Chapter 23: Girl's Day Out
1838 Words
Audrey and Ivy found Tina waiting by the gate, despite their weeks long friendship she was not yet confident enough to walk in and meet everyone, see the miller manor in its full picture and not just the beautiful grey roof top and trimmed lawns with its iron gates that screamed effluence, she was not yet ready to go past the heavily built security guards that looked like they were guarding a national treasure. Back at home she had guards but they were not as serious as those at Millers.
"Hi, how long have you been here?" Audrey looked surprised.
"Long enough to know you don't keep time...I just got here get in b***h we don't have time"
"I like this one. How come you are friends and yet two distinct opposites?" Ivy as usual couldn't wait to be introduced, not when she had a functioning buccal cavity.
The two looked at each other before Audrey went ahead and opened the back door leaving Tina to explain their unusual friendship.
"It just kind of happened, who are you by the way? Sorry for asking but she has never mentioned a sister or something"
"I'm Ivy" they shook hands making eye contact, "I'm her cousin" Audrey's eyes almost popped out of their sockets, that was going to make her look like a liar, as though she was hiding some important facts about her life to someone who had come so close to being her best friend leave alone being her only friend.
"For real?"
"Yeah?" Ivy said getting in, what Tina didn't see was that cheeky smile across her cute as button face.
"Just tell her the truth" growled Audrey making herself comfortable in the enviable back left seat of the SUV.
"Okay, Lucas and I are cousins which makes me kind of a step cousin to her"
"Ooh great, now I get it. How long are you visiting?"
"I'm staying with them from now until further notice" she hugged Audrey who showed no sign of ever hugging her back, not in a million years. It made Tina smile because she knew her chubby friend wasn't a hugger and she enjoyed less contact with literally everyone, "you'll see me at school soon"
"Bridgetown doesn't take new students during this time of the year" Tina pointed out driving off towards the CBD.
"Does it? Well anything is possible if your aunt is married to a Billionaire" she bragged making herself comfortable, "turn that up, my favorite jam!"
That's how music took charge. It was Ed Sheeran and the African giant himself Burna boy coming together in "For my hand" the girls sang it on top of their lungs, Audrey did the recording on Tina's phone before she joined in when "I don't care" featuring Justin Bieber came on. She sang her heart out that even in that moment of having fun Tina realized she was hurt and using the song to get out her emotions. That's how she stopped singing and focused on the road getting eaten up by her own guilt. Was she in too deep? But first in what? What was that conspiracy she was in too deep and how did it affect Audrey?
"Hey are you okay? You just stopped singing and we realized you're actually the only one amongst us with a singing voice"
"Speak for yourself cuz"
"Aww, she called me cuz" Ivy was elated. Truly, it’s the little things that matter a lot.
"I'm okay, you girls have fun. We're int the city now and I have to be more careful unless you want me to fix us a date with Jesus"
"That's a weird way to glorify death"
"Are you afraid of death?"
Looked as though Tina's efforts to bring up death without mentioning it proved futile. The blame was still hers though. She didn't know a lot but one thing she knew was how scary it was to talk about death on a busy highway with heavy trucks and huge buses, especially when you have watched the entire final destination franchise.
"No, I'm not afraid of anything"
"Really?"
"Okay am afraid of insects and bullets and anything that causes me physically harm and pain..."
"Does that involve d**k?"
Tina couldn't restrain the laughter, Ivy joined her in it and Audrey was left chuckling shyly wishing she had her headphones on and a bag of snacks instead of trying to connect with her already crazy friend and seemingly crazy distant cousin.
"For real d**k can cause some pain though it's also pleasures, confusing"
"Yeah, I guess as smart as you're something tells you she is a virgin"
"I'm not!" Audrey negated with renewed vigor, she didn't look like the same girl who moments ago wanted to leave the car in a jumpsuit belted to one of those fighter jet seats with a parachute.
You can imagine the reaction of her comrades, Tina adjusted the rear-view mirror to focus directly on her face and all of a sudden, she hated driving and wanted all the juice, Ivy had her jaw dropped, she had never seen anyone disown virginity that vigorously as though it was such a bad thing.
"Tell us everything!" Typical Ivy blurted out looking sexy in a white body con dress and a pair of black heels, her hair tucked behind her ears cascading down to her tiny yet firm breasts.
