ZEPHYR ROYAL ACADEMY.
This Monday morning was just like any other, the weekend hangover of course, with all the sucking subjects that start the week,
"Baby ..." Marieh happily rushed out of her car on seeing Amir. She didn't bother to park the car well just so she could catch up with him.
"Yo, Amir" she loudly called.
Without turning to look back or even stopping, he still continued his way. Marieh was confused, she stood watching him go and then looked back at her wrongly parked car.
"Arrgghhhh" she screamed in frustration. She turned back to her car to go and park it well.
"Did Amir just ignore Marieh?" Kalvin said to Matt in shock,
"Holy shit, what did we just witness?" Matt in shock and disbelief said.
"Let's not get involved now." Kalvin said, the two had watched them from a distance, like agreed, they turned using another direction to enter the school building.
Babi stood infront of her locker, her eyes stuck on the phone, she was scrolling through all the unreplied messages from the number she hadn't saved yet.
"This fucker" she quietly said.
"Who..." Marieh asked on reaching her.
"What?" Babi was a bit startled, she hurriedly put her phone inside the locker.
"Who is pissing you off?" Marieh asked.
"I should be asking you that, you don't look fine." Babi said.
Marieh was quiet, she leaned over the locker, looking towards the other side of the lockers in direction where she had come from. Babi looked at her with concerned eyes and then followed her staring direction, Babi's eyes landing on Amir who was talking to his friends.
"Amir!" Babi said.
Marieh turned looking at Babi.
"I don't know what's wrong with him." Marieh said, her tone bringing out all the frustration.
Babi closed her locker then turned looking at Amir whose eyes were on them as well, his eyes met with Babi then he walked away with his other friends.
"He was fine all weekend, we were working at the farm, he played more with Morgan, totally fine." Babi said looking back at Marieh.
Marieh just breathed out heavily.
"Did he say anything mean to you?" Babi very softly asked.
"No, he seemed to be ignoring me earlier in the lot." Marieh said sadly.
" Amir? No, he can't. Not you." Babi said in disbelief, others can fight, get angry with each other and could last for days but with Amir and Marieh, whenever they had a problem with each other, it got sorted there and then, the one in wrong would apologize and they would move on very fine, it only took minutes for them to be fine again, Amir ignoring her was not possible.
"I'm positive B." Marieh said sadly.
Babi held her bestfriend's hand gently.
"Worry less, we are going to figure it out later." Babi said sounding promising.
Babi held her hand tighter walking away.
Zephyr Royal Academy being a private institution, they wore a navy blue and white uniform, the boys in blue trousers, white shirt, navy blue ties, with jackets that were navy blue with white edges and girls in navy blue round short skirts with two white stripes above the hem, white shirt, navy blue bow tie, and the jackets navy blue and white edges, the navy blue stockings long with white stripes. With their uniforms, they really looked classy and sexy at the same time.
Marieh and Babi got into class, Marieh froze on looking at Amir, who was seated at the back in what looked like a very deep conversation with some other red head girl. Babi looked at Amir confused, Matt and Kalvin were seated in-front of Amir and the red head, this seemed like drama to them.
"Marieh.." Babi called softly.
"I'm fine." Marieh hurriedly said, she pulled her hand out of Babi's walking to where Amir and the red head were seated .
"Move." she said to the girl with full force anger .
"Yo, relax." Amir said hurriedly holding the girl's hand who was already leaving.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Babi angrily asked.
"Guys, it's not the time to start discussing the issues for the sudden changes." Kalvin hurriedly butted in, his tone a bit low.
"Ahhh, you don't realise you're attracting the whole class into this." Matt said.
Babi looked around and the whole class had turned looking at them.
Amir put on a smile turning from the class to Babi keeping his smile on.
"Babi, please." Amir said all smiles.
"Better be making your will in the meantime." She angrily said then walked away. She sat on the seat in-front of Marieh.
"Did you two fight?" Babi asked.
"Can we not talk about this now, please?" Marieh said her voice shaking, making it very obvious that she could break down into tears.
"Okay." Babi respected.
Nathan entered class as well, Amir's seat change was what he noticed first. He quickly walked over sitting next to Babi,
"Amir changed seats?" He asked immediately.
"Don't talk about that bustard." Babi said.
"Did they fight? But they never fight." Nathan said.
"Why are you late?" Babi turned to him, changing the topic.
