Oreo Ice Cream

Chapter 6| Game begins

Before you read: Flora's monologues (italicized) would be as usual in the present tense. Enjoy!

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Flora's POV

I didn't know, but I felt like I was changing, and I knew I was, no matter how much I tried to deny it. Yesterday was a rough day. And now, today's circumstances made this one more uneven. I needed to meet Tristan after school. And I was sure he would tell me about his conversation with Mr. Jones. I drank more water.

"Hey Flora," someone tapped my shoulder as I turned around, surprised. Eric. Damn! 

How dare he?

I wish I could give him a tight slap! 

I sighed as I looked away. "What do you want?" I clenched my jaw.

"Look," he tried to come closer as I flinched back.

"Eric!" I shouted as the attention of the whole class turned to me. It was our second break, and everyone was busy chatting and eating. Chilling would be more appropriate.

There was pin-drop silence. It felt like some war has just ended here. My heart pounded a little faster; I could hear it. Eric slowly stood up as I glared at him. I noticed Cole coming nearer.

"Eric, nice to meet you, dude!" he wrapped his arm around Eric's shoulder, "You wanna say something to Flora? Yea?" Cole narrowed his eyebrows, "No, I mean," he looked at me, winked, and continued, "Flora scared all of us. I thought you were going to murder her or something!" 

"What happened?" Rose's surprised voice made things turn normal again. She's just come from the canteen. I could hear someone murmuring something to her ears, to which she sighed.

"Get out, Eric!" I snapped. I could feel my ears heating up.

"Damn! Just get out of my sight. Make sure I don't have to face you again. You got that?" I wanted to punch him so real hard. His face was making me grumpy.

"Easy, Flora," Cole signaled me to remain calm. "Come on, Eric, let's meet Tristan?" he smirked at the damned thing.

Eric stepped back, "Someday," he inhaled deeply, and rubbed his jaw before continuing, "you are gonna regret this, I swear." 

Game begins. More players, more mess, more chaos, more rubbishness. Shit!

He went back to his class hurriedly. I was startled by his words. I'm sure things would turn worse now. 

I got out of my trance and jumped when I felt someone blowing air into my face.

"Easy," Cole grinned as he shoved his red hair back, "Shift." I didn't know, but I felt comfortable when around him. Maybe because we have grown up together. He was a good friend of mine — rather a person with whom I could share everything openly, things which I could not share even with Tristan. Mum liked Cole a lot.

I shifted as he sat beside me, stretching his legs. Elle turned around in disgust as she muttered something.

"I guess he came to, you know, maybe apologize for his-" he started.

"Cole, please," I frowned, "Can we not do talk about this now?"

"Okay, okay, sorry," he smiled, "Um, so you and Tristan-"

"No!" I protested in anger before hearing him.

"Let me finish first, Coral," I heard 'Coral' from him after many weeks. He used to dislike my name a lot, after which he ended up calling me 'Coral' which he found "extremely attractive" and which "rhymed with Flora" too.

"I was asking if you were becoming best friends again or not. I mean, you never kind of talked to him after that, you know..." He looked at me as I clenched my jaw. I knew what he was talking about.

True, we had a misunderstanding, a great one. I remember not talking to Tristan for one year. It was he who misunderstood me. 

"I don't wanna remember that now, Cole." I shrugged, "We were kids then. It's a weird thing to reminisce, not sweet memories but conflicts." I stifled a laugh. "But yeah, I was kinda hurt then." My voice softened as I forced the words out of my mouth.

"Hey, Flora!" I instantly recognized the stern voice. Tristan. I'm sure he learned about Eric's coming. The murmurs went louder as everyone stared.

"Look, he came," Cole murmured as we looked back. Tristan was standing near the door, rubbing his jaw. His bruise hasn't faded yet.

He glanced at Elle before signaling me to come over to him. Sighing, I stood and looked back awkwardly before moving to him.

"What happened?" I whispered.

"That's what I'm supposed to ask you." his blue eyes pierced mine.
"What happened... ?" He raised his eyebrows before shoving his hands into his pockets.

Sighing, I said, "Eric happened, happy? And he came closer, but I stepped back. Ugh, I flinched back, and um, Cole took him out- outside." I somehow managed to say the words in a dry voice without looking at him. He nodded. His constant gaze made me feel uneasy.

"Look how he's looking at her," I heard someone whisper. God! Tristan, turn away now!

He made no signs of leaving. "What if Cole wasn't there?"

I gulped, "I would have done something severe to him."

"Really?" He stepped closer. 

"You couldn't imagine." I looked up and smiled.

"I don't want to." He grinned lopsidedly.

"Ugh, Tris, I mean, I know it's awkward to ask, but you will tell me what talk you will have with Mr. Jones today, right? Please?"

He twitched his lips.

"For the sake of cheesecake, Tris, please say yes, will you?" I looked at him with hopeful eyes.

He crossed his arms, "Why don't you come with me?"

"What? Are you mad? It's you who he called, not me!"

"So what?" he stepped closer, "We know the thing's not me, but us. You will also be called at some point, so there's no harm in accompanying me, you know."

"We can meet after school, I guess."

"I will be late, Flora."

Suddenly, someone pushed me hard, "Excuse me, lovebirds." Lucy flipped her hair as she moved past me.

"Shit!" I heard Tris mutter. Lucy's damn words made me angry. Gritting my teeth, I grabbed her arm. "Hey you, you know what, the dumbest girl with no eyes is-"

"Flora!" both Tris and Lucy cut me in. Lucy glared at Tristan, "Ask your damned girlfriend to leave me!" I grabbed her slender arm more firmly.

Tristan lowered his mouth near my ears, "Let blind people act blindly."

"Damn!" Lucy's eyes were red.

"The next time you try foolish things over me, you're gone. I'm dangerous, Lucy. If you haven't known me yet, ask Eric." I said in a low voice. Eric always wanted to do wrong to me. When we were in kindergarten, he once tried to do something I don't quite remember now. I beat him hard, slapped him, and even punched him in the face. Yet he was a shameless damned boy. I let her go out of my grip as she went away, muttering curses under her breath. 

"I saw prickly Flora after so many years." I looked up at Tristan, who smiled at me in his own words. "My favourite." He ruffled my hair before pulling my cheeks.

"Go!" I pushed him to go to his class.

He looked back and winked, "See ya!"

Right then, Eric passed past me. I took a long breath. The game began today. If one chance was missed, we would lose everything. Each step would be proper and wise. And I was sure Tristan would accompany me. The bell rang loudly as I entered the class. Cole was standing near the window. He smiled at me, "Get ready!"