Of course, they wanted to know the details and more so who was confident enough to approach her and how handsome they were that she let her inner w***e take over. More so, how old was she?
"I'm not talking about my s****l life with you perverts"
"We will tell you our experiences too, right Tee?"
"Sure, I'm in. Just go first am curious girl"
"Anyway, like I was saying..."
"Argh"
"Let her finish"
"She might be your cousin but you don't know her as much as I do. She is going back to the death topic"
She ignored Tina's complains with a smile, "I'm not afraid of death, I'm afraid of how'd die. I, just like everyone else who have accepted death wish to pass away peacefully in my sleep or on a couch nothing painful or after suffering"
"Enough, like Sia I don't wanna die. Be it painful or painless I just want to live forever or go in heaven on a chariot of fire"
It was Audrey and Tina's turn to laugh at Ivy's weirdest dreams. They were already at the small newly opened restaurant that was going to host them for some time. The aroma of different kinds of food welcomed them from the parking lot, from there they could also see dozens of people seated under the umbrellas around the round tables sipping on their drinks, talking in low tones and laughing, munching the burgers and chips, pizza and other fast foods. The attendants picking orders from a table to another. They left the car, a striking threesome with Audrey in the middle. At least she was not in sweat pants, Ivy forced her into jeans and sports shoes, a denim jacket on top of a white blouse with the pendulum swinging around her massive neck. Her long hair was resting on her left shoulder, lips glossed and her eye glasses cleaned. Tina was in black ragged trousers and boots with a crop top and fancy sun glasses, red hot lips and her hair tied in two pigtails.
"Girls, we're here. You guys want to sit outside or inside? My treat" she offered.
"Let's get somewhere with fresh flow of air, pure ambience with no boys probably"
"You two will attract the boys, you should have worn something baggy" Audrey looked at both of them.
"Fair enough, I promise you no boys will..."
Before she could finish a male waiter showed up flashing one of those customer care smiles you'd mistake for genuine smiles, but perhaps it was genuine coz trust me Audrey was walking with a couple of hot snacks. Except Tina looked so uninterested, likes someone who wanted to run away.
"Ooh hi there"
"I know you said no boys. Sorry but I'm the only available..." he took a quick look around his eyes roving across the small crowd to be sure of his next words,"...am the only available waiter around and it will mean so much to me to serve you ladies"
"Does that come from the heart or it's what you learned from waiter school, that's if there's one" Ivy seemed much interested in talking to him, the name on his name tag was Sean.
"Actually, I'm in high school. This is my part-time gig"
"Let me guess" Audrey joined in, “Werner school" she made a childish mean face.
"Bridgetown" Sean answered with one.
"Not the time for petty rich high school rivalries. Speaking of rich, why would someone attending Werner school be working in a fast food joint?"
Tina spoke for the first time and it seemed to be some sort of a jab at Sean. She wasn't lucky because even Audrey had already noticed a connection there and it was just a matter of the right time to ask what the hell was going on? Details on their history.
"Sure, not the time. This way please" he showed them to a free table leading the way.
Once they were seated he fished out a notebook from the back pocket of his black khaki trousers then a pen from the breast pocket of his white shirt peeling off the cap with his mouth.
"Let them orders come"
"Get us ice cream, more orders will come later” ordered Tina without eye contact. Ivy was starting to notice something too and when she looked at Audrey she shook her head and hit her leg under the table, Morse code to please don't poke your nose into other peoples business or else I'm never going out with you again.
"Flavors"
"Vanilla!" Ivy was the first one to note, Sean looked at her and smiled broadly. Tina looked like she wanted to shoot them both in the head.
"Strawberry for us, I know her taste"
"Best friends?" He asked noting down.
"Something like that" said Audrey making herself comfortable, "this place is beautiful..."
"Coming right up"
"Just leave for Christs sake, never seen such a creepy waiter"
"Be nice Tee, he is just doing his job"
Sean sneaked away leaving Audrey and Ivy trying to teach Tina some manners. He knew deep down they were beating a dead horse but who was he to tell them that? Who was he to discourage them from trying to succeed where he failed. It was not his concern, not anymore and some secrets and history in particular is best kept hidden. Just not vengeance. Now that he was going to serve it hot. So hot that she was never going to forget him in her entire successful life, she looked like success. Besides, born with a silver spoon in her mouth succeeding to her was inevitable.
- Writer
