Chapter Eight - Leila's Secret Plan

The next day as Sabrina walked into school, and the whispers began. They weaved through the halls, clinging onto her ears as she tried to push them out of her mind. Walking up to her locker, heads turned to see if any more surprises spilled out of it. She held her breath, easing it open and almost sighed with relief when nothing fell out. She doubted Leena would pull the same trick again, but she wouldn't put it past her.

As she gathered her things and scurried down the hall, wondering why Leila wasn't waiting at her locker like usual, she was stopped by a sharp call of her name.

"Hey, Sabrina!" A rough voice called out.

She turned and her heart sank, as Khalid sauntered up to her, shouldering past students on their way to class. He was wearing a blue hoodie and jeans that sagged down his backside. His blue eyes burned with annoyance. He looked at her as if she was the dirt beneath his feet. Sabrina wondered if she should make a run for it. But she changed her mind and hurried to get this over with.

"Can I help you with something?" She asked, bitterly.

"Yeah, actually." He sneered down at her, his voice rough. "Stop taking pictures of me and stuffing them in your locker."

Sabrina was slightly surprised. She was assuming that Khalid was in on Leena's prank. But looking back, she remembered the way he ignored Leena at lunch when she tried to get his attention. It was no secret she had it for him bad and for some reason, that he found it totally annoying. Sabrina didn't blame him, though. She couldn't imagine anyone more irritating than a love struck teenager.

"That's weird." She commented, her voice mockingly. "I thought you were the one who gave Leena all those pictures of you to slip in my locker."

"Leena?" Khalid asked, his eyes narrowing. "Why the hell would I do that?"

Sabrina raised her eyebrows in mock surprise.

"Well, then," she said seriously, while trying not to laugh. "It seems she is a stalker, after all."

"Yeah, right." Khalid scowled. "It wasn't her. It was you. But I wanna know how you got all those pictures."

"I told you it wasn't me." Sabrina sighed. "Besides, she's closer to you than I am, no? Either she printed them out or took them. It's no secret that she's obsessed with you." Sabrina said, spitting out the last part.

"And you aren't?" He asked, eyeing her.

"Ew, no." Sabrina smirked.

Khalid snorted and spun around, walking off. She heard him mutter something about Arab haters before he turned a corner and disappeared. Sabrina stared at his back, watching him go and replaying his thoughtful expression in her mind. Did he believe me? she thought. She shook her head at that idea and resumed her journey to her first class of the day. 

* * *

The next day, at lunch, Leila observed Leena and Khalid from their table. Her eyes were fixed on their slightest movements. Sabrina slowly chewed her sandwich, looking around the busy cafeteria, listening to kids laugh and joke. She avoided a certain table - the same one Leila was staring at strangely. Finally, as a small smile crept on Leila's face, Sabrina couldn't hold back her curiosity. She gave a short sigh causing Emaan to look up.

"Leila," Sabrina said, "why do you keep staring over there." 

"Hmm?" Leila mused, her smile vanishing. "Staring where?"

"Over there." Sabrina said nodding her head to Leena's table.

"Oh," Leila said slowly. "I was just wondering..."

"Wondering what?" Emaan asked, perking up.

"...Whether or not Leena has Khalid's number."

Emaan and Sabrina stared at her, with blank faces. Sabrina opened her mouth and was just about to say something when Emaan spoke up.

"She doesn't." Emaan said and then blushed. "When I was...with them, some of the girls told me how Leena was like obsessed with Khalid and that he found her creepy. I also found out that she doesn't have his number cause he only gives it out to a select few. As in the most prettiest girls who are not desperately obsessed with him."

Leila raised her eyebrow while Sabrina shook her head.

"What a shame. Leena is one of the prettiest." she noted quietly.

"I cant believe you just complimented someone who is trying to ruin your life!" Leila exclaimed.

"Not my life...just high school." Sabrina muttered, while Leila continued to stare at her.

"Anyway," Emaan said, turning to Leila, "why were you wondering if Leena had Khaild's number?"

