(042 - Ghost.)
Congratulations to vilalove09 and @Adeola3388 for coming in third place during our Quiz night on the group chat 🤣. It was fun... and they said the questions were hard. They weren't hard na. You people are not just reading ni🌚.
This is an opportunity. If you haven't joined the group chat for my books, you are definitely missing out. If you are interested, just send me a DM and I'll send you the link. You guys are going to enjoy yourselves.
Semeeha, Semeeha, Semeeha. How many times did I call you? Hmmn.
E go be💀☹️.
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
𝐒𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐇𝐀
(Semeeha Iris Malik)
I stared down at the screen of my phone, watching all my messages loading on Whatsapp. When I saw the group chat I was looking for, my eyes settled on it, blinking with anticipation as I watched the messages from last night increase with each buzz.
And I waited.
I sat down on my bed and waited to see one indication that I was tagged in the chats. I mean, out of over five hundred messages they sent to the group chat, they should have at least tagged me in one right? Just to show that they missed me in whatever they were discussing.
Come on. I was biting down on my fingernails now.
Even if Hilary or Dawn didn't tag me which I was sure they didn't, Kizito should have tagged me. He's always tagging me whenever I'm not available for a discussion on our group chat, just to include me whenever I come online.
But there was nothing. No "At Sign". Nothing at all.
Six hundred and fifty-five messages between 7:30 pm and 11:30 pm last night and I wasn't tagged once.
The three of them had chatted yesterday on the group chat without including me... like I wasn't even there, just as it has been going on for an entire week now.
Wow.
A burst of humorless, scoff-like laughter escaped my lips and I shook my head.
I shouldn't be surprised since it wasn't the first time this was happening. I shouldn't be pained. I mean, it's just a tag, right? Maybe what they might have been discussing didn't involve me which was probably why I wasn't tagged or included.
But I knew better. I knew I was being ignored. And I was both surprised and pained.
Terribly so.
"Wow," I repeated under my breath, feeling another sharp sting of hurt pierce my heart like an arrow.
So just like that, just because of a little misunderstanding, I was suddenly none existent to them, right? I was literally a ghost to them. I no longer mattered, all because I was trying to let Dawn see how ungrateful she is?
What wrong did I do by trying to be a good friend?
Okay, maybe my words were a little harsh and unorthodox, but come on, I had to say all of that just to make Dawn see that she was being such a big cry baby over a few harmless comments on the social media, comments that she was supposed to use to her advantage and skyrocket herself to a place of fame.
Instead of her being thankful people were appreciating her body, she was busy mopping around like a spoilt brat.
What's with the entitled attitude? Who does she think she is?
Does she know how many people would kill to be in her position? How many models would die just to have that little moment of recognition she had from the whole world?
Dawn had a body that all girls our age would kill for and she's busy being so ungrateful about it.
God knows if I had a body like hers, I'd be set for life. Mother won't even have to pull her weight to get me signed in any agency. The agencies will source for me by themselves. I'll be internationally sort after and people will want me!
Kizito would want me.
Maybe if I had a body like hers, he would look at me twice. Maybe he wouldn't have even had an eye for that BITCH.
But he wasn't talking to me. I know I've been staying away from the group, but he wasn't reaching out to me by himself.
Kizito always reaches out to me. He's always coming after me, but this time he wasn't and it was painful. So painful.
Dawn painting me as the bad guy wasn't that painful because it's something she always does. Hilary attacking me straight up after everything I said was a little shocking because she hardly gets angry.
But they were not as painful as Kizito not knowing half what happened before concluding in his mind that I was the one at fault.
It's always Semeeha.
I'm always the bad guy in their books.
Is that how irrelevant I am to him, that he didn't give me as much as a benefit of the doubt? It was strange because Kizito always gives me a benefit of the doubt.
Maybe it was Gigi Esho poisoning his mind against me. It had to be her.
That BITCH!
