Miguel was whistling, a skip in his step as he bounced on the hallway, the Annual Music Festival coming to a close.
Claudia was walking towards him, a smirk on her face.
"Hey Miguel. Are you enjoying the event?" She asked, a glint in her eye.
"Yeah. Excuse me." He wanted to walk past her but she blocked the way.
"Why are you ignoring me, Miguel? We ain't dating, at least we should be friends."
"Not disputing but I have to go somewhere urgently."
"Where? To tell Gabriela she danced well? Good thing. She's really talented." Claudia's voice was low and sad.
"She is." Miguel smiled.
"Why are you smiling like that? Since Gabriela came into this school, she's taken everything away from you and replaced it with something else. Even the way you smile."
"Smile? I'm confused."
"You're smiling like...you're in love."
"Sorry – I forgot you are. Does she know?"
"She doesn't. Are you gonna tell her?" Miguel's voice was sarcastic.
"No. I have no business with you or Gabriela. Just tell her to stay on her lane. If she says or does anything that infuriates me, I'll make her regret it. Anything might just happen to her sister."
Miguel chuckled.
"Wow. I can't believe you're saying this to me. I care less about your plans or your lane. But don't you dare do anything to harm Gabriela or her sister." Miguel walked away.
~~~~~
A notification woke Michelle up and she stretched in her bed.
She sat up and yawned. Her hair was messy and she ran her fingers in it.
She took her phone and saw the text.
Damien:[Hey babe. The morning feels perfect knowing that you're mine]
She blushed, her eyes glittering.
Miguel burst in and the smile disappeared.
"What's up? You should have knocked."
"Knocked? You do the same by barging into my bedroom." She giggled.
"You look so happy this morning."
"Yeah. Damien sent a text." She gave him her phone.
"He's at school already." Miguel read the text and laughed.
"Wow." He returned the phone.
"Cute, right? I have a sweet boyfriend." She winked and Miguel smiled gracefully.
"Its good to see you this happy. I'm so sorry for what I did in high school. Diana and I got to speak last night and she said she'd make sure the nudes are gone."
"Thank you, Miguel." They hugged.
~~~~
Nadia was fuming.
Speeding.
Her face red with anger.
The picture of Michelle appearing in her head made her angrier.
She parked by the side of the road and grabbed her phone from the other seat, her fingers flying on the screen.
She dialed Claudia's contact.
"Claudia."
"Nadia, why weren't you present at the music festival?"
"Are you insane? Show myself at your hideous festival after getting expelled?" Nadia snarled.
"Say no more. I want those nudes of Michelle sent to me, as soon as possible."
"Nudes? I'm afraid it has been deleted."
"Deleted by who? How?" Nadia shouted.
"Um..Didn't you know when Mom was kidnapped by some men, dropped at an unknown location and they forced the password out of her, taking her phone away only to be returned when they had formatted the device?"
"Shit!" Nadia hit her fist on the steering.
"How could Professor Jennie be so loose?"
"She was at gunpoint."
"What the fuck?!" She roared.
"Those people could have been Gabriela's men. How could you be so stupid? Arghhh!!" Nadia hung up in frustration.
"How could the nudes be gone?? How could it be gone?? Arghhh!!"
Claudia was bewildered.
"Gabriela?? What's wrong with this bitch? Why does she step on my toes every damn time? First, she killed my puppy and denied it, and now Nadia's saying this was her doing?"
"She always wants to be the hero and here's Miguel, who has fallen in love with her. They'll both be roasted and I'll sit back and watch."
~~~~~~
"Aside from being sexy, what do you do for a living?" Miguel asked.
Gabriela laughed delightfully.
"Did you like it?"
"I loved it. You're the most mentioned student at the festival. You performed so well."
"Really? I'm honored." Gabriela stood up, made a playful bow and plopped on the sofa again.
"What are your friends up to? They asked me to come here." Miguel raised a brow.
"Really? They ain't here yet." Damien opened the door with his key and they all walked in, discussing and laughing.
He was with Michelle, Diana, Carissa, Rafael and Isabella.
They plopped on the sofa.
"Hi guys." Gabriela greeted and her smile made them exchange knowing looks.
"You must have been laughing."
"Yeah, Miguel can't stop talking about the festival."
"Oh yeah! You nailed it!"
"I loved it so much!"
"You should see the comments!"
Compliments washed over Gabriela and her grin was so unique that Miguel couldn't take his eyes off.
"So - I called y'all for a reason. A special reason." Damien clasped his hands.
They paid attention, wondering what could be the case.
"This girl here, has fucking bewitched me." His declaration made Michelle bite her lips as all eyes turned to her.
"I was in love with her since I can remember, but when I first saw her smile, I took it upon myself to make sure that that smile never disappears. And a few days ago, she made it known to me that she felt the same way."
"Awwwnn!!" They oohed and aahed, Diana who was sitting next to Michelle held her close.
