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Lavender’s pov

“Lavi! Wake up.”

“Lavi!”

I heard my little sister waking me up. She huffed in annoyance and left my room. Minutes later and I heard her voice again.

“Lavi, look at this!” my sister said excitedly.

My eyes snapped open, knowing exactly what is in her hands. She had the water gun in her tiny hands and a very wide smile on her face.

“Hey Saph, I’m awake now so there is no need to use that thing in your hands,” I said, pointing at the water gun.

“I won’t use it under one condition,” she put it slowly on the floor.

“You buy me ice cream after school today.” she continued, clasping her hands together.

“Okay, you’ve got a deal,” I blurted.

She hurried out of my room with a big smile, telling my mom about our deal.

A smile crept on my face, I loved hearing her cheerful voice in the morning. Sapphire is my source of happiness after a gloomy day. She got our father’s traits, her wide blue eyes, her blonde curly hair, and her cheerful spirit just like him. I wiped the tears that escaped from my eyes and picked up my phone to check the time.

“Shit! I’m going to be late.” I jumped from my bed and hurried to the bathroom to do my morning routine.

Minutes later, I stood in front of my closet; I picked up a black hoodie and a pair of blue jeans. I wore the outfit and glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I stared at my messy curly hair with wide-open eyes.

I mentally cried. This hair can be so hard to manage sometimes. One day it can be perfect the other day your hair will look exactly like a bird’s nest.

I styled my hair into two space buns, wore my glasses, and took a last glance in the mirror, feeling satisfied with my look. I left the room and headed down to the kitchen.

Mom was sitting at the head of the table, checking our monthly bills, and Sapphire was eating her breakfast.

“Good morning, mom,” I said and kissed her forehead.

She patted my hand as I took a seat next to her. “Good morning dear, I made you breakfast.” She got up and set my breakfast on the table.

“Thank you, mother; I’m going to call Ruby until Sapphy finishes her breakfast,” I said as she sat down and continued reading the bills.

I looked at the grilled cheese sandwich my mom made, then I remembered my friend, Ruby, who I was supposed to pick her up.

I called her and waited for her to answer her phone; I took quick bites of my sandwich while waiting. I mentally cursed Ruby for not answering her phone, knowing that she was still asleep.

I dialed her number again, and she answered this time.

“What do you want?” I heard her angry, sleepy voice.

“Good morning to you too, Ruby,” I said sarcastically.

“I’m going to pick you up at 7 am sharp and please don’t be late, I don’t want any detentions,” I said, begging her to stick to the agreed time.

“No promises because you know me, Lavi. I’m fashionably late.” She said, followed by a yawn.

I swear I’m going to kick her ass when I see her.

“Then find another ride to school,” I smirked, even though she couldn’t see my face, but this was an achievement for me.

I heard her huffing in annoyance. 

She said after a brief pause. “You evil witch, fine! I’ll be on time.” 

“Okay, see you later.” I hung up and dove into my food.

I finished my breakfast and waited for Sapphire to finish hers. She was a slow eater, so patience was what I needed. 

“I’ve got some news for you,” my mother’s words caught my attention. I lifted my eyes from the phone and looked at her.

She continued, clasping her hands together “Today is my last chemotherapy, and the doctor said there is a good chance that cancer will be gone.” Her lips quivered in a smile.

Tears filled my eyes from happiness. I got up and hugged my mother tightly. She chuckled as Saph hugged her with giggles. 

One year ago, my mother found out she had brain cancer, she did surgery to get the tumor out and continued with chemotherapy. Now hearing that cruel disease might be gone is one of the best news I’ve heard from the past two years.

“We’re going to celebrate after the results come out,” I said with a wide smile, wiping my tears with my hoodie sleeves.

“Okay, we will celebrate once they come out. Now hurry to catch up school, you have an hour,” mom said, looking at the wall clock.

“Let’s go, Sapphy,” I said as I picked up my backpack and Saph’s backpack from the floor. I said goodbye to mom and headed to the front yard.

We walked to the parked gray car.  I unlocked it, put Saph in her car seat, and put our bags beside her, then I headed to the driver’s seat and started the car.

 My first stop in the morning is the café, then picking up Ruby.

Ten minutes later, I parked the car in front of the café. I exited the car, after telling Saph to stay in it. 