A loud hiss escaped my lips and echoed through the room. I could feel contempt and malice wash through me as the image of Gigi Esho flashed through my mind, filling me with an unimaginable wave of anger. I've never felt so much anger and irritation towards a person, anger, and irritation that made me want to claw my eyes out so that I'd never see her again.
No one has ever made me feel so petty in my entire life!
Impulsively and with the extreme pettiness I was feeling, I tapped on the group chat setting that viewed the four of us; Hilary, Dawn, Kizito, and me as participants, and before I could think things through, I got the exit button.
You left.
You can't send messages to this group because you are no longer a participant.
Even though the satisfaction I hoped to get from leaving the group chat didn't come, I tried to act like it did. Let's see if any of them would care enough to notice that I left the group chat. Let's see if Kizito would care enough to notice.
Knowing my friends, they'll come for me... eventually.
I know they will. They always apologize first, and this will not be an exception.
And if they don't?
A foreign voice made its way into my head, filling my mind with thoughts of the possibility that my friends might not come from me as they have always done this time. Thoughts of the possibility that they won't be the one to apologize first this time.
You will have to be the one to apologize. You know deep down that you were wrong.
The voice came again, persuasively this time. Instantly, I shook my head vigorously, desperately trying to get my mind as far away from that singular thought as possible. Over my dead body would I admit being wrong. Over my dead body would I apologize for being right. Over my dead body would I apologize for calling an ungrateful person out.
I was right and they were wrong!
I'm Always Right!
And if they don't apologize first for overreacting, then that's fine. We can keep acting like ghosts to each other for all I care. I am better off without them and I know I am.
I don't give two fucks what they think about me.
I don't care.
But as I placed my phone on the bed and rose from my bed to stand in front of my full-length mirror, staring at my reflection... as I tugged down on my school blazer to hide the slight, almost inconspicuous bump of my tummy... as I watched in complete silence as one lone tear made its way out through the corner of my eyes,
Deep down, I knew it. God knew it. Even the Universe knew it.
I care.
I give plenty fucks what they think about me.
If I didn't, I wouldn't have been stress-eating this past week.
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
"Iris,"
I had barely gotten to the end of the staircase that led downstairs when I heard my name.
My middle name.
Only one person called me that.
Sudden coldness flooded my body that instant. I stood, my feet frozen against the floor that same second as goosebumps hit my skin, my heart pounding rampantly against my chest at an accelerated speed.
I could feel the palms of my getting clammy with sweat, my knees locking together so hard that I almost tripped and fell down the staircase. But I wouldn't dare do that. I just forced myself to stand and stare back at the woman.
My Mother.
What is she doing at home? She isn't supposed to still be around. I calculated.
With that thought, I glanced at my wristwatch to catch a glimpse of the time. It was 7:45 am. She wasn't meant to be at home at this time. Except she wasn't following her schedule which was very absurd to even think about.
Natasha Malik is obsessed with following schedules to the latter. It's exactly why she's my manager.
This was totally out of character for her and the simple thought of that made me feel on edge.
"Mother," I tried not to stutter as I forced out that word through my lips, unable to hide the shock in my tone.
Even with how I had called to her, she didn't look up from the plate in front of her, not even a glance. She kept eating her breakfast of pancakes, coated with maple syrup, whipped cream, and raspberries, sparing me not one look.
She was taking her sweet, precious time, ever so delicately cutting a tiny piece out of the layers of pancake on her plate as if she was scared of breaking her neatly manicured blood-red fingernails.
I stood unflinchingly at the beginning of the staircase, watching her stab the piece of pancake with her fork before lifting it to her mouth. I kept watching as her burgundy lipstick-coated lips parted ways for the pancake to go through, daintily biting off the piece from the fork so that she won't ruin her lipstick.
Then suddenly, she dropped her cutleries... and lifted her eyes away from the plate to look at me in a cold, frosty stare.
I gulped loudly... embarrassingly if I might add. I threw a hand over my mouth when I saw my ever tenacious Mother's eyes twitch in disgust. It was almost unnoticeable, but it was there. And I saw it.
I forced myself not to gulp again.
"Are you going to keep standing there like a bloody statue, or do you want me to come to drag you to this place."
