THE UNMARKED GEM; A Girl Nobody Desired

Chapter 45: The fight

Audrey was seated at her favorite spot in the garden, on her left was Ivy and her right was Tina. Silently eating their ice cream, courtesy of Tina who hoped it was going to sweeten up her tongue for whatever the discussion was going to be about. Until she went to class sand couldn't concentrate Tina had no idea how heavy that burden of the unknown was. It could have been anything really but the only secret she was keeping away from her that would have proved to be catastrophic to their friendship was giving her nightmares during daytime.

"This is nice, thanks T"

"You're welcome" she said flashing a smile.

"This is amazing, is there more where this came from?"

"You can go get it yourself"

"Tina, no need to be rude to her"

"As if I care, good day Audrey" she said leaving the bench, that came as a relief to Audrey she was thinking of a way to tell Ivy to give them space without sounding rude or taking a side.

"I'll have a good day whether you wish me or not" Tina shot back at a leaving Ivy, and in another response, she showed her the middle finger, "f**k you, what's wrong with her?"

"You started it"

"No, I just spoke my mind"

"And she did the same, you know matching energy is the reason why everyone is miserable. It doesn't cost you a dime to be nice to someone"

"We both know this has been brewing since day one. Now that she has showed her true colors..."

"What true colors?" Interrupted Audrey. She glared at her, a friendly one that seemed to politely say-don’t interrupt me again-she raised her hands in the air to show peace.

"...now that she has showed her true colors I can say this without fear. I never liked her since day one"

"You've been pretending? You really are good at pretending"

Oh, there it was, the guilt again although this time Audrey couldn't tell what she had been hiding since they met. Fun and jokes were over now and in front of her lay a moment of truth. A period of silence followed, the two friends seated side by side finishing up their ice cream. It was then or never and after that talk whether or not they were going to be still friends, they were going to forever cherish the moments they shared and memories they made. That's actually what you have to do with people. Lisa, a beautiful and smart character in another interesting book some amateur writer but pretty good with words authored, said that some great things start with a mistake.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" Tina asked expelling all the tension through her nostrils.

"I Just want the truth " Audrey answered ushering them to another dramatic silence.

She also said, Lisa, we often times get hurt by those we dearly trust, strangers can't hurt us because they know nothing about us. Okay, that was my own addition but, my favorite line in that book; My One-night stand soccer boyfriend, is...the world is a mixture of people, we just need to know which hands to shake and which ones to hold, after all life is about learning to hold and let go. You're probably still holding hands that only deserve a shake. Just like Audrey.

"I'm sorry"

"For what really? Because I can think of a lot"

"For everything. I tried to tell you at Mason's party but I just couldn't. I let my selfish interest come between our friendship"

"This is not a about me"

Tina's face lit up, her large saucer shaped eyes bulged, making her more beautiful. You could see relief seep through her sweat pores, the hairs on her hands were up attracting relief from the atmosphere.

"Okay ..." she cleared her throat, "if it's not about me what is it about?"

You see Tina had a chance right there to change the course of this story. She had a clear shot to tell the truth and yet at her moment of truth a deflection made her feel better about keeping the lie. She had convinced herself that not letting her truth out was protecting Audrey from the harsh reality and excruciating pain of being lied to by the very person she trusted more.

"Sean"

"Oh, Jesus Christ Audrey why won't you let this go?"

"Why did you lie to me?"

"Are you seriously going to let that rascal come between us?"

"No, I'm just worried about what he told me. He is hurting"

"And how's that your business huh? You want to care about the whole world go ahead but just not that i***t!"

Audrey zipped it. Looked as though the friendly approach was not working. It was time to switch up the tactics just a little bit. The risk; ruining their friendship. The reward; helping a wounded soul and knowing who to trust. Justification; everyone deserved to be treated fairly and with dignity.

"Tell me how often a CEO of a top accounting company gets away with murder by framing one of his loyal servants just to make it look like manslaughter and then get the employee fired with nothing to go back to and his reputation ruined leaving him no option but to kill himself and leave behind a struggling widow with a son whose future was bright but now it's dimmed because he is dead inside!"