I made my way to the entrance and pushed the door open. I was greeted with the smell of coffee and people’s chatters. I smiled, heading to the grumpy person behind the cashier.

“Good morning, Timothy.” I teased.

He rolled his eyes and glared at me. “I told you my name is Tim or Timmy, and good morning to you too, Lavender.”

“Today is a packed house, huh” I looked at the people laughing and taking their morning coffees. 

This view makes me happy.

“Yeah, it is very busy today.” he agreed with me. 

I turned to face him. “You know the drill Tim, you’re in charge till I come back from school.” 

He chuckled. “Sure, boss,”

“And here is a list of yesterday’s earnings.” he gave me the list, and I checked it, then slid it in my hoodie’s pocket.

“Alright, see you after school.” I waved at him and exited the café, heading back to the car.

Timothy is my aunt’s fiancé; he had been helping me for two years now in the café. My mom used to manage the café with the help of Tim and me two years ago, but her sickness disabled her.

Now that school is back, I manage the café in the evening and night shifts while Tim takes care of the morning shift.

I checked my watch, and it read 7:10. I was waiting for Ruby’s house and still no sign of her. 

I’m going to kill her when she comes.

 I tapped on the driving wheel impatiently and checked the time again. Five minutes passed, and still, she didn’t show up.

“She is here!” Saph screamed from the back seat. I peaked out the window and saw her walking towards the car while fixing her hair.

“Finally, the queen left her palace,” I said sarcastically as she opened the door. She rolled her eyes and entered the cat.

Ruby faced me with a wide smile. I wanted so badly to hit her, but I was going to do it after dropping Saph off at her school. No violence in front of my baby sister.

“Good morning, Sapphy,” Ruby said with a cheerful tone.

“You are late for fifteen minutes, Ruby,” I said through my gritted teeth.

She looked at me with a grin. “Your girl needed ten more minutes to fix her hair,”

“Oh, and I love your space buns. You look cute today.” I knitted my eyebrows, then realized that she was trying to save herself.

Like what’s new with my outfit to make me look cute.

“Shut up till we reach school.” I squinted my eyes.

“I won’t shut up Lavi, now drive, or we will be late to the first day of school,” she said, fixing her makeup in the rear mirror.

Sapphire groaned and covered her face. “Could you two shut up, you are giving me a headache. Lavi, she told you she needed time, so drop it.” She yelled at us.

Ruby turned to Saph and high-fived her and both of them laughed, so I ignored them and drove.

I dropped Saph at her school and drove to the high school. I glanced at Ruby and saw her texting someone.

“Who are you texting?” I asked, fixing my eyes back on the road.

“I’m texting Luna, she is asking why we are late,” Ruby said, staring at her phone.

“We are late because of someone right here,” I said, narrowing my eyes at her. She tucked a strand of her ginger hair behind her ear. I turned my head and focused on the road again as she didn’t talk.

“I’m sorry okay, I promise I will be fast next time,” she said. I gave her a long side look and sighed.

“Apology accepted. Now tell Luna five minutes and we will arrive, and tell her to wait for us at the parking lot,” I said as I realized we are close to school.

“Done!” she said, turning off her phone.

Minutes later and I parked the car in the school’s parking lot. Ruby and I exited the car and made our way to Luna, who was waiting for us at the entrance of the building.

“Hello girls.” she grinned.

I squealed and hugged her, then pulled back. “I missed you a lot. Don’t leave me please with Ruby ever again.” Ruby gave a dirty look and Luna giggled.

“It was a one-time thing. I’m back now and we have a senior year ahead of us to have it full of memories.” 

“Okay, drama queens, stop getting me emotional,” Ruby mumbled as she wiped a fake tear.

“Are they here yet?” She asked Luna.

“Who are you talking about?” I asked both of them.

Ruby patted Luna’s shoulder. “Well, Luna here told me that there are new students, and they are really good looking,” Ruby said with dreamy eyes.

 “You both are being stupid,” I told them, rolling my eyes. 

The revving sound of a motorcycle engine broke Luna in a mid-sentence, Alex River parked his motorcycle, took off his helmet, and ran his hand through his dark brown hair. His blue eyes cleaned the place and fell on a group of girls pointing at him and giggling.

