Repeat and Retribution

Chapter 22

“Doesn’t he even notice anything?” Crystal let out deep a sigh, crossing her arms to her chest.

Larse was sitting beside her at the table, they had just finished eating lunch and was now just sitting there, watching at the couple a few meters away from were they were.

From where they were they could see clearly how Dana cuddled to Clyde, the young man’s arms were wrap around the young woman’s shoulder. They were still eating one seemed to be spring rolls, the girl was all smiles as she fed one to the boy, whom which was accepted without any hesitation.

It seems the two had managed to make up after what had happened a few days ago, making her insides crawl, as the thought of the woman being happy with another man, while Clyde still had no clue irritated Crystal so much.

She felt she wanted to rip her hair off, being able to get away with such a thing.

“Hell if I care. Why are you worrying about them anyway, it’s not like their relationship is any of our problem,” Larse scoff, lips forming a straight line as he seemed annoyed while still sipping on his bottle of soda.

Crystal gave him a death glare, unable to hide her annoyance. “You should, since you actually got involved, or have you forgotten?” she says raisin an eyebrow at him after remembering the unforgivable thing the man had done.

That immediately made Larse straighten in his seat, almost coughing up his drink. “It’s not like we got caught,” he tries to laugh it off but was received with a glower when Crystal turned her head. “Okay, okay!” he mewled, raising his arms in surrender.

Crystal could not help but take another deep breath at the disappointment and irritation that she was feeling right now.

”I just can’t believe Clyde would be this...this…” she blurted out, unable to finish her context as the thought of it made her blood boil.

“Stupid!” Larse smiled widely after completing the words.

“Gullible,” She quickly corrected him, eyes squinting at the man beside her.

That made Larse chuckle awkwardly as he tried to fix himself again. “Why do you even bother with them anyway?” he just says, lowering his head as he looked timidly at her.

“It’s a bit complicated,” she with a soft and weakened voice, looking back at the two who looked so sweet together.

Clenching her fist at the box of juice she was still holding as she remembered the sear of pain that she felt the moment she saw the two on her previous lifetime.

“Is it because of Clyde?” Larse voice was deep and a bit infuriated.

But Crystal seemed unable to notice it as her mind dwell into the memories of her old past. He feelings began getting mixed and confused again as she remembered all those things that happened.

“It’s just…” She stopped herself from even mentioning a part of that thing, not wanting to sound like some crazed lunatic.

After all, who would believe that she was from the future who came back, just to start her life all over again. Though there was a slim chance that Brittany would, the problem was, she was sure her friend was just going about to transfer there.

“It’s just what?” Larse cleared, forehead creasing as he moved closer to him.

Crystal could not help but avoid her gaze. “You wouldn’t understand.”

She throws the box of juice that was now crumpled and reduced to almost a ball like thing in the nearby trash bin, thinking like she was hitting Dana’s face. That made her feel a bit of relief, specially after she begins cleaning up their table.

“Try me,” Larse had a half smile on his face as he slouch back to his seat.

Closing her eyes to that thought, the idea and the truth kept scratching at her head for some reason. It felt like it wanted to be known and found out, as she felt an itch of at least letting someone know the truth about it.

“We’ll, let’s just say they’re going to play a big role in my future?” alas she still decided to hold it back not wanting to sound like some derange lunatic.

“What?” Larse could not help his brows from furrowing, confused and curious at the answer. “Can you elaborate on that,” he says, suddenly all ears and interest.

“It’s a bit hard to explain,” she waves him off.

She had already finished stacking the last piece of paper place that was on their table, so she had nothing else to keep her mind occupied again.

“What’s so hard to explain about it? It’s either you know or you don’t what it is, as simple as that,” Larse blurted out in frustration as he place one hand on his chin while looking at her.

Crystal just sighed, being so focused with her studies and avoiding certain toxic people in her class, didn’t really gave her a chance to make friends like before, leaving her with only Larse, Clyde and of course her best friend who’m she was still waiting to meet.

“I wish Brittany was here,” he just say in an almost whisper like manner.

“Who’s Brittany?” Larse raises an eyebrow upon hearing the name.

That made her smile, turning to the man much more cheerful at the thought of the woman. “My best friend, she’s quite clever you know, I bet she’d know how to answer your question,” she says, knowing full well how observant and bright her friend was.

“I didn’t think there’d be anyone else that would be more clever than you,” Larse chuckled.

