𝙲𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚗'𝚜 𝙳𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚖𝚖𝚊

Chapter Twelve:" Veritas"

Hola Everyone, Sorry for the delay... Been caught up, well here you go✨✨

Finally arriving at end of the second hallway beside the Senior's baseball courts.
"Okay, I guess it's till intermission then, I'm off to Science class now" Aisha says glancing at her wristwatch. I subconsciously glanced at mine:"8:15"
" Shit! You're Art right?"
I nod frantically as she rushes to her class mouthing a " see you later" to me. I head to History class. My phone makes a ping sound halfway through the class door. I pull it out of my trouser pants to silent it. Sir Gregory stares at me weirdly but doesn't prevent me from coming in anyways. The whites kids all paused to stare at me, some whispering and throwing looks of disdain. You know the drill of forgetting how to walk when stared at? Yeah, it got me. I faltered hitting my leg against the desk in the second row, earning me a scowl from the owner and giggles from the others at the back.Someone gets up from the next seat and helps me get up. I didn't bother to look at who it might be because of of shame..Ouch.. I limped to my seat.

After sitting through Sir Gregory's class , I finally walk out hurriedly past other students to avoid stares or a likely confrontation from Diane and her minions. I was two steps away from the door when I felt someone pull my bag pack, pulling me back in the process.
It was one of Diane's minions, the stoutest, Craig. I falter almost falling at her feet. I raise my head up to find her winking at the others.
Diane walks towards me taking the reins of my bag from Craig and pulling me along the hallway. My back grazed the tiles. The other students who had just gotten out of class laughed hysterically. I tried to free myself of my bag pack and ended up hitting my head against the tile in the process. Warm tears stung my eyes. She finally pulls me to a corner and berates me.
" Now, mulatto, tell me what that was all about"
"What..." I stuttered wondering if I wasn't supposed to be the one asking the question.
"Walking into class , smiling, pretending to fall to steal the spotlight" Lola, one of her minions said from behind.
I wondered what this was about, all I did was walk into class... My mind drifted to the time someone held me up. I don't even know who it was. I remained silent. My silence seemed to annoy her as Diane lunges at me kicking my side. I squirm in pain, clutching my waist.
"Carmen!!!..." I hear a familiar voice from a far. The person walks over hurriedly and helps me get up. Aisha..
"Wtf happened here..." She asks Diane fuming.
" Huh? What are you! Oh, seems we've got a another ogre mulatto in our midst... "Diane's words are cut off when Aisha lunges at her, punching her nose.
"Shut the fuck up ,you half-breed fool" Aisha says fuming.I gasped, wondering how she got the courage to do that . Diane's nose had begun to bleed and she shrieked in frustration.
"One , two , three, all of you !, To my office" I hear the stern voice of our principal, Mrs Melissa, walking towards us.
"Fighting in the hallway, you're surely get detention for this"She says taking off her glasses.That was when I realized, Aisha had been set up.
Aisha and Diane followed her into her office. I wanted to follow when Aisha mouths a "Don't worry about me". I hesitated while she closed the door. I walked to the library, my insides churning. I sat down, dusting invisible dirt off my bag as the other students in the library stared at me. I pulled out the "Blue Dahlia" novel i intended reading. Soon, Aisha walks in. I quickly drop my book and gaze at her expression.
" What did she say"
"Nothing much, just a 2-week detention for me and that douche"She says sitting down across me
" Aww, Aisha, two weeks isn't just ..., Thanks for defending me , but please never take that risk again, next time could be worse" I said furrowing my brows.
" It's fine, I can get into trouble for you anytime"She says smiling bitterly.
She walked towards me raising my sweater" so how are you feeling? Does it still hurt?"
" A lil, but I'm fine"
" No, you're not, let's go to the sick bay "
" No, Aisha, that would only attract more attention to us... I'm fine, okay? "
She hesitates but finally sits down. I look up searching her expression. She was looking behind me, expressionlessly. She suddenly widens her eyes.
" Carmen... Is that..." I hear someone saying from behind. The voice echoing in the library. I turned back to find Jaden( Alex) walking towards us. I smiled in surprise.
"Oh, Jaden, I feel like I haven't seen you in ages" I said a lil too enthusiastically, causing the other kids in the library to glare at me.
" Yeah, I guess... I've been particularly busy with preparations for the Veritas competitions" He says smiling sitting beside me. I've been so caught up with dorm issues that I forgot my knight in shining armor, cut it out Carmen!...
" Veritas?" Aisha suddenly says widening her eyes.
"Yeah, it's a upcoming competition between our school and a couple other schools holding on the 14th of August" Jaden said turning to Aisha like he had just noticed her.
" Ohh" Aisha said blushing slightly. She turned to me winking. I wasn't gonna pretend I didn't know what she was hinting at.
" Um... That's odd, is that supposed to be a shipping name or what?" I asked amused.
"Weird innit? I thought I was the only one who thought so" He said placing his books on the table and we erupt in laughter.
"So.. how've you been?" He says when the laughter had died down.
"I've been good,hale and hearty.." figuratively..my insides are churning...
Aisha widens her eyes. I winked at her to shut up. Was she expecting I'll behave like a damsel in distress
"Very well, I was thinking if we could have a study session tomorrow on Literature maybe after recess"Jaden said raising his brows in waiting for my opinion
"Aisha can come too right?" I said hopefully.
He turns to her. "Oh, her... No problem, I guess" He says furrowing his brows slightly.
Aisha smiles" Alright then "
" Kk... See you around..Carmen.. Hasta manana, Aisha "He says smiling walking out of the library.
" Muy Bien, Adios " She says after him.
Gawd... I really need to learn Spanish 😩
Aisha widens her eyes as he slowly goes out of view.
" What was that all about " She said smiling cheekily, winking at me.
" Um... A boy walked in.. we all talked and he just left " I said rolling my eyes hinting at the obvious.
" No ... Not that " She said facepalming.
"Um... He's a friend of mine, we met in a joint Puerto Rican class" I told her all that had transpired the day I and Jaden met. Including our having lunch in the cafeteria together.
"Woah, that's amazing, I see you've got a Romeo here... A potential knight in shining armor"
" Ughh, don't be cheeky, we're just friends , nothing more"
" Oh really... He smiled a lot and that insinuates something... I can tell by the way he stares at you" She said winking at me.
.... I can tell by the way he stares at you..
My mind drifts to the last person that said those misleading words to me - Tiwa. One time when we were in Ss1 . We had just gotten admitted to a new school, a new class. I started to have mixed feelings towards a smart nerd in class
Well, he had walked up to me, offering me his notes on the second day I resumed to enable me copy notes from the past lessons. In Nigeria, that was a big favour. We would talk and study together after having lunch during recess and also in free periods. I had let my imaginations run wild. Definitely not doing that again..
" Um.. um, Carmen, Carmen . " Aisha says jerking me out of my reverie.
"Carmen , you literally zoned out, oooh, my baby's already falling" She says batting her lashes.
I rolled my eyes and I hear the ringing of the final bell." Ugh, cut it out"
We pick up our books leaving the library, trudging past other jittery students coming out of the library.

