Badboy's Venom

chapter 47

ZOE'S POV

After my chit-chat with mom yesterday I have decided to program my brain to focus on my academics and avoid conflicts or any form of distraction. "So this is how you'll live from now on?" Linda who is seated opposite my direction queries, leaving me completely puzzled. "What are you talking about?" I ask. "The tension between you and Samantha" she begins softly and I roll my eyes at her at the mention of Samantha's name. "At some point you all have to clear the air and move on with life, even if your friendship won't be the same like before." She says darting her eyes between I and Samantha, who is seated far from us with a classmate of ours.

"You are expecting me to forgive a person who doesn't even wanna be forgiven." I say nonchalantly and Linda's face contorts into apprehension. "But look at how she keeps glancing at us, she surely regrets and misses you." "She doesn't regret anything. She didn't even try to value our friendship, not even a single apology from her, not that I'm expecting any." I deadpan, trailing off with my eyes blazing with too much rage towards Sammy from afar.

"Under the circumstances that you've been offering her nothing but the murderous looks, I also wouldn't have the audacity to face you, let alone attempt to speak to you." Linda says as she shoves in her sandwich through her mouth and I offer her a death glare. "Can we not talk about this please." I say in a dismissive tone and she nods. "What about Mike? So it's really over between you two?" She continues interrogating me and I snort in anger before answering her. "No more Mike and I ever again, I don't think I need any distraction, especially from Mike." I emphasise on the last part of the sentence and she stares at me as if I have grown two heads.

"Actually no more boys for me, I want to do my best this year and make my parents proud; my mom." I rephrase the last part. "Agree, especially since we're seniors and we have to apply at thee best universities like UP and Wits." "Yeah" I nod.

"Don't you think you should mend things with Carl." She says and I choke a bit on my food, causing a little cough to escape my mouth. "When looking at the point that you were the one at fault, I think you should fix your friendship with him, he's a nice guy you know." She suggests. "I don't think that's a good idea, he hates me now." I say, narrowing my eyes. Linda laughs to herself and I look at her in puzzlement. "No silly, Carl would never hate you even a single day. He hates what you did to him not you." Linda implies. "You think so?" I reckon. "I know so." She replies holding my hand. "I'll think about it." I say and pause before continuing again "I'm such a fool for allowing Mike to ruin every good thing around me." I hit my forehead as I say those words in regret.

"You mean for allowing him to control your life?" Linda remarks as she seems to be searching my soul. "Yes for that. I shouldn't have allowed that to happen." "And there's always a way to fix things. It's not too late, you can still mend your friendship with Carl and never ever again allow a person to control your life." She warns seriously. "I won't, trust me. And what have you become? Some sort of motivational speaker" I joke, leaving both of us to laugh at my ridiculous question. "For the better yes" she agrees playfully. The school bell rings for class; we gather our stuff and head back to class.

Today's lessons were nothing but interesting or is it because I'm more focused than ever. "Zoe can I have a minute with you please" Mr Nkalanga requests, stopping me in my tracks as we were heading out of the class to a Physical Science lesson. Linda looks at me as if asking for withdrawing from my presence and I simply nod at her for assurance as I watch her disappearing figure from sight. I really appreciate her; she has been nothing but a good friend to me.

"I'm sorry to delay you for your next class, I just wanted to be sure you are okay." Mr Nkalanga says and I slightly smile at him before saying "You mean to be sure I'm not mad for telling on me to my mom." "So you are not?" He asks with apprehension evident in his voice and I shake my head in response to his question. "You have to understand that I did this out of concern for one of my best learners. I don't want to see you distracted in any way from your school work." He says in a serious tone.