"I chased your love around a figure 8
I need you more than I can take
You promised forever and a day
And then you take it all away."
- Ellie Goulding.
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I really don't understand how our timetable was set anymore. We have Chemistry almost every single day. Right now, Mr. Mayowa is in class again. He's discussing with someone by the door though. My classmates were also discussing and making noise. Since yesterday, Lydia and I haven't talked. I greeted her this morning anyway and she answered. That was all. Same with Jetemi. That's not what matters now anyway.
Right now, what matters is that I have a very deadly stomach pain and I'm crying already. My head is on my locker and my hands on my stomach. Nobody knew I was in pain because no one could see my face. I have unzipped my skirt halfway to free my stomach, maybe it can help reduce the pains but sadly, it had no effect.
When the pain was unbearable for me, I suddenly stood up and walked briskly out of the class. I didn't even know if anyone called my name because I've shut everyone out already. All I can focus on right now is the pain I'm feeling.
I walked to B class to meet Favour. A teacher was teaching them so I stayed outside and called her through the window. I couldn't even talk. Immediately she saw that I was crying, she quickly excused herself from the class to attend to me outside.
"Demilade, what's wrong?" She asked, touching me a little on my shoulder, looking concerned.
"My.. my stomach. It's like.. like..." I couldn't talk clearly cause I was crying profusely.
"Okay, okay. Let me get the Sick bay key from Aunt Tosin. Please, wait for me here, okay?" She said and jogged off.
I sat on the railing, still crying and holding my stomach. It was like the pains were increasing. I couldn't control it anymore. I felt like I'm going to die.
"What's wrong?" I heard the Vice Principal's voice. I guess he was walking around to check the classes on that block, when he saw me.
"My stomach." That was all I could say. I couldn't even look at his face. I just sat still, holding my stomach and crying.
"Have you called the Health prefect to take you to the Sick bay?"
"Yes. She went to get the key." I managed to say.
"Sorry dear." He patted my back and touched my stomach too. "Have you eaten?"
"Yes. Immediately I was done eating, I started feeling pains in my stomach."
"Ulcer patient?"
"No, sir."
Favour arrived with Aunt Derin at that moment. She was holding a key, which I guess is the Sick bay key.
"Demilade, sorry. Aunt Tosin isn't around today. So, I'll take you to the Sick bay instead." She said.
Favour held my left arm while Aunt Derin held my right arm as we walked slowly and carefully to the Sick bay. Those that met us on the way kept saying 'sorry'.
Entering the Sick bay, Favour quickly laid the bed and I laid down on it immediately. I removed my jacket and flew out my shirt. I unbottened the shirt too and unzipped my skirt completely.
"Should I call daddy?" Aunt Derin asked me.
"No, ma. I'll be fine." I simply said. She said sorry again and walked out, leaving Favour and I. Minutes later, I slept off.
• • •
I was hearing sounds like a door was being opened or locked from outside. The sound was the one that woke me up. I realized I was still in the Sick bay. The pains I felt before were gone by now.
The door opened and Favour came in with Lily, Steph and Jetemi. I didn't even know when Favour left the other time. They entered and locked the door from inside.
"How's your health now?" Favour asked.
"The pain is gone. Thanks a lot." I said, giving her a small smile.
"You're welcome." She replied with a smile and her dimples showed.
"Demilade, sorry dear. I didn't even know it was you she wanted to attend to, otherwise, I should have followed her here. But nonetheless, thank God you're okay now. Pele dear." Lily said.
"Ahan, no problem nah. Thanks jare."
That said, Favour and Lily excused themselves and returned to class. Jetemi sat opposite me while Steph sat on the bed with me.
"I didn't know you weren't okay. I didn't even know when you left class sef."
"Yeah, Chemistry teacher was in class jare. I had to rush out due to the pains."
"You're sha good now?"
"Sure nah."
"Demi, what's going on with you and Lydia?" Steph suddenly asked.
"Nothing?" I said, like I was asking a question.
"She said you guys are fighting." Jetemi added.
"Fighting? No."
"Then why ain't you guys talking?" Steph asked again.
"I don't know, honestly."
