NOT THE ONE || Completed✔

36: Misunderstood

There was something about the way Mrs. Solomon stared at Joy when the morning bell had been rung. She looked at her like she was waiting for something, an approval maybe. Or some sort of consent that showed Mrs. Solomon that Joy had forgiven her. But Joy didn’t do either. Instead, she walked away with the excuse that she was going to be late for the morning assembly.

Before Mrs. Solomon could say a word, she hurried out of the door and stood there for a couple of seconds.

Joy wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do or say. She felt sorry for the harsh reality her teacher had to face, but Joy had never really been good with comforting words. At least not in her first try.

That day passed by like it never happened. At the sight of Mrs. Solomon, Joy simply murmured a greeting and so did Mrs. Solomon. Mrs. Solomon, thankfully for Joy, had gotten off her back and behaved a little normal in class. The insults came once in a while, but not as harsh as they used to be.

Rumors spread that Joy’s father had something to do with it, since her behavior did change after her encounter with him over Joy’s test script. But Joy didn’t bother answering if any of them was true.

Her conversation with Mrs. Solomon seemed a lot more personal and she felt it would be wrong if she told anyone about it. So she kept it to herself.

Weeks came and went as quick as the snap of a finger, and soon enough, exams were only a few days around the corner.

The lunch bell had been rung and everyone hurried to the cafeteria. On reaching the cafeteria, Joy remembered she had left her phone in her bag. There had been some recent cases of stolen phones, but no one could report to the teachers since there was a strict no-phone’s-in-school policy.

She had gotten her phone from her bag with a sigh of relief and was about heading downstairs when she heard shouting. Two voices were arguing loudly and she recognized one of them to be Bayo’s. She wouldn’t have tiptoed to the side of the doorway if not for what the conversation entailed.

“I thought you loved me.” Blessing’s voice sounded like she was close to crying.

“I never said I did.” Bayo sounded like he was trying to control himself from saying what he would regret.

Joy’s brows furrowed. This wasn’t the sort of conversation she had expected.

“So, you tricked me!”

“I never tricked you, Blessing. We were just friends, nothing more!”

Joy looked behind her and in front to be sure no one was looking. Their voices were loud enough to call the attention of anyone close-by.

“How could you say that? After everything we shared? Your father is as abusive as mine.”

“Used to.” There was this anger in the way he responded, like he was being protective of his father and at the same time keeping himself in check.

“We were close. You were nice to me – unlike anyone else in my life.”

Joy leaned a little closer to the door to see, and she watched Blessing try to hold Bayo’s hand. Bayo brushed her hand from his arm, his eyes averted from her.

“Being nice doesn’t mean I’m in love with you.” He said. “You don’t have to be nice to someone because you like them or whatnot.”

Now, Blessing was quiet and stared at him as if he had just said the most horrifying thing a person could say. She swiped at her cheek and sniffed. Joy was shocked to see Blessing was crying. She felt bad for spying on them like this. It looked like none of her business. She was about to leave, but paused the moment she heard the question Blessing asked.