❤️THE SPACE IN BETWEEN❤️
?Age is just a number?
✍️Written By Precious Pinky✍️
?Chapter Nineteen (19)?
#NOT EDITED.
Theme:….The presentation?.
?Narrator’s Pov?
Tricky walked into the restaurant and look around until she finally spotted Manuel, sitting at the window side with his gaze on his phone.
She knew whatever they were going to talk about was relating to their plan on how to destroy Xander and Malby’s relationship and that was fine with her but right now what she needed was food.
That was the only way she could think straight, actually.
She took in a de-ep breath before making her way over to the booth were Manuel was seated.
He didn’t acknowledge her which only meant that he hasn’t realize her presence. Yet. Well, according to her belief.
Like seriously, he wouldn’t ignore the fact that she was here, right?
He called her over here which only meant that he wants to spend time with her… right?
Tricky quickly shook those stupid thoughts from her head. She can’t believe she actually think that.
it’s not like she has any kind of feelings for this guy seated in front of her.
_right?
She mentally gro-aned before clearing her throat so Manuel would notice her presence but he didn’t seem faze, he just kept staring at his phone.
Tricky thought about poking him but decided not to and sat down on the chair, opposite from Manuel’s.
“I’m here.” She said calmly.
“I know.” He replied her.
Tricky gasped in total shock. So he did pretended not to acknowledge her presence.
What exactly was he staring at? she wondered but didn’t say anything as she waited for him to do whatever he was doing and attend to her.
She couldn’t believe that she was willing to wait for him until he was done.
She wasn’t the patient type.
She never was.
Tricky placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin against her palm as she kept staring _or glaring_ at Manuel.
After what took like years he finally decided to keep his phone aside and look up at her.
She smiled sweetly at him.
Wait, why was she smiling?
She was suppose to glare at him for keeping her waiting and not smile!
“Hey.” He muttered.
“I’ve been here for almost an hour and you are just greeting me now…Tell me, does that seem right to you?”
He shrugged. “You were five minutes late. I guess we are even now.”
“Wait, did you intentionally kept me waiting because I was five minutes late?” She couldn’t believe her ears.
Here she was trying to make up excuses for his rude behavior of not acknowledging her presence but in reality he did that on purpose just to make her pay for coming late.
Does that even sound normal?
“You aren’t dumb after all. Well yeah. I hate late comers in case you don’t know.”
“Wh…what?” She eyed him from head to toe. “This is crazy. What were you even doing with your phone?”
“Nothing.” He answered nonchalantly.
“No..nothing!? You’ve got to be kidding me right now.” She ran her fingers throu-ghher hair in frustration.
She was hungry when she walked in here but right now she wasn’t just hungry but angry as well!
No wonder there was a saying that says; *A hungry man is an angry man.*
He smirked, folding his arms over his ch-est as he waited for Tricky to do her worst.
“So you were just staring at your phone doing nothing?” She asked again just to be sure she heard him correctly.
“Exactly but I was indeed doing something,” Tricky raised her perfectly drawn eyebrow as she indirectly asked him to tell her what the something was. “I was staring at the time to know when to acknowledge you.”
This was it. She has had enough of this arrogant, annoying, stupid idiot.
No wonder he has no friends and that’s because he was clearly stupid and don’t know how to treat a lady well.
In fact she don’t think she will be needing him for her plan to destroy Xander and Malby’s relationship because right now, she intend to deal with him now before dealing with Malby.
“Did you call me over here to annoy me?” She questioned.
“I’m not that stupid.”
“Well, you are. Because the way you are behaving right now is how a stupid person would behave.”
“And how do you know that? Is it because you are stupid?” He raised a brow with a smirk plastered on his face.
Tricky clenched her fist as she glared at him. Would it be a bad idea to punch his handsome face and leave his jaw broken?
She thought to herself.
Why did she even approach him in the first place!?
Okay, she needed a partner to destroy Xander and Malby’s relationship and he so happen have to be the one who also wants that.
She had no other choice than to ask him for help.
She regrets ever going to him in the first place.
Tricky sighed then stood up to her feet. “I can see you aren’t ready to have a reasonable talk, Manuel.” She said before turning around to walk out but before she could take a step from him, he spoke up and the next thing he said made her sit back on the chair.
