Elyon's POV
Jamal has been avoiding me since that day at the music studio and it's been weird ever since. Just few of the guys noticed this but they didn't ask questions and I was grateful because I didn't even know what to tell them was the issue.
On the way to school he would stay in the front, keep quiet all through the ride and when we get to school, he'd be the first person to get down from the car and I wouldn't even see him till it's either time for visual arts or its lunch break, and he will not even talk to me then. Mateo who probably didn't notice anything would engage me in discussions and chats, distracting me from thinking about Jamal, but in the middle, my mind would drift off to him. I wanted to stop thinking about him but I couldn't.
Everyone was seated at the Love garden and by everyone I meant the entire group except Chidinma who didn't come to school that day. I got to know about the love garden recently and since then, that's where we've all been hanging.
"Did you guys hear about Tolani's Welcome back party?" Skye raised another topic.
"Finally, I was wondering when the girl would throw the party. I've been looking forward to it." Somadina spoke as he kept writing God knows what. I was confused and looked from Mateo to Skye.
"What is Tolani's welcome back party?" I asked generally. Mateo faced me to explain.
"Tolani throws a back to school party at her parents house every new session. Her parents are barely around and they is very rich and all, so she throws party so much..." Mateo said but Vanessa interrupted.
"She throws parties just as much as she throws off he cloths," Vanessa mumbled but we heard and couldn't help but laugh. Somadina on the other hand cringed and told Vanessa she was mean.
"Wait, Tolani is that crazy babe that snapped at me when she bumped into me on my first day?" I asked and Mateo nodded affirmative. Skye gasped and help Jamal's hand. He's been sitting the whole time, tapping away on his phone, not engaging in any conversation.
"Hey, that's my brother's girlfriend you are talking about." She said and a bell went off in my head. Jamal suddenly looked up immediately he heard that.
Girlfriend?
"Girlfriend?" I couldn't help but voice out my thought, trying not to sound somehow. I had my speculations because of whatever I interrupted in the visual art studio but I didn't want to just assume or jump into conclusions. Jamal looked at me.
"She's not my girlfriend." He simply said, looking back to his phone.
"It's more like a situationship." Soma peered at me through his glasses and my mouth formed in an o shape.
"Besides, I don't advice Elyon to come for that party. It's not her scene." Jamal said, not taking his eyes off his screen. I frowned.
"Not my scene? What do you mean?" I asked him. Every other person watched us. They felt the tension so they dare not interrupt. Jamal looked up from his phone and rolled his eyes. His expression nonchalant and bored.
"Do you I have to spell it out for you before you figure it out?" He drawled and my frown deepened.
"Excuse me?" I shot. Vanessa murmured something about the tension but I paid no mind to her.
"Okay, since you can't comprehend it, let me break it down for you, ehn? Tolani's parties are the craziest. Not only guys from this school attend it. Students from other school's do to. Do you honestly want to be around people that smoke week or coke? People that drink alcohol." He paused for effect before he continued.
"You want to be in a place where you will have to be self conscious and look over your shoulder every two minutes so that no one will grope you? Is that where you really want to be?" He asked me, a mocking smirk on his lips and I gulped inaudibly as the reality of what he said hit me like a brick. He was right, but I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. He ignored me for almost an entire week and now he's pretending to care. I scoffed.
"I think I'm very capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much Jamal." I looked away from him, taking a bite of my Oreos.
"Then you are more naive than I thought." He deadpanned and I jerked my face towards him. Vanessa gasped while Mateo and Somadina exchanged glances.
He did not just say what I think he said. Is he fücking kidding me?
"Jamal!" Skye chided and he just shrugged nonchalantly, going back to stare at his phone.
I honestly can't deal with this.
"You have got to be kidding me," I mumbled, packed my stuff and began to walk away. I heard someone get up and I looked back. "No one should please follow me," I stated and began ti continue my walk, anything to get me away from this place. I can't be where Jamal is right now.
****
Still the same day, but I've been on my own since Jamal's trash talk at the love garden. I was pissed at him but at the same time concerned as to what I must have done to warrant such attitude from him. I couldn't even place it, no matter how hard I tried to think about it.
I was walking through the hallway to my class when someone suddenly dragged my hand and pulled me into an empty class.
"What the..." I looked up and saw Jamal peering at me and I unconsciously scoffed. "What the hell is the meaning of this?" I frowned at him, folding my hands.
"I needed to talk to you." He said, closing the door and locking it, trapping us in. I wasn't scared because I knew he wouldn't do anything to me.
