "I am so sorry!" Then Xandra nervously chuckled while continuing, "What were you gonna say?!"
"Well..." Then Wynfred shrugged. "Gee, I forget!"
Xandra then said, "Hey, I'll be right back."
"Sure thing, Xandra!" said Wynfred.
From there, Xandra immediately ran to Mrs. Ives at the front of the line and said, "Hi, Mrs. Ives!"
While Xandra looked to Wynfred, Mrs. Ives replied, "Aw! Why, hello, Xandra! How are you doing this morning?!"
Xandra flashed a sly smile before looking back to Mrs. Ives and said, "Um... I overheard Wynfred and Yosef talking about how they planned to pull a prank on you today."
Mrs. Ives eyes' widened with shock and she said, "Oh, really now?! What were they planning to do?!"
Xandra said with worry, "It's actually pretty sad.... I mean, you're just such a kind teacher and all, so why would they want to trick you into closing your eyes so they could clip your hair...?"
"WHAT?!" exclaimed Mrs. Ives in great anger while she walked towards them. "I'll see to it that they BOTH stay after school!"
From there, Xandra immediately ran into the classes building even though it wasn't time yet. This was permitted if a student wanted to use the restroom, though I'm not sure if they could go into the cafeteria unless it was raining outside. Now in the girl's restroom and making various fashionable poses for the mirror before her, Xandra thought, HA! With me inside the building, Wynfred and Yosef will never suspect it was me who framed 'em. The notes I wrote since last night and left on the ground will make Mrs. Ives think that they really were plannin' to prank her and they'll get in trouble! I can't wait to see 'em go crazy from tryin' to figure out who set 'em up. Good luck finding out, losers! Haha! Just then, her eyes confusedly widened while she heard a feminine voice ask, "Um... Xandra...?" Looking to the side, Xandra saw a little second grade girl sheep who asked with an awkward expression, "What are you doing...?"
"Oh, me?!" Xandra giggled. "I was practicing my reflexes for volleyball practice after school today."
"Your coach is Mr. Wollner, right?"
"Yeah!" laughed Xandra before thinking, Little idiot.... He's the only coach we have at this school, duh? What other coaches would we have?
***
Back outside in the fifth grade line, Mrs. Ives came storming like a raging bull to Wynfred and Yosef and said, "Are you two planning to trick me into closing my eyes so you can cut my hair today?"
"What?!" exclaimed Wynfred.
"No way!" said Yosef with a laugh of disbelief.
Just then, Mrs. Ives noticed two papers on the ground before their feet, bent down and asked, "What are these?" before picking them up.
"Huh...?" puzzled Yosef.
"Hey, what are those?" asked Wynfred.
Mrs. Ives briefly scanned her eyes over the papers to read the words. Then showed them to the girls while she said, "Okay, what's this?"
"Huh...?" asked Yosef before taking the note from Mrs. Ives. On it, she read, " 'Wynfred, we're still good to pull that prank today on Mrs. Ives? LOL.' "
"What the...?" puzzled Wynfred before taking the other note from Mrs. Ives and reading, " 'Ya Yosef, with your help we're gonna cut that hair of hers. TTYL!'" Wynfred then asked their teacher, "MRS. IVES, WHAT ARE THESE?!"
"WE DIDN'T WRITE ANYTHING LIKE THIS!" pled Yosef. "WE SWEAR!"
"No swearing!" said Mrs. Ives before snatching the notes back. "You two will be spending after school with me in detention."
"WHAT?!" exclaimed Yosef while Wynfred exclaimed, "BUT MRS. IVES—!"
Mrs. Ives interrupted, "No buts—hey, you two screwed up and now you've got to get punishment. God doesn't approve of mischief."
Yosef said, "BUT—!"
"Honestly," said Mrs. Ives, shrugging with a laugh of disbelief, "I'm surprised! After all the things we heard about how sweet you girls were, this is unbelievable! I guess you two just aren't one of the good ones."
While Yosef looked with disbelief to Wynfred, Wynfred pled, "BUT MRS. IVES—!"
"No buts," sternly said Mrs. Ives. "I'll be seeing you in detention." Then she walked off.
"SHOOT!" angrily said Wynfred while she stomped the ground.
"IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!" said Yosef while she punched her own backpack to the ground. "THOSE NOTES WERE TOTALLY FAKE!"
"This was a straight-up set-up!" said Piper, placing her hands on her hips with visible displeasure.
Wynfred told Piper, "YEAH, SOMEONE FRAMED US! Whoever did..." and Wynfred pounded her fist to her own palm, "is gonna pay!"
Yosef shook her fist and said, "We're gonna rough them up!"
Placing her hand on Yosef's shoulder, Orabel said with a laugh, "Hey, anyone who messes with my friends gets messed up!"
Just then, Xandra, alongside the second grade girl, walked out from the classes building and toward the lines. "Really?" chuckled Xandra to the girl. "How long have you been doing that?"
"Um," puzzled the girl, "...since I was two, I think," before walking towards her second grade line and waving to Xandra. "Well, I've gotta run! See ya, Xan!"
Waving back, Xandra said with a chuckle, "You too!" Then walked back to own her fifth grade line.
"XANDRA, OH MY GOSH!" exclaimed Yosef. "THANK GOODNESS YOU'RE BACK!"
"What's up?" asked Xandra with a straight face.
"OH MY GOSH!" exclaimed Wynfred. "MRS. IVES THINKS WE WERE PLANNIN' TO PRANK HER!"
"YEAH, AND NOW SHE WANTS WYNFRED AND YOSEF TO STAY AFTER SCHOOL!" exclaimed Orabel. "SHE GAVE THEM DETENTION!"
"Xandra, could you tell Mrs. Ives that Wynfred and Yosef are innocent?" asked Piper with folded arms, looking Xandra's way.
"OH, ABSOLUTELY!" said Xandra, feigning shock. "Nobody lies on my friends and gets away with it!" And so she ran towards Mrs. Ives.
Yosef whooped while Xandra ran and cheered, "WAY TO GO, XANDRA!"
Morons... thought Xandra with a sly smile before making it to Mrs. Ives and happily saying, "Mrs. Ives, oh my goodness! You look SO beautiful this morning!"
"Aw, why thank you, Xandra!" said Mrs. Ives with a smile.
