Pulling Her HEARTSTRINGS Episode 9

A story written by HAPPY

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🔳 🔲.
⬜Jessica⭐
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”Damn girls, just damn it all! That blasted lowlife had the guts to–to embarrass me in public! ” I yelled and hit a fist on the locker.
“Seriously Jess , we gotta teach her a lesson she’ll never forget,” Caroline chirped in. “I mean, she kissed Oscar last week in public and it trended longer than anything else. Maybe that’s why she thinks she can stand up to you!”
I nodded thoughtfully, while staring at the mirror in the restroom to arranged my hair and reapply my makeup. My eyes spotted Audrey, focused on her phone like we weren’t just discussing something vital. “Audrey!” I snapped.
She rolled her eyes to me, boredom clearly written over her face.
“What’s it Jessica?”
“Can you at least pretend to be interested in what we’re saying?”
She tsked. ”You and Caroline keep getting on my nerves each single day. Everyone knows what a player Oscar is, and how much he loves to flirt. You making a big issue out of an old news pisses the hell outta me! You always do! ”
She scoffed, picked her bag and went out.
“Damnn!”
Most times I wonder if Audrey is actually my sister; twin at that. We might have same hair colour, or may look alike a little bit, but our characters makes us two different people. She, for one, happens to love playing the “Goody two shoes” part, being boring and all, while I’ve got the fun part.
I’m Jessica Rogers, queen of Primrose College. Daughter of the senator. One and only girlfriend of Oscar! Even though he’s a player, I’m determined to make him mine.
If that stupid Umbria Lee thinks she can come all the way from her shantytown to act all bossy just cause she won a competition….well, she better watch her back.
”Caroline?”
“Yes Jessy?” she replied , licking a lollipop.🍭
“Let’s go!”
📒 ✏.
📜Umbria👍
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Guess I’ll just have to tuck this dammed map into my backpack and follow the group of students to whatever they were going. I felt lonely as I walked amongst rich students who sent snickers and strange glance my way. I ducked my head low.
I’d reached the verandah of central grade when I heard someone called my name. I turned. It was one of Jessica’s minions.
” What now huh? Aren’t you done with your little episodes, or you wanna replay?” I asked with a frown.
The girl was smiling. “Cool it Umbria, I’m not here for that. I’m actually sorry that you had to be on the receiving end of Jess’s bullies.”
“You are?” I asked confused.
“Yeah. I’m Audrey Rogers,” she extended her hands.
I shook it. “Rogers? Are you and Jessica….”
“Yeah, twins actually.”
“No kidding! You’re both so different, and I’ve never heard of you.”
“Don’t like public attention. So, I see you found central grade after all.”
I snorted and nodded. “Mmn mmm. After all the drama.”
She laughed lightly. “We should be headed inside. Today’s orientation I guess. After that, we’ll have series of general lessons this week, and then talent classifying next week. If you are undecided about your talent, then you’ll stay in central grade until you are.”
“Wow,” I breathed, “Sounds like a handful.”
“It is. Maybe by lunch, I’ll show you around.’
” Thanks. You’re so nice to me. ”
“If you’re asking why, then it’s because I like you. You stood up to bullies not cower in fear.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Our walk into class was uneventful. I found my seat number, which was way back, sat down and began arranging my books. I glanced at my schedule. Orientation, as Audrey said.
Central grade classroom was more like a hall, wide, spacy with maps and charts hanging on the walls.
My phone buzzed.
Ugh, it’s deep in my bag.
I struggled, removing this and that to wriggle my arm’s way to the bottom. So engrossed was I in my task that I didn’t register the screams in the class, or the commotion in form of greeting. I heard it, but my phone was more important.
Finally, I retrieved it.
“Finally!” I exhaled, only to look up and find the class quiet, all eyes on me.
The three COVS boys stood around me in a semicircle, while Osos himself was directly in front of me, staring down at me with that handsome, serious face and lopsided smile that sent all girls swooning.
“Umbria, right?”
The way he said my name…. so soft and sweet and caressing and musical! Gosh, the Osos of the COVS boys…. in front of me! Close enough that I could see the shade of his eyes, and smell his expensive perfume.
“Y-yes,” my voice came out squeaky, and I mentally slapped myself. Way to go, Um.
“Jeez girl, did you have to do that!?” Osos said, while his friends and the others laughed.
“Do what?” That’s when I realized my hands on my cheeks, and the spot was stinging bad. I DID slap myself.
“Ouch, never mind,” I whispered and rubbed at my cheeks.
He shook his head. “Lemme see that…. it must hurt a lot. Twas pretty loud,” he said softly, sat on my desk and reached for my cheeks.
I quickly ducked back.
“I’m fine, it’s nothing.”
“If you say so. Don’t want those pretty cheeks of yours getting hurt,” he whispered and winked, and against my will I found my self blushing slightly.
Osos got up.
Among the others, Stanley gave me a wink, Christopher blew a nondescript kiss my way. Victor gave a small smile.
Players! What have I gotten into?
At that moment Jessica and Caroline stepped into the class. “Baby,” she purred, her perfect catwalk leading her to Osos. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
Gross.
“I’ve missed you,” she said.
“Yeah me too.”
Hmm, what haven’t I seen?
With a long hiss that drew the class’s attention to me, I brought out my sketchpad and colour pencils and began drawing a cake design, until the first teacher stepped in.
🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔
The bell is a big reliever, I thought as I packed up for break.
Audrey came over to my desk.
“You ready?”
“Yeah.”
She took me around the school, showing me the divide between the junior and middle high.
“We rarely cross, we’re the big deal of Primrose. Unless something big’s happening, like the annual talent display, midterm dinner, singoff and stuff. It’s on the calendar. Were fully booked every year. So over there’s the basketball court, where you’ll find the most guys. Single and searching ladies frequent there.”