She wasn't asking. She was threatening. And though her tone was calm, the threatening undertone in it made an aggressive chill run down my spine, making me shiver involuntarily.
I consciously tugged my blazer down again to hide my tummy, carefully making my way to the dining room till I was standing at the other end of the long dining table, quite a distance away from my Mother who had gone back to eating as though nothing happened. I stood by my seat, waiting for her to give the order for me to sit.
Yes, I dare not place my buttocks on that chair if she doesn't say I should sit down.
Restraining myself from tapping my leg nervously against the floor, I discreetly tugged down at my blazer again. The distance between Mother and me didn't make me feel relaxed. If anything, I felt even more uneasy knowing that no matter how inconspicuous the bump was, there was no way it would go unnoticed by my Mother.
She was definitely bound to notice the increase in my weight too, even if I only creased in weight by five kilograms.
Natasha Malik would know. She always knows.
But like every time, I prayed that she didn't notice today.
"Sit."
At that order, the maid assigned to my sit ran to take out my chair for me so I can sit down. I sat down, holding my breath as I kept my eyes on Mother, trying to read her, to know what her next was. But I couldn't. It was almost impossible to know the things going on in Natasha Malik's head.
The woman in question was just sitting there, eating like I wasn't sitting opposite her.
What is she thinking?
"Semeeha darling," A familiar motherly voice tore through my thoughts. I looked up to see Mama Marie making her way out of the kitchen and towards me, holding a tray in her hands. My lips stretched in an automatic smile.
"Mama Marie, Good Morning," I greeted her with a beaming smile. With her presence in the room, I felt a bit relaxed. Even with the way my Mother was so against me relating with the help, Mama Marie was probably the only worker I spoke to freely.
I think Mother had some sort of low-key respect for the elderly woman even though she failed to show it.
"How was your night?" The older woman asked me when she got in front of me. I glanced at Mother who was still eating, slicing the pancakes into tiny pieces before stabbing them with her fork and putting it into her mouth, then looked back at Mama Marie and just nodded, still smiling.
My night was just like any other night. Cold, Lonely, and Dreamless.
But that was better than having nightmares right?
"Here is your breakfast," She told me, making a move to put the tray she was holding on the table in front of me.
"She's not eating," Came Mother's icy voice, stopping Mama Marie midway.
I looked at her, wondering why she had told Mama Marie that I wasn't eating. Despite the bump in my tummy, I actually still wanted to eat. Not because I was stressed, but because I was hungry.
Really Hungry.
I didn't eat to sleep last night because I didn't want my tummy to increase more than it had already increased.
I looked at Mama to see her staring at Mother in confusion, holding the tray in her hands.
"But Madam Natasha-" She began, but Mother. held her hand up, silencing Mama in a dismissive wave. I swallowed, my feet tapping against the floor silently in nervousness, wondering what Mother was up to.
Did she notice? Was that why she was cutting my breakfast?
The light-skinned woman that looked nothing like me dropped her cutleries with a soft clang on the ceramic plate, slowly looking up till her eyes met mine, grey contact lenses peering at me that accentuated the coldness of her glare at me.
Yes, she was glaring at me, burgundy lips in a grim line and her well-made up face in a scowl. That was enough for me to know that there has been a caught.
She knows.
"You thought I won't notice the steady weight gain, didn't you,"
She wasn't asking me, she was telling me because she didn't born me well to try to deny it. I averted my glance away from her for a moment, only for the table to vibrate with a loud bang that made me jump and my head jerk back to its initial position. Mama Marie didn't as much as flinch, looking between me and my mother with an expression I couldn't read.
I looked back at Mother, seeing that her gaze had hardened even more and the scowl on her face was a lot scary, it shook me to my core.
"Don't ever look away when I'm talking to you." Her voice was still as calm as ever, but I couldn't miss the warning undertone and the venom sipping through her words.
I quickly nodded, gulping inaudibly.
"Words!" She ordered, her voice harsh this time.
