Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Joanna's POV

"I'm so hungry I could eat the whole food displayed here," I muttered as we stepped into Crunchies after the struggle through the harsh breeze and dust outside.

"Always food," Tenda grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

"Hey!" I cried out, "you woke me up, robbed me of my breakfast, dragged me here through that severe breeze and you say I shouldn't think of food? By the way, you're paying."

"Okay ma, lead the way." She saluted.

"Oh sorry." I apologized,  bumping into someone.

"No problem." A cute voice replied.

What the--. I thought as I came face to face with a really pretty girl, she looked adorable in her fair skin and black short hair, her pink lips in a smile, a straight nose, and slightly big black doe eyes.

Taking a closer look at her face, I took note of a dimple that rested on one of her fluffy cheeks. You could call her a walking doll, yeah she was cute to that extent.

"Wow!" I heard Tenda mumble beside me.

"Hello, I'm Fahvour." She waved, a shy smile gracing her lips.

"I'm Joanna," I told, returning her smile.

"Come here cutie." Tenda dubbed and tugged her into a hug that scared the poor girl half to death hence it's not every day you meet a stranger who immediately pulls you in for an embrace.

"I'm Tenda." She voiced out, releasing the frightened girl.

"Come sit with us." I offered, my tone calm in a bid to rid her of her fear.

"Okay but I'm here with my brother, he just went to the restroom, I hope that isn't a problem?" Fahvour inquired.

"Nah, definitely not." Tenda blurted in reply and grabbed our food from the counter, "our table's right there."

"Okay, I'm coming, let me text my brother." She beamed, after which she left us and strolled to a corner to do as she said.

The instant we got settled I devoured my chicken pie and juice as if my life depended on it while wondering how ridiculous I must have seemed to every other person, my mouth full and hands covered in crispy flour.

"Hmm-hmm." I heard someone clear their throat above me, this made me raise my head to observe who it was, I wasn't surprised when I noticed it was Fahvour.

"Can I sit?" She quizzed.

"Is that a question? I invited you for Christ's sake." I laughed the same time Tenda nodded, her mouth still full with her doughnut.

"Sorry." Fahvour atoned, getting seated.

"It's no big deal." Tenda shrugged. "So tell us about you."

"Well, I'm 17 but would be 18 in May, I'm the only daughter with one brother, so practically we're only two plus I'm a science student and I wear glasses once in a while especially when I read. I'm shy as you can see, I just moved here recently with my family so no friends yet. My brother is practically my handbag." All these she let out in one breath.

"Wow! That was huge," I clamored, a bit stunned.

"Was that too much?" She flushed.

"When I said to tell us about you, I didn't expect this much but that's okay, I'm happy you opened up to us," Tenda asserted and squeezed her arm.

"So where's this brother of yours? You seem fond of him." I implored.

"Don't know." She retorted, "when I texted him he said he was still in the restroom and that he was coming, no big deal though, he's a grown man so he can find his way around."

"Okay then, if it's that way, how about you hang out with us, we were heading to a shoe shop,"  Tenda spoke and sent a look in my direction that screamed keep your mouth shut hence she knew I would object about shoe shopping so she was blackmailing me.

"Yeah, you should join us," I grunted through tightly closed teeth while I provided her a glare.

"I don't mean to intrude." Fahvour objected, gazing at the floor.

"Nah, you need friends so here we are, let's get going," Tenda told and gestured for us to start moving after she winked at me.

I sighed in defeat and followed them out of the eaterie thinking how I liked Fahvour, she seemed like a nice girl, however, I had visualized myself on my bed in an hour with episodes of wildflower and not shoe shopping.

We crossed the road to the supermarket opposite crunchies and headed straight for the feet section.

"How about this one." Tenda voiced out and pushed a black flat shoe in my face.

"Nope, not that one, or that, or that," I said, refusing her choices.

Not that they weren't good but they were all black and I didn't need anything black for Christmas, besides I already had a black shoe.

"Don't be a party pooper." Fahvour pouted, followed by a chuckle as I still rejected another one.

"I'm not a party pooper, when I see what I want I would know." I scoffed in reply.

"Arrgh, I'm so tired, my legs are killing me!" Tenda groaned as she got fed up with my picky attitude.

"You suggested this, so deal with it," I smirked.

"I know you're doing this to get back at me for disrupting your alone time," she growled.

"Hey!" I called feigning shock. "You think so low of me."

"Oh please, save it." She declared while Fahvour was just busy laughing.

I didn't respond, instead, I kept strolling around the store for the dream shoe while they strode behind me until something caught my eye.

"Yass! I found it." I squealed, spotting a 4-inch shining red stiletto, and picked it up slowly as if it was pure gold.

"Wow!"

"Holy cow!" They both exclaimed at once when they caught sight of the shoe in my palms.

"How come I didn't see that earlier," Tenda whined.

"Patience baby patience." I sniggered.

"I'm getting the blue one and returning this crap," Tenda announced as she stared at her green flats in disgust.

"I'm taking the black one with white beads on it." Fahvour blurted and snatched it up. After that, we went to the cashier where we paid.

"Now say thank you," I smirked at Tenda who held a blue shiny stiletto in her hand.

"Why?" She polled, a tad confused.

"Because, If not for me you would have taken that green crap home." I shrugged in response.

"You're right but no, I won't say thank you." She declined followed by a laugh as she noticed an awed expression on my face.

"Hey, Fahv." A raspy familiar voice spoke, catching our attention.

Oh no, not again. I groaned internally as I spotted Frank trudging towards us, he then paused to offer Fahvour a hug, a lovestruck look in his eyes.

"Shit" I muttered when I confirmed it was him after our eyes met.

"You?" He interrogated, a smirk on his lips, "are you stalking me?"

"Pttf, I should be asking you that," I uttered and faked nonchalance when I saw him draw Fahvour close to him.

"You know him?" Tenda questioned in my ear.

"Later," I whispered as Fahvour bestowed us a weird look.

"Would it be a crime if she did?"  He challenged, which seemed he heard.

Why is he winking at me, and why is he also still flirting with me? Is Fahvour not his girlfriend? All these and more I asked myself as he held onto Fahvour's hand.

"Depends on your motive." I flirted back to spite him.

How do you even know he's flirting with you, I thought you said Fahvour is his girlfriend? My inner voice taunted as he smiled down at her.

"Okay, this is getting weird," Tenda whispered to me again as Francis and Fahvour started talking to each other in hushed tones.

"I think they are dating," I replied and felt a sharp pain run through my chest.

Uh, oh!

Please don't tell me I'm falling for him, please, please, please Lord, please. I silently prayed, freaking out.

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