My mystery queen

Pick up!.

I entered the restaurant, dropping my backpack on the empty chair next to where I always sit—it was the VIP section. The dim lights and refined interior set it apart from the sections for the "commoners." And by commoners, I mean those whose menu price ranges from a hundred dollars to five hundred . I collapsed into the comfy chair, exhausted from all the lectures I had to endure today. Don’t get me wrong, I could easily skip them, but I needed something to take my mind off everything that’s been happening lately. From Dad's decision to marry that w***e, to Jason avoiding me! He’s never at school, and he just won’t pick up my darn calls. I’ve stalked all his social media accounts, trying to get a hint of where the hell he is. He’s not at home, nor at his beach house. How are we supposed to make up if he’s not even willing to see my face?.

Frustrated, I groaned and dropped my head on the table. My hair fell forward, covering my face and blocking my view of the sky. I gave up and shut my eyes.

“Amira! Amira!” I heard a familiar voice yell. I groaned, fully aware

“Stop yelling, you're in a restaurant, girl!” another voice chimed in. It was the two Ts—Tessa and Tasha. These sisters are a pain in my ass. I mean, they’re just too loud.

“You both are embarrassing,” I yelled back, rolling my eyes as they smiled widely at me, waving enthusiastically. They were stepsisters, but people often called them twins because of how close they were. They literally followed each other everywhere and even wore the same clothes.

Tessa had caramel skin with tight curls, deep brown doe eyes, and full lips. And don’t get me started on her curves—she was gorgeous. Tasha, on the other hand, was more like me—pale skin, raven-dark hair, nice full lips, and a good enough figure.

“Isn’t that a cute way to welcome your best friends?” Tessa replied, her lips curving into a smirk.

“Friends? Last time I checked, you both have been following me around since kindergarten,” I retorted, flashing a fake smile before reverting to a bored expression.

“This is why you have no friends except us—you’re just a rude b***h,” Tasha shot back, her words hitting a nerve. She took a seat next to me, pulled out her phone, and began scrolling. I stared at her, trying to figure out if she was genuinely angry. I mean, this is how our friendship works—we insult and mock each other, but never leave each other’s side.

“Yeah, and just so you know, we’ll keep chasing you until our last breath,” Tessa added, removing my bag from the chair and tossing it to me so she could sit down. Of the two, Tessa and I were closer. Don’t ask me why—I’m not sure. I just feel like she gets me better.

“You ordered yet?” Tasha asked, still engrossed in her phone.

“No, not hungry,” I replied, now staring at my phone, perhaps expecting a call or something.

“He still hasn’t called?” Tessa asked, pulling out a novel. She called the waiter and ordered for herself and Tasha.

“Well, duh! What do you think?” I snapped, tossing my phone aside. They both flinched and stared at me for two solid minutes before looking away.

“Why don’t you call him?” Tessa suggested.

I frowned, irritated by her words. Was she stupid or just plain dumb? Of course I’ve called him—like a hundred times by now!

“No, she can’t. A girl is never allowed to call first, okay?” Tasha chimed in, giving out her usual girl lessons. She was practically the ultimate relationship guru, and all her tips seemed to work like magic. I mean, that explains why her boyfriend is so obsessed with her, even after she’s cheated on him numerous times, and the whole school knows it. But this time around, her advice failed.

“Well, I did as you said: went to a club, got drunk, and posted a video of me dancing with a complete stranger, hoping he’d see it and call me! But how did that work out?!” I screamed, practically pulling my hair out.

“Yeah, but you broke the number one rule, which is never call first. So what do you expect?” she replied with a smug tone, rolling her eyes.

“What’s with all these stupid rules? If you love someone, you should always want to hear their voice. There’s nothing wrong with calling first—it just shows you care,” Tessa said in the sweetest tone, which only made Tasha groan.

“Well, that explains why you’re still single. Men don’t want to be chased; they want to chase. So give them the show, uh? You need to stop reading all those pathetic BookToks!” Tasha snapped, glaring at Tessa. Tessa just hugged her book closer to her chest, smiling from ear to ear.

“Not when the king is about to confess his love to Estelle!” she yelled, beaming. I rolled my eyes, baffled by how cute she could be sometimes.

“It’s just a book, Tessa. Love like that doesn’t happen in real life. In real life, there’s only betrayal,” I sighed, my thoughts drifting to my parents.

