Munachi Odumba.

"We'll be late. Be fast biko. " Silvana told Jasmine and I.

I nodded and swiped my glossy black rubber shoe with the polish foam in my left hand and quickly placed the black foam back in its container, I hit my two hands together twice and dusted it against my locker hankie.

Jasmine applied her lip gloss, smacked her lips together and announced she was ready.

Silvana sighed and began the short walk out our dorm.

I followed her while dragging my church gown downwards-The pain of adding weight, my butt always had this way of drawing up my clothes.

I hated it.

I couldn't say I was proud of the way Silvana was handling her pain.

Not like she was acting like she'd just live witnessed her first boyfriend cheat on her.

But I was glad she was acting a bit mature about it.

Or she was just calm about it because she was still in shock?

I wasn't a psychologist but I'm sure that was what was happening.

"Pss! What do you think Silva's gonna do to Nonso when she sees him? " Jasmine whispered besides me.

Silvana was in front of us, her legs sliding over the steps we were climbing down almost as if she was in a race.

But she wasn't, this was how she always walked on stairs... Like someone was chasing her but, like she was also sure the person couldn't catch her.

I shrugged as a reply to Jasmine and continued.

"She's too calm about this. "

"As in eh. Yesterday night abi earlier this morning, I'd expected her to jump down from that bunk and kill both of them, but she just stayed there on top and did nothing. "

"Why'd I do that? " She halted in front of us and turned.

"I'm not the first girl to be cheated on. It rains everywhere, I just need an umbrella to protect me... And that umbrella is knowing what positions she used to snatch my man. "I smacked my forehead at her words.

"It doesn't rain everywhere. " She rolled her eyes at me and continued walking.

"Silvana, Munachi's right you know? Nothing justifies cheating. You're not at fault. "

"I am. I thought if I'd always switched things up with him, he wouldn't lose interest... Didn't know I was boring and exhausting, he only did missionary... With that... That slut. "

"Elizzy." I muttered.

Silvana hissed loudly and we walked out the hostel.

It was pretty early, most people now weren't awake.

The sun was peeking out of the dark clouds, the air around us smelt of wet earth-courtesy to the rain last night.

Dew or actual raindrops glistered on leaves and grasses nearby and gave us the serene natural atmosphere.

After we'd snuck back into our hostel by 3am, exchanged house wears back with Endurance and co, we'd slept approximately for three hours only.

And research shows teenagers needed at least 7-8 hours of sleep.

I wasn't sure I was going to function properly today.

I had no idea why Silvana had woken us all up by 6am to get prepared for church.

Service started by 8 am. It was 6:39am right now.

Breakfast commenced at 7:30am so we still had at least an hour plus to sleep.

But no, Silvana just had to wake us up to the dissatisfaction of our roommates-Staying quiet while you had to brush, bathe and dress up wasn't as easy as it sounded.

"Can't believe our former class rep's fucking your boyfriend. " Jasmine snarled.

I joined her.

"Can't believe either. She wasn't my friend but we weren't enemies. How could she? " Silvana asked us.

How was I expected to know that?

I was still recovering from the shock Arthur had given me.

"Elizzy, what's up with your bunkmate?. " he was the first person to say her name.

I didn't even notice she'd come back into the room until she responded.

"That's girls for you, tearing others down is what some do best. " Jasmine said.

"Yeah. What some do best. Not all. "I quietly agreed with her.

I looked back and stared at blue house male hostel... Blue lights illuminated in most dorms and I noted that most boys in our school woke up earlier than most girls did.

Or that most boys didn't switch off their bulbs after lights out.

"Are we going to the cafeteria? " Jasmine asked.

"No, if we go now.. We'd just have to wait till 7:40 and I might encounter Nonso, I'm not ready for that yet. Going straight to the auditorium is better, then we'd go for lunch after the service." Silvana replied and I finally saw the weakness in her eyes.

This was all an act, she was truly hurt... She needed a shoulder to cry on.

"So we're going to the auditorium now or what? " Jasmine asked again.

Silvana weakly nodded. I stopped walking and hugged her.

