(005 - Betrayal)
I couldn't keep the update pending anymore. I'm very excited for you guys to meet Jidenna🔥!! The moment you guys have been waiting for. Jidenna's POV. I really hope he doesn't disappoint but I have a feeling he will. Even the title of this chapter kinda says it all, don't you think?😪💔
There will be an introduction of two more major characters, though one more often than the other. Who do you think they'd be hmmn?
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𝐉𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐀
(Jidenna Leo Okojie)
She was going to be in school today and I'd have to face her.
But I didn't know how to.
God, I wasn't ready to face her. Not with the amount of guilt I was feeling.
Maybe that was why I've been ghosting her all this while- ignoring her phone calls, her text messages for one whole month. It was a dick move, I know but what was I supposed to say to her? What exactly can I say that would diffuse the situation on ground? The situation I had indirectly caused? There was nothing.
Nothing.
It was all my fault. All my fault.
If only I didn't call her out that night. If only I didn't pressure her that night, all these wouldn't have happened.
All my fault.
I'm so sorry, Hilary. I'm so sorry.
"You know how much I don't like it when you don't pay attention to me whenever I'm speaking."
The deep voice of my father, pierced through my mind trip, jerking me back to reality. I swallowed, hearing the obvious irk in his voice and I turned to face him. His face was stone hard as he glared at me and I swallowed again, looking away from his intense gaze that wouldn't stop shooting daggers at me.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" He thundered and my head jolted back up, my eyes meeting his fiery ones.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, trying not to look away from his intense gaze.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"I'm sorry, sir," I repeated properly, bowing in respect for the man I had no other choice but to call my father. Senator Kingsley Okojie.
We were seated at the owner's corner of my father's very own customized Grand Cherokee, in the parking lot of the school. As soon as we got in, my personal bodyguard, Tola, who had driven is here parked the car and stepped out to give me and my dad privacy, as he has always done. But I was pretty sure he knew exactly everything that went on in this car.
Every damn thing.
"I cannot say this enough," He started and I knew it was time for our daily lecture. "This is your senior year, which means you need to up your game. And I don't mean you should just get better, but I need you to crush your competition. I have never gotten second place in my life, your brothers have never gotten a second place as well and you won't be the first Okojie to break that legacy. Do you understand me?"
"Yes sir," I answered, not knowing what else to say. This talk has happened every day for as long as I could remember and that was all I could say. No arguments, just obedience.
Not that it has been effective.
On the contrary, in fact.
"Do not come back to my house without a perfect score." He growled out, his eyes trained intently on mine and I swallowed for the third time this morning. "If I have my way, I'd make sure you stop any kind of sport. But American Football will be good on your college application for Harvard, so you have to do that one. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Yes sir," I responded again, getting choked by the amount of toxicity in the closed space. I needed to get down from the car, go into school, live my life the way I want to.
Not this.
But then, it was more of a cycle. I'd still have to go back home to this man.
"Now, get out!" He barked. He didn't have to tell me twice before I jumped down from the car, shutting the door behind me. This alerted Tola and I saw the look he gave me when his eyes met mine. The pity in them was glaring. I looked away from him, adjusting my bag, and began to walk towards the school building.
I only had six and a half hours to be the person I wanted to be and I had to make good use of it.
Remember, you have to face Hilary. My subconscious reminded me and I stopped dead in my tracks.
Oh shit.
I stared at the story building in front of me, trying to gather my thoughts together before I walk into the jungle; that was the only word I could use to describe Crestview International Academy. A jungle. In a jungle, you are either the prey or the predator and according to Crestview standards and hierarchy, I was a predator.
And it needed to stay that way till the last day.
"You've got this, Jidenna Leo Okojie," I told myself, taking a deep breath and calming my nerves.
So, I got into character. Loosed my wine blazer, rolled the sleeves of my white shirt up to my elbow to make sure my new wristwatch showed, and lastly, ran my fingers through my curly hair to give it a messy look before wearing my signature smirk on my lips. With my right hand hanging my blazer over my shoulder and my left holding my bag in place, I strutted my way into the school building.
