Arthur Dike.

"Don't you dare Nonsochukwu." Mama bear roared and he stopped.

I understood the mood on this school field but it didn't make it less funny because of how confusing things looked, Silvana with her hand outstretched on Nonso's chest, Williams squirming behind her.

Comic relief.

"Should we like do anything?" Rooney asked and I shook my head.

"No, one day for the thief. It was bound to happen. " I replied, Silvana was saying something but she was too far to be audible.

"Guy, I no dey hear anything." Kenelum voiced out my thoughts and he started jogging/running towards them.

Rooney joined and so did the rest of us.

Like kids, we ran to the gist.

"... I can't believe you're the bully Nonso, I'm highly disappointed in you. He's our friend, he was there before you and if you can't stand him around you and your friends then let me know right this instant." I didn't hear the beginning of her sentence but I caught the gist.

"Yes, I can't stand that coward around me." Nonso foolishly said and I groaned silently.

Dude, no... Don't say that.

"What makes him a coward huh? The fact that you all still secretly think he's gay and you're all homophobic as fuck?"

Eh?

Dude, no.

She just doesn't get it... Does she?

Williams likes Nonso's babe, he's practically her bestie and we've all heard the 'bestie bestie, pant shift' stories.

Coupled with the fact that obviously, Williams isn't a fan of their relationship. Williams enjoyed their breakup by spiting Nonso every chance he got.

It was just normal boy knowledge.

Simple ball knowledge.

He'd been substituted out of the field.

"Oh, we know he's not gay. " Rooney mumbled out and I shot him a glare.

He smirked and shrugged. I smirked too.

I've really missed this.

The serenity in our friendship, something stable.

Something real. Something quiet.

"So what is it then? Why do discriminate against him? Why does he literally run when he sees you all? Why?" Silvana asked Nonso and I honestly believed she should be asking Williams instead.

I mean, I never ran.

So, why is he?

When you lose someone who doesn't know you love her to another man, you stay and watch. You watch and absorb the pain so you never fumble again.

He needs to stop running.

"Why don't you ask him." Rooney mumbled again with a smirk while picking his nails.

Prime Instigator #1

I stifled a chuckle.

"Yes... Ask him why he acts like he's keeping a secret from us all. What's he hiding and why doesn't he want you to find out?" Nonso replied and Silvana paused to think.

She let go off Williams and turned to stand in front of him and I was greeted by a massive butt, oh Nonso I don't blame you.. Even I wouldn't want to lose this kind of ass. I wouldn't cheat in the first place though but if I did no way I won't follow, cry and beg if I had to.

"Guy just say it." Dominique muttered to him.

"Once and for all, be a man." Kenelum added.

"Do if for the hood bro. " Dominique added again.

"What are they talking about Williams?" Silvana finally asked the right person.

"Yes, what are we talking about Williams?" Nonso taunted and Rooney chuckled.

Munachi just continued watching them both with this sort of fear in her eyes.

Like, she was scared and I don't know why. Then she suddenly snapped.

"Nothing! Okay, fine I'll confess. Williams watches porn now and the boys found out and they've bee-" Munachi cut in with this really unbelievable lie and I rolled my eyes.

Babe, just let him say it.

"Do I fucking look stupid Munachi? Your brows are way too high, you're lying." Silvana analyzed and I nodded.

Exactly. Way too high, your voice took a higher pitch, your chest heaved out when Silvana interrupted you.

Do we look fuckiing stupid?

She turned to give Munachi a funny look and I gave my girlfriend the same look, who's she tryna fool with that stupid lie?

"I like you Silvana." Williams finally did it!

When we all least expected it.

I just had to clap. He made me proud.

Silvana froze and she was fair enough for her cheeks to turn pink in less than a minute. "Oh, I like you too. We all like you."

Rooney chuckled more loudly this time and Nonso smirked.

"No. I like you for real and they all know....I've liked you for the moment I saw you, you're gorgeous and I loved how expressive you were, how verbal you were and how brilliant you were too. You answered every question on the first day of school and it amazed me, I didn't know it was a crush back them but I immediately knew I wanted to be around you, I wanted to get to know you, to watch you. I liked you.