"Yes Mother," I forced out, thanking my stars that I didn't stutter.
"Did you really think I won't notice the little bump in your belly and the slight increase in your weight?" She continued like nothing had happened, her well-drawn brows furrowed in a deeper scowl. It was a question but I dare not answer it.
"I have been watching you gain weight over the week like a pregnant elephant," She went on casually. I felt a pang in my chest but pushed it down. "I didn't say anything because I thought with the millions I'm paying at that school of yours, you'd be smart enough to do the right thing and fix yourself back to perfection. But no, you are just as empty-headed as I initially presumed you to be, getting fat and ugly like a hippo."
Wow.
She laid out those words, those powerfully destructive words like she was giving candy out to a baby, looking at me right in the eye as she said those words without daunting... words that broke me down to the ground and shattered me completely,
Mama Marie was witnessing it all. I could feel her eyes on me, could sense the pity radiating from her. But I didn't want to see it, so I didn't bother looking at her. I prefer to stare at my mother right in the eye, listen to everything she has to say to me, and digest it, than for someone to see me as weak and helpless.
Natasha Malik, my Mother, called me Fat and Ugly.
But, where is the lie? Where exactly is the lie?
"Do you think the agency will want you to be the face of any brand with the way you are going?" Her voice was rising now. "Do you think brands like fat girls on the cover of their products? Do you think if any new agency sees how ugly and flabby you are, they'd want to sign you?-
Do you think it's because you have me, that's a reason to misbehave and be such a fool? Do I have to always be the one pulling the strings for you, you ungrateful and stupid child!" She snapped, hitting her hand on the table for a second time, causing me to jump again. A tear threatened to escape my eyes but I quickly took my hand to clean it before Mother sees it.
"I'm sorry, Mother," I whispered.
This is all my fault. This is my fault. I should discipline myself more. I should stop eating too much.
"Madam Natasha, maybe you need to take it easy on-" Mama Marie wanted to intervene again.
"Shut up, Marie," Mother snapped at the older woman, pointing a warning dinner at her. "This is between my child and me. The next time you try to interfere, it will be your last day here. You know I don't bluff." She threatened Mama, who looked back at her without moving a muscle.
The tone of her voice and the fact that she had literally disregarded a woman much older than her made me cringe. It also made me blame myself even more. Mama Marie won't be in such an embarrassing situation if it wasn't for me.
"Iris," Mother called out to me and I turned to look at her, trying to hold her piercing gaze with mine.
"Yes, Mother," I answered.
"For the rest of this week, you won't eat anything except fruits and water," She instructed, giving out the usual solution to my predicament. "You won't wait for anyone or go anywhere after school, you'll come straight home and work out in the gym for four hours. I'll get you a gym instructor to guide you."
"Yes, Mother," Was all I could say. I couldn't argue, couldn't protest. When I'm not mad.
"Now let me warn you," Her voice toned an octave lower, undertones of venom, menace, and foreboding sipping through, causing a frigid chill to creep up and down my spine. I swallowed.
"I always know what you are up to, so don't even think for one second that you can outsmart me," Her voice held so much contempt. "If you break your diet, I'll know. If you stay back in school for a stupid reason, I'll find out. If you don't finish the four hours of gym time, I'll get to know. If you flout my orders..." She trailed off, a humorless, yet malicious laugh escaping her lips. "You are in big trouble."
I gulped for the umpteenth, the feeling of dread washing over me in waves.
"Yes, Mother," I was beginning to sound like a broken record but there was nothing more I could say, nothing more I could think of saying.
"Don't test me, Iris," She warned me, the final note of warning in her voice and expression. "I hope for your sake that you don't defile me. Do I have to remind you what I'm capable of?" She asked me, sardonicsm dripping from her tone in surges, making me shiver involuntarily.
"N-No, Mother," I couldn't help the slight trembling in my voice this time, and from the way Mother's stoic face scrunched up slightly, I knew it had irritated her.
"Get out of my sight,"
That simple order had me flying off my seat and dasing towards the door in short but quick steps. I'd be in more trouble than I already was if I run out of the house.