"Tell me, what gel do you use to make your hair stay so PERFECT?!" And Mrs. Ives' smile intensified while Xandra continued, "I mean, really, mine just comes out so ugly, but yours? Pshaw, you probably don't even need any gel for it. You probably don't need anything for any part of your body, because all of it is perfect; just absolutely perfect like you!"
Giving her a hug, Mrs. Ives said, "Awwww, Xandra, you always brighten my day! Thank you for being such a sweet student to all of your teachers at this school!"
"Awwwww," Xandra giggled. "It's really no trouble at all! I mean, why not give back to those who are constantly giving me the knowledge I'll need to survive in everyday life? Thanks to teachers, our society has the opportunity to become smarter—an opportunity society never knew of back in less privileged times."
With the girls watching Xandra and Mrs. Ives smiling from the distance yet unable to hear their words, Piper told Wynfred and Yosef, "Wow! It looks like Xandra's really getting Mrs. Ives on your sides!"
"I knew she'd pull through for us!" said Yosef with a pleased smile.
"No kidding!" said Wynfred, also with a pleased smile. "Xandra's the GREATEST friend anyone could ever have!"
Just then, Nydia came to the girls and said with a smile, "Hey, what's up?!"
"Oh..." said an unamused Wynfred to Nydia. "It's you...."
And the other girls were also unamused.
"How is everyone this morning?" asked Nydia before Yosef would pinch her on the arm and make her yell, "OW!"
And the other girls laughed at Nydia.
"Don't you know that we hate you, Nydia...?" happily asked Piper.
"Yeah, why are you even speaking to us or anyone for that matter?" asked Yosef, smiling also.
A shocked Nydia sighed with disbelief and asked, "WHY DO YOU GUYS HATE ME?!"
"Um..." Orabel said while smiling, rolling her eyes, "because—"
"No reason, right?" interrupted Kip while he walked to stand beside Nydia.
"Kip, why are you even hanging around her?!" asked Orabel, shrugging with a smile of disbelief as she leaned forward.
Nydia sighed with disbelief and told Orabel, "What made you so mean?! Orabel, I thought we were friends, remember?!"
Turning her nose up with her hooves on her hips, Orabel snootily replied, "Cool girls don't hang with riffraff like you, Nydia!"
Nydia exclaimed, "Who's been poisoning your minds with all this about me—?!" Then Nydia gasped while noticing Xandra who was still talking with Mrs. Ives. Nydia seemed frozen for a moment.... Her eyes narrowed while she said in a low voice, "Xandra...." She continued to the girls, "XANDRA'S YOUR ENEMY; NOT ME! She's the one you should be mad at! Remember how she betrayed me?! She'll do the same to you guys too!"
"First off, we're not guys; we're girls..." said Piper, smiling while rolling her eyes.
"Yeah," said Wynfred, "and secondly, Xandra's the nicest person in the whole school and the coolest!" Then Wynfred pushed Nydia.
"HEY!" said Nydia, stumbling back a bit.
Wynfred poked Nydia's chest and said, "You're the one who's weird, talks to herself and thinks people will wanna be her..." and she mocked, "friiiiiiend!" and laughed.
While Nydia looked down with sadness, Piper teased, "Yeah! Why don't you go back to Loren where you belong?!" and laughed with the other girls, much to making Nydia even sadder.
Just then, Xandra came back to the girls and said, "She said she doesn't wanna relieve Wynfred and Yosef of the detention."
"WHAT?!" exclaimed Piper, saddened.
"But why not?!" asked Wynfred, also sadly.
"We didn't do anything wrong!" said Yosef, sad as the other two.
Looking down with sadness (albeit fake), Xandra said, "Yeah... I guess not even I could make her change her mind." Then Xandra thought, Idiots... I didn't even mention Wynfred and Yosef's detention. I just wasted Wynfred and Yosef's only chance of gettin' out of detention on me kissin' up to one of these dumb adults again! Hehe!
Piper walked to Xandra, gave her a pat on the shoulder and said, "It's okay, Xandra!" And she shrugged. "You tried your best! I mean—!"
Nydia rolled her eyes while commenting, "Please... Xandra is so fake! She probably didn't even use the opportunity to get you two out of detention. I don't even know why Mrs. Ives would want to give you detention in the first place—"
Xandra giggled, "Oh, look!" and approached Nydia. "If it isn't the weirdo, Nydia! What's up, weirdo?" And Xandra laughed with the other girls.
Looking up at Xandra, Nydia asked with disbelief, "Xandra, why are you and the other girls so mean to me?!"
Xandra happily shrugged, saying, "Because you're weird."
Nydia snapped, "No, you're mad because I'm no longer a part of your clique—the clique you kicked me out of, need I remind you! I don't even miss that clique because all you guys do is make fun of people behind their backs!"
With a sinister smile, Xandra got down in Nydia's face and said, "But you were part of it, Nydia...."
"Yeah!" said Piper, now standing beside Xandra. "You're no better than us!"
"I am now!" said Nydia.
"Oh yeah?!" asked Orabel with folded arms from behind Nydia. Nydia turned to Orabel who continued, "Prove it!"
Nydia said, "Fine: I-don't-miss-your-clique!"
Xandra shrugged with a giggle while saying, "But you're nothin' without it!"
Nydia turned back to Xandra before Piper said, "Yeah, and we only dumped you because you were weird!"
"WHAT MAKES ME SO WEIRD?!" asked Nydia with disbelief.
Orabel began counting on her fingers, "Oh, let's see! You talk to yourself, you push little kids off swings," and Nydia's eyes just kept widening with shock while Orabel continued, "you talk to the devil—"
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!" asked Nydia. "I DON'T DO ANY OF THAT!" She pointed to Xandra. "YOU MADE THAT UP, DIDN'T YOU?!"
"First off, Xandra would never lie to us about anything!" said Piper, folding her arms. "She always tells the truth!"
Narrowing her eyes to Nydia, Xandra said, "Yeah..." And she brushed up against Nydia, all tough with her fists hovering near her sides. "What? You don't like me revealin' people when they've done somethin' wrong...?"
Afraid of getting beat up, Nydia looked away and said, "Well.... Sorry, I do like it actually; it's fine...."
Keeping her eyes narrowed, Xandra said, "...Good!" Then she backed off from Nydia and walked off with her girls.