I hugged her tightly, squeezed my body against her until her shoulders fell and her head rested on mine.

She was hugging me back.

Jasmine added her self after a loud "aww" escaped from her lips.

I heard a low sniff on my shoulders and I realized Silvana was crying.

"Why'd he do this to me? Why'd he cheat? " She rhetorically asked.

"Why'd he hurt me? All I did was love him! Did I deserve that? "She continued.

She sounded like she was choking. No doubt my white church wear was stained. She'd applied mascara on her eyes...

But, honestly I didn't care.

What's a little stain anyways?

"You didn't do anything wrong, you'll get over this.. You're strong. " I patted her back.

"No I'm not! I'm not! I can't deal with this pain, I don't know what to do! Do I break up with him? It was just a bet?! I was just a bet?! I meant nothing to him! "She squeezed me tightly and cried loudly.

Her body was shaking and I was having a hard time holding her.

She'd totally broken.

She was crying openly.

"Can you forgive him? " Silvana pulled away from me and glared at Jasmine.

"If you can't, then break up with him... It's just my own opinion, even if you forgive him trusting him again would be difficult, you'd start all again building trust that can easily be broken. " Jasmine explained.

Silvana sniffed and nodded.

"I don't even want to date him anymore, pride won't let me. I can't believe he'd made me compare myself to a lowlife. " Her face was back on my shoulder.

"Then if you want to, break up with him when you see him... If it's too hard on you, write him a break up note.. Just two words, write them in capital letters: It's over.

I'd had asked you to confront him if it hadn't been confirmed he's cheating before you do this. But you can't, if you confront him publicly you lose more of your self respect. " Jasmine continued.

Silvana pulled back again and wiped her tears with her blue bandana.

"What do you think Munachi, do I break up with him? "

If you do and you later regret it, you'd blame me for telling you to dump him.

"Don't use your heart to think. " I answered her instead.

"Exactly, look babe, it's your choice.. Your life. Do what you feel is best. But never ever you compare your self to another girl, don't ever for once think you're of low value. Never do things like that, you can break up with him, but don't revenge."

"Let Karma do that for you. " I smiled.

Silvana smiled too.

••

"Thank you so much girls, you made our work easier for us." The girl in charge of arranging the auditorium chairs, Gift, thanked us.

It was now 7:56am, we'd assisted the girls tiding up the auditorium for over an hour.

Since we couldn't just walk in here and mope at people cleaning the auditorium.

This was Emerald Academy, a rumor would suddenly start about how we three were so proud.

I think Silvana also needed the physical labor to distract her.

"You're welcome, it was no biggie."Silvana answered for us all.

Good thing that came out of this was,the black wet stain that was on my shoulder was gone. Silvana had helped me dab and scrub my shoulder with a soapy liquid that'd been used to swipe the windows and now it was completely dried.

"Well, it's okay." Gift replied and walked away.

I proceeded to sit down on one of the chairs. Jasmine was quickly at my right side and Silvana sat on the chair on my left.

•°•

"Can you all please just be quiet, for like five minutes. "Senior Ayo said, his voice was amplified by the microphone in his right hand.

Yet, it was as if no one heard him because the noise continued in full force.

"Can't you just ignore that boy toasting you for at least five minutes, be a bit mature. " He continued, I turned the pages on my Bible.

I don't understand why most guys feel women love money... Like, Judas actually sold Jesus.

"Toasting us keh(huh?) We're not bread! " Chiamaka's voice was unmistakable.

Why was she in church anyways? She usually stabbed service.

Maybe she's here to do thanksgiving for being Arthur's first.

Nonsense.

"Senior! I can't see what you're saying!" Someone on my right yelled.

Jasmine on my right yelled.

The auditorium went silent for a few seconds... Then everyone burst into a loud uncontrollable laughter.

I struggled to hold mine in until I realized that wasn't a grammatical error, she didn't just accidentally blunder.. She didn't just bagam(Grammatical error) by mistake, she'd done that on purpose!

"Come Jasmine! How you dey see watin him dey talk(How'd you see what he's saying?)" No doubt that was Segun.