Mother's orders.
Mama Marie tried to sneak me snacks that I'd eat when I get to school but I couldn't risk collecting anything from her. I wouldn't dare defile Mother. She knows everything about me, She sees everything about me. She'd find out and she'd strangely me to death.
I'd only be mad, insane in fact to dare my Mother's ability to destroy me just at the snap of her fingers.
I got to school when assembly had ended. The school area was busy but the senior block was busier, a deafening noise coming from my class block alone. The realization that most of my classmates were probably standing in the corridor of the block made anxiety crawl up my neck.
I thought I'd have gotten used to it by now, but the truth is that I don't think I'd ever get used to being the center of attention. Not on the runway, and definitely not in the middle of the hallway as my classmates stare at me and judge me in their minds.
Walking with Hilary and Dawn has made it bearable over the years. But this last week has been torture, walking all alone in the middle of the hallway, struggling to carry my legs one step at a time till I reach my class, trying to keep my head up high in faux pride while praying desperately that I don't trip and fall on my face.
I'd rather fall a million times on the runway than to fall in front of my classmates.
I managed to get to my class without tripping or falling over the balcony and three storeys down. After making sure that Hilary wasn't in class and I wouldn't have to bump into her, I sashayed my way in the noisy classroom like I had zero care in the world.
I had already started making my way towards my temporary seat that was already beginning to feel like it would be my permanent, only for me to pause in my steps when I realized he was sitting there.
He was staring back at me like he had been expecting me, then started shaking his head.
I sighed, fighting the urge not to roll my eyes.
"Come on,"
"Not today, Semeeha," He answered me, adamantly folding his hand over his chest. "I'm taking my seat back, thank you very much," He added, giving me a smile.
An ugh sound escaped my lips as I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes this time.
"Really?" I asked incredulously and all he did was shrug. "We talked about this, Collins," I reminded him. "I told you that you'd be sitting beside Hilary for the time being and you agreed," I stated shrewdly.
When it seemed like the tension between Hilary and me didn't want to dissipate, I talked Collins into exchanging seats with me. He had easily agreed because he was already used to me making this kind of request. This wasn't his first time, so it was rather absurd for him to be backing off the deal now when Hilary and I weren't still on speaking terms.
"I agreed because your fights with Hilary don't last this long," He said. My brows furrowed slightly in a frown at his unconscious presumption that I was the one fighting with Hilary, but I let it slide.
"It's been a week now, Semeeha," He continued, holding my gaze. "And no, it's not like I don't want to help you but I'm not so comfortable sitting in front. Maybe I can compromise for you just a little longer, but Kasarachi is already complaining that she's not comfortable with you sitting beside her." He said.
Kasarachi was Collins's seat partner and a complete pain in the behind.
"Fine," I shrugged. "Convince Kasarachi to go sit beside Hilary and you'll sit here at the back with me. It's a win-win." I gave the perfect solution. Kasarachi was a bookworm. Convincing her to sit in front with Hilary won't be a hassle.
"Convincing Kasarachi is not going to be a problem," Collins assured me and I smiled. "But it's still my chair, so you have to say please." He bared his teeth out at me in a teasing grin.
I rolled my eyes again.
"Please?" I said it just to fulfill all righteousness. Collins smirked, satisfied with getting what he wanted.
"I'll go talk to Kasarachi now," He told me, getting up from the chair. "You might as well just sit down." He added, stepping away from the way so that I would sit down while he went to talk to his seat partner.
I slipped my school bag off my back, setting it on my lap before I started bringing out my books to arrange inside the locker. Wanting to see if Collins has been able to convince his seat partner to take my seat, I looked up, my eyes searching for Kasarachi and Collins around the class. But instead, my eye caught something else. Or rather, someone else.
Hilary.
She was walking - no - skipping into the room, her left hand playing with the strap of her backpack unconsciously. I watched her ease her way into the class so easily, noticing the liberal aura that exuded from her.
She looked good. Pretty, even. And she wasn't trying at all.