He gave no attention to them. His friends approached him and together they walked towards the building in a triangle.

“His hair is everything,” Ruby said as they passed us. 

Knowing her very well, she wasn’t talking about Alex; she was talking about his best friend, Jaxon cooper. She had a thing for him for the past year.

“Ruby, you’re drooling right now.” I looked at her with a fake disgust.

“Well, he is like a Greek god, Ruby.” Luna agreed with her.

“Anyway,” I said, gaining back their attention.

“What is your first period?” I asked them, changing their subject cause they won’t shut up.

“Maths.” Ruby sighed.

Luna checked her period table, “English, what about you Lavi?” 

“English too, let’s go to our lockers. I need to get my English books.” I smiled. We headed to our lockers around the corner.

“I’m left alone in this hell.” Ruby groaned.

“You deserve it. So, are you guys coming to the café after school?” I asked them. Opening my locker, I brought my English books out and slammed the locker shut with a low thud.

“I’m sorry, but I have a date tonight,” Luna smiled.

Then narrowed her eyes at Ruby. “In an unknown place.”

Ruby strolled and stood in front of Luna. She rested her hands on Luna’s shoulder, making Luna and me stare at her.

Suddenly She started shaking Luna by the shoulders violently, asking about her date. I laughed at her while Luna called out for my help. I decided to help Luna as a couple of students stared at us, judging us as Ruby’s voice was loud.

“Ruby, you are drawing people’s attention,” I said as I tried to pull her away from Luna.

“I want to know her secret date, how dare you Lulu not to tell me about your date.” she pouted.

“One word, You are insane; I didn’t tell you because of some reasons and your craziness is one of them,” Luna mumbled.

“Yeah and stalking is also one of them, remember Ruby, you stalked her ex and scared the crap out of him for months,” I added while looking at her. She giggled, then her giggles turned to laughter. 

Anyone passing by us now will think she lost her mind.

Luna leaned over me and whispered. “I think we should go.”

I stared at our redhead friend, who just lost her last brain cells. “It’s Ruby being herself, right?” I turned my head at Luna and she sadly nodded her head.

Ruby’s laughs cooled down. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at us. “He deserved it. No one makes my dear Lulu sad,” she smiled.

Then she continued. “Anyway, I know your secret date, Lulu,” she smirked.

The bell rang, cutting Ruby off, and students walked to their classes. Luna and I left Ruby cursing her luck and headed to our class. We entered the class before the teacher and sat in the fourth row in the left corner of the class. Students filled the class, then the teacher entered, the silence was the master of the room.

This was going to be a fun class as the jocks entered the class in front of the teacher’s angry gaze.

“Welcome dear students, I’m Ms. Watson, your English teacher for this year.” She smiled.

She looked young for the position of a high school teacher.

“Does anyone have questions?” She asked, and no one talked.

“Great, now please open your books on page 30 and start reading silently.” She said as she gave us her back and started to write a few things on the whiteboard.

After a few minutes in the class, whispers filled the room. I turned my head and saw a paper flying across the room, landing on Ms. Watson’s desk.

She opened the white paper and turned it to the class. “Someone here thinks I have a great ass,” 

“Who threw it?” She demanded.

One jock lifted his hand as he thought he did an achievement. His friends chuckled at their friend, who wasn’t being serious about what happened.

“And you are?” She asked as she sat on the desk. One hand flattered down her pencil skirt while the other was on the desk.

“Gavin Kingston.” He replied with a smug.

“Mr. Kingstone, you have detention after school for disrespecting your teacher, I hope you have fun there, you may sit down.” She had a wide smile. He sat down with a shocked face while his friends chuckled at him.

She sent them glares, and they shut up. She climbed down from the desk and sat on the chair instead. 

“Anyone who follows Mr. Kingston’s path will go nowhere.” She said while her eyes were buried in the book.

..................................

I waited in the parking lot for Ruby and Luna. The rest of the day was horrible. After the first period, everything went downhill. I didn’t have any periods in common with Ruby or Luna, and I have a project with one of the stupid jocks. 

Perfect start to my first day, I mentally screamed.

“From earth to Lavi, do you copy?” Ruby waved her hands in front of my eyes. I blinked at her, having no energy to speak.

