章節 25: Then, you decided to be Samantha's friend...
Fountain High School.
School Garden
Inayah removed the camera that hanged around her neck and started taking pictures of the flowers as she waited for Bertha to arrive.
They were going to Mrs. Hanna's place after the latter told them to go over.
''Wow! Is been a while since I came here and you guys are already this beautiful...''
Inayah stood up and looked at the pictures through the pinhole smiling. ''It's so beautiful. I missed you guys so much. Looks like you've been doing well without me.''
This part of the garden was her portion that she used to take care of eight months ago before leaving for rehab.
''I knew I could find you here?'' Gideon said as he walked towards her in his single crutch.
Inayah stepped back and frowned when she suddenly saw him. ''Gideon, how did you find me?''
''Have you forgotten who I am? It won't take me more than five minutes to know where you would be. You always came here every weekend."
"I was at your house but it was locked. I thought the only place you would always go during weekends is here or the beach. I decided to come here first.'' Gideon added and smiled.
To him, Inayah was always a predictable character in the past. She hated complexity hence everything about her tend to be simply.
Of course that was the life of the past Inayah before that night.
''Okay. See you around then!'' Inayah turned to leave and Gideon blocked her path.
''Inayah, let's talk. Why are you avoiding me?'' Gideon asked.
Inayah chuckled sarcastically and looked at him. ''Hey, do we know each other? I don't have anything to talk to you about and I am not going to even start a conversation with you.''
''Let me explain…''
''Explain? Tsk! What are you going to explain? The fact that you were fine all this while and I was beating myself up because I thought you were really hurt? Or the fact that while you were lying unconscious at the hospital; I was being dragged back and forth for attempted murder? Or the fact that I had to go to rehab for 8 months because of something I didn't do? Or the fact that I am labelled as a psychopath till now? Now that I've thought about it; is really unfair to me. Don't you think so to?'' Inayah exhaled and shook her head.
''You're right. I made you suffer, but you know something. I did all that for your good.'' Gideon said, seemingly holding back what he really wanted to say.
''What?'' Inayah chuckled.
''Do you know how dangerous Samantha is? Why did you publicly declare a war with her? She can use her family name alone to destroy you. You need me in order to fight her.'' Gideon continued.
''What? Are you even listening to yourself? Why would I need you? This is so funny coming from you; the one who began this all. Because of you…'' Inayah's voice choked.
''I still care about you, Inayah. You will always be my best friend.'' Gideon pulled Inayah closer and hugged her.
''Let go off me.'' Inayah pushed Gideon away
''She said let go. Don't you understand English anymore?'' Bertha said as she stood at a distance.
She shifted her gaze towards Inayah and asked, ''and you, what show is this? Did you ask me to pick you up here so I could see this?''
''Watch your words, Bertha. I came to take pictures. I didn't know he would show up.'' Inayah replied angrily.
''Let's go. Mrs. Hanna is waiting.'' Bertha said to Inayah.
''Okay!'' Inayah walked to Bertha and they left the school premises.
Gideon watched their taxi leave and he cussed.
....
Mrs. Hanna's House.
Gate.
''I say she is going to make us clean the entire house.'' Bertha said when they got down from the taxi and stood in front of the house gate.
''No, I think she is going to make us do something crazier than that. She always comes up with crazier ideas somehow.'' Inayah was certain of her stand
''$50 for the winner?"
''Deal!'' Inayah agreed.
Inayah and Bertha stood in front of the big tree that had resting chairs under it. There were different containers of paint.
Inayah stretched forth her hand toward Bertha and the latter placed a $50-dollar bill on Inayah's palm for her wining the bet.
''Mrs. Hanna, are we really your employees? This is slavery.'' Bertha said making the woman to laugh.
''Girls, this is called creativity. I want to teach you how to paint. It has been a long time since we gathered like this, right?''
''That was when we were best friends. Now, we are not even friends.'' Bertha said and glared at Inayah.
''You are so obnoxious. Mrs. Hanna, we didn't say we want to learn painting.'' Inayah spoke.
''And, if you want to paint; why don't you build a studio? I still don't understand why you suddenly decided to open a diner; even though that gave us jobs. You clearly still love to paint.'' Bertha added.
''Silly girls, I can't paint anymore but I can still do it for pleasure and today I want you two as my students.''
''Weekdays we are your employees; weekends we are your students. This is so tiring.'' Inayah frowned.
''So, what do you want these students to do?'' Bertha asked.
''Go to the art room and bring out artboards.''
''Okay!'' Inayah went ahead and Bertha followed suit.
Inayah picked her artboard and looked at it saying, ''this reminds me of the past.
''I know, right? Is like a déjà vu all over again.''
''We used to bicker same way too back then.'' Inayah reminisced, genuinely missing the time they were best friends.
''But then, you decided to be Samantha's friend.'' Bertha looked at her with a sad gaze.
Inayah paused and turned to face her. ''Is that why you hate me? Because I was Samantha's friend?''
''Do I have to answer that?''
''I still don't understand why we stopped being friends.'' Inayah asked sincerely. She and Bertha used to be so closed. They were best friends, just like how their parents were friends before they passed away.
''I understand it though.''
''What?''
''Because you are so obnoxious.'' Bertha said and ran out of the art room.
''Me? Obnoxious? Excuse me, but, yours truly here is nothing like obnoxious.'' Inayah followed her out.
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