Daffodil Sprouts🌼

Ch. 10 ' The People We Love.

I stumble out of class holding my notes tightly. In the small crowd, someone steps on me, but I'm too tired to react. It feels like every kcal in my body is exhausted. I shake my head to clear my vision. The plan is to go to my locker, pack my books and race to the car. I'm not sure where it's parked, but I'll sort that out when I get to the lot.

Behind me, I hear two familiar voices. I quicken my steps, but Sam and Mal still catch up. They take positions at my sides.

"If I were you two, I would avoid me," I say, a newfound strength coming from anger.

"Aww." Sam puts an arm around my waist. "Don't be mad."

I remove her hand and walk faster. "I'm already mad."

Mal runs to my front and holds her ear lobes. "Sorry," her voice is tinier than usual.

I swiftly walk by her.

"Alright, let's make it up to you," Sam says. "Is there anything we can do to stop you from being upset with us?"

I stop walking and look from girl to girl. "There is."

"Tell us," Mal replies almost excitedly.

"Leave me alone. That's what you can do, leave me."

Mal's shoulder drops.

"It's not like we're that bad to be with," Sam says.

"No, you guys are actually that bad to be with," I tell her.

Mal opens her mouth to start complaining and I say, "Right now, it's more of a personal thing. I need to be alone, so I can set my head straight."

Sam pokes my head. "It's straight enough."

"Leave me."

"It's not nice of you to insist, you know," Mal says.

"Who cares? After all, only a few people have been nice to me today. And they . . . " My eyes drift from Mal to Sam, and back.

"We're sorry," they chorus.

I shrug. "It's not really about you guys, I'm just . . . down. I don't know."

Mal reassuringly grips my hand. "Don't worry. Sooner or later, you'll get used to it."

"What?" I say.

"This new life. The entire process. You're homesick."

"Homesick?" I chuckle. "No, I don't miss Nigeria. I miss my family and my best friend."

"Home is where the people we love are," Sam says.

"Home is where the people we love are," I mutter.

Is that why everything feels exhausting? Because I'm not with the people I love?

No. New York is home. Mom is here with me, and I love her. A lot. There's her kind husband too, Philip. I just need more time to settle in. It's probably fine that I feel this way; the first day of school always sucks.

"What happened between you and Jason outside the café?" Sam asks. "The way he dragged you wasn't nice at all."

"Realise I wouldn't have gotten dragged if you two had not conspired to push me?"

"We're sorry," they chorus, with the same mellow tone they used earlier.

I chuckle. "Whatever. I met Bella."

Mal's eyes snap up from her phone. "You did?"

"Yes. You guys didn't tell me she's a redhead."

"No, she's-"