Chapter 29: Chapter 29

~Jade~

'Give it up for Uthman Gbadamosi'

I strained my ears to hear properly. I did not know when my hands that were otherwise clamped together as if in prayer became fisted until my nails started tearing my skin. I stared at the little blood horridly before I stood up amidst the loud cheers from the students. Luckily for me, there was a door behind the podium so I used that and I went outside. I needed fresh air. Immediately I got outside, I felt something trickling down my face. I used the back of my hand to wipe it off angrily.

Damn it, Jade, why are you crying?

I'm crying because I never imagined myself not winning this. This means a lot to my career, to the law degree I want to get, to the legacy I want to leave behind as the first Nigerian to win the contest but now, I had lost the chance to even participate in that competition. I saw someone exit the Physic lab, I entered and close the door behind me.

Take a deep breath, Jade, Take a deep breath.

I took a deep breath only to end up bursting into tears again.

How am I even going to handle this? How am I going to raise my head and walk-in school? How am I going to put with???

Fuck it.

I was in the laboratory till everyone went home, still trying to reorganize my thoughts but in reality, all my dreams just went down the train. How am I supposed to get through this? I took calming breaths and stood up. I just had to get home. Hana and Akin must have gone home. They both knew I prefer to be alone after a huge blow like this. I opened the door and stepped out. I was almost out of the school premises when someone pulled my hand. I pulled away, scared because the school was so deserted. I thought I was the only one in school.

'What the fuck are you are you doing?'

I asked Uthman as I tried to pull myself together.

'What did I tell you about grabbing my hands? Why are you sneaking up on me?'

'Are you okay?'

I crossed my arms over my chest.

'Are you okay? Because you don't look okay to me.'

I replied to him and started to walk off. He followed me. I heaved a sigh. I really can't deal with him today. I turned back to him angrily.

'Can you just leave me alone? I get that you won and all but can you please leave me alone?'

'Oh, come on Jade. I was worried about you.'

I mentally rolled my eyes.

'Well, good for you. Now leave me alone please.'

I started feeling the tears in my eyes again so I turned away and started to walk away again but he grabbed my hand.

'Please just leave me alone.'

I said quietly, shrugged his hands off, turned away, and cleaned the tears they were now falling quietly. I started walking away and he did not follow me again.

********

When I got home, mom and Zee were waiting for me in the sitting room.

'Jade, how can you get us all worried like this?'

That was the first thing mom said to me as I entered.

'Mom, just let her be. We all know how much winning this competition meant to her.'

Zee replied as she made to come over to where I stood.

'And that gave her enough reason to make all of us worried? This is past 6, the school closed by 1 and you expect me to stay put? All because of a silly competition?'

'It's not a silly competition.'

I replied, feeling tears in my eyes again as I walked or practically ran to my room, locking the door from inside.

Someone knocked and Zee called out.

'Jade, open the door, and let's talk.'

I did not reply as I shrugged off my school uniform. I entered the bathroom and turned the water on, washed my face, and when I stared at the mirror, a pathetic reflection stared back. My eyes were swollen and puffy. They were red too. I washed my face again and went back to my room. I lay on my bed, feeling the start of tears. My phone rang and I stared at the screen. It was Zee. I picked it up.

'Hey, baby. Open the door and let's talk.'

I heaved a sigh.

'I just want to be alone for now.'

'you've been alone since 1 pm. You need someone to talk to.'

'lather, lather Zee. Please'

I replied and turned off my phone. This hurt more than I could have ever imagined. The tears were starting to form again. I turned to the other side and I did not know when I fell asleep.

When I woke up, it was dark and I turned on my phone. The time was 9 pm. I opened my door and stepped outside. The house was quiet and I went to the kitchen to drink water. I remembered I've not even had anything to eat since breakfast. My tummy growled in hunger but I couldn't even think of eating right now. I went to Zee's room and opened the door. She was lying on her bed, pressing her phone. She sat up immediately she saw me. I entered and sat on her bed.

'You look terrible.'

I laughed despite myself.

'I know, right?'

She laughed too and she moved closer and hugged me.

'I know how much the contest means to you but you'll get through this somehow.'

I nodded, somehow. I'll be fine. This is just a huge blow to me. My stomach growled again and Zee drew back to stare at me.

'Have you even eaten since morning?'

'No' I replied and lay on my bed. 'But I don't think I'll be able to eat anything at the moment.'

'oh come on' She replied 'Your stomach can't say no to pancakes. Let's go and make pancakes.'

And that's how we ended up making pancakes around 10 pm.

'So, Uthman won, right?'

I nodded. I was sitting at the center cabinet kitchen while she was making the dough for the plantain.

'I thought you said he wants to become a medical Doctor. What does he need winning the contest for?'

I shrugged.

'Well, he did not want me to win, knowing how much this means to me, and then, he promised Michelle he was going to win this.'

Why do I sound like I'm sulking even to my oars?

'Michelle, the girl who betrayed you? Are they close?'

'Hmm, they're very close. Best of friends even.'

I was picking at my nails when I said this and when I looked up, Zee was looking at me, amusingly.

'You sound like you don't like the idea of them being close.'

I shrugged.

'Well, I don't care.'

'You sure?'

She asked, flipping the last pancake over.

'Of course.'

I replied even though I felt like I was lying. She settled in front of me. I took a pancake and bit into it.

'This is rood.'

'Of course, I make the tastiest pancake.'

I laughed. I felt good. The weight of losing the competition was not heavy at the moment. I hope it stays like this but I'm pretty sure the heavyweight will return once I step into school on Monday.

********

~Uthman~

Give it up for Uthman Gbadamosi.'

