"This isn't what it looks like Jazz." Rooney muttered loudly as he tried to distance himself from Elizzy.

He had no idea why he felt the need to explain, but something in him told him it was linked to Munachi.

Munachi Odumba, her best friend.

And everyone knew Jasmine was a talkative.

"Save it. It is exactly what it looks like. But really? Elizzy? Elizzy of all people??" Jasmine glared at Rooney who froze in his steps.

He understood what that meant. 'Elizzy of all people' could easily be translated into 'Elizzy who slept with Nonso. Nonso a close friend and one of Munachi's best friends boyfriend' and in all languages that was fucked up.

But.. Why should he care? Munachi's dating Arthur.

I have to fucking move on.

"Look, we're not dating okay? Before you fucking get things twisted. We didn't even fuck. I helped her with some shit, don't twist rumors. Okay?" Rooney took a 360 mood change and Jasmine shrieked backwards at his mood swing.

Elizzy smirked at her face and decided not to get offended anymore, yes Rooney just ruined her plan but he'd done it perfectly. Just like he always does.

Jasmine could still get it twisted... It isn't too late.

Now she just has to continue playing her part and soon they'd be dating. Soon he'll be her boyfriend.

She leaped forward and let out a low scream that immediately snapped Rooney and Jasmine's heads towards her, Rooney frowned and tried to remember why she'd screamed like that, once he did he was quickly at her side.

"It still hurts. Please help me. My room.. Our room." She paused to smile weakly at Jasmine and continued. "It's too far."

Rooney stared at her and tried to imagine being her boyfriend.

She was submissive, she was sexy. But she was also dark skinned, his sister's skin tone. His father skin tone.

And she was also Elizzy. Elizzy couldn't be his second girlfriend.

Fucking no way.

He could bang her but he wasn't dating her. He wasn't dating anyone.

I have to fucking move on...

Just like Munachi has.

"It's cool. I was going to carry you anyways. You're not that heavy. " He smirked at her once he heard Jasmine gasp.

Munachi's dating Arthur.

I know, but why the fuck do I now want her to twist things?

Riiight. I'm fucking childish and I want to hurt Muna.

But she won't. She won't get hurt. She fucking doesn't care about you anymore.

Munachi's dating Arthur.

Rooney picked up Elizzy in the same bridal style he'd carried her in and she happily sniffed in his shirt.

Now it almost smelt like she did.

She was leaving her mark on him. Great.

Rooney slowly moved passed a frozen Jasmine and purposely ignored her presence, Elizzy on the other hand couldn't.

A perfect opportunity to stick out her tongue and roll her eyes at her without Rooney's knowledge.

A perfect opportunity for her to get it twisted.

••

"That's not possible Jasmine." Munachi rolled her eyes and huffed loudly.

Silvana agreed. "Exactly. Rooney and Elizzy? That's like a 10 to 80 probability. Didn't you even hear the insult he gave her in the bus. There's no way!"

Jasmine groaned while repeatedly smacking her face.

"Shut up! Both of you! Especially you Muna, you opened the door for them-"

"-Yes and I understand why he was carrying her. Her foo-"Munachi stopped talking once a shadow twirled in front of them.

The three girls looked up and Silvana scowled.

"Fucking slut. " Silvana blurted out while they watched Elizzy dance to the music playing from her contraband phone.

"What was that?" Elizzy danced closer towards them and smirked

"Rooney said your leg hurt. You lied. " Munachi muttered.

"Yes... I guess." Elizzy paused. "I lied."

"But who gave only you the right to lie?"

"What are you talking about you stupid cheap bitch. " Silvana growled.

On a normal day Silvana would describe herself as a progressive feminist but in the midst of Elizzy, all traces of progressiveness vanished and all she wanted to do was club her with the bone of a lion.

Elizzy giggled and twirled again. They were the only ones in the room.

At first only Munachi was in there- asleep- until Silvana walked in and woke her up to talk about her time with Nonso, she'd told her Jasmine was meant to be with her but she had to do something and then minutes later Rooney was knocking on their door with Elizzy in his arms and a gaping Jasmine behind him.