Halfway through our walk to the dorm. I sight Diane and her minions by the first walkway which was strewn with other students .
"Ugh... To think of the devil" Aisha says rolling her eyes .
I squirmed a bit. Craig and Lola were shooting daggers at us with their eyes.they seem so powerless now...
Diane's face, from the nasal region was strapped with a bandage, her nose protruded. We resisted the urge to laugh as we walked past them.
"Ppt" We finally explode in laughter.
"Serves her right though, I remember when I first got transferred to this college, these kids did much more than just call me unmentionable names, they would pull the tendrils of my hair, spiting my scalp in class! One time they overturned they redhead kid's putrid spaghetti into bag, smearing all my books...."I gasp ,she pauses.." They got the chance to do that when I went to the cafeteria during recess" She pauses seemingly weighing her words.
".... You needed to see my books... I had stayed in the library till closing to avoid any confrontation but I regretted it because I might have found my books on time and probably remedy the situation." She continues, her voice turning forlorn.
" I couldn't present my written hypothesis in psychology class to Sur Fredrick the next day cuz of it's condition. In the end , I was forced to bring it out and He said a lot to me, calling me a dirty black bitch from Africa, the whites joined in mocking me. He said I was a lost cause "She stifled a sob and her eyes grew watery. He must have touched a sore spot 🫠
Her cheeks turned red at the memory.
" No... What actually hurt was Dad would never get me anything I needed for school . It took me two fortnights to earn the money for stationery, all gone to waste"
" Oh, Aisha... "I said reaching for her hand.
" It's fine, I raised the money in a short time and replace them" She dabbed her tears with her handkerchief. I tried to imagine how I would have felt and coped if I'd been in her shoes... Notes worth of time and energy. I imagined facing the stern face if my Dad, who would expect an explanation other than the one I would have already given
"So they completely deserve whatever they get, I decided not to have to try not to get into a mess with them... Seems i broke that rule today"She turned to me smiling suddenly, yup, just like her cheerful self.
I nodded in agreement. I realized we had gotten to the walkway beside the Junior football court . We walked on in silence. I
My phone makes a " ding" sound. I pull down the notification bar and glance at the contents.....

End of Chapter Twelve ✍️💨✨