“Bad day I see, let’s go pick up little Saph and head to the café, it’ll cheer you up.” She said, I nodded and unlocked my car, letting us in.

I sighed and drove to Saph’s school, Ruby’s voice broke the silence.

“Lulu, is Charles McCarty your secret date?” she smirked.

Luna looked shocked but tried to act natural. I glanced at Ruby beside me, who was laughing like an evil witch. She lost her mind.

“How did you know, Ruby?” I chimed in.

“So it is true,” she screamed excitedly. I mentally facepalmed myself for falling for her trick.

“Wow, you’re a genius,” Luna said, mocking her friend.

“I found him mouthing you something during the lunch period. It wasn’t hard to realize that you two have something.” She looked at Luna, who was sitting at the back with a mocking smile.

“Don’t you dare and stalk him, Ruby,” I warned her, reminding her of her stupid acts.

“Are you texting him now?” Ruby asked Luna, ignoring me.

“No, I’m ignoring your greatest discoveries.” She faked a smile while her eyes glued to the phone.

I stopped the car hard in front of Saph’s school, which made Ruby nearly bump her head. I exited the car, leaving her cursing behind me. I searched for my sister and saw her talking with a little brunette girl. 

“Hey Saph, let’s go,” I called out, Saph hugged her friend and waved goodbye to her, then she ran to me, I picked her up in my arms, and on our way to the car, she told me her school day.

We reached the car. I put Saph in her car seat beside Luna, then I walked to the driver's seat. After getting into the car, I drove to Luna’s house. 

“I had fun today, Lavi. I made new friends and got a star in maths period,” Saph continued telling me the highlights of her day with her usual cheerful spirit.

“That’s great, so that girl back there is one of your friends?” I asked her.

“Yeah, her name is Rory, she shared a cookie with me at lunchtime,” She said excitedly.

“See Luna sharing food with people brings you a friend,” Ruby said with a chuckle. She looked over at her friend.

“If you’re starting a fight over something stupid, then please stop it,” I begged them as I pulled off at Luna’s house. Her house wasn’t that far from Saph’s school, just a couple of minutes’ drive.

Luna opened the door and stood in front of mine. “I ask one thing from you, Lavi, Don’t tell her anything.” she narrowed her eyes at Ruby.

“Yeah, whatever.” I rolled my eyes at their childish act. Luna walked to her home, and I drove to the café. I feel like I’m an Uber, but this was me every day.

“You know why I’m interested in her date?” Ruby questioned me.

“Yeah, because Charles is from the popular kids and he is friends with the jocks, you are afraid that he is going to break Luna’s heart,” I said and she nodded.

I glanced at her with a smile. “Charles is a good guy, he won’t break her heart, and if he did, then you can stalk him down,” I told her, and she chuckled.

I dealt with him a couple of times and that guy can’t hurt any girl’s feelings, so he is perfect for Luna. She is the softie one in our group and he won’t hurt her, I’m sure of it or he will have to face Ruby.

Minutes later, I pulled off in front of the café; we got out of the car and I went to help Saph out of her car seat. After I got her out, I brought her backpack and locked the car. Ruby entered the café without us, as I still didn’t do my deal from this morning.

I kneeled to Saph’s eye level. “Let’s get you ice cream as promised, Sapphy,” I said with a wide smile. 

She gave me a toothy grin as I fixed my posture. “Finally, I thought you forgot.” She squealed, I held her hand in mine. We walked to the ice-cream van and got her favorite ice cream, then we made our way back to the café.

“Your mother called me, she wanted me to drive Saph home,” Timothy said as we entered. I put her bag by an empty table and Sapphire sat on the chair with her ice cream in her hands.

“Thanks, Tim. Now, go change and I will take it from here,” I said as I walked to the kitchen to get my apron. 

“Take care, okay?” He said, I turned to face him and nodded with a smile.

He walked to Saph and picked up her backpack. “Alright, let’s go munchkin. Bye Lavi.” he walked out with Saph. 

 I sighed as I was left behind to work. I walked to the cashier to take orders as more customers came in.

“It’s work time, baby.” Ruby cheered and bumped my side to hype me up.

She was more excited than me. 

Ruby and Luna help me often with the café after school when they’re free, today I’m left with Ruby.

 Well, as she said, it’s work time now and customers are going to flood in soon.