A/N: Late Easter update!!!

Before everything else...

WOULD YOU RATHER; search for the rabbits 🐇 or, eggs🥚🥚??

C h a p t e r 4 4

"Too tight!" Hailey groaned while pulling the outer garment covering her legs while we ambled our way through the hallway with other students.

Back home, she won't stop nagging me as to how she should look good and slender for Nathan. The clothing she planned to wear for the day was a fitted long sleeved shirt and a comfortable tights. However, disliking the fact that she gained weight, precluded her on slipping them on. She increased a few pounds and it was undoubtable after seeing her ate a humongous amount of food for the past days.

I glimpsed at my jeans in her before shrugging. "It wasn't my fault you chose to wear that."

"Well, it's not my fault either. I just wanted to have slim legs similar to yours!" She whines, and emotionally motions her hand to mine.

I breathed out, and pursed my lips. "Constricting your legs with a skin tight jeans is a vein killer. How many times do I have to tell you that before you get it?"

"I do get it, but I care much about my outward aspect for the meet-up."

"It doesn't matter anymore. Just be you." I rummaged my bag for the leggings I brought for her to change into, in case needed. "Here, change."

Hailey took the black cloth from my hands, and nodded. "I cannot risk losing my legs so..."

A quick five minutes after, we were already walking towards our classroom. We got in school early as forty minutes before class so we could start our little project, and also not to rush with the clock.

"Okay, here's the plan. We'll take turns so we won't get caught, all right?" Hailey uttered her opinion with regards to sneaking a snooze in our math class.

"Clear, but only if..." I paused, before cotinuing it a whisper while we entered the room. "You succeeded on your program of action to switch a seat at the back."

She leaned to my ear, addressing her response in a faint sound, and giving me a thumbs up thereafter. "Don't worry, I got this."

"Alright." I answered and let out a deep audible breath, before striding my way to my seat, and let Hailey wave her bum to the guys at the back row.

While waiting for her, I hooked my phone in my bag and typed a message to Chase.

A couple of minutes ago, I had thought that having a ride with him and a blabbermouthed Hailey won't be the best option to go to. And so, I told him that I will be taking the car to school with my best friend.

Already in math. Where are you? <

Can we meet at the field after first class? I need your help. 😟 <

After less than sixty seconds, Hailey was already sauntering towards me with triumph etched on her face.

"So?" I simply asked, putting my phone back inside my bag.

She flashed a smirk, and waved her eyebrows. "I did it. Now, let's go before Mr. Stone comes in."

I hastily stood up while we strolled our way to the back seat. The boys gleaned their stuffs with them as they went on their feet, and then gave us both a high five.

"Thanks, girls." The guy named Thomas Bragg said, while swinging his hand to a wave before taking my seat for the meantime.

After sitting down with Hailey, I asked her a question. "So, what convinced them?"

The ambience at the rear was mellow as always. Students were joyfully elated while they made noise, and roved around the room with such goofiness. It was just the start, and later on, they won't be no more.

"Well, I told them their lunch is ours to pay." She smiled, while putting her bag down.

"For a day? Wow, that's a--"

Hailey suddenly interrupted while lifting her index finger, "For a week,"

"...unbelievable." I rolled my eyes, and sighed heavily before slapping my palm on my forehead. "Instead of having our extra money in the piggy bank we had to feed those guys a lunch, for a week?"

"Hey, chill down. At least we get to have the back row for this day." She nudged her elbow on my arm, while winking.

I shook my head in disbelief, "Oh goodness. You know what? If I ran out of budget I'm giving them water for their lunch instead."

"Nikki, don't be so cheap."

My phone suddenly vibrated, sending me a notice that I received a text. Picking it up in my back, Hailey began blabbering about her time later with Nathan.

Chase: Beating at the red light. Be there in 5.

Chase: Anything for my baby. 😚

My cheeks flamed red, and my lips exhibited a smile I would love to have for lifetime.

"You're frankly the sweetest person ever." I unconsciously muttered out, while typing a response.

"I am the sweetest person ever, for saying how much I want to rip Nathan's clothes and make out with him again?--" Hailey asked, which suddenly stopped me from tapping on my phone to stare at her with my thoughts in a muddle.

"What?" I asked back while crimping the ridges over my eyes, but before she responded realization hits me. "Oh, no that's... That's not what I meant. All I said is, I want... the sweetest candy ever."

Hailey's face fell down, while blankly eying me. "Now, you're making me deaf? I know what I heard."

"Okay?" I faked a grin, and averted my gaze from her.

Keep your thoughts to yourself, Nikki.

Sighing, I began to type back a message to Chase.

Be careful! ❤ <

After clicking the send button, a round voice from Mr. Stone reverberated inside the classroom, "A very arithmetic, algebraic, geometric, ciphering, mathematical, and number crunching morning!! Isn't it a lovely day, eh?-- Now, let's get back in business. Please, do get one and pass." He started with some mathematical greeting but ended saying it in hell for a surprise quiz.

Oh, f*ck.

Talk about sleeping in class. I groaned inwardly while facing Hailey with the same expression.

"Hailey, you talk to Bragg and Finn. Don't let them steal our lunch for one week. We'll starve!" I dramatized while pushing our way outside the room to chase them.

"Are you sure you're not coming?" She asked, while eying the two guys cheerfully making their way to their next class.

I shook my mind, and took a step backwards opposite to hers. "I don't think they'll listen to me. But, I gotta go so, bye!"

Reaching the field, I saw the presence of Chase's chiseled physique a few steps forth. His silky coffee brown hair gave me a sweet morning greet, and the fairness of his skin pleased my eyes as it shone with the sun's radiance striking down on him.

I didn't waste much time because we still had to attend our next class, so I directly asked a favor to beseech Nathan and meet Hailey for the small talk. With facile push, Chase agreed, although I was hoping that Nathan will too.

Time steadily paces. After an hour interval, the bell rang once again, telling all students that lunch was over. We weren't at the cafeteria, rather we were inside the washroom. It was empty, still it had been filled with sorrowful cries from a cheerful girl I knew.

"I can't believe that my long time crush is such a piece of a junk who'd rather kiss a poop!!" Hailey bawled while pulling out a long line of tissue from the holder.

Nathan Andrews, was the bad boy. I didn't know if he actually told the truth or just made an excuse to arrogantly reject my best friend. Although, In my opinion, saying that you aren't ready to be in a relationship when you had been involved in a number of issues with different girls, was inconsiderate, and only made yourself look like a simpleton.

I continuously rubbed her back, and gingerly stroked away the stands of her hair blocking her face. "Come on, reel it in. Forget about him, Hailey. He's better of in the garbage anyway."

"No! I'll live in the same garbage with him then!" She blew a snot from her nares while abruptly wiping it out.

"Hey, don't talk like that. Woman up! We don't cry for some trash! Let him be rotten alone!" I exclaimed as I was goaded by anger with what Nathan did.

As if after a deep realization, she stopped wailing, and faced me with her mascara flowing with the tears on her face. "Nikki, can you help me with something?"

"Yes, anything." I nodded.

Hailey was there with me when I once cried my eyes out after losing someone, so I would do anything to help her get through this.

"...Let's hunt some eggs to fry." She painted an evil and dangerous look on her face, while gritting her teeth.

I felt clueless, and didn't really know what she meant. "Oh, okay?-- Where?"

"Wherever the rabbit go."

Not understanding Hailey's own language just made me dumb than I thought I already was. I asked her to fix herself up before she leaves the washroom, while I exited to meet Chase.

"Hey, I want to say sorry for what happened." Chase sympathetically spoke with his hands tucked in his pockets.

I pulled out a small smile and, shook my head. "Actually, I think it's my fault... If only I knew this would happen, I would have stopped it.

"It's no one else's fault. No one wanted this to happen, okay? Least thing you can do is to help your friend." Chase genuinely smiled.

"Yeah, I guess I'll..." I paused, glimpsing towards the washroom were I left Hailey. "Just go spend some time with her awhile. She said we'll go hunt some eggs to, fry." I shrugged, mentioning Hailey's scheme earlier which I couldn't determine its meaning.

