I noticed that we've progressed with more than 500 reads, yet the votes are not even up to 50. We're trying our best to come up with updates, despite our hard schedules and it's so frustrating when you can't do as much as to press a small star.
Vote or we'll be having
serious problems!!!
*Cue the angry face*
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I had just placed my school bag down on my seat when, suddenly, a very loud shriek startled me. Mum had dropped Zion, Zoe and I at the school gate as usual, after series of warnings and brutal scoldings, particularly at me.
It's been two weeks since the party incident and she still hasn't loosened up on me.
Do I blame her? Of course not. If I were to put myself in her shoes, I would have done worse.
Atleast, my therapy session seems to be going fine, except on certain occusions where that old eighties woman never seem to keep her mouth shut. Although, I have learnt to accept the fact that things would take a long time to go back to normal . . . to gain my parent's trust back, it still sucks to know how far I've gone only for situations to suddenly go downhill.
Deep in my thoughts, I didn't realize when Onome placed a cold hand on my shoulder. I released a slight scream and jerked my shoulder away from her. "Jesus Onome, you scared me, what do you want?"
From her expression, I could tell that she had something exciting to spill. Her eyebrows were pinched in impatience and her whole face mirrored that of eagerness.
I scrunched my eyebrows together and looked at her shaking body from head to toe.
Must be the usual gossip.
She clapped her hands in the usual gossip style, stomping her feet on the floor like someone who was possessed. "You won't believe what I just saw."
I hissed and turned away from her, digging into my bag for my chemistry note. WAEC starts in less than a week, yet this one is trying to distract me and make me fail my exams.
An exam which I have put my last sense of hope in, imagining failing it and having to face my parent's endless wrath.
"Just leave me alone, I'm not in the mood." I rolled my eyes, placing my head on the table before pulling my book on my lap, just so close that I could see clearly and assimilate quite comfortably.
But Onome was persistent. "Come on, stop behaving like that. I promise that you'll like what you're about to see . . . Look, not one soul is even in this class with us, they've all gone out to watch the drama unfold."
I hesitated but raised my head up nonetheless. True to her word, we were the only one in the classroom and the class was unusually quiet. But if you tried to listen well, you could hear the distant noise and rowdiness coming from somewhere in the school.
I could almost feel deep in my bones that something was about to happen.
"What drama are you talking about? Are students fighting again?" I asked her.
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they were. Even though my school seems to uphold a strong sense of class and wealthiness, we also have our own share of violence just as much.
Boys fight all the time over silly things. Girls too . . . Just a tad bit higher. Boys fights over girls and football, positions in the school and whatnot, while girls fight over makeup, boys, but mostly fashion — the usual highschool rush.
I was already used to it, it wasn't anything new.
"No, no one's fighting this time around. Just come and see, please." Onome pleaded and it was at the tip of my tongue to say know, bit her eager expression made me change my mine.
"Fine." I sighed in defeat and stood up from my desk, ignoring the idiotic jittery smile on her face.
This better be worth my time.
We walked out of the class and into the big round shaped field, cornering the four walls of the school building. Behind my class building was another set of buildings more bigger and grandiose than ours.
It goes on and on like that, the normal rich people environment.
We walked and walked until we got to the school's stadium just situated at the far right corner of the school.
Then I saw it.
The arrangements, balloons, boxes of cupcakes and beautiful decorations mainly in the colours red and white. Then, there was Ezekiel who stood amidst the large crowd, nervously clutching on the bouquet of flowers in his hands, and occasionally running his fingers through his hair.
What in the name of the first angel in heaven is going on?
I looked to my left but Onome was no more by my side, she had already left. I looked at Zeke who looked at me in timidity, slowly walking towards the spot I had suddenly plant-rooted my self to.
One second he was ten good feet away from me, and the next he was just a foot away from me.
"Hey." He breathe, his right hand extending the red flowers to me, his left buried in his pocket. "I got you flowers."
