So sorry for the late update. 🙏

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Samson's POV

It'd been five days since the event took place and I'd not been in school 'cause of the result of the hard blow. My cheek had swollen and it made me look extremely ugly.

After I got back home that day and my mum saw the bruise on my face, the next day, which was a Saturday, we went to the school to make a complaint and the principal assured us that he would deal with Wale. I just hope he did.

During the few days I spent home and still spending, no one visited. Well, could blame no one 'cause apparently, I have no friends in school, only Anita. And she perhaps didn't even see me as a friend, so I shouldn't feel bad.

"Won't you go to school today? You know your competition is next week." Sarah said to me.

"I know. I'm going tomorrow." I told her.

"You sha just want to finish the food in this house."

"Ahan, I should not eat again. See this girl o." I chuckled.

"Ehn...so you can still eat with this your cheek but you can't go to school."

I laughed hard. "Ouch!" I immediately kept quiet 'cause it hurt as I laughed.

"Good for you." She said before walking out.

"Mumu." I smiled as I watched her walk out.

Mummy had already gone out to hustle, and now Sarah was also going out to do same, living only me in the house – this boring house.

Out of boredom, I brought my books out and began to study for the competition, which was next week Monday.

After approximately three hours of studying, I decided to take a nap before studying again, depending on when I was going to wake up though.

A knock on the door made me jolt up. I checked the time on the wall clock and it was three minutes past four. Wow! I'd slept for that long. I abruptly stood up from the chair in which I was sleeping on and started making my way to the door. As I got to it, I asked, "Who's that?"

"It's me." It was a female's voice I heard.

I furrowed my brows in a somewhat confused state. "Huh? Who?"

"Anita." My heart skipped as I heard that. I widened my eyes in shock. What was she doing here? Oh, shit!

I twirled around immediately and rushed to go wash my face. Done with that, I arranged anything arrangeable in the living room and sprayed a little air freshener. "I'm coming." I sang when I heard her knock again.

I held the door knot and swung it open. "Hey!" I said with a heavy breath.

"Afternoon." She greeted.

I checked her out from head to toe. She was beautiful as usual. "Uhm..." I scratched my head out of shyness and nervousness.

She widened her eyes in an askance manner. "I see I'm not welcomed here." She said.

I exhaled like I'd been seizing my breath. "Oh, pardon me. Come in." I widely opened the door for her to walk in. She cocked a brow and smiled at me, shaking her head too as she walked in. I was still shocked that Anita was in my house. Honestly, I didn't see this coming.

After she'd walked in, I shut the door close. "So what can I offer you?" I asked.

"Nothing. I'm fine, thanks."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah, Samson." She giggled a bit. "I'm fine."

I smiled sheepishly. "Okay. Uhm..." I rubbed my sweaty palms together. "So...you're here?" She frowned a bit as I made that statement and immediately, I rephrased it. "I mean, what are you doing here?" I managed to ask. Though the question might come across as stupid but I didn't know what else to say to her. I was still trying to contain my shocked state.

"So I can't visit my study partner again? Besides, the competition is next week Monday, so I just came to see how you are doing and if you are still up for the competition." She said to me. So that was why she was here? Just because of I was her study partner and nothing else.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What about Mr. Kelvin?"

"He has been worried sick about you. In fact, he was the one who cajoled me to pay you a visit." Whoa! So it was because of Mr. Kelvin that was why she was here. Okay, I was hurt by what she just revealed to me now.

"And so, I had no other option but to..." She continued speaking. Yeah, yeah... Blah, blah, blah... I mentally rolled my eyes at her as she was done talking.

"Hmm. I see that he's the only person that cares about me in that school. Very nice of him." I said in a vividly hurt tone.

She wanted to say something again but my statement made her freeze for a while before she spoke up again. "What do you mean by that?"

"No, nothing." I walked to the chair where I was studying earlier.

"So you were studying? How nice of you. At least, you didn't stay home playing away your time." She teased.

I chuckled dryly. "Yeah." I gave her a monosyllabic answer. Anyone could tell by my sudden change of behavior that I was hurt.