It was when she threw a glance to her back with her lips stretching in a smile that I realized she had not walked in alone. Someone was walking closely with her.
Simisola Jordan.
He was the one walking with her.
My forehead creased and my face contorted into a deep frown, but I couldn't take my eyes away from them. I watched as they walked into the class together, Hilary smiling at something Simi was telling her, oblivious to the kind of attention they were gathering to themselves from the rest of the class.
Or maybe they weren't oblivious. Maybe they just decided to ignore the busybodies.
I wasn't blind to their growing closeness and obviously, neither were our classmates. But then, our classmates were not as important as I was. I was the one seeing things the way they were. They weren't the ones getting stood up or canceled on because someone else needs tutorials.
For almost a month now, Hilary has been spending an awful amount of time with Simisola Jordan. Though Hilary had tried to downplay it with the whole tutoring thing, I knew better. They were fast becoming tight and I could see that. Even Kizito and Dawn could see that. Unlike, they seemed to welcome it. Subtly, but I have noticed the way they teased Hilary anytime she makes an excuse to leave our hangouts early to go meet him.
But, for some reason, it didn't sit well with me. None of it did.
There was a change in Hilary, I change that I noticed began when she started hanging out with Simi. She was beginning to look so radiant, so carefree with an airy and cheery aura radiating around her I was happy for her, happy at how much she has improved over the term.
But seeing her with Simisola irritated me to bits, irritated me just as much as when I see Dawn and Sochima Johnson together. Yet, I can't pinpoint the exact reason why I was irritated by them.
Maybe there was no reason at all.
I was just irritated.
When my eyes focused back on the both of them, I saw that they had already parted, taking the different routes that lead to their seat. For some reason, I tried to watch and see if Hilary would notice me. She knew I was sitting down here. I have been sitting down here for a week now, just six tables able from the second roll where she was.
So I waited. I kept my eyes trained on hers, maybe she'd notice that someone was staring at her and look in my direction, or at least glance at me for a bit.
But I waited in vain because Hilary didn't do any of that. She didn't even glance at me, not for one second. She just settled in her seat casually and started arranging her books inside her locker, focused on it ever so religiously.
The worst part of it all was when I saw Kasarachi walk to the seat and settle beside her. Hilary smiled at the girl like she was her original seat partner, engaging with her like they were best friends.
It hurt.
Watching all of that exchange hurt like a bitch.
I have never felt so invisible and irrelevant in my life.
Mother has done absolutely worst to me, but it didn't hurt like this. I literally felt like a complete ghost.
I was more or less a ghost at this point.
"---You are not listening to me," Collin's voice pulled me out of my reverie.
I jumped slightly at the shock of him sounding so close to me, turning to my side to see that he was already sitting down in Kasarachi's seat.
"Sorry, what were you saying?" I asked, wanting him to repeat what he was saying while my mind was far away.
Collins didn't answer. He just kept staring at me, eyes peering right at me like he was trying to observe and read me. The way he was staring at me so casually and without batting an eyelid made me feel somehow, self-conscious actually.
Did he also notice that I added weight? I couldn't help but ask myself.
Even with the unease, I felt under his gaze, I still held it with a straight face, trying to act like I wasn't affected by him or his stare.
"You guys have never gone this long without speaking to each other," He didn't have to expressly tell me what he was talking about before I knew, and It dampened my mood.
Here I was, worried out of my mind that he had seen an Imperfection in me, only for him to start talking about how Hilary and I were still not speaking.
Did I tell him I needed the reminder?
I forced myself not to hiss.
"I know it's none of my business, but I'm honestly concerned," He did sound concerned but I didn't care. "What's going on with you guys?" he asked but I didn't respond, looking away from him to stare at the suddenly interesting table, hoping my silence would shut him up.
But classic Collins, he doesn't know when to shut up.
"And it's not only Hilary you're not talking to," He went on. "You are not talking to Kizito and Dawn as well. You don't even sit with them in the cafeteria anymore..."
That elicited a reaction from me. And it wasn't a good one.