Now the thing is, I disgraced myself when Nonso planned all that apology stuff and the whole school found out... Except you." Williams confessed and I swear I saw his shoulders lift up.

His words were so romantic and I could relate.

I loved how Munachi danced the first day I saw her, it was expressive. She captivated me instantly and I watched her while she washed her hands afterwards in the cafeteria.

I watched her anytime I saw her head bob in the crowd behind from the auditorium to the school while I was at the front, constantly sneaking glances backwards while my friends didn't notice.

It was an immediate attraction that I ran away from, while Williams got closer to.

"So.. It was true. " Silvana whispered very quietly but my ears caught it.

My ears catches everything.

She knew.

"Oh... " Silvana muttered and stepped back and Nonso was in the perfect position for her ass to touch him.

Passed the perfect message. The meanest of all.

Williams looked away.

But later took a deep breath in and continued. "I'm not asking for a relationship with you, I understand you don't like me that way and it's okay... That's why I distance myself, I just feel weird seeing Nonso grab you, I didn't want you to find out because unrequited feelings bring awkwardness and I didn't want to lose our friendship, but the shit's pretty much gone anyway. So, fuck everything. " His words were sad but he was anything but sad.

I think I just witnessed the caterpillar become a butterfly.

So cute, the dark huge beautiful snail coming out of his small shell.

Williams turned to walk away to meet our other classmates who were completely in the dark about the words that'd just been exchanged.

Jasmine as expected followed and Munachi ... Munachi... Munachi looked destroyed.

Why?

.... Why?

Silvana kept staring at Williams and she made a move to follow him, but Nonso had already put a tight hold around her... Munachi was definitely going to follow Williams with the way she was looking, in three, two, one.

And she did.. But no.

"You can't Munachi, he needs to be alone." I told her after holding her hand back.

Her eyes almost looked red as she glared at me.

"I can't believe I once believed that stupid lie, he doesn't. He needs a friend, someone who understands him. "

And you are?

And excuse me, I've not been lying.

When something like this happens you need to be alone. It's the same way I left you alone the day you told me you only see me as a friend. I left everyone alone and I sat in silence in the music room the entire break period.

"You think you are? You didn't even know about his crush until just recently. Best, Jasmine is. She's obviously been in the know way before you did. She understands him. "

"Whatever Arthur... I can be here for him now and that's all that matters. " She was trying to yank my hand away and I saw the tears in her eyes.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Why does she always cry around me..

Cmon!

"I'm sorry. I don't understand but I support you. " I honestly told her and she nodded slowly.

I dipped my head down for a short kiss but she pulled away.

"Yeah, like I deserve to be happy while he isn't?" she asked.

Ummm.. Yes?

What's your biz with him?

Please, don't apply this logic to our relationship, please God.. Don't let her.

I let go of her and she ran to catch up with her friends, someone patted my back slowly and I turned to look at Rooney.

"Girls... Am I right?" he huffed.

I rolled my eyes.

And just when I thought it was all over, months of built up pressure and displeasure all over... Silvana screamed, she didn't say anything but just yelled and boom, there she was, running free from Nonso's hands and towards her friends.

I stared at Nonso while his shoulders slowly slumped and realized it was my turn.

So I walk up to him.

"Girls... Am I right?" I told him with my palm on his back.

|•|

"Why's everyone frowning? I need you all smiling in this picture, the world can't think I torture you all!" Mrs Ojukwu yelled and I missed the catchphrase she always added when talking about this school.

I remember the first time I heard it in eight grade, I thought it was cringe and weird but now it hurts that even she doesn't remember what she used to say.

I knew it was something along the line of  "... in Emerald Academy, we just don't train the mind we feed the heart too..." something something "... foster beneficial network.. " something something.

I missed when she always added that catch phrase when speaking about EA.

"If we could all just pose normally I'm sure we'll be able to smile properly." Rooney told our principal and I think she started considering his words.

And hopefully she does, because I have no idea why she wants me standing like a robot behind the long couch in front of me.

"Fine, as you were before I changed you."

Kenelum didn't need to be told twice before jumping onto the couch and into the laps of many girls.. Including my girlfriend and pride.

