Zaria's POV
As I walked into my class Monday morning, everyone stopped whatever they were doing and looked at me. I didn't know what to do so I just went to my seat. I've been getting the stink eye from people since the show down between Joel and I and it has been nothing short of humiliating.
Lyla haven't spoken to me since last week and it's eating me up. Ada on the other hand has been giving me attitude. I knew she had a soft spot for him so it was expected. I tried calling them but they didn't pick up. At some point Lyla even switched off her phone. Lucky for me, Joel didn't make do with his threat. He didn't rat me out to Mr Ajanaku but it made me feel ten times more guilty than I already felt.
Classes went in a flash and soon it was break time. I walked to the garden and saw Lyla, Ada and few other guys seated and talking. I walked up to them. Ada spotted me first and tapped Lyla, who turned around. Her facial expression was indifferent. Ada on the other hand didn't seem to hide her displeasure.
"Hi, guys." I waved.
"What do you want Zaria?" Ada asked, her tone coming off as snappy. I kept telling myself that I deserved everything, all the treatment they were giving to me.
"Can I talk to you guys?" I asked. Lyla looked at Ada who rolled her eyes in return and looked away.
"Give us a few minutes guys." Lyla told the others and dragged Ada up. We walked distance away from the group.
"We are all hears." Lyla folded her hands across her chest. I exhaled, trying to find my words.
"I'm sorry." I began and they kept looking at me like I didn't say anything important. I wasn't one to apologize. I wasn't used to it. So forgive me if I wasn't doing it right. I just need my friends back.
"Wait. That's it?" Lyla asked incredulously. Ada let out her mocking laugh and clapped her hand together dramatically.
"If that is your apology then you are definitely wasting your time." Ada hissed and made to walk away but I stopped her.
"Please na. You know I don't do this on a normal day. I'm trying to make amends here." I pleaded the best way I could. Lyla sighed.
"Zaria, Ada is right. Whatever you just did now is not an apology. If you actually want to apologize you will try better than that." Lyla spoke calmly. I exhaled, feeling frustrated.
"I know I messed up, big time. What I did to Joel was uncalled for and I regret it terribly. You guys know I'm not a bad person. I'm just..." I trailed off, trying to find the right words to you.
"Insecure? Because that's the only word that can be used to qualify that obnoxious behavior." Ada dead panned and I gapped at her, wondering why she was being so harsh.
"Ada! That wasn't so nice!" Lyla chided and I felt my chest lighten. At least she's supporting me this once. Ada scoffed and looked away.
"It's not like she was any nice to Joel, either. So don't preach to me about being nice." She retorted and I exhaled, beyond exhausted and frustrated.
"At least I'm now apologizing. I'm trying to make amends. I'll do whatever it takes to get you guys back. I'm so sorry." I pleaded again, throwing a puppy dog look at Lyla who rolled her eyes playfully.
"What do you think, Ada? Do you think she has learnt her lesson?" Lyla asked Ada.
"Whatever. I'm still a bit annoyed you hurt my baby." Ada mumbled and I giggled softly. I was really sorry for what I did. Lyla looked at me with a straight face which made me scared that she might not forgive me. Then she suddenly smiled.
"I missed you too, Zee." She pulled me into a hug. Ada begrudgingly joined in the hug.
"I am so sorry. I was a huge..." I started.
"Bitch?" Ada smirked.
"Ouch...but let's go with that." I smiled . She squeezed my shoulder.
"But there is one thing you need to do." Lyla looked at me.
"Anything." I replied desperately.
"You need apologize to Joel." Ada said.
"I know but it's difficult. I doubt if he even wants to see me." I replied.
"Well, you have to try." Lyla told me.
"You have to help me. I'm sure he will listen to you. Just tell him I want to see him. Will you?"I pouted and gave her a puppy dog eyes.
"No. You are on your own on this one, sweetheart." She made kissy faces at me and that made Ada laugh.
Seems like I'm on my own on this one. I groaned.
☆☆☆☆
Joel's POV
I was with Charles and Kelvin during break time. Actually, they were doing most of the talking while I just sat there and sipped my bottle of Pepsi. I was the still feeling a tad bit guilty for what I did to Zaria. Ada tried to make me feel better about what I did but it doesn't change the fact that I did something wrong.
Two wrongs don't make a right.
"You have just been sitting here, mopping around, not talking to anyone." Charles' voice pierced through my reverie and my face jerked up.
"See, guy. I'm not in the mood at all. I just don't feel like talking to anyone." I replied, my voice coming off as gruffy.
"Is this still about the Zaria issue that happened on Monday. You honestly need to get over it." Kelvin simply stated and I scoffed
"I embarrassed her in front of the entire class. What I did was wrong and I feel terrible for it." I told them.
"Joel, Zaria is my friend and I love her but you did what you had to do. She deserved it. She was ungrateful. She got herself into this. So, I don't see why you are feeling guilty. I even had to speak to her over the weekend." Charles mentioned and I sighed.
