Chapter 41: Chapter 41

~Jade~

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.

Not like this.

Not at all.

I did not even know what to feel, what to say, how to feel.

'Smile into the camera'

I smiled.

'Congratulations, you've made us proud. The whole Lakeview must be proud of you right now'

I smiled again.

Everything had happened in a daze. The secretary calling in the morning to tell me Uthman was sick and I had to fill in for him, me calling Uthman and the calls going into voicemail, calling Akin and that one saying he has no idea because they've not even spoke since we left school, the driver driving me to school, me practicing again, the drive to the airport, the drive to the venue, me climbing the steps to podium, holding the microphone, me saying everything Uthman was supposed to say, me going back to my seat amongst the other students, the host calling the runner ups and finally the winner

Jadeshola Badmus from Lakeview High.

This is a dream come through but I felt so bad. What kind of stupid sickness did Uthman come down with?

The shouts, the cheers, the applauds and how Miss Folarin had hugged me thightky, whispering words of praise into my ears. I climbed the stage again to receive the medal, the plague of honor.

This is a dream come through but I wasn't even supposed to be here.

I was quiet throughout the flight back home and Miss Folarin kept asking if I was fine. I wasn't though I told her otherwise. I was dropped at home by the school bus because school already closed. Mom wasn't home and Fatima was in her room. I went to my room and tried Uthman's number again. It went to voicemail.

Oh God! What's this?

Someone opened my door and I glared at Fatima.

'Hey, congratulations.'

'You should knock and wait for me to tell you to enter before entering my room.'

She ignored my words as she moved closer.

'You don't look too excited for someone who just won a major major contest. It's already on instablog self.'

I rolled my eyes.

'I'm happy, now please get out.'

'Eeh eeh, Jadeshola. Loosen up a little now. Why are you always so uptight? And obviously something is wrong with you. This is ECOWAS contest. You've been looking forward to this all your life.'

I sat down on my bed.

'I'm too happy and excited and the thing is I'm not even supposed to feel this way but I'm so happy that I feel like my heart is going to burst.'

She pulled out the chair from under my desk and she sat down facing me.

'Why are you not supposed to feel this way?'

'I wasn't supposed to represent Lakeview. The boy that was supposed to represent Lakeview apparently fell sick this morning. I just filled in for him.'

She shrugged.

'So? His bad luck. Abeg. You won, that's the main point. How much is the cash price anyway?'

I shook up and stood up. Fatima is just ridiculous. I started taking my clothes off.

'You won't understand.'

'Make me understand'

I said nothing until she spoke again.

'Or you have something going on with the boy?'

I exhaled.

'Something like that.'

'Be explicit.'

I rolled my eyes and said nothing.

'Well, since you're not talking. You already represented your school and won, you can't undo that so you might as well enjoy your win'

I won a boxer and tank top and sat down on my bed again. I dailed Uthman's number again, it rang and I lit up but he did not pick up. I called him like 5 other times and he still did not pick up. Was he still severally sick?

'Calm down oo. I'll be in my room sha.'

I paid no heed to Fatima as she left my room. I turned my data on. I clicked on Akin's message.

Akin: Congrats dear. Dreams really do come true ❤️

Me: Thanks boo. Have you spoken to Uthman?

Akin: No. His number has been switched off since morning.

Me: Oh. What could be wrong? And you're not going over to his place.

Akin: not today, maybe tomorrow. And don't you worry, I'm sure he'll be fine.'

I heaved a sigh. There were tons of messages on our whatsApp group. I ignored the messages.

Someone opened the door and I turned to glare at Fatima but it was Hana. She joined me on the bed and hugged me.

'Congratulations dear. I'm so happy for you.'

I smiled and draw back a little.

'Thanks b. I'm finding it difficult to believe. Just this time yesterday, I was struggling to accept the reality about not representing Lakeview and now this morning, everything happened so fast that I did not even have time to process anything.'

She nodded.

'I understand. I wonder how sick Uthman is. And he was very fine yesterday, hmm?'

'As in. I don't understand. I've been calling his number. He is not even picking up.'

She patted my hands.