That did the trick because as soon as I walked into the building, I was turning heads, gathering so much attention. Most of my set mates were all over the place since it wasn't time assembly yet, so when they saw me, they began to feel me.
Now, that's more like it. I hyped myself, striding through the large hallway.
"Hi, Jidenna,"
"Looking good as always, Head boy."
"Jidenna my guy! Sharp man!"
"Is that a new watch?!"
"Damn, that looks so expensive."
"It's Jidenna Okojie. He can afford anything."
That's right. Keep it coming.
I didn't answer any of them, just flashed them one or two smiles before I continued my way up the stairs that led to my SS3 blocks. As I walked, I still kept getting comments from everyone that saw me, even if they weren't my classmates. And the girls... the girls wouldn't stop staring, openly ogling me. Not that I minded, I wanted it all.
I craved it all.
"You sure know how to make an entrance, don't you." Someone said, falling into step with me. I knew exactly who it was, his unique baritone voice giving him away from the start. I chuckled, turning to look at my best friend.
"What can I say, Tekena. The attention just comes naturally." I answered, brushing a speck of invisible dust off my shoulder. Tekena scoffed out a sarcastic laugh and gave me a look.
"Tahh, gettat!" He snapped out jokingly and I laughed. "See your mouth like, the attention comes naturally. For your mind abi?" He teased and I chuckled, shaking my head at him.
Tekena Tamuno AKA "TK" has been my best friend for two years now. He resumed Crestview in JSS3 which was pretty unusual because that was the year for junior WAEC and NECO. Both of us clicked from the beginning, him being the one that brought me out of my shell, making me discover my love for photography. He had done a lot of things for me.
He made me, ME.
The only issue I had with him was the way he lived his life so flamboyantly, though I wouldn't fault him totally for that. Being the only kid of very wealthy parents that hardly had his time, it was a likely hood. So, I tried to be there for him as much as he was there for me.
Together, we made our way up the staircase, passing the SS2 block and making our way to our block on the top floor. TK skipped ahead of me, his long legs taking like three steps at a time when I could only take two. That was when I noticed his new footwear.
God! This guy!
"Tekena, are those new kicks?" I asked, staring at the black and white Air Jordans on his feet. He stopped short, looking at his shoes with a proud smile before moving his feet, showing me the kicks well.
"Yeah, I got them last Saturday. They're dope, right." It was more of a question than a statement. He knew they were dope, I knew they were dope but it didn't hide the fact the air jordans were very expensive.
"Tekena, Jordans are expensive - not to talk of Air Jordans. They are fucking costly. Why did you buy them? You just got new Balenciagas last week for resumption, what was the use of getting new ones?" I asked, my tone not failing to hide how shocked I was. Tekena was one to throw money around and squander it on frivolities.
But this? This was just too much. This kind of kicks was nothing less than four thousand five hundred dollars. Now, do the calculations in naira. Yes... It was that expensive.
If I had that kind of money, I'd be able to buy my dream camera set and equipment.
"It's not all that expensive, Jidenna." He answered after laughing out in sarcasm, making me feel stupid. "I needed something different, something new. You of all people should know I have the money to get whatever I want." He shrugged in nonchalance and I stared at him, stunned.
"That doesn't mean you should spend it anyhow!" I chided, trying not to seem like I was against him by making my voice as calm as possible. He folded his hands across his shoulder, rolling his eyes. "You have a wardrobe filled with shoes, you don't need new..."
He cut me off. "Are you not supposed to be figuring out how you are going to break up with Hilary?" He deadpan, his brows raised in question. That had me shutting up immediately, my eyes scanning around to see if anyone was close by. Thankfully, there was no one around. I turned and shut Tekena a glare.
"You didn't have to bring that up, at least not here," I told him through gritted teeth. He rolled his eyes again, shook his head, and sighed before coming closer to me.
"Look, I'm sorry that I brought it up the way I did. But, you have to stop talking about my kicks, and let's face what you have to do. You need to break up with her or the guilt will chew you raw from inside out." He stated without mincing words, looking straight at me. I sighed, running my hands through my hair in frustration.
Hilary...
