Through Everything

Last Wishes

Jia followed her with curious eyes as she half-walked and half crawled, her lean fingers scrambling through the dust coated floor.

"Where's that-"

"Knife?" completed Jia.

In an instant, her limbs froze. Luna's menacing glance fixated on the metal blade, it's tip catching a dim glow in the tension-filled cubicle. 

She didn't care about where she was. Or about her throbbing head. Or where Ivy had gone. Or what was Jia doing here.

There was just one thing on Luna's mind. Just one thing.

Without warning, she lunged at Jia, pinning her to the door with such force that the door shook. The Chatter Squad stumbled back, completely taken by surprise.

Now a feet away from the storage room, they dared to not go any closer; for the first one deep bang was followed by a second, and yet a third, each one louder than the one before it. After the fourth bang, Michael couldn't bear it. 

"Michael!" yelped Rose in fright. "Don't open the door! Stay back!"

With a shrug, he took cautious steps to the door and pressed his ear against it. Gripping the door with shaking hands, he swallowed a large lump; it was not what he heard that scared him. It was what he didn't. 

Not a single yelp. Or groan from Jia.

She knew she wasn't a match for Luna. But she wasn't going to let that stop her. Nine bangs in, she began to lose feeling in her aching arms. Her knees buckled beneath her throbbing head, but she dared to not utter a word. A pandemonium was the last thing this situation needed.

Ten....Eleven......Thud.

She fell to her knees, exhausted. But alive. Rubbing her aching arms, she watched Luna slide her thumb seamlessly through the edge of the blade. 

Luna turned to Jia and tucked the knife in her jeans. Not taking her hand out of the pocket, an evil grin overtook her tired face. She parted her lips to say her last words, but quickly decided against it.

She's not worth it. 

Her fingers felt in the denim for the smooth polish.

Neither am I.

"You may want to leave."  Her eyes darted to the door above Jia's head, her fingertips gliding over the sharp tip in her pocket.

Jia pulled herself up, thankful for the sudden rush of adrenaline that numbed her pain. To an extent.

Luna may not want her last words to be remembered but Jia had made up her mind to do the opposite. 

"Ivy's won." said Jia, without the slightest smug-the pair of words spoke for themselves.

For a moment, Luna shrunk-Jia took the opportunity and stepped closer-but only before another migraine brought her back to reality.

"I guess she has." was all Luna could muster.

As soon as she said that Jia's hand came hurtling down her left cheek, leaving her with a cold slap.

Luna placed a hand against her cheek and stared long and hard at Jia, her teeth gritting.

"Ever since Sophia told me about what you and Ivy were up to," Jia motioned at her hand, still vibrating from the force of the smack. If Luna wanted to get physical, Jia knew she couldn't stop her-but she knew she was done being at the receiving end of Luna's recklessness.

Anger burning through her guts, she continued, "Ever since then, my hand's been itching to slap the heck out of you."

"Well, what else did you except from me!" demanded Luna, unwilling to be lowered by some 'know it all'.