TST, 2020
Isla stared at the food in front of her. Her hands were rubbing a small gift box. The necklace swung in her neck.
“You should eat something.” Rosemary, her friend said.
Isla sniffed, her eyes glistened.
“You have been looking at that box for two hours now.”
“It has been a week.”
“You should eat.”
“The story he told me when he gave me this box.” Isla sniffed. “As if he knew he was going to disappear.”
“He will be found.”
“I’m afraid I’ll lose him. I left him behind once again.”
“The school has notified the police. His name is on the news and in every newspaper. We’ll soon find something.”
“A week has passed.”
“Isla…” Rosemary patted her. “No news is the good news.”
“It’s my fault, Rose.”
“No. Y—”
A serious knock came from the door. Rosemary went to look.
“We have a problem.” Rosemary said after looking outside.
Isla wept her tears and walked out. Macy and her two friends were outside.
“What do you want?” Isla said.
Macy’s toe tapped a staccato rhythm. “Look at her face. She’s not even troubled.”
“Watch your mouth.” Rosemary said.
“She’s the reason for Leo’s disappearance.” Macy said.
“How sure are you?” rosemary said.
“She left with him the night he disappeared. She came back, Leo didn’t.” The black girl behind Macy shouted.
“Where is Leo?” Macy snapped.
“Why would I hide him?” Isla said.
“Stop playing a victim to the problems you have created.” Macy said.
“You are crazy.” Isla said.
“Of course I'm crazy, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.”
“One is very crazy when in love.” The white girl behind Macy said.
“Get out of my place.” Isla said.
“Not without Leo.” Macy said.
“Never fight for someone’s attention that hard. It’s either you have it or you don’t.” Isla said as she started walking inside her room.
Macy rushed and pulled her hair. Isla moaned as she struggled to remove herself away from Macy’s hands. Rosemary rushed to help Isla but Macy’s friends blocked her. The girls were pushing and pulling each other.
“HEY HEY HEY…” The voice caused the girls to stop fighting.
Isla was breathing heavily, so were the other girls. “Baraka?”
“What’s wrong?” Baraka said, Rachel behind him.
Macy exhaled. “He knows where Leo is.”
Isla sighed. “I don’t.”
Baraka chuckled. “Fighting for someone who is nowhere to be seen?”
The girls were exhaling deeply.
“If I were you, I would concentrate on finding Leo first. Unless he is alive, these fights are worthless.”
**********
“Do you think I’ll get Leo to love me?” Daliah said.
“Of course. You’re beautiful.” Sophia, Daliah’s friend said.
“You need to steal a man's heart if he won't give it to you willingly.” Evelyn, Daliah’s friend said.
“Who’s in his heart?” Daliah said.
Evelyn shrugged. “Some says Isla and others say Macy.”
“I can’t lose him.” Daliah said.
“We will help you, don’t worry.” Sophia said.
“It's not that I can't live without him, it's just that I don't even want to try.” Daliah said. It is amazing how a person who was once just a stranger, can suddenly mean the world to you. She thought.
“We have an advantage.” Evelyn said. “We know our enemies, they don’t know us.”
“They are fighting each other, every day.” Sophia said.
Daliah smiled. “We can’t just sit and watch them fight. We have to make them fight more. We have to make them obliterate each other.”