"She doesn't deserve this." I shook my head. "I can't do this to her, not now - not when she needs me, "I told him, my gaze morphing into remorse. Breaking up with Hilary, at this time wasn't the best idea. I was supposed to be there for her, not leave her.
"Guy!" Tekena snapped at me, causing me to jerk. "I get it. Hilary is a good girl, nice babe. But whatever you do, you have to think of yourself first. You come first in whatever decision you make, no one else, not even Hilary." I stared at him, not knowing what else to say. He sighed, looking around just in case anyone was eavesdropping before looking back at me.
"See guy, I know what you are thinking." He started again, his voice low but serious. "You feel it's better to be there for her for her now that she's grieving, then you'll break up with her when she's finally okay, abi?" He asked and I nodded.
That seemed like the best option.
"If you make that decision, you'll regret it." He said plainly and I gaped.
"Why?"
He seemed to roll his eye a lot this morning because he rolled it again. "Because by the time she's okay you won't be able to break up with her again. And, she'll be a constant reminder of the tiny, yet very delicate part you played that night. You'll keep feeling guilty. Do you want that kind of toxicity around you, Jidenna? I doubt it." He concluded, leaning back with a satisfied expression on his face because he had made a valid point and he knew.
When he puts it that way...
"You are right," I muttered, swallowing because those words left a very bitter state in my mouth.
"Of course I'm right. I'm always right." He winked, nodding his head up the stairs so that we would continue to our class. I followed him, still not feeling good about this whole arrangement. But it had to be done.
As soon as we got to the foot of the hallway of our block, we stopped short, immediately noticing the crowd in the middle of it. I saw Hilary, she was standing right there with her arms locked around Dawn's and she didn't look too good, while Semeeha hurled insults at some of my female set mates. I did not need anyone to tell me they had done or said something insensitive, like always and I felt a tug in my chest.
"I'm supposed to be there with her," I said to myself, though I was sure Tekena heard me.
"Come on, let's go." He pulled me along, getting me away from the scenery before anyone, especially Hilary could see me.
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Tekena and I were walking back from the assembly hall twenty-five minutes after the Principal met with the prefects. As we walked through the hallways, I went about my duties, ordering juniors into their class so that they won't loiter around and cause a commotion. At the end of the day, it would still be the prefects that would be blamed if the school wasn't in order.
When we got to the senior's block, it was pretty hard to control the SS1 students and most especially, the SS2. Those guys were a bunch of stubborn, thick-skinned nuisance. I stood in the middle of the courtyard that faced the senior block, glaring right at the students that saw me but didn't even make any move to leave the balcony of their class.
They just wanted someone to shout.
"SS1 and SS2 - at the count of three, I must not see you in the hallway. One!" I thundered and they began to scamper, at least most of them. The male fraction of both classes was the hardest for me to control.
"Two!"
The SS1 guys were smart enough to move into their class, though sluggishly. But the SS2 guys, were still on their balconies in groups, talking and laughing like I had not given them any instructions. They were acting like I didn't exist.
It annoyed me to my bones.
"Are you people deaf?!" Tekena snapped, making a move to start removing his belt but I was quick to stop him.
Being the Disciplinary Prefect boy, Tekena had every right to discipline any junior that doesn't comply to order but the last thing I wanted was Tekena inflicting any sort of pain on anyone. He could and he will. He was that brutal even though most of the time, it was for no reason. But even when they knew that the SS2 guys didn't move a muscle.
These guys were getting off my last nerves.
Getting incredibly pissed off, I was about to call the last number, already thinking about the most grievous punishment I could give them when all on their own, the SS2 guys began to scamper - no, they ran! They ran into their classes, eyes darting towards a particular direction as they rushed in. I could hear their mild chatters as they ran in.
"Ewo, senior Kizito is looking at us o."
"Please shift! He must not see my face."
"Blood of Jesus! He has seen me! Biko commot for road!"
I looked towards the direction they were staring at and I saw they were not lying. Kizito was standing right there, staring towards their wing, eyes on all of them. He wasn't glaring at them or screaming at them like I or Tekena were. He was just looking at them and they were scurrying away like ants from insecticide.