The hall erupted into loud applause. I glanced at Jade. She was frozen in her seat. Her fists were clenched and when she unclenched them, I saw traces of blood. I watched her stand up and leave. Dan came over.

'Congratulations' He said and hugged me. 'I knew you were going to win.'

'Yeah' I replied and from the corners of my eyes, I saw Michelle exit the hall. I knew from the corny smile on her face that she was going after Jade. I excused myself and walked, well, almost ran after her.

'Hey, Michelle. I was expecting you to congratulate me. Where are you going?'

She turned to me with a smile just as Jade walked off the corridor. She glanced back at Jade and her smile dissolved into a grin when she saw that she was gone. She turned back to me.

'I was going to have a little talk with the bitch but looks like she left already. Do you see that expression on her face when you were announced the winner?' She asked and giggled. 'I live for that expression.'

Oh wow. So you're more interested in taunting Jade than congratulating me. I thought to myself.

'Congratulations on winning and thank you for keeping your promise.'

She smiled widely again.

'Are you going home now?'

'Nooo, I have a further mathematics tutorial.'

That was a lie but she bought it anyway.

'Okay. Should I come over to your house tomorrow?'

Tomorrow? I scratched my neck. I don't think I have anything tangible to do tomorrow but I don't think I want to be in Michelle's company either. The girl I'd rather be with probably can't stand me right now.

When was she ever able to stand me? Well, just less than four hours ago. My face heated up at the remembrance.

'The boys are coming over tomorrow. Will you be okay?'

She rolled her eyes.

'If it's only Daniel, I would be okay but I really can't stand Akin's gut so I guess we'll see on Monday then.'

'Yeah.' I replied mentally chastising myself for how happy I am.

'Alright then, we'll chat lather, right?'

I nodded, her voice sounded hopeful. I knew what she was expecting. That I might probably ask her out after today. That's not going to happen ever again. If I wasn't sure of that before, I became sure when I saw how dejected Jade looked when I was announced as the winner. I like her, a whole lot.

The school soon became deserted and I went on search of Jade. I asked Akin if he knew where she was and he answered in the negative. I was still looking for her when I passed the physics laboratory. I heard someone crying and I turned back. One of the windows was left open and I could see the inside from it. Jade was in a corner, her knees drawn to her chest, face down and she was crying.

Damn it.

I never, not even in my wildest imagination that she will cry over losing this contest but then it's not just a contest.

'It means a lot to the law degree that age wants to pursue.'

Akin had told me earlier. I did not know how long I stood there, watching her cry until my phone vibrated in my pockets. We were not supposed to bring phones to school but then, 90% of us don't follow that rule. It was my stepmom that was calling. I walked away to pick the call.

'Hello ma'

'Hello. How are you? Where are you? It's getting late.'

I glanced at my wristwatch. The time was 5:30. Woah

'I'm in school. I was reading. I'll come home now.'

'Okay, how was the contest. Did you win?'

I paused. Did I rin? Well, I did but I did not feel like a winner.

'Yes. I won.'

'Wow. Congratulations. I knew you were going to win so I already prepared a special delicacy for you.'

'Yes ma'

We ended the call and I went back to the physics lab. Jade was not there again.

'What the fuck are you are you doing?'

She asked me when I finally caught up with her. She was already walking towards the school gate.

'What did I tell you about grabbing my hands? Why are you sneaking up on me?'

'Are you okay?' I asked instead.

She crossed her arms over her chest.

'Are you okay? Because you don't look okay to me.'

She replied to me and started to walk off. I followed her. I was directly behind her when she turned back angrily. She staggered and I grabbed her hands to steady her. She shrugged my hands off angrily.

'Can you just leave me alone? I get that you won and all but can you please leave me alone?'

'Oh, come on Jade. I was worried about you.'

She heaved a sigh.

'Well, good for you. Now leave me alone please.'

I saw the tears in her eyes as she turned back. I grabbed her hands again. She was right. I have a thing for grabbing her hands these days

'Please just leave me alone.'

She said quietly, her voice throaty. I dropped her hands and watched her walk away.

*********

'You don't look excited for someone who just won a major contest.'

I glanced up from the food I was supposed to be eating. My stepmom was looking at me.

'Are you okay?'

'Yes' I replied but I was not. Not since the encounter with Jade in the evening. I guess this is how it rs. When someone you like is hurt, you feel the same pain they feel or you even feel worse.

'I just have a nasty headache. I'll use a pain reliever after eating.'

'Okay.'

I went back to eating or rather picking at my food. When I was done, I went to my room and turned on my data. Lakeview 2020, the name of the WhatsApp group for my set notified me of 189 messages. What could they be talking about? I thought to myself as I opened the group chat.

Aminah: What happened today should be a reminder to us that pride will always go before a fall

Daniella: Oh oh. I hope people will learn from what happened today

Michelle❤️: As in, I can't stop laughing. How will the bitch walk around in school on Monday?

Paul: You guys should stop, please. This is cyberbullying

Michelle❤️: Are we not saying the truth? Besides, if you don't have anything to contribute, just shut it.

Paulina: That's low of you. Besides, it's Jade you have a problem with, keep my boyfriend out of it.

Ayisha Bello: I'm neither a fan of Jade nor Uthman but it's a contest, someone has to win, don't degrade the person that lost because you have an issue with them

Aminah: And look who is taking? Are you any better than Jade? You guys will walk around school as if you own it and everybody there.

Ayisha Bello:

Hana: Just get a life, Michelle. This is very low, even for you.

The banter continued and it led to the 150 messages. I changed the group set to 'Only admin can send messages.'

Angrily, I turned my data off.

On Monday, Jade was absent from school.