'Don't worry, I'm pretty sure he'd be fine.'

I nodded even though I was feeling so bad. I don't even know why.

'I'm sleeping over today and I'm so happy you won. Michelle will now have a reason to go and commit suicide.'

She burst into laughter.

'God! I can't just wait till tomorrow. You know we did not know that it was you that represented Lakeview in school until I got home and I saw it online. The idiot will just die.'

I smiled and typed a message to Uthman.

'Hey. Good evening. Could you please call me when you see this. I'm worried sick.'

I sent it and heaved a sigh, silently hoping that nothing serious was wrong with him.

******

I woke up to Uthman's message the next morning.

'Hey. Good morning. I'm better now. And congratulations on winning the contest '

I stared at the message. I don't why but I felt like something was wrong but I couldn't place my hands on it.

Mom cooked my favorite food for breakfast, not my favorite per say but one of my favorite.

'Have you spoken to your dad since yesterday?'

Mom asked while we were eating. I nodded.

'Yes. I did video call with him and Saheed yesterday night.'

'We're all so proud of you.'

Mom said and touched my hand. I smiled.

'Why don't we hold a congratulatory party? You winning that contest is no small feat. The cash price was how much again? 500k?'

I was about to say no to Fatima when Hana chipped in.

'I totally agree though I doubt if Jade will want to hold a party but we could hang out right, just us and our other friends.'

Our other friends include Akin, Daniel and Uthman right? I don't even know what to think about Uthman at the moment.

I smiled at Hana and said.

'I'd think about it.'

That plan just went down the drain because I doubt I'd be throwing any party or hanging out.

I was quiet all through the drive to school. Once we got to school, Hana grabbed my hands.

'Jade, why are you this quiet? If it's because of Uthman, then you should stop wasting your energy worrying when you'd see see him in less than 10 minutes.'

I know, right?

I smiled at her and we got down. Some of the students that saw us waved and some mouthed congratulations. I smiled. This was what I've always wanted, to win this contest and bask in the absolute joy that comes with winning it but now, it feels totally wrong. I wasn't even chosen to represent my school. I filled in for someone. That someone is the boy I like and I don't even know how he is feeling at the moment.

My heart did a double flip when I saw Uthman leaning against the wall with hands in his pocket.

God! How could someone be this handsome? And he looks fine. Looks like I've been worried for almost nothing.

He was standing with Akin and Daniel. It was Akin who saw us first and his face dissolved into a smile when he saw me.

'Looks who is here, it's our favorite winner.'

I smiled as he opened his arms for a hug. I hugged him.

'Congratulations dear, I knew you could do it.'

I moved back to see Uthman's scrutinizing gaze on me. I swallowed.

'Hi'

'Hi'

I turned to see Akin, Dan and Hana walking away. I swallowed and moved back to lean on the opposite wall. Standing in this same spot where I had hugged him just five days ago made me smile.

'Why are you smiling?'

I looked up and shrugged.

'This place brings back memories.'

He smiled. God! That smile.

'Memories of what exactly?'

'My thoughts please. They are meant to be private.'

He burst into laughter.

'Using my words exactly, hmm? Don't worry. I already knew what you were thinking. Your eyes says a lot, you don't know?'

'Scam scam scam'

We heard the bell for assembly and he straightened up.

'We should go, we don't want to miss the morning devotion.'

I did move from where I stood. He stood back with a grin on his face.

'Is it that bad if we skip Assembly again?'

He burst into laughter.

'Just two days ago you were going on and on about how extremely bad it is to skip assmebly and now you want to skip it, nah nah nah. That's not going to work.'

He started to walk away and I grabbed his hands. He turned back with a grin on his face.

'Hey, it can't be that bad. Let's just skip it. Hmm? Hmm?'

He smiled again.

'Too bad. I'd very much like to skip morning devotion with you but then we really have to go. There is going to be an announcement and you sure are going to be the main character of the announcement.'

'oh' I dropped his hands. It had completely escaped my mind about that.

'About that, I thought you'd be mad at me.'

'Because?'

I stomped my foot on the floor.

'I took your spot. I thought...........'