Unfortunately, unlike planned... Nonso didn't sit at the back, they'd all queued behind us.

Directly behind us.

Jasmine glanced quickly at Silvana.. She still looked uncomfortable, maybe Jasmine had said that to make her smile.

If that's the case she failed, Silvana scratched at her wrist and stared straight at the podium.

"Babe, what's wrong?" Nonso pushed his head in between Silvana and I.

Babe!?

She turned to look at him, her mouth moved almost like she was about to reply then she quickly turned again.

Nonso sat back down and then I felt my chair shake.

"What's up with your friend, why's she snubbing me? I mean, we even walked to the front looking for you guys and now she's dulling?" Nonso said behind me.

I whipped my head backward, glared at him and turned.

"Hian(Woah!) Jazz Biko answer the poor dude." Kenneth said loudly

She in turn turned, glared, hissed, turned again, grabbed her Bible and stood up.

Silvana did the same, almost as if on cue.

Why're you still sitting?

I stood up too, picked up my notebook and Bible and Silvana walked out our row.

I followed and someone grabbed my elbow.

Arthur.

"What's this now? What's up?" He asked me and I stared at his eyes, hoping he'll understand my message

She found out.

"Talk to me... Does she know?" He asked me.

I nodded, he groaned.

"Did you tell her?" He whispered, I shook my head and looked at my best friends sitting a row ahead.

We'd not started service yet, it was probably 8:10 so now we were in this loud mess that consisted of a male senior on the podium yelling 'Keep quiet!' and juniors ignoring him.

I didn't know why he was wasting his time, they won't obey until an adult climbs that podium.

"I didn't tell her. She found out-"

"-Found out what?" Nonso said behind me.

I shrugged and made a move to walk away but he grabbed my hand much tighter than Arthur had.

"Fuck you dude, you told her?!" Nonso almost shouted.

Silvana turned her head back ward.

"Told me what? You're a cheat? You betrayed my best friend? Or that you're the fucking best saint of the year?" The f word that escaped my lips sent everyone gasping.

I don't think I'd ever cussed in public.

Talk less in church.

"None of the above, see Munachi it isn't what it seems like! " He shouted at me.

He was getting violent now, his fingers were attacking my wrist.

Why was he defending himself? Did he think Arthur had just blabbered to me and I'd blabbed to her? No, if that was the case she'd asked for an explanation.

Now it was way too complicated.

"Guy, let go of her." Arthur told Nonso in this frightening scary voice.

"No, why the fuck did you tell this fucker?! You don't do that Dike! You don't fucking do that! What's your fucking problem?! Love makes you stupid and you're doing fucking stupid things for someone who won't return your feelings, someone who can't love you back! What the fuck?! " Nonso yelled and the grip on my wrist tightened,

I could push him off but now Silvana was standing up.

I watched her every step, I didn't even see Arthur's fist getting ready for a punch he wasn't receiving but a punch he was delivering.

Nonso growled and let go of me quickly, he swung his hand at Arthur.

I froze.

"Isn't that what you wanted bitch? Two best friends to fight, you couldn't do same to Arthur and Rooney so you'd settle for these two. Possessed bitch." I didn't know when Kenelum walked behind me.

But I sure did know when I slapped him and balled my palm into a fist.

He whipped his head back and sucked his lips.

"Shut up. Rapist." Jasmine's high pitched voice said and his eyes widened beyond the size of saucer pans.

“I'm not!" He gasped in a non Kenelum way. Like the word hurt him to hear.

When did she get here?

"Now instead of you being stupid and worthless, like always. Why don't you join your friends in separating true friends. " Silvana gritted out.

Kenelum looked back and obeyed not before flashing me his middle finger, they'd gathered a mini crowd now.

"What's wrong with that stupid Nonso?!" Silvana asked no one in particular before she walked into the crowd, her waist breaking too quickly as she did so.

She stood in front of a panting Nonso that'd successfully be pulled away from Arthur.