"She said you shouted at her yesterday and her relationship has clashes now, because of you and..."
"Me and who? Demmie? Did she see me making out with Demmie? or when last did she see me with him, or talking to him? So why is she making false accusations? I don't like all these things, for real." I said, getting annoyed gradually.
"But she said Demmie told you he wanted to see you."
"So? Like.. does that even mean anything? Can't he see me as a classmate again? I'm fed up of all these, for real. I'm tired."
I stood up, dressing up properly, preparing to leave the Sick bay for them. Jetemi was still talking anyway.
"Calm down. We all knew you liked Demmie, and now that he isn't giving her full attention, she was only considering the fact that it can be because of you."
"Then let her think anything. I don't care." That said, I opened the Sick bay door. Rain was falling heavily but due to the fact that I didn't want to stay in there to keep listening to what they were saying, I entered the rain and walked to class. Getting to class, my clothes were drenched already. Great.
About entering, I looked inside to see our class teacher talking to a student teacher. No student was in class. I've noticed these two. They seem to have something going on. Seeing them together, I walked out of class and headed for B class. Their door was closed. I opened it and entered.
The class was really noisy as some were shouting, some were singing, some were dancing, some were beating the tables in the name of drumming, some were playing music. At least, no one noticed I was drenched. I was getting cold already. I saw an empty seat at the other side of the class, in front, beside the window. I walked there, cleaned the chair, sat down and laid my head on my locker.
About 30 minutes later, the rain stopped. Someone shouted that the Vice Principal was coming towards this side. Everyone rushed to their seats, quickly arranged the class, brought out books and pretended to be reading. The VP walked in. I heard them greet him as I heard the sounds of chairs and tables again, which meant they've had their seat.
"Do you all know your exams are near?"
"Yes sir." They chorused.
"How prepared are you?"
Some said 80%, some 90%, while some turned it to an avenue to make noise.
"I didn't ask you to make noise."
The class became silent again.
"So, your JAMB exams begin in the next two weeks, like I heard. I can still boldly say the science students are more prepared. Here, I have a great fear that you all ain't reading. You keep deceiving yourselves whenever you see a teacher approaching your class. Who do you think you're deceiving? In case you don't know, even if you pass your WAEC with As, if your JAMB isn't good, you have nowhere to go."
Someone murmured "Connection". That made me smile a bit. I pity these people. How many of them even have connection sef that they're depending on connection?
"Anyway, I wish you all goodluck."
"Thank you, sir!" They chorused.
"And I want y'all to be more serious. You're about to cross a bridge, like the proprietor will say. Do it wisely. A word is enough for the wise." He said.
I thought he left already, so I raised my head. Instead, I saw him staring at everyone in the class. At that moment, he saw me.
"Teniola, you're here." He said, calling me by my surname.
"Yes sir."
"How's your health now?"
"I'm okay now. Thank you, sir."
"You're welcome. Hope you're well prepared for the quiz tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"It will be a great shame if your juniors beat you, remember that."
"Yes sir. Thank you, sir."
"Alright." Then, he faced the rest of the class. "Have a nice day, and I must not hear noise from this side." That said, he walked out of the class.
Someone called my name from the back and I looked in the direction of the voice. It was Adeola. She sits directly in front of Jared in class. I couldn't help but notice that.
"Heard you were sick. How's your health?"
"I'm good now. Thanks."
That moment, Jared stared at me and I stared back. For a reason unknown to me, we haven't spoken to each other in school before. We only chat. He's obviously shy to start a conversation with me. Well, same with me though, but sometimes I wonder why someone like him is shy. It's surprising. I faced front about a minute later and laid my head back on the table.
.
.
.
We had Physics as evening lesson. During the class, I was shivering so bad. The rain had stopped since, but fresh air still blown and I was cold due to the fact that my clothes were still somehow wet. I wasn't able to write, I just listened to what the Physics Corper was teaching.
Someone tapped me from the back. I looked backwards to see Ramos, handing over a black Pullover to me. I smiled to him to thank him. He probably saw me shivering and decided to help.