"Ahhhh, woke up late." Nathan said.
"Don't change the topic B, i'm asking." Nathan added.
"Honestly I don't know, but keep it down Marieh is not fine." Babi said, her voice low.
Nathan turned looking at Marieh over the shoulder then looking back.
The professor then entered, attracting everyone's attention.
"Good morning." He greeted the class.
"Good morning." A few replied back.
"Before we start, let's first welcome our new student in the class." He said.
The whole class turned looking at the door anxiously waiting for the person to come in. The door was opened seconds later. Darnel Josiah Grayson came in organising his tie.
"Great." Amir loudly commented,
Babi was too stunned to react but look at him endlessly yet with a frown on her face. Nathan turned looking at Babi for while then back to Darnel, he was still looking down struggling to knot the tie.
"To hell." Darnel said pulling it out then looking at the class.
"Please introduce yourself." The professor said.
"Darnel Grayson is my name." He said. "Where would you feel comfortable sitting?" The professor asked.
Darnel moved his eyes around the class, he looked at Babi with a smirk .
"Marieh," He said.
"with Marieh, professor." Darnel said.
With no more say, he walked sitting next to her. Marieh looked at him, speechless as well.
"Are you fine?" He quietly asked Marieh.
She nodded her head gesturing yes. The lesson then started, Amir's eyes focused on Darnel and Marieh for while, once in a while Darnel looked at Marieh who was doing nothing, not paying attention, not writing, just sad.
"Okay enough." Darnel loudly said, he stood up grabbing Marieh's hand.
"Darnel!!!" She called in surprise.
"You can't walk? I can carry you." Darnel asked.
The whole class looked at them, most girls covering their mouths at how sweet his statement was. Marieh stood up following him out of the class. The class was left mummering yet others silent and not so happy. Amir tightly and hardly squeezed his pen in his hand.
"I don't like the unnecessary attention." Marieh said trying to pull her hand out of his grip but failed.
On reaching the swimmers locker room, he opened the door and they got in.
"Stop trying to act like it." Marieh shouted at him.
"Like what?" Darnel asked, his voice calm.
"Joining school, choosing the same classes as me, deciding to sit in Amir's seat, causing a scene in class.." Marieh said in frustration.
"Let me first make myself clear, I didn't decide to come to school, choose these classes or sit there because of you." Darnel said bluntly.
"No?" She asked.
"No, and getting you out of class is because you don't look fine, you wanted to cry and I couldn't stand it." he said.
Marieh breathed out heavily sitting on the bench.
"Do you like it?" Marieh asked.
"What?" Darnel asked.
"Our engagement." She asked. Darnel looked at her silently.
"No." he honestly replied.
"But do we have a choice?" He added.
"No." Marieh replied.
"It's hard, it's heavy, it's suffocating." She sobbed covering her face with her hands.
"I know, but make it easy, find where you can breathe from, find a hole in this loop." Darnel said softly.
He honestly totally understands every single one of her emotions, the two have to live their lives as legacies and on responsibilities, every action they do has a consequence to affect those around them or themselves.
"That's what I have done, live it with it's privileges, fuck whom you want, love whom you want, party, drink till you drop before everything catches up with you." Darnel said. He moved closer hugging her a bit. Marieh then broke into tears.
"What about our marriage?" She asked in between tears.
"Why are you thinking about it now, it's way far in the future, live now, we shall cross that bridge when we reach it." Darnel said.
"Don't let me stop you because i'm not stopping you." he added.
"Darnel am trying to make the future work, our marriage work." She cried.
"But i'm not asking you to try, don't do a thing about it, cause i'm not, I am fucking whomever I want, I'm doing nothing to save it so please don't as well." Darnel honestly said.
"Do you think we can ever be in love?" Darnel asked her.
Marieh pulled herself from her hands looking at him in between her tears
"Right now I honestly say no, cause I feel nothing like love for you." Marieh said cleaning her tears.
"Same here." Darnel said.
"So don't push it, let's not force that love or be true and loyal to each other." Darnel added.
"Let's build friendship." Marieh said.
"Yes, I will be that friend you're engaged and married to, the one that's supportive and makes it less suffocating." Darnel said.
Marieh smiled a bit, eventually she giggled.
"And I will be that friend too, so don't hold back." Marieh said with a smile. The two laughed a bit, at least with them now, new rules have been made to make it less suffocating.
