Chapter 111 - Friends

"Wow! What did you do with your hair?!" I exclaimed when I saw Zoe in the cafeteria.

"Hmm . . ." Estela skimmed her jaw, eyes observing Zoe. "Pink short unruly hair, piercings, punk dresses. Ohhh~ you have an aura of a pure, untamed, wild virgin!" she snickered.

. . .

. . .

"Ignore her." I rolled my eyes and sat in front of Zoe.

"You guys free later?" Zoe asked. "Let's go out. I'll treat you two to dinner. I'm feeling rich today!" She was all smiles, apparently in a good mood.

"Don't tell me you already extorted him?" I asked.

"Yep!" she said in high spirit.

"Heh, that was fast," I replied with a laugh.

"What's this?" Estela chimed in. "No fair! Why am I the only one who's left out!" Puffing her cheeks, she pouted and crossed her arms.

We laughed, and Zoe told her the whole story.

Estela's eyes sparkled like diamonds. "If you have given me that recording, I assure you that they won't be able to come out from their houses for the rest of their lives."

"I just wanted the money and get it done and over with. I don't want too much drama and headaches," Zoe answered without care and drank her soda.

Estela pursed her lips. Frowning at Zoe, she whined, "You're too nice! If it was me, I'm going to distort the recordings and add a lot of dirty talks and 'ooohhss' and 'ahhhss' until everyone's ears bleed with their shame."

. . .

. . .

Zoe gaped at Estela with mouth hanging open. "And I thought I'm the shameful one here. But clearly, you are a whole new level."

I shook my head a little, smiling. "Anyway, I'm game with the whole dinner thing, but do you mind if we eat at a restaurant that allows pets? I want to bring little Pluffy along."

Zoe's eyebrow rose. "Little Pluffy?"

I smiled a little embarrassed. "It's the name of our new pup." My temperature increased a few degrees, remembering the time when Cain gave me the gift.

Zoe's frown deepened as she looked at my love-stricken face.

Estela chuckled. "It's the Tibetan Mastiff my brother bought for her as a commemoration for her first day of school. You know, my brother flipped Mongolia inside out just to find a specific rare white Tibetan Mastiff for her, and in such a short day at that."

Estela beamed, sweeter than sugar as she looked at me. "I guess my brother must be on cloud nine, guessing from your expression," she teased.

My cheeks burned as I fought a smile with no such luck.

Zoe's eyes narrowed, squinting as she spoke, "I'm soooo jealous at you right now that I wanted to slap your face. But since we're friends, I'm just going to call you 'bitch' and be done and over with it."

Our laughter resonated in each other's ears.