335 Sisters

The bold but fleeting burning taste of the drink in Xiu's mouth was the only thing helping her stay awake. As much as she was fond of drinking, she really wasn't feeling the usual excitement. Perhaps because she wasn't feeling anything. Not even the drink in her hand could help her feel anything. And bloody hell! Why wasn't she feeling the surge of intoxication catching up to her senses yet?

"Hey, Cali! Here!"

Xiu was yawning in boredom when she saw Nora getting up from her seat to wave at someone. With a frown, she voiced out, "What are you doing?"

"I'm calling for someone to join us," answered Nora as if it was the most rational thing to do.

"Why?" retorted Xiu. It wasn't that she was being rude, it was just that whenever she and Nora went out drinking, nobody would be there except for these two. Besides, no matter how much Xiu liked drinking, she didn't like getting drunk before just anyone.

"Trust me, you'd love this guest," winked Nora at Xiu playfully making Xiu raise her brow in confusion. But before Xiu could say anything, Cali had already come up to their table. 

"Hi, Nora!" Cali greeted Nora but didn't notice Xiu who was supporting the side of her face on her knuckles while her elbow was propped on the table in her inconspicuous corner.

"I sent you the address, did you visit the place?" asked Nora excitedly while Xiu could only listen in without understanding the context of the conversation. Not like she wanted to anyway.

"Yes, I did," replied Cali with a grateful smile. "Thank you for your help!"

"Ay, that's alright. Your a friend's special guest, I could do this much."

"Friend's guest I can handle but special guest? I don't think so," was Cali's flat reply.

Nora sighed heavily, "You just reminded me of what my best friend was saying." Cali quirked up her brow while Nora continued, "She said we should know our own worth and make it known to others as well. So, I suggest you stop with that hopeless outlook of yours as well." Cali only smiled slightly in reply but stayed quiet. "By the way, what did you get? Can I see?"

Cali looked conflicted before she scratched the back of her head and nodded. She turned around and slid her blazer off her shoulders slightly. What came into Nora's view was a butterfly tattoo at her right shoulderblade. It looked so lifelike.

Nora opened her mouth to say something when an impatiently excited someone cut her off, "Wow! That's such a cool tattoo. It looks so real." Without even realizing it herself, Xiu's fingers ended up brushing on Cali's tattoo making her flinch back. Seeing her reaction, Xiu rubbed the nape of her neck awkwardly, "Sorry, I got carried away in my excitement."

While Cali was staring at Xiu's smiling face, Nora chimed in, "Oh, I forgot to introduce you. This is my best friend..."

"Bai Xiu," Xiu added herself. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Novell?" Xiu repeated softly as her eyes widened considerably. Carina Novell. Destiny Novell. Calista Novell??! Is it what I think it is? Xiu shook her head at her own thoughts. No, it's not possible. There are so many people with the same last name in this world. I must be overthinking again. She ended up denying her own thoughts in conflict. Composing herself again, she added, "I like that tattoo of yours. Man, I so wanted one as well."

"Why don't you get one then?" 

"Because Xiu'er is afraid of pain," said Nora in place of Xiu. "Oh, I forgot to say. Take a seat with us if you're not waiting for anyone."

Cali nodded and took a seat beside Nora while Xiu mumbled more to herself, "I'm not scared of pain. I'm scarred by it instead." However, if she said it out loud, she won't be able to explain the meaning behind her words to them. So, she chose not to say it. As Cali took a seat and Xiu managed to see her face clearly, she yelled out, "Oh! You're that tattoo girl!" She finally understood why Nora said she'd like this guest. 

"Huh?"

"What is up with you now, Xiu?" 

Xiu pulled Nora's collar as she hauled her towards herself and whispered, "She's the girl. The one living in Dylan's phone!" Then she frowned to herself as she added, "No, I should say that she's the one living in Dylan's heart as well. It's just that my idiot boss is too slow to realize it himself."

Nora shoved Xiu's hand away as she sat back in her seat smiling apologetically at Cali who was looking at their interaction with amusement. "Not just your boss, I just realized even you're very slow."

Xiu grumbled incoherently after Nora insulted her like that. It wasn't her fault that she only saw Cali once and that was from afar as for when Dylan showed her Cali's photos, she was more interested in looking at the tattoos rather than the girl in the photos. Don't blame her, she was a girl. It would be even weirder if she paid attention to Cali's photos. 

"You came out to drink alone?" Nora was the one talking to Cali while Xiu got busy with her phone.

"Yeah. I don't know many people here," answered Cali while Nora called the server to bring a drink for Cali.

"You should have looked for me," said Nora in a friendly manner. "Or if you don't mind, next time you can look for my best friend as well." Xiu looked up from her phone screen when Nora brought her name up out of nowhere. Why was she saying that? She wasn't that close to the girl she just met why would she go out drinking with her? Well, Cali's thoughts weren't much different from Xiu. "She can be a very loyal drinking buddy. Trust me, she loves to drink and she's always up for it."

"You're making me sound like an addict," chimed in Xiu with a glare.

Nora chuckled at her reaction as she said, "No, I'm just calling you an alcohol enthusiast."

"There is no such thing," retorted Xiu unhappily.

"Who cares?"

Listening to Nora and Xiu arguing over such a trivial thing, Cali was really amused. As the server brought her drink, she carelessly took a sip while observing the relationship between the girls she was sharing a table with. Actually, she had no problem drinking solo. She had been used to it. But somehow she felt like it was the right decision to actually accept Nora's invitation otherwise she'd have missed out on such a good show.

"Can we stop now? I'm getting a headache from your loud voice," said Xiu as she crossed her arms against her chest and sighed out loudly. She had nagged Nora enough for today. And she was certain that her nagging was gonna be useful. "Besides, I don't think we're leaving a very good impression on our guest here."

Cali shrugged her shoulders, "I don't mind. You both remind me of two sisters who are trying to get the upper hand."

Nora looked at Xiu while the latter did the same and they both ended up smiling widely as if the earlier bickering never happened. Nora rounded around the table to sit beside Xiu as she put her arm over Xiu's shoulder to pull her close saying, "That's because we are sisters. Just from different mothers. But still sisters, eh?"

While she was rubbing Xiu's head like a pet, Xiu pushed her hand away saying, "Yes, sister. But a very annoying one at times." Nora pouted at her adorably while Xiu chuckled, "But I still love her. Stupid."

Nora laughed out at that she kissed Xiu's cheek making her cringe. "I love you too sweetheart!"

"Fuck off!" Xiu tried to push Nora away teasingly.

"Not so easily..."

Cali was actually really amused to see them. She neither had a sister nor did she have a girlfriend so their bond came as a big surprise to her. The closest to having a sister for her was Destiny, her only cousin. But after her parents got divorced, she lost contact with her as well. 

This made her wonder if she hadn't left with her mother, would she and Destiny also become like these two? Would she also had been able to feel this warmth of having a sister?

"What's it like?" asked Cali unconsciously. When she felt two pairs of eyes looking at her in confusion, she elaborated. "What's it like to have a sister? I had always been curious."

Xiu and Nora again shared a look before Nora spoke out, "It's like having a crime partner."

"And a supporter," added Xiu.

"I know if I ever did anything wrong, I'd still have her by my side. Yes, she would nag at me. Even beat me. But she'd still stand alongside me."

Xiu chuckled at that. "In simple words, it's like if I murder someone. She'd definitely help me to bury the body."

"That'll be fun and it'll be my pleasure to be a part of this fun," said Nora with a wide grin.

Xiu poked her head, "See! That's what being sisters like. We are both twisted."

"But we both love each other," agreed Nora.