Frozen. Those words left Tina frozen, she didn't even blink or move her face. What followed was a flying slap that Audrey grabbed before it connected with her cheek. The look in her eyes had changed, killer instinct, survival mode or just another side of Audrey Tina didn't expect to meet, as for Tina she was shaking with a mixture of anger and pain from her arm being squeezed. Right there, after pushing all the right buttons and squeezing Dr. Audrey had finally found the source of the problem, now it was upon the patient to either accept or reject the diagnosis and treatment.

"I'm asking you this once Tina, why did you lie to me about Sean? In what world do you think that's fair?"

"Leave my arm your fat piece of s**t"

"Sorry, just don't try to slap me again"

"Who do you think you are? I did you a favor to get you of your shell and how do you repay me? With disrespect because of your love interest"

"It's not love, it's compassion"

"Who made you the judge? My dad didn't do any of those things you dug up online. I thought you're my friend"

"I am and that's why am doing this, make it right Tina. Your family ruined his life but it's never too late to fix it. The least you can do is admit he did it...."

"That case was closed"

"We both know the rich either directly or indirectly make and break the law Tina. Talk to your father, let him make the amends am sure he can listen to you"

"And why should I do that?"

"For the sake of our friendship"

"It ended the moment you chose him over me. f**k you, and don't even think I've forgotten this fatty, my revenge is coming and I serve it hot, and don't even think your family is made of saints, at least my father didn't marry an ex-con" she walked away on Audrey.

It had gone the exact way she expected except for the last part. Rose, an ex con? That one left her surprised. She was not even worried about the fact that probably Tina was never going to talk to her and how she was going to adjust to a life without Tina. Ex-con was ringing in her mind almost frying up her brain cells, how did she miss that in her quick research?

As for Tina, she was seething with rage headed to the girl’s washroom, knocking the door open with her boots. High on emotions, regrets crossing her mind. She wasn't even feeling the guilt of what her family did to Sean. How could that fat nobody disrespect her like that? Who did she think she is?

"Fuuuuck!" She screamed so loud.

"Keep it down b***h or go masturbate from somewhere else" the occupant of the next cubicle didn't pass a chance to kick her while she was down.

"f**k you"

"I'll come in there and f**k you up instead"

"Oh, come on b***h do you know who you're fuckin with?"

"You have the voice of a child"

That fight with a stranger escalated her anger so bad that she went to wait for them by the door, when she exited the washroom Tina jumped on her and that's how a fist fight broke off with both of them rolling on the floor, a crowd started forming. Tina was realizing too late that the stranger was on the girl’s rugby team and she was having fun throwing her around. There were a few rules about bathroom fights at Bridgetown, one was until the weaker opponent tapped out the fight was going to continue, Tina wasn't going to lose twice on the same day. And two, there was no recording, just enjoying the fight. Well by now you can tell that Tina was screwed. Just not yet. Guess who showed up to her rescue?

"Hands off her!"

Everyone turned around to face Audrey standing by the door. At hand a baseball bat. Boos could be heard everywhere. No one liked her already, then she was standing attracting more hate because of her former friend who had just called her names. Naive or stupid?

"Oh, I'll have fun pummeling the both of you. Bring your fat ass here" the tormentor roared choking a lifeless Tina with one hand.

"You don't want to try me" she charged.

"You talk a lot with that bat at hand" Tina was finally released gasping for air on the floor she dragged her ass to one corner, "Face me woman to woman you are fat am jacked up"

"It's not about the size of the dog in the fight it's about the size of the fight in a dog"

"What?"

Before she and the rest of the illegal fight audience deciphered that famous quote from Hobbs and Shaw, Audrey had punched her tormentor in the throat so hard and she was gasping for air. For a moment Tina forgot they were actually enemies then and smiled through her bruised face.

"Some anatomy too. Come on, let's go" she picked up a wounded Tina amid more boos.

"Why after everything I said to you"

"None of us should be judged by the actions of our weakest moment but rather by the strength we show when and if we're given a second chance. Let's get you to the infirmary"

Ted lasso right there. Speaking of second chances, we come along way so am going to be straight with ya, she was going to f**k it up as big as she promised at her weakest moment. Sorry to kill your hopes. Tina was like the scorpion in that popular fable of a frog and a scorpion. You don't know it? Another reason to keep reading.