The final bell that signified the end of school hours finally rang. Students trouped out even before their teachers dismissed them
Elena sat in front of the school entrance, playing with her keychain while waiting for her sister. She was sure she would pass the main entrance. While waiting, she brought out her glitter headphones and connected it to her phone while drinking a smoothie.
Soon enough, Amelia came out with Davis. She immediately stepped in front of her. She had this look of disdain on her face.
"Why are you dressed like a boy?"
"Can you actually step aside? The last thing I want to do is see your face." Amelia said frankly. Elena sighed and shook her head.
"Anyways, mum said I should come and take a look at your wardrobe. To make sure you have clothes. And with this, you need a new wardrobe." Elena said, pointing at her outfit.
"Elena, right?" Davis interrupted. Elena turned to him and nodded. "Good. Walk away."
"I'm talking to my sister." Elena explained frankly.
"You did see her come out with me, right? Exactly. We are going out." Davis said and was ready to drag Amelia away.
"Out? She's in the hostel." Elena said confusedly. Amelia moved her out of the way and walked away with Davis.
Elena watched them leave with a frown. She crossed her arms with a scoff and turned towards the direction of the dorms.
★
Block 3 room 4
Elena slowly pushed open the door and came in holding four cups of slushie drinks. Her roommates didn't even look at her. She closed the door with her butt and approached Bella first. She handed the cup to her with an apologetic smile. Bella eyed the cup before collecting it. Then she gave the remaining two.
"I'm sorry about yesterday."
The three girls gave each other a skeptical look. They nodded to each other before turning to her.
"Yeah, but I swear if you try any manipulative tricks." Bella warned. "But yeah, we're cool I guess."
Elena smiled before going to her side of the room. She hung her bag and slipped out of her outfit for the day and got in something more comfortable before slipping out of the room. She plugged in her headphones and opened her phone. She dialed a number saved as "My World 💋" and the person picked on the second ring.
"Good afternoon mum." She greeted cheerfully. "I made up with them and deleted the tweet."
"Excellent. Don't be rude to your roommates. And don't boss anyone around." Her mother warned.
"I'm not here for them." She rolled her eyes.
"Exactly. They just don't know what opportunity they just missed." Her mother cooed and it seemed to put a smile on her face.
"I know. Thanks mum."
"That's amazing baby. Did you see...her?" Her mother's words dropped with contempt at the last word. Elena rolled her eyes.
"Yes, I saw Diana. I checked, she didn't use Amelia to register her name. Everyone just automatically calls her that."
"Thank goodness."
"I'm sure you wish that was the problem. She is literally a boy here." Elena reported.
"What the hell is wrong with that b*stard child? You know what, I'll have new clothes delivered to her."
"Actually mum, I have a better idea." Elena suggested with a smile and divulged her plan to her mother.
"Excellent. I knew you would change her for the better. Anyways, I have a meeting. I'll talk to you later pookie."
"Bye mum."
"Bye princess."
With that, the call ended. Elena smiled to herself.
★
Block 28 room 16
A knock came on the door that night. Skye opened it and saw Elena standing there. She smiled when she saw Skye while Skye gave her a blank look. Everyone knew Elena was the "perfect" sister of Amelia. She didn't exactly need any introduction.
"Your sister isn't in right now." Skye said before she could say anything and was about to close the door.
"Wait! I just wanted to see her wardrobe."Elena explained.
"I can't let you do that princess." Skye countered immediately. Elena pouted.
"Where did she go?" Elena asked. Skye shrugged. "Okay, thank you." With that, she turned and started heading down the staircase.
★
Paradise Restaurant
The restaurant was bustling as students came to buy their food. Amelia stepped forward. She ordered their stir-fry rice with chicken and a drink. Her order was packed to-go and she left after paying. Elena stepped up next.
"Hello. Good evening. I'll have exactly what she had, just as she had it." She told the server.
The server smiled and packed the exact same order. Elena paid and went to the outdoor hangout spot for girls and boys just beside the restaurant. She sat under one of the empty umbrellas and opened the package.