Truth be told, I honestly don't understand how Nigerian girls don't appreciate flowers. Someone could give me flowers over a hundred thousand naira necklace and I'd still cherish it just like I would the necklace. There's just something about flowers that does it for me . . . that makes me feel special.
But not from Zeke.
"What's going on?" I asked instead, not collecting the flowers from his hands. I can't do that, it'd give him the wrong idea.
He sighed and dropped the flowers to his side when he saw that I wasn't going to accept it. "I have something to tell you."
"Okay?"
"That night of the party— of Grace's party, I was blackmailed." He paused to gather his thoughts. "I didn't want to tell you because to me, it seemed like a secret I didn't want anyone to know."
"What're you talking about Ezekiel?" I asked, perplexed.
"My mum. Somehow, she found out about the condition of my mum and tried to use it against me. I was naive but gave into her, we'd do anything she wanted and she'd leave me alone for good. It seemed all too easy but I didn't know she was planning to record everything, hence the video that spread around like wildfire."
I sucked in a breath and cleared my throat.
"Her goal was to destroy my reputation and popularity of years of hard work. But it's okay now, since you already know about my mum—" He looked around the crowd and turned to face me again. "—and I'm sure they do now too. We can be together again, and put our pasts between us, what do you say?"
Your past. I already forgot about mine, I already got over it.
I study became speechless to a point where I had nothing to say. This— everything— was just so confusing, I didn't know how to handle it.
How was I supposed to tell him that I was clouded by my emotions that I didn't know what I was doing?
How was I supposed to tell me that I didn't see him as more than a friend?
How was I supposed to tell him that over this past few weeks, I had come to finally realize what I wanted but he isn't a part of it?
How was I supposed to tell him that I was just foolishly blinded by my teenage infatuation?
How was I supposed to tell him that what we had was just a mistake and nothing else?
Just how was I supposed to tell him?
I sighed again and looked him in the eyes. "Look Zeke, forgive me if I sound in any way rude, but what we had was never meant to happen. I guess I was just so envious of other people's relationships that I s desperately wanted one to call mine. That might sound ruthless coming out of my mouth, but over the past two weeks, I had come to realize that you aren't what I want. I just want to finish my exams, and hopefully grow up, that's it. But I don't mind us being friends, if that's okay?"
Off course I didn't need his permission to go on with my life, but I just felt like I needed to be polite and honest with me.
He chucked sadly, his head bent towards the ground. "I destroyed my chance, didn't I?"
I nodded somberly and smiled a little. "Yes, you did."
"It's okay, I kinda deserve it." He laughed and I laughed along with him. It just felt like old times, without the whole tension and all. The atmosphere seemed less tense now too, so I guess that's a good thing. "And I'm sorry for what I made you go through, I hope you can find it in your cute heart to forgive me."
My smile was so huge I couldn't believe it was mine. "Of course! So, friends?" I held my right fist up.
"Friends." He confirmed, bumping my fist, leaving only the disappointed groans to surround us.
And they were so cute.
—I know right? I was kinda looking forward to their makeup.
There goes my happy ever after! Then a sad sigh followed.
Well, atleast he's single now, lucky me!
My focus was broken when Zeke pulled me into a hug, resting his head in the crook my neck. "Thank you for always been there."
I ran my hands down his back and whispered into his ear, "Thank you for accepting me the way I am."
Suddenly, his warm lips were pressed up against mine. I stood, breathless for five good seconds until I regained my senses. I regained my senses and pushed him away, slapping him upside the head. "What the hell was that?"
He smiled sheepishly as I glared at him. "Sorry, I couldn't resist kissing you just for the last time."
I slapped him again and began to walk back to class.
"What in the world is going on here?" An extremely angry voice yelled and everyone tensed up.
The principal.
That was all it took before the whole stadium turned into a rampage, with students jumping and flying in full speed to get to their various classes.
It was a comical sight, really.
Zeke was running in front of me, the decorations far forgotten (even though I managed to grab the box of cupcakes) as my giggles filled the air.
This is peace.