".. So, your ex's best friend, has a crush on you. " Miss Loni stated, five minutes after my classmates had happily updated her.

"It's more than a crush. He loves her. " Jasmine had a proud hint in her voice as she glared at Elizzy.

"He loved her. Her forming drove him away. " Elizzy stated narrowing her bulging eyes at me.

Miss Loni watched me with sadness laced in her eyes.

But she also had understanding laced in them.

Williams walked in

And so did Nonso and... Arthur.

Why's he still in school?

"Munachi, my mom wants to speak with you. " Arthur sounded angry.

I get you're annoyed with me. But this wasn't necessary.

His mother and I were close...

Mothers loved me...

Except mine.

Seemed like Arthur talked about me and Rooney a lot with his mother... 'cause for a section straight, she always requested to see us downstairs after signing Arthur's report card... Gave us blessings and usually told us to keep up our intellectual hard work while passing us money that we both never accepted.

This was going to be the first time, I'd see her without me leaning on Rooney's arm as she talked.

"Arthur.. " Miss Loni smiled at him in a weird way that he quirked both his eyebrows and a crease formed on his forehead.

"Your mother doesn't want to see your best female form mistress but she wants to see your favorite female classmate. Huh? How in-lawly is that?" she smirked at him. Arthur's mouth dropped, he scratched his hair while squinting his eyes at Miss Laura before he gave up and he walked to the door.

"No one noticed us abi(Right?!) " Nonso yelled.

"Ah, babe, no! " Silvana yelled back.

"Dude, don't mind them. We striving our butt out helping parents and no one even spares us a glance... "Williams.

I stood up and smiled at Miss Loni. She smiled back and nodded and I walked out the door.

Arthur was hovering over me right now and I remembered how familiar this scene was.. Only now we were in house wears and not school uniforms like a month ago.

"Walk with me, short girl." he said.

Did he just talk to me?

Like properly talk to me?

The sun wasn't out yet, so we had this gloomy dark look in the sky.

I looked up with a huge grin plastered on my face.

"I'm taller than you, you know right? "

"In your dreams. " he muttered and then slipped an arm over my shoulder.

"I'm sorry for what I said few days ago.. At the cafeteria. " He stopped walking and stared at me

I did a mini dance in my head and nodded my head at him.

"You're forgiven, but try that next time and I'll tell your mummy for you. " I told him with a baby voice and he laughed while we walked down the stairs.

"I'll make sure I don't, so she won't climb a chair and slap me. " he said in an extremely fake voice.

I smiled.

"My mum's downstairs talking to that bursar lady agai-"

"-Why? " I blurted out. I knew his mother and the bursar were friends, but they only talked when Arthur had spent excessively.

Memories of him groaning while his mother gave him the preachings of his life about spending foolishly while Rooney and I laughed flashed in my head and I smiled weakly.

"Mumu, you've over spent again. How much this time? " I asked him and he shrugged.

"Twenty K. " I grabbed his arm back.

"Twenty?! In less than a month? That's four Purchase Cheques, three more PC's than I spent." I told him and he stared at my hand holding back his arm.

I watched as a smug stupid smirk appeared on his lips.

He pushed me back and then my back hit the smooth wall.

"I'm a guy. We spend more. " He smirked down at me.

Okay, so now maybe I do see the height thing Silvana talks about.

I was short! Barely reaching his chest.

And he had a long oval face and that added to his height.

I nodded.

"You started betting again? " I asked,  giving him a light shove.

"No! I'm horrible at that. " He shrieked loudly.

Yep, he couldn't even play that 'Freeze game' that had you twisting your fingers together.

Our school made that game more fun,
If who ever you'd bet with caught you with your fingers, legs or hands not locked up, you pay them whatever food choice they request.. Or any amount from your purchase check.

And before you could exit the game... You had to receive serious amount of beatings.

Arthur had been beaten a lot.

"I paid someone to do something for me. Fine boy like me, can't get my hand dirty. " He boasted and we walked towards the bursar office.

His mother was sitting on a metal curvy chair in front of the office.

"Munachi dear! " Mrs Dike grinned at me, she leapt up and stretched out her hands.

I walked quickly to her and received the tightest hug I'd gotten in months.

She smelt like strawberries and was dressed in a matching strawberry outfit.

A simple red chiffon shirt with white polka dots scattered across and a tight red velvet pair of jean.

"Mummy good morning. "I greeted.

She liked being called 'Mummy' something about Arthur being her only child and how she wants more.

"Morning my dear. You've grown so much taller. " she said, turning me to sample my looks.

"Lie." Arthur coughed and we both hissed at him.

"She's still short mum, don't lie to the girl. " he grinned at me.. And I caught something in his eyes.

Silent anger.

What if, this was just his clever plan to get his mother to think we were still good while he secretly harbored anger in him against me.

Of course he wouldn't include me his sick plan because everyone knows how I couldn't even act to save my life.

"Oh shut up Ebube. You think everyone must be as tall as you and your friend... Rooney. " His mother scowled at him.

Ebube Arthur Dike.

Ebube Dike.

Her features softened once her eyes met mine.

"He's adjusting well over there my dear, don't worry. He's okay. " She said to me in a low tone and I nodded in sign of respect.

