Munachi Odumba.

It wasn't even freezing yet I felt cold, didn't matter if Arthur's hand was currently over my shoulder providing some sort of heat.

The spoon in my hand felt frozen as if I'd just brought it out of a deep freezer and I didn't know why.

So I dropped the spoon and just picked up my egg that Arthur had been gracious enough to peel for me. Well, he had the long nails... Nails that had been in me yesterday.

Munachi....

Stoppppppppp.

"You're not eating? Can I take it?" Nonso asked politely in front of me at once and I nodded slowly, trying to figure out if he'd been watching me all along waiting for me to drop my plate, he grinned like a Cheshire cat

"That's why I loff you."

Rooney coughed in a choke manner and I felt a rush run down my spine and it made my body drop more degrees.

Okay, mystery solved. He's the reason why I felt cold.

Why was he sitting here?

"Guyyyy! Oil don stain my shirt oh." Dominique suddenly exclaimed and I whipped my head quickly to shake my head in disappointment at him.

Why were they all sitting here?

"Guy, mad oh..! Today na the photo shoot stuff, you don die be that." Kenelum dearest... Stated the most obvious!

The stain wasn't that noticeable, Segun and Nonso both started laughing in a hyena themed way until Silvana smacked Nonso's head.

"Ojukwu go chop you raw today!" Kenneth almost shouted and we all nodded.

Arthur spoke as the voice of reason, "It's not too late, we still have like twenty minutes left to eat. Rush back to the hostel change into one of your sch-"

"-Guy, e detty I never wash the second one, the third one still dey washing machine wey I put am this morning sef. " Dominique groaned and Arthur chuckled and my body vibrated in effect.

"Take my own na. This one no be problem, collect any person shirt for our dorm. Simple." Rooney advised and dropped his half empty plate of food.

Which Nonso was quick to slide towards his own plate.

Why was he gathering so much food to eat?

Shouldn't he be eating less to avoid a case of number 2 during the photoshoot?

"You no dey hear me so? Oya, which of una big pass me? I'm one of the biggest dudes in SS2 if not the biggest, so I'm dead."

I shook my head at Rooney and Jasmine pinched my thigh.

"Egg white and detergents, home economics project."

Oh....

Rooney stared at me for a mini second and continued talking. "Meet one of those juniors, I saw many with the detergent mix in jars and nylons, pour small and get a washcloth, the stain is small.... Fix yourself, sinks are everywhere, use 'em."

Dominique groaned,

"But duuude, no junior's walking around again and that means I'll have to stand up and walk to their side and you all already know how those small children are scared of me." he grumbled and Arthur chuckled loudly and pulled his hand off my shoulder.

"Guy, no one sent you to be like 6'7 okay and also have body, it's your father's fault." Arthur teased and Dominique raised up his middle finger.

" I'm 6'5 you idiot. And you're like 6'3 so what's your point exactly?"

Arthur laughed loudly and moved his body in a jelly like way while talking. "My point is your body size is more intimidating than mine."

"So, don't blame them, it's natural instincts. Imagine you're 4 foot tall and you see a huge 6 foot giant walking towards you, Guy you go run abeg." Rooney supported? Supported his best friend and Dominique stood up.

"Don't worry, we'll come with you... Let their hearts calm when they see me." Arthur said and I looked at him only to see him wink.

Instead of just walking out of the long table, long seat dinning like a normal person would've, he decided to prove he wasn't normal.

And threw a backflip over the seat, he did it so quickly and easily that I almost didn't notice. But I did and so did everyone.

"Guy, God just save you no plates were near you, you'll explain whose food you want to poison with dust. " Segun muttered and I stared at Arthur, his lips were plumpy looking today and his eyes were glittering.

He raised his eyebrows up at me and I rolled my eyes.

Are you asking for permission or telling me you're leaving?

He chuckled and Rooney stood up and crossed a leg over his seat and so did Dominique.

"Guy." Rooney mumbled and Arthur looked up to stare at him before walking over to meet them.

"Don't fear big guy, just smile when you see them..." Arthur's voice trailed off as they walked away.

