Chapter 27: Chapter 27

~Jade~

School resumes today. I saw Uthman immediately I got down from the car. Without thinking much of it, I called out his name and waved. He turned back and he smiled in his cocky way and started walking towards me. We were halfway to each other when someone else called his name. I did not need to turn to look at the person to know that it was Michelle but Uthman did and he walked to where she stood with the rest of her friends. Do I need to pretend that this did not bother me and just walk away? Yeah. I did just that.

'Hey love, you're looking so hot today.'

I rolled my eyes at Akin who was leaning against the wall in the corridor of our class.

'I always look hot'

I replied and watched his mouth drop open. I laughed.

'what's so ludicrous? Can't I praise myself?'

'Did I say anything?'

'You said a lot with your eyes.'

He shrugged 'well...'

'What are you doing here anyways?'

He turned to look at the park and the school's compound filled with happy students hugging each other.

'looking at this beautiful sight. It's lovely. There won't be the next term for us, you know that?'

'Of course. I can't wait to graduate.'

He laughed.

'I hope graduating is worth it sha. I miss secondary school already.'

I rolled my eyes.

'What's so special about secondary school anyways? Just endless and pointless drama.'

'oh oh, let's see if you'll be able to say that next year.'

I heaved a sigh. He is probably right but then, I'm sure university life will be worth much more. I was about to say something else when we heard the shuffle of legs on the stairs. It was Uthman and Michelle. I noticed that his face looked different and I attributed that to his new hairstyle.

Good of you Jade, you're noticing his hairstyle now.

Shut up, your inner self.

I laughed at my stupidity before I could stop myself. Uthman and Akin turned to look at me. I noticed Michelle had disappeared.

'What's funny?'

'Nothing' I replied and started walking towards our classroom. I opened the door to our class, I immediately noticed that something was different about our class, it looked more colorful. It did not take me so long to know the cause of the change because all of my classmates were clustered at the back of the class, looking at something on the wall, a picture, maybe.

'what's that?'

Uthman asked behind me, his voice is dangerously close to my ears. I did not know he was behind me. I glanced back. Akin already strolled to the back of the class. I was curious to know what my classmates were giggling about so I went to the back of the class too. The clustered students made way for me and then I stood, fade to face with the picture of my whole set, well, it was meant to be the picture of us all except that it was just I and Uthman that I could see. It was the picture we took on our cultural day, the one where he teased me about being pretty because of my makeup and Ankara, the one where I glared at him, except that in this picture, it doesn't look like I was glaring at him, it looked more like I was... Gawkinly glaring at him?

Someone cleared their throat behind me and I turned to look at them, it was Uthman who has a wide grin on his face.

'If looks could kill, you would have killed me in that picture.'

I rolled my eyes and turned to the picture once again, it was so big that it covered the entire back wall of our classroom.

'out of all the fine pictures I'm sure the photographer took that day, why did they make this into our portrait? It's not even that fine.'

'What do you mean?' Uthman asked again, moving closer to me. I straightened 'I look good in the picture, I know I always do and everyone else looks good except the girl who wants to murder me with her eyes.'

I hissed under my breath and turned to walk away. The whole of my class was staring at us.

'Wow, look at how our head girl is looking at the headboy and the headboy is grinning from ears to ears. And they'll be doing like they can't stand each other.'

That was Caleb and I wonder if anything sensible will ever come out of that boy's mouth.

'Oh, look at how good my bestie looks.'

Hana said and went over to the portrait. She came back to my seat.

'you look good in that picture and I look like a Korean princess.'

'Yeah, you're a Korean princess.'

I replied to her and she laughed.

'How're you? How's Zee?'

'She's fine now.' She's so fine now that it seems like nothing has ever gone wrong just three weeks ago. I hope it remains this way.

Michele entered the class and I saw her eyes widen at the picture. I'm not sure what her thoughts were at that moment and whatever they were, I don't even care. The bell rang, signaling time for assembly.

******

~Uthman~

I was walking towards Jade when I heard Michelle call my name. I turned towards her, she was waving at me vigorously and she left her friend and started walking towards me. I glanced at Jade again, she was already walking away so I walked over to Michelle.

'Hey baby girl, happy resumption.'

I said and hugged her. She hugged me back and when I attempted to move back, she did not let go.

'You know I missed you. I wished I did not travel share. At least we would have spent time together.'

I smiled and she finally let go. We started walking towards our block.

'I saw the pictures you took during the festive periods. You guys went to Hana's place?'

'Yeah' I replied her 'You know, with Hana and Daniel dating, I have to tag along.'

'yeah,' she nodded 'Jade was there, wasn't she? I'm sorry you have to put up with her even when it's not during school.'

I stilled. If only you knew. If only you knew how much I enjoyed that day. If only you knew I'd rather be talking to her than to you now if only you knew how much I'm craving for her presence. If only...

'you okay? You are quiet.'

I laughed.

'I'm fine.'

Seeing Michelle now is making me rethink a lot of things. It was easier to go down that path when she wasn't here but now, that she's here, I don't even know what to think. How do I come out clean with Michelle?