"So I assume, you won't refuse my gift since your oga, isn't here to tell you to refus-"

"-He never told me to refuse..."

"Oh, sh sh sh.. " she shushed me while reaching into her bag.

She had a smile, but that smile was linked to sad eyes... She was still grieving over her husband.

She was now a widow, just like Rooney's mother.

Guess that's what strengthened Rooney and Arthur's relationship.

They'd both lost fathers... Arthur, fortunate to have his till he was 15 and Rooney not so fortunate as he lost his when he was 6.

I didn't know how that felt... And didn't want to know.

Arthur's mother passed me a red velvet box that didn't look like a normal box of chocolates.

Her favorite color was red. She always had something red with her.

Her phone pouch, her dressing... Her black shoes with red dots.

Always a red.

I stared confusedly as I accepted it.

"Thankfully, you didn't reject this one. " she smiled weakly at me... I smiled back.

And stared at Arthur who avoided my gaze.

His jaw was clenched tight as he stared up.

So I was right?

Was he still angry?

I popped open the box and stared at a feminine silver small watch.

My eyes widened at the sight in front of me and I stepped back.

"Ma, I can't accept it. " I bit my lower lip and although I'd like to ignore it, I heard Arthur take a sharp intake of breath beside me.

Was the fact, that his mother had spent a huge amount on me fueling his anger?

"Please do. It's a couple watch. Saw it and thought of you, you've been there for my dear Arthur for so long and I want to thank you. I've sent Rooney's own over. Please accept it. " she pleaded and then I saw the brokenness in her eyes.

I stared at Arthur again who seemed like he was having a hard time containing his anger.

His eyes were narrowed and his lower lip was sucked into his mouth.

He looked... Hot.

Wait what?

... His lips pressed on my lips, my back pressed against my hostel's pillar...

God! Muna! What are you thinking about?

I looked away.

"Thank you ma, it's beautiful. I love it. " I told her and she pulled me into another hug.

I couldn't even decline this, it was too beautiful to be returned.

Encrusted little diamonds spelt out the word: 'VE' inside it,
Rooney's definitely spelt 'LO'.

The fact that she'd picked this out made it impossible to refuse.

"God bless you nnwam(My child.) " she said and I nodded my head on her chest.

His mother was tall, not as tall as Arthur was.. But she was tall.

I'd only seen her once 9th grade first term and that was during visiting day.

Then she looked super... Beautiful like a tall glass of wine. Like a model with her human hair falling over her shoulder.

She looked young and energetic.

9th grade second term that energetic vibe was gone.

Now, she looked old and sad. But the beauty was still there.

The loud Igbo song broke the quiet and awkward atmosphere as her phone rang and I wondered if two years ago, she would have wanted this song as her ringtone.

Grief really had a way of changing people.

"Well, I'll leave you to talk. I have to take this. " she unclasped from my body and walked off, talking to the phone in her hand.

Arthur kept staring at me, probably waiting for me to confront him over his altitude...

'Mind your business', has always been my motto.

So I walked past him, holding my new gift as I moved towards the stairs.

If Jasmine saw this.. I wouldn't hear the end of this, If our form mistress saw this.

If Elizzy saw this..

Suddenly I wanted Elizzy to see this, I knew it was. petty but ...

So, I stopped my self from squeezing the box inside my bra, I'd already outstretched my gown and was about to safely tuck it in before I reconsidered hiding it.

This hallway's usually empty 'cause this was the business part of the school.

It was mainly filled with purchasing cheques, textbooks, notebooks, and staffs who would've easily gotten jobs in banks, but were here instead...

Accounting.

I was alone, so I was safe, no one would see my white singlet or the tight black bra I was wearing.

This bra was Jasmine idea, it brought out my 'bust'. According to her.

I'd gotten this bra when I was in 9th grade, and just rediscovered it yesterday while I was packing, it was still brand new.

My boobs really looks nice.

I was about to adjust my gown when a hand suddenly jerked me back wards.

Curving my body so I turned up in a corner.

I turned around and I remembered I actually wasn't alone, I was with a tall teenage boy who could see over my head easily.

And that meant...

"What the fuck was that? Who're you trying to seduce, little bitch? "...

Why would Arthur call me a bitch?

Well...

That wasn't Arthur's voice..

I took a breath in... And then came the familiar perfume scent that I'd always associated with Arthur.

He was always around him.. Most of the time.

The same person who'd held me back while we ran from the cafeteria.

His figure felt slender as he pressed against me.

He was tall.. And that's why I'd made the mistake of thinking he was Arthur a week ago.

It felt like I was standing in front of Arthur thanks to his height.

And then I felt it.. I felt the boner rub my behind as the person grounded on me.

And a loud moan escape from this disgusting.....

Arthur would never do that, moan,

I whipped my head back wards and in the process dragged out my hand from this pervert's hand.

My mouth dropped as I stared at the tall figure hovering above me..

Never in a million years would I had imagined this scenario play out with... Him.

The one guy who hated my guts to the moon and back.

Kenelum.

(ง ͠° ͟ʖ #)ง

Random Fact
Some school scenes are based on personal experiences...

You just have to guess what scenes 😊