He'd left barely five minutes ago.

"I'm not a bitch. You are, you're a stupid virgin bitch who lacks sense. You think all these ones you're doing with Nonso would last?

Once a cheat, always a cheat.

He'll come back crawling to this pussy one day but.... By then I'll be with my boyfriend Rooney, so it'll be too late." Elizzy continued twirling while she spoke and Silvana gripped the ends of the bedsheets and took deep breaths in.

"You see?! Believe me next time! Something is going on between them."Jasmine yelled and Munachi squinted her eyes and watched Elizzy.

The song switched to Cardi B's Wish Wish and Munachi slowly smirked.

"Would he be aware that he's your boyfriend?"

Elizzy instantly stopped dancing. "Obviously."

Munachi felt her chest tighten at her words.

But she decided to ignore the clenching feeling then she stood up slowly and walked towards her.

Elizzy stepped back and tried to shield her cheek on reflex but Munachi rolled her eyes and broke her waist slowly.

Good thing Elizzy had her music on.

Dancing is still an art.

Negative emotions can still be harnessed and released.

"They say my time is almost up, tell them bitches." Munachi sang out with Cardi B and rotated her right hand up in the air.

"Wish, wish" Silvana smirked and stood up too.

Just beautiful. Even fate wants you to know you're a bitch Elizzy.

Elizzy caught up to what Silvana hadn't said yet and smirked.

If they think they'll use my own phone and my music to shine, they're high.

"All these hoes lookin' cold, all these bitches fish sticks
Put a ribbon on my box 'cause this pussy gifted." Elizzy drew out the word 'pussy' while slowly touching her crotch area before dipping a finger into her lips.

"I ain't got no free time, all my shit expensive
See my ring, my watch, my chain and everything is lit, lit
All this gold on a bitch, I feel like I'm Slick Rick
If they love me or they hate me, it don't make no difference. " She continued singing while descriptively dancing and Munachi wondered what was now happening.

All she wanted to do was dance.

"It be hard not to kill a ho 'cause I be tempted." Jasmine joined them as she twerked her butt in front of Elizzy.

Elizzy huffed and brought her fingers to her mouth to blow air on them before singing along. "Now I be countin' money, buyin' jewelry."

"Hoes be ridin' dick." Silvana cut in.

"I just make my M's and mind my business." Elizzy tried to ignore her.

"Hoes be ridin' dick." Jasmine smirked.

Everyone stopped singing as Elizzy glared at the two girls.

"But I wonder how they still ain't pregnant, all that riding dick" Silvana sang out and delivered her own version of a below belt blow.

Elizzy snorted in mockery and sang, "Y'all betta go ahead with that weak shit, I'm certified, real street bitch. "

"Won't be a song if I leak shit, we strapped up like defense" Jasmine sang out strongly implying that she was Jasmine Bâ and she knew everyone's sexual history in Emerald Academy.

Munachi rolled her eyes as she finally understood what was going on.

They were using the lyrics of the music to throw shades at each other. Like in a musical.

They were sing - talking.

"Whatever you do, sis, keep it cute, sis
Leave that beefin' shit at Ruth Chris or end up toothless. " Munachi joined them and Elizzy walked closer to her phone.

Silvana rolled her eyes at how Munachi just couldn't understand her.

I knew Nonso was the one who was meant to be faithful to me and not Elizzy but Elizzy was ... Elizzy. Unapologetic and unremorseful.

She was a bitch.

"How did little ol' me get money? Got everybody all tight
These bitches wack, these bitches garb, they diss me, I disregard
Bet you if I had a dick, these bitches couldn't get it hard. "Elizzy gave her finishing touches and ended the song.

Silvana growled and shoved her out of the way before yanking the door open and slamming it shut behind her.

Munachi sighed and followed and so did Jasmine.

"Where are you going to?" Jasmine asked a heaving, fists clenched, stomping Silvana.

She stopped walking and turned to look at her best friends.