"We're official." Carissa and Diana screamed.
The news widened eyes, Michelle receiving hugs and congratulations.
~~~~~~~
Gabriela's eyes fluttered closed, and she sank into the familiar world of her underwater dreams. She felt the weightlessness that always came with this place, until she saw her – Sophia. The girl's long, raven-black hair flowed like the seaweed in the current, and her sparkling eyes seemed to gleam with an otherworldly light.
Gabriela felt a shiver run down her spine. Who was this girl, and why did she keep appearing in her dreams? Suddenly, the scene shifted, and Sophia was no longer alone. A woman stood beside her, her face twisted in a scowl that seemed to ripple the water around her.
"Mother," Sophia said, her voice barely above a whisper.The sea witch's eyes flashed with anger, and she grasped Sophia's arm, her grip tightening. "You will not see him again," she hissed.
"The Sea Prince is not for you. You'll do as I say, or suffer the consequences."
"There's nothing between us, Mother. We are friends."
Sophia walked among the stalls, her beauty drawing admiring glances from everyone around her. Her striking features – the raven-black hair, sparkling eyes, long eyelashes, and plump lips – seemed almost... familiar. Gabriela's mind lingered on the resemblance to herself, but she couldn't quite grasp the significance.
Meanwhile, in the underwater kingdom, the Sea Prince paced back and forth in front of his mother, the Sea Queen. "I must find her, Mother," he pleaded. "I've searched far and wide, but she's nowhere to be found."The Sea Queen's expression turned somber.
"Tell me, son, why do you need this girl so desperately?" The Sea Prince's eyes burned with determination. "I need to find her and seal our love with a kiss. It's the only way to break the curse that's been cast upon me."
The Sea Queen's face fell, and she reached out to stroke her son's cheek. "Oh, my child," she whispered. "If only you knew the truth. The sea witch, she's the one who cursed you. And the girl you're searching for... she's her daughter."
The Sea Prince's eyes widened in shock, but the Sea Queen continued, her voice low and urgent.
The Sea Queen's words hung in the water, heavy with unspoken meaning. The Sea Prince's face darkened, determination etched on his features. He would find Sophia, no matter what it took. Little did he know, the sea witch would stop at nothing to keep them apart.
"The kiss will break the Sea Prince's curse. Don't you think it connects to you or Miguel?"
Gabriela giggled.
"Why are you thinking that way? That a fairytale dream might be something about Miguel and I? It isn't what you think." Gabriela disagreed with Isabella.
"If it ain't that, then you can tell Miguel about your feelings."
"Heck no. Why would I do that? I don't want our friendship to be ruined. What if he flares up and kicks me out of his life?"
"Right. This Sea Witch is obviously the one blocking this confession and this kiss."
"What kiss?" A blush crept on Gabriela's face, mocking the whole idea.
"Don't even think about it. This is nothing about Miguel and I."
Isabella folded her arms.
"Fine."
~~~~~MONTHS AFTER~~~~
Time flew by.
Winter and Christmas was only a month away.
Students had studied hard to get good grades before hitting the road for their trips.
Diana, Carissa, Rafael and Isabella were in a car.
Gabriela, Miguel, Michelle and Damien were in another.
The drive was nothing short of amazing.
They walked into the holiday house, admiring.
From the fresh breeze and large sized pool outdoors, to the equipped kitchen, dining.
It had a dozen bedrooms, they took photos in every corner, posting them on social media.
The bills were on Miguel and Gabriela was extravagant about her spending, writing down latest designs to get later.
Michelle was posing in front of a mirror in one of the rooms and her eyes twinkled when she realized she was alone with Damien, who was admiring the flooring.
"Babe, should we pick this room?" Damien's eyes shone and he smiled cutely.
"What did you just call me?" Michelle rolled her eyes playfully.
"I won't repeat myself." She replied and blushed.
"Go ahead."
"Why did you choose me? Of all girls in school. Even when Gabriela came, you asked her to befriend me. Rather than go for her instead." Damien chuckled.
"I see Gabriela as nothing but a friend."
"But if I didn't exist, you would have gone for her instead."
"If you didn't exist, I wouldn't have been born either." Michelle's eyes widened. This guy always seemed to amaze her.
He planted a kiss on her forehead. Before Michelle could say a word, he changed the topic.
"The room. Should we pick this?"
"I was only kidding, Damien. I – I can't share a room with you just yet. You should understand that I need privacy."
"I do. You can take this. I'll use the one just next to yours."
"Okay."
~~~~~~
They sat around in a circle in the living room, after a delicious dinner.
"Okay guys, so I was thinking we played a game," Carissa began.
"Instead of watching movies." Eyes twinkled, excited and curious at the same time, to hear the idea she had.
"Let's play Two Truths And A Lie." Eyebrows were raised.
"Um...How is it played?" Michelle asked.
