Check Mate ( Book 2)

Chapter Nine 🌻

AKRON

If the full moon loves you, why worry about the stars?- Tunisian Proverb

TRACK – YOUTH BY Shawn Mendez ft Khalid

For the might of Thine arm we bless Thee,
our God, our fathers' God;
Thou hast kept Thy pilgrim people
by the strength of Thy staff and rod;

"Rod." Phillip whispered to Elorm, giggling like a maniac. "He said rod."

Elorm tried to keep a straight face but it was hard not to smile. Phillip's laugh was contagious.

"It's the word of God." Elorm told him.

"But it's pretty sexual." Phillip giggled some more and Elorm looked at him like he was crazy.

It was the fifth day of orientation and the students of Padmore were gathered to learn the school's official hymn. Elorm was thinking about how the seniors were giving all the SHS 1s a tough time. Phillip on the other hand was immensely enjoying himself. He had charisma and charm and everybody wanted to be his friend. Senior and Junior alike. He had already been enlisted on the basketball and track team and he was going to try out for the brilliant national science and mathematics quiz team of the school.

Phillip and Elorm were in the same dormitory and class. They hit off immediately when they both pulled out their batman bed spreads to lay their beds the first night they arrived in Padmore. Two weeks later, their friendship was still going strong. Elorm was focused and calculating while Phillip was for lack of a better word described best as a billy goat.

"So... have you talked to her yet?" Phillip turned his attention from the music teacher who was passionately playing the keyboard to his friend.

"No!, I don't even know her name. "

"Just say hi, baby girl, wanna smash?" Phillip suggested and Elorm rolled his eyes and concluded that his friend needed to get his head checked.

"Look." Phillip whispered. "Honest to God, until last week when your eyes started following her everywhere, I thought you were asexual or something. I hate to sound sappy but she could be your soul mate. If you have feelings for her just tell her."

"They are not feelings!" Elorm whispered back defensively and Phillip raised a brow. "I just think she's hella cute okay and I just want to talk to her not sleep with her."

"Dude, did the sexual puberty that was supposed to hit you take a Nigerian keke and meet traffic? No boy, wants to just talk to a girl."

Elorm frowned at his friend but could not get mad at him. It was really a skill Phillip had. He could serve you a dis and you'd still want to be his wing man. If anyone else, had likened his libido to a slow Nigerian tricycle, the person would be on the floor, bleeding by now.

" Well in the spirit of being in church and everything, I prophesy to you that by the time we reach senior year, you would have more than talked to her. I hope I am alive and well to see it."

Elorm wanted to retort that prophecies did not work that way but one look at Olivia's gorgeous smile and all thoughts flew out his head.

Thou hast called us to the journey
which faithless feet ne'er trod;
For the might of Thine arm we bless Thee, our God, our fathers' God.

"I prophesy to you that by the time we reach senior year, you would have more than talked to her. I hope I am alive and well to see it."

At the time, it looked like something trivial. A conversation ender of sorts or just something Phillip wanted to say so Elorm muster the courage to speak to Olivia. Now thinking back, he wondered if Phillip knew he wouldn't be around for senior year.