Crumbling Climax (Grey Love)

CHAPTER six

“less fear, more gear”

The next week felt like a movie, in fact my whole life felt like a horror movie or a series of bad luck and all I wanted to do was change the channel. The weekend was awkward and I was indoors the whole time, apparently my situation at the night club had gone viral and everybody in school knew I was a murderer from what they called me. A year ago it had been worse, I was labeled the queen of evil mainly because I lost both of my lovers at once. I was being blamed for Richard’s murder too, even when his body had never been found just his car with some traces of blood in it.

A year ago marked the beginning  of my end, in fact after my first trial of Ray’s death I attempted to commit suicide and if it wasn’t for my mother’s decision to take me to the hospital I would have been dead just like Ray and Richard. Hope was restored when the Jury ruled in my favor and the judge passed his judgement, right that instant I had finally tasted the bitter sweet justice after a whole year of trial.

I was so afraid to go out of my hostel on Monday, because I knew I was going to face
another prejudice trial in campus from the students. I guess the fact that Angie and her
boyfriend still stood by my side even when the whole world turned against me still gave me hope. I guess fear is the only force that keeps us from taking a new step, because less fear more gear. Walking into class I could hear people laughing and gossiping about me, but that wasn’t odd so it never bothered me. The only odd thing was not seeing Michael in class, I knew I shouldn’t have cared but I did. Angie told me that Michael hadn’t come back in school since Friday night, and he said he wouldn’t till he cleared his mind. She also told me that Their father had seen Michael’s video of fighting in the club and instantly cut off his allowance and froze his bank accounts. I really felt bad, because I was to blame for everything. A week went by  but Michael never showed up for class, I heard he showed up for his other courses.
            

Sooner the talk about me subsided, though occasionally I would see people pointing at me then looking at me in fear. Things got as weird as some girls approaching me telling me to murder their exs for them it  was some hilarious stuff but I would put them in their places. I guess everything went back to normal apart from the fact that Michael still didn’t show up for the courses I was in, I just had to talk to him and clear things between us. Angie told me that Michael had ended things with Thelma, that explained why she stopped bugging me or maybe she did because of the confrontation we had in the night club bathroom. Thelma was a pig and deserved anything bad that happened to her, I was still mad at her for ruining my name. That night at the club, I had received a text in one of the school social WhatsApp groups. Someone had posted a picture of me and Fred dancing captioned “the witch has found her next victim”.
Finally, Michael showed up for class, everything felt awkward especially the part where I didn’t know whether to talk to him or not. Nobody had seen it coming when our lecture told us to put our books away and that we would be writing a quiz. Everybody was panicking, but we all didn’t have any option, we were then told to shuffle our sitting arrangements. I found myself seated at the back of the class near the Corner, but at least I was closer to the window.  The quiz was really tough; the lecturer had brought questions on the things he had taught  in class but had not given us notes on.

I was really glad I hadn’t missed any lecture apart from the one after the scandals, but at least I knew the answers to almost all the questions. Just when I was thinking of handing in my answer booklet, I felt a gentle tap on my back. The lecturer wasn’t looking my direction so I quickly turned around just to see who had tapped me, then looked back to my paper. The person who tapped me was Henry, one of Michael’s friend. He was one of three I had met at the administration block, when I had asked Michael for directions. Henry tapped me again, this time with a whisper. I leaned back on my seat so that I could get what he was trying to say, “hey I’m stuck, need your help.” He whispered gently..
“which questions do you need help with?’’ I asked.
“everything, I don’t know any answer. please help!” he pleaded.
“but how will I pass you the answers? I can’t whisper them out, the lecturer will catch me.” I complained.
“drop all your papers on the floor, when picking them up leave your booklet on the floor and I will pick it up. When I’m done copying I will do the same thing” He suggested.
“but what if the lecturer passes by and finds out that I haven’t been writing?” I asked,
“you can start answering the questions on another booklet while I copy the answers from your booklet. I will give you back your booklet immediately I’m done” he assured me.