I laughed. She’s funny.
“And here’s the classroom blocks: different classroom for different talents. I’m gonna go for writing, it’s my aspiration. You?”
“I don’t know yet. I sing, I bake.”
“You sing!!? You should show me sometime. Here’s the American football field. The badminton and tennis court. Most girls are ‘tennisers’ so they’re here.There’s the science lab, where most guys get the most sleep,” she pointed to a glass building, “and the library,” a big building, “it’s my favorite spot. And the studio; both arts and music. That’s our kitchen…. and viola, the cafeteria. We’ve spent half of lunchtime touring. We’d better hurry.”
“Thanks.”.
When we entered, Jessica and Caroline were seated at a table. ” Come sit with us, Umbria, ” Audrey said.
“No, I’ll be fine here,” I pointed to an empty table. “You go ahead.”
She nodded and left.
I walked to the counter and asked for the price of a tray.
Two hundred dollars! Too expensive.
I smiled and returned to my seat.
I’d been in a hurry, no breakfast this morning. And no sleep. Gosh, I’m dizzy.
I sat at my table and pulled out my sketchpad. Even the cake I’m drawing looked so enticing that I wanted to eat it from the page!
I began to draw….slowly… slowly….slowly….
✖ 💤 💤
“Hey!”
“Aarrrhh!” I yelled and jerked awake.
Damn, I slept.
I wiped the saliva from my mouth and gazed into Osos intense eyes.
“Don’t ever do that again,” I murmured.
“It’s a cafeteria, not a hotel.”
“And…?
” And you’re sitting at our table.”
“Oh!”
That’s when I saw Stanley. Christopher and Victor. Come on , this is the third time I’m embarrassing myself in one day!
I felt like telling all of them to buzz off, but they haven’t been jerks to me. Yet.
Still…
I got up, picking my books.
“Wait, don’t go. You can sit with us,” Victor said. I looked at him. So handsome, gentle and sincere.
I shook my head. “I’d rather not. Thanks for the offer.”
As I went, I felt someone’s gaze on me.
I turned around.
Osos!
Yeezh, seriously? Is this what I get for schooling in a wealthy school?
I realized that probably my butts were shaking. I’m not the slim kind of girl, just that not eating had hidden most of my curves and height. Feeling uncomfortable, and recalling that he actually kissed me before, I ran out.
****
Pulling Her HEARTSTRINGS
Author Happy©
****
🔕 🔔 🔕 🔔.
💱Oscar💲
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“She was probably hungry,” I said to the guys after school as we headed to the parking lot.
“Yeah? Why’d you care so much?” Stanley asked.
“Seems to me you like her,” Chris added.
“Like her? I don’t think so. She’s a girl, Chris. Have you forgotten what girls signify to me and what I do to them?” I asked.
“You’re sure? Because the way I see it Umbria’s gonna be a helluva battle,” said Vic.
We reached our cars.
“And that helluva battle is gonna beget a helluva conquest. Wanna bet?”
They exchanged glances. “Game on,” Stan and Chris chorused.
Vic sighed. “Regrets. That’s what I see.”
” Victor you’re so boring. You and Audrey should be a couple, ” Stan said.
Victor kept quiet and got into his car. “Catch you guys later,” he said and drove off.
The boys shook their heads.
“Yo Os, Jessica, three o’clock,” Christoph whispered.
I looked at my right to see Jessica headed this way.
“Baby, I’ll be coming over later?” she asked. She’s referring to the penthouse. Apart from the COVS nobody knows of my Royal heritage.
“No babe, I’m gonna be busy.”
“Then cancel! I really miss you,” she fixed herself in between my legs and began fingering with my loosed tie.
“I can’t Jess. it’s important.”
“Than me?”
“Yes. Than you. Get off, I wanna go now.”
Stanley sniggered at Jessica, who glared, then smiled.
She stepped back and marched angrily to her car with Caroline at her heels and Audrey tagging behind.
I scoffed and entered my car, and drove off.
🌆 🌇.
🎵Umbria🎂
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After school, I’d stopped by the bakery to help out, while giving Maggie the gist of the day. Carl stopped listening when I mentioned Osos, while Louisa pretended not to be interested when in actual fact she was enjoying the story.
At four thirty, I returned home to wash my uniform and have lunch, my first meal for today. I made dinner for dad. I remembered the laundry Hannah kept. Sighs.
I showered and wore a black trouser and a big tee-shirt, took my tin, and headed out for my evening singing.
.
🎵
🎵
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Halfway into the song, I noticed the guy at the corner again, still dressed in black with a facecap covering his face.
As I sang, I kept staring at him, not minding that other people also came to listen and drop some money.
When I was done. I bent to gather up my credits. He came, and squatted in front of me, dropping another wad of dollars in my tin.
“Look, whoever you are, you really have to stop doing this. if you love my songs, then give a small tip like everyone else.”
“Everyone else doesn’t know your song’s worth, Umbria. I do.”
I shook my head, and got up.
He got up too.
I stared at him.
“Who’re you? Why do you keep hiding your ID?”
He shrugged. “It’s…. fun. You’ve been away for long.”
“I entered a competition.”
“Wow. You won?”
“Yup.”
He sighed. “Look, I know you’re making an effort to be really unfriendly to me, but trust me when I say. I’d like to know you better.”
Keeping mute, I stared at him.
Why’s he so familiar?
Eventually he shrugged and walked away. “Good night, Umbria,” he called.
“You too,” I replied.
….
It was very late when I rounded up the chores.
I’ve to sleep.
No drawing tonight.
——
TBC