Jolayemi

Chapter 27: The Uno Reverse Card

The bell rang, and I shook my head to clear my thoughts of Jeremy. I stole a glance at him again, and he bolted out of the class before I could blink. I wanted to bawl my eyes out, and Gabby patted my back. "Give it time", she said for the umpteenth time, and I nodded. I really hoped the time would come when Jer wasn't mad at me anymore. Hey", Skyy called, as she came towards us. "What's up?", I asked, as we walked out of the class to my locker. "Can I talk to you about something?", she asked us. "Sure, what's that?", Gabby asked. "What would you say if I ask you to forgive Starr?", she asked. I turned to her, in surprise when the murmurings in the hallway distracted me. Papers were everywhere, on the floor, on the lockers, the wall. I picked one up, and my heart fell. The picture wasn't clear but I could clearly make out Gabriel's face in it, and he was having sex with Blair.

"What the hell?", Gabby said, as she took a paper. "Sure, it looks like Gabriel, but we can't be sure if that's really him, you know?", Skyy said. A ping distracted me from my thoughts, and I brought out my phone. As if my heart wasn't broken enough, it was a video of Gabriel having sex with Blair. Blair's face was blurred but anyone in their right sense would know that it was her. Gabriel's face on the other hand, was as clear as crystal. And I clutched my heart in horror, as I dropped my phone in shock. "Jola", Gabby started. But I tuned her out, as I leaned against my locker for support. Skyy was saying something but I didn't hear her. Her voice was blurred out along with Gabby.

"What?", I asked. They shouted something but I still couldn't hear them. "What did you say?", I asked. "Jola, I said don't jump into conclusions, this video seems sketchy", Gabby said, and Skyy nodded. I gaped at them in shock. "It seems sketchy?", I asked in disbelief. "I just saw a video of Gabriel having sex with Blair, and you said it seems sketchy?", I asked. "I know how it looked like, believe me, but Jola you've gotta let him explain", Gabby said. I scoffed as I glanced around the hallway. "This doesn't make sense", I said, and Gabby nodded. I laughed humorlessly. "I'm such a fool", I said, as I gripped my hair.

"I'm such a fool", I said, as I opened my locker. I took out all the letters, and threw them to the bin. "Jola, what are you doing?", Gabby asked. "Stop it", Skyy said. Everyone was pretty much watching me spiral out of control. "I mean, there I was, trying to salvage things between us", I said, as I grabbed the gifts one by one to the bin. "I mean, what's the point of trying to save something that doesn't want to be saved? I was such a fool to think there was something there", I said, as I dragged yet another gift to the bin. "Jola, stop this instant", Gabby said.

But I didn't hear her. "Like a fool, I thought he loved me, so I thought it would be cool to show him how much he meant to me too, and what? He was busy shagging that whore the whole time?", I asked. "They must have been making fun of me the whole time. 'Oh, see poor naive Jola, the one who doesn't deserve love. Let's just raise her hope up, and break her heart while at it'. I must have looked like such a hopeless romantic fool", I said. I turned to them. "I mean, J was right. I really was forcing myself in someone who doesn't love me, while hurting the one person who does", I said. "You know Gabriel loves you", Gabby said softly. "Yeah, him fucking Blair's brains out shows just how much he loves me", I laughed.

I saw Blair's smirking face and it was all I could do not to slap her to hell and back. My heart broke further when I saw Gabriel staring at me, his phone in his hand. I clapped my hand, as I gestured at him. The hallway was silent, as everyone watched me spiral. "Give it up for Gabriel Brown, everybody", I said, as I smiled. "Jola", he called out. "No, you succeeded. You succeeded in making me look like a fool in front of everyone, congratulations", I said. "Here's to the resident bad boy", I picked up the papers on the floor as I tore it up, and threw it at him. "Jola, stop", he said, when he reached to touch me. I took steps back. "Don't you dare lay that filthy hands on me or I swear Gabriel, I'll do something I'm gonna regret", I threatened, and he put his hands down.

"How did it feel, seeing me make a complete fool of myself in front of everyone? I mean, I must have looked like an idiot trying to win you back, right? While you were busy fucking your girlfriend", I said. "Blair's not my girlfriend. I-", he said. I saw red immediately when he said that and I slapped him hard, right across the cheek, and everyone gasped. I wiped my tears angrily, I wasn't going to cry over the jerk. Gabriel turned to face me, and his eyes pleaded with me. "After everything, you owe me the respect of not lying to me. Would you do me that much favour?", I asked. He didn't say anything, as he watched me. "I want you to look at me in the eyes. You see these tears", I wiped my eyes to show him the water. "I want you to know that you caused it. You might not hear, but you just broke my heart into pieces", I said.

Gabriel wore a hurt expression. "Jola", Gabby called. "No, do not say whatever it is you wanna say, Gabby", I said. I turned to her. "Stop making excuses for him, you've always done that, and I know he's your brother and I respect that, but right now I'm hurt, and none of that matters. So just don't okay?", I said. "Okay", she said. I turned back to Gabriel. "I guess I finally got my answers to all my questions I asked you back in my room", I said. He watched me carefully, and I stared at him in surprise as a tear fell. It was the first time I saw Gabriel cry, and even though I was hurt right now, it also hurt me that he was hurt. I guess I was even a bigger fool than I thought.

I picked up my phone and my backpack I'd dropped in shock. "What was that you said earlier? When you saw the video of Jer and I kissing? Oh right. 'You mean nothing to me, henceforth' Absolutely nothing, you're dead to me. And whatever fucked up thing we had between us, its officially over", I said, as I stared at him. "No, Jola, please. Let me explain", Gabriel pleaded. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jer staring at me, and I smiled bitterly. I did like him, and since Gabriel's moved on, it was time for me too. "You've obviously moved on", I said as I glanced at Blair, who was watching the whole drama with a smug expression in her face. "I think its high time I did too. To quote you again, goodbye Gabriel", I said. I walked towards Jer, and I stopped in front of him. He didn't look at me, instead he glared hard at Gabriel, and his whole body shook with anger.

I held his hands, and I made him look at me. "I thought about what you said, Jer. And you're right, I've been hurt lately, I've bawled out my eyes more times than I can count. I barely pay attention in class cause I'm always deep in thoughts", he stared at me with emotions I couldn't decipher. "And obviously, I fell in love with someone that doesn't want me. But I want to be happy, I think its time I become happy. And you always make me happy. You always know what to say to make me smile even if I don't want to. You always put me first before anybody, you don't complain sometimes when I steal your food", he smiled at that, and I chuckled. "And to quote J, I always glow when I'm talking to you. I think along the line, I liked you more than a friend, but I didn't want to admit that, not even to myself.  You said, if I give you a chance, you'd make me happy, and that you'd never hurt me. So yes, if you'll still have me, I would love to be your girlfriend", I said.

Jer beamed. "Really?", he asked. I smiled. That smile, I had prayed to see it again, and when I saw Jer happy, it eased the burden in my heart. "Really", I said. Before I could blink, Jer wrapped me in his arms and kissed me. I ignored the gasps, and chatter around me, as I kissed him back.

Oh, this should be fun.