A/N: Okay ladies and gentlemen, after tons of writer's block, and draft after draft, I present to you: Sweet 16: Chapter 11! Enjoy
Chapter 11:
Does Everyone Hang Out at the Mall?
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As Christmas passed and New Year's was approaching, our usual group of teens was spending their vacation time wisely. At the moment, the seven of them were at the mall, their usual hang out, just talking in the cafeteria.
Max and Rena were sitting next to each other, inseparable since they got together. He had his arm around her shoulder, and was talking animatedly to her. No one seemed to mind them, except for one certain bystander. She was clenching her fists in annoyance, and glaring daggers at the couple. Starr was the only one who noticed her strange behavior.
"Lan? Are you okay?" She asked cautiously.
"Mhm, peachy." Lan muttered, still staring at Max and Rena, who didn't seem to notice. Her knuckles were turning white now.
"Uh, Kitty, I think we should take Lan to F.Y.E. to check out that CD she wanted." Starr hinted, trying to pull Lan up from her chair.
"Why?" Kitty asked, giving Starr a look. Once she set her eyes on her raven haired friend, she got the message. "I mean, sure! Let's go!"
The two girls dragged their friend away from the group.
"What's up with Lan?" Tyson asked, looking in the trio's direction.
"I dunno." Max said, following his gaze. Even if they weren't together anymore, he was still worried about her.
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Tala groaned in annoyance. He was driving home after a useless attempt to ease his troubled mind. He had hoped that driving around his small town would help, but instead it had left him more confused and annoyed.
He didn't understand why he was acting so strangely. Kai and Johnny noticed it too, the last time that they hung out. Something was wrong, but the redhead just couldn't pinpoint it. He parked his car on the side of the road, and leaned back in his seat. He was lethargic most of the time, and when he wasn't he was pissed off. Anti social behavior did not become of him at all.
'Maybe I just caught something, the flu or whatever.' Tala tried to reason. 'Ever since Christmas I've felt like this. Why? Ever since the dance and the auction.' His eyes widened in realization. 'Ever since my best friend walked off the stage with Kitty...'
Flashback
It was the annual Christmas Auction, and Starr had just left the stage. Tala paid full attention now, knowing that Kitty was next. When he saw her walk on, his chest tightened. Even though he had seen her earlier, Tala was still taken aback. He just wasn't used to the glamorous version of Kitty. His blue eyes never left her face.
He was so lost in thought about her that he almost didn't notice that Kai had won. Tala raised a brow. So Kai had won. So far, he was closer than Tala to winning the little bet, but that was not his biggest problem at the moment.
Apparently, victory didn't last long for Kai. He came back with his tail between his legs like a dog that had just been told off.
"So I'm guessing she said no?" Tala asked, as he sunk in the chair next to him.
"Shut up." Kai snapped, still sore from Kitty's slap. He seemed genuinely depressed, too. "I tried talking to her, but she just wouldn't listen! The little…"
His best friend snorted. "She must have caught wind of just why you're so persistent with her."
"What are you talking about?"
"The bet? Remember? The one that you made with me? You've practically written your name on my guitar, you want it so badly."
"Well, maybe I do like her. For real." Kai replied angrily, emphasizing his words. "And, maybe I actually would like her to say yes for once."
Tala was unmoved. "Yeah, whatever. You're just trying to get into her pants anyway…"
Before he finished his sentence, Kai had already gotten out of his seat to find Kitty. By 9:45, Tala had gotten word. It was official that, with a few smart words from Kai, Kitty had given her heart away.
End Flashback
Tala rested his forehead on the steering wheel, replaying the memory over and over. Now that he knew what was bothering him, it made him feel worse. He had fallen for his best friend's girl, hard and fast. There were no tricks up his sleeve to help him out of this mess, and not enough alcohol in the world to help him forget it.
He wanted to out his best friend, and prove he was a phony, but in doing that he would only implicate himself. Even if he wanted to be in Kai's place badly, Kitty did seem really happy whenever she was with him. In the few short weeks they had been together, she had always been smiling, even when Kai was being a real ass. Tala couldn't take that away from her by telling her. Even if it was the truth.
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"C'mon, Lan, you've got to snap out of this." Kitty pleaded, hugging her friend. The three of them were back in the cafeteria, without the others. "I know it hurts to see them together, but you need to move on."
The raven haired girl bit her lip. She looked like she was going to cry. "Yeah, I know."
Starr shook her head, hugging both of the girls. "You guys…"
"Uh, am I interrupting something?" Someone asked, interrupting the group hug.
The three girls turned their attention to the voice. It was Kai, standing there with a smirk. "Is this what you do in your spare time?"
Kitty wriggled out of the group hug and went off to greet her boyfriend. "Hey there." She smiled, wrapping her arms around him.
"Ugh, get a room!" Lan complained, throwing a crumpled up napkin at them. She had definitely cheered up.
"Starr?" Kitty asked, as if she was asking permission for something.
"Yeah, go off with your little boy toy." She replied.
"Yay! Thanks Starr!" The girl said in a singsong voice, walking off with her 'boy toy'.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Starr shook her head. "That girl…"
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Apparently, Starr and the gang weren't the only ones who liked hanging out at the mall, because Trina was there too. She was busy looking for a pair of cool jeans to wear, when in walked in her ex and his new play thing. Her blood began to boil as she watched them. 'What are they doing here!'
Thankfully, they didn't notice her hiding behind the clothing rack. Trina couldn't bear to face them after what happened on Christmas Eve.
Flashback
Trina was just heading to the bathroom with a few of her friends. The auction had just ended and, even though the night didn't go the way she wanted, she didn't show a hint of anger or sadness. Showing weakness just wasn't her thing.
In fact, Trina would have been just fine laughing it up with Mariah and Hillary, but two people had to go and ruin her already bad night.
When the trio walked into the bathroom, their laughter was cut short. They had walked in on a couple making out! Trina's jaw dropped at the sight of her ex and her arch enemy in a tight embrace, too busy lip locking to notice her presence. It was only when she cleared her throat in annoyance that they turned their attention to them.
Kai and Kitty smiled at each other for a second, before Kitty took him by the hand and lead him out. As she passed by Trina and company, she said breezily, "Hey Trina, great auction! Have a merry Christmas!"
Trina stood frozen in her place as their voices faded away. She felt as though she had been slapped across the face. Her friends tried to change the subject and get her mind off it, but she lost all composure and ran into a stall.
'This was not how the night was supposed to go!' Trina thought, holding her head in her hands. Little did she know that Kitty was in the same spot as her, crying her eyes out in a bathroom stall, just a few minutes before.
She had just gone from the top of the world, to the bottom of the barrel. In short, she felt like shit. Nobody would make Trina Ortiz feel inferior and get away with it.
End Flashback
Finally, the two left the store, and Trina could exhale. Walking out of the store, she thought the whole scenario over and over in her mind, coming to one conclusion.
That a little bitch stole the one thing that she actually liked. This girl came along and made the one void that could not be filled by retail therapy. Kitty Ryouku ruined her life, and to Trina, that was more than enough to warrant revenge.
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A/N: Well that's it. Is it what you were hoping for? Or was it less? Whatever it was, you need to review! D I'm in a total writing mood, so expect chapter 12 within the month, and the same goes for Heaven or Hell chapter 6!
Love,Jaded Rena