CHAPTER 81
MIRANDA’S POV
Tiptoeing past the shelter’s gate, Miranda exhaled a huge sigh of relief.
Her heart that had been pounding heavily, reduced and bleeding she could flex her fat muscles in comfort and relaxation.
Wiping a flicker of sweat atop her brows, Miranda checked her wristwatch, checking the time.
It was almost 10pm, the exact time she had requested Tessa and Dinah to meet up with her, and even though deep down she had a fear that they might not come to this meeting, she still had her hopes up.
They had been friends before, and Miranda had lured them out with some fake promises.
She knew the kind of people they were, and knowing that they couldn’t afford to waste any precious gist, Miranda knew that they would surely keep up with her request despite their indifference and spite.
Hands outstretched, she quickly flagged down a cab.
She didn’t waste anytime telling the cab driver, her destination and looking left and right, making sure no one had seen her leave, Miranda entered the car.
The wind blowing through from the window as the car sped across the streets, Miranda’s mind instantly became swamped with what she was about to do.
She had thought about this over and over, and today was the last day she would get to do this, before doom approached.
Tomorrow was the day of the carnival, and if she didn’t beg Dinah or tried to do something to stop her former best friend from carrying out her plan, then Lord knows she wouldn’t be able to live with herself.
This plan had technically been hers, as she had been the one to bring the idea, and recalling that day vividly, Miranda cursed out loud, dragging the attention of the tact driver towards her.
“Is anything the matter?” The kind elderly man asked, and nodding negatively she responded, “No, no. I was just talking to myself is all…” Blurting out a quick unrehearsed lie, Miranda smiled a little, hoping the driver wouldn’t be to keen to know what was going on with her, and luckily the man didn’t pry again.
Oh poor Sara! She thought to herself, and this time blinking back her eyelid furiously, a tear fell down her cheeks.
She couldn’t hold it back anymore, and she cursed herself and her pathetic soul for ever thinking about the plan.
She had been blinded by some foolish hatred, and now someone who was her friend, someone who had defended her in every way, was going to be hurt so badly.
Ever since she had become friends with Ariel and Sara, after Dinah had kicked her out, Miranda couldn’t deny the fact that she was now happier than she had ever been.
The kids at the shelter now loved her, and they no longer saw her as a bully.
Also, the matrons at the shelter treated her well, she didn’t get any hateful comments or remarks about her fat body shape, and no one made jokes of her weird eating habits.
Everyone loved her, and they all seemed to have accepted her readily into their circle.
She was treated nicely, and she had never felt this kind of love before.
No, not when she was still with Dinah and Tessa.
Not when she was still wayward, chasing sheer elderly men who just wanted to fuck her, and nothing else.
Now, she was happy, but this happiness could be ruined any moment from now.
Call her selfish, and maybe she was but Miranda didn’t want the way she felt now to die off, just the same way she didn’t want anything to happen to her two close friends Sara and Ariel.
Damn!… She was…
“We are here Ma’am.” The voice of the cab driver was what startled her from her thinking reverie, and blinking twice cleaning her wet face, Miranda handed him a two dollar bill.
Getting down from the cab, she heard the man calling out to her wanting to give her the change but she waved him off, letting him keep the change.
Muttering some thanks, the calm can drove off, leaving Miranda standing in the walkway.
The cool breeze whipped past, making her shiver uncontrollably and she wrapped her robe tighter around her body, as she made a u turn.
She looked around the garage she had chose for this meeting, and she could see that it was a bit deserted.
Probably because today was a Friday, and it was late already.
The place was always filled up with people, both young and old, drinking, smoking and just having a good time, but today it was the stark opposite.
It had been long since she stepped into this place, seeing that she had cut ties with the people she normally frequented the above with.
Shrugging her shoulders as she started her ascent towards the spacious outside building, Miranda could only thank her stars that the place was this quiet and peaceful.
She wanted it this way, and she shook her head, discarding the bad thoughts that flooded them.
If the garage was this lonely, and half empty then it made her all the more vulnerable to Tessa and Dinah’s attacks, that’s if they wanted to beat the shot out of her.
She was well prepared for them though, she tried to convince herself that.
It didn’t take much time for her to get her preferred spot, on the lookout for her former friends, and as luck would have it, they arrived early.
