Victoria was back into her room right after roll call. Sure enough, Cody was already streaming and pretending she didn't exist. Since she lashed out three days ago, even the girls avoided her. Though, neither could compare to the constant pain in her heart when she saw Kadesha ignore her. Shee leaned against the door as she watched Cody stream. Cody suddenly looked up at her with a raised brow.
Victoria straightened and dropped a small package on her table. Cody paused the recording and removed the medium sized box from it's packaging paper. A card fell out:
I'm sorry about what I said. Here's a little something to ease the tension.
Cody's lips twitched in a subtle smile as she removed the lid off the box and the musky smell of different masculine scents hit her nose. Inside were scented oils and candles along with her favourite brand of shampoo.
Her lips finally broke into an involuntary smile. Victoria dropped a small wrapped gift along with it. She opened it and saw the very pairs of fingerless gloves that a popular brand just dropped. Her jaw dropped and she looked at Victoria who was already under the sheets.
Not sleeping though, probably playing nonchalant.
Cody smirked.
"Thanks Vee." She muttered and kept the gifts before going back to her streaming while imagining using her gifts for a long relaxing soak in when the weekend hits.
★
Class 12
Lisa entered the class and went into her bag. It was lunch period so no one was in class. She opened the bag and was surprised to see a wrapped box with a note.
I was too rash. I'm really sorry.
Lisa smiled at the familiar handwriting and opened the box. She squealed happily and brought out a customised headphones while hugging it to her chest. She quickly connected it to her phone, bouncing happily out of the class before she turned back, remembering she hadn't picked what she originally came back for. She rummaged through her bag before bringing out her journal and fancy pen. Clutching those items close, she bounced out of the class, humming to whatever was playing in her ear.
Victoria finally came out of where she was hiding behind the shelf of books with a wide grin.
So much for playing nonchalant.
She exhaled and her smile slowly faded when she remembered the last person she had to apologise to.
Kadesha.
★
Basketball Court
The Kings and Queens were all seated on the bench, waiting for Amelia and Kadesha. Victoria could feel it deep in her guts that Kadesha wouldn't come. She kept pacing, hands clasped as she tried to control her beating heart. She desperately wanted her to come. But even if she came, what would Victoria say to her? What would the tension feel like?
Victoria groaned and plopped down beside Victor. Victor reluctantly pulled her into his chest and patted her back.
"She came." Ava called out and Victoria raised her head immediately and saw both Amelia and Kadesha approaching in the distance while laughing at something.
Victor looked at Victoria's hands and saw her pressing hard on her freshly installed manicure. He gently held her hand and gave her a nod to go on. Victoria nodded back and started walking over to the two, one hand in her pocket.
As she approached them, she reached out only for Kadesha to evade her and continue walking. Victoria felt her heart stop completely. Then she heard Kadesha greet everyone else and laughed with them.
She slowly turned around, fought the lump in her throat and walked back to the team.
†
After a very emotional draining rehearsal, Victoria walked up to Kadesha who was tying her laces on the bench. The very moment she sat beside her, Kadesha stood up and went to Amelia and they started leaving together.
Victoria felt her heart stop. She wanted so desperately to yank her back. Maybe Kadesha would openly yell at her, maybe she would stop and give her that same dead eyes, maybe she would shove her off, maybe she might try to raise her hand. But at least she wouldn't pretend not to see her.
But Victoria knew better than to try it. She just crouched there on the open field. Cody crouched beside her.
"Do you want me to talk to her?" She asked softly. Victoria shook her head.
"Just bring my costume when you're coming. Thank you SK." Victoria stood up as Cody left.
She sat down on the bench, trying —and failing— to hold back tears. She raked her hand through her hair as she thought of different apology scenarios but each one ended in Kadesha refusing to take the gift or the apology. She was so close to actually pulling out her hair when a smooth hand made it back in place, brushing it and adjusting the fringes till it was as good as new.
"Ruffling the layered hair you just did won't make her forgive you." Lisa cooed before sitting beside her. "Thank you for the headphones." She flashed a grateful smile. "You know why I love those headphones? Because you didn't just give me a gift, you gave me something that represents me. Something I can't refuse. Why not give her something she can't refuse in a way that she can't refuse it?" Lisa suggested and smiled before walking away.
It sounded nonsensical to her. But she more she thought about it, the more it begun to make sense. She picked up her phone with trembling fingers and started doing something on it. She wasn't even sure of her plan. It was last minute but she hoped it would work. She needed it to work more than anything.
★
Unity Stadium
The stadium was packed to the brim with 20,000 people seated and raising banners, placards and signs while about 5,000 more were outside the gates. TV shows were broadcasting live and private drones for the group flew around the stage, getting ready to record the performance.
Meanwhile, the group was backstage, adjusting microphones and earpieces while also getting touched up by the costume crew and makeup artist. The artist working on Victoria noticed she didn't seem ecstatic.
"Miss Vierra, I know this is your biggest show yet. Your appearance after the dating rumour Jason stirred up. But you have an amazing team. Cheers up." The lady encouraged as she finished up her blush. Victoria smiled and thanked her as she left. Her smile soon faded into a devastated sigh.
