CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Anike's POV

"I am so sorry. I did not mean to do that."

I turned to Jayden and it was obvious that I was not the only one smitten by her smile.

"It's fine."
I said and Jayden came back to his senses.

"Yeah, it is okay. Are you new here?"

Oh, a conversation is about to start.
I was right, the conversation started very well.

please I have a quick question,
is there anything that feels as worse as watching your crush flirt with someone else while you stand right beside them?

For me, I felt the worst.

The fact that she is drop dead gorgeous just made me feel even worse.

I glanced at the both of them and they looked perfect together.

Both tall, both gorgeous, hot, they looked like the true captains couple. I just hope she is not playing basket ball too or any sport at all, then that is end of matter.

"I am. I should have resumed with you guys but because of a tournament it could not work out."
The girl explained with that smile still on her face.

The wind was even supporting her because her long hair kept on getting blown making her look even more angelic.

Why don't I just walk away now?

"What sport?"
Jayden asked further,

At this point, I was just looking down at my bandage, with Jada’s voice ringing in my head.

"Basketball."

Ahhhhh!

I looked up so fast that it was a surprise my neck did not snap. I looked at Jayden and he was smiling. Smiling so bright like he just heard the best news ever.
I might be over reacting but you get my point.

He was smiling at her so lovingly, someone that looked at me with a deep frown the first day we met.

Third wheel is a thing.
This felt even worse than third wheeling
.
Imagine watching your crush fall in love at first sight beside you.

Maybe, I might be over reacting but I can literally see it all.

I removed my hand from his grasp not like he even noticed.

I left quietly when the both of them started talking more about the tournament and the team.

I walked into the class and sat beside Mariam.

She was engrossed in a novel, I checked the name of the novel

The sad fat girl

Well, If that is not me right now.
Why am I even shocked?

His sister has said it all.

I am not his type.

Foolish me taking his kindness the other way.

"Are you okay?"
Mariam asked staring funnily at me.

I nodded,

"I am good."
I shrieked out,

even a baby of one year old will know that was forced and a lie.

"Then why are you crying?"

Crying?

I am crying?

When? how?

I placed my hand on my face and just like she said, it was wet.

"My lacrimal gland is leaking."
I lied again hoping Mariam believes me.

She raised an eyebrow,
"Your tear gland is leaking?"

I nodded, raising my glasses for emphasis.

She turned to her bag and brought out a napkin for me to use. I knew she bought it when she started talking about eyes.

"I pity you guys that use glasses. Do you have eye drop?"

I nodded like a baby, as I stared intently at the door.

Where are they?

Wow, this is just sad.

"Are you looking for someone? Hope your eyes won't fall off? Where is Jayden?"

Mariam bombarded me with the questions after studying me for a few minutes.

I leaned back.

Maybe I am just over reacting now.

It is not like we are anything.

What am I even saying?

We are nothing, just friends.

I sighed quietly and Mariam did not let that pass,
"What is with you and Jayden?"

Mariam is not always interested in Stuffs like these. She loves reading novels. And talking to me even though most times she does all the talking.

"Nothing."
She raised an eyebrow, turned in her seat to face me,

"Tell me the truth. I feel like I am in the dark."

I chuckled,

"There is really nothing. we are just friends."
Saying it out was like hitting the nail even harder and it began to sink in my head.

The truth I mean.

"But you like him right?"
My eyes opened wide and we just held eye contact for more than sixty seconds,

"Is it that obvious?"

"You are always staring at him, and the way you reacted after Jada talked about you two, today too you did not leave with the rest of us. I also saw you guys together at the court."

Guess I was too obvious.

I haven't felt like this before.

It made me feel weird.
He makes me feel weird.

I stared at Mariam for a long time and decided if I could even speak out with my feelings it can only be with Mariam.

She is more calm and reserved than the others. We have also gotten very close. Maybe even closer than I am with Jada.

"Yeah, you are right."
She chuckled,

"Of course I am right. I am the master at this. After reading thousands of book, I am expertise."
She grinned maybe a little too excitedly.

Did I make a mistake?

Thankfully, we were interrupted by Mercy who rushed into the class like someone that was being pursued.

"Guys! Have you heard of the new girl?"
Mercy announced breathing heavily as she fell on her seat.

She reached for her water bottle and took a huge gulp of water before saying anything else.

"I have seen her."
I said quietly,

"A new girl at the fourth week?"
Mariam asked the same exact question any member of this class could think of.

"She is a popular basket ball player for under 18. She is so beautiful and tall. I saw her with Jada and Jayden. Turns out she was their very old childhood friend."

Childhood friend?

Is that why he was looking at her so intently?

Maybe he was just trying to recall the face.

Wow, Childhood friends!

"Mercy, how do you know all this? Boss!"
Mariam said making Mercy roll her eyes.
She brushed her a strand of her braid, which must have fallen while she was rushing to the class, to the back and grinned.

"That is not the best part."

"There is something else?"
Mariam asked tiredly,

To be honest, I have never been so interested in a matter like this.

I wanted to hear the whole thing at once not what Mercy was doing, breaking the information into pieces just to get our reaction.

"I am not talking again. You like acting like this. Do you know how many people will kill for this piece of information?"

Sadly, even though Mercy has pushed me into the list of people who could never be interested in whatever going on till the point that she did not face me, I was part of those that could kill for the information this time.

"Just talk."
I tried to say non chalantly, but even those two words seemed too big for me since I have never been interested before.

"Am I dreaming?"
Mercy grinned sheepishly, waggling her eyebrow.

"You like Jayden, don't you? You silly girl."
My God.

Just those two words.

Is it bad to just want to know the full story or was it just that obvious?

"Stop it. I don't."
I denied weekly but she just laughed out the more.

Mariam also joined her after a while betraying me.
After they laughed to their hearts' fill, Mercy grinned.

"Well I feel bad to say the last part now."
I gripped my skirt,

"Why?"

"Do not worry about it Anike. It is nothing."

After laughing at me?
Nothing?

"Just talk Mercy."
Mariam said with a weak smile,

"The thing is the new girl is coming to this class and the best part before i figured out that one of my besties likes Jayden, is the shipping part.

Jayden and the new girl hugged and everyone is saying they look good together now. But i feel bad saying this now."

Ohh.

Hugged?

It is not like I could confront him or anything.

I turned to my text book reading the topic over and over again, my thoughts all over the place until sudden cheers filled the room.

I looked up to find the new girl at the front of the class smiling beautifully and beside her was Jada, Jayden however was walking to his seat.

Even she and Jada looked like the perfect friends.

The whole class was clapping.

Celebrating her like a queen or something.

They love her from the first day, unlike the quick hatred and envy they had for me.
I looked towards the class bully, Aliya and the rest and their smile were beaming too.

I don't know why but this made me angry.

Made me feel so upset.

So frustrated.

And all the new things I had learnt about self love died as I stared at the perfectly shaped girl in front of me.

The girl whose smile was enough to make everyone drop to their knees.

The boys were smitten, Mercy even had to knock Tobi to his senses.

the girls were impressed and wanted her as a friend.

I looked round the class again,
For the first time since I started this school, class 2 looked happy.

"Uhm, thank you so much for the nice gesture. My name is Adetito Joy. And I can't wait to spend the rest of my secondary school years here with you guys."

Cheers followed again making me wonder if there is something else to this matter.

And for some reasons, I could not bring myself to smile or clap.

I just stared.

New girl, new drama.
Well, class 2 has received a new love.

What do you think about the new girl?

Is Anike also right to react that way?

And Jayden broke our hearts,  didn't he?

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Eniola_writes 💕💕