"Now clean those tears, you look ugly with them, a smile suits you better." Darnel said, making Marieh laugh a bit. She cleaned her tears.
"This stays between us, I hope you remember that." Darnel said standing up.
"I'm no dummy, our parents wouldn't love to hear that, it's our thing, let's play with the public and them." Marieh said smiling. She stood up walking to the door.
"Let's go back to class." She said.
"Ahhh, that's not exactly my thing." he said with a frown.
"Which means you're not really here for me or serious studying, then what for?" She asked. Darnel looked at her with smile.
"Can't answer that now, I will let you know with time." Darnel said.
"Did you have a school tour?" She asked.
"Marieh, i'm not exactly new here, I am on the swimmers team, every swimming season i'm always here." Darnel said.
"I know, but you just been to the pool area and in these locker rooms . You haven't reached the cool places." Marieh said with a smile. Darnel smiled looking at her.
"And class, Miss?" He asked.
"You saved me out of it." She said.
"So you're not exactly a Saint" He said following her really impressed.
They both went on talking and laughing.
Later after class while the students were moving out, Babi turned looking at the empty seats of Marieh and now Darnel. She looked so curious and sad at the same time.
"Let's go." Nathan stood up saying.
"Where?" she asked.
"Our next period." Nathan said.
"Nah, go ahead I want to first look for Marieh." she said standing up.
Nathan looked at her walk away, he too stood up following up.
"What are you doing?" Babi asked.
"Helping you look for them, Marieh is my friend and she looked like she wanted to cry." Nathan said.
"Us too." Kalvin and Matt said from behind them.
The two had held Amir on both sides bringing him a long. Babi looked at Amir with anger.
"Well, we are forcing him to come a long so they can make up." Kalvin said.
"He is not resisting meaning he wants to come a long too." Nathan said.
Babi led the way and they all followed.
"William." Babi called as he entered the swimmers locker room.
"Oh hey mummy." he happily turned with a wide smile.
" Darnel " Babi said not exactly happy
"What's wrong?" William asked realising there is an issue at hand.
"Darnel, where is he?" Nathan asked.
"In your class." William said.
"We wouldn't be looking for him." Babi said angrily.
"Let me check inside." William said then entered. A few mins after, he came back shaking his head .
"His bag and coat are in his locker, he has been there." William came back saying
"Why are you looking for him though?" He added.
"He went out of class with Marieh who was not fine." Kalvin said.
"To get Marieh, we need Darnel." Babi said.
William got his phone out immediately calling.
"Darnel" William called and on the second ring, Darnel had replied
"Where are you?" He asked.
"Okay, I will be there." William said hanging up.
"Where is he?" Babi asked.
"The old tarven in the woods." William said.
"Marieh" Amir asked immediately walking ahead.
" he seemed to not be alone " William replied.
The others following behind Amir .
"Now you're rushing to her yet you were ignoring her earlier." Babi angrily said to Amir.
"I have no choice." Amir said.
"There is, stop playing victim." Babi angrily said.
"Babi can we fight after knowing if she doing alright." Amir said.
In no time they were in the academy woods rushing to the tarven.
It was their uniforms that welcomed them at the tarven poach, Amir rushed close picking up Marieh's clothes angrily holding them up. Babi's footsteps decreased like she wanted to turn back, doubting if it was even the right choice to look for them in the first place. Amir rushed into the wooden tarven corner but they were not there. He came back outside where others had stopped.
"I mean its right, whatever they are doing, 'cause they are legally engaged." Matt said trying to justify everyone's thoughts.
"Shut the fuck up Matthew." Amir angrily said.
"DARNEL, WAIT....AHHHH" Marieh screamed from beyond the tarven.
"Okay, he seems really good at what he is doing, he hit the spot, it's the only thing i'm picking from that scream." Kalvin said, making Matt and William want to laugh but had to suppress the laughter in.
"The lake." Nathan said.
Amir spearheaded, others following but Babi last. Nathan turned looking at her, her face plain and so blank. The closer they got, the more laughter they heard.
"ONE MORE TIME." Darnel shouted.
"NO .. WAIT ..DDAR..NEL.." she screamed yet with laughter.
They all rushed to the lake till Darnel and Marieh were in clear sight. The two were in their under garments, Marieh standing on the tire tied up on tree branch by the rope being pushed by Darnel. Matt and Kalvin burst into laughter..