“I have a plan. A better plan to be precise on how to break Xander and Malby up.” He said.
“You do?”
“Why else did you think i called you over here?”
“To annoy me and make me want to break your jaw?”
He scoffed. “That would be waste of time. I have other better things to do.”
“Whatever. What plan is it?” She asked leaning towards Manuel so she could hear this ‘wonderful plan’ of his.
She was curious and anxious.
She was happy that she will soon break Xander and Malby off then take Xander away from Malby and have him to herself
She knows how that will hurt Malby and she just couldn’t wait to see Malby’s broken face.
“We need to know the weakness of their relationship first.” He stated.
Tricky knitted her brows at him. She was confused on what he meant exactly.
“And how is that a plan?”
“It’s a plan because that weakness is going to do us the favor of breaking their relationship up and I think I know what just to do to figure out this weakness.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Use Malby’s friendship to my advantage.” He muttered under his breath but Tricky still heard him loud and clear.
She smirked, leaning back into her seat. “You are really adamant to keep Malby to yourself.”
“I can’t lose her. Never.”
Tricky don’t know why but she did felt a sting in her heart.
She felt more jealous of Malby now.
But why?
Manuel was willing to keep Malby to himself and by doing so, he was going to break Malby and Xander off and in reality that was what she wanted…so why does her heart sting?
She must be very hungry.
Yes. That was the reason for the hurt in her heart.
“Splendid. I guess we should eat now because I’m very hungry.” She smiled.
??????????
?Malby’s Pov?
Do I have any regret in being Xander’s girlfriend even when I knew very well that I’ve lost a best friend?
Actually, In all honesty I don’t care!
I have no regret in being Xander’s girlfriend because even if the time decides to go back to that day when I confessed my feelings to Xander, I will still make that same choice.
Being Xander’s girlfriend is worth the risk of losing a best friend.
Yeah, I love Xander this much.
I rested my head against his shoulder while he wrapped his arms around my body and i shut my eyes close.
Will it be a good idea if I tell Xander about Mona’s feelings for him?
Mona wouldn’t want me to tell Xander. Because obviously Xander will feel bad for hurting her and he won’t be very free around her and I’m quite sure that Mona wouldn’t want that.
“No. There’s no problem with that actually. I just feel relief of telling her about you and me.”
Xander suddenly started laughing. I pulled away from him and stare at him as I raised a questioning brow at him.
What exactly was funny?
Did i cracked a joke or something?
“It’s you and I not you and me.” He said in between laughter.
I glared at him and smacked his ch-est, he stopped laughing but I know very well that he was trying to stifle his laughter.
“Ha-ha. Very funny.”
“What? I was only just trying to correct you, princess.” He said using that nickname i wasn’t so used to.
“You could have corrected me without laughing, idiot.” I reasoned out.
He shrugged. “I just couldn’t help it. I mean, you said the word with confidence. I know you are stupid but I didn’t know you were this dumb.” I whacked his head, glaring at him. “ow!”
“Call me stupid or dumb and see how I’m going to drown you in this water.” I threatened.
“Hey babe, you don’t need to get so worked up over this. I’m your teacher after all.” He winked.
“Oh shut up.” I said getting up to my feet and started walking away.
“Come on, I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have laughed but I just couldn’t help it.” He said. The laughter was still evident in his voice.
This prick.
“I hate you.”
“I know you love me babe.”
I was still walking away from him, I don’t even know is he was trailing behind me or not but with how close his voice is then I’m certain he’s right behind me.
He was right. I can never hate Xander.
_Never_
But hey, I was mad at me so I don’t have to agree with him this time around.
“fu-ck you.” I muttered.
”I heard that babe. But you know I can’t fu-ck myself, I will need someone to…” Just as I turned around to face him, he collided with me and we both lost our balance and fell on the ground.
My back was against the ground while Xander was lying on top of me.
Damn, this guy was heavy!
“Ouch. You should have told me you were behind.”
“How was I suppose to know that you were going to turn around?”
“It’s obvious that I would turn around not when you were saying those shit!” I said, trying to get him off me. “Could you get your fat as-soff me. You are heavy.”
“Wait, were you turned on with what I was saying?”
“You wish. Now get off me.”
“Wishes come true, princess.” He winked.
“People who hear you talk won’t even know you are a vi-rgin.” I smirked.
