Blurred Vision

Alone

Anderson brought a pack of chin chin, box of doughnuts and lemonade.

"How much does this thing even cost?" I exclaimed when he showed me that morning.

"You don't ask such questions" he replied.

I gulped. "Anderson, this is too much" I told him.

He shook his head smiling. "It's not up to what I buy for my sister"

"Where do you get the money from?"

"Weekly allowance" he replied with a shrug.

I coughed. "And how much is your weekly allowance?"

"Roughly five thousand naira"

I burst into laughter. "That's like my pocket money for a term".

He smiled.

"Okay, thank you" I told him gratefully.

"You are welcome" he replied before leaving for his class.

I shared everything with Asah during break although she was pressurizing me to eat it alone.

Kosi who is in Asah's class minded her business this time around, I'm sure I taught her a big lesson by the little drama I displayed.

***
Another month went by uneventfully except that I and Anderson became tighter friends, to the extent, he had to sneak out of class to pass notes to me, there were whispers here and there but we paid no attention and stuck like that.

Within a twinkle of an eye, we were completing our SS1.

"Ryl!" Asah screamed.

It was the last few days in SS1 and we were in the canteen.

"What is it?" I answered impatiently.

"Ryl, come out quickly!"

I stood up and left the canteen to see a crowd at SS1 block.

"What happened?" I asked alarmed.

"Anderson beat Kosi up"

"What?" I covered my mouth with my hands.

It was a highly punishable offence in DavAnn's for a boy to beat a girl up.

I rushed to where the fight was taking place. Kosi had ripped Anderson's buttons off but he had decorated her face with bruises and her shirt was torn.

I grabbed him by the arm. "What happened?"

He was fuming and people were murmuring.

His girlfriend is here.

Show don start.

I don't want to miss this.

"Anderson, what is going on here?"

He picked his bag from the floor and began to walk away ignoring me.

"Anderson, stop there!" I shouted angrily.

"I was going to leave anyway" he told me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The answer is with Asah, she will give it to you". Then he ran away.

Kosi was breathing hard, her hands were red and she looked as if she was going to die, blood seeped from the side of her lips.

"Asah, what happened?" I asked in a calm tone.

"Kosi was going around telling people that you used to jump the fence to stay with Anderson at night, he asked her to stop and she called him a play boy then he called her a prostitute and she told him that he was born by mistake, called his parents useless and that was when he carried her head and jammed it on the locker"

"Jesus!" I exclaimed. "Asah, he's going to be expelled"

"He knows!" Asah snapped. "Why do you think he's been begging you to be his girlfriend, Anderson is leaving the school, his father is taking him to Canada"

"Oh my God!" I cried.

Asah exhaled.

I quickly dropped my bag and ran in the direction he had gone to, my legs were nearly reaching my head.

Then I spotted him, he was still walking away angrily. "Anderson!" I shouted.

He did not turn back, he did not acknowledge me. "Anderson!!!" I screamed on top of my lungs still running after him.

He stopped abruptly and stared at me, tears were in his eyes, then he rushed and embraced me.

"I'm going to miss you, Asah, all my friends"

I kept quiet holding back my own tears. He detached himself from me. "I'll miss you the most" he continued staring at me.

"I'll ....miss ...you too" I stammered.

"Please, Ryl, for the last time, it doesn't matter now but just tell me that you will be my best friend, you will not forget me"

"I... won't" I promised.

He hugged me again. "I wish I was in power to reject this travel but I can't do anything" he cried.

"Stop it, it's for the best" I told him confidently.

"What if I won't see you when I come back?"

"You will see me" I assured him although I was doubting myself.

He forced a smile and cleaned his eyes, I'll text you my Canadian number when I have one, please don't let Kosi change your mind"

"I won't, I promise"

He opened his bag and brought out a bracelet that had heart shaped diamonds on it.

"It's for you" he said.

"I know" I giggled as he put it on my wrist.

"Good bye, Ryl"

The tears were threatening to fall.

"Good bye.... Andy"

He chuckled because I shortened his name then he turned and ran away.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I stood and watched his retreating back, my chest hurt badly at the thought that I would never see him again, I didn't know Asah had followed me until she held my hands.

"I'm still here, Ryl".

I placed my head on her shoulders and cried bitterly.

***

Amara was finally graduating from secondary school, Dad and Mum came for the send-off, Kennedy was writing his final exams in university so he couldn't make it.

"The best behaved student in SS3 is Brian Amarachi Vera!!!"

Amara ran out with a big smile on her face as she collected her prize.

"The most beautiful who retained her position from JSS2 to SS2 is still....."

"Brian Amarachi Vera!" The audience completed it.

Amara was all smiles as the principal placed a tiara on her head and snapped pictures with her, the pictures would be hung in the principal's office and it would be there for history, it was every female student's dream.

I was crying when Amara climbed into the car with Dad and Mum.

The rest of the students would be coming home the next week, but I was crying because Amara was never coming back, she had finished and I was alone in the school... Anderson was gone and Amara too.

I only had Asah with me, I felt lonely.

Amara came out of the car and hugged me tightly placing her head in my own while I cried my heart out.

Anderson is gone! Just like that 😭

Have you been separated from your best friend? Yes!

Has someone quarrelled over you before? Yes!

How do you see this chapter? Hope it was worth reading.

Do me a favor and make your star to shine, don't forget to drop your comments too and share to family and friends.

Thank you.