"She didn't tell me anything! I overheard those two discussing it! I heard how I was just a bet, not worth more than 100K!" She yelled and slapped him twice, too quickly I almost thought it was one.

"It's over okay! It's over! You lost your fucking bet!" She yelled and slapped him with her left hand.

She glared at Kenneth who looked down and scratched his head, he looked guilty...

Kenelum had this shocked unhappy look.

He looked like he was reconsidering who he was, like he finally could see himself through the mirror I saw him.

"I swear it was all a lie, I swear.. You're not a bet you don't understand!" Nonso tried explaining.

His eyes were bloodshot red.

He wasn't crying but he sure was close to.

"I don't understand what? That you're a cheat and I'm a bet?! I think I do." Nonso dropped on his knees under her.

"Yes, please let me explain... You're not just a bet, you're more than that... Sure you talk a lot but I love that about you, how quickly your lips move while you talk as I imagined kissing them, SS1 having you as my girlfriend was the best thing that happened to me, you're Silvana, you're intelligent, beautiful, nice and compassionate how the fuck could you be a bet?! "

How could she be a bet?

He wouldn't display this much emotion for everyone-Junior and senior inclusive if she was just a bet.

"How the fuck could you cheat on me?! I gave you everything! " She yelled at him. The crowd doubled.

"Except your virginity! " a voice yelled.

"I swear! If you're not ready to date don't date.. How can you give him dry fasting to manage?! "

"Wonder oh!"

"What did she even expect from a secondary school romance? For them to marry or what?! Abegi! Stupidity in action! "

"Wonder oh! She even walked out of the relationship still a virgin and she's complaining."

Different voices round us dropped their opinion and I swear I heard Elizzy's voice in there.

"I didn't cheat." He cried out.

Wow, that was believable.

"I saw you. I saw both of you, blue house dorm.. After lights out.. On her bunk. 'Guy, commot now, Chiamaka's bed dey for centre.' I was there. " She quoted to him.

He gasped and looked away.

"I'm so fucking sorry. " Nonso apologized and a tear dropped from his left eye.

He really was sorry.

"Me too. " She told him, Williams suddenly appeared from the crowd and froze.

His eyebrows scrunched together as he glared at Nonso.

I watched him as strange emotions flashed across his face, he looked like he was battling with something.

"Silvana was there yesterday?"Arthur snapped me out of my mini fixed trance on Williams.

I shrugged and looked up at him, he looked un scratched... I glanced at an un scratched Nonso and noted that they'd been pulled away too quickly for any damage to occur.

"Answer me. " He bit his lower lip and I noticed a bleeding spot on it.

"Yes."

"What about you? " I watched Silvana walk away.

Jasmine walked towards Williams and held his hand, she was muttering incoherent words to him as he nodded.

"Yes." I whispered.

"Fuck. You were Elizzy's bunkmate? " I nodded.

He groaned and took my hand and walked towards an exit door.

Guess, I was missing service today.

"Why? " Arthur asked as he leaned against a pillar.

The sun was shinning brightly now, birds were chipping loudly and the air was warming up.

"Is he cheating. Why did he cheat?" I bounced his question.

"He loves her. I don't know why he cheated but I know he loves her, dick spent over 10K on her... The dude stopped eating spaghetti because of her, he does. I don't know why he cheated... The bet didn't even require him to cheat so I don't know why he did, why he ruined something so... Beautiful. "

"He hurt her. "

"I know, he's hurt too. His ego, pride and shame has been shattered... A girl just slapped him thrice, his girlfriend dumped him in public. Dude just messed up big time and... He hurt you. " He picked up my hand and examined it.

"Thankfully he didn't leave a mark. I'm sorry. "

"It doesn't hurt. "

"No, not that. I'm sorry for disobeying you, yesterday you told me not to go and I went anyways... I didn't go because of the free fuck, I did it because I wanted to find out shit. I know Chiamaka, she in a way helped me deal with my anger problem, she channels everything into sex... I knew my plan would work. " He frowned.

"So it worked? " I looked away, scenes of her shaking bed flashing in.

He grinned nervously and scratched his head.