Kizito Alade-Martins. The most effective prefect in Crestview as it is.
Even more effective than I was.
I used to feel very threatened by his efficiency, not gonna lie. But Kizito was a very good friend and I grew to appreciate how much he made my work as the head boy even easier. It was still a surprise how the Sports Prefect Boy was able to hold more power than all other prefects combined.
"Asshole just likes to show off," Tekena muttered, referring to Kizito as we made our way towards him, who stood at the end of the courtyard. I shot him a look and he rolled his eyes. We got to Kizito, who was now staring at us. I flashed him a grin, which he didn't return.
"Hey, thanks, man," I told him, still smiling at him. He didn't respond, still staring at me - at us. I fought the urge to reach my hand to my face to check if anything was there because the stare was becoming unnerving.
What did we do?
"Why have you been avoiding Hilary?" That question, though it sounded very simple and direct, sucked the life right of me. I found myself choking on my saliva, and started coughing.
"Oh shit." Tekena cussed, coming to pat my back as I kept coughing, trying to calm myself down. Kizito didn't look fazed one bit by this. He just kept staring at me, an unimpressed look contorting on his face.
"Are you done?" He asked, his eyebrows quirked in question and an undertone of mockery. I straightened, catching myself, and put on an unfazed look.
"What do you mean by, I'm avoiding Hilary? I am not avoiding her, why would I?" I fired back, trying to put up a defensive font. Kizito let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head at me.
"You know very well what I'm talking about, Jidenna." From the vein that was almost popping on his neck, I knew he was restraining himself from snapping, especially because students were still moving around, rushing to their classes when they saw us standing. Then, Kizito looked at Tekena who just stood beside me, not saying a word and he chuckled humorlessly a second time.
"But, I guess you have told TK everything already, so there is no need mincing words here, is there?" He asked rhetorically, folding his hands across his chest as he not so subtly eyed Tekena up-down. The latter just shrugged and smirked.
"I'm his best friend, remember? He gats tell me everything." Tekena was taunting Kizito now, it was obvious and Kizito narrowed his eyes at the former, cocking his head to the side at him in a glaring manner.
Those two didn't like each other and it was pretty glaring. Ever since Tekena came to our school in JSS3, Kizito had told me that there was something eery about him, something that didn't sit well with him, and that I should stay away from him. Things, however, took a different turn when I ended up being closer to Tekena than Kizito, and ever since then, there has been a strain between the both of us and Kizi.
At first, I thought it was just jealousy but over time, I realized the guys genuinely didn't like each other.
Over the sessions, they had tried to tolerate each other as much as they could. Either that or Tekena knew that he wouldn't stand a chance fighting with Kizito. But since the last session, Tekena had begun to show this huge amount of boldness, taunting Kizito in other to rile him up. Like he was doing right now.
The last thing I wanted was for both of them to fight... again.
The last time that happened, it was catastrophic.
"Kizito," I called, dragging his attention from Tekena who wouldn't stop smirking in revile. Kizito looked at me, his expression brooding. "I am not avoiding Hilary," I told him, lying through my teeth. He squinted at me, obviously not buying that lie.
"I wouldn't hurt her like that." I found myself saying, even though I knew I was going to. I was going to hurt Hilary today. And like he knew that I was going to, Kizito chuckled for the third time since we started speaking. When he stopped, his expression contorted into a glare
"I hope for your sake that you mean that." He whispered, though loud enough for me to hear and I inaudibly gulped. He took two dangerous steps closer to me till he was breathing the same air as me.
"Because if you hurt her, I'll end you." This time, I gulped audibly. So loud, I was sure he heard me.
Blood of Jesus.
"He's bluffing," Tekena said and Kizito laughed. He laughed like Tekena had cracked the funniest joke in the world. I swerved my head to Tekena's side, shooting him a glare.
Kizito doesn't bluff. Kizito Alade-Martins never bluffs.
Tekena of all people should know that.
"Kizito,"
Another voice came from a corner of the hallway we stood in front of. The voice was a familiar one, a very familiar voice that irritated me to my core. I hated the voice just as much as I hated its owner and I only grew more irritated and annoyed when he came into view.