"Oh lord knows it's the love I want. The one in my mystery queen! It's like a bittersweet love"she defended. As the waiter came bringing some pasta, chesse burger, chips and cocktail for tessa. And salad for tasha with some smoothie suddenly making me regret my decision of not ordering anything.

"what's so special about that book" I said gesturing to the book on her hands

"I can give you to read?" she suggested, her eyes liting up as she munched on her burgers making my mouth water. I swallowed

"no am fine" I mumbled

"well your missing. I mean who won't want a man who would kill you if he can't have you. It's giving intense love! " she cooed making us furrow Our brows

"I know I won't... It's giving madness" I replied placing my lips in a thin line

"Estelle is a blind slave who served a girl her age her name was clarrissa" she said, tasha rolled her eyes

"yeah everyone knows the book, it is actually a real life story. A pathetic one if you ask me. It happened during Ad period " tasha said dropping her phone on the table

"one day the king of the place announced that all the virgins within the age of fifteen to nineteen will be taken to the palace to be chosen as a bride. because he was looking for the mysterious girl who saved his life. " tessa said excitedly

"Clarrissa was the daughter of an official So offcourse she went. While clarrissa wanted so bad to be a queen, estelle only wanted to save her mother's life cause money will be given to does that make it to the finals.... Cause you know, there will be elimination at each stage" tasha said. I hummed already enjoying the story

"well to cut the story short estelle became the queen even when the king had chosen clarrissa thinking she was his saviour. He maltreated her and clarrissa sticked around just to cause differences between them. He started to love estelle but was still bent on treating her bad cause he felt she deceived him, they both had two children together and things seemed to start moving well for her. " tessa said, I frowned

"but When she found out his mother was responsible for the death of the past queen, she accused his mother and was charged with treason and beheaded. The night after her beheading he found out she was the girl that saved him and it wasn't clarrissa also she was pregnant for him"tasha said rolling her eyes

"wow..." I said. It's a sad story but strangely I don't feel anything for estelle.

"and what happened to clarrissa" I said

"emmm... The history didn't say. But I think the book wasn't written exactly like what actually happened during that time.... I believe in love and magic" she said shifting the plate of pasta to me.

“Tch… That is so random. Doesn’t the story make you hate love even more? I mean, her life sucks—she goes from a blind slave to a maltreated queen and then to death,” i said, as I digged into the pasta.

“The moral lesson is if you love a person, don’t push them away. And if there are any misconceptions, solve them—don’t just jump to conclusions,” Tessa said, her eyes boring into mine.

“Well, I thought the lesson was never make friends with the poor because they’ll stab you in the back for their selfish gain. To me, she betrayed Clarissa, whose dream was to be queen, just to save her mother,” I said with a frown as they stared at me, confused.

“Well, if you didn’t despise the poor so much, you wouldn’t have slapped Jason’s mother!” Tasha said, chuckling. I rolled my eyes. That’s where the argument started. I went over to his house, and some careless servant spilled wine all over my white dress. It was expensive!. I just snapped and slapped her. What I didn’t know was that she was his mother. I was shocked because I thought his mother was the madam of the house—you know, his father’s wife? Then I realized all men are the same—his father slept with his mom and made him, meaning he’s illegitimate. Perhaps his wife couldn’t have children since he’s the only child. Like, what is it with men and going for the ones so far below their status? He broke up with me, saying I was heartless. Tch.

“Well, forgive me for not knowing his maid is actually his mom,” I replied, making both Tessa and Tasha chuckle.

“Hon, your behaviour doesn’t exactly scream ‘remorseful,’” Tessa said.

“Yeah, because I don’t give a f**k. That hag is trying to ruin everything! She could literally see my body wasn’t the cup,” I snapped.

“Well, if you want Jason back, you’ll most certainly need that hag’s help. Go to her, beg her to convince her son to give you another chance,” Tasha smirked like she’d just come up with the wisest plan ever. I scoffed.

“There is no way I’m begging a servant,” I said in disgust.

“Well, then go for plan B,” they both said in unison. I frowned, curiosity gleaming in my hazel eyes.

“Mama Morris! Mama Morris!” they chanted together.

“What?!” I asked, confused.

“Do you believe in magic? Because she’s a seer, and she can solve all your problems,” Tasha said, her eyes boring into mine. I frowned for a second before bursting into laughter. How did I get trapped with these insane girls?

“Okay, very funny. I choose plan A, because what the f**k?” I said between laughs, shaking my head. The two just stared at me blankly.