I guess he and Rooney were back to normal now.

I guess the two weeks break was a fruitful sacrifice considering how Rooney is so much calmer now and relaxed.

It felt like he'd finally found peace again and it warmed my heart because the term was almost over and he'd spent the entire term troubled.

•••

"Why's it only SS2, she picked? Aren't we the ones writing WAEC this year?"

"I don't know for the principal bitch biko. She's probably licking Rooney's mom's ass and that's why. "

How I found myself in this circumstance, I have no idea how.

I just wanted to wee.

Wee. Wee.

And now I couldn't even leave the toilet stall.

Why not?

"Right! Rooney licks Elizzy's ass, his mom licks the principal's ass right back. " One of the SS3 girls in here said and I clenched my fist.

Ms. Edwin was one of the nicest women on Earth, she gave me the best motherly love I could ever ask for and when I needed it the most, so how dare them?

.. Rooney licks Elizzy's ass?

What?

"That Elizzy bitch is beginning to annoy me, yes.. We know Rooney's fine but stop hyping his big dick, especially when I'm not going to ride it one day too." Another girl added and my fist unclenched on reflex?

Ride it too?

Too?

What?

Don't you get yet?

I didn't remember everything Arthur had transcribed for me that day in the bus, but I remember the

'Rooney is mine!'

So she wasn't just being delusional? Rooney was now hers?

This is strange because all Rooney has ever been was mine.

"I swear, he's not even dating her yet and she's acting all love sick."

"But he will soon, he wants to move on from that former Numb girl, the girl with the man of my dreams.. Ugh, I hate her very existence." Another added and I fought the urge to correct her.

Former Numb girl?

"Yes and she says he loves their sex, something that Numb girl never gave him... He moans and all that shit, you know that girl has original experience now? I heard her mother was a stripper who got pregnant for a former governor, she's a secret baby so she grew up with her mother among strippers so only God knows how professional her ways are! "

Wait, how many girls are in here?

I know most girls can't go to the toilet alone but the number in here was too much.

Like five and none of them has even entered a stall, did they all come here just to discuss?

No, they came here to gossip.

Gossip about SS2 students.

"Like, omo if they date I won't be surprised, we all know he doesn't love her and it'll just be for sex but I can't wait to see how those annoying three fools, Former numb, that influencer girl with that extremely hot former senior who had anger issues as a brother and that Nonso's girlfriend's face will be like when she starts sitting with them. It'd just crumble this their perfect holy holy trio, the three of them think they're better than everyone, once Elizzy starts dating Rooney that their block of cards will just fall down because it's not only holy holy holy serious students that deserve relationships with Rooney, Arthur and his friends. " The girl who'd called me former numb said.

Three fools?

Better than everyone??

Do something Muna.

Like what?

"Exactly. The bad boy gets the good girl trope is so exhausting. If Elizzy dates Rooney officially then it would be an exciting change, us bad girls would look to her as inspiration. " Another girl said and I frowned because I really thought the abyss had actually closed up until now.

"But it'd raise her rank in this school and Elizzy of all people? She used to be such a nobody when she was in 8th grade"

"The more reason why I ship her with Rooney. I can't wait to see their faces when Rooney claims that nobody social climbing whore and she hangs out with those three holy holies by force. " The one who'd called me former Numb seemed to have an actual hatred for me, Jasmine and Silvana.

"It'll be so funny, me too can't wait. Well girls, I have to use the toilet now." one of them said.

Oohh, so you came here to the toilet to use it?

Her feet moved closer to my stall and I almost panicked, until I remembered that Numb would've been the one to be scared, thinking she'd gotten caught.

But I'm Munachi, not former Numb not Numb but Munachi Odumba and I came here to urinate! Not spy on them.

So I leaned backwards besides the door and she pushed it open from the other side, she didn't notice me at first but once she did
.. It was a screamtastrophe.

And I loved every second of it.

•••

"You're kidding right? That's so funny!" Silvana yelled out while laughing and I smiled.

"No, that's fucked up. Gossiping inside a toilet, yuck. Who does that?" Williams asked a rhetorical question and the three of us turned to gawk at him.