He was dressed exactly like Kizito, in the school's customized varsity jacket for all sports pros, his white school shirt and grey trousers with a black sneaker I have seen on him more often than not. His full hair was cut in a clean fade style. There was nothing special about him, nothing spectacular about the way he looked. He wasn't even a prefect.
Yet, he still managed to stand out more than anyone else in the entire set.
In every school, there was always that one person that didn't have to be wealthy didn't have to be the most handsome or beautiful, didn't need to wear the latest wristwatches, the latest kicks, or have the latest phones. That person that didn't need to throw the biggest parties or do any form of frivolities to matter. That one person that just automatically had it all without actually wanting it.
The Number One student in the entire school.
The Genius.
The All-Rounder
That was Sochima "Chima" Ansel Johnson.
My Competition.
"Chima, what's up?" Kizito, his expression not giving away what we had just finished discussing. Sochima walked closer to us, slowing down as if he could sense the tension around us. His eyes met mine and I glared at him. He slowly looked away from me and back at Kizito.
"You seem busy. I'll just come back." He told Kizito and I rolled my eyes. Everything he did, everything he said irritated me.
"Guy, say what you want to say and fuck off!" Tekena growled out, his tone showing that he was just as irritated as I was. If Sochima was affected by our reaction to him, he didn't show him. He never showed it. Instead, his lips just twitched in a slight smile, looking back at Kizito.
"Big Guy said he wants to see all the captains by break time. I think it's about the opening game with LIC." He told Kizito.
"Yeah, I spoke to him about it briefly this morning. Can you inform the other captains for me?" Sochima nodded, glancing at me and Tekena for a second before walking away, with me glaring at his back so hard.
God! He annoys me so much.
When I looked back at Kizito, he was back to staring at me. He didn't say anything, he just stared at me, a silent reminder that he had not forgotten what we were talking about and that he wouldn't fail to carry out his threat. I stared back, not wanting to look intimidated but it was hard. We engaged in a stare-down for about one full minute before he turned on his heels and walked away from us.
"I'm dead," I muttered immediately he was out of ear shots. Tekena scoffed out a laugh, coming to pat his hand on my shoulder.
"He won't do you anything." He answered with an assurance I didn't even know he possessed. I looked at him like he had grown two heads.
Did this guy hear Kizito's threat? I'm sure he didn't.
"Didn't you hear what he said?!" I lamented, throwing my hands up. He laughed again, this time it was more menacing and looming, it caused an uncomfortable stir at the pit of my tummy.
"I heard him loud and clear." He stopped laughing, his eyes holding so much masochism and malice, it sorta scared me.
"Jidenna, Kizito won't try anything with you. I'm ready for him this session. I'm ready for all of them." His tone held so much promise and I sighed, shaking my head.
I knew exactly who else he was talking about.
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"Why are you making it obvious that you are avoiding her?" Tekena fired at me as soon as we walked out of my class.
No, I had run out of the class immediately the bell for break went off, Tekena hot on my tail. He wasn't in science class like I was, he was in commercial but had come to meet me after his class. He had barely entered the class when the bell went off and I dashed off, brushing past him.
Now, we were seated in one of the external examination halls in a building behind the Senior's block.
I knew Hilary wanted to speak to me. Throughout the class, I felt her gaze on me repeatedly. It was hard trying to act nonchalant around her, very hard trying to ignore the way she was throwing subtle glances at me even when the teacher was in class. So, as soon as the bell for break went off, I had to run because I couldn't take it anymore.
Especially when I knew what I was going to do to her.
I frowned my face and turned to look at him. "Am I supposed to wait there and allow her to approach me? Because I knew she will and I honestly can't deal." I answered him, going back to surfing the Internet on my phone.
"Subtle ways to break up with your girlfriend."
I typed that into Google and got fifty-nine results.
This would do.
"She is supposed to come to you, confront you, Jidenna. That's the whole idea." He tried to explain and I stopped to look at him again, the displease in my gaze evident.
"Yes, she is supposed to do all that, but we are not having a breakup conversation among our classmates," I told him sternly, throwing my hand up in gesture.