Nydia wiped her forehead with relief, mouthing, Phew!
With the girls standing away from Nydia, Orabel puzzled to them while saying, "I do wonder though... it is kind of mean to backstab people, don't you think, Xandra?"
"Pfft!" said Xandra, folding her arms while rolling her eyes. "We don't backstab people to be mean. We backstab people because we don't wanna insult them to their faces—that's mean." Then Xandra thought, HA! Yeah, right. We totally do it to be mean. I just keep you losers brainwashed into thinkin' it's okay, just so you'll keep doin' it. You're all MORONS! Haha!
"But we did make fun of Nydia in front of her face," said Yosef, concerned.
"Yeah, and we laughed when she cried too..." said Wynfred with a sad expression.
"I heard about that," said Piper, also looking sad. "Now that was mean...."
Xandra said with a shrug, "Not like she didn't deserve it." And she whispered to them, "I overheard her and Helena makin' fun of all of us...."
"GET OUT!" whispered a shocked Piper.
"SERIOUSLY?!" whispered Yosef.
"The hottest girl in our class is ACTUALLY a backstabber?!" whispered Wynfred. "...But... wait, isn't backstabbing good because it keeps you from insulting someone face-to-face...?"
Clever thinkin', Wynfred, but I have a rebuttal... thought Xandra with a sly smile. And Xandra replied, "Let me explain—backstabbin' someone who isn't your friend is one thing. Helena on the other hand, though she isn't part of either of our cliques, is still a good friend to us all. It's because Helena and us are so tight that it's wrong for us to backstab each other. Yet obviously, Helena thinks differently."
"Oh, I get it..." puzzled Orabel. "In other words—"
"Don't backstab one of your friends?!" said Voleta who just made it to their line. "Haha! That's a no-brainer!"
Orabel happily whooped, "WOOOO!" She gave Voleta a high-five and exclaimed, "THE PARTY'S JUST STARTED!"
Meanwhile, Wynfred remembered something:
With her head turned up and eyes closed with a small pout, Xandra said, "Good!" Continuing her backstabbing, she teased, "Then there's Helena!"
"Helena...?" puzzled Yosef. "But... she's your little sister."
"And she's pretty!" said Wynfred.
Again with her nose to the air (head turned up, whichever), Xandra said, "No she isn't.... I'm pretty."
Unamused, Yosef said, "Yes, Xan."
"Whatever you say, Xan," said Wynfred, all the same.
With a pleasant smile, Xandra replied, "Good! Anyway, Helena's such a loser! She thinks she's cool and everything, but she is so NOT! Hello?!"
Faking agreement, Yosef said, "Um... TOTALLY RIGHT, Xan!"
"She is definitely not cool!" said Wynfred.
With a laugh, Xandra replied, "She's a total loser!"
And with that memory in mind, Wynfred told Xandra, "You... say we'd never backstab Helena. But..."
"Hm?" hummed Xandra, puzzling and looking Wynfred's way.
And Voleta, Orabel, Piper and Yosef were looking Wynfred's way also.
"What's up, Wynfred?" asked Yosef, puzzling.
"Hm?" hummed Orabel, puzzling just as Xandra had.
Wynfred didn't know what she wanted to do.... Was she really prepared to stand against a lie made by the highest of the cool in now not only the fifth grade class but the entire school? No, she just... couldn't bring herself to do it. Wynfred sighed and said, "...It's... nothing."
And Orabel, Voleta, Yosef and Piper just looked puzzling to each other.
As for Xandra, she kept her eyes on Wynfred and thought, Know your place, you little swine.
Meanwhile, Nydia still held her head down with sorrow while Kip, from behind, placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "You know, who needs those jerks?! You need real friends who care about you!"
Nydia looked to him with a shy smile while saying, "Like you...?"
Kip nervously looked from side to side and said, "Oh—ummmm!" and rubbed the back of his head. "Well..." Then Kip thought, Come on, Kip! Just say... and he said aloud, "YES!" And Nydia only held a confused expression in response while Kip went on to say, "Um... YES—no, uh, yes!" and chuckled. "...Yes." Then Kip held his head down with sadness, feeling he sounded stupid.
But Nydia proved that she begged to differ on that. She placed her hand on Kip's shoulder and said, "Kip...?" She then smiled sympathetically. "Thanks...."
And Kip bore a shy smile in response.
In the background, Rye and Graysen were not so pleased.... Rye said, "Man... it's totally not fair!"
"I know!" said Graysen. "I thought that Kip was tight with us; not that weird girl!"
Rye said, "Just think... someday, they're gonna get..." and mocked with his hands, "married...! BLAH!"
Meanwhile, Xandra told her girls, "For now, let's pretend to be cool with Helena.... It can start our revenge on her."
"Oh, I get it..." said Orabel. "Then when she feels we're most unaware, we destroy her!"
Xandra chuckled and said, "You just leave the ending to me. Anyone who messes with my girls, blood relative or not, faces the single-handed wrath of Xandra! I'll involve you all in no way, whatsoever, that could get you in trouble."
"Wooooow!" elatedly awed Yosef.
"Not wanting us to get involved...?" said Wynfred in awe. "You must be plannin' to do something serious!" And Wynfred thought, But I... don't think I can believe any of this. If Xan lied about us never backstabbing Helena, then...
What if she's lying about Helena having backstabbed us too? thought Yosef, silently sharing Wynfred's concern. She too, after all, was there when Xandra mocked Helena. And like Wynfred... she too didn't want to risk becoming the highest of the cool's next target.
"Maybe even illegal!" happily added Piper to what Wynfred previously said aloud.
With a caring smile, Xandra told them, "Hons, I would go to jail if it meant keepin' y'all safe!"
With widened eyes, Orabel happily said, "Xandra... you are the noblest friend...."
"And we do mean the noblest!" said Voleta.
Xandra said with a sweet smile, "Hey, I love y'all!" She thought, Yeah, right! Even if it were a cold day in the underworld, I'd still not sacrifice me for them! These losers are on their own!
Just then, Xandy pointed to the front gates and exclaimed, "OH MY GOSH! WHAT HAPPENED TO IKJOT?!"
Xandra elatedly ran to Xandy and exclaimed, "OH MY GOSH! Is he wearing something dorky?! Is he hurt?!" She chuckled, "NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, I'LL LAUGH—!"