I wore the black Pullover immediately. The hand was longer than mine, which made me like it more. I covered my head with the hood. I felt so much better and warmer. I looked back and thanked Ramos, this time, I said the words 'thank you'. He just simply nodded.
Soon, class was over. Lydia still didn't talk to me and neither did Jetemi. I don't care about it anyway. I packed my books as the Thursday sweepers swept the class. When I was done packing, I walked towards Ramos.
"Hey, thanks for the other time. Can I wear it home please? I'll return it tomorrow."
"Uhm.. actually, the Pullover isn't mine."
"Who nah owns it?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Demmie. He was the one that passed it to me in class to give you since you were shivering."
"Oh..." I simply said. I quickly scanned the class to check if Demmie was still in class. He was at the back, backing us and talking to Thomas, who was holding a Chemistry textbook.
I walked away from Ramos to meet Demmie and Thomas. Thomas already saw me coming cause he was facing Demmie, while Demmie was facing him, but backing my side.
"Mama oh" Thomas said, raising his two hands like all those garage boys or agbero. He's fond of doing that when he wants to whine someone. Demmie looked back to see who Thomas was referring to. When he saw me, he faced Thomas back.
"How far nah?" Thomas said to me as I got to where they stood.
"I'm good jor. You nko?" I replied, facing him.
"I'm fine. You came for your textbook?"
"No, no. I'll collect it whenever you're done with it, don't worry."
"Oh, okay. Oshey jare."
"So, what are you looking for here?" Demmie, who has been silent since, suddenly talked.
"Uhm.. to see you." I said, as I looked at him. We were staring at each other squarely by now.
"Ahhhh. Let me excuse you people. See you guys tomorrow oh." Thomas said, winked at Demmie, took his bag and walked out of the class.
"So...?" Demmie started.
"Thank you for the Pullover."
"Why have you been avoiding me?" He asked instead.
"I don't know.. just didn't feel like talking to you."
"Lydia told you anything?"
"Anything like..?"
"I thought she told you I did something to her, that's why you've been ignoring me."
"No, no. I just didn't want to talk."
"Okay. Hope you're no more cold?"
"Yeah. I like your Pullover sha. It's really making me warm." I said, laughing a bit.
"Normal." He said as he smirked.
"Odeh, don't feel too important." I said, nudging him a bit with my shoulder.
"I'm always important, mafor." He said, laughing.
"Uh, Mumu. Wait sef, you said you wanted to see me. Why?"
"Yeahh. I wanted to be your reading partner ni, but Thomas said he's your partner already."
See? That's what he wanted to tell me that Lydia and Jetemi almost bit me. Nonsense sha.
"We three can read together nah, but you'll have to be serious oh."
"Before nko. No problem sha. We'll start tomorrow."
"Alright. Uhm, I said can I wear your Pullover home? I'll return it tomorrow?"
"You're still cold?" He said, looking somehow concerned.
"Yeah, a bit." As I said that, he scratched the back of his head with his right hand.
"If you don't mind, can I?" He said, opening his arms out for me to come in. I guess he wanted to hug me to give me body warmth. I blushed a bit cause I felt important.
"You won't answer me abi?" He smirked, staring at me. I just smiled at him, my hands still in the pockets of the Pullover. When I didn't give him a reply, he dragged my arm nearer to him. Still, I was reluctant.
"Please nah. At least you'll get warmer and I also will." He said, still holding my arm. I removed my hands from my pocket and wrapped my arms around his neck. He was taller than me, so my head was on his chest. He dragged me closer by my waist and hugged me tighter.
I heard someone come in, almost immediately. I peeped to see who it was. I felt somehow when I saw it was Lydia that walked in. She stared at me and Demmie. We were still hugging each other. He didn't act like he cared though. He even spoke to her.
"You're going home already?" He asked her, still hugging me.
"Yeah. Goodnight." With that, she took her bag and walked out of the class.
No one needs to tell me. I already know all our class girls will hear about this tomorrow. Lydia will surely tell them.
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Two updates in a day😊 I feel fulfilled! I hope this continues till the Corona outbreak holiday is over and by then, I should have finished this book, hopefully.
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Thanks for the support. Till next time!