'I fell sick, Jade. It's not your fault. I'm actually glad that you won for Lakeview. Your win is our win now, right?'

God! My insides turned to mush listening to words. Geez. I was not seriously going to cry. I bit my lower lips to keep my emotions at bay.

'But still, you wanted to win the competition. You promised Michelle, remember?'

'Oh come on Jade. Don't bring that into our conversation now.'

I smiled.

'We should go to the assmebly now else you want to miss your grand entrance.'

I smiled just as we started to walk down the stairs.

'Make sure you smile when you climb the podium.'

I smiled again. God! My cheeks will definitely start to hurt from smiling too much.

*********

~Uthman~

I don't know when exactly I made up my mind but I knew I've had the thought since the day I was announced as the winner and Jade had gone to the lab to cry. All through the tutorials, I've had it at the back of my mind but I think I fully made up my mind at the cafeteria when Michelle was going on and on about Jade not winning any of the two important contests because of her. Heck! Why did I even collect the keypoints in the first place?

Because you were stupid. But never mind we all have moments where we were extremely stupid.

I heaved a sigh as I turned my phone off. What would dad say?

As if he knew you were even going to represent your school in any contest in the first place.

Mom nko?

As if on cue, I heard steps in the hallway. I stared at the wall clock, the time was 10:30am. I covered myself with the duvet just as mom entered the room.

'Uthman, you're this sick and you're at home alone. You could have called me or your dad'

I said nothing as she moved closer to the bed. She sat down and touched my head.

'You're not running a temperature?'

I don't even know if that was a question or a statement.

'Someone called me from your school and told me you were so sick that you could not go for your contest.'

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

'Oya stand up, let me take you to your dad's hospital'

She started to get up.

'No oo, I feel better now.'

She stared at me.

'I felt horrible in the morning but now, I feel better'

Liar liar liar.

Shut it.

She sat down again and rubbed my head.

'You've not eaten, right? Let me go and make something for you.'

I heaved a sigh as she left the room. God. This must be my little secret oo. And it was my little secret until Akin and Dan arrived in the evening and the first thing Akin said was

'You were not sick, were you?'

I shoot up from the bed.

'How did you know?'

He and Dan exchanged a glance as the dropped their bags on the desk and Dan joined me on the bed while Akin sat on the sofa.

'We just guessed. It must be your own way of atoning.'

Dan said as he tried to settle himself in a comfortable position on the bed.

'Well, it means a lot to her. It just makes sense if I give this up for her. It's not like it matters that much to me.'

'Oshey lover boy.'

I looked up at Akin who was still not saying anything.

'Do you plan on telling her?'

He finally asked, his brows furrowed in concentration.

'No oo.'

'Good because I don't know....' He trailed off and shrugged.

'But you like her that much to give up a major contest like this for her?'

I stared at him.

'I love her that much.'

Dan cooeed.

'You're not even yet seventeen. What do you know about love?'

'Jade'

He and Dan both cooeed. Dan patted my back.

'You've got it real bad man. You're a goner.'

Dan said and made a gesture of boom with his mouth. We fell into a comfortable silence until Akin shouted.

'Wow. She won.'

I stood up from the bed pronto and walked to where he stood. He was reading something from his phone and I grabbed the phone.

'Hey, calm down. Don't spoil my own phone oo.'

I blocked out what he was saying as I stared at the picture of Jade smiling at the camera. She won, she really did it. Oh God! Talk about fulfillment.

Daniel was right. I was really a goner.

***********

I watched as Jade climbed the podium with a huge smile on her face. Someone scowled from the female line and I turned to see Amina, with her arms crossed on her chest.

'Why is the bitch smiling? She won by sheer luck so she....'

'winning is winning so please let's hear word.'

Someone replied her and I smiled. Soon enough we were walking back to our classes. I had not seen Michelle so I figured out she was absent. I half listened throughout the lectures because I was looking forward to lunch break. I kept glancing at Jade whose attention was on whatever the teachers were saying. It's like all our teachers decided to attend their classes today so we had no free period. Immediately I heard the sound of the bell for lunch break, I turned to Jade. She was looking at me and smiling.

