Chapter 36: Birds of a feather
1911 Words
The revelation about who Sean really was though not yet confirmed left Audrey dumbstruck. At that moment in a battle of who was the good one between Tina and Ivy, Tina was winning for saving her from the gaping wide open mouth of a crocodile named Sean. It all made sense now. The flirting and him shooting his shot moments after they met were all part of a bigger plot? But if he was such a good swindler, why was he still riding his bike to school? Besides he was too young to be a con really or she just had a good heart like Tina said and it was going to cost her. Everything was confusing now and more than ever she wanted an audience with Sean to get his side of the story. It was not like her to judge someone without letting them defend themselves. For that reason, she was going to allow Tina to tell the truth about her car breaking down and also that secret just before the surprise birthday. She was also going to give Ivy a chance to tell the truth about where she spent the night and not play games and Audrey herself was going to come clean about Sean hitting on her back at the restaurant. All of that in a bid to create trust among them. Was it going to work?
“Ivy thinks your car didn’t break down. Is it true? Just tell me the truth. I was really worried about you”
“Be weary of Ivy” Tina warned.
“You already told me that. Okay, maybe as an example let me start by telling the truth”
“About what? You’re terrible at keeping secrets, just a second ago you told me what Ivy said”
“People don’t share what they don’t want anyone else to know…”
“Exactly my point. Go ahead spill whatever it is you are hiding in this chubby cheeks” she touched her face, it was not a smiling matter and the look of disappointment in Audrey’s eyes behind those glasses was obvious, “Sorry…go ahead”
“Sean hit on me”
“And you said yes?” Tina was struck by an adrenaline rush of both fear and surprise. Imagine telling someone how bad Satan is and watch them join the illuminati the next minute. Depressing.
“No, I didn’t say Yes and its not because of Mason. I know that look”
“We both know am right”
“Mason is way out of my league, another truth…”
“You kissed, this school is such a small place”
That was strange. A quick silent analysis in her head showed that it didn’t add up, no one was talking about that kiss besides it was in the parking lot, dark with only the creepy presence of Ivy who was waiting in the car all alone. By then Tina should have left, right? Unless Ivy told her but the two were both trying to warn her against each other so that was not a possibility, if it were then it was so thin. How did Tina know they kissed?
“How did you know about that?”
“You also look super happy, glowing, how did it feel?”
“I don’t know, good I guess”
“Can we both agree you like him?”
“Does it matter? Enough about me, you were about to confess something…”
Tina zipped. That was a topic she wished to forget and avoid if possible but her friend’s relentless nature was not going to allow it to happen.
“Okay, you got me. I didn’t leave with my car” Audrey looked surprised, Ivy’s warning was echoing in her head even as Tina looked at her with her eyes glowing like diamonds in the sun with a smile as wide and accommodating as her personality, “One of our guards picked it up”
“Oh”
“Got you. Hurts to have your best friend doubt you. But it’s not your fault so am going to ignore it”
She didn’t have to ask who’s fault it was. That gap between Ivy and Tina was getting wider even before they realized that they were beefing. As for Audrey who brought them together, she was feeling bad for causing it all. In this case, had she not told Tina what Ivy said then perhaps they would go on being friends without bad blood.
“Promise me you’re not going to bring this up”
“Not after that treacherous b***h tried to ruin us like her evil Aunt”
“s**t, there she comes. Just this once, please exercise some patience and self-control. Please”
“Don’t worry, am good”
“Prove it” Dared Audrey. As though she was waiting for her matching orders she left to meet Ivy with a surprise hug and a French kiss. Some might call it a kiss of betrayal. Ivy seemed surprised too and making faces of the same at her distant cousin. No, she didn’t have the answers for her, speaking too much had already caused problems, zipping it would do her much justice.
“Hi, this is nice”
“Already cleared with admission?”
“Yes, Audrey? Woke up and you were gone”
“Changed my schedule” Ivy tried to keep the hug spirit going on but it she felt as though she was hugging a tree, "not a hugger"
"Terrible choice, damn, this school is beautiful"
"And you came in on a good day. We have games after lunch, everyone will be watching soccer"
"Oh I might know the reason why" she said arms akimbo into thinking mode, Tina had that-I told you so look.
