BEAUTIFUL RIVALS

Silence

—THE NEXT DAY—

Maya sat calmly at the back of the cab, on her way to school, her gaze fixed on the window as the city blurred past. Her first day had gone by in a flash, well, not without drama.

After the draw results with Noah the previous day, everything had changed for her. Some students started respecting her, while others hid their admiration, while some showed it, even offering to be friends while some other students hated her more, claiming no one has the right to pass Noah.

“Dumb peeps,” Maya sighed, she wondered what today had in store for her.

A few minutes later, the cab pulled up at the outer parking lot. Maya stepped out, adjusted her bag, and walked toward the entrance, passing through the daily security check without a word. Since the school doesn’t wear uniforms they use the student tag to identify students, it can not be duplicated.

The moment she stepped onto the school grounds, it started.

The whispers. The glares. The attention was all directed at her.

"That's her… the one who talked back to Noah."

"I just hate her guts."

"She thinks she's important. She's just a poor scholarship student."

“Heard she passed Noah in a class quiz,”

“I’m sure Noah just let her,”

“Well I think she’s intelligent, why the hate?”

“Yeah, and take a close look you’d realize she’s really pretty,”

“I like her,”

"I feel like plucking her eyes out."

Maya didn't stop walking. She let her words float behind her like a warning.

"You can feel it," she said calmly, "but you can't come an inch closer. Not all feelings come to pass, dear."

Some students laughed as they made way for her to pass. Brittany frowned from where she stood with her minions but she didn’t make a move.

——————

—AFTERNOON, LUNCH PERIOD—

Morning had passed in a wink of an eye and the students were leaving the class in groups, everyone heading to the cafeteria, Maya also stood beside Molly who was arranging something in her backpack.

“Ready?” Maya questioned.

“Yeah,” Molly zipped her backpack and they both walked out.

“Today is weirdly calm,” Maya breathed.

“Yeah, Brittany has been quiet which is unlike her, and that gives me the total assurance that she’s up to something,” Molly emphasized.

“Yeah, and I feel like the cafeteria won’t be peaceful,” Maya replied as they walked into the cafeteria. They moved over to the counter, picked up a tray and served themselves. Both dished pasta, grilled chicken and sauce with a chocolate milkshake, Maya could swear it was her first time having such a sumptuous meal, she salivated as she walked over to a table, settled down and started eating.

“Wait, I just realized we don’t have each other’s contact,” Molly suddenly dropped her cutlery.

“Ohh,” Maya mouthed, Molly stretched her phone to Maya and Maya input her contact.

“Your phone,” Molly stretched her palm. Maya insisted for a second before bringing out her broken phone that was barely holding on to life. She handed it to Molly and after a few seconds, Molly casually handed the phone over.

Maya blinked, she didn't take it immediately.

"What?" Molly asked. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"My phone…" Maya hesitated. "You didn't say anything."

"Say what?"

"Like… 'ew,' or 'what is this,' or something," Maya said quietly. "The model, the screen… how cheap it looks."

Molly frowned.

"And why would I do that?"

Maya shrugged. "Normal rich girl behavior you know."

Molly let out a small laugh, shaking her head.

"Look, I'm not like that," she said. "I don't judge people based on what they have. I don't know what you've been through, so I have no right to look down on you."

Maya stared at her for a second.

Then smiled.

"Wow… that's the most sensible thing I've heard in this school."

They both laughed softly.

“It’s actually my dad’s phone, I started using it after he left,” Maya muttered playing with her fork.

“Left?” Molly furrowed her brows.

“Yeah, prison.” Maya avoid Mollys eyes

“Ohh, why?” Molly asked.

“He was framed by someone in the higher ups which we don’t know, and getting him out is just not working,” Maya stared into her meal. Molly stretched her hand and rubbed Maya’s gently, Maya gave a soft smile and Molly returned it, as they both dug into their meals.

Suddenly, the students started murmuring loudly and Maya felt like something was about to happen, she looked up and saw Brittany walking towards their table, her minions behind her.

Molly looked up first, a slow smirk formed on her lips."Well… someone's here for you."

Maya sighed softly. "Took her long enough." She leaned back slightly. "I appreciate our friendship, by the way. I might be getting expelled soon."

Molly blinked. "What?" Before she could get an answer, Brittany had already walked up to their table.

“Her loser,” Brittany smirked.

“Hey midnight mistake,” Maya responded, a darker shade of smirk on her face. Everyone in the cafeteria burst into loud laughter, and some were already recording with their phones.

“Quiet!” Brittany yelled and the cafeteria went dead silent.

“Why are you hushing them? Can’t they laugh when they want?” Maya tilted her head.

“What do you know?” Brittany glared.

“I know that you have become so bitter that you look older than your actual age.” Maya pointed, and that did the magic as everyone resumed another round of laughter.

Maya resumed her meal as if she weren’t the same person who just gave the students a cinematic show. Brittany fumed as she snatched a bottle of juice from one of her minions and emptied its contents into Maya’s meal.

“Gasps!”

Brittany folded her arms across her chest, a victorious smirk formed on her lips as she stared at Maya who was quietly staring at the ruined food.

“Is she gonna cry,” one of the minions mocked.

“I bet she never had such a Mel before,” the other added.

“Oops! That wasn’t intentional” Brittany gave a fake look of concern. Molly was about to give Brittany a piece of her mind, but Maya beat her to it. She grabbed the plate and before anyone could blink, she emptied the contents on Brittany, from head to toe.

The air in the cafeteria changed as everyone gasped, before they could digest that, a resounding slap landed on Brittany’s right cheek. She staggered, and another landed on her left cheek and she lost her balance completely.

The students' eyes widened, including Molly's; no one had ever laid their hands on Brittany.

Brittany got up, she locked eyes with Maya, let out a sickening smile and walked out of the cafeteria with her minions behind her.