In the Loving Arms of Servitude

36. Forever

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'What are they doing together?' she wonders, while staring intently at James and Bayo. However, upon noticing the indignant expressions on both their faces as they turn to look at her, she quickly averts her gaze. It is obvious that they are both infuriated with her. But she does not plan on waiting to find out why. Therefore, she moves quickly to her desk locker and opens it, but finds nothing inside. In utter frustration, she sighs deeply and then starts peering at the haphazard blue handwriting on the glistening white board. She knows that Bayo and James are staring the life out of her right now. But she is so afraid to look back, because she does not even know how to face them. All she does is stand there frozen in front of her desk, wondering whether to go over and talk to them or just run out of the classroom with lightning speed.

After a while, she eventually summons enough courage and turns back slowly, only to catch their unwavering eyes still shooting deadly bullets at her. Thereafter, she gradually starts to walk towards them, at which point James abruptly bids Bayo farewell and spitefully walks past her, butting her shoulder with his, as he does so. Afterwards, he takes Folake in his arm and then bounces out of the classroom. More or less ignoring his behaviour, Uju simply takes in another deep breath and keeps going. Eventually, she comes to stand face to face with Bayo, who is still glowering angrily at her.

It breaks Uju's heart to see the way Bayo is looking at her. And right now, she badly wants to say something; she wants to ask him how he is doing; she wants to tell him everything that happened to her; she wants to beg his forgiveness for keeping him in the dark about everything. But for some weird reason, the only thing that comes out of her mouth is, "Uhm... Bayo... Have you seen my rosary anywhere?"
'Damn it, girl! What is wrong with you?' she scolds herself within, while feebly trying to maintain a comely demeanor.

Bayo on the other hand, simply gasps in amazement; in bewilderment at how insensitive she truly is. "Wow!.." he sighs and then adds while picking up his school bag to leave, "...I guess people really never change."
As he walks past Uju in annoyance, she quickly grabs his arm tightly to hold him back. But then he turns to her angrily and gives her a stern 'you-had-better-let-go-of-me-right-now' gaze. However, Uju does not relent. Instead, with cold tears gathering in her eyes, she keeps on clinging firmly to his rolled-up white sleeve; one hand above, and the other around his wrist, saying, "Bayo... Please. I... I'm sorry. I messed up; I know. But... I'm sorry, okay. #Sniffs... I never meant to hurt you."

"LET-GO of my arm." he replies regardless, although his reddened eyes are painfully longing for her. But resilient Uju does not release her grip at all. As a matter of fact, she echoes at him, "No!" Then she adds earnestly, while sniffing in her sorrow, "...Please, Bayo... just listen to me."

Bayo sighs again. Afterwards, he looks up at the ceiling and then looks back at her in frustration, "So you were just going to leave?? Without any trace??..." He hesitates a bit, but then adds achingly, "...Without even saying goodbye???"
Loosening her grip slightly, Uju then moves closer to him and replies; her eyes getting even more watery, "So many things happened, Bayo. I... I didn't even know where to start... or how to..."

"...All we got was an announcement!!" he interrupts angrily. "...an announcement from Mrs. Obi after you disappeared for two weeks... that you had been transferred to another school... just like that!" he concludes, snapping his fingers at the end.

Then immediately, Uju moves in to hug him tightly and continues in tears, "...I'm so sorry, Bayo... #SNIFFS... It's just... everything has been so painful and extremely terrible. #SNIFFS... And... I wanted to tell you. I wished I could tell you but... I just..."