My lips were trembling. I had had many kisses: on my hand (mostly the fault of the sons of rich men), on my forehead and on my cheek, but never on the lips.
Percy had never come this close with all the lucky chances he had.
I had just had my first kiss, with a senior.
He had this twinkle in his eyes but I didn't look at it for long. I looked down at my shoes.
"First?" He asked chuckling.
I nodded fast, blushing hard.
"Holly, if you didn't like it, I'm-"
"No, it's okay." I murmured. "I didn't NOT like it." I said.
It was embarrassing to say the exact words.
It was even more embarrassing that after all the warnings from Sam and my parents, I couldn't avoid this.
Leo held my hand.
"Meet me in the school garden on Monday. Alright?" He said.
I bit my lip and finally looked at him.
"Leo, this doesn't... seem right."
" A senior and a junior? What's wrong with that?"
"What do you mean?"
"Forget what I said. Just meet me there. Don't be late."
"I'll think about it. Let me?" I asked.
"It's on Monday. You have enough time." Leo smiled at me.
He gave me another kiss, on the cheek. This time, I was less shocked but more guilty. Guilty for not pushing away at that moment.
When he left, I left the balcony and sat on the bed, thinking of my mixed feelings.
It was as if I could still feel his lips on mine.
As if he was still here. I slapped myself to stop thinking in a spoilt manner.
Oh God please forgive me!
The door suddenly opened and in came Nicki and Carol. They were shocked and relieved to see me. Nicki ran to the bed and sat on it.
"Holly why did you abandon us? Aren't you supposed to be in the bathroom by now?"
Carol closed the door behind her and joined us.
"Yeah what took you so long?"
"Had to change my sanitary pad." I lied. "I'm on my period."
WHY THE HECK DID I LIE?!!!
The both "ohhhh-ed" in realization and apologized.
"You missed a lot while you were doing that. Not like it's important anyways." Carol said.
" I want to know." I said.
"Mason and Ricky had a dance-off. You know the guy in our English class that dances like he has no bones in his body?" Nicki said.
"I know him. Who won?"
"Mason. He got a whole lot of money from people's bets."
"You know Georgia? The girl who still dresses like she comes from the 90's?"
"Yeah? The one who's dating Timothy?" I asked Carol.
"They broke up. She caught him kissing Angel at the bar. It was pretty hectic and unfortunately, interesting to watch."
Carol laughed. " He got slapped in the face. And Angel got kicked. She ran like a rat. "
"Angel is a boyfriend thief." Nicki chuckled.
" More like junior slut in training. " Carol chuckled.
"Angle huh? Of course." I said trying to join in the fun but just had my mind trailing off.
They both stopped talking to look at me.
"Holly are you okay? You sound tired." Carol asked.
"I'm fine. Maybe I am a bit tired." I fake yawned.
Nicki's eyes left my gaze, down to my lips.
"Your lip gloss. It's gone." She said suspiciously.
I blushed. "So?"
"Nothing." Nicki said, still suspicious.
" Hey! Remember that secret I didn't wanna tell you guys? "
" Nah." Carol said shaking her head.
" You told us about you being president of your club. The other? " I remembered.
"Yep! So tomorrow is my birthday!" She said throwing her hands in the air with a huge smile.
I gasped. Carol smiled.
"Omg, that's so nice Nicki! How're you gonna celebrate?" Carol asked.
" It's a sleepover actually. You two are gonna come right? Because I'm gonna be inviting two of my cousins over."
" Sure we would love to come. " I said for me and Carol.
"Good! I'll bake the pastries myself! My dad isn't going to be around. So the house is all to ourselves tomorrow night! Maybe we can go to church together too!" Nicki gushed.
" Make sure you have ice cream-"
A glass broke downstairs- and it was loud.
We all looked to the door and heard footsteps running out the hallway down the stairs.
We looked at each other.
"Should we go?" I asked.
"Yes! Yes! Let's go!" Carol ushered us.
•••••••••••••••••
Friday 11:56pm
As we went downstairs, my phone vibrated in my gown pocket. I gasped in horror when I saw it.
Sam.
"Oh God." I said trying to catch up with them. I let the phone call go through and hoped she wouldn't call again.
My mom called next and I knew I couldn't ignore this one. I answered the call but then realized my mistake when I couldn't hear what she was saying since the party music was so loud.
All I heard was screaming and angry scolding but only for 5 seconds because the music stopped abruptly, followed by two boys shouting on the top of thier voices.
"Holly? Holly? Are you there?"
"Mom I'll call you back, okay!"
I ended the call.
"What's going on?" I asked when we stopped in our tracks.
"Oh God." Carol said under her breath.
"Cmon let's go to the front." Nicki said.
We did just that, trying to avoid the shifting smelly bodies. There stood both of them,
Jay and Alex, shouting at each other.
Jessica and Emma stood by.
Zoe was nowhere to be found.
We stood beside Daniel and Ace.
".... don't you dare call me gullible! So I'm a fool for standing up for my sister? Is that it?!"
Sister? Jay has a sister??
I was surprised.
"You're a fool for believing that idiot! You know he's a liar and you just keep on believing all the damn things that come out of his mouth!" Alex shouted back with the same level of anger.
"So what if I do?! It's my freaking responsibility to take care of her. You first tell me you hate her and now you're kissing her!? You're mad Alex!" Jay shouted as he pushed him back.
Alex chuckled. "You pushed me? "
"Next time it will be a punch. Apologize. Now" Jay said as he pointed to a random girl in the crowd.