"It has to do with three sentences. You just have to share with us, two of your funniest, remarkable, saddest, flirtiest, nastiest, craziest and best of your life's experiences. Then – share with us, what we all know you can't do. What we all think you're lying about. And, you'll have to prove it. I'll start, Diana you next, then Damien, Rafael after, Isabella, Michelle, Gabriela and lastly, Miguel." Carissa explained.
"Give comments."
"If the lie is an action, one of us will ask the person to prove it. And the rule is, the person can only prove it to whoever asks for proof, that's if its not an action that has to do with singing, dancing and so on. Are we ready?"
"Yes!!" They chorused.
"I have a question. What can the lie be about?"
"Anything, Michelle. Anything intriguing. Anything we'd never believe you can do. Just something you can prove. It could be a verbal attack on someone in this room." Carissa answered with a smirk.
"Please, excite us. Not boring questions." Diana added.
"I once wrote a love letter to someone without sending it." They exchanged glances.
"Wow, do you care to share with us?"
"Who did you write it to?"
"Tell us!"
"Why didn't you send it?"
"I've snuck into a movie without paying." They oohed, aahed and laughed heartily.
"Oh my God, how could you do that?"
"How were you able to do it?"
"I'll try that someday."
"I've been caught flirting with someone's crush." There was pindrop silence for ten seconds.
They couldn't fathom the sentence.
Carissa was an exteremely social person but not – not someone who would be flirting.
"Um...who?"
Only Rafael smiled knowingly.
"Prove it." He spoke.
"Okay. Ask Isabella how it happened last week. Isabella, tell them I'm not lying! You said you liked him, right?" All eyes were on Isabella and she was embarrassed.
"She's right. She's not lying."
"Explain it."
"Who has a crush on someone?"
"Who was she flirting with?"
"Is he in this room?"
"Quiet. I've proven it to you guys already. Diana, your turn." Isabella faked a smile and Rafael bit his lips seductively, winking at her. She took her gaze off him.
"I once sent a love text to the wrong person."
"Aaaaahhhh!!!" Gabriela screamed and burst into laughter. They all joined in, the moment heating up.
"I've lied about my age to impress someone."
Their lips oohed in surprise, Damien testifying to the experience.
"I've tried online dating."
"No way!"
"That's crazy."
"You'll never do that."
"I can't believe it!"
"That's a lie!"
"Prove it!" Diana turned on her phone and turned the screen to their faces, displaying the apps and 305+ men already interested in her.
They were speechless.
"Next, Damien."
"I've had an embarrassing username on a dating app."
"What was it?" Michelle spoke first.
"So you've also tried a dating app."
"What was the username?"
"TheDick." It took a few seconds to process the information before they threw their heads in loud mocking laughter.
"Oh my God, Damien, never knew you could be this silly."
"Ridiculous!!"
"Steamy!"
"I've had a dream about someone in this room." He continued.
"Who?"
"Who could it be?"
"Michelle. She's the only one I can ever dream about."
"Awwwn!"
Michelle lowered her head shyly and the living room was filled with laughter.
"I'm bold enough to kiss my best friend's sister in public."
"Prove it!" Miguel yelled.
"Don't – prove it." Michelle raised her palm to stop him.
"Prove it, we want to see it." Gabriela added. Michelle glared at her.
"Prove it, prove it, prove it!" They were clapping and yelling.
"No." He was coming close. Michelle covered her lips with her palm as he leaned in. She eventually fell to the ground and Damien's lips met hers in an endearing kiss.
They gave him a round of applause and laughed.
"So far, we've managed to prove our lies. Anyone who fails to prove his or hers will be out of the game."
"Your turn, Rafael." Rafael's excitement was palpable.
"I've made out with someone in public before."
Gasps filled the air.
"Who?"
"Who is it?"
"I'll like to keep that private."
"I've said a cheesy line to make a girl blush."
"Really?"
"He's right." Gabriela spoke, winking at Isabella who rolled her eyes.
"I've kissed a professor before."
"Who?"
"Oh my God, really?"
"These professors are shameless."
"Rafael, how nasty can you get?"
"Prove it. That's a lie." Isabella folded her arms.
"Professor Eva."
"What??!!" They exclaimed.
"If you're still doubting, you can find a way to see her lip. There's a weird looking line." Rafael concluded.
"You're so crazy!"
"But why did you do that?"
"Did she ask for the kiss?"
"Your turn, Bella."
"Count me out. Its my bedtime." Isabella got up and left. Michelle swallowed and continued the game.
"I've been hit by a motorcycle and I woke up in a candy store."
"Candy store??"
"Instead of a hospital?"
"Did you steal candy?"
"I've been told I give great massages."
"Wow, really?"
"We'll need your services when our joints hurt."
"I think I'll need those magic hands in the room." Damien winked and they all giggled.
"I'm really good at singing love songs."
"Woah!"
"Prove it."