FINESSE

√ EIGHT √

Chidima played with her bowl of ice cream as she sighed and turned to Ikeoluwa.

"Shouldn't we look for Gloria?" Chidima asked and Ike shook her head.

"Leave her alone. She needs time for herself" Ike replied as Chidima gritted her teeth and glared at the girl who was eating with her head bowed alone on a table few meters away from them.

"Just why did she have to bring it up?" Chidima glared as Ike sighed.

"Gloria at least paid her back immediately" Chidima added as Ike glanced at Sayo before sighing.

Once upon a time; Gloria used to be very happy. Very happy and was the subject of a lot of girls envy. She was dating one of the most popular guys on SSS2 block; Snr Tomi.

Adenuga Tomisin was one of the most intelligent boys in his set. Coupled with his good looks; he naturally pulled attention towards himself wherever he went. He was like a magnet. With his killer smiles; it was impossible not to be attracted to him.

A lot of girls wanted to date him; from his juniors to his seniors and his classmates as well but Tomisin never went into a relationship well until he met Gloria.

Ike would never forget the grim look on Gloria's face the first time they ran into him and ended up getting punished by him. She remembered how Gloria had cursed him on their group and how she openly destested him.

How they fell in love and started dating was all history. Even a blind man could tell that the two were madly in love. They were close to each other and Tomi and his friends spent a lot of time with them as well.

How a crack formed in their relationship; no one knew how or why. Neither of them explained either. Their break up shook the entire school. One morning; Gloria came to school with a swollen face and red eyes while Tomisin didn't come at all.

Ike and Chidima had tried asking her what had happened several times before Gloria told them she and Tomi weren't together anymore. She didn't give further explanations and how the news spread around; no one understood.

Ike remembered the lifeless look on Gloria's face that went on for days and Chidima got angry and decided to confront Tomisin on the latter but when she saw the latter; words refused to form.

Although no one knew the inside story, none of them never told anyone; everyone knew that the break up had shaken them both to their core. No one could take sides since they didn't know the story.

No one could comfort them either. It had been barely three months since they broke up. Everyone refused to mention the topic in front of Gloria and just when Ike thought Gloria was returning back to normal, Sayo had to cause an havoc.

"She sure has the guts to still seat down there and eat" Chidima said as Ike laughed.

"She's hungry nah. No amour of guilt or sadness can fill up your stomach" Ike replied as she glanced at her empty bowl of ice cream.

"Ike, don't tell me you finished that bowl of ice cream" Chidima said and Ike grinned at her and shrugged.

"You really need to stop this habit of taking ice cream. You are growing older you know" Chidima said as she folded her arms and ran her eyes over Ike's thin frame.

"I wonder what kind of genes you have that with your ice cream and chocolate consumption rate; you are still thin and skinny. I want such genes" Chdidma added as Ike laughed.

Such genes?

If Chidima knew that the bowls of ice cream and chocolate she consumed everyday were the things keeping her from turning to bones.

"Let's get back to class, break has ended" Ike said as she rose from her seat.

Gloria was already seated in the class by the time Chidima and Ike walked into the class. Chidima rushed towards her immediately and barely had she opened her mouth when Gloria raised her hand to stop her from talking.

"I'm fine. Don't ask me questions" Gloria said as Chidima swallowed her saliva.

"Don't be so cold. She's just worried about you" Ike said as she sat down and folded her arms.

"Sorry Chi Chi but I'm fine. Thank you" Gloria said as she turned back to her books.

Ike watched as Chidima sat down back on her seat and she stared at the back of Gloria's head. She couldn't blame Gloria for hiding what had happened in her relationship; after all, she had secrets too.

Various students started walking into the class carrying their chairs and talking as they walked into the class.

The class became rowdy and noisy as they scrambled to find seats in the class. Ike gave the girl who dropped her chair beside her a small smile.

"What's up?" The girl greeted and Ike's smile widened.

"I'm fine Joke,  what about you?" Ike asked as the latter nodded her head and sat down.

"I'm fine jare. How was your holidays?" Joke asked and Ike shrruged.

"It was dry" Ike replied as Joke laughed before placing her books on the table.

"Your face says it all" Joke said as she and Ike shared a laugh with the laughter stopping short in the middle with the arrival of the Physics teacher.

"I hope you guys have heard that I will be taking both A and B classes for this term? Your teacher is on leave so I am filling in for her" the tall bulky man said as his eyes scanned through the class.

Everyone's attention was drawn the moment a lean figure walked in carrying his chair. The bulky man's expression eased up a bit upon seeing the lean figure.

"Do you realize that you are ten minutes late to my class? Where are you coming from?" The bulky man asked and even though he was asking a question, his voice came out softer than when he first spoke.

"I had to use the restroom" the figure replied and Ike felt chills down her spine.

HERE'S ANOTHER UPDATE!!!
OUR STORY IS SLOWLY FALLING INTO PLACE AND ALL.
I WONDER WHO THE 'LEAN FIGURE' IKE KEEPS RUNNING INTO IS.
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT.