Song of the chapter is Copycat by Billie Eilish

-22-
- Alishka Malhotra-
-Past-

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Malhotra Mansion
31 October, 2019
11:30 pm

If I could be a colour, I would definitely choose red. Over and over again.

I read somewhere that red is the colour of passion and seduction. Everything about it makes me feel bold and beautiful. Sexy, if you will. So it should have been no surprise that I would wear red to the 'secret' party that we  were going to have in the school at midnight.

" Hey S, have you seen my really cute red top-" I stop mid-sentence and when I turned around, I see Saina wearing my red blouse.

She leans forward on the vanity, her face almost touching the mirror. As she softly arches an eyebrow, she applies an intense red lip gloss on her heart shaped lips. The blouse is dark against the caramel of her skin, revealing her toned and thin stomach.

" You're wearing my blouse." I cross my hands in front of my chest.

She hums , tilting her head up to look at her long lashes, " Oh, were you planning on wearing it?"

" Well isn't it obvious?"

" Oh sorry, I thought you-" She begins.

" Of course you thought." I say as a tired breath leaves my lips. I smile ruefully and look at my reflection beside her in the mirror as I clean the excess lipstick on the side of my lips. She keeps looking at me through the mirror, expecting me to say something more.

I look at her through the mirror and say, " Whatever, go ahead. It's not like it's the first time you've taken something that belongs to me without permission."

" Excuse me-"

" What? " I say , feigning innocence, " Haven't you always had a thing for everything that's mine?"

" What's that supposed to mean?" She asks, a little astonishment in her voice.

I smirk at her and continue doing my make up without saying a word. I hear her scoff and thump her way back to the closet. As she ruffles through my clothes , I say, " You could try that green crop top I bought earlier this month. You know, cause , green really suits you."

She rolls her eyes and stops sifting through the clothing rack as she finds the top. " This one?"

" Yup."

Quite unwillingly, she changes and comes out wearing the green top over her blue jeans. She smiles , feigning satisfaction at the outfit.

I grab the red outfit and quickly change into it. As I come out of the washroom, I see Saina sitting on the vanity's stool and scrolling through her phone.

" Who you texting?" I say I come and stand behind her. She quickly shoves her phone in her pocket before I can catch a glimpse of the contact name. " No one . I was just scrolling through insta."

I smile at her through the mirror, a small vicious smile. What a fool she is to think that I don't already know what's going on.

I pick up the blush pallet and slowly dab the brush in the peach colour and apply it on her rosy cheeks. She smiles slightly.

" You know I was thinking that maybe I should break up with Avi." I say. Her eyebrows lift up a little and she fails to hide the tone of excitement in her voice as she asks, "Why? Did something happen?"

" Not really. I'm just not that into him anymore." I say with a hint of distaste in my voice.

She looks at me as her lips part in curiousity. " Why not?"

" He's.... let's just say.... boring." I snort as I pick up the eyeshadow palette. " He's a good kisser. But his personality.....eh."

" Don't say that. He's a great guy." She says in a defensive tone.

I smirk.

I apply the green eyeshadow on her eyelids without saying a word. After I'm done, I grab the tube of black liner and draw on thin lines on both her eyes. As soon as I'm finished, I cock my head to the side , my straight hair falling down my shoulder.

" Atta girl."

She opens her eyes and looks at her reflection on the mirror.

" Don't worry, tonight he wouldn't be able to remove his eyes off you." I say as I hunch down to her shoulder level.

Her eyes widen for a split second and she stands up, giving her back to me. " Who are you referring to , Alishka?" I can spot the mix of doubt and apprehension in her voice as she asks that.

I reach for the lip gloss kept on the vanity and softly dab it on my lips.
"Why? Avinash, of course."

Her eyes harden on me, "What are you talking about?"

"Oh sweetie, how long are you gonna act stupid? Honestly now it's just getting old." I said, finishing up my touch up.

She holds me by my arm and asks in a high pitched voice, " Look, I'm sick of your games. Just tell me what you are trying to say!"

I smirk but I don't say a word. That's the greatest power I posses. I know exactly how to crawl under her skin .

She scoffs and turns her back to me. As she takes a few steps to head out the door, I let out a soft scoff, " I know that you kissed Avinash on my birthday."

She stops in her tracks. I smirk as I cross my hands in front of my chest and tilt my head to a side.

She slowly and gradually turns back but her eyes fail to meet me. "Look... I was going to tell you-"

" Oh cut the crap , Saina!" I say as I take a step towards her. " You wouldn't have told me anything. Because the real truth is....it wasn't a mistake. You planned this."

" Wha-at?"

" Don't act stupid now. You planned this. You always had a thing for him. But he didn't choose. He chose me. And you couldn't handle that. So you decided to wreck our relationship so that you could have him for yourself." I snap.

She looks at me startled. Her face showed a mix of guilt and anger.
" It isn't like that-"

" Yeah right!" I scoff and turn to look at the mirror. " I guess Avinash does have a thing for sluts after all."

Her lips part in disbelief. " How could you say that to me?"

I turn towards her. " Just like you could kiss MY boyfriend."

" It was one kiss!" She defended,  "And it didn't mean anything! He was drunk and he saw you hooking up with some other guy. So he was upset and I-"

" Let me guess, you went to comfort him. Give him a shoulder to cry on perhaps. And his lips just accidently landed on yours! Perfect , isn't it?"

" He was upset and I was just comforting him! And one thing led to another and it just happened-"

" Aw should I feel sorry for you?" I say, sticking out my lowe lip.

" I'm not asking you to! I'm just telling you what happened-"

" And I should believe what you say because....?" I ask.

" Because I'm your best friend! We grew up together! You know me better than anyone else! Do you really think I would do that to you?!" Saina asks , her eyes almost glistening with tears. God she's so dramatic. That somehow made it more fun for me.

" You know the only reason he kissed you is because he probably mistook you for me." I said softly, harshly.

She looks at me with her red eyes,  "What?"

" You said he was drunk , right? So he probably kissed you, thinking that he was kissing me."

She scoffs slightly and raises her brow.

" Come on , Saina. Don't kid yourself. You do know what everyone in school thinks about you." I say as I take a step forward.  "They think you're just a goody goody plaid less hot version of me."

She scoffs and smiles in disbelief,  "You're so full of yourself!"

" I made you, Saina!" I looked at her and held her gaze , unwaveringly.  "If I hadn't been your friend, where would you be?"

" I would still be me." She says.

" And who likes her?" I mocked. "Not even you."

She glared at me  while I flip my hair and pick up my bag from the vanity's stool. Rolling my eyes, I walk over to the wooden bureau and take out my red heels. When I turn back afterwards, I find her still sniffling. I roll my eyes.

But before I can say anything, Avinash's car honk interrupts me, sounding four times before coming to a stop.

" Oh look, Prince Charming has finally arrived." I say in a bored voice.

Saina wipes her tears and grabs her purse. As she proceeds to head out the door, I stop her.
" Are you really going to go looking like that?"

She steps backwards and looks at me , her fierce eyes glaring at me. " You know I always knew you were a bitch. I just never expected you to be so damn fucked up."

Saying that, she pushes past me and walks out of the door. I breathe a sigh as I take last a last look at my reflection in the mirror in front of me.

My eyes flicker for a split second as a slow smile etches on my lips at the thought of how drastically my life was going to change after tonight. For a moment I almost feel overwhelmed. My eyes almost start glistening. But then that moment passes and everything's okay. I put on my best smile and pretend that nothing's wrong.

That is what I'm good for, anyways.