Placing her two palms on her hips, she spoke. "Well, what do you think?"

Munachi sighed.

Of course.

"The boys room."

••

"He isn't here." Nonso's formerly widened eyes closed quickly as he stretched out to yawn.

He stepped out side his room and shut the door behind him.

Dominique was dressing up. His girlfriend-and her friends- didn't need to see that.

"Can you imagine! He wants to date Elizzy!" Silvana yelled out and Nonso's throat instantly felt tight.

What?

"Yes. Its true. They even did the do in a closet! I saw them!" Jasmine supported once he stared at her.

Nonso sighed and shifted his gaze to Munachi, the only girl who Rooney's shit should affect and he was greeted by Numb.

"Elizzy and Rooney? That's like a 10 to 80 probabil-"

"-That's what I said! Exactly it.. Word for word." Silvana interrupted with a blush.

Nonso stared down at her and smirked.

"Great minds think alike."

Jasmine gagged and rolled her eyes at the way Silvana and Nonso were looking at each other.

While Munachi felt confused.

"Funniest thing I've heard all day..." Rooney announced his presence and Munachi's confusion doubled.

Elizzy and Rooney?

"Ehen! You're ba...."Silvana trailed off once she turned to face him.

He was shirtless, wet and had his black tight shorts very low on his waist, he had two towels with him, one in his right hand as he rubbed his hair dry and the other on his shoulder.

And he wasn't alone.

Arthur was besides him, shirtless, wet and very much identical to Rooney's appearance. But his shorts revealed his V-shape and his ghost abbs were distracting Silvana.

"Guy, get your girlfriend to stop mind fucking us." Arthur teased and Nonso lightly smacked the back of Silvana's head.

Munachi turned quickly at Arthur's voice and her jaw dropped.

Flashes of everything they've done together zoomed past in her head.

His finger, His fingers, His mouth.

Her shaky palm, Her shaky palms, Her mouth.

Seeing him chest naked brought back memories.

Jasmine sighed at the two naked boys in disappointment and wondered why they didn't gym often. Her brother always gymed.

"Why are you two naked!" Silvana shouted and Rooney chuckled.

"Ever heard of a thing called shower? We took it 'cause we were dirty." He smirked and Arthur laughed and winked at Munachi.

Further confusing her.

She was feeling guilt now, guilt for all the things she'd done with Arthur that she'd never done with anyone.

"Why are you three even here?" Arthur asked and wrapped the towel he was drying his hair with round his shoulder.

"I snitched on him." Jasmine grinned at Rooney. He frowned.

Of course you did.

Couldn't have just waited till tomorrow ?

I don't care. Today, tomorrow, next week. I don't care.

But why am I now stealing glances at Munachi?

"Guy, do you want to date Elizzy?" Nonso asked.

Rooney contemplated on lying and saying yes just to get a rise out of Munachi to see if she still cared but the one second that she looked up at him with those back-to-void eyes, he saw the girl he'd fell for.

Muna was gone and Numb was back.

Numb was the one he needed.

"Dude, I'm not stupid. Never. We didn't even fuck I swear. " He explained only to Munachi.

Staring straight into her eyeballs and further increasing the guilt Munachi felt in her gut.

Arthur and I also didn't fuck. I swear.

"Who now said you fucked her?" Nonso asked and Arthur stepped back and then into their room.

"But you kissed her. I saw you, don't deny it." Jasmine said

"Yes. I did. But, it's not like Munachi and Arthur hasn't kissed yet. The difference is that I'm single. Free to mingle." He felt terrible for saying those words.

He knew he was acting childish and he knew why. But it still didn't feel right.

He stared at Munachi who kept looking down, purposely avoiding his gaze for as long as she had to.

But seconds later, she felt exhausted and emotionally drained.

Like the first time she heard her mother say she'd wished she had aborted her.

She was tired.

Munachi sighed deeply and turned to walk away without a word.

Much to Rooney's happiness.

So she did care?

••
"It isn't real if I'm the only one fighting.
My love just isn't enough."