Staring into her starry eyes was like an up close view of the universe. A smirk slowly crept up my face…

‘So you think I’m beautiful?’ Her bow-shaped lips spoke to me. That was when I realized I was in love.

Tyla , my best friend, stood in front of me asking of my opinion on her date dress. It was her first date. I felt jealousy creep up my veins. Whoever she was going out with sure was a lucky man.

“Don’t go….” I whispered under my breath ,tugging at her dress before I could think. My blonde bestie rose her head to face me , looking me directly in the eye as if anticipating this.

” I know you’d miss me- buh don’t miss me too much okay?” She said rowdily between giggles.

”After all it’s my first date ever don’t deprive me of that” she smiled. I turned away sharply , I so wanted to tell her -to tell her I was in love with her-to promise her the world and more .I had grown fond of her, bonded to her and yet…

“Nice time…then…” I turned to leave for my house when - she grabbed me by my arm and pulled me for a peg.

For the sake of HIM, this was so tempting, I wanted to slip my cheeks under her lips towards my mouth-

“ I wouldn’t be long and I promise to call when I return” Wigh that she left,happily, smiling,humming.

I was locking up her apartment to leave for mine when I chanced upon one of Tyla’s mirrors. I stared at my reflection for a long time before speaking to myself-

“So you…are gender intact?What’s with you? Or is it ..normal” I asked myself . I lifted my shirt to see if my boobs were still there.Yes , they were there..chest banded but still there…

I can’t fall for Tyla. I took my bag and left…leaving behind a reflection of tomboy named Nina.

I didn’t know what to think of myself,or her or anyone around me . She was normal , I wasn’t and yet she so much wanted to hang with me. What if l tell her?.. Would she think I’m a freak? …What kind a female falls in love with another gender mate. I craned my neck outside of the class window to inhale the fresh air of 2008 to clear my head. Tyla didn’t call last night-she said she would buh I didn’t want to bother her ‘cos she would not want me to worry. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t worry , but worry was worrying me - if you get what I mean..

I checked my phone for the 108th time that morning for any text from Tyla, there was none . The jocks were filing in ..

“Yo, Nina!…what’s up with the game event?!” Towya , one of the basketball players, called out. I slowly turned to them and they gathered around me. “ I’m still not allowed to touch your hair?” Jake pouted after he had attempted and I had slapped off his hand , I glared at him.

”Oi what’s with the hard face today?” Spark asked inquiringly, looking around for something- a grin pulled his arms in resolution his face

” Where’s Tyla?” He folded his arms im resolution as the res of the jocks exclaimed in sudden comprehension of my mood . Spark looked as if… he had just derived the formula for a Galilean telescope’s eye piece’s focal length.

“ She went out , said she would call and up till now I heard nothing of her “ I exhaled silently , leaning back on my chair in a rocking motion trying to seem nonchalant.

My careless jet black bangs swayed in the motion too.

It was then, a cute smallish frame entering the class caught my eye. Tyla

It was then, a cute smallish frame entering the class caught my eye. Tyla.

As if jolting back to life , I took my phone and texted her.

[ N : What up?]

For 10 minutes , there was no response. The boys around me kept blabbering nonsense, I turned to look for my bestie in the crowd. I almost missed her. She was in a black hoody and had buried her face in a book. Typical with girls!- not that I’m not a girl…

. . . .

“ You can tell me anything” I muttered to her after many hours of persuasion and force that day . She was clearly moody and I hated myself for not being able to cheer her up. The passing time made me grow impatient- we had French class in 30 minutes and the washroom… Her devil tears running down freely while she clutched to the sinks trying not to cry out loud … Poor thing

“ I-I..”

“Was raped?…” I gasped impatiently, continuing the statement for her. I foolish could I be?—she managed to glare at me between sobs.

“ I was ..humiliated..” I remained silent for her to proceed and she did

” You see I had this online date …” she paused for some scolding when it did not come she continued

“ Mark Cortex, my date, he suggested a meet up at the La Crème restaurant and…and he didn’t show up!…P-people we’re staring- the girl who probably came early for a date and her date doesn’t … even show up! The waiters were even worrying me for my order- when I had none … people even started giggling and .. and…” She finally broke down in tears.

I had to allow her to pour it out. It must be traumatizing especially when she hasn’t dated before. The d*** ! He ditched her and humiliated her and now she’s suffering it. *sigh* Why would she even date online? As if on impulse, I stepped forward and opened my arms- my highly respected gesture of comfort. She got the message and threw herself in my arms, weeping all she needed to.

I honestly felt good- Good that she was in my arms? Or good that I was there to comfort her? I didn’t under my sudden behavior but I didn’t care all that mattered was that she was in my arms. She lifted her head to me.

“Don’t** do anything to him… okay?” My expression darkened - Of course I would do something to this son of a— **Death was the only clear thought in my head.

Tyla knew I was a hell of a masochist- sometimes I thought that was the reason she befriended me- for protection.

“ Anything you say..” l lied whispering in her ears… Is this how Judas felt when he betrayed Jesus with a kiss?….The feeling is terrible…She nodded, following close behind me like a puppy.

Sometimes she just knew how to get to my heart without the map of my stomach. The girl could act so cute and feeble sometimes… you just couldn’t get over the cringe…you’d wish to cuddle her, tickle her , make her giggle, protect her , kill for her or even die for her— I know..😑I might be over doing it.

But! One thing was for sure… no one dare harm her…

A story about an oblivious girl falling in love with her best friend, Tyla. Nina Exile, the leader of a mafia group The Gang, a student in FallWing University and the point of view of this story falls in love with Tyla Rosé , nurse of the mafia group and science student . The tides of the story has a lot in stored for them.