Never I Thought

Chapter 6 - Read Into Me

In just the course of a few weeks, I had a slightly fuller routine. Every Wednesday, I would meet Mila and Nikki at the library doors, get our names marked off by Miss Lad and then head to the bench under the pink tree where Robin would already be waiting for us.

We had come to a silent agreement that we weren't allowed to torment each other so aggressively in front of the girls. Neither of us wanted to be fired from tutoring as it really did look good on applications and Mila and Nikki were too precious for either of us to want to give up tutoring them for anyone else. Although we had shared a few choice words a few times when he argued I was being too uptight and I'd argue that he was being too much.

"What up water-balloon?" A guy called out as I passed him. All his friends erupted into laughter and my jaw clenched.

So maybe everyone had seen the video of me getting bombed with water. There was no way I was going to let them get a reaction out of me because all Robin and his stupid friends posted the video everywhere. I wouldn't give into them because I have self respect and dignity to be better than to react poorly and let my behaviour become out of control.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I screamed as someone pegged a water balloon at me.

It hit the concrete at my feet and splashed up my legs. I turned around to see who had thrown it but everyone was laughing with surprise and amusement trying to find the culprit. I noticed one of Robin's friends, Ben, running off.

"Well! I hope you're all entertained," I tried saying in a light voice but it came out full of rage and I took off before I could say anything else I would regret.

Mila and Niki were standing by the library when I got there. Both looked down at my drenched pants and Niki's eyes widened.

"What happened?" Mila asked.

"Water balloon," I sighed and even though they tried to be nice and look confused, their reactions were just a little too late and I knew they had also seen the video.

"Come on," I said, "let's go meet Robin."

I had learnt that Mila was the voice of the two. She spoke out and asked a lot more questions but still encouraged her sister to talk. Niki didn't seem to mind not talking, she listened and her eyes swallowed every word I said. They were different and yet the same, just like any normal sibling, and now I could easily tell them apart.

Mila's hair was more fluffy and shorter and her expression was always unbothered with relaxed eyebrows. Niki had more defined longer curls with her face always in thought and her eyes so distant. I liked that about siblings, that they shared the same DNA and yet still unique individuals.

Robin is waiting at the table, his perfect hair pushed out of his face and his eyes sparkling with mischief. As soon as he saw me his lips pressed together to hold back a laugh.

"Swimming lessons?" He asked innocently.

"Of course, how else am I gonna learn to drown you?" I smiled with narrowed eyes.

The girls took their seats but didn't pull anything out of their bags. Their eyes full of questions and a slight hesitance as they had become aware of our little arguments but didn't know how to respond. Luckily for them, Robin started up the conversation.

"What's up on the agenda?" Robin drummed his hands on the wood.

"We got this assignment for geography," Mila said, "our teacher said we have the whole semester to work on it cause there's so many parts."

"What do you guys have to do?" I asked.

Niki finally pulled a piece of folded up paper from her pocket and flattened it on the table before sliding it over, "we have to chose a place in Belford Fields and write and answer some questions on how it negatively or positively effects the environment."