••Not so good now,
Are we?••
Whoa! Was all my mind could come up with as we stepped into the hall. Faith and Ada had long disappeared with promises of finding us later and Wilson still held on to my hand, even as he greeted some people that passed us by.
Everyone looked absolutely stunning! And I swear I'm not exaggerating. Different faces, both the ones I recognized from same classes and the ones I didn't, everyone looked like they belonged in some fancy royal ball. I had no idea what a dinner party looked like, but that definitely wasn't what I'd imagined at all.
The hall had been decorated--scratch that! Transformed--into a magnificent space with bright lights shining down from the high ceilings. Balloons floated midair like they were being held by some mysterious, invisible rope and I gaped at the huge chandelier that drooped down from the middle of the high ceiling--even our chandelier at home isn't that big or beautiful!
And then there was the food stand. Rows and rows of wine--non-alcholic--were arranged on a table, reaching up to form an A shape and I couldn't seem to close my mouth as my eyes moved on to the other tables. Food...food in all its entirety and mighty glory filled an entire portion of the hall, arranged stylishly on tables against the wall in a buffet style. My mouth watered and just as I turned to Wilson to suggest we go get food, a man? No, definitely boy, walked up to us with a tray holding several flute glasses of wine and a bright smile on his face. He seemed like a junior, but I couldn't tell in his white tuxedo and black bow tie that made him look like a waiter that served champaign's at rich people's parties.
"Enjoy the party mi'lady," he gave me small bow after handing me a glass of wine and then bowed to Wilson too. "Sire," and then he jutted his chin out and walked off.
Wilson and I stayed rooted on the spot for a while, staring at each other confusedly with wine glasses in our hands, and then we burst out laughing. We laughed so loud that a few heads turned our way but we didn't care, the whole thing was just too hilarious.
What the heck!
"This is crazy!" I said in between laughter and Wilson nodded in agreement, still laughing too.
"Hey you guys! Having fun?" Ada's voice suddenly came through as she materialized in front of us, looking even more beautiful under the bright lights.
"Yeah, I had no idea this is what dinner parties look like," I said and laughed a bit again, the incident earlier still striking humor in me.
"This isn't actually what its always like o, but I guess because its the last one our set will be having before graduation, they decided to liven it up. Have you seen the juniors acting as waiters?!" She exclaimed, eyes light with amusement and I nodded.
"So they are juniors? I was wondering," Wilson voiced my thoughts.
"Yeah, they're so cute!" Ada laughed and I couldn't help but join. "I think they planned it to be like a royal-ball theme," she added after we stopped laughing and I hmmned in agreement, looking around at the tons of students talking loudly and drinking wine. I wondered if this is what we would do all night and I already felt tired just at the thought.
"Where's Faith?" I asked Ada and then as if in answer to my previous thought on what we would do all night, all the lights went off, plunging us into complete darkness and I moved closer to Wilson instinctively, wondering what was going on.
"She's with Daniel somewhere. And its time to dance! Bye!" And she was off in the darkness, while confusion swept my mind around.
A soft music started playing, light chords filling the sudden silence in the hall and I wondered who was playing such a beautiful melody as pink lights came on, basking the hall in a light glow. My eyes were drawn to the chandelier as it began rotating, sending pink shiny reflections here and there and I just watched with wide eyes, the beauty of technology.
"Hey, wanna dance?" Wilson's voice broke my moment of admiration and I turned my head to look at him. My mouth hung open again, a strange emotion tingling my chest as I watched the pink glow of the light shine on his face beautifully. His full hair, his eyes, his nose, then his...lips. They looked so soft and subdued and I felt a strange sense of calm as his hands went round my back, pulling me into him gently.
The chords played on in the background like a lullaby that was meant to relax your muscles instead of lull you to sleep and I couldn't stop staring at Wilson's face. I didn't even realize we'd started moving rhythmically, swaying to the melodiously slow chords in a dreamy manner like everyone else around us was--I felt hypnotized.
Somewhere along the lines, my glass of wine had been collected from me and placed on a table but I didn't even realize it, I just felt serene and content in that moment. I felt my body moving closer to Wilson's, slowly and then I was placing my head in the crook of his neck, my eyes fluttering closed as I revelled in his smell--minty-vanilla. I sighed, smiling contentedly with my arms around his neck and my head resting peacefully against his--
Wait what?!
Like a wake up slap, breath rushed into my lungs in an inaudible gasp and I jerked away from him, pulling my arms to my sides as they fisted in horror.
What am I doing!
"For a moment there, I thought you were falling asleep," Wilson chuckled lightly, oblivious to my embarrassment as he took a step closer to me, his hands taking mine in his again.
"I--sorry, I didn't mean to do that," I mumbled, taking a step back as I looked anywhere but at him. Thank God I'm not extremely light-skinned.
"Do what?" He frowned, coming closer to me again but I just remained silent, still not looking at him. "You know, I was mad at you until a while ago," he said after realizing he wasn't getting a reply from me and I looked at him this time, a frown creasing my brows.
"Why?" I asked, my voice sounding like a whisper as I suddenly found myself in his arms again.
"You hung up on me," he said, his voice sounding like a whisper too and I swallowed, my heart suddenly racing at the way he was staring at my lips.
The room temperature dropped and felt my body heating up.
