Chapter 73: Chapter 73

"You're back." Zaire said once he stepped out of the bathroom to see Quinnel with his face pressed to the bed.

"Hn." Came his muffled reply.

Zaire shrugged and walked to their wardrobe pulling his nightwear out. He wore it and turned around to see Quinnel's face was still pressed to the bed.

He was about to take a step forward when he heard his phone chime and then followed by Quinnel's as well. Then the whole room was filled with chimes before he could reach his phone.

He took his iPhone off the night stand to see 50 notifications from Instagram. He raised a brow and opened it anyways. Then his mouth fell open at the post.

"What I saw while returning to my room. Love..." He scrolled down immediately to check the 20 comments.

'Woah! Is that Quinnel?'

'Oh shit! Caught unfresh!'

'We will talk about Quinnel later. That's room 53! Who knows what that means?'

'That's the girls floor!'

'Wait, who stays at room 53?'

'I'm at 52.'

'Navaeh and Ashley.'

'Woah! This is hot news!'

'So what was he doing then?'

'To the comment above, he is obviously trying to listen in on the girl's conversation.'

'Duh.'

'You girls and gossip. Sigh'

'You boys and eavesdropping.'

'Hey! Not fair!'

'Life itself ain't fair.'

'I wonder if Navaeh or Quinnel has seen this.'

'They obviously would have. It's on the school's Instagram account.'

'@CaptainAshford and @PrettyNavaeh... Please come out and give your statements.'

"What did you do?" Zaire asked the boy whose face was still pressed to the bed.

"Hn?"

"Dude, look up and stop doing hn so much! Did you try to eavesdrop on Navaeh in her room?"

Quinnel's eyes flew open as he rested his chin on the bed. He turned his head to his best friend who was holding his black coloured phone.

How did he know that?

"Why? Wait, how do you know?"

"Dude, you're famous." He chuckled throwing his phone to him.

"I know."

"No no, like famous famous." Zaire replied with a light laugh.

Quinnel looked at the phone that chimed again before he picked it up. He scrolled up to the post and his eyes widened.

"She took a picture?! She posted it?! Oh come on!" He exclaimed scrolling down to the comments section.

"So, eavesdropper, did you hear anything?" Zaire replied sitting on his bed.

Quinnel looked up from the phone and glared at Zaire. The latter had an amusing smile on his face while he crossed his arm.

"It's not funny."

"Not to you. To me, it is." He replied with a shrug before throwing his head back in laughter.

His phone's ringtone rang out suddenly and he giggled on recognizing the the ringtone.

"Geez, this is Ashley isn't it?" Quinnel asked turning the screen of the phone to Zaire with a frown.

"MY STUBBY LEGS ❤️" was written on the caller ID.

"Yep. I suppose she's calling about the post. She must have seen it. I wanna hear what she has to say." Zaire replied like a child that had gotten the exact Christmas present he wanted while clapping gleefully.

"I don't want to hear it." Quinnel grumbled shoving the phone under the pillow.

Zaire pouted as the phone rang off. Then the call came through again and he stood up to take his phone for himself.

"Don't come near my bed."

"Tch." Zaire clicked his tongue and stuck his hand under the pillow pulling his phone out.

"Okay."

The phone rang off again. Zaire dialed her number again and called.

"He's calling." Ashley yelled jumping up and down.

"Stop. This thing is embarrassing."

"To you that is. To me, it's exciting." Ashley replied with a wink before sliding the call button to the right and putting the phone on loud speaker.

"Hey! Did you see the post?"

"Yeah, I did. Did Navaeh see it?"

"Eh. I showed her. Quinnel?"

"Trust me. What was her reaction?"

"Well, her face is pressed to the bed presently. And she has thrown her leg up a times. Also she cursed herself and Quinnel out. You know the deal. Quinnel?"

"Eh. Ever since he entered the room his face has been pressed to the bed. Must be really embarrassing for both of them."

"Shut up!"

"Shut up!"

Navaeh and Quinnel yelled suddenly making both siblings blink at their roommate. Quinnel even chucked a pillow at his roommate which Zaire dodged smoothly.

"Yep. Definitely embarrassed." Both twins said with a nod. Navaeh rolled her eyes and slammed her face into the bed again with another groan.

Quinnel's face dived straight into the bed as he released a sigh.

"Huh. I see why this people like each other. Both are the same." Ashley commented with a sigh.

Quinnel and Navaeh head raised from the bed turning to their roommates at once.

"I know right? This one is glaring at me."

"This one too is."

"Say, should we take a picture and post?"

"We should. Then tag it #couplegoals #coupleglare. What do you say?"

"Love that idea. Love those tags."

"I'll murder you." Navaeh growled jumping at her roommate.

"Ah! I'm dead. Help me, Zaire!"