Grabbing Xandra's head and rotating it forward, an unamused Xandy immediately interrupted, "Look, genius!"
Upon seeing my paper-covered face, Xandra immediately sucked in her lips before bursting out in one of the biggest laughs she ever made while commenting, "WOW! HE LOOKS LIKE A MUMMY!" And she kept laughing, "HAHAHAHAHA!"
Voleta immediately looked to Xandra and said, "IT'S NOT FUNNY, Y'KNOW!"
In response, Xandra gasped with shock and said, "...Bu... But, of course it's funny," and chuckled, "I mean—"
But every student looking to Xandra with a stern expression immediately made her know they were serious.
Xandra chuckled nervously and said, "Uh... yeah. Poor... Ikjot...." And again, she nervously chuckled, "Eh-hehehe-heh...."
As I saw the students in the distance while walking with Herbertia and 1098, I looked down and muffled (due to the bandages blocking my mouth), "Wow.... Here we go. They all seem worried...."
Placing her hand on my shoulder, Herbertia said, "I'm really sorry I've caused you this grief, Ikjot...."
"Man... what happened to Ikjot...?" Ilana said in worry.
Rolling her eyes, Xandra thought, Why is everyone so worried about Ikjot? He's not worth anything, so why even bother...?
As I made it to the class lines, I could hear various voices saying, "Is he okay...?" and, "Man, what happened to him?!" as well as indistinct chatters of worry from teachers and other students alike.
"Oh my goooosh!" exclaimed Nydia.
"What happened to Ikjot?!" exclaimed Kip.
"He looks terrible!" panicked Yam.
Xandra rolled her eyes and prepared to walk towards me, but stopped as she saw Mrs. Ives approach me instead.
Mrs. Ives said in worry, "Dear goodness!" before placing her hand on my shoulder. "Ikjot, what happened...?"
I briefly looked to Herbertia, then looked to Mrs. Ives and muffled, "I ran into a pole.... A car was behind me."
Mrs. Ives said with a gasp, "That's awful...!"
I muffled, "Hey, well you know these drivers.... They don't see well at night, especially when someone like me walks on a sidewalk without reflective clothing and then, boom! I could have been a lot worse, had I not gotten out of the way."
Patting my shoulder, Herbertia added, "Very much worse...."
Mhm... thought an unamused 1098, knowing that I was just protecting Herbertia as planned.
"Well, I am really sorry that happened to you. If you need anything, just head to the nurse's office," said Mrs. Ives.
Xandra giggled to Piper and Orabel and whispered, "Yeah, while they're at it, they can cure Ikjot's infection of loser..." and they all chuckled. Xandra thought, Of course... Piper is always on my side; and with Orabel coming under my influence, she'll be too.... But what's goin' on with the other girls? Why aren't they still under my influence...? Their lame-o emotions must be overcoming their brains. They must have forgotten that I'm the one responsible for their cool status.... I should remind 'em. Xandra then told Wynfred, Yosef and Voleta, "You know, I'm the one who made you girls what you are...." With shock, all three of them turned to Xandra while she went on to say, "Without me, you three aren't cool; and right now, the cool thing to do would be to make fun of Ikjot. He is, after all, a loser..." and chuckled.
"But, Xandra, he's hurt..." said Yosef.
Xandra said, "We've—"
"Hey, y'all!" interrupted an all-too familiar voice to Xandra's ears.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQLVfivM1n
Turning her head, Xandra saw it was none other than Helena. She and the girls, despite their feelings towards her—courtesy of Xandra's lies—immediately acted natural and friendly. "Oh, hey!" said Xandra, giving her little sister a hug.
"What's up?!" asked Yosef, also hugging Helena. And Yosef thought, I... suppose I'll just... believe Xandra on this one. After all, Helena is her sister. Maybe she's just like her; only difference is she's against us instead of the losers.
Having finished my conversation with Mrs. Ives, I walked to the girls and muffled, "Hey, y'all, what's up?"
With a straight face, Xandra gasped while telling me, "Oh my gosh! Ikjot," and placed her hand on my shoulder, "what happened to you...?!"
Hold up.... Did—Did Xandra just...? NO WAY! OH MY GOODNESS! SHE FINALLY TOUCHED ME—YES!
The other girls were VERY shocked to see this too as Piper whispered, "Oh my gosh...!"
Overhearing Piper, I immediately turned to her with a puzzled, "Hmm...?"
"Oh, nothing!" said Piper with a pleasant smile and shrugging her shoulders.
Xandra thought, Honestly, I never planned on touchin' Ikjot... but not doin' so at a time like this in his life would definitely make him believe that I don't really like him—he'd be right, of course. But I need him thinkin' otherwise for now, so I can keep his trust. Regardless, if he did do that homework we gave him... I'll have some real fun with my next move....
I muffled to Piper, "Oh, cool!" Then turned back to Xandra and replied, "Well... I was walking the streets when suddenly a car came up behind me." And while I explained all this, the rest of my classmates surrounded me to listen.
"That's awful!" said Nydia.
"Dude, how did you survive?!" exclaimed Rye.
I muffled, "Well, it wasn't the car that thrashed me, but the pole I ran into while trying to escape it."
They all gasped, as did Xandra before she'd say in a shocked and low voice, "Oh my gosh.... That's awful...."
"We will do anything for you in your time of need!" said Piper, visibly sympathetic.
As the others agreed with one another, Xandra said with a sad face, "Yeah, we'll cater to anything you need!"
1098, who watched me from the sixth grade line, thought, I really hope Ikjot can see through the lies. These peers do not care about him.
Herbertia thought, After the conversation Ikjot and I had before, I trust him. I know that he won't get too close to any other girl except me. She looked down with sadness. It's too bad that I'm the one responsible for his current dismay.... I feel so awful now, but... I just didn't want anyone acting like they could boss me around; he's not my dad.
Meanwhile, Hobbs Sydnor and Xander Lennon had finally arrived when Ilana, who stood behind Herbertia, happily whispered to them, "I'm gonna do it...."
"Go for it..." whispered Hobbs, smirking mischievously.
"She literally won't know what hit her," whispered Xander Lennon, also smiling.
Ilana nodded and watched Herbertia's back. She pulled back her fist... and swung it forward, slamming it into Herbertia's back.