"Yes, she admitted she did it, swore never to try it again... And told me more deeper shit. "

"Like what? " I asked him, noticing how he'd not dropped my hand instead he was now holding my palm with his.

"Kenelum hates you. "

"I know that. "

"No, he really loathes you. Because of Rooney, Kenelum naturally is a possessive guy, he likes knowing certain things and the fact that I'd already half way replaced him and now you were always with Rooney... It messed his brain up and Chiamaka when she wanted certain things from him, she manipulated him... Made him think you wanted him to screw you, made him think you were just playing twisted mind games with him and she did it for fun and because she didn't like you, she's been telling him nonsense and Kenelum's dad is already a nonsense man so it stuck..." He trailed off and looked upwards.

"The shit is more complicated, but I got her to back off... Don't know what to do about Kenelum, just please stay away from him, recently he's started changing somehow... Diana's changing him for the good but.. Still-"

"-Are they dating? " I interrupted him.

He nodded.

"Yes, but they're also not dating at the same time, it's an open relationship thing... He's the only one open but... Still, she's the main chick. I don't understand their shit either. "

"Okay." I told him and silence followed.

He squeezed my palm and let go.

"Nonso doesn't tell me things anymore but, I know he loves her. Explains his foolish outburst and my bursted lip." He snorted and I frowned.

"Then why did he cheat? Why did he agree to the bet?" Arthur shrugged.

"I don't know why he cheated.. But the first bet was supposed to give him courage to ask her out, then, he felt she was way out of his league and what better way to give him morale than to add money to it? The first bet he didn't even want her virginity... She's worth more than 100k, the first bet was 100k, Kenneth and Kenelum do this thing where 10k means 100k and 20k means 200k up until 90k then 100k means 1million for the fun of it.

He just wanted her to be his... 'cause durh, you can't be a girl's first time if you're not her official boyfriend. He's liked her since 7th grade, he got himself into this shit by cheating. If you can't be faithful, don't date." He said and then sucked on his bursted lip,

"I'm sorry."

"You didn't almost punch my face off, didn't slap me with the palm of truth. So don't apologize. Guy was right, I'm doing 'stupid things for someone who won't return my feelings, someone who can't love me back?!' I mean,I just almost ruined a relationship. "

"You didn't, I didn't tell her anything... It was fate, she was meant to find out yesterday... Kenelum and Kenneth were pawns. You're not doing anything stupid." I stood in front of him and placed my hands on his cheek.

He turned his face away.

"But you won't return my feelings and it's okay, I'm not doing all these so you'll like me... I do them cause I can't lie to you... I'm the fool here, we can't exist and I'm blabbing for you... I love you Nana,I know what happened yesterday complicates things...I mean you saw us... But I do,I'm not asking for anything... Heck, I don't think I can be in a relationship, but truth remains I'm the fool here." His eyes bore into my soul as he spoke, dark red lips moving slowly and quickly as words left them.

Dark red kissable lips.

"You're not a fool."

"I am." Sunlight streaked down to his face and I properly noticed the perfect miniature slash on his teeth.

Why didn't we all have slashes?

"You're not, how'd you get this?" my thumb traced his lip and he smiled.

Then chuckled.

"This stupid school oh!" He groaned with this stupid smirk of his.

"How?" I giggled.

"8th grade, third term... I'd recently stopped getting into fights, it was a strange miracle that my perfect body hadn't been permanently damaged..."

"Perfect body?"

"Yes babe, glad you agree with me." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, on a Sunday morning just like this... Jide started his five minutes madness, it was around 7:20, breakfast was to start in 10 minutes or so. The guy came to our dorm and was fooling his generation, his past, present and his future. Guy was barking like one bulldog who wasn't allowed to mate... He brought out one stupid long cane like that and chased us out, we didn't run... We were bosses,why would we?" He flicked his collar up and I rolled my eyes.

"It was those stupid 7th graders, acting like primary 4 students ... They saw Jide's cane and started running... We didn't even understand why they were running... Until we merged with them on the staircase, they were running like fools... And so I had to run to not get stampeded on... Was running and boom, someone pushed me or I tripped... Don't even remember, I fell over and hit my face on the staircase shit, the place you hold while walking... " I frowned and rubbed his cheek.