"You're both pathetic. Glad you made it cuz, you want that tour or Lucas has already done the honors"
"He is salty from failing a drug test. You guys take me around"
Audrey took that one gladly. One thing though, she just didn't understand how casual Tina was around Ivy and vice versa as though they were not talking ill about each other. She didn't count on Tina to listen to her and keep her word about not confronting Ivy and neither did she count on Ivy to quickly forget about the warning she issued her about Tina. Audrey was getting introduced to the two actresses and the reality of life where not everyone who smiles at you actually likes you, the moment you turn your back they say all the mean things that are always bottled up in their chests.
"You're too quiet" Ivy realized it had been Tina all through the tour, they stopped at the entrance of the library, her favorite building in the entire school.
"Let me guess" Tina jumped in, "you're replaying that kiss"
"You told her"
"Apparently this school is so small. That's what she said"
"Hmm"
"Anyway, I'm not thinking about that kiss"
"Then what? You can't offer to give me the tour and keep quiet like you don't exist"
They say, show me your friends and I'll tell you your character. They were barely her friends but she had realized to fit in she needed to conceal a few important details of every information she shared with them and not always speak what was really in her heart...I know you think that's the definition and of lying and you're right. But it was not going to be the first time wasn't it? You must have realized already that Audrey wasn't the same since getting hit in the head with that stray ball.
"It's just girl stuff"
"Oh you're on your period. Girl be proud of it at least you're not pregnant"
Not quite the case but why bother setting the record straight when she could easily get away with a lie? She was realizing that people really hear what they want to hear.
"You make pregnancy sound like such a bad thing" complained Ivy as they made their way to the lift, eyes on them this time it was not hard to guess they were checking out the new girl and not Audrey or maybe some were but most were boys-it had to be Ivy capturing their attention.
"My bad. I just meant as women of tomorrow we should be proud of our biology"
"In agreement. So Ivy, this is the library as you can see. Good books" she chose to deflect, the biology was scary to her even though she had it all covered, "this is best place in this school "
"From her point of view. The music room is by far the most fun place in this school"
"And what are you waiting for bitches? Take me there"
"Sure, and introduce you. This is amazing having two of my friends in the group" Tina said happily ignoring the look of doubt on Audrey's face, did she just use friend to describe them both?
"Are you not dropping by to say hi to your aunt?" She asked slagging. Ivy and Tina were already a couple of steps away.
"Distant Aunt"
"Still an aunt, right Ivy?"
"Go ahead we will wait" Ivy played along.
For the record, it was not important whether or not Tina popped in to check on her "Aunt" you did notice the speech marks...story for another day. The only Aunty Tina had was halfway across the world doing a study on kangaroos in Australia but she did say distant right?
"Okay, you leave me I'll smother both of you in your dreams" Tina left unwillingly it was in her body language and Audrey noticed thanks to the non-verbal cues study and her highly retentive mind.
"Thank God she has left, phony b***h I was suffocating. Did she tell you the truth about her car breaking down?"
Frozen. Audrey was frozen. Ivy had to snap her fingers to bring her back to reality. Was it the same Ivy? Perhaps Tina was right about her being like Rose.
"Are you okay?You're acting funny"
"I'm fine"
"Don't believe it, can we leave?"
"And Tina?"
"Are you not tired of her? I didn't tell you what she said about you and Mason and the way she looks at him like a snack"
"What's this about?"
"Anyway, I'll tell you when we get home there she comes, act casual"
As much as the definition for casual differs from one person to another Audrey might have misunderstood it, she grinned like a mental patient instead and Ivy didn't hold back the laughter. It's a good thing unsuspecting Tina joined in the laugh as they left the library under a glaring eye from the librarians. The first time she had witnessed such a scenario where people were united by hypocrisy was with her own family. Now she was starting to think it was just okay. If only she knew that the same hypocrisy surrounded her. A Gem, yet unmarked and unwanted. No one was seeing her worth ,more than an emotional support friend others were with her to win a bet others to keep their love fantasies alive, others used her as a ladder to get love from a heart that love had abandoned and she was getting delusional with that belief that they cared about her. In fact, the hypocrisy was even getting better with Sean coming to Bridgetown that afternoon.
- Writer
