Chapter 11: Chapter 11

~Jade~

My stupid self was just too compassionate for my liking. Bacause Saheed was curious to know why Uthman and his Dad were so off with each other, Dad finally told us that since his mom died , his father had changed and he has never truly gotten over the death making him something sort of a horrible father to his kids. My subconscious started feeling sorry for him then. It was that stupid subconsciousness that made me open my mouth on Monday morning to greet him. We bumped into each other in front of our class and 'Good Morning' was out of my mouth before I could even think twice. Now, I'm mad. I swear. The guy in question just looked at me as if I've grown two heads before he mouthed good morning and walked away. My classmates were talking about Michelle's party when I entered.

"The party was crazily interesting. We all had a very good time."

"Ehn na. The people that missed those parties don't even know what they missed."

That was Amina, the most stupid girl in the history of Lakeview. Four girls entered the classroom at once, Fola, Fade, Mariam and Janet. They call themselves the fantastic four. They're always everywhere though. They think they're the most popular girls group in the school and the class beauties headlined by Amina, Michelle, Shola and Salawa was always competing with them for that. We have other two groups among the girls of Lakeview of our set, the fabulous five and the P4, Pelumi, Pero, Paul and Paulina, Paulina and Paul are the couple of the school, they've been together since SS1. I don't even understand this group thingy at all but my mates have been obsessed with it since our junior secondary school days. Michelle even suggested we coin a name for the three of us while we were still together until she ran off to join the classic beauties in SS1 when one of them stopped coming to our school. The whole school calls Hana and I 5&6, even our teachers too. The fantastic four walked over to my seat and the gang leader, Fola, flashing a perfect smile. She ended up inviting me to a party and I knew it was only because she wanted to throw a party bigger than Michelle's. My best friend shasahed into the class, her heels clicking on the tiled floor. I looked at her and laughed.

"What's with the new shoes?"

"It's for success. We're starting our exams soon. Our last school exam before our mock exam. I need good fortune."

I shook my head while laughing. "I never knew you were this superstitious."

She rolled her eyes just as the bell rang for morning devotion. Hours lather, I found myself sitting in the craziest circle ever. For reasons unknown, the cafeteria was filled up and here we are, sitting with Uthman, Danielle and Michelle who was glued to Uthman like a gum. Akin and Hana were eating comfortably but I couldn't because Michelle keeps shooting daggers at me, that did not bother me but Uthman dud not even touch the food in front of him, he kept staring at me. I was afraid of even chewing, not to talk of swallowing in case the food goes the wrong way.

"Uthman, hope no problem. You've been staring at me since I got here."

Everybody at the table paused to look at us, Michelle eyed me scornfully.

"I can say the same for you.'" He folded his arms over his chest. "you've been staring at my face since you got here."

Aah. This dude must be stupid. Your face ko, your face ni. I hissed and pick up my spoon. I lifted the spoon and saw him still staring at me almost quizzically. I swallowed my food.

"What now? Do you have anything to say to me or something?"

I asked. The whole table fell quiet but I heard Michelle say "What the hell is wrong with this bitch?" under her breath

"I was about to ask you that' He replied and I groaned.

"Well, I don't have anything to say to you. Now stop staring at me and let me eat in peace."

His face dissolved in his cocky smile and I turned to my food. I heard the dragging of chair and I looked up. Uthman was walking towards me. What the fuck is this dude's problem today?

"let's talk outside." He said when he got to my side. I dropped my spoon noisily on the table.

"Uthman, what the fuck is your problem today anyways? Why are you acting like a loser?"

Why did I add the last part anyways? This dude had always been a loser. I was about to turn to my food again when I felt someone grab my hand. I did not even have time to process what was going on before I was pulled out of the cafeteria admist collective exclaims from the students in the cafteteria. It's official. Something has definitely come loose in Uthman head today. He stopped at the corner of SS3 block.

"Would you let go of my hand now, you nutcase?"

He dropped my hand so hurriedly that I nearly stumbled.

"Are you high? Or are you just stupid?"

He turned to look at me, his arms fisted at both sides and his eyes glaring daggers at me. What the hell is going on?

"So you're going to keep looking at me as if I'm some pathetic loser, ain't you?"

I eyed him from head to toe, not grasping what he's talking about.

"You think I deserve your pity, don't you? And that's why you've been staring at me as if I'm some lost puppy."

I still don't understand what he waa talking about.

"Look here, I don't understand what you're talking about and I'm not even interested in getting to know. So please......."

I was cut short by his laughter and he, moving closer so I was backed against the wall.

"Oh, you're going to feign ignorance now? Just because I have issues with my dad or were not as close as you are with your dad does not give you any right to look at me with pity."

I hissed when I finally realized what he was yapping about.

"Look here, I don't give a fuck about you and I definitely don't care what is going on in your family. If you think I have time to feel pity or compassion or even anything for you, then you're so so wrong."

His eyes gave nothing away as he replied.

"That's more like the Jade I know."

And he walked off.

I stood there for minutes after he left. It was the first time I ever noticed something about Uthman, other than his cocky and arrogant nature.

And it was Vulnerability.

*****

~Uthman~

I knew something was up when Jade greeted me in the morning. Heck! I knew something was up when she started looking at me with those stupid pity-filled eyes from Saturday when Dad decided to be an asshole in front of her family. I thought being mean runs in their family but her dad was extremely nice to me and her brother even collected my number, claiming we should meet up for a match some time. It seems the bitch is the only mean one in the family, well, I'm yet to meet her mom and her older sister. Michelle was not online throughout the weekend and my calls keeps going to voice mall. I thought she was extremely angry with me until she welcomed me with all smiles on Monday morning. All was well except Jade that keeps staring at me. I'll turn in class only to find her eyes on me. What the heck? It was when we were in the cafeteria that I actually realized she was looking at me with some stupid pity filled eyes. That was surprising and kind of intriguing until I realized she must think I deserve her pity because of whatever it is she saw with my dad. She was staring to the point that she's not even eating her food. Then she actually has the nerve to ask why I was staring at her. Heck! Who was staring at who? Even after I told her I wasn't staring at her, she kept staring and I had to drag her out of the cafeteria because the last thing I ever want from anyone is stupid pity, not to talk of the bitch.

"Look here, I don't give a fuck about you and I definitely don't care what is going on in your family. If you think I have time to feel pity or compassion or even anything for you, then you're so so wrong."

Now that more like the bitch I know. I walked away from her, still angry and I walked into Michelle and her gang. She left them to come to me.

"What busy do you have with the bitch?"   she asked

"None of your business."

I replied without a second thought and walked off. As for Jade, the mouth might have lied but the eyes never lies.