Picking up the fork, she ate the rice. She carefully spat it into a tissue and then picked up the drink and sipped a little. She immediately spat it out. She gagged
"What is she even drinking?" She immediately capped the drink and set it down beside her bench. She poked the chicken with the fork before pushing the takeaway aside and phoned her mum.
"Her diet is worse." Elena reported with a disgusted shudder
"Tell me what she got for dinner."
"Stir fry rice. It did have some greens but the oil was still evident. Then one big fatty chicken and an energy drink."
"That insolent brat! I taught you both to eat healthy and no fat." Her mother groaned in anger. "I'm so glad I sent you there."
"No problem mum. I just wish she'd see how much you are trying to help her."
"Forget her. Go and get your dinner. What do you plan to eat?"
"Pasta and egg sauce."
"Sounds good. Good night princess."
"Good night mum." Elena said in a sweet voice before hanging up. She eyed the forgotten dish and was about to toss it out when she saw Jennie.
"Oh, Jennie. Do you want it?" She offered the takeaway to Jennie. Jennie looked at the food, then Elena. Reluctantly, she collected the food and muttered a thank you as the two went opposite ways.
★
Flowering Fields
The field was quiet at this time of the evening. Almost all the umbrellas were closed. Amelia was with Mavis and one of their classmates, Natasha, who was a hair stylist. Natasha and Amelia were braiding Mavis' hair.
"Guys, Founder's day is going to be so lit!" Mavis squealed. Natalie also giggled excitedly while Amelia scoffed playfully.
"Just keep your head in a place please." Amelia steadied her head.
"Don't be such a buzz kill Lia." Natasha nudged her.
"She's brooding about her sister." Mavis rolled her eyes.
"Oh, Elena? Why?"
"Girl, let her live her life, live yours. It's our last founder's day here and you want to spend it running from that brat?" Mavis asked.
"I don't know. She seems quiet sort of." Natasha quipped. Mavis and Amelia started laughing.
"Quiet. Nah. She's doing something." Amelia corrected.
"She is those quiet ones." Mavis added.
"Sister problem. But really, enjoy your day. Who are you going with?" Natasha asked with a huge grin on her face.
"The holy spirit." Amelia joked and Natasha started beating her.
"Seriously?! Girl, your love life is rotting." Natasha whipped her with the hair extensions in her hand.
"It's already rotten. Not even in the process anymore." Mavis added.
"Damn, the insult definitely hurt more." Amelia clutched her chest with a hurt expression while Natasha ignored her and got back to Mavis hair.
"Good. We have three days to go. Find someone. Anyone. Your juniors are bringing their guys from outside the school. Find one." Mavis snapped playfully.
Amelia laughed and got back to braiding. Mavis showed them both a white and gold acrylic nails. Natasha smiled while Amelia just looked away.
"Girl it's giving. Go for it." Natasha encouraged.
"I'll go for blue. Since it's what I'm wearing. You should see my outfit and shoes mehn."
"It's just an evening." Amelia mumbled and the two giddy girls gave her a harsh glare.
"You know what? Vee also needed her hair braided. Go and do hers. Fast." Natasha chased Amelia just as she saw Victoria and Kadesha coming.
Amelia laughed as she stepped away from the two and approached Victoria and Kadesha.
"Thank God. I can't stand Natasha breathing in my neck about the Founder's day." Vee sighed in relief while Amelia laughed.
"It's worse now." She laughed. They headed to a nearby bench and sat down.
"I just want to curl my hair. Can you do mine first?" Kadesha asked before pulling Victoria away from Amelia and took her seat.
"I hate you." Victoria muttered and sat beside her. Amelia laughed and started working
†
Kadesha checked her new do in the mirror, admiring the way the hair was perfectly curled and trimmed.
"How aren't you a professional again?" She turned to Amelia who was parting Victoria's hair into sections. Amelia just smiled.
"I need a drink. Coming." She announced briefly and headed towards the snack shop close by.
