World After Worlds

"Isn't this the dress I donated to your household last-last summer?" Safa uttered with the mixture of taunting and disgust divulged on her countenance as she skimmed her finger to Tiana's shoulder. Her expression was whining that how could Tiana wear something from long long ago.

Ejai and Luna were sitting side by side on Tiana; not giving her enough leeway to move or to retreat. She was slumping her head not meeting anyone's eyes, terrified to fight these girls or offend them.

"You are too poor, is that why you always hang around with Lyndon? For what? For charity? Isn't that pathetic? Have some dignity, will you? If you want money, be my lackey, I'll spare you some of my allowances. I'll take you to places you can't afford, I'll give you a life you can never experience. So, stay away from Lyndon!" Safa gasped, she held her horses, she did not want to appear desperate in the public, how about her dignity if Lyndon found out she was getting this frantic.

"I don't need money, Safa." Tiana rebuked softly, "I am not hanging around with Lyndon for that purpose, we are friends."

"Friends?" Safa laughed with contempt, "Friends hang out together for mutual benefits, Tiana. What do you get from hanging out with Lyndon? What do you offer? You are just a beggar. So, listen well, I am asking you nicely. Leave Lyndon alone!"

"I'm not a beggar…" Tiana huffed, with her whispering voice, no one could hear her agony. She restrained her tears and her bitterness. She wanted to defend herself—she wanted to scream at them, make them go away but she couldn't compete. She can't fight them. She roughly bit her lips in, almost bruising herself. "Stop saying that."

Earlier she was broken-hearted by Kraig, the next moment she was so angry at Yanarym that she retaliated her anger to Lyndon. Then, they fought in the hall, he left her, and now, she was being tormented by these affluent mean seniors! Why is everything so indifferent to her? Why was everyone so insensitive with her? Is it not enough to be born in a poor family who doesn't give a damn about her? Now, she had to deal with these wealthy daughters who like the man who likes her? Why can't life just be easy and nice? When she was in Kraig there was Yanarym, and if it was Lyndon there was Safa?!

"What? I can't hear you, speak louder. And stop looking down, I'm talking to you, where're your manners?" Safa tapped the table, Ejai nodded and turned to Tiana, held Tiana's jaw, and directed her to face Safa. "Say it again." Tiana swallowed hard, struggled to look away, and caught the glimpse of the students looking at her. They were watching them, her getting belittled, they were snickering at her. She swallowed the anguish, no one was her ally.

Why was everyone her enemy when she needed a friend?

No one was helping her, no one was beside her. She was weak, she was poor, she was alone, how could this day get any worse?

"When did you become mute? Say something, Tia." Ejai smiled, she was combing her hair, it was eerie, threatening. Ejai was besieged with atrocious intention.

"Don't call me, Tia. We're not friends." Tiana murmured in a hushed tone, taking a lot of courage to speak out. Ejai heard it and raised her eyebrow. In annoyance, pulled Tiana's hair but maintained her amicable smile.

"Of course, we are not. You wanna know why? Because you're such a bitch, Tia. Do you know that?" Ejai whispered, "We were hanging out fine and you decided to ruin everything."

"You're hurting me Ejai—" she grasped Tiana's hair, "Ah!"

"Shut up, if it was not for your flirty attitude who wanted a guy from left to right, Kraig would probably stay with you, and we would probably still be friends." Ejai gritted her teeth, she remembered when that day happened, Kraig ignored her like she was an invisible being. At least he was accommodating with her back when Tiana was with him. Now that Kraig changed his girlfriend to Yanarym, it was impossible to get near to him because Yanarym was a psychotic bitch! If it was Tiana it would be easier, this girl was a push-over. Yanarym was hard to permeate and even harder to fool. Ejai shifted her eyes to Yanarym's direction who was eating finely without a care in the world. She unconsciously pulled Tiana's hair violently in vexation from Yanarym's carefree actions.

"Ejai! Don't hurt her, we're not bullies." Safa intercepted, "You can't behave like a beggar like her, manners."