“You are also a vir-gintoo, duh!”
“Is that what you think?”
He gasped at me, looking me straight in the eyes now. “You aren’t a vi-rgin?”
I shrugged saying nothing.
“Malby?”
“Get off me, Sandal.” I said using his nickname this time around.
He gro-aned in annoyance. I clearly know how much he hates that nickname but hey, I don’t care!
“Can you stop calling me that?” He questioned.
“Get off me then I will think about it.”
“But I like it here.” He pout.
Aww, he look so damn cute.
Snap out of it, Malby. You need to get this fat as-soff you or you will press into the ground.
“Well you will enjoy it because you are the one on top and not under. You are fat!”
He glared at me. “I’m not fat, Malby. I’m just well built. Like seriously, feel this muscles.”
“Are you bluffing right now?”
“I’m not.”
“Then…”
He opened his mouth to talk but no words came out. He sighed and tried getting off me but I wrapped my legs around his torso and pulled him down towards my body, preventing him for getting off.
This was a wrong decision but i don’t care.
I love this guy so much.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed a soft ki-ss on his li-ps but pulled back almost immediately.
We were both smiling at each other now.
“I thought you wanted me to get off you.” He said, looking in between my eyes and li-ps.
I shook my head. “Not anymore. I love it this way as well.”
He grinned and before I knew it, he turned us around and I was now the one lying on top of him while he was under me.
“Much better.” He whispered.
And before I could comprehend what’s happening. We both started ki-ssing, savoring each other’s sweetness.
I shut my eyes close and tug my hands into his soft hair, ki-ssing him back with all I had.
Xander sat upright and I was straddling on his lap now. He was running his fingertips on my thigh and damn, I could feel a burning sensation because of that.
Xander li-ps left mine and started pouring ki-sses on my jawline and neck.
I mo-aned at the feelings and ached my back towards his gentle ki-sses.
He kept showering me with his soft ki-sses while I mo-aned out of plea-sure.
The make out was getting heated when my phone chose it was the best time to ring.
Xander pulled away and nod his head giving me the go ahead to pick the call.
I sighed before grabbing my phone and answering the call without even staring at the caller ID.
“What?” I barked at the caller.
“Hey, calm down there. What’s up with the mood?”
Shit, shit, shit.
I pulled my phone down and glance at the caller. Damn it, it was mom.
I placed the phone back to my ear.
“Mom.” I called nonchalantly.
“Yes?”
“You… shit!” Xander was su-cking, nibbling and biting the soft spot on my neck now.
“Malby, are you alright?”
“Uh…yeah. I…I just dropped my…um… headphones.” I lied.
Xander smirked while I glared at him.
He knows very well that I was on the phone with my mother and yet he was doing this, making me go crazy.
Was he doing this intentional?
“How many times have I warned you to stop swearing?” She asked now.
“I…Damn!” Xander was ki-ssing my cleavages while he cu-pped my bre-ast .
This guy was making things difficult for me. And guess what, I love what he was doing and I don’t want him to stop.
“Malby?”
“Mom?”
“Where are you now?” She asked. I could imagine her brow raised as she waited for my reply.
“Out.” I simply answered.
“I know that. But out where?” She asked.
“The amusement park….I…Let me call you back.” And i quickly hung up the call before she could even say anything. “That wasn’t funny.”
“What?” He asked, feigning innocent.
“You can’t keep doing that while I’m on the phone with mother.”
“But you were enjoying it because if you weren’t then you would have stopped me.”
fu-ck him for being so right!
I smirked and stared trailing ki-sses along his jawline and earlobe.
“Don’t stop.” I whispered in his ear.
??????????
Grrrrrrgh!
Grrrrrrgh!
Grrrrrrgh!
Gosh, I hate this.
I shut the alarm off then got out of my bed and went straight to the bathroom to do my daily routine.
After I was done with the daily routine. I walked out of the bathroom and went into the closet to get dressed.
Yesterday was one of the best day ever in my entire life.
I wish it never ended.
It was still a surprise to me how Xander from being my best friend became my boyfriend and that was fine because being with him is one of the best thing that has ever happened to me.
I got out from the closet, dressed in a blue short skirt and a white turtleneck sweater. I wore a cap over my head and carried a schoolbag that went with my dressing.