Feeling the hit, Herbertia confusedly widened her eyes... but that was about it. She remained perfectly still while she slowly turned her head to facing Ilana with puzzle.
Ilana only laughed nervously while her hand, after hitting Herbertia, would begin to turn red and swell-up like a balloon. From there, Ilana puzzled while her hand grew so big that it lifted her off the ground, sending her floating into the sky.
"...This could be a problem..." said Xander Lennon while he watched Ilana float higher and higher.
"...Yeah..." said Hobbs with a nod, watching the same.
***
At Plowe Flowers Academy in Sanne, Marta, Penelope, Simona and Ram stood in the hallway, discussing their plans. "Okay, so... what was I supposed to do again?" puzzled Penelope while she admired herself in a small, yellow mirror she held.
"Um... you're supposed to beat up Tiane at school today," said Marta.
Rolling her eyes, Penelope told herself, "No wonder I forgot it...."
"Huh...?" puzzled Marta and Ram.
Penelope told Marta, "Okay, here's the deal: If I beat up Tiane at school today, what's to say she'll just go to her apartment and give you back your stuff? Unless I'm around to make her, she'll just keep it." Then Penelope turned up her nose. "I think it's better to beat her up after school when she's gotten to her apartment. In the meantime," and she snapped her fingers, making Simona carry her away, "enjoy your day at school!"
"After school...?" Marta said, worried.
"What's wrong, Marta?" asked Ram.
Marta replied, "Well... it's just that while I'm waiting for Penelope to cream Tiane after school, I still have to deal with Tiane during school." Just then, the back of Marta's head was hit by a flying book, making her say, "OW!" And she rubbed the back of her head while an all-too familiar voice from behind laughed and said, "Hey, squirt!" Marta turned her head with anger to Tiane who, with her two colleagues, stood behind her and Ram.
Tiane laughed with her colleagues and continued, "You two losers look even more ridiculous than usual today..." and she got in Marta and Ram's faces, giving them the evil eye, "mainly because you seem happy.... What's goin' on?"
Marta and Ram nervously chuckled to each other before Marta replied, "Um... well, we... Um, we're just excited to be at school! I mean, just think of all the fun we'll have with doing assignments, taking tests, et cetera, et cetera!"
"Yeah!" nervously added Ram.
"Goin' to school...? Taking tests...?" puzzled Tiane. "HA! You two are even bigger DORKS than I thought! And since when do we take tests and do assignments? That's only a thing in Fletcher schools." Then Tiane slapped Marta upside the head while remarking, "HA!"
"OW!" yelled Marta before rubbing her head with discomfort.
Folding her arms, Tiane taunted, "It's too bad I'll be keepin' our family's money and food for..." and she signaled to her colleagues, "me and my girls here." And Marta was becoming angrier while Tiane continued, "After all, they and I get really hungry; and we don't feel like sharin' with my family of losers back home, HA!" Tiane flicked back her hair and told her colleagues, "Come on, girls. Let's leave the losers to whine about their loss..." and laughed while she and they walked away.
Angered and keeping her fists clenched, Marta told Ram, "Maaaan! Oh, I can't wait until Penelope shows that girl a thing or two!"
"Yeah!" Ram said with a nod. "By the time she's done, Tiane will be beggin' y'alls family for mercy!"
***
Back at my school, it was around ten-thirty a.m. when the sixth grade class was out on the courtyard, playing basketball for P.E.
Coach Wollner was going around to dictate students' moves and such, and one of them just wasn't having any fun in this game....
"You're so BIG, Ximena!" happily teased Hobbs to a rather large boy sheep on his team. Then Hobbs threw a basketball through the hoop.
Ximena looked down with sadness while Qinton, who was also on their team, teased, "Yeah, Ximena! Instead of throwing a basketball through the hoop..." and Ximena caught the ball as it came towards him, and Qinton concluded, "we should throw YOU!" Then Qinton laughed with Hobbs, Xander Lennon and Glen Mai.
Herbertia, who was on the same team with 1098—and Yida Villamar who held their team's ball—watched how the boys were teasing Ximena while she said, "Man... what jerks!"
Yida Villamar said, "Yeah—hey, aren't you the liar or something...?"
Herbertia rolled her eyes with a sigh and said, "...Yes, Yida—"
Yida Villamar immediately threw the ball to Herbertia and said, "Here!" Then she walked towards Coach Wollner and said, "COACH! Can I change teams?!"
"Great..." said Herbertia to 1098, rolling her eyes. "It looks like you and I are a duo again...."
"Tell me, are you sorry about what you did to Ikjot...?" asked 1098.
"What...?" puzzled a confused Herbertia before she'd laugh with disbelief, "Of course I am!" Then she carefully aimed her ball at the hoop and threw it.
1098 thought to herself, The funny thing is, I read your mind, Herbertia... and you seem to dwindle between choosing the drugs or Ikjot.
The ball made it through the hoop while Herbertia whooped, "WOOOOO!" and said, "SCORE!" She then ran to the bouncing ball and caught it. Herbertia walked past 1098 and said, "Oh, by the way... and don't forget this..." then she came back to get up in 1098's face, "stay away from my man."
"How many times do I have to tell you...?" asked an unamused 1098. "I am an Effect. What purpose would I have for petty earthly attachments such as love?"
Narrowing her eyes, Herbertia said, "It better stay that way..." before noticing Hobbs and the others.
Hobbs teased, "Why don't you take the ball," and threw it into Ximena's arms, "fatso?!"
"Why do you always have to make fun of me?" asked Ximena.
"Because, big boy, you're FAT!" Hobbs laughed. "What isn't there to insult about you?!" And the other boys did the same.
Growing displeased, Herbertia said, "I'm getting so tired of Hobbs...."
"Now, remember, Herbertia, nothing rash..." carefully warned 1098. "You don't want to disappoint Ikjot, remember...?"
"You don't always have to fight to solve your problems, 1098..." Herbertia said before handing her the ball. Then she walked towards the boys. "Sometimes, you can use words."
Be careful, Herbertia... thought 1098.
Qinton told Ximena, "Hey, fat boy, why don't you throw the ball through the hoop instead of second guessing on whether or not you wanna eat it?" Then he laughed with the other boys.
Ximena looked down, feeling even more depressed.