Rubbing her palms together, Miranda cleared her throat as she watched them both approach her from afar.
As usual Dinah was decked out all effortlessly in leather clothing.
She had sunglasses on, giving her the air of mystery and Miranda just shook her head dramatically.
Even from the way she walked, and the appraisal Tessa was giving her it was evident that they still held her in hostility, and she only sighed.
Walking up to her, Miranda’s chubby cheeks stretched out in a smile, and she stretched her hands out in a shake, hoping that they would both accept it, but she was met with disappointment.
“Hello Tessa, hello Dinah. Thanks for honoring my request. You know I had this feeling that you both wouldn’t come, considering that Tessa is not in the shelter now and…”
“Oh will you fucking go straight to the point?” Dinah half yelled startling Miranda as she added, “To what do I owe this unruly meeting? Why would you disturb my peace Miranda?”
Tessa said nothing, just folding her arms obviously hanging onto Dinah’s every word and Miranda sighed heavily.
The atmosphere was tense, and what she was going to say now was not going to diffuse it anyway.
If anything, it was going to make it all worse and Miranda shuddered thinking of how they would react to her proposal.
It was not even a proposal, she was literally begging them to back out from their plan at the last minute, and she was duly waiting for the insults and snide responses she would get from them.
“I’m still waiting miss.” Dinah raised out, removing her shades, this time staring into her eyes, giving her a very chilling look.
“Go on bitch…” Tessa urged.
Clearing her throat, Miranda began, “I am here because I would like you Dinah, go back off from hurting Sara.”
As she said those words, the silence that fell amongst them was so chilling, that even if a needle dropped it would be loud enough for them all to here.
No one said anything at first, and this only urged Miranda to continue and that she did.
“… It was my idea. The whole framing and raping thing. I came up with it, and now I am really sorry for ever telling you that plan. I know everything is supposed to take place tomorrow, but I’m feeling guilty. If anything happens ti Sara tomorrow, it’s going to be really hard on me and I don’t want my conscience to be hurt. I know we are not on the best of terms, and me calling you both out here and suggesting this to you just shows how stupid I think but I…”
“Will you shut the fuck up!” Dinah thundered, and shuddering, Miranda took a step backwards while Dinah pounced towards her.
“I… I… I didn’t mean any harm.” Miranda said cowering, her hands atop her face trying to shield herself.
Still waking backwards, her feets froze when her back hit the wall and she muttered out a curse.
“For your information, I’ve already gone through with the plan. Thanks to you, it’s all a success. You must be foolish thinking that I wouldn’t go ahead with it, even if you try to beg.”
“I.. I just wanted to…” Miranda stammered again.
This time she was scared, and every ounce of strength she had in her flew away, write out of the window.
All the thinking that she had done, telling herself that she could fight back if Dinah or Tessa tried to do anything horrific to her, well it all deserted her.
Now she felt helpless, in front of this two menacingly looking souls.
“You just wanted to do fucking what huh?” Tessa chimed I’m saying something after a long while.
“I don’t want to feel guilty. They are my friends. Sara is my friend and…” Miranda didn’t even finish her sentence because the next thing that happened was Sara striking her cheeks hard and giving her a heavy blow that had her yelping in pain.
Her cheeks became red, swollen even and Miranda started to regret her decision.
“We are now what? Your enemies huh?”
Dinah asked, grabbing a hold of her hair, and pulling roughly Miranda unawares felt herself being dragged on the floor.
“You know what? It’s your audacity for me.” Dinah uttered sarcastically striking her another slap.
“I’m so sorry.” Miranda muttered, as a sob escaped her lips, but Dinah seemed not to listen to any of it.
“Tomorrow when I’m done with Sara, I’ll make sure she knows you were the mastermind if it all. Wouldn’t that be right Tessa?” Dinah asked with a smirk, and Tessa hollered, voicing her approval.
Miranda on the other hand was powerless against Dinah’s dropping hold, and tears burned at the back of her eyes.
“By the time I’m fucking done with you, you won’t be able to talk or walk again…” Dinah yelled in her ears and roaring she shouted, “Get me the whip Tessa.”
Miranda’s ears perking up, she started to yell out for help, but everything went on deaf ears.
The last thing she heard, before giving way to unconsciousness were Dinah and Tessa cursing voice.
Surely, she had been foolish thinking this would work.
She had been so foolish!