I wore my white sneakers and wore a light make up.
I applied a vanilla balm on my plump pink li-ps and stared at myself at the giant mirror at the corner of my large room.
I was hot!
I grabbed my blue headphones and walked out of my room, bumping into Darla, who was obviously on her way to my room.
I bent down to her level and ruffled her hair, she barked while I smiled.
“I have to go to school now. I promise to take you out for a walk when i get back, okay?”
She barked and I took that as a yes from her before walking downstairs with Darla trailing from behind me.
Uncle Tyler had gone back to Paris just this morning.
I will miss him.
I walked into the kitchen and poured myself a cup of warm water and chug-ged down the liquid and dropped the cup on the counter.
I sighed and glance down at my wrist watch and it reads; 8:05am.
Just then I heard the honk of a car and I know who it was.
I smiled and ran out of the house not before telling the first maid I sighted to tell mom that I had gone to school.
I opened the benz and hopped in, still smiling.
I leaned towards him and ki-ssed him on his soft li-ps.
“You look ravishing today.” He complimented me while I blus-hed.
Xander always compliment me whenever I got dressed but now sounded so different.
Maybe because he was complimenting as my boyfriend and not as my best friend.
I put on my seatbelt while Xander drove off to the main road and down to the familiar road we were so used to.
I took out my phone and took some few pictures of Xander and i.
“You are a picture freak.” He said.
“And you just knowing that?” I winked.
He shook his head with a chuckle before focusing all of his attention on the road.
I scroll throu-ghthe pictures I’d just taken and damn, they were pretty.
I decided to use the picture of yesterday during our date when Xander was staring at me while I was staring at the camera as my home screen and I used the picture of today, when Xander was staring at the road and I leaned over to him and ki-ssed his cheek as my lock screen.
“Your phone.” I stretched out my palm. Xander handed his phone over to me without complaining and questioning me.
I tried unlocking the phone but couldn’t.
“What’s your pa-ssword?”
“Xander loves Malby.” He replied.
I typed it and it indeed unlocked. I smiled and look over at Xander.
He was so cute and charming.
“Stop giving me that look.”
“Can’t help it.”
He laughed.
I went over to his gallery and set the picture of yesterday during our date, the one when Xander was staring at the camera and I was staring at him as his home screen and used the picture of when we were both looking at each other in the eyes, smiling with our ice cream in hands as his lock screen.
It was perfect.
We were perfect.
??????????
“I can’t believe I’m the one going to give a speech for our group.” I gro-aned. “We are clearly going to fail. Why can Xander or Manuel do it?”
“You are doing it, Malby and that’s final.” Miss Tasha said in her teacher tone but that didn’t faze me.
“I can’t do it. I will fu-ck this presentation up.” I said.
Manuel reach out to my hands and sque-ezed it softly. “You will do great. I believe you will.” He said, looking into my eyes.
I shook my head.
I such when it comes to school.
I’m awful when presentation is involved. Yeah, I talk a lot but not when it comes to school aspect.
Why did Miss Tasha have to do this to me?
Why?
Was it because I was the one who found the place out?
In reality I wasn’t the one who found it…. Xander did.
He should be the one to go out and give the presentation not me.
I will fumble.
I will make our group fail.
But Manuel believes in me.
But was that enough for me to believe in myself?
What if I fumble?
What if we fail because of my stupidity?
God, I can’t do this.
“What if I don’t?” I ask in a whisper.
“What if you do?” He fired back.
“I…i…” I can’t even make a sentence out. I… i can’t do this.
No.
It’s either Miss Tasha change her mind on who to go out there and speak for our group or I will take matters into hands.
“Shhh. Come on, where is that bold Malby who doesn’t take shit from no body?” Manuel asked. I smiled. “You haven’t answered my question yet.”
“She’s in here.” I answered calmly.
“Good. Now go out there and make us proud. Ah, wait a minute.”
He took out his pen and the list of the things we are yet to do and scribbled down on it but he didn’t show exactly what he wrote down.
“What did you write?” I asked.
“I will show you when you are done. I promise.”
I smiled and nodded my head.
I look around and found Xander staring at me.
I pulled away from Manuel and walked over to Xander.
He smiled and engulfed me into his arms.
Now, this was what I needed to go out there and kick bu-tts.
