Inside the Principal's office, I stare at the white walls taunting me under fluorescent lights.
The only sound in the room comes from me breathing, so I scan the room to busy myself.
My eyes land on the 7 foot glass cabinet full of prehistory looking documents.
Unfortunately, this meant my drifting gaze landed on the brooding boy resting his right shoulder on the shelf.
He only stares on at his leather watch and I sigh in relief as I quickly avert my gaze.
The sound of muffled voices cause us to jump in place in front of the Principal's table.
The air thickens when Mr Dike walks in, looking like he had seen his estranged wife.
Suddenly I feel a drop of liquid trickle down my collar and the fear of what awaited me at home floated in my mind.
I look at him devoid of any emotion to which he only squints.
Beside me Demilade's face shows remorse and pity him, he was the Head Boy afterall.
"When I first heard of this I was appalled that two prefects would act so shamefully on school grounds." he says pausing to look between us.
I only stare at his head to keep myself from becoming a blubbering mess.
He continues. "But since this happened Demilade give me your side of the story."
"I informed her she didn't have to rehearse with me and insulted me. I then retaliated with insults of my own." he drones out and my eyes double at his words.
Before I can object the Principal turns to me with a vicious look and the words die in my throat.
"Is this true?" Mr Dike presses.
I choose my next words carefully. "No sir. He was insulted by my opinion but the name calling started with him."
Demilade glares at me and I continue despite knowing I had almost swore at him.
"He said I was like Satan."
"She provoked me!" he exclaims and the gravity of what I had done slams into me.
This addition would put Demilade on the blacklist and an easy target for suspension -which he couldn't afford at this time.
I dare to look at him and see his red eyes staring back at me in disbelief.
Never had I felt more like the scum of the earth than I did now.
"I am dissappointed in you Demilade, but because you're first time offenders I'm going to let it slide..." Mr Dike says and both of us begin to thank him, only to be interrupted once more.
"On the condition that you undergo a week of detention." he concludes, giving a surprisingly light consequence for our misbehaviour.
We both nod and leave the office in silence, though we knew there was much left unsaid between us.
..................
Victoria catches up to me and stops walking.
She takes a moment to catch her breath before she begins. "See, what happened break time sucked but it doesn't mean you should go around frowning."
I adjust my bag strap not wishing to recall today's events.
On top of my weeklong sentence, rumors of I and Demilade had spread like wildfire.
Apparently the important business we had been attending to was a quickie in the year seven classrooms.
"Spare me the peptalk and get to the point." I snap growing more irritated by the second.
"There's no point, all I'm trying to do is get my best friend back." she answers with unexpected calmness.
"I'm sorry I just want to be alone right now." I respond and she nods.
"Alright but just incase you ever do have a quickie with Demilade," she adds and tosses a pink little box at me.
Immediately recognizing it from the pharmacies I smack it back in her direction.
"You're sick!" I say and she cackles at me.
I fight to keep my lips downturned but fail miserably.
"I just wanted to make you smile but think of it as a gift." Victoria says stretching her hand out to me this time.
"You're sexually active?" I ask and accept it, not wanting to take the condoms but afraid someone might recognize them.
"Have been for a while now." she replies with a shrug.
"How? and your mum?" I question, struggling to make sense of her words.
She gives me one of her double edged smiles again. "Let's just say there are a lot of things she doesn't know about me."
I shake my head and hail her. "Fear church girls o!"
To which she corrects me. "No-no fear Victoria."
"What happened to sweet little Victoria from last summer?" I ask no one in particular.
My friend loops her arm in mine and hums to herself. "She grew up my sister, she grew up."
................................
I place a full stop on my exercise book and conclude my reading for the day.
I had been practicing Chemistry past questions till I could see triple carbon bonds when I closed my eyes.
Grabbing my phone from the stand, I contemplate what to do with the few minutes I could still keep my eyes open.
I scroll down and almost tap on Demilade's chat when his call comes in.
Instinctively I flatten my scattered twists and clear my throat before I pick.
"Hey you." he says and my worries fly out my bedroom window.
"It seems you have a habit of calling me late at night." I respond and hear the same laugh that never got old.
"Work calls, and I thought I'd give you some time to finish studying." Isren answers.
"How noble of you." I say in faux adoration.
"Is there something about night calls I should know? Because it sounds like you think I have ulterior motives." he says and coincidentally my eyes land on the condom I had left on my bed.
"Me? No, I don't find you calling me at ungodly hours suspicious." I tease, quickly kicking the pack under my duvet.
"Then, I'll have you know I called to check on you and ask about the gala this Friday." he says and I tense up.
I didn't have any outfit that would be up to a prestigious gala standard.
"Yeah you're picking me at 4:30 right?" I ask to fill the silence that had followed.
"I am but that's not what I'm asking for. I have a gift I hope you won't refuse." he says and I cut in.
"Isn't it too early for gifts." I rush out not wanting to get roped into a sugar baby saga.
"I had a feeling you'd say that, I just don't want you to feel out of your element at the gala." he says and I cringe.
"So it is going to be full of snobby socialites. How on earth am I even going to attend without landing on a gossip column?" I question begining to contemplate an excuse to give him.
"Easy. It's a private event and your problem will be solved if you just accept my gift." he assures me and I pause.
On one hand I wanted to spend more time with him, but on the other I'd be in high society when clearly I wasn't rich, sophisticated, or glamorous.
Suddenly my insecurity came back and I felt so small compared to him in every way.
"Nimi?" he asks and I sigh.
"I don't think I'm cut out for this." I answer softly.
"I thought you were all about risks." he says out of the blue and my lips thin.
I didn't want to be a wimp.
"I'm returning the gift after the event." I say having made up my mind.
"Is that a yes I'm hearing?" Isren teases.
"If it's not fun you're taking me back home. Deal?" I ask instead.
"Agreed." he answers without skipping a beat.
But my heart did.