After my answer, we stayed silent. No one uttered a word to each other or at all. I kept studying, while she did same – studying too. She must have noticed my sudden cold shoulders towards her. Honestly, I felt guilty for making her feel unwelcomed into my home 'cause I knew that was probably how she was feeling. However, I also felt hurt knowing that she didn't come on her own accord. She was cajoled to, as she put it.

As we were silently studying, from time to time, I kept stealing glances at her. I couldn't hold it anymore. I have to let her know that I have a strong feeling for her. I couldn't possibly die silently with my feelings. She had to know that this guy here, liked her a lot.

"Er...Anita, do...do you have a boyfriend?" I spat out the question.

"No, why?" She didn't raise her head to look at me when she answered.

My heart started pounding heavily. "Hmm, nothing. But why though?" I further questioned.

She finally took her head up to look at me. "Do you have any responsible guy you wanna give me?" Her tone was unfriendly. Also, emphasis was laid on the word 'responsible.'

I instantly surmised she was in some way going through pain or...I didn't know the right word to use, but I know she wasn't so all right with this topic of discussion. I wonder why though.

I faked out a laughter just to make her at ease? I guess so. "What if I do?" I smirked.

She pouted her lips and narrowed her eyes at me. "Well, you just have to tell the so called boy," Her fingers in quote. "that I'm fine being single." Ouch! That hurts. Why was she so uptight about guys anyways? There was a lot about Anita that I needed to know, but she was seeming too difficult to figure out.

"I need to go. I guess I've over stayed my welcome here." She started packing her books into her bag.

"Why? Why do you wanna leave so soon?"

No response. Instead, she stood up and began to leave.

"Wait." I rushed up and held her forearm. "I'm sorry if I offended you."

She faced me squarely and folded her arms around her tits. "No, you didn't. But thanks for reminding me of my past."

I was at a loss for words when she said that. Now I understood why she found the topic uncomfortable and irritation, 'cause it had something to do with her past.

Lack of nothing to say, she said. "Bye Samson. See ya tomorrow." That said, she walked away.

'See what you've done now. When you would not keep your mouth shut.' My subconscious mind said to me.

I shut the door close after some minutes of her leaving.

———————————

The following day, I woke up quite early to prepare for school. I was unnecessarily gleeful today if you would ask me. It was probably because after a long time being absent, I was finally going back again.

After I was done dressing up, I ate breakfast, collected my transport fare and lunch money before running out of the house.

On getting to the school, I saw a guy at my front walking like a girl. No one needed to tell me that it was Ola. I missed the dude. I walked up to him and wrapped my hand around his neck. "Hey, how are you doing buddy?" I smiled at him. Just a quick reminder, I was unusual happy today.

He first looked at my hand around his neck before looking at me and smiling. "I'm very fine. How about you? I've missed you o." There was a broad and genuine smile on his face.

"And you didn't come to visit."

"Sorry na." He sounded so girly. "So how are you feeling?" He relaxed a little on my chest.

I took my hand off his neck when I noticed how comfortable and relaxed he was with my hands  around it. "I'm feeling much better, thank you." I replied as casually as I could.

"That's good. Wait, is it just me or you're early today." He said.

"It's not just you o." I chuckled a bit.

"Tell me you didn't come early because of Anita." He stood us to a halt.

"Are you kidding me? Why would I?"

"Duh! 'Cause you actually can do that."

I burst out laughing. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Er...that you're very handsome today despite your bruised cheek."

Ew! My laughter instantly died down. "Weird man."

"I guess this is when to say, tell me something I don't know."

I smirked. "This guy sef." I said in a low tone.

"What happen to me? But truth be told, you're looking cute today." Could he stop telling me that already?

Before I could say something else, someone called me. I looked at the direction the voice came from. It was Mr. Kelvin. "Later bro." I shook his hand before scurrying off.

"Stop calling me bro! My name's Ola." I heard him say.

I turned back and gestured with my hands in an apologetic manner.

"Good morning sir." I greeted as I got to him.

"How are you doing?" He placed his hand on my shoulder.

"I'm fine sir."

