Beyond Hate

Nineteen

ZARA

Whatever the noise was about, I wasn't interested. The only thing I kept my eyes on was the pair of fair finger nails that grazed on the table opposite me. I couldn't even look up to meet his eyes. There was nothing more embarrassing that meeting his eyes at this very moment.

"Osheyyyyyy!" Afam slammed his hand on the table. "so in your mind you have sense now!"

"Don't even think that I don't watch it. I do and the guy's gay in real life. I watched his interview on Ellen DeGeneres show. Hello!" Jacqueline snapped. Her hands were folded fiercely across her blossom as she glowered at Afam.

Afam snorted. "he's bisexual not gay. He likes girls too."

"Who? Is it the second son?" Mona queried, sitting up.

I looked away from them and briefly glanced at him. He had his eyes staring intently at me. Great! I snapped my eyes away. He had been trying to talk to me for days, after what had happened in the toilet, I hadn't spoken to him. There was absolutely nothing to talk about. And it didn't help that I was feeling like shit.

"Hey,I have to go. I forgot my notebook in class." Ene spoke beside me. I turned my attention to her.

"you'll go alone?" I queried.

"yes. I'll be back now." she smiled and stood up. She asked the person —Tobi— beside her to excuse her. Once she made it out of the hall, Tobi scooted closer to me, a small grin on his face. I was suddenly feeling very self conscious. Jerome sat opposite me with a grim expression on. And Toby was beside me. He looked more than willing to strike up a conversation. It was like something was about to blow over and —

"Zara, they are calling captains." I looked up to see Mirabel, the deputy head girl smiling down at me. I would have kissed her in that moment. I stood up abruptly and excused myself.

Since the day Jerome and I had shared that kiss, everything had come crashing down. I couldn't tell my best friend because she was so tight with her cousin and I didn't want any fight to ensue between best friends because of me. It was easy to avoid Jerome. During conversations that included everyone, I'd not speak to him  directly. I'd rather reply when I wanted to. But it was very uncomfortable most of the time.

"Prefects, you'll go round and share Garri. Two spoon per table o."  The dinning hall master announced before us and handed us the cooler.

Jacqueline and I stood together. We walked down the roll assigned to us, sharing Garri.

*****

"You're such a pain in the heart you bitch!" Mona laughed.

I poured more water on her, laughing. She laughed too as she ran far away from me. Grace and Jacq tore open two more bags of water and we spilled it on her. The school park was getting empty. All four of us were waiting for our parents to come pick us up. We were what teenagers called omo-get-inside. Our parents didn't like the idea of us going anywhere on our own. Ene and Toby had boarded a bus and gone home long ago. And so had many other people.

"OK. OK. I get it. It's OK. Happy birthday to me!" Mona laughed and moved back. The sachet water we bought had finally finished. And it had been wasted on her body in respect for her new age. 

As we settled back down on the cemented chairs in the school park, I rummaged through my bad to retrieve the gift I had gotten her. I finally slipped out a blue diary and a pair of silver round earrings I had bought her. I handed it to her. Mona as usual smirked. "oshey!"