"They are swinging." William laughed
"Oh hey there." Darnel said on noticing them. Marieh then jumped into the water from the swing .
They all came closer to Darnel.
"We were so worried about you and you're here swimming and swinging." Amir shouted at Marieh soon as she swam to them too.
"So I should be happy that you were worried Amir?" Marieh yelled in anger.
"And besides, I didn't get out of class alone, mind you Darnel is no monster he won't bite." She yelled.
"Okay, since we are all here w..." "Thanks for reminder that he is now here." Amir interrupted Matt who was about to say something.
The rest were so silent, this being so awkward.
"Yes, thankfully he is now here." Marieh yelled.
"Yes, exactly where you belong, really glad you're not my problem now but his." Amir shouted in anger.
Marieh got of water pulling her uniforms from Amir's hand.
"So all along I was a problem, high time you felt relieved I won't be your problem anymore, I will be his problem." Marieh yelled.
All the rest looked at Darnel, who seems to be the problem right now.
Darnel moved close to the two pushing them at once in the water.
"DARNEL " Marieh shouted on coming back on top.
"What the fuck.."
"SHUT UPP" Darnel shouted, this roar surprised all of them.
"Both of you shut up and listen." Darnel with a tough and serious face .
He breathed out calming down
"Look, don't make me the problem or excuse of whatever is wrong between you two ." He calmly said.
"Second, don't stress me on this hell of a first day, or make me a counsellor, or be here to witness you two fight, don't involve me or them in anything, it's tiring, so stay in the water till you make up." Darnel commanded.
"To hell." Amir said.
Darnel frowned squatting down infront of Amir.
"Don't taste my patience either, she has been crying, complaining, whining about you the entire time, so don't be a pussy 'cause i swear to God you will see the hell out of me" Darnel toughly said.
Everyone shocked to see how quick he can switch moods. Darnel stood up.
"Again, solve your issues then join us, before you do that enjoy the water." Darnel said and then walked away, William followed his bestfriend very proud of how he gets at time .
"What are you doing?" Darnel turned asking those that remained behind still staring at them
"Babi" Marieh called.
"Your fight might be a you problem but we are your friends meaning it affects us too, so like he said, solve your issues then join us, I will wait for you by the tarven." Babi said then walked away, Matt, Nathan and Kalvin followed catching up with them.
"You get pretty tough." Kalvin said to Darnel.
"Sorry, I loose it sometimes." Darnel said.
"It was necessary, this fight would not end today." Nathan said.
"Truth be told, Darnel you're Amir's problem." Matt said.
"I shouldn't be, as much as there is caution, and worry, they're not from me." Darnel said with a little frown.
"You two are engaged." Babi suddenly said.
Darnel stopped walking, he turned looking at her with a frown.
"Let it be the last time you mention that, no need to remind any of us or rub it in." Darnel said, he seemed hurt yet angry.
"I will take a bath." Darnel said then entered the tarven with his uniform.
"Engaged without love." William clarified.
They sat outside on the stairs and veranda.
"When he was first told he was getting engaged, he threw a tantrum, he resisted and cried but who would blame him then, we were only ten, they waited, till he could be grown enough to handle it, nothing had changed, he still didn't want to but responsibilities, promises and rules call for that, they both went along. That's the reason why he doesn't wear the ring, or like to talk about it." William said. Sadness and pity filled them.
"I have been to many of their arranged dates, they've never laughed together or talked much, for first time at the diner was the first time I realised or even themselves realized that they could co-exist in the some area as friends." William added.
"It's tiring isn't it?" Nathan said.
"I used to admire the lives you live, everything comes to you, and is done for you." Kalvin said.
"We admire your lives more, you love whom you want, you decide to do what is best for you but before any of our decisions we think of those before us, with us and the entire generation to come, you go to all the places you love with ease but all the public's eyes are on us, you can act how you want but we can't. It's suffocating most of the time." William softly said, they all could feel his pain.
"Does it get less suffocating?" Matt asked.
"No, you just get used live like that, and comply with the rules" William said.
Darnel walked back fully dressed, they all looked at him full of pity.
"What's with the pitiful eyes?" Darnel asked.
"Nothing." Kalvin said.
He leaned over on the balcony.
"Do you think they will make up or we are just hoping?" Darnel asked.
