The silence in the school was scary as usual and since it was the second and also the last day of the test;the students did their tests fast so as to breathe sighs of relief.

When it was 11'0 clock,senior students were seen lazily around while SS2 science students were talking excitedly about the upcoming excursion.

They had gone for one in their SS1 but it seemed like they were more excited like it was the first time.

"I really hope you reach the first 20" Joshua said to Semiloore and the latter grinned.

"Why?" Semiloore asked.

"You kinda studied hard at least" Joshua replied

"Kinda?" Semiloore asked again.

"You slept most times but the times you were awake,you were really serious" Joshua replied.

"Hmmmm" Semiloore said nodding her head.

"Have you packed yet?" Joshua asked.

"She hasn't,her lazy ass" Nathaniel supplied with a small laugh.

"How do you know that?" Joshua asked.

"We are both lazy,you haven't packed either" Semiloore defended as she poked Nathaniel in the stomach.

"Ouch!" Nathaniel said faking like he was in pain "That was totally uncalled for" Nathaniel added.

"Who said so? You called me a lazy ass first" Semiloore replied.

Joshua glanced at John then at Christian.
"Hmmmmm....am I the only one who feels lost?" He asked.

John shook his head "Nope"

"Same here" Christian said.
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"Hey Tam" Nath said.

"Nathaniel,been a while" Tamiloore said.

"Yeah" Nathaniel replied.

"Except occasional greetings we really haven't had time to talk" Tamiloore said with a small smile.

"Maybe because we have nothing really to talk about" Nath replied.

"I agree with you" Tamiloore added.

"So....you wanted to see me for?" Nath asked.

"Semiloore" Tamiloore replied and Nathaniel adjusted his legs.

"Semiloore? What about her?" Nath asked.

"She's my best friend and after my mom,she's the second person I want to protect all my life. She might be lousy and irritable all the time, might be overbearing and even at times childish but that way I even love her more;she's very delicate and different from a lot of teens out there,not everyone understands her,its like she's tired of explaining herself to people over and over again. As strong as she might look to you,she isn't actually strong at all,as long as she has those walls up,she can shatter her teeth all the way and on the outside everyone thinks she's fine but actually she's on the verge of collapsing but these days,she's been actually happy and I agree with mom that changing of environments was a good idea for us" Tamiloore said slowly taking her time.

Nathaniel nodded as he pursed his lips "So why are you telling me all this?" He asked.

"This excursion" Tamiloore replied.

"What about it?" Nath asked.

"Can you just watch out for her for me?" Tamiloore asked with pleading eyes "We have things we have hidden from everyone and sooner or later everyone gonna know;they aren't exactly bad stuffs but you guys might not expect it, you guys are going to Lag which holds a lot of painful memories for us,for me,for mom,for Semiloore. Please just be around her huh?" Tamiloore asked.

"Its okay Tamiloore" Nathaniel said with a nod.

"Why did you come to meet me instead?There's Joshua,Peter and Maria" he asked.

Tamiloore turned to him with a small smile "At first I didn't know" she replied.

"But now?" Nath asked again.

"I thought that you'll understand her the best" Tamiloore replied.

"Peter would" Nath replied.

"I know he would,let's just say...just forget it" Tamiloore replied.

Nathaniel smiled a little "Your dad... " Nath started.

"Never mention him in front of Semiloore okay? She'll surely tell you one day" Tamiloore interrupted.

"Tell me? Doesn't he hold one of her terrible and painful memories?" Nath asked.

"Its not one,its our most painful memory" Tamiloore replied.

"I'm sorry I mentioned that" Nath said and Tamiloore nodded.

"Its okay" she said.

"Tamiloore... " Nath called out.

"Huh?" Tamiloore answered.

"Are you okay?" Nath asked.

"Can I be honest with you?" Tamiloore asked.

"Sure" Nath replied.

"I am,I like this place,I like Akure,Mom loves her job now and doesn't come back home with a tired face, Semiloore has a lot of friends and enemies alike here and me? I have classmates that I didn't ever think I'll get in this world, above all everyone is doing fine now,we'll worry about the future when its comes" Tamiloore replied.

"You are Kehinde right?" Nath asked.

"Yup,why?" Tamiloore replied.

"You are really the elder one" Nathaniel replied nodding his head.

"And" Tamiloore said as Nathaniel looked at her.

"And what?" Nathaniel asked.

"Semiloore.....she's asthmatic"

"She is?" Nathaniel asked before talking again;
"She's never had an attack before" Nathaniel said.

"Right because hers is a special case of asthma. She gets attack as usual when she inhales dust and her attacks are at a very high frequency if she gets really scared,it much more worse than when she inhales dust or she gets drenched" Tamiloore replied.

"She never told anyone that! Shouldn't she have for safety issues?" Nathaniel asked concerned.

"Does Semiloore look like someone who likes to share her burden with people?" Tamiloore asked.

Nathaniel smiled a little before shaking his head.
"She prefers to deal with it alone" Tamiloore replied.

"Why? Why alone? She has you right?" Nathaniel asked.

"Because she's scared" Tamiloore replied.