"Where?" His voice laced with concern, and curiosity while his eyebrows rose in a notch.

"She said, wherever the rabbit go... Any idea?" I asked, facing him directly with his eyes.

He retreated his hands from his pockets and folded them to his chest. "Zoo?"

"And, the eggs?"

He shook his head and puckered his lips thin before responding, "I don't know, but wherever you girls go I want you to always be careful, alright?"

"You know what, you can secretly tag along, if you want? I just don't feel too good with Hailey's idea." My one hand found its way to my forearm to give my sleeve a gentle squeeze.

"I'd love to, but I can't..." He said glumly before taking my hands with his warm ones, "Coach wants me after school hours to run the field with the new players while he's off duty."

Sighing, my lips instinctively pouted with displeasure after hearing Chase's timetable fully booked, but tonight. "Well, I wish you to not be the captain, even just for the day."

Chase freely laughed, before pulling me in a tight hug and muttered, "That's why I love you."

"And I love you, too." I slithered my arms around him, and sniffed the pleasant scent of his expensive perfume.

In a fixed ten seconds, the heavy door of the washroom opened and Hailey's hoarse voice made us voluntarily untangled our arms from each other. It wasn't the best time to let my best friend see Chase and me getting cozy when she was in a condition of deep sadness.

"I'll see you tonight." Chase mussed my hair, with his fingers, and gave Hailey an encouragement to find another guy before he left us alone in the hallway.

"So, what kind of eggs are we going to search for?" I asked Hailey, while we walked out of the school.

"A mortal's..."

She no longer wanted to attend her next subjects, and I also agreed to do anything for her. So here we are, skipping classes.

"He'll see us." I murmured to Hailey, while we hid behind the lamppost even if we were about twice as thick than it is.

"He won't with our masks on." Hailey whispered while moving her head from left to right, taking a good peek at Nathan who was walking down the sidewalk.

"A disposable mask, Hailey. I told you to drop by a toy store, and buy an orangutan face masks instead, but what did you say?--" I paused, gritting my teeth while I let her continue.

Hailey snapped her head over her shoulder, and shushed me before she responded queitly. "Keep your voice down! I said to the drugstore, because we were already there, and why waste time on a long queue for some stupid orangutan mask when we could go cheaper but still track the eggs down! Know our main mission, Nikki."

I rolled my eyes, and noticed Nathan already nowhere in sight. "We lost the eggs."

"No." Hailey tilted her head back in front before inching crabwise beside lamppost.

I made a low sound of a grunt, before glancing around the area. "Is it time now we call it, an operation fail?"

"Not a chance..." She pointed on our far east.

My eyes telescoped while trying to define if the person Nathan talks to in a hooded jacket was a man or a woman.

"Is it a he, or a she?" I asked.

"It's ours to find out."

As we sneaked a little closer, we started to have a clear sighting of the person. Behind the another lamppost, we stood like creepy stalkers, eying the frog which no longer a prince on Hailey's only love book.

A red haired girl, crossed our visions while she laughed with Nathan. It sickened my stomach, seeing him flash his complete set of teeth before her. Those row of pearls must be knocked down from heaven.

"Hailey, can I borrow your mask?" I asked her, while grimacing at Nathan with his Adam's apple, proudly bobbing up and down to his throat.

After a moment of hesitation and question, she handed it to me. The non-woven material of it was thin, which also gave me an ability to see through it. I didn't care how stupid I look, I just cared more on hiding my identity.

Feeling the wrath grow up my veins, I marched towards Nathan. The unexpected blood that boils down inside of me, made me punch him hard in the face. A tooth flew up in the air, and I wickedly grin with the sight of success. After he came sprawling down the concrete, the red haired girl rushed to him, and began to zip her jacket off to wipe the blood with it that oozed on his wrecked face.

"You ugly masked piece of sh*t! What the f*ck is your problem!" The dickhead growled, while struggling to be on his feet.

Before anything bad happens, Hailey and I ran for our lives.