"Ash? Oh come on, Navaeh. I'll come help you out. Maybe even try to eavesdrop," Zaire said with a wink directed at his friend.

"Hey, Zaire. Do you smell that?" Quinnel asked sniffing.

"Hey, hold on! Not the boobs! Oh come on!"

Zaire looked at the phone and immediately out it off loudspeaker awkwardly.

"Smell what?" He asked sniffing as well innocently.

"I don't know. It smells like death and trouble of a sort. Do you smell it as well?" Quinnel asked stalking towards his roommate.

"No, I don't. Why are you coming towards me? Don't come towards me. Go back. Go away." Zaire yelled swinging his arm in front of him to wade off his friend.

"Uhn uhn. But we're best friends."

"Don't do that. Don't sound like Chucky. You know that movie freaks the hell out of me."

"But we're best friends."

"Stop. Is this payback or something?" Zaire asked rounding the couch.

"Payback? Of course not. You're my best friend."

"Say that one more time and I'll chuck my phone at your head. I'm not joking."

Both ladies had stopped fighting and were now listening to the call that was still connected.

"Chuck it then." Quinnel replied with a smirk.

"You bastard! Stop it... Please I beg of you." Zaire begged finally surrendering to his monster of a friend.

"Oh come on. That's not fun."

"Fun? This isn't funny! It's using my own weakness against me! This is unfair!"

"Not to you. To me, it is." Quinnel replied with a smirk saying the same words Zaire had said to him earlier.

"Navaeh, you like a bad person." Zaire said shaking his head at his friend.

Quinnel's eyes widened at his sentence and Zaire stuck out his tongue at his friend with a smirk.

Ashley turned her head to Navaeh to tease her to see the girl wasn't even looking at her intentionally.

"Hey, Quinnel?" Navaeh called suddenly turning to the phone on the floor with a panicked face and Quinnel looked at the phone beside Zaire.

He stepped forward and took the phone placing it on his ears.

"Excuse me." Navaeh said as well grabbing the phone off the floor. She turned off the loudspeaker walking to the balcony the chilly night hitting her as she turned to close the door ignoring Ashley whose brow was raised and her head tilted.

"What's up?" Quinnel asked walking out of the room.

"I didn't call my sisters! How did I forget?! They were always my priority. What do they think of me now? Will they forgive me? I have to call them! They must think I've gone to enjoy and forgotten all about them! I don't even know what they ate tonight! Their Lunch! I don't know how their school went today! What do I do? Why didn't you remind me? Ah God, I'm dead. Quinnel talk!" She rambled pulling at her hair as she walked to and fro all while peeking inside to see if Ashley was still seating in the room. And she was but she was looking at her friend wondering what's making her so anxious.

"Calm down. Deep breaths."

Navaeh inhaled and then exhaled heavily.

"Now, come out of your room and come to the elevator."

"Okay. Did you even take your phone?"

"Yeah. It's in my pocket. I'll wait for you in the elevator."

"Okay. I'll be there soon."

She pulled the door open and leaving it open as she ran to her wardrobe. She pulled out a woolen cardigan before she threw Ashley's phone unto the bed.

She was about to open the door when she heard,

"Care to explain what's going on?"

She turned around to see Ashley standing in the middle of the room with her arm crossed.

"Uhh- I'm going to get a cup of juice. I'll be right back."

She hurriedly said and turned around to slip into her shoes when Ashley spoke up again.

"At few minutes to 1? The dining hall is closed. Where are you going?"

"Uhh- I'll tell you when I come back." She replied and pulled the door open. She didn't look back once till she saw Quinnel standing at the elevator.

She would look for a lie to come up with when she got back to the room to tell Ashley.

"Have you called?"

"Here." He replied giving her the phone. She collected it and placed it on her ear.

"Who?" She mouthed and Quinnel pointed at himself "My Mum, duh."

She rolled her eyes and smiled "Good Morning, Mrs Ashford."

"I told you not to call me that again." The older woman scolded with a playful scowl.

"Right, Sorry. Beatrix. Are the twins awake?" She asked her palm on her face.

"Oh, sorry darling... They fell asleep some hours ago. You want to talk to them? They waited for your call. Practically sat in front of my phone till they fell asleep." The woman replied with a chuckle.

"I totally forgot! Are they angry with me?" Navaeh asked with a pout.

"I don't think so. But they waited quite long."

Didn't this woman know she was only making her feel bad even more?! Or is she just being truthful?

"Umm, please tell them I said I'm sorry, and that I promise this would be the only time I miss our calls."

"Sure. I will. Don't beat yourself too much, dear. They will forgive you."

"I hope so. Thank you ma'am. Have a good night rest."

"You too, dear." She replied with a smile.

Navaeh sighed and gave the phone to Quinnel.