Hey dear, I think I like your former friend that you betrayed me for.

Am I even crazy? Can I even do that?

No, I don't think so.

All these thoughts vanished from my brain as we rounded up the stairs and found Jade and Akin talking. She looked beautiful than usual, must be her hair, she must have straightened it because it fell across her shoulder, making her face smaller than usual. They paused their conversation as I moved closer to where they stood. I heard Michelle mutter something about excusing herself. I noticed or maybe it was just in my head that Jade seems to check me out, I mean, she really lo me, and then she laughed.

'What's funny?' I asked.

'Nothing'

And she walked off, leaving me with Akin who was grinning from ears to ears.

'Is there a joke I don't know about?'

'Did I say anything?'

He replied and started walking towards our class. I followed him and we soon caught up with Jade. She pushed the door open. Our class looked different and probably because of my height, I could see the object of attention, it was a picture we took on our cultural day though I wasn't sure which one exactly. Jade walked to the back of the class and I followed her.

'out of all the fine pictures I'm sure the photographer took that day, why did they make this into our portrait? It's not even that fine.'

'What do you mean?' I asked her, feeling the need to tease her, I guess I'm beginning to like it when she is annoyed. She always looked prettier.'

I moved closer to her and I felt her straighten at our city. 'I look good in the picture, I know I always do and everyone else looks good except the girl who wants to murder me with her eyes.'

She hissed under her breath and turned to walk away. I turned too. The whole of my class was staring at us.

'Wow, look at how our head girl is looking at the headboy and the headboy is grinning from ears to ears. And they'll be doing like they can't stand each other.'

I could call Caleb a fool except that he wasn't lying.

'The picture is fine sha. At least, I'm fine in the picture. Geez. I'm nostalgic already. We won't be here next year.'

One of our female classmates said and started fake crying.

'oh, don't cry na. You can always come back next year.'

Daniel replied to did not even notice he has entered the class. The whole class laughed.

'God forbid bad things.'

The girl replied quickly and the whole class laughed again.

Just then, the bell rang, signaling the time for assembly.

******

The crazy circle was back. It's lunch break and I sat with Akin, Daniel, and Michelle when Jade and Hana walked in. Akin waved at them and they came over and settled down. Hana sat directly in front of Dan while Jade sat in front of me.

'Do you want me to feed you?' Daniel asked Hana.

'Oh, come on, that's gross.'

Dan laughed. 'You don't know what is going on Jade, get a boyfriend first and you'll know how it feels.'

'Thank you but I'm not interested. I'm not open to the idea of dating in Secondary school.'

That busted my bubble. What was I expecting? That Jade and I will be boyfriend and girlfriend in the nearest future. Well, she just told me to keep dreaming.

'oh, bestie, trust me, it's fun.'

'Oh-oh, after you betrayed me by liking a guy before 18.'

'What about you? Zee said there's a boy the last time we met. She wasn't lying, was she?'

Jade glanced briefly at me, so briefly that I thought I had imagined it but I knew, I did not. She did glance at me when Hana said there is a boy she likes. I swallowed.

'you know my sister is crazy, don't you?'

'there will always be ament of truth in a lie.'

'come on, Bestie, you know you'll be the first person to know if I like a guy.'

'Will you teenagers stop your childish bickering for once?'

Akin said and the look they both gave him made me laugh.

'So, Akin, Lakeview will choose who'll represent her at ECOWAS ORATORY CONTEST this Friday, who do you want to win?'

The whole table fell quiet at  Michelle's words. What now? Must the moment be ruined?

'How that is your business is what I don't understand.'

He replied and she shrugged.

'it's just that you can't sit on the fence, there must be someone you're rooting for.'

Akin ignored her.

'I'm pretty sure Uthman will win. He already promised me.'

I kept looking at Jade, her eyes gave nothing away. The truth is I have completely forgotten that I promised Michelle I will win and let her get back to Jade. Even before that, I've always wanted to win. Maybe this competition will finally give me my senses back. Set me on the right path again.

'of course, I have to win. I've never been a loser.'

Jade smiled and was about to say something but Michelle beat her to it.

'Yes, you have to. So we'll finally put someone in her place.'

Jade smiled again.

'We'll have this conversation again on Friday.'

Then she stood up and left the cafeteria.

We'll have the conversation again on Friday.

**********

~Jade~

Lather that night as I lay on my bed, I realized I was angry, maybe put off by something. I knew it had to do with what happened at the cafeteria. So Uthman promised Michelle that he'll win over me? Is that why he wants to win? Because of a silly promise? He'd known how much this competition means to me and yet, he wants to win over me because of a stupid promise he made to someone.

'Come on, Jade, what do you expect?' My inner voice chastised. 'You're his rival and she is his friend, what do you expect? '

Maybe I don't want to be his rival again. Maybe we'll be better as friends than rivals.

'Jadeshola' my inner voice said again. 'what exactly do you want?'

I rolled my eyes.

Maybe I just want to be close to him too.