FINESSE

√ SIXTEEN √

Gloria tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear as she submitted the notes and bade the teacher farewell. She walked out of the Biology staff room mouthing quiet greetings to the teachers on the way.

Ever since she and Tomisin had broken up about three months ago, Gloria didn't think she had been happy once. Not even once, there were moments when she got slightly happy and then returned back to her normal state.

She trying to act like everything was fine. She had repeated told herself that she was going to be okay and there she was okay? Really?

Nobody dared to mention her relationship with Tomisin in front of her. It was as if they all understood her pain or rather what happened in her life wasn't exactly their business.

Just a few people did and never in her life did she imagine that Chidima would also say such a cruel thing to her face.

Ike and Chidima never asked why she and Snr Tomisin had broken up. They just comforted her silently and tried to cheer her up and Gloria was very grateful for that.

Well until the day before when she and Chidima had their biggest argument ever. In their entire four years of friendship, the girls hadn't had such an argument.

As much as Chidima's words hurt her, the words she and Ike said ended up carving itself on her mind. She wouldn't stop thinking about it.

You talk as if Snr Tomisin was the only one who made such a promise.

Chidima's words echoed in her ears and Gloria sighed as she turned in the way of the garden.

Gloria sincerely wanted to ignore her words but the fact that what Chi Chi had said although cruel was true; the realization kept hitting her really bad.

They had both promised to stay with each other. They had both promised to be with each other. They had promised to be with each other anytime they needed each other. He promised her and she promised him.

He broke his own side of the promise? Why shouldn't she break hers?

Gloria sighed as she sat down on the bench that was covered with grasses as blinked her eyes rapidly. Tears threatened to fall but Gloria refused to let them fall.

She suddenly heard voices then people talking. She didn't need to peep to know who they were as she had already recognized one of the voices, recognizing the others became as easy as pie.

The voices came nearer and Gloria instinctively bowed her head to avoid been seen. She watched as she walked away before she shot to her feet and stared wordlessly at the back of a guy as he walked away.

The tears she had been suppressing came rolling down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to say something but her words got stuck in her throat till they disappeared from her eyesight.

More tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared at the empty space.

She missed him.

More than anything. He was more of the elder brother she never had compared to her boyfriend. He was her pillar of support that was why when they broke up, she couldn't get herself for days.

She would never forget the way he had looked at her that afternoon. He had suddenly called her and asked them to meet. Gloria had thought he sounded off but she didn't know she was in for the worst until she got to the small eatery.

Tomisin had ordered food for the both of them and Gloria had eaten to her satisfaction. She talked happily as they walked home until they got to the junction of her street.

She would never forget his words that way. The expression on his face when he said those words and how he walked away after saying them.

G, let's break up.

He was the only one who called her G. Even Ike and Chidima didn't have that privilege. Gloria remembered staring into space as she watched him leave, she never ran after him.

She tried to reach him or ask him questions after then but he refused to talk to her and even blocked her on every social media platform.

She did try to ask him why he wanted to break up with her but she never asked if he was fine. She saw him at the cafeteria sometimes and like Chidima had said, he wasn't fairly any better than her.

At least she acted like she was okay. She laughed, she smiled, she had fun but that wasn't the case for him. Guilt overwhelmed Gloria all of a sudden and she started sobbing quietly.

She turned to see Chidima standing behind her and the two girls stared at each other without a word.

"Need a hug?" Chidima asked as Gloria stared at her without a word as tears continued streaming down her cheeks.

Without waiting for an answer, Chidima pulled her in for a hug while Gloria sobbed loudly.

"You are gonna be okay" Chidima whispered as she slowly patted Gloria's back.

"I miss him" Gloria mumbled and Chidima nodded.

"I know" Chidima said as she released Gloria from her hug.

"Gloria, I'm so sorry about yesterday" Chidima said as she swallowed her saliva while wiggling her fingers.

"Of all people, as your best friend I shouldn't have said that at all. I made a mistake, I did say a lot of cruel words to you, words that really hurt and I am very sorry" Chidima said as Gloria nodded her head.

"I'm not going to apologize for what I said yesterday Chidima. That's payback for what you did" Gloria replied as Chidima swallowed her saliva.

"Thank you though. They were cruel and pierced my heart deeply but they were true" Gloria said as she sniffed and coughed lightly as she wore her first sincere smile in three months.

"And now, I'm going to get my man back" Gloria added as she turned and walked away.

I'M SO SORRY I SKIPPED THIS CHAPTER. I SHA KNEW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A DOUBLE UPDATE. ENJOY!