"They will." Babi said.
"When did they start dating?" William asked.
This made them laugh apart from Him and Darnel.
"They are not." Matt said.
"It's obvious, they might have feelings for each other " Kalvin agreed.
"Amir is jealous." Nathan said.
"Your presence made him jealous." Nathan added.
"I get." Darnel smiled.
"What do you get Darnel?" William asked.
"More than best friends but less than lovers." Darnel said looking at Babi then to the guys.
"Are you speaking from experience or?" Nathan asked.
"Experience." Darnel laughed, making them laugh a bit.
At the lake meanwhile was total silence, Amir was seated at the shore while Marieh stood far at a distance in the water.
"Aren't you tired of standing?" Amir softly said breaking the silence.
"Don't act like you care." Marieh said.
"I wish it was just an act." Amir said.
"Then why are you acting the way your doing now, calling me a problem, ignoring me, changing your seat.." Marieh asked.
"No reason." Amir said.
"You're lying." Marieh replied.
"You can't look in my eyes whenever you're lying, that's what you're doing right now." Marieh said sounding more like a plea.
"Marieh please." Amir pleaded.
Marieh breathed out heavily.
"When did we start hiding how we truly felt?" Marieh asked sadly.
"When have we ever said what we truly felt, 'cause I have never." Amir painfully said. Marieh kept quiet looking at him.
"Then tell me, so I can know." Marieh said .
"I'm sorry, I can't." Amir said.
"Then how are we going to solve this if you can't tell me, you will continue avoiding me, but it's that distancing that I don't want, I..I don't want things to change between us." she painfully said.
"I'm sorry, but me saying more will change this as well." He painfully said.
"My engagement news," Marieh said.
"you drifted as soon as you learned of it." She sadly said.
"Is that why you didn't tell me about it earlier?" Amir asked.
"Yes, and i'm sorry if it is what pissed you off but what exactly I was afraid of is that it's what is ruining our friendship." Marieh painfully said.
"Are you even hearing what your saying, if I was truly and solely your friend, I shouldn't be angry about your engagement." Amir said in frustration.
"But I don't want you to celebrate it either, I didn't want the engagement in the first place, it means nothing 'cause Darnel and I have nothing between us." Marieh loudly said in frustration.
She swam closer to him, kneeling before him
"Amir, please don't let this engagement get to you, or make you avoid me." Marieh pleaded painfully.
"Honestly I was angry that you didn't tell about it but even now it doesn't make me feel any better...." He wanted to say more but stopped on the way.
"Amir, please tell me, express yourself in any way you can so that we can go back to being friends, like we were." Marieh pleaded.
Amir looked at Marieh, frowning a bit.
"I was not angry, I was jealous." Amir admitted.
"Jealous of what, about what?" Marieh asked confusedly.
"Darnel, that you two are engaged,.." he still bit his tongue breathing out heavily.
Marieh breathed out, she reached for his hands holding them tight.
"Amir, you are my best friend, I swear you also know that I love you more than I love him." Marieh softly assured him.
"And that's the bigger problem, I don't want to be just a friend, even if we add titles to it, best friend, favorite, closest, name it, I don't want to be just that." Amir finally breathed out.
"And I understand that you might not feel the way I do for you but I can't keep it in, I can't help to want to kiss you, I can't help getting jealous, I can't help feeling the way I do, I have held it in for so long but I can't do it any more." Amir admitted.
Silence filled Marieh, she didn't know how to react to his confession.
"You must be wondering why I feel the way I do, it's not because you come from a rich and elegant family that i'm extremely scared of, but that surprisingly doesn't stop me from liking you, not because you're beautiful, not because you have those wonderful and tender hands, not your beautiful body, maybe because you smile so good but that's not even close to why." Amir poured out his heart, her being speechless and looking at him like the way she was making him speak even more.
"Maybe your stupid not so funny jokes, maybe the way you break down and cry whenever you can't figure out something, maybe your annoying ordering and commanding character, maybe because you were spoilt by your family, maybe the way you get onto my nerves sometimes, maybe because you're clingy sometimes, but I love all that, I like you Marieh." Amir added.
"I want to be that guy you always talk about, the one you will wake up next to, the one that will rock you despite what, the one to choose you every now and then, I want to be him not just your best friend." Amir painfully said.
*chapter song: can I be him by James *
Arthur.
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