his lying match
Tala confronted Salima that night after dinner. She was in the cloakroom, and had just been turning when Tala pushed her violently, stepped after, and shut the door behind them. Salima pawed the light switch, blushing-irate.
Tala said nothing, just stared, for so long, so sharply, that Salima asked, "What?" She checked herself, exhaling. Began again, "What can I do for you, Tala?" One hand on one hip. The other buried in her coat, resting on the bulge of her beyblade.
"I know what you were doing back there."
"Oh… What do you mean?"
Tala smiled and looked down his nose at her, curious-eyed. "Where'd you learn it? You can get whatever you want from people, can't you?"
Salima glanced at the door. "If you're talking about Rei, we're friends."
"It's nothing to do with friendship. It's your team, mostly you. You're the most manipulative person I've ever seen besides myself." Tala sneered. "What's worse, you didn't learn it from Boris."
"Oh-kay. Well, guess you found me out! Bye now!" She edged past.
Tala let her. Said softly to her back, "It won't work on me, Salima… You're stupid if you don't know that."
Salima picked up speed.
Started running.