Her Last Wish – Episode 23

HER LAST WISH
(Moremi)

Chapter 23.

Zeemah Writes . . .

Chloe screamed so loud that she attracted everyone’s attention in the cafeteria.

“How dare you touch me? How dare you?” She yelled at the girl who stood trembling in front of her, she had mistakenly brushed her arm with Chloe’s while walking to a table with her lunch in hand.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to . . It was not intentional” The girl said, blinking hard.
“I would tolerate it if you weren’t so ugly! Ughhh! ” Chloe growled in irritation, rubbing her arm vigorously like a forbidden thing just touched her skin.

Her friends stood behind her saying nothing, Sabrina was particularly uneasy with the amount of gazes on them.
“I’m sorry” The girl said, she had stopped shaking but she still looked scared.
“And your skin . . OMG! did that s-k-i-n of yours just touched mine?” Chloe screamed, slamming the girl’s lunch off her hand.
Few people exclaimed.
Chloe’s known to be that way.
“OMG I need to go take a bath” She said, rushing off with her friends trailing behind her.

“Puppies” Jessie snorted and her friends laughed.

“What was that?” Dan asked Layla, stunned at what just happened.
Layla laughed. ” You don’t know who Chloe is?”
“I know she’s our classmate of course, but what was that? why did she do that? ” Dan asked, watching the girl clear her lunch on the floor, he felt so sorry for her.
“Oh, I guess Chloe has never created a scene since you resumed, well . . there you have it” Layla said and continued with her lunch.

“Is she allergic to people’s touch?” Dan asked.
“Allergic? you heard her say if the girl wasn’t ugly, she would have tolerated it ”
“Oh yeah, wow . . that was so mean and unfair” Dan furrowed his brow, he suddenly didn’t like Chloe.
“Chloe has always been that way, so mean, the girl is lucky not to have been slapped” Layla said.
“Really? You mean she can still get slapped even after her lunch was wasted?”
“Of course” Layla said.
“And no one is going to do anything…” Dan asked.
“No one is going to do nothing, if you cant stand up for yourself, then no one is going to do that for you” Layla said.
“Wow” Dan sigh.
“Though if a teacher was around at the moment, Chloe would get reprimanded but if not …” Layla shook her head to complete her words.

“Chloe bullied me for years and I only got free when I stood up for myself, taking that decision wasn’t easy but I took it anyway and I’ve never felt so happy to have made the decision” Layla smiled sadly.
“Chloe was the mastermind behind the ill treatment you got from everyone for years?” Dan asked and she nodded.
Not only didn’t he like Chloe, he felt angry towards her. He hates bullies so much.
“She turned everyone against me and even students in lower classes treated me like sh*t, except Anne, knowing there’s at least someone who didn’t hate me kept me going. Anne is a life saver honestly, how would I have coped with being scorned by everyone in the whole school, it would have been hideous” Layla pressed her lips together. “And yeah, Dylan kept me going too, the thought of getting to see his face again every new day was enough to get me off my bed and prepare me for school”

“Oh .. talk of the devil” Dan said and Layla thought it didn’t sync with what she just said until she saw Dylan appear beside her.
“Hi” He said to her, not giving her the time to adjust to his presence.
She swallowed hard, Dylan talks to her now but every time he does feels new, her heart wont stop thumping.
“Hi” She said pulling herself together, she hopes her cheeks wont betray her.
Dan continued eating, acting oblivious of Dylan’s presence.
“So, we’ll be having truth or dare after lunchbreak, I came to ask you to join” Dylan said and Dan raised his brow.
‘was it not after this same game he had embarrassed her’ Dan thought, glaring at Dylan.

Layla stared at Dylan, surprised. The aftermath of the last truth or dare replayed in her mind and she quickly shook it off.
The fact now is Dylan is asking her to join the game, he came to her himself . . did he really wanted her to join that much ..
It’s not like him to ask people to join the game, he must really want her to. The fact that he considered her important enough to ask her almost made her feel over the moon.

“I can see you’re still yet to forgive me, it’s fine” Dylan said, about walking away.
“No, it’s not that. I was .. just surprised. I’ve totally forgiven you, I hadn’t even taken it as an offence” Layla said.
“Oh, so …?” Dylan asked.
“I’ll be joining” Layla said and he smiled.
“Okay, see ya” He winked before walking away. Layla smiled.