How sure are you? My subconscious asked me.
"If you actually wanted to talk to me, you could have have just asked, like a normal person." I rolled my eyes.
"You would not answer me after..." He trailed off when I raised an eyebrow at him, daring him to complete his statement.
"After what you said to me. Shebi, that's what you want to say na." I glared at him and he sighed, running his hand through his buzz cut.
"I didn't mean what I said. I shouldn't have said it. I apologize." He said, his eyes and voice holding remorse but there is no way I would make it easy for him.
"So now, it's just clicking in your head that what you said did not make sense, abi? I don't even know what to say to you." I hissed and made to go but the door was locked. That was when I remembered that the key was with him. I turned and stretched my hand. "Give me the key, Jamal." She ordered.
"Not until you forgive me. Elyon, come on." He said. I rolled my eyes, getting frustrated.
"You think I'll just accept this excuse of an apology from you and hand you forgiveness so easily?" I didn't know when I snapped but I couldn't take it back.
"This is the first time we are fighting since we met, Elyon. That should at least tell you something." He was being defensive now and I just had to scoff. Okay, now he was just plain annoying.
"Yes, Jamal. It is telling me something. It's been three weeks since we met and what all these is telling me is that you are the kind of person that picks a fight over stupid issues." I flared angrily and he kept quiet. I brushed strands of my hair that had fallen off my fave and I felt his eyes follow the movement.
Focus, Elyon.
"Heck, I still don't know what I did to deserve you ignoring me all of a sudden. Like one week we were so cool, and the other you ignored me like I was some kind of parasite. After I thought we were already becoming friends..."
"We are friends..."
"Then what's all this about? What was that about?" I pointed in the direction of the love garden.
"It's complicated..." He trailed off. I looked at him and saw he was actually looking conflicted and I felt myself soften.
Maybe it had something to do with his PTSD.
"So complicated you can't talk to me about? I know, we are just getting to know each other, and but..."
"I can't even tell Skye about it." He cut me off and I sighed.
So, it has nothing to do with his PTSD.
"Look, whatever it is... I don't even know what to say. I just need space." I turned around and walked to the door, hoping he would come and open it this time. I felt him behind me and I turned, gulping at how close we were. He was staring at me intently.
"Elyon, I meant what I said about the party. It's too dangerous for you..." He stated but I cut him off.
"Let me worry about that," I replied and he sighed, dejected.
"Look, I know that you are pissed with me. I understand, you have every right to be and I know you might not listen to me. But if you really want to go, go with Skye. You'll be able to look out for each other." He said. I didn't reply him, looking away from his scrutinizing gaze.
"Open the door for me, Jamal." I simply said. He didn't argue any further. He just reached behind me and inserted the key to the hole, not breaking eye contact with me. When the lock finally opened, I turned around, opened the door and walked out, breathing in a fresh air.
What are you doing, Elyon.
****
Jamal's POV
I sat down on one of the tables, thinking about what I did. It was a dick move, no arguments. But that was my defense mechanism. No doubt, I feel an attraction for Elyon, more than I've felt for any girl and it was driving me nuts. In barely one month, someone had this hold over me and I'm sure she didn't even know it. So, being harsh was my way of trying to push away the attraction. It was uncalled for, I know. I should handle the situation better, I agree.
But how?!!
"J. J." I looked up to see Somadina standing at the door post, holding my bag in his hand. He came in and dropped my bag on the chair, sitting down close to me.
"Thanks," I muttered, picking up my bag.
"I saw Elyon leave." He stated and I looked at him. He was looking intently at me. Trying to read me. I looked away from his scrutinizing gaze.
"It's nothing serious." I brushed off, wanting nothing more but to be alone.
"I bet it is something serious. You were mean to her." Somadina stated and I jerked my head up in annoyance.
"And you think I don't know that? Soma, abeg free me." My voice rose a notch as I looked away from him again. I heard him chuckle as he removed his glasses and placed them in their case.
"Then, why are you bothered?" He asked and I ignored his question because I had no answer for it. "You like her." He deadpanned and I snapped my head towards him so fast, it seemed like my neck would break.
"I don't," I replied faster than I blinked and he chuckled.
Busted.
"Okay, let me not go too deep. You will not admit that you like her, that's fine. But you feel something for her, an attraction at the slightest." He said and I just looked on, wondering how he got all of that. When Soma noticed I wasn't speaking, he continued.
"You are trying to fight whatever you feel for her..." He said and at that point, I just had to stop him. His accurate hypothesis was driving me nuts.