That comment made her giggle, she never really thought that someone would actually think that she was clever. Specially since she knew for a fact that her mind was that of an older person, yet she was still unable to handle her feelings right now, because her emotions still seemed in an adrenaline rush.

“I quite doubt that idea,” she just says back, giggling as she kept her hand to her mouth.

That somewhat seemed to lighten up their mood as the two of them were now trying to hold their laughter. That was quickly put to a stop when they noticed the person that was now walking towards them.

“Hey guys,” Clyde greeted hands raised with a long smile on his face.

Larse face almost crumpled while Crystal just let out a forced smile, not wanting to show her utter frustration and disappointment.

“Hey,” Larse just nodded then looked away as he sipped on his bottle of soda again.

“Hey Clyde,” Crystal tried to greet in a much more lighter and livelier manner, waving her hands as she kept her smile plastered on her face.

Clyde seemed to not mind as faced showed that he was still in cloud nine at the time.

“By the way Larse, sorry about what happened during the game last time,” he says turning his attention to the other man.

That made Larse sit in attention as he smiled back at him. “No harm done man,” he says with a genuine smile.

Looking at the two men, Crystal could not help that warm feeling inside her. Seeing as the two seemed to getting along much better now.

“Thanks.” Clyde chuckled as he sat in the chair, so he was now facing them.

“So, you two seem to be okay again,” Crystal could not help but comment, seeing as she was still annoyed at the woman.

She was still confused as to why Clyde seems so unaware of what the woman was doing behind his back.

Clyde’s eyes was almost closed as his smiled grew wider. “Yeah, Dana’s been in a good mood lately,” he gives out a light and silly laugh, scratching the back of his head while blushing.

“I wonder why?” Larse grinned, one brow raised in amusement.

Crystal gave the man a glare before turning her attention to Clyde with a wide a fake smile again.

“That’s good to hear Clyde, I’m happy that you two seem to be doing better now,” she just says, trying to hide the sarcasm in her voice.

“Yeah,” the man just chuckled.

Clyde was obviously oblivious to the things that were happening to him, seeing that oh so sweet innocent smile that he had.

Crystal and Larse could not help but look at each other for a moment, quite astonish at how clueless the man was.

That made her heart ache, feeling both angry and devastated that she couldn’t tell him that fact, knowing full well that it would break the man’s heart.

“We better get inside, class is about to start,” Larse scuffles to his feet after looking at his watch. He then signals Crystal to follow along as it was no use dwelling on it anymore.

Crystal just let out a deep breath, as she grabbed her thing and just tried to ignore the fact that it was not in her place to meddle in the mans affairs.

All three of them walk back to their room, as it seemed that they pretty much made a sort of bond together. Though it somewhat felt a but uncomfortable to her, she could not hide the fact that she was happy she was getting along with the two.

Clyde was already running out of the classroom after the class ended, Crystal even saw him looking at his phone smiles and all. So, she knew the reason for that, but somehow she was a bit happy as the man seemed to be totally in love, yet she could not help to hide her anger at the thought that Dana was getting away with all of that.

“Crys, you have any plans today?” Larse was already in front of her, twinkling his eyes with smiles and all.

“No, why?” she frowns a bit, surprised at the sudden approach.

That made Larse face lighten up. “We’ll, my dad got me these tickets at the oceanarium, I was thinking if you would like to come with me,” the man says, fanning his hands to show two pieces of shiny blue paper like thing.

“Oceanarium! You mean the one that’s still under construction?” Crystal could not contain her excitement upon hearing that.

“Yeah, they gave us special tickets for it’s soft opening,” Larse said, head raised as his smile seemed to grow even wider.

“Really!” she could not help her eyes from growing bigger at the astonishment.

It was one of those places she never really got to visit, even in her previous time line as she was so busy with work, taking care of the house and other stuff. Yet, now she was being invited to go there, whats better was that it was the year were the place was just going to open, meaning it was still brand new and should be looking pretty well.

“Yup,” Larse nodded.

“We’ll, my mom did say that I could take the off today,” she bit her lower lip, remembering her mothers advice this morning.

She could not hide her happiness and surprise, since she did not think that such a chance would ever really occur.

“It’s settled then! I’ll go on ahead so that I can start the car’s ac,” Larse quickly says not even waiting for an answer.

“All right, I’ll be right behind.” She ended up nodding, not really wanting to pass up this chance.

“Nice, I’ll wait for you there then,” Larse almost leaped up in the air upon hearing it, he waves at her while galloping out of the room.

“Okay.” She says giggling as she could not help but hold her laughter at the man’s childish actions.

