The Necklace: The Trial Realm

Chapter Twelve: Balding Demons

I hear everyone around me, but all I can think is how so much vomit is still coming out of me. I should be nothing but bones and empty skin surely at this point. I continue to wretch all over the place.

A hand lands on my lower back, rubbing up and down as it finally stops. I back up a few feet, vision blurry. "That bitch." I curse.

I can hear Serge somewhere yelling for someone to come clean up my mess, but all I can think of is that stupid friend of Courtlyn's giving me that tray of food. I never should have been so stupid. Of course she did something to it. Since when did I become so trusting that I didn't see that coming a mile away? I guess maybe because I'd never be so underhanded in my own techniques, but I'm not at home anymore. I shouldn't have been so easy.

My stomach rolls again and I double over, another river of lovely upchuck gracing the floor.

"Damn, Mali." I wipe my mouth and sit back out, finding Maxum on one side of me, his hand holding onto my ponytail, and Oliver on the other side. He was the one rubbing my back.

"You don't look so good." Oliver tries to joke but I shove him away as hard as I can.

He stumbles back before regaining his footing, staring back at me. "What the hell?"

I raise my brows, feeling Maxum's hands switch from my hair to my shoulders, holding me back now. "What the hell?" I laugh. "This is your fault!"

"What are you talking about?" Oliver shakes his head in confusion, looking around anxiously at the crowd of people around us.

Serge is still screaming his head off as three men with cleaning stuff rush into the gym, heading for my mess.

"I'm talking about how it was your little girlfriend who did this!" I yell, the room still feeling a little too warm.

"I don't understand." He says.

"She poisoned me." I snarl. "She got her friend to give me bad food so I'd get sick."

Oliver's eyes flash with anger and Maxum turns me. "What? Are you sure? Those girls who have been giving you a hard time?"

I nod and Oliver comes closer. "Malikah, I had nothing to do with that. And if she-."

"If?!" I shout. "That's not an if." I point at the mess on the floor and down the front of my shirt.

"I'll take care of it, Mali." Oliver says firmly.

"Newb!" Serge yells, clopping his boots over to me. "What on the god's green earth was that?"

"Burgers." Reda says from the other side of the mat, looking a little green herself. "Lots and lots of burgers."

Maxum rolls his eyes and steps forward. "Serge, Mali was-."

"Shut up." I snap, giving Maxum a look.

"But they-."

"I can take care of myself, Max." I tell him, daring him to say more, but thankfully he backs down.

"What's going on here, Newb?" Serge asks, eying us all suspiciously.

"Sir, it wasn't Mali-."

"Shut up!" I yell at Oliver. "Everyone just stop and let's get back to work." I say, turning towards a clean mat. "I'm sorry I caused a distraction." I tell Serge.

"Have you got something you need to tell me?" He asks, following me to the other mat while the others stay behind. "I know I yell a lot, but you can talk to me, kid."