A budding writer with a bunch of ingenious rebels risk their lives to try and overthrow an oppressive government to earn back their liberty of expression. They need to unify and put aside their differences, interests and pasts, and race against time...
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"Aileana," an outstretched hand was in front of Alizeh.
"Alizeh," she shook hands, "And this is Nina" Alizeh pointed to the girl beside her, who was fidgeting on her feet.
"Nice to meet you!" Nina chirped, "Guess we all passed the test. Now just to find a place to stay —"
"We've been allotted rooms I presume. That'll be one burden less. Just we're expected to contribute and pay off the rent!" Aileana shrugged.
Her copper curls shone golden from a little streak of sunlight filtering through the cloud cover.
"Thank you for earlier. I won't let you down," Aileana's eyes had turned amber in the mellow light. The promise filtered through them, pouring out gratitude.
"We're friends now," Alizeh lightly touched her arm. "You guys should stop thanking each other every time!" she looked around for Nina. But Nina wasn't to be found. Alizeh flipped around, her eyes scanning the crowd.
She caught a whiff of jet black hair somewhere in the crowd but it all got mixed in the confusion.
"You look lovely. I wish I could carry that dress like you," Aileana commented.
Alizeh was suddenly self-conscious, peering down at her black salwar kameez, cut just right to show off her curves and yet hide the flab unless someone like Nina poked her belly.
The thought made her smile.
"I guess I look okay!" she mumbled.
"Are you kidding me? You've got gorgeous womanly assets. You could flaunt off any dress! Look at me," Aileana pointed animatedly at her cropped white top and skinny jeans.
"What's wrong?" Alizeh was astonished. She could've killed for a figure like her.
"I'm just flat!" Aileana pointed at her chest.
Alizeh bit her lips to keep from laughing out rudely. Aileana did have small breasts.
"I guess you could borrow some of my fat!" Alizeh grinned, "My things are so damn heavy to carry. I get backaches sometimes."
Aileana threw back her head and laughed. Soon they were both clutching their stomach. Despite the grim situation and the tension in the air, those little moments sang out stories of humanity always. Alizeh had wondered if humanity would disappear someday too, just like the trees on the earth. People were so self-contained and self-obsessed, they hardly have time for each other!
"What did I miss?" Nina was panting.
"Nothing. We were comparing boobs! Where were you?" Alizeh asked.
Nina turned a shade scarlet.
"Nowhere," she bit her lips.
"You're lying," Aileana gave her a pointed look. Straightforward as ever. Nina looked taken aback. A crease formed on her forehead.
"What's it to you?" she snapped.
"Peace out girls. Let's not fight!" Alizeh held out her hands to placate them as they glowered at each other. She would really have her hands full.
"She started it!" Nina mumbled but just then a gruff male voice rang out.
Black Eyes from earlier was reading names out of a chart and assigning numbers.
The moved forward in unison to hear clearly.
"Alizeh Parekh, Nina Duncan, Aileana Ramirez — flat number two o two oooo," he dragged out the numbers.
Nina and Aileana looked horrified. Alizeh just shook her head as they headed off along the green channel to find their flat. This was gonna be tough, real tough.
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"So cramped?" Nina complained no sooner than they had set foot in the flat.
"And damp too." Aileana scrunched up her nose.
"It's dark too," Alizeh whined, just as they wheeled their luggage into the room which looked like a drawing cum dining room plus a tiny kitchen cutting off a chunk of space.
Nina threw off her heels and slouched on the couch.
"Hey. It's our home and you're equally responsible to keep it clean." Aileana glowered.
Nina got up wordlessly and lifted the shoes on the rack. Alizeh's pretty velvet pumps were already there beside Aileana's suede shoes. The contrast struck her as weird. Alizeh was the prim and proper one always and Aileana the careful, calculative one. It's she who was all young and carefree and so naive.
"Here's the bedroom and attached bath" Alizeh announced.
"I want the window side bed" both Nina and Aileana spoke in unison as they chambered their way in. Sparks shot between them as they faced off each other, eyes burning like hot coals.
"I saw it first you copy-cat," Nina screamed.
Aileana just gave her that frosty nose look. "We both saw it at the same time."
"Rock paper scissors?"
"You're such a baby," Aileana scrunched up her nose.
"And you're so bossy!"
"You're spoiled."
"You're a snob."
They both looked at Alizeh for a solution. Alizeh had already arranged her stuff on the bedside drawer and placed her sheets on the bed by the window.
Both their mouths fell open.
"What?" Alizeh snorted, "The window side is mine."
Nina and Aileana looked at each other in utter shock.
"Okay. I'm sorry. I guess I was mean," Nina apologized.
"No. It was me being rude. I should've let you," Aileana mused.
"You don't worry. I'll take the one by the door. You go get the middle," Nina smiled.
"Wait a second? Who said you could get the door one?" Aileana's eyebrows shot up. The perfectly threaded eyebrows looked like two big question marks.
"It's mine," they both jumped on the bed in question, clawing at each other like feral cats.
Alizeh hit her head. These girls would be a bunch to deal with.
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