From behind Ximena, Herbertia told the boys, "Maybe he's on a diet...." Just then, upon seeing her, Hobbs and the other boys' teeth chattered in fear. Herbertia walked past Ximena and those other boys, continuing, "You know, making fun of someone just because of their physical features is an unfair advantage. Do it again..." and Herbertia looked to 1098, making sure the Effect noticed that she stuck to her promise and wasn't getting violent, "and I'm telling Coach."
Excellent work, Herbertia... thought 1098, smiling and folding her arms. You've hit them where it hurts....
Shamefully rubbing the back of his head, Hobbs told his boys, "Uh, y'know, maybe we should go make fun of someone else..." and walked away with them.
"Yeah..." said Glen Mai. "Herbertia always ruins the fun!"
Ximena nervously chuckled to Herbertia, "Looks like those guys are mad at you...."
"Pshaw..." said Herbertia, waving her hand and looking aside. Then she looked up at Ximena. "You get used to it."
"You know, for a liar, you're actually pretty nice!" said Ximena before offering Herbertia his thick hand... hoof, whatever. "I'm Ximena!"
"I'm Herbertia," she said, holding her hand out and shaking his.
Ximena chuckled, "Yeah, I know. Everyone's been saying you're a liar and what not...."
Looking down with sadness, Herbertia said, "Can you stop reminding me about that?"
"Oh man!" said Ximena, slightly holding his hoof over his mouth. "Sorry...."
Herbertia just kept her head down, not saying anything.
Ximena knew he had to fix this. Scratching the back of his head, he smiled shyly and said, "Well... people have said bad things about me too before."
Herbertia looked up to Ximena while saying, "Really now...?"
"Yeah..." Ximena chuckled. "I guess that makes two of us, huh?"
"I guess so," chuckled Herbertia, sympathetically. "But, really though, you've got to learn to stand up for yourself, you know?" And she punched the air. "Cream the punks that mess with you; show them who's boss, and whatnot."
Ximena looked down with disappointment. "Gee, I wish I could; but I'm not much of a fighter...."
"Well, I am; but..." and Herbertia looked down with a blush, held her hands behind her back and scratched the ground with her shoe, "I'd get kicked out if I fought at school—not that I care, of course. I'm actually staying on my best behavior for my boyfr—um... a good friend of mine." Again, she was sticking to her promise of not revealing herself and I as a couple.
"That's really sweet of you!" Ximena happily told Herbertia.
"XIMENA!" yelled Coach Wollner from the distance. "DON'T JUST HOLD THE BALL—THROW IT!"
Ximena replied, "SORRY, COACH!" He then told Herbertia, "Well, looks like I'd better get back to the game," and ran off. He yelled from their increasing distance, "It was nice formally meeting you, Herbertia!"
With a soft smile and blush, Herbertia told Ximena, "Thanks, it was... nice formally meeting you too...."
As for 1098, she took note of Herbertia and puzzled with narrowed eyes while humming, "Hmmm...."
***
Around this same time in Mrs. Ives class, I sat with Xandra, Orabel and their cliques, as well as Helena, at one table. Yam, Nydia, Kip, Quenishia and Xandy sat at another. And Rye and his boys sat at the third. Regardless of the separations between us, we all were doing one thing: Writing papers, but as groups. Made it at least somewhat fun that way, I guessed.
"Past experiences, ey...?" puzzled Xandra as she'd tap her pencil's eraser against her lips. Then she said, "Oh, I know!" She started writing on her paper, "I... remember...a... time... when—"
Piper giggled and asked, "Do you have to write your paper out loud to us?"
Xandra stopped and giggled, "No, I'm just being silly...." Then even happier, she remembered something and told me, "Oh, Ikjot, do you have our homework from over the weekend?!"
I placed my backpack on the table, unzipped it, took out a folder filled with papers, opened it before the girls and muffled, "You know it!"
For the first time ever, Orabel placed her hoof on my hand and said with relief, "Ikjot, you are a lifesaver!"
I muffled with a sweet smile—though no one could see it, "Aw, thanks, Orabel! Y'all are my homies and I'll do anything for you—anything!"
Xandra began looking through the papers and thought, Perfect.... The homework I gave Ikjot would have made anyone, even a scientist, tucker out and be unable to go on. Now that I know Ikjot is willin' to break every bone in his body if it means pleasin' me, I'll use his kindness against him.... Hehe. She elatedly said aloud, "IKJOT, OH MY GOSH! YOU HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB HERE!"
I muffled, "WOW! REALLY?!"
Xandra pointed to me while saying, "YOU'VE GOT IT MADE, IKJOT!" And while happily shouting, "WOOOO!" she gave me a high-five while the other girls laughed.
YES! She touched me again!
Xandra told me, "Hey, can you go outside and see if Orabel's pen is in the hallway?"
Orabel raised her eyebrow with curiosity, knowing none of her pens were missing. She realized that Xandra was up to something.
I got up and muffled, "Sure, Xandra!" before walking to Mrs. Ives and asking if I could momentarily step out.
As for the girls, they huddled close to one another at the table while Xandra quietly chuckled and whispered, "Okay, so here's the deal: We're gonna destroy the homework he gave us, as planned."
After Mrs. Ives gave me permission to step out, I walked out of the classroom while Xandra would watch me leave.
Now that I was outside in the hallway, Orabel whispered, "Okay, so how are we going to do it?"
"Leave it to me!" chuckled Xandra as she grabbed all the papers from the folder and began ripping them to shreds.
The girls were shocked beyond imagination.
"Xandra, that is so mean!" exclaimed Voleta.
Xandra paused with slight shock while saying, "But... Voleta... I'm only doing this because Ikjot called you 'fat' behind your back."
After gasping with Orabel and Piper, Voleta whispered, "No waaaay! WHAT A JERK!"
"I KNOW, RIGHT?!" whispered Xandra before she continued ripping up the papers and thought, HA! Yeah, right! I'M the real jerk! And Ikjot doin' all of this hard work only makes it more fun to destroy.
In the hallway, I scratched my head while watching the floor, looking around and seeing no pen in sight. I muffled, "Hmm... I hope no one took Orabel's pen—that would be terrible!" I walked back towards the door. "Guess I'd better break the bad news to the girls...." Then I sighed with disappointment.
As for Xandra, she now held the pieces of torn papers in her hands and placed them into Helena's own while saying, "Here, Helena!"
