CONFLICTED

Chapter 25| Valentine

Lyrics to go: Stay with me by Sam Smith.

Chapter 25: Valentine

A day after the visit to the principal's office with my parents, I refused to step out of my room. Aunt Lydia tried talking me out of becoming a solitaire but I insisted on staying indoors.

My father couldn't care less. If he could orchestrate my death with no consequence thereafter, I would be long gone by now, beside my mom's grave. All I've ever done was give him headaches with the tons of problems I created all my life.

I got my fair share of suspension and I wasn't to be seen in school until the commencement of my SSCE exams in two months time. My Jamb exam was coming up in a month on the contrary, and I would partake in WAEC right after.

My thoughts went to Anna. Poor girl. There was a huge possibility she wouldn't be writing the exams with us. I made her forfeit her senior year exams all in the name of jealousy and inability to contain my anger. The galaxy knew I could have approached the situation from a different angle. But here I was with nothing but regrets.

I'd phoned Kelvin yesterday and debriefed him on what happened and he promised to be here soon for a better conversation. A knock came to the door and I tiredly replied a “Come in”.

It opened and Kelvin stepped in. His hair was damp from either his morning shower or his sweat from the Lagos heat, and he wore a simple outfit of wool shorts and a grey hoodie with a pair of Gucci push-ins. He stared at me uneasily for a while without saying a word.

"I've killed another soul, Kev. I've done my worst." I piped out in remorse and he sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.

"She's not dead, Chris. And your mom's death had nothing to do with you."

I shook my head poignantly.

"How did it happen?" he asked.

"I humiliated her with the video and had her lying on her death bed." I slumped my shoulders sadly.

Kelvin threaded a hand across his wet curly hair and the room went silent for a moment that felt like eternity. I brought my hands together and decided it was best I tell him.

"Kev... Suzan might be gay. She and Anna have been fucking."

"I..." his face fell, "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this."

"Come to what?"

He took his time before looking up at me with a fearful countenance. "I've known about Suze and Anne long before you found out."

I replayed his statement in my head to be sure I heard him well.

"What?" was all I could utter.

Confusion hit me as my brain struggled to process the new information.

"When Suzan got to know that I was involved in the bet, she avoided me, which you're aware of. I never had the intention of being serious with her or doing some shit like commitment but I felt the need to apologize 'cause we obviously went too far with the bet.

On getting to her place, I caught them in the act. They were so busy getting it down that they barely even noticed my presence and for the first time ever, I got cheated on before I thought of dumping her ass. She didn't show any remorse or even cared about being caught but Anne begged me not to tell you or anyone else.

The first thing that came to mind was letting you in on what's been happening behind your fucking back. Chris, I was furious and... just as enraged as you were when you got to know. I cringed every time I saw how you fought to get back with someone that's moved on since the 90s, but in as much as I wanted to tell you, I knew it would only make matters worse. Maybe even worse than this."