The "Delinquent", Huh What an Original Nickname

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It's been four days since I got here, four more days before I have to go back to school. And here I am, lounging in my room, which I've been doing. It's not like I have anything to do.

But that changed when a knock reverberated my room around 2 PM. In stepped Ate Zynah.

"Uhm . . . do you need anything?" I asked. 

"Uhm. . . I . . . let's go to the mall. Y'know, the good old times . . ." she said, sheepish. I just looked at her.

The mall, huh?

Just the word mall and shopping used to excite me all the time but now . . . I find it plainly boring. I don't know how to answer her. What do I need to shop anyway?

"Come on! We need to shop for your school. It's like, four days away!" she exclaimed, as if reading my mind.

"Nah. My supplies are okay."

She groaned. "No, it's not! I also need new stuffs. Plus, you need to get exposed to the sun, you look really pale." Ate Zynah joked. "You haven't gone out ever since you . . . got here. Don't you miss Kathy?"

 Katherine Riviera.

My once-best friend's name popped in my mind, and remembered one time, when she went to visit me.

"Heya D!" she cheerfully greeted. A month since I've been sent here, and it's been hell. Why did my parents have to send me here? When are they going to take me home? I miss home. 

 

"Hey Kathy. How are you?" I asked.

"Honestly? I'm not okay. It's been hell ever since you left. I miss you so much!" 

 

"I miss you too. Wait, where's the twins? And Tori? Why aren't they here?"

 

She avoided eye contact. "Uhm. . . they do not want to. Said that they can't believe they became friends with you . . . that they regret knowing—I'm sorry. You don't know how much I wanted to rip their hair off their scalp. Like, what the hell, didn't those years of being together didn't even matter to them? How could they just throw it away?" she ranted.

 

I stayed silent. Ouch. Cause fuck it hurts. It really hurts.

She's constantly visiting me once a month since I was detained. She's the only person that never left my side, never treated me differently. In her eyes, I am still her best friend. She was the only connection left at home, so I kept on holding on to that. But then two years ago, she stopped visiting. I never really got the reason why. And now I'm sure as hell don't care.

Not anymore.

"Uhm . . ." What to say, what to say?

"Please?" she pleaded. And then a familiar puppy dog eyes formed in her face that I immediately tore my gaze. "Pretty pretty please?"

"You sound like you're singing." I nonchalantly commented.

She smiled. "Please?"

I sighed. Because I know that she won't go away until she gets what she wants. Might as well agree, so we can arrive at the house sooner.

"Sure. I'll be down in five; let me just change."

    [~]

Three Hours Later...

          After three boring hours in the mall, we're at a restaurant waiting for our order. In our bags are a couple of clothes, shoes, accessories, and books, most of which are for Zynah. Talk about chaperone.

"I have to go to the restroom." My sister said to no one before walking towards the restroom.

I continued sipping my frappe as I wait for her. Three years has passed and the mall was now renovated, with new stalls at boutiques. From the corner of my eye, I can see a guy flirting to the counter girl. And at the table near us was a couple who was obviously a fan of PDA. Cue the gagging.

"D-dakota?"

I stiffened when I heard the voice behind me, and slowly turned around. When I saw who they were, I instantly recognized them— most of them. How could I forget, they were my friends once.

All of them were there, shocked to see me except for one: Tori, who was also staring back at me emotionlessly. I internally chuckled.

Same old Tori.

"Oh my. . . it's you." Kathy said, still in a daze to see me. "S-since when?"

I shrugged and stayed silent, not really bothering to answer. This situation literally screams AWKWARD. I eyed Kathy, noting in all what changed over the years. Of course, given that we all matured. Her hair's still in its usual wavy, flowing until the small of her back. Face caked with make-up and it seems that her sense of fashion. It was . . . more revealing than before.

Sluttier, frankly.

"Omoo! What are you even doing here?! You shouldn't have come out. Wait—are you even released or you just, you know, escaped?" said one of the twins, I just couldn't recall which one. 

"Excuse me. Mind if I ask, but... who are you?" I asked, a bit rudely.

She was shocked for a reason I didn't know. Maybe because I don't remember her anymore? Or maybe because of the coldness in my voice? I could feel the coldness, too. 

Or maybe because I'm not the girl they used to know anymore.

She took a (what she thought) threatening step towards me. "Wow. Is that what happens when you're with your kind, acting all high and arrogant? What, feeling all tough now?" 

I snorted, I knew the comment was supposed to hurt, but it didn't hurt a bit. Not even in the slightest. Over the years, those kind of 'insults' just fade into nothing.

Now that's what happened when I'm with my 'kind'.

"Maybe?" I answered nonchalantly.

I saw her nose flared, opened her mouth to spit fire but was stopped by her twin. "That's enough, Lucy." Oh. So that's Lucy? "We don't want to waste our time talking to a delinquent. Let's go."

"Yeah. That's probably a good idea." I agreed with Rebecca.

Lucy looked at me, made a move but she was stopped once again by her twin. So she said through gritted instead, "You-?! I can't believe I became friends with a bitch like you!" she screeched—

SLAP!

 

My head whipped to the left because of the impact; but I didn't flinch, nor cry in pain, not even a sound. I've been worse. I slowly looked back to them. "Is... that all you've got?" I gave them a shit-eating smile as I mocked them. Now we've got the whole restaurant's attention- oh, and the bystanders too.

"Why you—"

"K-kathy?"

I've never been so relieved when I heard my sister's voice behind them. I honestly don't want to deal with them for now. They all turned to my sister. "Hey Zynah! What a coincidence." Kathy said.

Ate Zynah smiled wearily. "Y-yeah. I took Dakota shopping. She's off to school next week." 

Would you look at their stupefied look. "S-she'll go to our school?" Lucy was the first to recover. Damn that girl really talks a lot. "So they did let a delinquent on the loose."

"Lucinda Serrano. Better watch your trap. My sister is anything but a delinquent." Zynah said in a sharp voice, Lucy flinched at mentioning her whole name. 

I sighed, feeling the tension all over the restaurant. They were expecting a fight, but I didn't want my sister to deal with my fight. So I decided to be the bigger person and picked up the shopping bags one by one. "Ynah." I called her by her nickname. "Let's just go, they're...they're not worth your time, and it's my fight, not yours." She briefly glanced at me, her eyes softening a bit and took her bags too.

Kathy and the others then turned around and walked away. I can almost hear Lucy bickering and ranting nonsense, with her hands doing gestures. Kathy glanced back, gave me a wide grin and discreetly waved, as Tori gave me a wink and a slight smile. 

We reached the parking lot. And as we dumped our bags in the backseat, Zynah finally broke the silence. "That was... tiring." She commented. I just nodded, unsure what to say. She smiled and gave me a light tap on the shoulder and we both got into our seats. 

"It'll be okay. At least you know what kind of people they really are. I think you'll be better off without them." 

"... yeah. I guess so." I murmured as she started the engine and hit the road.

Throughout the whole fiasco, the restaurant must've forgot that we are their costumers, not their fucking entertainer.

—

I know I know, another boring chapter. But this needs to be done. J

Kathy = Katherine

Ynah = Zynah

In case you're confused with the names. Lol sorry.