REMOULDED

Chapter Twenty Five

It was well into the morning that Earnest could reason it all out rightly. The unthinkable thoughts could now be evaluated. The pieces could be joined together and the thoughts that haunted his night should be examined.

He saw Daisy there too,he saw her at the fierce scene and she disappeared almost instantly. Since then,she had avoided him,she had avoided eye contact with him and she had looked apologetic.

He had also seen her with Michel at one time and she had called Michel her good friend. Ironically,Michel was never his friend and Daisy was ever his rival.

Could it be that was what had actually happened to him?. Has he really been caught up in a trap he had set?. Has Daisy tricked him to an outing just as everything was set up against him?.

But what for?.

It made no sense again for a third time of evaluation.

Maybe it was not Morenike. Maybe it was not Daisy. Maybe it was not Michel too. Maybe he was the real culprit for all the mess.

He had followed Daisy out and neglected the music practice. He had shouted blatantly at Ms. Dake and pulled out a violent act on the innocent Morenike. They were all his doings. Even if there was any set up anywhere,he had also aided it.

He let out a lungful of air and geared his mind back to Gideon. Why the sudden appearance?. What had made him remember the road home and unlike before,he had come alone. And according to Susane's narration, he looked fragile and remorseful and had been unusually silent in the house ever since.

He had not even asked for his Earnest and had accepted his welcome into the house without any fight. Earnest wished he had gone out to see him but he could not. Things would have even been worse at the moment. Kemi Williams would be too tense and sad to see the errant man again in the house.

Gideon Williams had certainly come back at a gloomy period,a grave period in the house and a defining one for Earnest.

A rustle of the iron sheet and the scare from a strange cat reminded him that he was lurked beside a disused store.

Earnest could not believe he was doing this but he had strongly made the decision. He had woken Susane up midway through the night and told her he was going to St. Avirns.

She had nodded at the first second but began to warn him in the next. He had been ordered not to appear at St. Avirns for a span of fourteen days and it was the tenth day, he should be patient enough and not cause much more trouble for himself.

But Earnest would not take heed. He wanted to see Timothy and more significantly, he wanted to talk with Morenike.

He wanted to just say he was sorry for his actions so far. He had realized it was all his faults and he would apologize and nothing more.

Not that that would make them friends or something. Not at all. He assured himself as he awaited the passage of Timothy's Junto.

There. Timothy appeared,riding slowly behind a couple of students and Earnest threw the bottle he was holding in front of the bicycle.

It made Timothy halt and look up. He saw nothing. But when the familiar face peeped out again,his lips dropped.

Earnest.

He tumbled away from the bicycle and came to meet him beside the store.

"Earn" He shouted foolishly,grinning.

"Hush" Earnest cautioned with a gesture.

Timothy realized his folly and lowered his voice, " I've missed you so much,Earn"

"Why didn't you then show up since" Earnest accused mildly.

"You didn't see my letter?" Timothy's eyes rolled in their sockets. Daisy had told him that she had delivered the letter.

"Which letter?"

"I sent Daisy. You didn't see her?"

Earnest's head shook,"No. But I got a couple of letters I haven't read"He said and his face brightened. There was always the big joy that filled him whenever Timothy was around him.

"I'm sorry,Earn" Timothy said sadly, "Kemi and Liana stopped me from coming. Liana even threatened to send me back to my poor parents" He fell into explanation.

"Forget it Timo,you are the best friend ever. No one can be better" He grinned and made a show of peeping out again, "Has everyone gone home?" He asked.

"No,we're just coming out"

"Can I get to see Morenike?"

"Or Daisy?"A shock struck Timothy.

"No,I mean Morenike"

What for?.Timothy wanted to ask but swallowed it.

"She should come here?"

"Yes" Earnest nodded.

"Alone?" Timothy spoke in a manner to remind of the occurrence the last time.

"Nothing will go wrong again" Earnest assured and chuckled.

"Earn" Timothy drawled his name in a warning tone.

"Go quickly man,trust me. She mustn't escape home" Earnest reassured and it was then Timothy agreed to fetch her.

Minutes later,she arrived. She has a charming face under the mild sunlight and her braids were as usual, well packed.

She was wearing a plain look,like nothing unpleasant had transpired between them the last night.

"You sent for me" She said softly.

"Yes". Earnest nodded and immediately fell out of words.

"Anything?"

"I'm sorry" He recovered and she gave a reaction of surprise.

"For?"

"It's all my faults. I believe you are innocent. I believe everyone is innocent and I'm the guilty one" He confessed.

"No one is innocent. I think I was too nasty that day too" She said.

"That still doesn't stop me from being the most guilty"

" No one can be guilty in your case. I could even have been worse if I were you"She encouraged.

And Earnest's face lightened at her words, "Are you coming this night?" He asked and something screamed inside him. Why did he ask that?. What had gone over his thinking in the last few minutes.

" No"She pouted.

"You are still annoyed?"

"I have somewhere else I'm going"

"Where?" Earnest found himself going stupidly deeper.

"A theatre show. You'll like to go?" She asked eagerly.

No. Earnest's primal brain shouted. Another outing again. He should have learnt from his past mistake and not----

"Yes" He rather said.

"It's an evening show. I'll come over to your place. Get prepared" She smiled and it had two results. It made her face glowed the more and revealed the perfect gap tooth once again.

Had he ever said she was a bitch. Had he ever called her a demon?.No. There must be something really wrong with his thinking lately.

"Bye" Earnest said when he discovered he could not come up with better words.

She waved back and when they turned out from the store, their eyes struck someone watching not too far away. Timothy had been on guard,waiting and ready to come in if anything would ever go wrong.

Earnest's lips curled in a big smile. Indeed,there is no perfect friend as Timothy.