I wrapped my arms around his wai-st and savored into his sweet perfume shutting my eyes close.
Neither of us cared that the whole group were staring at us now.
We just stayed in each other’s arms. Listening to our heartbeat. It was like we were in our own fairytale world.
Although that doesn’t even exist.
“You can do this, girl. But don’t go out there and say you and me.” He winked after we had pulled out of the embrace.
I glared at him while he laughed.
“Stupid.”
“You love me that way.”
And he was so right.
I pecked his li-ps and smiled.
Our group was finally called out to say their presentations.
I took in some de-ep breath before going up to say our presentation.
“Good day everyone.” I greeted. They all responded to my greetings. I was very popular in school so it wasn’t a surprise to me or to the teachers how the students were all screaming my name. “I’m Malby and i will be representing group B,” I smiled. The projector started displaying images of the cave and ocean, everyone gasped at the beauty of the place. “Beautiful, right?” No one answered. It was a rhetorical question, anyway. “I, myself couldn’t imagine a place like this exist in the woods. At first I wonder why Miss Tasha brou-ght us to a place like this…” The image of the woods displayed on the screen and everyone started laughing. “Ugly, right? We were worried about how the presentation would go because clearly this place wasn’t interesting at all compared to the other places I guess you all went to.
But then Miss Tasha asked us to look for a ‘special place’ that is beautiful, intriguing, amazing and wonderful… We almost laughed because clearly a place like this can’t have such kind of place but we still tried looking for that place.
Later in the day we returned to the tent with no news…and honestly we expected Miss Tasha to scold us but she didn’t. She rather encouraged u and told us that sooner or later we would find this ‘special place’
The next day, she woke us all up and told us that we were all going for hunting…” An image of when I was trying to hold the wings of a bird displayed on the screen and everyone started laughing. “Funny, right? It was amazing. All thanks to Xander who catapulted the bird and I who tried holding on to the wings of the bird.” Everyone laughed and finally the laughter calmed down. “We roasted this bird and shared it among ourselves.” The image of when we were all eating the meat displayed on the screen. “Exciting, right?” I smiled.
“That was just the beginning of the trip and we still haven’t found this ‘special place.’ But we didn’t give up. We still went looking for this place and got tired and decided to take a rest. We were thirsty and being the fact that only one person brou-ght a bottle of water along, we all decided to drink from that bottle,” And image of when we were pa-ssing the bottle water to quench our thirst displayed on the screen. Everyone gasped. “Unity, right?”
“We shared chocolate and we all know what chocolate means…love.” I smiled as an image of when Manuel and I were eating chocolate. They all cooed. “Amazing, right?… We had fun. We spent our time together. We sang.” An image of when we were all singing and dancing and dancing displayed in the screen. Everyone smiled. “And then, Xander took me to this beautiful place.” The cave and waterfall displayed on the screen and everyone gasped, smiling. “It was the most beautiful place I’ve ever since. It was intriguing, amazing and wonderful. It was the ‘special place’ Miss Tasha was talking about.” I sighed. “But guys, is this really the place she was talking about?” I asked, staring at each and everyone one of them. Neither of them said a word, Miss Tasha was giving me the what-are-you-doing look because clearly I was going against the things she’d asked me to say.
But I didn’t stop.
“Is this the amazing, intriguing, beautiful and wonderful place she was talking about?” I asked once again. Still no reply. I smiled. “Guys, this was the ‘special place.’ The images of when we were all together displayed. “No place is ugly, every place has it’s own beauty. We all had fun even when we didn’t find this special place. We brou-ght life to the woods. In life, everything needs that love and attention.” I paused. “Someone told us, I didn’t bring you guys here for just the presentation but I want you guys to have fun as well. Having fun is all that matters. And she was right. We had fun, we brou-ght life to the woods… It’s life a school. A beautiful school but without students….tell me, should that school be referred as being beautiful?” Everyone were nodding this heads as if they were all in agreement with what I was saying. “A school can only be considered as being beautiful because of the students in it. We humans bring life and beauty to a place.” I let out a lopsided smile. “The woods was the beautiful, amazing, intriguing, and wonderful place. Thank you.”
No one clapped.
I sighed.
I guess I didn’t do well after all.
I was about to leave the stage when someone started clapping.
It was the principal.