"You seem to be out of pep talks." Cody joked from behind her.
"Yup. All out." She responded dryly. "Can you help with something?" She asked before leaning over to whisper something in Cody's ear. Cody smiled.
"I'll spread the word." She winked before walking away.
"Royalties! You're up now!" The stage manager called just as the group rolled out into the dark stage, standing in an A format.
They had few seconds to adjust their clothes and earpiece before their chant played. The song played and the spotlight fell on Victor and Victoria and the performance started.
The group was fire. The sing along, the choreo, the improvising. Everything was making the audience go wild, recording every moment and singing along. Some people were even trying to get on stage at some point, but the stage guard blocked the way so they could only scream and cheer as the group danced.
Victoria stepped back, adjusting her earpiece while Cody and Kadesha danced to the front. Her dancing was slower, fading into the background like she wasn't focused anymore.
Her eyes flickered to her watch.
Three
Two
One
Darkness.
Murmurs followed. People started cursing the technical team for the light out at such a critical timing. Some people were still cheering, some turned on their phone's flashlights.
Then, the familiar lyrics to "Who's Your Guy?" by Spyro played and the big screen flickered to life, downplaying moments of Kadesha and Victoria together. The audience went wilder as if it was actually possible.
Moments of laughter, silly pictures, chasing each other, splashing drinks on each other, dancing together, even their moments of performance together. Then pictures of texts when they weren't together, pictures from middle school, elementary school, birthdays together when they smeared icing on each other in a playful banter.
The lights came back on and it was only Kadesha and Victoria on stage. Balloons, white and red, dropped on the stage along with lily petals. Kadesha almost melted till she looked up and saw Victoria holding a gigantic bouquet that smelled like... chocolate? She laughed as tears stung her eyes.
"Um," Victoria begun. The microphone amplified her voice and everyone laughed. Victoria awkwardly shoved the bouquet in her hand. Kadesha finally laughed out loud as tears of myrth flowed freely. The two turned off their microphones.
"What I said was stupid. It was just the tension with Jason and the rumors and–"
Kadesha pulled her into a hug before she could complete the apology.
"You could have just given me the money for all this." Kadesha whispered into Victoria's ears and she slapped her back.
"Ow. I mean you're forgiven." Kadesha immediately corrected her speech as the two pulled back and the group came back on stage. The screen changed back to what was happening on stage.
They all got back in formation. Kadesha bit off one of the chocolate flowers before handing it over to the crew and got in formation as the performance continued.
Finally, Victoria wasn't forcing moves or faking crowd control. It was effortless now that she felt lighter, moving on the stage flawlessly. Than came the highlight; dance competition.
Fans raised placards of their favourite dancer in the group as each person came out to go individual dances and the show ended.
★
Principal's office
Amelia stepped into the office only to find her parents seated and her sister standing beside them like the good little lapdog she was. Amelia didn't bother with greeting her own parents and smiled at the principal.
"You sent for me?"
"Yes, your parents want to speak with you."
Amelia rolled her eyes and turned to her parents, finally muttering a greeting to them.
"Save it." Her mother said with quiet authority. "Your sister will be joining your school—"
"By mistake or..?" Amelia cut in.
"She passed the exams Amelia. She is already a student." The principal clarified with an underlying tone that interpreted to 'don't cut your parents off'.
"Yes. Elena will be keeping tabs on you—"
"Excuse you? As what?" Amelia snapped again and the principal glared at her before turning to her parents.
"She is in final year and Elena is in junior high. There is a very slim chance their paths would ever even cross." The principal explained. The family nodded in understanding.
"Take care of your sister then." Her father said before they stood. "Her bags and luggage is by the hostel porters. Help her take it in." He added.
"Is she impaired?"
"Amelia!" The principal warned sternly and she sighed in defeat.
†
Amelia dropped the last box in Elena's new room. Her roommates, one scholarship student, a pretty blonde and a nerdy looking girl, helped Elena with her smaller boxes. Amelia turned to leave.
"Hey! You have to help me arrange too." Elena snapped. Her defensive stand changed to mild annoyance tinged with fear with the long look Amelia gave her.
As soon as the door slammed shut, Elena turned to her roommates. She crossed her arms, already behaving like the queen in a bee hive.
"Help me arrange and I'll get you all drinks."
"We have a test tomorrow. I can't. Sorry." The scholarship student said with an apologetic smile before getting back to solving on her jotter.
"I'll help later." The blonde said while recording her newly done nails. The nerd was connected to her phone, probably playing a game.
Elena frowned and reached into her purse and pulled out three bails of money and tossed one at each girl. They all frowned. The one studying ignored the money, the blonde girl glared before getting back to recording while the nerd shoved it with her feet. Elena let out an irritated scoff.
She suddenly pulled out a bottle of water and splashed it all over the three girls. They went livid. The blonde launched for her but the other two pulled her back.
"Calm down Bella." The nerd held her left arm.
"Jennie's right. We don't have to get expelled for her." The scholarship girl (Eunice) sneered and the three left the room.
Elena scoffed and quickly tweeted before starting to arrange her things.
A new storm was brewing at Kingston West.