Brown Skinned Bet

Chapter XX

         "Meaning what na?" I attacked him. "Temi hardly drinks" he told me with a shrug. "I'm not drinking sha" I finally replied his questioned,crossing my arms over my chest.

         "Ahah,why na?" He questioned. "I'm not just feeling it abeg" I told him and he nodded in understanding. He directed another question at Temi,one which I failed to catch as my attention had been seized by a figure waltzing past the corridors of the class.

          I felt my insides suddenly become alert as I sat up in my place. "You guys,I'll coming back" I informed them before taking to my feet and making my way out of the class.

          "How far Daryl? We wan start oh" Tobi called out to me just before I walked out. "I dey come!" I yelled back over my shoulder before continuing in my way to A-class,my ears picking her voice even before I got to the class.

         "Where did you leave it?" She questioned whoever had accompanied her to the class. "I think it's in my class,I'm coming" I recognised Jade's voice just before I stepped into the class.

         "Hey" I called,earning her attention as she averted her gaze to where I stood at the doorway. Her expressions morphed into something rather unreadable as she stared at me,giving off a low reply a few seconds later. "Hi...Daryl"

        "How far? How come you're in school block this evening?" I asked,walking in and leaning on the desk opposite hers as she lowered herself into her seat. "I cant come to school block again?" She questioned back with her all too familiar sass.

         "Its never that serious Kainene" I told her with a chuckle making her look at me as her lips finally etched up in a smile. It calmed me,because I was at the brink of concluding she was on an edge.

         I didnt give much thought to it,but during the late parts of the week,she always seemed like she had too much on her mind everytime she looked at me,it was like she wanted to say something but couldn't. Once I'd caught her gaze resting on me but she seemed in deep thought,like she was trying to find the answers to her questions but couldn't. She seemed out of balance.

         "I just came to get some of my books,school block isnt really a place for me on Saturday evenings" she told me lowly,even her voice sounded different. "Kainene! I've gotten it!" Jade's voice impinged on the calm aura of the class as she walked in from the back door,before I could give Kainene a reply.

        "Thank God" Kainene replied,taking to her feet. "Oh,Daryl Hi" Jade smiled as she reached me,which I mirrored. "Hey,Jadesola"

         "Aren't you here for that you people's party or something?" Kainene suddenly questioned. "Yeah,sort of" I gave a curt reply. "Okay,have fun" she sighed before brushing past me,indifference being the new emotion to grace her orbs. I contemplated stopping her but I let it go as Jade bid me goodbye,following her friend in close range.

        "So this is where you came?" Temi's voice informed me of his prescence,averting my gaze from where it lay watching the door they'd walked out of to where he now sat on Kainene's desk.

         "Yeah,I guess" I replied with a shrug,my mind still reeling with questions and weighing the possibilities as to what was going on with Kainene. She wasn't completely off,but there was something,it wasnt there but it was.

         "Daryl" Temi called with a firmer voice,causing me to lend him more of my attention. "What's up?" I questioned dryly,a bit agitated at his drawing me back to earth. "What's up with you?" He asked.

         "Like how?" I asked back. He sighed,his gaze darting to the floor for a while. "I've been noticing you know,with Kainene and all" he told me,now causing me to sigh.