"It hurt then... Started bleeding and Rooney walked me to the healing bay in our hostel... Guy was just eyeing Jide as he walked past. The end." I nodded.

He smiled and we both enjoyed the silence that followed.

Or I did?

"So you've accepted that you're an introvert? " He broke the quiet air and smirked at me.

"Yeah."

" That's good,because you don't really fall into the ambivert group."

"What's an ambivert?" He smiled and turned me so I was leaning against his chest.

"An ambivert is what I am. I don't quite fit into the introvert, extrovert categories... I can survive in loud themed places eg, parties, clubs etcetera etcetera, for long without being emotionally drained and sometimes staying alone feels refreshing to me. You're an introvert, even without being drugged,you'd had crashed at that party... " He tutored as I paid full attention.

"Jasmine is an extrovert. Silvana might be an ambivert, You're an introvert. Williams is also an extrovert."

"Prof, Prof. " He smirked.

"Y'know, I can teach you more things... Teach you things in zha ozha(The other) room." I giggled and walked away.

Last night, I'd accepted I had feelings to my self...
Today do I tell him?

Do I not?

Do I continue hurting him?

By letting him think I couldn't return a bit of his feelings.

But I won't be, if I admit it...what happens next? Would we date?

He says he can't stay without sex, I've never had sex... Wasn't planning on, that means he'd have to cheat... Even if we have sex...emphasis on the if... Would he still be satisfied?

Would he later on sleep with Chiamaka again because I'd be tiring him?

"A penny for your thoughts?" His breath heated up my body behind me.

Do I tell him I like him back?

What difference would it make?

He won't ask you out...

"Arthur..." His hands touched my waist. I froze.

"Yes babe?" babe.

Would I become his babe?

"I want to tell you something. " He moved his hand upwards till it rested on the small of my back.

"I'm all ears."

Tell him..

Don't tell him...

You just like him back... What's the big deal.

Telling him won't change anything.

Still tell him.

"Senior Ebuka asked me out."

Won't tell him.

"That bastard did what?" He pulled away, like if he was water and I was current.

He turned and held my arms.

"You said no right ? You insulted his destiny and said no-what am I saying, you're Munachi... He didn't touch you right?" He asked me as he examined my hands...

He didn't touch me there..

Aim a bit lower and I'll say yes.

I shook my head.

"No... I turned him down and he told me to think about it, I'm giving him another reply tomorrow. "

"You mean, another of the same reply tomorrow... Another no, right? You can't accept him, he's in red house... Those boys are sick." He growled and continued.

"Lust filled dicks... I mean I've noticed his disgusting stares aimed at you, didn't know he'll ask you out. I mean, you're mine, why would that prick do that?... I just finally got you, you're single, Rooney's gone... I can't lose you... What am I saying, I don't got you... You don't like me back. I have no opinion in this. " He dropped my hands.

Second chance, tell him.

No....!

What do I gain if I tell him?

What would you gain by not telling him?

I'll keep my pride and dignity..

Shut up jare!

"Arthur, you got me." His eyes met mine instantly.

"What?"

"I like you back, I realized yesterday that I do... I'm not asking you for a relationship, I know you don't do that... I'm just letting you know of my feelings for you... I like you." He blinked.

I smiled.

"If I'm dreaming, don't wake me up." He moved closer and took my cheek in his palms...

His lips were curving upwards and there was this glint in his dark black eyes.

His head was dropping low to merge lips with mine before the loud, unwanted clearing of a throat made him pull away.

We both stared at the exit we'd walked out of barely ten minutes ago...

How long had she been standing there?

Why didn't I see her come out of the auditorium?

Her eyes shot direct daggers at us and I gulped.

Why'd I feel like I'd just committed a crime?

Why was she glaring at us like that?

••

•☯°۝°☯•

"Tear down my walls, initiate doubts, make me feel like I'm unworthy. What does she have that I lack?"