"Why do I have to go throw them away?" asked a confused Helena.
Yosef curiously thought, Xandra totally lied to Voleta about Ikjot... but why...?
Xandra made puppy-dog eyes and pouted to Helena.
Helena looked down and said, "Fine...."
"Aw, you're the best sis ever!" sweetly said Xandra.
With that, Helena got up and walked towards the trash can.
Xandra took note of Mrs. Ives who peeked up to see that Helena was holding a lot of torn-up papers.
"I don't care if Ikjot's injured," said Orabel with a shrug. "I mean, heck! If he made fun of Voleta," and she chuckled with disbelief, "who's to say that he didn't make fun of all of us?!"
"So very true!" said Yosef, happily nodding as she played along with Xandra's lie.
"All too true!" said Wynfred, doing the same.
Xandra said, "Yeah, he's a total pig! I guess it's just the way with guys to trick gals and make 'em think they care." Then Xandra thought, More like the way I am—HA! Wynfred and Yosef are such real ones for backin' up my lies. Hehe.
Meanwhile, Helena made it to the trash can and dropped the torn-up papers inside.
This made Mrs. Ives raise an eyebrow.
Helena then walked back to the table with the girls and told them, "Well, it's dumped. I still feel like what we've done is mean though—and it is."
"Did I mention that Ikjot was tellin' some girls you were hideous?" Xandra told Helena.
"Very funny, Xandra..." said Helena as she'd roll her eyes. "You know your games don't work on me, right?"
Xandra gasped and said, "Why, Helena, I would—" and placed her hand on Helena's shoulder. "I would never lie to you, my bestie and own sister! I love you more than anyone or anything, even myself! Don't you know I would die for you? You are my everything, Helena..." and yada-yada-yada, Helena knew better.
Helena rolled her eyes and thought, As usual, my older sis has to be the saint—she is so not! I've got the lashes on my back from yesterday's whipping from Mom to prove it....
Just then, I walked back into the classroom, closed the door behind me—
"Don't close the door," said Mrs. Ives.
I muffled, "Oh," and pushed it back open, "absolutely, Mrs. Ives!" Then I walked back to Xandra's table and took my seat.
"Hey, did you find it?" Orabel asked me.
I shook my head and muffled, "I searched high and low for that pen, but no luck. I'm very sorry, Orabel."
Orabel said, "Oh, it's okay—"
"Maybe I should get y—OH, I'm so sorry!" I realized I interrupted her. "You go first!"
"No-no, it's fine!" Orabel assured me. "You!"
"Well, okay, if you insist—"
"I do!" and Orabel chuckled.
Hmmm... thought Xandra with a sly smile.
I muffled with a chuckle, "Well, okay! I was saying that maybe I should get you a new pen, since you might have lost this one."
Orabel was shocked... and said, "Ikjot, you would do that for me?"
"Hey, you and I are tight, right? The least I can do is be a friend when you need one!"
Orabel happily said, "Ikjot, that is so nice!"
I picked up my backpack, unzipped one of the smaller pouches and took out a black pen. I muffled, "Well... it's not pink like your old one, but it's the only one I had on hand."
Orabel happily shook her head and said, "It doesn't matter. It's the thought that counts, right?!"
"True that!" And I held it to her. "Here you are!"
The girls were very happy, as was Orabel who took the pen and told them, "He is so nice, isn't he?!"
I looked down with a shy smile while Xandra looked to me and said, "Ikjot, you are ABSOLUTELY wonderful; just wonderful! Oh my gosh!"
I looked to Xandra and shrugged my arms while muffling, "Hey, I'm not the only one! You're my best friend at this school, Xandra!"
Xandra looked away with a shy smile and waved dismissively while replying, "Oh, pshaw... I take no credit for myself." Then she placed her hand on my chest. "It's all of us who've done our part in making sure you have the greatest experience possible here at this school."
On the inside, I was just jumping for joy—Xandra must've finally been falling for me! Why else would she touch me these many times in one day, let alone touch me at all?!
Leading him on for laughs...? thought Wynfred, smiling. Xan, you get meaner everyday....
I muffled, "Well..." and placed my hand on her arm, "you, so long as I'm calling the shots, will have just as good of an experience at this school."
From there, Xandra and I made sweet smiles to each other.
The rest of the girls happily mouthed the word oooh to one another.
Mrs. Ives got up from the seat at her desk and began walking around the class while she said, "Okay, guys, you've got ten minutes left to finish your papers—I'll be collecting your homework in the meantime."
"Uh-oh..." said Helena with worry.
I muffled, "What's up?"
Before Helena could say anything, Xandra replied, "Helena accidentally threw it away."
"Huh...?" I muffled while everyone else was surprised.
"WHAT?!" exclaimed Helena with disbelief. "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, XAN?!"
Now standing at our table, Mrs. Ives said, "Homework...?"
I reached into my backpack and took out some papers—yes, that was my own homework at least.
Mrs. Ives continued, "Xandra, Orabel, Piper, Wynfred, Yosef and Voleta, you already gave me yours...."
I thought, They must have turned it in while I was outside.
Xandra thought, My girls n' I gave our homework to Mrs. Ives on the night of the same day it was assigned: Friday. Too bad Ikjot doesn't know! Haha!
I handed my papers to Mrs. Ives and said, "Here you go!"
"Thaaaank you!" said Mrs. Ives, placing it on the stack of the rest of the papers she received. She held out her hand to Helena and said, "And Helena...?"
Once again, before Helena could say anything, Xandra shrugged to Mrs. Ives while saying, "Helena threw hers away for some reason—it was when she was walking to the trash can with those torn-up papers just now."
Helena gasped with great shock and disbelief and said, "MRS. IVES, NO! SHE'S LYING!"
I and the other girls were shocked to hear Helena call her sister a liar.
Xandra gasped and said, "Oh, Mrs. Ives, I would never—!"
"No need to explain, Xan," said Mrs. Ives before looking to Helena. "I know a liar when I see one."
Helena pled, "BUT, MRS. IVES—!"
Mrs. Ives interrupted, "I saw you walking to the trash with papers, Helena."
Helena looked to Piper and said, "OH MY GOSH! PIPER, TELL MRS. IVES THAT I DIDN'T—!"