"Right," Ejai smiled widely and let go of Tiana's hair, and returned to brushing it neatly. "I need to regulate my temper."

They are wrong, Tiana muttered to herself. I don't accept charity from Lyndon! I always give back what he gives me! I am not a beggar! She clenched her fist to stop whatever she was thinking of saying. I did not flirt with Lyndon as well, Kraig left me by his choice! It was Yanarym's fault!

Safa saw Tiana clench her fist as if she was holding back. Safa's eyes flickered in the provocation, it is annoying, seeing Tiana play naive and helpless was irritating. Her innocent face was making her feel like a bad girl. Maybe she was always using this tactic to Lyndon because Lyndon was a great guy, he succumbed to this helplessness of Tiana.

"What is this? Are you angry? Do you want to punch me? Why are you clenching your fist?" Safa stepped back, Luna who was on her left held Tiana's arm. "Poor people are really violent."

"No." Tiana loosened, she frantically shook her head, Safa showed her sweet-dangerous smirk and leaned forward to Tiana. "I'm not trying to punch you, j-just leave me alone."

"J-just leave me alone," Ejai copied her statement and mimicked her voice, "Quit stuttering! Loser!" They laughed at Tiana who shrunk in embarrassment. "You wanted to be alone? I thought you liked to get surrounded by men so often."

"That's n-not true," Tiana bit her tongue, this damn tongue was making her chicken.

"Stop stuttering! It's irritating!" Ejai glared at Tiana. Irritable, irritating! If she could, she would stuff Tiana's face in some mud.

"Ejai, don't shout! You're not an animal, stop acting like that!" Safa exclaimed.

"Chill, Safa!" Ejai laughed and glimpsed at Tiana and signaled Luna who was holding Tiana's shoulder. "We're not the bad guys here, we're teaching her a lesson, why are you so nervous?"

"I'm not nervous,"

"Oh, is it because you want to look good on Lyndon? That man thinks so highly of himself, he doesn't even look at you."

"Lyndon is just defensive. Don't talk to him like that," Ejai rolled her eyes, and muttered under her breath 'whatever'. "I think we are done with her, let's move and have our lunch before the bell."

"Come on, Safa. We haven't done much yet, I told you we could get rid of this nuisance for you to have the douche."

"What did you say?" Safa narrowed her eyes on Ejai, "Say that again!"

"Safa, I'm not your enemy, she is." Ejai pointed to Tiana, Safa shifted her eyes to both of them and glared at Ejai.

"Enemy? No one is my enemy, Ejai. However, you don't call my man a douche unless you want trouble."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Are you threatened?"

"A bummer, psh. Fine! Lyndon is great. You must be happy to get him to follow you all around, aren't you?"

They were daughters of notable people of this town, if anyone had offended them in any way, they must know the consequences. Tiana was aware that she could end up in a worse state. Her parents would not be able to protect her if Safa or Ejai's parents went angry at her.

She was aware that Safa was not fond of her, and would throw her hateful eyes whenever their eyes would meet. But Safa never dared to hurt her. Tiana had the idea why Safa was doing this to her, but Tiana can't just let Lyndon leave.

She held her breath, she was not used to any ferocity, she was a pleaser, not a fighter. She has never been head-on before.

"Can… Can you please leave?" Tiana lowered her voice and nibbled with her lips. Safa's expression remained smiling, she was delighted to see Tiana was intimidated by her presence. If she did this right, she could make this little bitch not disturb Lyndon anymore.

"Leave? You're so rude. Aren't you friends with Ejai? Should we not eat for once together?" Tiana lifted her eyes and clearly saw that there was no affable in the way Safa looked at her. Tiana gritted her teeth in silence. She wanted to fight back.

"Tia, are you fine?" Everyone stopped and looked up to a guy who was looking stoic staring straight at Tiana. "Who are they?"

"Lyndon, it's Safa," Sara replied with her sweetest smile, Lyndon shunned her.

"Fuck off."