She was on her feet as she clapped. Everyone ar-ose to their feet as well and started clapping.
I smiled.
Miss Tasha came to stand beside me and gave me a side hug.
Everyone kept applauding and it was amazing.
I did it.
I did the presentation and I didn’t fumble instead, I did great.
Manuel and Xander were right after all.
??????????
“I can’t believe we came second.” I said glaring at the reward.
“Neither can I. I mean, you were amazing.” Lucas agreed.
“But you were so amazing out there, Malby. I was so jealous of you.” Dory said, grinning.
“Aww.” I smiled.
“Hey, how about we go out and celebrate this victory?” Lucky suggested.
“Hell ye_”
“Hell no.” Miss Tasha said walking into the musical room. “You came second and you want to celebrate. Really?”
“But we tried.” Tiffany whispered.
“Well, it wasn’t enough. I don’t even know why I was in charge of this group. And you,Malby. Who asked you to go out there and say as you pleased, huh?”
“I…”
“And you guys are here talking about celebrating?” She questioned, cutting me off from whatever i was going to say. “You were….” Stupid. “Amazing!”
Wait, really?
“I’m so proud of you guys. Come here.” She walked towards her and she pulled us all into a big, warm embrace. “I’m so happy to have been in charge of this wonderful group. And hey, who told you guys that you could make plans without me?” She asked, pulling away and giving us a stern look.
“We are sorry?” Dory was unsure if that was what she was suppose to say or not.
“Well, let’s meet up after school. I know the best place we can have fun.”
“Yay!!!”
“But I thought you were mad at us.” I say.
She smiled. “I was just trying to pull your legs.” She winked. “Here,” She handed each and every one of us a wrapped present. “I told you guys that I was going to give you all gifts if we did well in the presentation.”
We smiled. “Thank you miss Tasha.”
“You haven’t seen it yet and you are already thanking me.”
We all opened our presents and it was a picture of us when we were singing and dancing around the campfire.
“It’s beautiful.” I said.
“Do you guys like it?”
“Thanks a lot Miss Tasha.” We said in unison.
??????????
“?I’m in love with the shape of you, push and pull like a magnet do, although my heart is falling too, I’m in love with your body…last night you were in my room, now my bed sheets smell like you…?” Dory and Lucas were singing shape of you by shawn mendes.
We were currently at a karaoke.
What a coincidence?
Manuel has it on his list to go to a karaoke.
Okay, it wasn’t really a coincidence. I was the one who asked Miss Tasha to take us to the karaoke and being the fact that I was the one who went out for the presentation, she accepted to take us to the karaoke.
We were all singing and dancing.
Dory and Lucas were the singers while we were the dancers.
It was fun.
After a while, I decided to go outside and receive a little fresh air.
I shut my eyes close and breath in some fresh air.
I suddenly felt someone presence beside me but I didn’t open my eyes. I knew exactly whom it was.
“Thanks.” He mumbled.
“For…?” I know what he was thanking me for.
“For choosing here.” He says and with that, I snapped my eyes open and whacked him on his head. “Ow!”
“I warned you to stop thanking me. If you keep thanking me, I will push you off this balcony.”
He shot his hands up in the air as if in surrender. “Sorry.”
I laughed. “Better.”
He sighed and we both stood side by side, staring up at the beautiful dark sky. “You were amazing today during the presentation.”
“You guys were. You encouraged me and made me believed that I could do it. I should thank you guys instead.”
“If you thank us, I’m going to push you off this balcony.”
I laughed. “Karma is a bi-tch .”
After a long silence, Manuel pulled out the list and handed me over to me. I glance at him for a second before collecting the paper and read the new word he wrote earlier today.
#13. Listen to my best friend presentation.
He has already crossed that out as done. And he has also crossed hashtag three as done.
We were going somewhere.
I smiled and handed him back the paper. He collects it and dropped it into his pan-ts pocket.
I kinda feel guilty of not spending enough time with Manuel. I’d been so busy with Xander that I forgot about my promise to Manuel.
He must be feeling lonely during those alone times.
And i feel guilty.
He was staring at the sky with a sad smile on his face and with that I said something… something I shouldn’t have said. But still did.
He was my friend after all.
“Tomorrow… let’s go on a date after school.”
*
*
*
#To Be Continued….