"Have you been watching me!" I whispered-yelled at him, unable to hide the displeasure in my voice. Collins lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"It's not difficult to notice the most popular friend group in the whole school getting estranged," He explained, his voice calm as if he was trying to reason with me. "And it's not difficult to notice that you have been sitting by yourself this past week. I'm only concerned, Semeeha."
"Well, keep your concerns to yourself because whatever is going on between my friends and me, as you said, is none of your business. They are not your friends, they are mine. MINE! You giving up your seat for me doesn't automatically make us friends, Collins, because we are not friends. Get that into your head!"
I snapped. He stared.
I knew everything I said.
I picked my words carefully so that they would hurt him. For reasons best known to me, I just wanted to transfer some of the hurt I was feeling so that he'd feel them too. I don't know why I did that but Collins made himself an easy target for transferring aggression because I knew he'd not react.
And he didn't.
If my words had hurt him, he didn't show it. Not even a flinch in his expression or a twitch of his eyes. Nothing. He just stared at me again, something that looked like a ghost of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Gotten,"
He finally spoke and that was all that he said before turning away from me, Mrs. Ighodalo our Biology teacher walking in at that same moment. I sighed in exhaustion, turning to face front as well.
But deep down, I felt a prick in my heart, chiding me for the words I said to Collins. I know I shouldn't have said all those things to him, because he has been nothing but helpful to me this past week. Any other person would have driven me away from their seat after saying things like that, but Collins didn't.
I glanced at the dark boy beside me from my peripheral vision, subtly watching him bring out his biology note and textbook, looking completely unaffected. And I looked away.
Collins will get over it. I assured myself, trying to suppress the guilt I was feeling.
He will get over it.
While I was trying to get my biology notebook and textbook out of my locker, I felt my phone vibrate in my blazer pocket. After making sure Mrs. Ighodalo's back turned to the class, I fished it out and checked.
It was a WhatsApp message. No, two WhatsApp messages
From Kizito!
I quickly tapped on the notification and it took me to his DM right away.
Kizi❤️💖💘🥵
Why did you leave the group chat, Semeeha?
So he did notice.
I had to bite down against my lips to stop myself from smiling so hard.
Kizi❤️💖💘🥵
Please let's meet in the AF stadium during break. Just me and you. I won't call the girls, yeah?
Yes!
I almost screamed out loud but had to calm myself. But this time, I didn't stop the big smile from stretching at the corners of my lips.
Letting out a deep, satisfied sigh. I gave him a simple reply that didn't reveal how excited I was.
Me.
Sure. Whatever.
But as monotonous as that reply sounded, I was smiling so hard, my cheeks began to hurt. I could feel Collins looking at me, probably wondering why I was smiling to my phone so much, but I didn't pay him any heed.
Kizito wanted to see me and that was all that mattered to me right now. Not Hilary or Dawn acting like I didn't exist. Kizito was all that mattered right now.
Call me selfish, but I don't give a fuck.
When I noticed Mrs. Ighodalo turning back around, I quickly put my phone away so it won't get seized, that smile still playing on my lips. I tried to concentrate on the class, but I just couldn't stop thinking about what break time would hold, couldn't stop thinking about Kizito too.
Maybe he still cared about me after all.
𝐀/𝐍
Semeeha's mum though 😑💔.
Kizito has no idea the kind of commotion he is causing in the heart of Semeeha right now and that makes everything a lot more dangerous.
It's a little annoying though. I mean, the way some guys are so oblivious to the fact that girls like them and stuff. But then, you can't exactly blame Kizito for turning a blind eye to the hints. He has been friends with Semeeha for years and nothing like this ever sprung.
He'd have to be very attentive to notice her feelings for him because she hides it so well, and right now, he's not exactly the most attentive person, given that his attention is now divided.
Anyway, I dropped a little hint in this chapter. Very obvious one at that, so I hope you guys noticed 🌚.
We'd be having Semeeha's POV in the next chapter as well. I can't really tell you what to expect in the chapter but...🙂.
I'll see you when I see you.