Nathaniel's eyes burrowed as his shoulders slumped downwardsa little. Tamiloore was right, not everyone could understand her.

"She wants help,she needs it but she's too scared to ask?"

"She doesn't want to get rejected" Tamiloore replied.

"Rejected?" Nathaniel asked confused.

"Yes,at Lag Mom and I carried spare inhalers in our pockets and purses because Semiloore wouldn't want to carry herald because she thinks she's fine"

"I had packs of nose masks in our school bags because of her" Tamiloore added.

Nathaniel looked at Tamiloore admiringly "Whoa!"

"Just watch out for her okay?"

"Okay"

"And at your mother school too" Tamiloore added.

"Huh?" Nathaniel asked.

"I'll see ya later" Tamiloore said as she walked away. Nathaniel sighed as his hands slipped into his pockets.

As he trotted back to his class, he wondered what kind of past they had but since Tamiloore had said sooner or later they would find out;he wasn't one to start going around digging about someone else's life.

He kicked a pebble in his way and the pebble flew right into a class slightly missing the glass window. Some girls peeped at the window frowning.

"Sorry girls" he said as he waved. The girls waved back hastily and watched him as he walked away.
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Tamiloore laughed as Semiloore bounced around. She was helping her pack since she was too lazy to pack.

"Just a pair of uniform" Semiloore said and Tamiloore nodded.

"Covered" Tamiloore replied.

"No turtle necks please, there's heat" Semiloore said again.

"I packed your pink turtle neck,c'mon you should show it off right?" Tamiloore said and Semiloore nodded.

"Right" Semiloore said with a small smile as she packed a jotter and biro into a smaller bag. She brought out her purse and checked the contents.

"Have you seen my ATM card?" Semiloore asked.

"Its in your black purse" Tamiloore replied.

Semiloore nodded as she opened her bedside wardrobe and brought out another purse and pulled out her ATM Card.

"Do me a favour and send 10k to me" Semiloore said.

"You should check your phone, mom sent about 15 to your account already" Tamiloore said.

Semiloore grabbed her iphone 11 and there was actually a message.

"She did already send it" Semiloore said with a smile.

Tamiloore peered at Semiloore's laptop;
"You are still in episode twenty? That was the episode you were when I left your room yesterday. What happened?" She asked with a frown as Semiloore sat on the bed and played with her fingers.

"Huh? You aren't saying anything" Tamiloore said as Semiloore wore a small smile.

"Well...... "

Tamiloore looked amused as she folded her clothes "I'm listening"

"IchattedwithNathanielforsixhoursandididn'tknowwehadtalkedforalongtime" Semiloore said in a rush.

"Calm down,huh? What's the rush for? Come again,am listening" Tamiloore said laughing.

Semiloore took a sharp breadth "Okay,I chatted with Nathaniel for six hours and I didn't know so much time had passed while we talked" Semiloore repeated.

"Whoa!!!!!!" Tamiloore exclaimed as she started teasing Semiloore.

"He likes taking photos and he has two cameras" Semiloore started.

"Two?" Tamiloore asked.

"Yeah"

"Whoa,that's totally cool"

"Guess what?" Semiloore asked.

"He plays golf with his grandpa" she replied herself.

Tamiloore and Semiloore burst into laughter as Tamiloore almost scattered the pile of clothes she had been arranging.

"Seriously?" She asked.

"Yes"

"That's so so so....I don't even know"

"I know right"

"I mean golf is the most boring sport in this world"

"Mom says only depressed people play golf" Semiloore added and laughed.

"People who think a lot"

"He says that's the way he spends time with his grandpa, he learns golf so he could spend more time with him"

"Whoa! Now that's very cool"

"I totally agree"

Tamiloore laughed as she opened her wardrobe and brought out a small bag "I'll put your undies in this" Tamiloore said and Semiloore nodded.

"And again" Semiloore said and Tamiloore turned to her.

"Huh?" Tamiloore asked.

"He cooks" Semiloore replied.

Tamiloore turned to her a face that said you've-gat-to-be-kidding-me before bursting into laughter and Semiloore joined.

"Now that's fucked up"

"I laughed harder than you yesterday"

"Why?" Tamiloore asked.

"All his elder sisters study abroad leaving him and his brother with their parents"

"So?

"Someone had to cook whenever his parents weren't around"

"So? His brother could have easily learnt that"

Semiloore shook her head still laughing; "Unfortunately,his brother is the laziest human being existing"

Tamiloore burst into another round of laughter "Mehnnn"

"Adam is actually lazy,really lazy" Semiloore said.

"So he can cook any food?" Tamiloore asked.

"Any food" Semiloore confirmed.

"Soups as well?" Tamiloore asked.

"And stews" Semiloore replied.

"Now that's mad" Tamiloore said laughing.

"Totally" Semiloore said with a smile.

Tamiloore smiled at her sister and carefully arranged the clothes into the plastic box.

"Please pack those sweatpants and pullover" Semiloore said.

Tamiloore nodded and quickly removed them from the wardrobe.

"Hey Tam,there were so many sweatpants and pullover just now,how did you know I was talking about the one Nathan gave me?" Semiloore asked.

Tamiloore wore a lopsided grin "I'm your sister dumb"