Chapter 13: Chapter 13

I thought I was going to have time off to myself after school but Siobhan had other plans. I had barely taken my uniform off when she burst into my apartment making me question my decision to give her my key.

“Bianca there’s an emergency.”

“No there’s not,” I said taking my shirt off. Hopefully creep Andre isn’t hiding somewhere trying to catch me taking my skirt off. For good measure, I had locked my balcony doors to prevent any surprise visits from him again.

“There is. I don’t have a bikini to wear!”

“You mean you don’t have what you think is good enough out of the 500 and something bikinis you have?”

“You Bianca Davis are such a killjoy. Yes, I don’t think they are good enough. I need Andre’s head turning my way, I need his eyes glued on my body, I need him watching me nonstop.”

“You need a creep?” because the way I see it that’s what she’s asking for. “And what’s with the desperation? I thought you guys were getting really close during the summer?”

She plopped on my bed to mope. “Yeah well, that was before he moved here where there are a lot of hot girls like Eva, Adeline, and Kathy!”

“Uhm there are hot girls all around Mainland.”

“You know what I mean! Are you going to help me or not? Because the only thing you’ve been doing since I came here is increase my doubts!” she gave me a dubious look.

“Alright fine,” I surrendered because I know she wouldn’t let me be until I help her one more time. “So what kind of bikini are we looking for?”

“Let’s go to my apartment and look and we can pick one for you too.”

I changed into a short free vintage shirt that I had stolen from dad’s wardrobe so it was really big, covering me from shoulders to mid-thigh, and followed her. She sashayed out of my apartment like she owned the place but then again that’s how Siobhan is, she’s just that confident about everything.

The seniors' quarter is like this; there are two rows of apartments, some are occupied and some are not depending on the number of final-year students available to occupy them. In the very center was a swimming pool and there was a makeshift bar that we could always set up if we ever needed to party. I don’t know what Mr. Edwin was thinking when he had the swimming pool and bar built for high school kids but I’m guessing he had a wild youth and knows just what teenagers want. And yes we want to party.

Siobhan’s apartment was on the other side so we crossed the low grassy divide separating the rows of apartments. Just as we were about to enter her apartment Carla came out from beside one of the houses.

“It’s the second Rios,” Siobhan commented like I didn’t already know. “She’s so weird. Geez.”

She looked away and entered her apartment but I kept looking hoping that Carla would look my way so I would wave at her but I got no such luck. Instead just as I was about to enter the apartment smelling of scented candles – was that lavender? – Andre also came from around the corner. They were quite far off but from the looks of it, he and Carla were in some kind of argument because even Carla’s pretty, calm face was contorted into something akin to rage. She turned on Andre and said something to him. His lips were pressed to a hard line and when he responded to whatever they were arguing about his face was red and he didn’t look too happy.

What are they arguing about?

I didn’t have time to ponder too long on that though because Siobhan was already getting impatient so I entered quickly before the Rios twins discovered I was watching them and closed the door.

Siobhan was dumping a bag containing all her bikinis on her couch. In Edwin and Co. once a senior gets an apartment he or she could design it however they want. Siobhan had filled out a form before the summer vacation to have her room painted pink and have the decorations changed. She wanted to do the same for me but I had declined not because I didn’t want to personalize my space but because I just couldn’t care less.

“Alright let’s select.”

I chose a stringy piece that would definitely make dad come running with a huge towel if I ever wore it on the beach with him and mom. Siobhan discarded it because it wasn’t the right shade. And I will agree because while the bikini was sexy, blue isn’t exactly the color of seduction. So we looked for another piece until we began to play dress up, strutting in front of her huge mirror and pretending we were models displaying different designs of bath suits. After a while, I picked up a hot pink two-piece to try on and Siobhan got a eureka moment.

She wanted the hot pink piece. It was just the right shade and had the right amount of strings to display enough skin.

“This is the one!” she declared as she reached out to snap it out of my hand.

“Well, I was going to wear that one…," I grabbed it back.

“Oh come on Bianca!” she wailed. “You know this one will look good on me! You know Andre is going to be looking and so will everyone else. It’s my party remember? And I’m throwing it for a reason remember?”

She gave me puppy eyes and inched her fingers toward the 2-piece. I couldn’t hold it back when she was eager to wear it and impress Andre with it so in the end I threw my hands up in surrender and gave up the bikini. “Fine.”

“You are the absolute best!” she threw her arms around me and hugged me tight. I did the same, laughing when she began to wet my face with kisses.

“I know I know,” I said and put her off gently. “So what should I wear? Or am I not permitted to dress to impress too?”

“On the contrary you are! I’ve seen the way Aaron has been giving you the side eye. Are you sure you don’t want to continue the Head boy and girl tradition?”

I rolled my eyes. “Lord, Siobhan give it a rest already. The tradition is not necessary…” I smiled a little. “Although, Aaron has been kinda looking attractive lately. I think being Head boy is making him a different person, he hasn’t been into himself like he used to.”

Siobhan let out a whoop. “Ohhhhh, is he now?” she wagged her brows. “In that case let’s get you something to show off those curves of yours.”

She dug into the pile of clothes and retrieved a mini padded bikini top, it was red. “This is going to enhance those tiny boobs of yours,” she laughed.

I snatched it from her hand secretly fascinated by the idea but I hid my fascination with a roll of my eyes. “Ha ha funny.”

I tried it on and true to what she said it fitted and my boobs did look a little bigger. I wonder who will be looking at them though. There are a lot of hotter girls in our class. But just in case I tucked the bikini away to take to my room after helping Siobhan arrange the scattered ones on the floor.