Dan scoffed, irritated with the fact that Dylan is using Layla’s weakness against her but of course, she was too blinded to see it.

“Do you think that was a good decision?” Layla asked Dan, slightly embarrassed.
“You already told him you would join and telling you it’s a bad decision wont make you change your mind, so if you think it’s a good decision, then it is” Dan shrug.
“Oh” Layla blinked, facing her meal.
Dan has never given her such attitude and she guessed it was because him and Dylan doesn’t like each other.

They ate the rest of their meal in silence.

~~

Dan sat on his seat watching some students gather for the game, Layla included. They all sat in a circle.

“Dan aren’t you joining?” Chloe suddenly asked loudly and he almost grimaced. Everyone turned to him.
“I’m not joining” He said, switching his gaze to Layla who had been avoiding his gaze since they left the cafeteria.
He hope she’s not feeling bad because of how he had responded to her. Had he been harsh?

“You should, Dan. It’s always fun” Chloe smiled too widely and Dan almost felt irritated.
“As the newest student, you should join in the game” Miranda quickly added.
“Is it a ritual?” He asked.
“Not really”
“Then i’m not interested”
“We would really love for you to join us Dan, isn’t so every one?” Chloe turned to the girls in the circle, knowing they would all love Dan to join too.
“Yes Dan, please join” They chorused, all staring at him with pleading gazes, the girls most especially.”

He sighed, obviously not able to turn them down. They had thought of him highly enough to plead with him to join them. He didn’t have the heart to turn them down though he wish he did.
“Okay” He said, getting up from his seat and smiled when the girls cheered. He knows how much he attracts girls but he just doesn’t dwell on it, he doesn’t need to.

He approached the circle and got seated on the last empty seat which was between two girls.
He recognizes one of them as one of Chloe’s friends. He turned to look at Layla and she was staring at him now, he winked at her and she smiled.
She was looking more at ease now.
Dylan fumed where he sat, he hadn’t expected Dan would be begged to join the game he had organized, he was pretty sure some people would have pulled out if Dan hadn’t agreed to join. No one even cared anymore if he wanted to join, whom they wanted now is Dan.

“Okay, we should start before the teachers end their meeting” Chloe said and took a seat opposite Dan, grinning.
The bottle was rolled and the game started and everyone watched.
Halfway through the game, a girl was dared to kiss a guy she would love to date and she giggled as she chose Dan, much to Chloe’s chagrin.
Dan stood up and the girl grinned shyly, Chloe fumed, tightening her fist. She made Dan join so she could get to share an intimate moment with him! She cant believe other girls are getting the chance. This is the fifth girl who would choose Dan as the guy they would love to date. Why has the damned bottle not rolled in her direction!
She glared at the guy in charge of the bottle, hating him instantly.

To the surprise of everyone, Dan turned his cheek to the girl.
“Hu . . h? . .” She asked.
“You can kiss me on the cheek, the kiss wasn’t specified right?” He asked and the girl nodded, embarrassed.
“So I guess a peck would do” He smiled at her, lowering his cheek to her height.
Chloe chuckled loudly, loving Dan more. Most people tried to hide their chuckle.
The girl kissed him lightly on his cheek, looking sullen. Even the blind would tell she had wanted to kiss him on the lips.

Dan sat back on his seat and sighed, he hadn’t meant to make her feel that way but kissing someone he doesn’t have any feeling whatsoever for is just something he cant do. Kissing is very intimate to him.

“Dan, your turn!” He heard and brought himself back to the game, his mind hadn’t been in the game all along because he wasn’t even interested in the first place.
“Huh?” He asked.
“Truth or Dare?” He was asked and he looked confused until he saw the bottle was pointing to him and the girl who had asked him ‘truth or dare’
“Oh” He said, not even recognizing the girl as one of Chloe’s friends.
“Truth or dare?” Christy asked again.
“Truth” Dan said and Chloe secretly winked at Christy. Though they hadn’t planned anything but Christy knows she better do this in Chloe’s favor.
Everyone watched eagerly.

“Which female do you think is the most beautiful in this circle?” Christy asked, and Chloe smiled to herself.
She is the school’s queen and she has always ranked the most beautiful female in Ocean High, everyone knew that and Chloe is indeed beautiful.
Anyone would point to her as the most beautiful in the circle, her pink hair alone attracts attention to her not to talk of her finely carved face albeit always covered in make up.
Everyone already knew what Dan’s answer would be or rather they thought they knew what his answer would be.