"Oh, you know..." Leila said, mysteriously. "I'll tell you after school."

"No fair!" Sabrina complained.

"Tell us!" Emaan urged.

But Leila wouldn't budge. Sabrina and Emaan spent the rest of lunch hour trying to persuade Leila to spill her beans. But Leila had her mouth shut tight, sticking her nose in the air and shaking her head. As the three girls walked to class, Sabrina inquired about their Chemistry homework. She tried to keep a straight face as she did so.

"Did you do that assignment on chemical equations." She asked Leila.

"Yep."

"What about the one on how to balance them?" She tried.

"Done. It was pretty easy."

"And what about that assignment on what you were thinking abut at lunch?" She asked, with a poker face.

"Oh I was just-" Leila began and then stopped, realizing what she was about to say. "I mean NO." She huffed and walked on.

Emaan and Sabrina sighed, as they watched Leila stalk off.

"It was worth a shot," Sabirna muttered.

Sabrina was more curious than ever now and she knew she would find out at the end of the day, but it still didn't help her settle down. Emaan looked equally troubled and gave her a parting smile as they headed to their last couple of classes, excited for the end of the day and along with it: Leila's secret plan.

* * *

Finally!

Sabrina thought as the bell rang. Students stumbled out the room, jumping out of joy for the end of the day. Sabrina followed them with the same joy but for other reasons. As she dumped her things in her locker and grabbed her coat, a group of girls passed her in the hallway, and a wave of expensive perfume wafted over Sabrina. The girls were giggling and jumping around a giddy person who was doing the same.

Oh great, its Leena. Sabrina thought gloomily, but she noticed that Leena was too busy stuck in her own world and didn't even bother glancing over. The scene sparked Sabrina's surprise and she edged closer to the bubbly group, trying to not be noticed.

"I CANT BELIEVE IT!" Leena was practically screaming making Sabrina think that she shouldn't have bothered sneaking closer. She was sure the other side of the school could hear Leena's excited shrieks.

"He texted me! Omygosh Khalid Fayad texted me!"

Sabrina's eyebrows shot up as she watched Leena jump about in happy circles. The girls around her had fake smiles plastered on their faces. When Leena looked away, their expressions were replaced with jealousy. They whispered behind her back and snickered bitterly.

"WHAT SHOULD I DO?" Leena asked, causing Sabrina to roll her eyes.

Gee, I don't know? She thought, why don't you text him back?

Shaking her head at the irony of it all, Sabrina headed towards Leila's locker. Who would have guessed? she thought, thinking of Emaan's words and Leena's unexpected text from Khalid. As she approached Leila who's eyes were glued to her phone, she looked up with a secretive smile.

Emaan was standing beside her with a pout on her face which Sabrina supposed was because Leila hadn't told her yet. But Leila's secret was not on her mind at that moment.

"Hey, " She said, carefully. "I just saw Leena jumping around crazily, yelling that Khalid texted her."

Leila's eyebrows shot up and a huge grin spread across her face. Her eyes danced with glee, making Sabrina shift anxiously.

"Oh, so she saw it?" She asked, snickering. "About time."

"Huh?" Sabrina asked, growing utterly confused.

"Saw...what?" Emaan asked. 

"Now all we have to do is wait." Leila announced, ignoring Emaan. "And then the fun will begin."

"Wait for what?" Emaan asked, her eyes widening with alarm.

At that moment Leila's cell phone rang, a catchy tune belting out into the hallway. Leila smiled as understanding dawned on Sabrina's face. Emaan stared at Leila, her pale face a chalky white. The hallway seemed to become completely still, the usual banter of the students dying down.

Leila reached for her phone before anyone could stop her.

They heard Leena's excited voice call out.

"Hello?"

_________________________________________________________________________

Dayaaam Leila! What are you doing, gurl!

Your thoughts please, ladies and jellybeans:) I'd like to know what you think will happen! Votes and comments are greatly appreciated! And oh, keep an eye out for the next chapter cause thats when the real fun begins! 

Btw, that's Leena on the side. (Ignore that photo bombing dude in the back)

;)