"These people feed on Drama..."
"And I am not ready to give them that drama, Tekena! Not at Hilary's expense." I answered point-blank, not leaving room for any arguments. "I'll break up with her, fine. But it's not going to be a public thing. Unlike you, I have a heart." I deadpan and his joking expression faltered when I said that last statement. A frown marred his face immediately after and I sighed.
I shouldn't have brought that up.
"She's going to follow me. If anything, she's on her way here right now." I started to say again, calmer this time. I knew Hilary would come here first because this was our usual hangout spot. "She's going to confront me. We'll break up and I'll make sure it's mutual and that is it. End of story."
"Fine, do things your way. But if it backfires, don't say I didn't warn you." He said and I furrowed my brows at him in question.
I was going to ask what he meant, but a shadow blocked the ray of light from coming through the door. Looking up to see what had blocked it, I swallowed, my eyes meeting Hilary's gaze. She was standing right there, staring at me and it made me wonder if she had heard everything we said. I hoped she didn't, else it will be game over.
Her expression gave absolutely nothing away.
"Can we talk?" That was all she asked, walking further into the class. Tekena looked between the both of us before getting down from the table we were seated on.
"I'll leave the both of you to talk." He said, walking out of the room and leaving Hilary and me alone in the classroom.
To say I was nervous was an understatement. I was freaking out bad, my emotions all over the place but I had to keep a poker face. Her in front of me, close to me like that was another reminder of the part I had played that night and it made me realize even more that I had to end this.
All of it.
I'm sorry, Hilary.
"What do you want?" I asked while jumping down from the table, my voice as nonchalant as I could muster. If my demeanor had surprised her, she didn't show it. Instead, she walked further until she was standing directly in front of me.
"You have been avoiding me, Jidenna." She stated calmly, eyes trained on me. I felt uncomfortable under her stare, so I looked away and began to walk around, trying to keep busy so that I won't have to look at her.
"I've not been avoiding you," I answered monotonously, my tone coming off as uninterested and unperturbed. When I looked at her, I could see the hurt in her eyes. It was very evident and it did things to me, made me feel even more guilty than I already felt.
Jidenna, you are going to hurt this girl.
"Oh really?" She fired in sarcasm, fishing out her phone from the pocket of her blazer, pressed some buttons before she showed me her call log. "Three weeks, Jidenna. I tried your number all day for three weeks and there was no response from you. Hell, you didn't even come to see me in the hospital! You didn't come for the burial!"
"I didn't..." I started to defend myself the best way I could but she cut me off, coming even closer to me.
"Don't do that. Don't lie that you didn't know what happened because we were all over the news. Don't lie!" She growled out, stabbing her index finger into my chest for emphasis. My frustration began to get the better part of me and I felt anger course through my veins.
"So what? Are you trying to guilt-trip me into this? Is that what this is about? You want to constantly remind me of the part I played that night, abi?" I fired and she stared back at me incredulously for a minute, like she couldn't believe I had just said that.
I didn't believe I had said that.
"Do you seriously think that's the reason I'm here? To guilt trip you? Jidenna?" Then she laughed, a short and sarcastic scoff of a laugh that had me shivering even when the weather was hot.
Oh, Hilary...
"All I needed - all I still need from you is for you to be by my side at this time. I lost my brother, Jidenna. My first best friend. You of all people knew how close I was with him so, you should have at least a fraction of the idea of how much I'm grieving. Let's forget that you were the one that called me out that night, I don't care..."
I hated this.
I hated being reminded!
"This is what I don't want! No matter how much you claim you don't want to, you will still remind me. Consciously or unconsciously! I don't want you to keep blaming me for what happened to your brother!"
"I'm not blaming you! I'll never blame you!"
"Then what's all these?!" I retorted, throwing my hands up in frustration and she veered back, surprised at my outburst. Then I began to spiral, spewing out words that would do a lot of damage. More damage than I bargained for.
"Why exactly are you bringing it up?! This is going to keep coming up and I don't want that! I didn't beg you to come out that night! I did not hold a gun to your head and threaten you, did I? I didn't kill your brother, Hilary. Your carelessness did!"