Everyone's head shifted to her quickly. The girl only went back into the crowd hiding her face.
Jessica suddenly stood into the ring.
"Alex, just apologize for what you did to her!" She said.
"Over my dead body, will I ever apologize for an offence I didn't commit." Alex said to Jessica but still looked at Jay.
Jay folded his fist.
Alex stepped closer, they were face to face now. "Your sister is a stupid girl if she thinks she can stain my name with a blunt lie."
" Ooooooooo." Everyone said their mouths in a shape of an 'o' in a low shit's-about-to-happen mood.
And shit did happen.
Jay sent a quick punch to Alex. Alex staggered back but he was able to dodge Jay's next punch, grabbing Jay's shirt and throwing him unto the snack table close to the wall.
The table broke under Jay's weight and all the girls around there ran away, gasping and screaming.
Nicki gasped and held on to Daniel's hand tightly for protection. Daniel kept watching with a frown.
Punches, kicks and curses continued, even some, seniors particularly, had the audacity to encourage them.
Emma and Jessica kept screaming at them to stop fighting but it just got worse.
Jay was bleeding on his forehead and Alex spat blood out of his mouth, wiping it with his sleeve.
I was scared.
••••••••••••••••••••••
Friday 12:03pm
I don't remember any advice from the Teen Life Magazine concerning this.
"Daniel can't you stop this?!" Nicki shouted at him.
Daniel didn't answer. He suddenly removed his hand from hers and went up the stairs leaving all three of us in wonder.
"Daniel!" Nicki shouted at him but he didn't come back.
Nicki faced us.
"What do we-" Carol was cut short when Alex's body went down below her feet.
"Aahh!!" We all screamed.
Alex jumped back to his feet quickly. Jay headbutted Alex in the stomach sending him back to the floor.
Alex pushed him off him, got up and started to kick him violently in his stomach while cursing aggressively. Jay shouted in pain until he dragged Alex's leg down to him.
They wrestled each other to the ground.
Emma suddenly screamed on the top of her voice.
"Just..stop!!" She screamed at them both.
Jay who was on top Alex, who held Jay's shirt, stopped his fist mid air.
We all looked at her. The place went silent as a graveyard. But then, my phone loudly vibrated and everyone looked at me.
Emma and Jessica, Jay and Alex, Nicki and Carol.
I looked down at my screen. It was dad this time.
I slowly backed away and out of the house.
My hand shook in terror. What the hell was I gonna say?
"Hello?"
"Where are you?"
"I'm on my way right now." I said quickly.
"That didn't answer my question." My dad said sternly. I could imagine his face in my head.
"At a friend's party. I-Im sorry-"
Before I could finish my sentence, my dad ended the call.
I felt so hurt.
I knew I had to leave now. I checked the time and shrieked.
12:20pm
I quickly walked back towards the house to go get my bag while passing Emma and Alex.
Emma tried to clean Alex's face but Alex walked away from her, with her going after him.
I couldn't care less.
I went into the house hoping to see Carol and Nicki again to tell them that I'm leaving but I didn't see them. But I didn't have time for that.
I last left my backpack on the couch close to the stairs, where my motorbike capsule was in.
But it wasn't there.
I gulped in fear as I looked around.
My bag could be anywhere now.
•••••••••••••••••••••
Friday 12:19pm
After asking everyone if they had seen my bag with no positive result, I had given up and sat on the stairs.
"Don't sit on the stairs you idiot."
I looked back to see a girl, wearing a red crop top and black skinny leather trousers.
Her black bangs covering her eyes.
"I don't appreciate your insults Mei." I said standing up anyway.
"Then don't do things that are able to be insulted, whatever your name is." Mei said with her pink lips.
"Maybe you're right but you don't have to be harsh!" I said to her.
This time, I turned around to leave but met Leo in front of me.
"Holly! I've been looking everywhere for you."
I looked at his hand.
"My backpack!" I said taking it from him. I searched for my capsule. It was still there. Thank God.
"Yeah I saw it outside on the porch." he explained.
I had so many questions but not much time. I thanked him quickly.
"You're welcome." He smiled at me but then bent his head to look at Mei behind me.
"Mei? Oh how nice to see you." He said.
"Leo. Same here." Mei said nicely.
"I have to go." I said but before I could leave, the doors to the house busted open.
The music had stopped a long time ago, so what stopped was everyone's chattering as they looked at the door.
The person walked in and immediately I saw the long brown golden hair with her profile, I ran downstairs and into a door close to the bar.
I was glad it was the kitchen.
"Everyone I need your attention!" I heard Sam shout out, from behind the door.
"I'm looking for someone. She probably has a very fancy hairstyle, blonde hair and average height. Anyone know where she is?"
"Damnit! " I whispered to myself.
I quickly went through the door that lead to the backyard. I looked to my side seeing the wooden fence. I could hear the rushing of waters.
"The water fall" I whispered.
I walked towards it but then realized the situation I was in. I looked at the gate. I could have made a run for it and saving myself the embarrassment of my sister.
"It'll just take a minute... just a minute. " I promised myself.
There was a door, a human sized doggy door. I opened and went through, stepping on the rocky ground.
My eyes widened at the beautiful view below me.
Clean, clear water rushed gently down to the huge pool, washing the rocks beneath. I looked forward. The grassy river bank was like a hill, covered in flowers.
My phone suddenly vibrated and I reached out of my pocket to answer it. But before I could see the collar ID, someone had pushed me forward.
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I'm sweating like crazy here. The heat in Nigeria is killing!
Gotta go! Thanks for reading and please tell me what you think in the comments!