"I-I didn't mean to," I stuttered, finding it hard to concentrate on the conversation as my mind swirled with dizziness--dizziness from the intensity of his stare and the way he leaned in, his warm breath fanning my face.
"You're a goddess, you know right?" He whispered, disregarding the previous talks as his eyes swooped my frame in one intense look, and I shuddered as they landed on my lips again, my throat suddenly dry of words...and saliva.
"So perfect..." One last whisper and his lips were on mine, my eyes snapping shut on their own accord as a myriad wave of emotions flowed through me all at once. His lips moved slowly against mine, my mouth parting ever so willingly to grant him further access. He bit on my lower lip, his hand tightening around me as he sucked and nibbled--all slowly and sensuous and...perfect.
My immobile hands moved up voluntarily, snaking up his chest and into his hair and I let out a sigh as I finally felt the softness against my fingers. I tugged at it, wanting to have more on my hands and pull Wilson closer but he groaned, his fingers digging into my stomach as his hands tightened around me. Slight panic flashed in my mind and I wondered if I'd pulled his hair too hard and then I broke the kiss, sucking in a gulp of air.
"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" I asked, my voice sounding raspy and I cleared my throat. He just stared at me, then shook his head after a while as a smile graced his swollen lips.
"You have no idea..." And then his lips were on mine again, not slow this time and I found myself liking the roughness. And then a loud screech suddenly filled the hall, making us squirm as we broke the kiss yet again and looked up, wondering what the noise was all about.
The pink lights went off, plunging us into complete darkness again and then the bright lights came back on, blinding me for a second as I squinted to adjust to the brightness again.
A clinking sound like glass hitting glass resounded through the hall and voices rose, everyone confused until people started moving, clearing a path that lead straight to us and I frowned, feeling safe with Wilson's arms still around me.
"Sire, a word with you outside if you please?" One of the junior/waiter boys was at Wilson's side and dragging him away before he could even respond and I watched him give me a confused expression as the boy dragged him on, walking fast out of the hall.
"Sorry for the interruption everyone. I just have a quick announcement to make and then we can all go back to having fun," Stephanie's voice rang through the hall and I hadn't even seen her yet, but I felt the hate in her voice before I did. And then slowly, she materialized in a floor length red gown that hugged her milky skin, accentuating her curves beautifully. Her bold crimson lips curled up in a smirk, enunciating the whole effect and I gulped as she locked eyes with me and then began strutting my way.
Fear seized my heart with every step she took and then she stopped, a few meters away from me as she turned to the crowd again. I let out a breath of relief.
"If you aren't with your phones, I'd suggest you get it right now because that's going to serve as an extremely important part of this announcement." She said, her phone in one hand and a glass and fork in the other hand. That must have been the source of the clinking sound we'd heard.
My purse rested against my hip, its handle across my chest and I patted it, knowing my phone was inside but for some reason, I didn't bring it out. I was growing nervous, palms sweating as I wondered why Wilson wasn't coming back and where Faith and Ada could be.
"So, we all know how things have always been in this school right?" Stephanie spoke again, her question getting a few murmurs as some people threw annoyed glances her way. I looked around and found Mary staring at me worriedly, I didn't have time to admire her dress because one minute, I was staring at her and the next, my vision was clouded by a rough slap landing on my cheek.
I came back into focus and saw Stephanie standing in front of me, a murderous look marring her beautiful face as she stared me down. A hand flew up to touch my cheek and I just stared, wondering what the hell was going on.
She moved away from me, walking back to her previous spot and the murmurs had risen into loud chattering now, all eyes on me as people wondered what was going on.
Anger brewed deep inside of me and I marched up to her, unable to control how mad I was getting. How dare her slap me in public like that!
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" I didn't know when my hand flew up in a blinding smack against her face and all I could see was red now.
I was so mad!
"How dare you?!" She screeched, her face red as she held her cheeks. I'm sure the bitch was stinging by now. I just took several deep breaths to calm myself as I crossed my hands across my chest, taking on a calculated stance. I was so ready for any shit she wanted to pull that night.
If only I had known...
"What? You slapped me and I slapped you back, no biggie." I said, eyeing her coolly.
"I won't even waste time spitting rubbish with you here, you useless jungle freak. But I'll say this, you never were, and you never will be worth it. I am better than you Mayowa, you ugly piece of shit!" She said, all the while moving closer to me and I just stared at her, waiting for her to finish her garbage talk and how she was humiliating herself. "Have fun dying." She was all up in my face, a huge smirk on her lips as she brought her phone up and then hit a button I couldn't see on it.
Ping sounds rang through out the entire hall and my phone vibrated in my purse, but I just continued staring at her in contempt...until gasps rang through the hall in unison. Some shrieks, some squeals, some wolf-whistling, some laughter. Different emotions and action on display as everyone gazed into their phone screens and then looked at me.
I was in the spotlight of their judgemental eyes and I frowned, watching Stephanie catwalk away from me and back to her previous spot.
With shaky hands and a deep frown, I decided to bring out my phone and check what the hell was going on and why some people looked like they were about to cry for me. I opened my purse, brought out my phone and realized it was a WhatsApp notification. I tapped on the app icon, and the most recent message was on the Ss3 students group chat. I looked up at everyone again and some girls were already crying and I frowned again wondering what the hell they saw.
With a deep breath, I tapped on the GC, opening the message. But it wasn't a message...
And I really, truly died from what it was.