"Yeah. I get it now."

"So, Elizzy and Rooney are fucking... How does that make you feel?" Jasmine asked and I shrugged.

I didn't know how to describe how I felt.

"I just know that I got more mad hearing them say such nonsense about his mother than about the fact that they... Fuck. Fuck. Hehe, fuck." I giggled to the foul word and they both rolled their eyes.

We'd just arrived at the destination for the photoshoot, the four of us had walked together.. Alone, just like before and I would admit that I miss this.

I missed how close we all were before the Silvana, Williams and Nonso stuff happened, before the Arthur, Munachi and Rooney things too.. And deep down it hurt because I knew moments like this was going extinct.

The distance was already there...

"Only you would say fuck and giggle." Silvana told me and I giggled more.

Arthur, Rooney and his friends slowly arrived and I watched Williams face change and honestly it broke my heart.

He stared at Silvana then Nonso before staring down at his feet with this baby doll eyes.

They were at usual laughing loudly and Nonso was smacking Segun's head.

As usual.

Silvana smiled and Williams announced his exit.

"I guess this is my cue then.. Time to go." she turned to look at him,

"Of course not! Look, Wills you have to stop fearing these boys they won't do anything to you, I don't know why you avoid being around them with your life.

Or is anyone bullying you? Tell me and I'll slap their face when they come here." Silvana was totally off target and I subtly slapped my forehead and watched Jasmine shake her head in disappointment while rolling her eyes.

Silvana obviously meant business because she gripped his left hand tightly and raised it up to her chest innocently to trap his hand in between her two hands she'd crossed over her chest.

Williams almost turned red even though he was dark skinned—his eyeballs looked like they were about to pop out of his skull and I understood why, she didn't even notice his hand was in between her boobs. Tightly squeezed in between her boobs.

But Nonso did.

And I'm secretly glad I watched his reaction from beginning to end.

He was talking to Dominique and then slowly turned to stare at the love of his eyes, it was meant to be a quick glance maybe he'd even done it subconsciously because he'd turned back to Dominique but what he saw definitely troubled his eyes because he whipped his head quickly again as if he'd seen a monster with two heads and wanted to confirm.

Once he did, his eyebrows scrunched together and he stopped walking.

His friends behind him tried shoving him but when he wouldn't bulge they decided to look at what had frozen their friend and they watched Williams awkwardly try to yank out his hand from Silvana's chest and indirectly touch them further while at it.

"Obobi! Mad oh! Willy Willy!" Kenelum shouted and the photography turned to look at us.

Silvana finally realized what was happening and she froze with a nervous smile.

Williams took the opportunity to yank his hand away and tried to walk away but she was quick to grab his hand again but this time she just forced him to stay besides him, zero space between their bodies.

"Silva stop.. You're passing the wrong message across." Jasmine muttered and I nodded, Nonso looked like he was a volcano waiting to erupt.

"Exactly. Stop, I have to move away. " Williams said and Silvana refused to reason with him.

"No! You're my friend, our friend.. I don't know why you always have to leave when they're around, it's not fair. Tell me if anyone's treating you poorly and I'll fight. Stop running away from the person." Her intentions were pure and cute but she wasn't getting it and no one was ready to explain.

Jasmine and I knew the only reason Williams could even face her was because she was still ignorant of his feelings.

If he explained... If he did... Our foursome friendship was gone. He was extremely shy and introverted, he'll never speak to us all in the same place again.

"No one's bullying me. Silva you won't understand, just let go." his voice was already cracking.

This scene was beautiful yet painful to watch.

I turned to look at Arthur who was keenly watching Nonso.

So I did too and I watched the Warri bwoi slowly crack.

I didn't even know when he started running across the field but I knew when Silvana pushed Williams behind her and pushed her chest out.

Mama hen was protecting her chick.

And I really understood Williams pain.

He'd skipped friend zone and he wasn't even in the bro zone, he was in the younger bro zone...

The bro she had to protect from bullies.

Ouch.

✺◟( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)◞✺