Crystal just quickened her phase as she was still putting some of her books in her bag. She was out of the room once she was set, making sure that she did not forget anything.

“Hi Crystal!” a cheerful yet sarcastic voice greeted as she was about to make a turn to the hallway upon getting out of her classroom.

She could not hide her bewilderment upon seeing Dana there along with Clyde who’m now seemed sweating and in a bit of panic.

“Babe, I thought we talked about this,” he flinch, trying to hold the woman.

Yet Dana seemed indifferent at the moment, grinning while arms cross as she looked at her.

“Hey there,” she greets in a much more soft manner, not wanting to cause any trouble for Clyde.

“You and Larse seem to be getting along,” Dana says raising an eyebrow.

That immediately ticked her off, sensing hostility in the woman’s voice. It was only then that she raised her chin in defiance to the arrogance.

“Why, would there be a problem?” she says cooly.

“Babe, what’s with this all of a sudden,” Clyde could not help but hiss.

The woman turns to Clyde with an oh so sweet smile. “I just wanted to give your friend a heads up, seeing as she’s trying to snag one of the most sought after guy in the school, there can be a lot of jealous girls out there who’d might do unnecessary things,” Dana’s last words seemed a bit more ominous, as she slowly turned her gaze back at her.

That made her blood boil, as she felt a vain almost pop in her head. “Jealous girls, you mean like the one I saw making out with him in his car last time?” Crystal could not help but smirk seeing how the woman’s confidence dwindled down, as the young woman’s face suddenly turned pale, her smile vanishing and a trickle of sweat seem to appear in her forehead.

“I...I’m just trying to warn you, you know,” she snaps back.

“Yeah, Crys. I think you should watch yourself, I hear Larse has quite a lot of girls vying for his attention, you don’t know what they might do if they found out about you.” Clyde adds, his face showing a much more concerned and sweet face.

“Though I don’t see the point in it. I’ll do keep that in mind, thanks.” She just smiles back at him winking at that thought. “I’ll go on ahead then,” she says, her attention back to the woman who’m seemed to have suddenly lost her cockiness.

“See you tomorrow,” Clyde waves at her as she walks pass the two.

“Bye,” Dana smirks as her eyes followed her.

She did not bother with the two, not wanting to ruin her mood and feeling that heaviness and ache in her chess right now. Thankfully her mind was enthralled right now since she was looking forward to their visit at the oceanarium.

Larse was already waiting for her in front of the building as she descended the stairs, waving back at her in front of his car black car.

“Crys, you ready to go?” he immediately calls out waving at her to hurry up.

Excitement rush through her veins, making her run towards him without a second thought. As she steps out of the building, water suddenly pours over her, like a small water fall. She screams as she is doused in the cold, trickling, blackish liquid, freezing in place as her whole body along with some of her things were now drenched.

“Crys!” Larse shouted, eyes looking in horror as he dashed to her aide.

Crystal lip tightened as she hears giggles, loud laughter and sounds of whispers all around her as she stood there dripping wet.

“Who the hell did that!” the man yelled, gritting his teeth as he glared at the people around them while trying to cover Crystal with his body.

Though feeling a bit humiliated and irritated, she let out a deep and calm breath. She held back her tears as she knew she could not let this get to her.

“So childish,” she just shrugs it off.

Luckily, she was wearing her comfortable pair of flower patterned white lingerie, thus giving her a bit of confidence as she strut her now seemingly see through white uniform.

One of the other things that she learned from her friend Brittany was to make sure to look classy and composed, even in a very uncomfortable and awkward moment, specially something as demeaning and obviously set up accident like that.

Combing her hair with her bare hands she makes a sort of out of the pool movement, in order to remove the water from her hair, she then shakes her head from left to right, making sure that her hair would waved and dance around.

Pulling the end of her blouse she lets her uniform tighten revealing much more of the design and figure that she was hiding beneath it.

That somewhat made Larse ogle, mouth opened as his eye seemed to have gotten stuck in place for few moments, though it did not take him a while to realize that other men were also looking around, gaping and in awe at the sight.

He was suddenly irritated and furious as he quickly took of his blazer, giving out death glares to whomever would get his sight.

“Here, you better put this on,” he says to Crystal as she covers her up.

“Thanks,” She just smiles at him, flipping her still wet hair to release it from the covers, showing a lustrous black yet curly long strands.

“I have a change of clothes in my car, c’mon,” Larse immediately has his hands to her shoulder, as he pulled him out of the crowd that was now surrounding them.