"Okay, Soma. You need to stop trying to read me because it not working." I flared.
"But it is working and you know it." He had a mischievous glint in his eyes and a teasing smirk on his lips. He was intentionally trying to make me break and gist him.
"Don't you have something to do or somewhere to be? Like a class or something, probably trying to solve an equation?" I asked him and he shrugged.
Somadina was a genius. He did jamb in Jss3 and scored 292 but he couldn't enter university. Did it again in SS1 and scored 323, higher than anyone that did it in SS3. He came from a family of geniuses and they did things like this for fun. I'm still surprised he has a social life.
"I've solved all the equations that need solving." He replied.
"Then go and disturb Vanessa," I said teasingly and immediately he was mute looked away shyly. I put two and two together and widened my eyes. "You like her!" I exclaimed.
"Pffft... No, I don't." He looked away, not sounding the tiniest bit convincing.
"Now, look who is denying. Man, you are whipped!" I shouted again and let out a hearty laugh.
"Must you shout?! You are even trying to change the topic." He mumbled the last part.
"How long has it been?" I asked him, a smiling playing on my lips.
"I'm not talking about my love interest to you, Jamal." He responded.
"So you agree she's your love interest." I wiggled my eyebrows goofily. He sighed.
"I don't think she likes me." He admitted.
"So you have signed up for just teasing each other and being at each other's throat, bah?"
"That's the closest I can get." He shrugged.
"What makes you think she doesn't like you too?" I asked but before Soma could answer, the door opened and Tolani came in. I growled inwardly.
What is she doing here? Better question, how did she know I was here?
"J. J. We need to talk." She said then looked at Soma. "Hi, Soma." She grinned. Somadina waved curtly and began to pick his stuff.
"You are leaving?" I had to ask, trying to signal him not to go but Soma would always disappoint.
"Yes, I have an equation to solve. Good luck." He drawled the last part, with a mischievous smile playing on his lips. He took his things and left, leaving me and Tolani in the room. Tolani reached behind her and locked the door.
You don enter one chance.
"You have been ignoring me." She said as she looked back at me. I sighed, getting up from the table I was sitting on.
"You said I should find you when I'm done going through 'my phase'. Well, if I didn't come and find you, then I am not done going through 'my phase'." I air quoted and she rolled her eyes before turning all puppy dog eyes on me and pouting her lips.
"Jamal na. I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I missed you." She wrapped her hands around my torso and pressed her body against mine. I tried prying off her hands but she didn't budge so I let it be.
"You rubbed my disorder in my face. That was downright uncalled for. Did I ask to be this way? That I'd be using it to guilt trip you..." I trailed off the moment I felt myself getting angry.
"I'm sorry. That was uncalled for, I shouldn't have said that." She pouted again but I wasn't hearing it. I pried her hands off me.
"Abeg, I need space." I turned around and made to open the door but she wrapped her hands around my torso again, this time from behind. I drew out a labored breath when her hand trailed lower and cupped my member. My body knew her touch and reacted so fast. In a nanosecond, I was hard against my own will.
"Tolani..." I wanted to stop her but my voice came out gruff.
"Shhh... Let me make it up to you, let me take care of you." She whispered before turning me to face her, my back now against the iron door.
She pressed her lips against mine and kissed me fervently, her hand working my belt and my fly. Her hand trailed into my briefs and began to massage my hard member slowly, causing a gasped to come out of my mouth against her lips.
She pulled back and took a kneeling position, pulling down my boxer shorts with her, till my erection sprung out. Taking it in her hand, I watched her as she looked at me through hooded eyes, before taking the head into her mouth. I threw my head back against the door and moaned.
Fuck.
A/N
*peeps from behind curtain* are you still alive?
Seems like our favourite ship couple are having their first disagreement. I won't call it a fight. Jamal made a bad move. Trying to pick a fight with Elyon so that he can suppress his attraction for her. Elyon cannot deal with him at the moment as well. Somadina, well... We all so that coming. That was just a little digression.
What do you think about Jamal and Tolani's 'situationship'?
It's quite hard for Jamal to let go off someone that his body is familiar with. It's not like he isn't trying. He is trying but it's more of a process than an immediate something. Tolani has a hold over him, she knows that which is why she uses it to her advantage.
Still, tell me what you think.
There won't be songs for every chapter... Just for some selected few.
A very big shout out goes to Dee_Ink. Great Job boo. 😘
Don't forget to vote, comment a share.
It's your babe, Temilade.