"Hn. Go to bed Mom." Quinnel replied.

"Stop behaving like my father. I plan on going after this call." The older woman replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me. Good night. Love you."

"Love you too baby."

Quinnel brought the phone from his ears with a smile before he cut the call to look up at the frowning girl.

Then she looked up towards the stairs and her frown deepened as the door clicked close.

"Zaire? What are you doing here?"

"I called him." Ashley said from behind her.

Navaeh turned around and blinked at her friend.

"Ash... What are you also doing here?"

"Did you call them?" She whispered to Quinnel and the latter raised a brow at her.

She turned her face to her friend who her twin brother was now standing beside her.

"Now, tell us what's up. And I don't want the excuse of getting a drink, or going for a run, cause that's not the clothes for going on a run." Ashley said gesturing at their clothes.

Navaeh stared at the twins for a few minutes before she let out a nervous chuckle.

"What do you guys mean? There's nothing going on. Right, Quin?" She questioned nudging the latter with her elbow.

"We can literally see you nudging him to go along, Neve." Zaire said rolling his eyes.

Navaeh looked up at Quinnel's indifferent face and she frowned. Oh, he wasn't going to help her out? Nice one, Quinnel.

"Nothing is going on. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to sleep." She said with a grim smile and started walking to the room only to be pulled back by Ashley.

"Not so fast, missy."

"You're obviously hiding something! Geez, what the hell exactly is the so called secret that you're both hiding from us?"

"And it can't be that you're dating, cause if you were, Quinnel wouldn't waste one second in plastering it on his forehead. Hell, he can even print it on a t-shirt and wear it all around." Zaire added crossing his arm.

"Hey!" Quinnel protested his face pink.

"Don't even try. You know it's true." Ashley replied with an eye roll.

"Now, what's up?"

Navaeh looked to Zaire, Ashley and Quinnel to see all eyes were now on her. She sighed rubbing her face.

"Only if you tell us why you and Connie broke up," she bargained.

"That's not fair." Ashley said letting her hand go.

"It's not fair?! Then it's not fair for you to force me to tell you my secret as well."

"Wow."

Quinnel said nothing as he looked between Ashley who was now looking hurt and her brother looking at his feet to Navaeh who was looking scared like she had thrown her last card on the table.

"See? You can't tell me as well. See yah." Navaeh said turning on her heels. She had taken five steps when she heard,

"She cheated."

She froze for a second. Connie cheated on Ashley? With who? There was no one else that was a gay that she was aware of.

She blinked as she resumed her steps like she had not heard what Ashley just said. She input the code although feeling Six pairs of eyes on her.

"Door Unlocked."

She pulled the door open and stepped in almost immediately. Once the door had successfully locked, she sighed.

Until when would she have to keep this up? It was hard keeping secrets from Ashley especially with her being her best friend and all.

She stepped into the dark room with another sigh as she moved to her bed. She pulled out her phone to check the time. The whole room was illuminated by the screen and the time said "1:08am"

They had really used most of the time at the bonfire.

"Door Unlocked."

She snapped her head to the door to see the knob turning. She immediately jumped up and ran straight for her bed and into her duvet covering herself up to her head with it.

She looked like a dead person with the duvet covering her toe to her leg but anything would do as long as she didn't get to answer Ashley.

She held her breath her ears being her only functioning sense. Her heart rate sped up when she heard footsteps coming to her bed.

She hadn't had time to register the footsteps when the duvet was yanked off her head her eyes clashing with the harsh white light almost immediately.

She squeezed her eyes shut and open it slowly while squinting. It all started as a blurry figure before her eyes and brain registered the glaring eyes of Ashley.

She looked like a mother waking her lazy child up by past 7 in the morning to get ready for school.

"The lights." She mumbled.

"Get your ass up. We need to talk." Ashley said instead and threw her duvet down rather harshly.

"You guys can sit over there."

Guys? Navaeh sat up abruptly her duvet covering her lower half. She turned her head to Ashley bed to see it occupied by Quinnel and Zaire.

"What are you doing here?" She asked blinking at them.

"I don't know. Maybe cause someone lied and then tried to run away." Ashley replied instead with a glare.

"I didn't lie about anything and I didn't run from anyone." Navaeh mumbled looking at her white duvet.

"Yeah sure." Ashley snorted.

"That's so unladylike!"

"That's so unladylike!"

Both Zaire and Navaeh yelled suddenly and Ashely blinked at them. Zaire and Navaeh looked at each other before immediately looking away.

"Anyways, spill."

"Spill what? Beans? Have you heard of that adage? Spill the beans..."

"Don't. Just don't."

"Oh okay." Navaeh replied looking down at her fingers.

"Say, it Neve. Your secret is safe with us."