She slapped me. Hard.
I was deaf for twenty seconds straight.
But when I began to regain my senses, my brain began to process what I had said to her as I held my face, staring at her tear-stained face in complete horror.
Jidenna, what did you just say...
"Hilary..." I muttered with my palm still massaging the spot she had slapped, wanting nothing more but to apologize for that instant. But I was speechless, immobile, and completely stupified. She sniffed, using the back of her palm to wipe her running nose.
Jesus, Jidenna. What the fuck did you do?!
"If anyone was going to tell me something as insensitive and as downright heartless as that, it shouldn't have been you." She choked out, making to leave but I was quick to grab her hand, stopping her from moving any further. She shot me a murderous glare. That didn't stop me from begging her.
Anything to salvage what was left of this disaster.
Jidenna, you fücked up.
"I didn't mean any of that, I swear." I pleaded but she wouldn't stop glaring at me.
"Get your hands off me."
"Hilary, I didn't mean that. I'm so..."
"Get your hands off me, Jidenna." She repeated the warning, her eyes flashing with so many emotions. Anger, sadness, hurt. A lot of emotions shook me to my core. I knew better than not to do what she wanted whenever she was like this, so I let her hands go.
"Hilary, please..."
"We are done." And with that, she walked out of the classroom.
I stood right there on that spot, wondering how things had spiraled so fast out of control, thinking of the many ways things could have turned out but I just had to say those words to her. I just had to be insensitive about her feelings, about what she was going through.
I had to tell her the death of her brother was her fault?
What the fuck, Jidenna!
She'd tell Kizito, Semeeha, and Dawn. In no time, it would spread and everyone will see me in another light. Everyone will hate me for all I did and that would be the end. That will be it. Everything will come crashing down for me. Just because of my stupid big mouth.
"Guy, how far? I saw her crying, how did it go?" Tekena asked, rushing into the class to find me.
"I fücked up bad," I told him and he frowned in confusion. Then, I told him everything that had gone down, not leaving any stone unturned. At the end of it all, he even seemed more agitated than I was.
"This is a disaster." He muttered, his hand stroking his bearded chin. Then he turned to face me, having a very familiar look on his face that told me he had an idea already. He always has an idea.
"Don't worry, we'll salvage it." He said.
"How are you going to salvage this? I hurt Hilary! She'd never forgive me." I lamented and Tekena shook his head.
"This is not about Hilary any more. This is about you and your reputation. Before this gets out, we need to salvage it and own it." He explained but I got even more confused than I was before.
"What do you mean?" I had to ask and he smirked a familiar mischievous smirk.
"Leave it to me." That was all he said. Even though he didn't say more, I had this feeling at the pit of my tummy that things were about to take a huge ass turn but I wasn't sure if it was for the better or the worst.
Tekena, what are you up to?
𝐀/𝐍
And just like we thought, Jidenna disappointed us.
Now you know why Jidenna was avoiding her initially. He feels guilty because he had a huge part to play in the accident that killed Hilary's brother. He was the one that made Hilary come out that night. If only he had not, none of this would have happened💔.
But it still doesn't justify avoiding her and it sure as hell doesn't justify the things he said to her. If he wanted to break up, he could have just done that without making Hilary feel way worse than she already felt.
It's a good thing she broke up with him. At that point, it's the best decision ever!
For all of you that were crushing on Tekena Tamuno in the character Introduction video and character aesthetics, now you know the kind of person he is. You think he is annoying now bah? Don't worry, he'll infuriate you even more in chapters to come.
You'll probably end up hating him💀.
Next update will be on Monday. I honestly don't have a schedule for this thing 🤣. Even if I did, I'll most likely mess it up because I'm always eager to update.
P. S. This is a special shout out to bernieG247 for finishing the BTS Family Series in the space of three days 🤸🏽♀️🔥. That should be a world record. Babe, I can't wait to have your contagious energy and funny comments in this book ❤️.
That's it for this week. By the way, I'm not a big fan ghostreading. I don't fancy ghostreaders. I only vibe with my active readers. So, Don't forget to VOTE! COMMENT!! SHARE!!!