I Don't Do Friends

Chapter Seven

"Mummy take care!" we all shouted as she left the house for work.

Its Wednesday and the girls have just started their mid term break. They all seem too excited for these breaks and I don't blame them, honestly, cause right now I seriously need one.

Yeah I'm at home on a Wednesday. Actually I've been at home since Monday this week.

'I think i need some time out from all the studying I'm doing and focus more on revising those I have already studied' I had told mummy when she asked me why I would not be going to school this week.

That wasn't all a lie because I really needed a break, from Chris especially

"So, Jeremiah, what do we do today?" I heard Joy saying, bringing me back from my world of thoughts.

"Lets play 'Rhymes'" Joan answered before I could even register what Joy had asked.

"Supported" I added.

"I'll start" Joy declared.

If there is one thing I love about my siblings, then its the fact that we easily forget our age and gender whenever we are alone and free, like today. Personally I'd rather spend a whole day with them than with my phone and constant power.

Okay that may have been a lie. Nope, totally a Lie.

Rhymes is a word game we kind of formulated. It has to do with rhyming words as its name implies. Someone starts the game with a word and everybody takes turns in saying words that have the same rhyme with it. When one runs out of rhymes, they give up, till the last person, who is then declared winner and earns the opportunity to start the next round with a word of his/her choice. Fun, right?

"met" Joan exclaimed

"wet" I said after little thinking

"fret" Joy echoed back without delay, how does she do that?

"net" Joan screamed with excitement making it obvious that she was running short of rhymes.

"threat" I responded. Actually the word just came out.

'Threat' I thought.

I grimaced when i remember the reason why I am at home currently. The reason why my week has gone uneventful as never before. The reason am not even willing to go to school this semester.

'I was Threatened' I noted to myself

After I received the threat message on Saturday last week, I had quickly and unanimously decided that I would skip school on Monday and resume on Tuesday. I was really hoping that my avoiding-Chris-at-school skill would see me through Tuesday and probably the rest of the week.

Then came the bombshell, and an ultimate game changer.

I had fainted when I received the news. Not literally but I swear, I was really close to losing-it when Joy told me that I had had a visitor.

And of all people, Jessica.

She actually had the guts to add more salt to my already over-salted open wound. But then what was I expecting from Chris' girlfriend. Silly me. Too much for thinking she would not contribute to my suffering.

is it just me, or am I bound to suffer?

"Jeremiah its your turn" I hear my sisters say

"Am not playing again" I state and start heading to my room

"Why? what happened?" they both ask at the same time, obviously worried. Its just so unlike me to quit a game of rhymes. its never happened before.

"Lemme go and prepare for school" I say, more to myself than to my audience.

I don't know why but I suddenly felt the need to be in school. Never in my three years of being in the university have I ever intentionally missed a class yet here I am, planning on skipping one whole week of school just because of a fellow student.

Amazed at myself and my new found courage I quickly rush to my room for a quick shower and me being me, I didn't spend up to two minutes dressing up.

'Its just another day of school, so no need for all the care after all' I mentally tell myself.

When I finally came out from my room, my sisters were doing their laundries and I can tell by their mood that I have an explanation to give, but now is not the time. Speaking of time. I search my bag for my phone and when I could not locate it, I went back into my room to look for it.

'Where the hell is my phone?' I curse internally, starting to look worried.

I quickly rush outside to the front of the house praying it would be there. When I saw the device that almost gave me a heart attack, I simply sighed at how easily worried I can get. As I shake my head while retrieving the phone from where it lay, I could not help but weep at my misfortune.

Yeah I cried.

Really pathetic, I know, but I can't help it sometimes. Yep, I'm that fragile. So now you see why little things get to me so easily.

I am brought back to earth when I feel someones wet hands on my back. As I turn to know whose touch just interrupted my breakdown, I wipe the tears off my face.

"What is it?" Joy asks

"Uhm, nothing" I reply still trying to wipe the tears, all in vain.

"Why are you crying" she asks me, her voice breaking.

I look up to see tears already gathered up in her eyes waiting for the last drop that would break them free. I hate seeing her like this.

Joy has always been the one person that shared my pain with me. She cried whenever I cried and she was more ecstatic when I'm not moody. She's been my favorite sibling since my ninth year birthday, and she was only three then. Seeing her sad, breaks my heart and I try all I can to make her happy by, first of all, staying happy.

I don't reply her question, instead I embrace her into a tight hug that does the magic. The moment I release her, I flash her a forced smile and she takes the hint. She returns the smile and picks up my bag from the floor where I had dropped it earlier.

"Thanks" I tell her, then look at the screen of my phone as I check the time "I have to be going."

She doesn't reply and I take it as my cue to leave.

I walk to where I park my bicycle and grab my lock before pedaling towards the gate. When I leave the house, I begin to feel my courage level diminish and it takes all my will to pedal my vehicle to school.

'Today's going to be a heck of a day', I remind myself.

********★*********★**********★*********

Okay, now am crying. That girl, Joy, is just too cute, don't you think?

Question: Where did all that confidence come from? And was it worth it? Do you think today was really going to be 'one heck of a day'?

Hell, yeah! Am liking this guy.

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Love y'all.