CAGED ✔

《 Chapter 29 》

I readjusted my skirt as I leaned on the wall, focusing my gaze on the book in my hand. Though I wasn't reading anything, I just needed to focus on something other than the numerous faces of strangers roaming about the school's corridor.

I still wasn't comfortable with unfamiliar faces because they made me nervous.

I glanced sideways, thinking I would see Peter somewhere close but I didn't and I wondered where he was. It was strange that he hadn't come looking for me. I had not seen him since I left my hostel and that was like an hour ago.

As I turned my attention to my book, I noticed someone smiling at me. It was Clement, a classmate of mine who has suddenly started throwing smiles at me each time our eyes met. He waved when he noticed he got my attention and I did the same, burying my face in my book immediately.

It was the first day of our external examination and I was surprisingly nervous. A lot had happened and to be honest, it had affected my preparation for the exams just as my mum and Peter predicted.

Many a time, I drifted off to the world of the unknown, thinking about various things and hoping for the impossible. It was sickening but I couldn't stop - though, studying with Peter helped a lot. He had a way of grabbing my attention without even trying.

"Hi, Beatrice!" I looked up immediately to the faces of two girls whom I deemed were external students - students whose schools had merged with mine for the first examination.

"Hey!" I managed to reply, surprised at the attention I was getting when I did nothing to earn them. Honestly, I didn't like the attention. Like receiving smiles from a guy each time he saw me wasn't enough, people who had done nothing but ignore me in the past waved at me too. Was that not hypocritical?

I would have ignored these girls had they been my classmates as I honestly didn't want to talk to anyone but Peter that moment.

"Ready for the exam, Beatrice?" The girl who had spoken at first asked and I nodded.

"I guess. . ." I trailed off, wondering if it would be rude to ask the question on my mind. Why were they talking to me?

"How do you know my name?" I asked instead and they exchanged glances with each other like I had asked the most ridiculous question.

"Of course, we know. Not when your principal brags about you." The second girl replied with a strange look on her face. I couldn't tell if she was smiling or frowning but I chose not to dwell on that. I honestly didn't care.

"Oh, I see! So what are your names?" I tried to start a conversation with them because it felt like I owe them that.

"Well, I'm Bisola and this is Ada." The first girl replied with a bright smile while Ada looked indifferent. Perhaps, she was like that due to the examination that was to start very soon.

"See you around, B." Bisola bade, her beautiful smile still on her face and I nodded with a smile of my own.

I watched them walk away and I let out a sigh I didn't know I was holding. Just then, I sighted Peter some distance away and a frown crept unto my forehead. I couldn't believe my eyes. There he was, talking with Amara whose fingers were wrapped around his wrist when I had been looking for him since.

My tummy contorted and I suddenly felt sick. Why was he talking with Amara of all people and why was she holding his hand? I gasped when she leaned in, still holding his hand.

I willed myself to look away but I just couldn't as I felt jealousy seep into me, consuming my entire frame. I watched Peter say something to her and a stupid pout formed at the corner of her lips.