Luckily for me his head was now right in front of me, so I slapped it, slapped the back of his head real good and grinned when he turned back to complain.

He then sat normally maybe once he remembered he had a girlfriend too now and she wouldn't love the idea of him in between other women's legs...

I moved towards Munachi and she stretched out her left hand behind her for me to hold with utmost care.

Silvana stood up and skipped to the back of the couch and placed her self between Williams and Nonso, she placed her head against Williams chest while hugging him, Nonso could only glare.

Jasmine held Muna's other hand and leaned her head on Muna's shoulder, Rooney was besides me and close to Munachi just adjusting his school tie.

Now, we were back to normal again.

"Are you all ready?" The photographer asked and they chorused back a positive answer.

I didn't say a word.

"Five seconds. Starting... Now! Five, four. " Kenelum sat up right with his legs spread apart and his head downwards a bit.

"Three. " Jasmine suddenly hugged Munachi while seated. I raised my other hand up to my hair to do my signature pose.

"Two. " Nonso grabbed a hand off Williams body.

"One... " She turned to glare at him and Rooney dropped a hand to comb back Munachi's hair.

The shot went off and no doubt I'd looked down, I just hope it looks like I was staring at Munachi's hand in mine.

"This is beautiful! Superb!" the photographer hailed his work and Silvana and Nonso started arguing in sharp whispers.. Again.

"Why are you touching another man besides me?"

"You had no problem with this before. "

"No fucking shit Silvana. Before. "

"You know what Nonsochukwu? I have had it up here with you... "

"No you know what? Don't call me that. I am Efe to you, only people who give a shit about me are allowed to call me Nonso. "

"Oh reallyyyy?! "

"Yes Ifunaya Obidinm. Yes really. "

"Well fuck you Efe. Efemuaye. Fuck you. "

"I already have. You can go fuck him instead..."

I tuned them both out. Sometimes this hyper hearing thing was a gift and a curse.

Mrs Ojukwu walked towards the camera setup and the photographer picked up the camera he used showed her his.. Superb shot.

She looked emotionless and first, then looked at us. Then back at the camera and surprisingly she smiled even though we all ruined our shots by changing positions.

I mean, only my eyes did. But, I'm dishing equal blames to everyone involved.

"You're right! This captures everything I wanted to portray all along that I had them staying in awkward poses and positions.

Emerald Academy is more than just a school, it's a home... " she paused to smile.

Wait.. is she?

She is! "Where we don't just train the mind, we feed the heart. We create the perfect environment for creating social capital and fostering beneficial network. " Mrs Ojukwu said the catch phrase and I smiled like a crazy man as she continued talking.

"The different characters you all portrayed, beautiful! Superb!" She unnecessarily hailed us and I wondered what exactly she was really trying to portray because I'm sure we all looked ill mannered.

"Can we see ma?" Vanessa, my classmate asked and Mrs Ojukwu nodded.

"Yes yes, come forward all. " she waved us to come closer and I found myself and everyone else obeying.

Vanessa was given the camera first, stared at it then went 'Awnnn!' and passed it along. It went round with all the girls going, 'Awn!' except Silvana.

She looked vexed. Nonso's words must've really hit a nerve.

Finally it got to my turn and I won't lie, this camera took beautiful pictures. It hadn't even be retouched and we looked so clean. Must be the lightening effects setups, but it really was beautiful.

Our poses and everything, it looked and felt natural.

A teenager who saw this would gladly want to be admitted here, Kenelum's pose represented swag, Nonso looked like the jealous boyfriend, I was right, I ended up looking like I was staring at her beautiful palm and Rooney... Rooney could pass off as her best friend... Except for the fact that Munachi's eyes were way too wide to be considered normal, the shock also showed something else.

Jasmine's eyes were closed and they represented friendship, Williams represented.... Love, ironically...

Everyone else just fitted in.

And so, before I passed the camera along... Even I went 'awn'.

•
•

(˵ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°˵)___(˵ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°˵)

Man I really love how I write dialogue. Nonso and Silvana's convo made me giggle 😂It's so relatable man, I love those two.