'Did you even hear anything the teachers said?

She asked and I shrugged.

'it's not my fault'

'So whose fault is it then?'

I shrugged again.

'I guess it's nobody's fault that I can't stop staring at you.'

She smiled wider and I swear I could see the color pink raising in her cheeks.

'Are you blushing?'

Her smile disappeared and she stood up pronto.

'Of course not, blacks don't blush.'

Akin, Dan and Hana were nowhere to be found. Only God knows where they've disappeared to.

'We should go and look for Akin and the rest. Why on earth would they leave without us?'

I shrugged. They must have left intentionally.

'Senior Jade. The principal wants you in his office'

We both turned towards the direction of the voice. It was a junior boy. Jade turned to me.

'I guess I have to go then. I'll see you lather.'

'Yeah. Take care.'

I watched her retreating back. I guess I had to go and look for Akin and the rest of the gang.

The gang?

Yeah. I guess we already are a gang.

*********

~Jade~

I don't know why I paid extra attention to dressing up the next day. I mean it's just a tutorial and I had no business rumisaging through my entire closest for what to wear but I did rumisiage through my entire closest before I finally found something to wear.

It's just a Saturday tutorial for crying loud sake, why are you paying so much attention to little details?

Because the lohl would be there. Dourh.

Oh you guys should please shut it. Now, I have two crazy subconscious mind that probably wanted to kill me with all these insane talks.

I got to school around 9 and the tutorial was meant to start by 9. I met the gang at the corridor again. I was starting to think we have something with this corridor.

Or you just wanted it to be your place with Uthman?

Was that a bad idea?

I rolled my eyes.

'Why are you standing there and rolling your eyes all by yourself?

Hana asked as soon as she saw me. Uthman and the other boys were leaning against the wall, playing a game and they barely looked up to mutter hi.

Look at the boy you took extra measure to dress up for. He is not even looking at you.

'Don't mind me. I'm just getting weirder and wierder.'

I said and mover closer to her. The boys just kept playing their game.

What the fuck? I felt like just snatching his phone away.

Hey, what right do you have? You guys are not even dating.

I looked at him, feeling the urge to smack the back of his head but I smiled at Hana instead.

'We should probably go to class since the boys are sooooo busy'

I emphasized on so, expecting at least a reaction from any of them. They did nothing.

I grabbed Hana's hands and we started to walk away. I still expected him to call me back but he did not.

What the actual fuck?

**********

'You have an habit of sneaking away, right?'

I did not need to turn to know who the owner of the voice was. I said nothing as he sat down beside me.

We were done with the tutorial and instead of going home, we were all frolicking around doing absolute nothing of the pretense of reading. Hana and Dan had gone off to God knows where and Akin and Uthman were still engrossed with the stupid game they were playing. Why on earth do boys like playing games this much? I walked out of the class with no direction in mind and I ended up walking to the park and sitting on a swing.

'A penny for your thoughts.'

I shrugged and said nothing.

'You've been awfully quiet since morning, are you alright?'

I mentally rolled my eyes and said nothing.

'You okay?'

'Of course I'm okay.'

I replied with a little bit of sarcasm which went unnoticed by him.

'You look good today but then, that would be an understatement, you look good everyday.'

Since morning.

I tried to keep myself from smiling but I failed woefully. I bit my lips to keep the smile from spreading further. He said nothing and I turned to look at him. He was looking at me.

He is looking at your lips. Dourh.

I involuntarily moved back a little and smiled tightly.

'Well, thanks for your compliments and...'

I was cut off when he moved closer to me, one of his hands on my shoulder, pulling me closer to him. I looked up.

'You were saying?'

Ehn? Was I saying something? What was that?

I looked down and cleared my throat.

'You might want to move back a little.'

He moved even closer so we were practically chest to chest. I avoided looking at him. I focused my attention on his chest.

'Why? I'm perfectly fine like this.'

Well, I'm not. My heart is threatening to burst out of my chest. I smiled and dared a glance at him, my lips in between my teeth. Figured out I do this whenever I was nervous.

That was...