Navaeh looked to Ashley and then her brother before she nodded her head slowly. She didn't bother looking to Quinnel since he hadn't said a single word since he stepped foot into the room.

"I know. I trust you guys enough to not spill my secret but you guys have to promise me something first."

"Anything."

"Don't you dare look at me with pity when I say it. Don't you dare. Cause if you do, I'll skin you. And I mean it."

"Scary but okay." Zaire chuckled.

"I promise." Ashley replied eager to find out the secret.

Women and gossips...

Navaeh then took a deep breath before pursing her lips debating whether to say it.

The moment she opened her mouth, it came tumbling out like raindrops. Ashley's mouth was hung open during the time she said it.

It was like she was hearing a tale. If it wasn't from Navaeh, she wouldn't believe it. But the poor girl had gone through a lot from her young age.

She pouted with a sad face.

"I told you not to look at me with pity." Navaeh warned glaring at Zaire.

"I'm not." He mumbled cleaning his eyes.

"Hold on a second, are you crying?" Quinnel asked pointing at his friend.

"Of course! It's so sad!" He yelled cleaning his eyes vigorously before the tears fell on his cheek.

"Woah! Let me take a picture."

"Don't you dare." Zaire replied with a sniff.

"Hold on, I'm still curious about something." Ashely mumbled and all eyes turned to her.

"What's up?"

"How did Quinnel find out? Cause the last time I checked, you both weren't on speaking terms last session. Don't ask me how I know, rumors spread like a wild fire."

Navaeh looked to Quinnel to see him already looking at her.

"A phone call." Both said simultaneously and Zaire and Ashley blinked at them.

"A phone call?"

"Well, I asked your very useful brother to help me get Navaeh's contact which he did, she's a popular figure. I called her and well I found out. Simple."

"Hey! Don't leave out all the juicy part!"

"Fine, he called and we were talking about our siblings, I think when my parents arrived, fighting as usual. I asked him to hang up... I don't know why he didn't..." She paused turning to Quinnel.

"In my defense, I asked why but I got no response. I was about to hang up when I heard a glass crash. I thought she was in danger or they were being burgled or something. So I stayed on the phone just in case. And I found out when she was yelling at her parents. You guys have to hear. It was badass!"

"Badass? Calm down."

"It was!"

"Oh please. It's just talking."

"It wasn't." Quinnel mouthed to Ashley who nodded her head with a wink deciding to go with Quinnel's words since it sounded more juicier.

"I can see you!"

"And I'm still in here." Zaire muttered to himself.

Everyone laughed except him and he pouted.

"This isn't fair!"

"Life itself ain't."

"Anyways, you guys know my secret now... So don't you dare treat me different like I'm some egg that would break if mishandled." Navaeh warned and the twins nodded their head.

"That being said. How did you find out Connie cheated and who the hell did she cheat on you with?"

"Oh, so you did hear?"

"Of course, I did. It was quite clear."

"And you still proceeded into the room?"

Navaeh grinned at her best friend instead and Ashley rolled her eyes.

"Anyways, it was after his practice." She started gesturing to Zaire.

"Wait, practice? What practice?" Navaeh inquired before Ashley could go any further.

"Basketball practice, duh."

"No, no, no. Quin said there was no practice. Always no practice. Oh shit, I should have known."

"He said that? How come? He was always mmmmm."

Quinnel had slapped his hand over Zaire's blabbering mouth.

"Go on, Ash."

"Uhh, okay."

"Anyways, I told Zaire I wasn't going to wait..."

Ashely was glaring at her brother when he asked her to wait for him till after practice even though he knew she had a planned date with Connie.

She glaringly told him she wouldn't wait and walked away. Connie followed after her and they had a coffee instead of their date. After that, they bade each other with Connie saying she would stay behind to get some assignments done before she left for her home.

Ashley was about to take a step to their house when she sighed turning back to the direction of the school.

She was long gone when Connie came out of the cafe walking to the school as well.

Ashley had been waiting for her brother in the field and when she checked the time and figured practice might be over, she was about to pass by the bleachers when she heard someone moaning from behind it. Ew.

The voice sounded familiar. She shrugged it off. It could be literally anyone at school.

She walked past them taking two steps before she heard a male voice say, "Oh Connie."

Connie? Which Connie? It can't be her girlfriend anyways. She was still at the cafe at most, doing her assignments.

"Fuck." Someone muttered breathlessly and she frowned at once.

Why did that voice sound too familiar? Her curiosity got the better of her as she walked to the back of the bleachers to see her so called girlfriend pinned to floor kissing a basketball team player wildly like there was no tomorrow.

One of her hand was on his crotch and the other in his hair while the guy's two hands was underneath her shirt.

Hell, they were on the road of having sex if she hadn't saw them.

"What are you guys doing?" The question was stupid but it was what she could muster at the moment.