He touched my cheek where the wound was. "It's healing."

I nodded my head a little.

"Hope it didn't cause any damage to your teeth."

I chuckled a bit. "No sir."

"Great. Also, hope you were studying whilst you were at home. You know the competition is next week Monday." He reminded me.

"I know sir. And yes, I was studying." I told him.

"That's lovely. You may run along now."

"Thank you sir." As I was about leaving, he stopped me.

"Ehen,did Anita visit you yesterday?" He asked.

"Yeah," I paused a bit. "She did." I said before walking away. Thinking of the fact that it was Mr. Kelvin that made Anita visit me yesterday, made me a little bit hurt. But who was I kidding? I should have known by now that Anita could never visit me on her own accord. I mean, she had better things to do than to come visiting me. But anyways, I was glad she visited.

As I stepped my feet into the class, some students greeted me. Students I'd never even talked to in my life, greeted me. Nice of them. At least, they were not that proud as not to greet me.

I made my way to my sitting position and sat down. No sooner had I sat down than some bunch of hooligans came to meet me, which were Wale and his folks. What did they want now? In as much as I wasn't afraid of any of them, I didn't want to be their priority. Yeah, savage!

"So he came today." Wale started. "I thought he was actually going to forever run away." They all laughed at his stupid joke.

I kept mute. I wasn't in the least way ready for them.

"He's even afraid to speak now." They all laughed again at his words.

I smiled. Finally, I spoke up. "Wait, the rest of you, are your jobs just to laugh at what this dude here is saying? Cause I don't get." I sniggered.

They snarled. "Guy, warn yourself o." One spoke up. "You no say last time he just touch you, this time around, we go kill you."

I burst out laughing. "In fact, this time around none of your fingers would touch me. Instead, it would be other wise." I chuckled.

After I'd said that, Anita walked in with Susan. I smiled as I saw them. I was particularly happy to see Anita.

She sat down on her sit beside me.

"Hey..."

"Hey babe." Wale cut me off. "How are you doing?" He asked her. Him and his gang were now focusing on her. Thank goodness! Now I could breath.

"I'm fine." She answered mildly. Wow, I was surprised she answered him in that manner. I thought she despised him. Anyways, who was I to question the way she replied people? I brought my notes out of my bag and began studying. Not more than thirty minutes before the bell rang for assembly.

Break time came pretty fast. Before Anita could stand up to go out for break, I sat her ass down. "Anita, please we need to talk." I said to her.

"Okay?" She said whilst sitting down, with a confused look masked on her face. "What about?"

"Why have you been avoiding me since today?"

"No I haven't."

"Yes, you have. Even when I tried talking to you after assembly, you ran to sit with Susan until a teacher walked into the class."

She looked slightly embarrassed after I'd revealed that to her.

"I'm serious, I haven't. I only did that 'cause...'cause I wanted to tell her something." I knew she lied.

I squinted my eyes at her. "And why should I believe you?"

She snapped her head at me. "Duh! Because if you don't, I would care less." Ouch!

I sighed. "Do you see me as a friend?" I slapped her with the question.

"Sorry?"

I rolled my eyes at her. "Anita, do you see me as a friend or something else, maybe more than a friend?"

She started laughing.

"It's not funny."

"It is to me." She managed to say in between her laughter. "I mean, what else would I see you as if not as a friend."

I smiled – a sad smile. This girl was hurting me and she didn't realise it. "Hmm."

"Anita, let's go for break!" Susan called unto her. Ola was there too.

"Wait, I'm coming."

"You can go, I'm done talking."

"You're sure?"

I smiled. "Yeah. Thanks for listening to me."

The look on her face was mixed. It was a confused look and a sad look.

After I finished scrutinizing her face, I looked away.

* * * *

Phew! After a long time, I finally updated this book. I'm so sorry for the late update. Thanks to those who had been disturbing me to update cos if not, I wouldn't have the energy to.

And also, thanks for your patience thus far. I know a lot of peeps would have given up on this book cos of my delay but you guys still waited patiently for an update. God bless y'all. Have this in mind, I love all my readers, whether silent or loud, I still love you.

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