“Layla” Dan said shocking everyone, including Layla herself whose mouth fell open slightly.
Everyone turned to look at her and she felt her cheeks go hot, she stared at her laps, biting the inside of her cheek.
“And I don’t ‘think’ she’s the most beautiful girl here . . she is.” Dan said with all seriousness, Layla had to raise her head to look at him, stunned. He winked at her and she smiled sitting up straight, her head raised high like the most beautiful girl in the circle that she is. Dan’s gaze has this way of giving her courage whenever she lacked it.
The students were stunned too and some of them started whispering that it seems Layla is indeed the most beautiful here, having studied her face closely.
Chloe’s lips trembled in anger and it took all the strength in her not to scream.

The game continued and after a while, the bottle faced Dan again. He sigh.
Sabrina is to ask him . . . and she avoided Chloe’s gaze as she asked Dan ‘truth or dare’
“Truth” Dan answered.
“Whom do you like most in this circle asides yourself?” She asked, still not meeting Chloe’s gaze.
She’s so fed up of Chloe’s obsession for Dan and she had asked that question knowing well that Dan would choose Layla and that might make Chloe see she stand no chance, that should make her let go of her obsession for Dan and go for the guys who want her, Dan clearly doesn’t like her.

“Layla of course” Dan said, tucking a thick strand of his hair behind his ear.
Chloe fume yet again but she wasn’t the only one fuming now, Dylan was too. He hates the fact that Dan seem to have Layla’s attention the most, the way they exchange smiles and knowing gazes irks him so much. Everyone seem to admire how close Dan and Layla is, though most of the girls were envious of her and they did little to hide it.

The game continued and this time the bottle was facing Layla and Dylan.
Everyone watched expectantly, knowing how the last truth or dare between them turned out.
Dylan smiled .. finally. He had sat opposite Layla knowing the chance of getting to ask her a question or dare her is high. He already has it all planned out. He’s doing this so Dan can know he stands no chance against him on Layla, albeit they seem the closest of friends but he knows Layla is going to choose him over Dan and that’s gonna make Dan pissed and that’s exactly why he’s doing this. To piss Dan off, yeah .. it’s petty but he would do anything to see Dan look so down and pissed. He’s done with Dan having the upper hand.

“Truth or dare?” Dylan asked Layla with a sweet smile.
Dan scoffed, rolling his eyes. He knows Dylan is about to use Layla’s feelings for him as an advantage again. Son-of-a-b***h.
“Truth” Layla said, nervous. If there was anything she learnt in the last truth or dare, it’s to always choose ‘truth’ because it seems safer.
“A guy you like most in this circle?” Dylan asked grinning, he relaxed his back on the chair, looking well assured, he knows she’s going to mention his name, he’s only waiting for her to say it. He almost laughed, thinking of how disappointed Dan would look.

“Daniel” Layla said, without hesitating and she looked like she meant her answer.
Dylan’s smile froze and he involuntarily sat up.
Most people weren’t surprised, knowing how close Dan and Layla is.

“No . . no” Dylan said and everyone turned to him.
“I’m not talking about . . just like, I meant feelings?” Dylan smiled, having comforted himself with the fact that Layla had thought he had asked about just normal like but even had that, she had chosen Dan!
Well . . perhaps she loves him and likes Dan.

Everyone waited for Layla’s answer in the tensed silence and just when she was about to talk.

“The teachers are done with their meeting and Mrs Moore is headed to our class now” A student announced and the game was over, everyone quickly walked to their seats.

Dylan felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned to see Dan who winked at him before laughing.
He has never felt more infuriated and it took every ounce of power in him not to hit Dan.

“Using Layla’s feelings for you as an advantage is not going to get you anywhere, it’s only going to make you a petty as***ole. I expected better honestly but it’s fine, kids will always behave like kids” Dan smiled and patted Dylan on the shoulder before walking away.
Dylan’s teeth clattered in anger. Dan has won yet again!

“I’m the most beautiful girl in Ocean High!!!!!!” Chloe suddenly screamed and everyone blatantly ignored her.

ZEEMAH