She ordered a Fanta and sandwich and sat down to eat there. She was scrolling through her school's feed which was basically filled with a lot students fussing over the Founder's day.
"That's your fourth drink today." Elena said and took the drink before Amelia could drink it. Amelia looked at her and stretched out her hand.
Instead of handing the drink over, Elena removed the straw and poured the drink out. "Too much sugar in a day is bad. Didn't mum tell you?" She said and shot the empty bottle into the nearby trash bin.
"Sweetheart, you'll buy that drink again." Amelia said in a voice that more of said what would happen than command her.
"No. You've been taking too much sugar—"
"And how is that any of your mother's business? Get me another drink." Amelia snapped without raising her voice. Elena just stood up and was about to walk away. Amelia yanked her back by her wrist and dragged her back to the shop.
"I want another Fanta. She will pay." Amelia took the drink and shoved Elena towards the shop attendant before walking away.
★
Block 28 laundromat
Skye and Amelia were both the only ones in the laundromat that Friday afternoon. They were talking about the Founder's day and how it would be interesting. Skye said something about a pink and white sequin high-low dress that was supposed to be embroidered by her aunt in Peru. Amelia just listened as Skye eulogised her dress and makeup while she put in her clothes and leaned against the washing machine.
"What about you? What will you wear?" Skye finally asked as she checked on her washing clothes.
"I don't know." Amelia shrugged. "Honestly it hasn't even crossed my mind. It's Elena honestly."
"What about her? Honestly she's been mixing well. I thought she'd be a brat. But people said she keeps to herself. She hasn't snapped at a teacher either. But she doesn't listen when other students tell her something." Skye rolled her eyes at the last part. "Asides that, she just seems quiet."
Amelia smirked. "Elena isn't quiet, she's calculative. She has a reason for everything. Trust me. I just can't shake off this uneasy" Amelia rubbed her face.
"Chill out. Founder's day is tomorrow. Do you really want to spend the whole day trying to decipher what she is planning?" Skye asked with a smile. Amelia sighed.
"I need a choco paradise first." Amelia said and picked up her purse as she headed out of the laundromat.
"Get me a strawberry blast too. With glitter. I love you." Skye called as Amelia left.
†
Amelia just finished getting her order; choco paradise which was a chocolate drink with vanilla ice cream topping and wafers and chocolate syrup, and strawberry blast which was a strawberry drink with lots of milk and strawberry ice cream instead of sugar.
She held the two orders in hand and marched out of the drink shop. She couldn't shake off this feeling deep in her gut and she knew exactly why. She suddenly stopped and turned just in time to see Elena behind her with the exact same two orders.
"Why are you copying me?"
"They aren't for me." Elena countered smoothly.
"Yeah right." Amelia scoffed.
"Besides, you shouldn't take so much sugar." Elena adviced. Luckily for her, she saw her roommates approaching. She handed the drinks to the girls.
When she looked again, she didn't see Amelia. She looked around and moved forward before seeing her in the distance. She quickly ran to meet her.
"Diana!" Elena called out.
"Do not call me that." Amelia gritted her teeth.
"Mum got you a dress for Founder's day." Elena said while catching her breath.
"Burn it."
"It's a fitted gown with long sleeves. Just like you liked." Elena called after Amelia's retreating figure but she didn't turn around. Elena ran in front of her again.
"You're not just snitching, are you?"
Elena just smiled
"And I will not wear any dress." Amelia said through gritted teeth.
"Mum loves us." Elena said instead
"She wants to control us Elena. The sooner you realise, the better." Amelia walked around her and started leaving.
Elena's fist clenched by her side. She was trying so hard to keep her anger in check.
"You'll come back after tomorrow." She said loud enough for Amelia to hear. "You will crawl back to the name you hate so much." She yelled at Amelia as she disappeared around the corner. She immediately called her mum.
"How is she my sister? She is so annoying. She said you were controlling us." Elena seethed and started leaving while her mother started telling her comforting words.
"I can't wait for founder's day tomorrow evening. It will be so nice to see her grovel back to us." Elena said with a smile before ending the call.