"Xandra's right," said Piper, shrugging her shoulders. "Helena did destroy her own homework for some reason."
Helena gasped with disbelief. She expected the girls, even if not Xandra, to always be on her side.
Making Helena more shocked, Wynfred said, "Yeah, she just walked to the trash and junked the stuff."
And all the girls, minus Helena, agreed with each other, all nodding to Wynfred's testimony.
"Wynfred?!" exclaimed Helena, looking at her in sad disbelief.
Wynfred sadly thought, Forgive me, Helena... but we have to do what Xandra wants. It makes sure we keep our cool status.
I was the only one who didn't even know what was going on, since I wasn't in the room at the time when Helena threw away those papers that they were talking about.
Unable to hold her attitude, Helena stood up, pointed to Xandra and said, "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO GOT YOUR DOG LOGAN TO DESTROY ALL OF MY HOMEWORK YESTERDAY! ADMIT IT, XANDRA!"
"HELENA!" snapped Mrs. Ives. "Xandra is the kindest, most angelic girl at this school!"
And Xandra looked down with a shy smile.
Mrs. Ives went on to tell Helena, "She would never do such a thing! Xandra has given speeches to this school on how she feels the world could be a better place if some countries didn't believe in wars and violence! She's donated to the poor on multiple occasions, thrown whole birthday parties for faculty members and even took over as substitute teacher for Mr. Nutbrown's computer class when he was out sick!"
All to appear as the 'goody two-shoes' to y'all, of course... thought Xandra with a sly smile, since her head was still down.
Helena pled, "MRS. IVES, NO—!"
"I will see you in detention for recess," said Mrs. Ives.
He-he, thought Xandra.
"BUT MRS. IVES!" pled Helena, now shedding tears and quivering her lips.
"No exceptions, Helena!" said Mrs. Ives.
With that, Helena grabbed the essay she was working on, balled it up and threw it to the floor, and ran out of the classroom, crying with her hands covering her face.
Mrs. Ives ran after her and yelled, "HELENA!" while Xandra and her girls laughed.
With puzzle, Nydia told Kip, "Xandra I can understand, but since when are even her girls against Helena...?"
"Don't know," said Kip. "But I've got the strangest feeling that she had something to do with this...."
"You mean Xandra?" asked Yam.
"Yeah..." said Kip, nodding with suspicion.
"Wow..." I muffled. "What was that all about? She seemed really upset...."
Xandra rubbed her hand on my chest, causing me to smile with comfort while she said, "Oh, it's nothing, Ikjot. Helena's just weird like that at times."
"Yeah, she'll get over it!" said Piper with confidence.
Xandra thought, I didn't expect destroyin' Ikjot's work to serve any purpose; I just wanted to be mean. Still in all though, I still wanted things to be even more unfair for Helena by Mrs. Ives thinkin' that my sis destroyed her own homework. And what better way than trickin' Helena into throwin' away some torn-up papers right in front of her? Hehe.
Orabel laughed, "Man, I haven't felt this entertained since this past weekend with my boyfriend Hermon!"
Orabel's words sparked a memory in my head—she indeed did have a boyfriend around this time who was five years older than her ten-year-old self. Regardless, just so I'd seem oblivious as I should have been, I muffled to her, "Hmmm, who's Hermon?"
"Oh, that's her boyfriend," Xandra told me.
I thought, Hmmm... looks like couples really aren't something to be ashamed of at this school after all. I mean... this is Righteous Korrigan we're talking about. Regardless... oooh... I can't tell Herbertia. If I do, she'll think she has the green light to parade it all over the school! I can't have that—not while Xandra is just starting to get close to me!
Just then, Mrs. Ives walked back in the classroom with Helena who continued to cry. And Mrs. Ives told her, "Look, I know you're upset; but doing bad things has to result in punishment. That's what the Lord wants."
Helena sniffed and said, "But... Xandra's the one who—"
Mrs. Ives interrupted, "Now I don't want to hear any more bad talk about your sister, Helena. Xandra is the kindest, saintliest sister that anyone could ask for."
Keeping her sweet smile for Mrs. Ives to see, Xandra thought, That's right... and let 'em continue to think that. This town's gonna see just how 'saintly' I am when I ruin their lives... forever....
Xandra, you've done it again—you've managed to hurt yet another person: Your own SISTER! When will the madness end...? Will the madness end?
Meanwhile, it would appear that Herbertia is beginning to have a fondness for Ximena, even though she's already in a relationship. Looks like Ikjot being truly freed for Xandra's taking might just come to pass. The question is, will that end well or bad? Will that even happen at all?
And what about Marta's life? By the end of the school day at Plowe Flowers Academy, Penelope would strike and, hopefully, avenge Marta and her family for the wrong that Tiane has done.
Derick and Mike will keep on abusing Vanessa and Vicky, so long as they can get away with it.
The two agents are still waiting for their moment to capture Ikjot—for what purpose, we still have yet to know.... The answers to these questions and more are soon to be revealed. Stay tuned for scenes from the next... Something!
***
In the next chapter of Something! Uh-oh! Ikjot's in trouble! Come on, Herbertia! This is no time for horsing around!
Herbertia came to 1098 with a whoop and said, "XIMENA IS SO MUCH FUN TO PLAY HORSEY WITH!"
And watch out, fellow students.... Your peer, Xandra, has been hiding a rather frightening power! Don't miss it... next Something!
***
Something8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXInhcYNgo4
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqQ4i8KVjN
Ikjot is Betrayed
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♪ Yes, I didn't talk to anyone. ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXX30vXfRe
♪ I was made fun of by everyone. ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZLCLGsfSG
♪ It's something I wish could be undone. ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeNOkYe2Wg
♪ She asked me. I wish I'd had respond. ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8CYXSLaDh
♪ But hear me out: We're all worth being loved! ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa56snxEdbW
♪ Please hear me out: We're all worth being loved! ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwzo3qodU9
♪ I'm crying out: We're all worth being loved! ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu904Xgn3DC
♪ I have no doubt we're all worth being loved! ♪
♪ Please, I beg you all, let's become friends! ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVI0p2E5gP
♪ Let's not judge each other by what's been! ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY69pTA9lOo
♪ It was years ago! It came and went! ♪8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcU6GkDUdWg
♪ That's a past chapter! New one begins! ♪
***
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