"Well, that doesn't make me feel any better than I already feel. I'm not like that on a normal day. Insulting a lady isn't something I do, let alone in the public." I said.
"Oshey! Gentleman." Kelvin hailed, trying to lighten the mood and I scoffed in response while Charles shoved him to be serious.
"Kelvin, I'm serious. I need to apologize to her, or something." I stated. "Abeg, what's the time?" I asked Charles.
On cue, the bell rang signaling the end of break and the beginning of a new period. Kelvin took off because he was having Government and the teacher wasn't too nice. Charles and I began to scramble for our remaining snacks before we began to take off towards class.
Because of students rushing to class, the stair case was jam-packed and people were bumping into each other. Someone bumped into me from behind and my snacks fell from my hand.
Shit.
"I'm so sorry." The person, obviously a female said, bending down to pick my snacks.
"It's alright. No big deal." I bent down as well to assist her in picking it. Only for her raise her head up and my eyes met with the familiar fiery gaze.
Zaria.
She looked shocked to see me, she quickly averted her gaze from mine and stood up. It was pretty cute seeing someone that had no problem running her mouth all these while cower and get shy just because of a little confrontation.
Well, I wouldn't call that a little confrontation. My subconscious said.
"Thank you." I said calmly when I got on my feet and she nodded, not saying anything. We didn't speak for a while, just standing in the middle of the hall way that was already becoming empty. I rolled my eyes at the awkwardness and made to walk away.
Why the awkwardness?
"Joel." She called me, stopping me. I turned around to look at her. She looked uncomfortable.
"Yes?" I urged her with a raised eye brow.
"Ehm...I... Can we..." She stuttered out but was interrupted when the final bell went off.
"We need to get to class." I told her before I finally walked away, not waiting for her.
Too harsh?
****
During our free period, I watched as Zaria walked out of the class quietly. I began to wonder where she was going because since our little encounter in the hall way, I've been really curious as to what she wanted to say to me. Damn that stupid bell, and damn me for walking away too fast. I didn't even know I was staring too much until Charles snapped his fingers in front of me.
"What now!" I snapped at him and he just chuckled in response.
"Nawa oo. You are now staring at her." He shot me a suggestive smirk. I scoffed, feigning ignorance.
"I wasn't staring. I was just rehearsing a way I can apologize to her for my behavior." I lied. Charles who seemed to know me all too well smirk again and nodded in a mocking way.
"Of course. Whatever you say." He said teasingly and I smiled. A junior walked into the class and towards me.
"Senior Joel. Mr Ajanaku sent me to call you." He said. I looked at Charles and he shrugged.
"Did he say what for?" I asked him but he shook his head. I shrugged as well, stood up and followed the junior out of the class.
***
"Wait!" I called behind Zaria as she walked out of the chemistry lab hastily. She stopped and turned around. "Why?" I asked her, still shocked beyond my wits at what she did. She gave a small smirk and shrugged.
"Why not?" She said, turning around to start walking again and I just stood in awe, watching her.
Confused? Okay, let me give you a recap of what just went down.
Remember when a Junior came to call me, telling me Mr Ajanaku needed my attention. Unknown to me, Zaria had gone ahead to confess to our dear Chemistry teacher that I had done the project all by myself with no help whatsoever from her. Mr Ajanaku had sent for me just to confirm it and I couldn't even lie even if I tried.
Thankfully, Mr Ajanaku being a very nice man let us off the hook and didn't take Zaria's name off or reduced our mark. I was so dumbfounded that Zaria had done that.
"You can't just say 'why not!'." I called again and she stopped again, turning around to face me. Then, she began to walk till she got to my front. I watched her, not leaving my spot. I suddenly realized how gracefully she carried herself while walking.
Like a Queen.
"I figured you might not want to hear me out after what I did on Monday. So, I decided to do the right thing. I went to Mr Ajanaku and told him everything." She replied with a shrug and I gapped at her.
"You did that even at the detriment of your own grade! He could have totally failed you, you know." I chided and she shrugged for the third time since we started talking.
"But he didn't, did he. What I did was pretty honourable. You'd agree." She joked.
"It was also pretty stupid! No offence." I quickly added the last part and she let out a soft giggle. The sound was really captivating.
Jesus, where did that come from.
"I know, but I needed to do something to show you how sorry I am. What I did was very stupid and totally uncalled for. Instead of appreciating you, I just tried to pick a fight with you." She paused for effect, looking away from me shyly. I am still pretty surprised that someone as bold as Zaria has the ability to be shy.
"This was the right thing to do. I'm sorry Joel and I promise to stay out of your way." She stated calmly before turning around and walking away again. This time I didn't call her to stop her. I just watched her walk away and felt my lips turn up in the slightest of smiles.
She isn't so bad after all.