GIRL FROM CHURCH

Chapter Nine

Jade

"Turn your textbook to page 105," Mr Cephas asked us. He was our Oral English teacher, and his English was so perfect. I really wanted to start speaking like him. I was tired of my fading accent, it sounded so weird. Like a mixture of Spanish, American English and Nigerian English. You know, Nigerians had this way they spoke their English.

I turned mine. Marie passed a paper to me. I was happy she was my seat partner, because she was always by me. I hated going round the school alone or staying in a place where she wasn't. It made me feel insecure.

So Marie isn't my quiet type of person, neither is she unpopular though. She is like everyone's spec because she was pretty, outspoken, had long lashes, she was never afraid of speaking in public. Everyone, basically, liked her. She was lovely and fun and talked to everyone one. She had tried to get me out of my shadow so many times but I was still the shy me I always had been. I had always been shy and quiet, I was lucky Jasmine had my back when we were younger and now, Marie had replaced her for me. She was like Jasmine to me but I wasn't sure she saw it that way even though I had told her about it. She wanted us to be best friends the way we were but she was not okay with my character.

I may not sit with you at the cafeteria today.

I looked at her. There was this feeling of nervousness building up inside of me. I couldn't be anywhere crowdy at school without her. It made me self-conscious, and I didn't want Priscillia and her girls disturbing me.

"Why?" I mouthed.

"Someone wants to see you behind the gallery," she whispered.

"Who?"
"It's a surprise."
"Will it shock me?" I asked.
"Maybe. Maybe not."

"Marie don't do this to me, I can't go around this school if you're not there."

"Just learn it ok? It will do you good."

"Marie, Cilia is no good at all. You know she hates me."
"Mr Cephas will notice we're talking and don't worry about Cilia, you will be safe from now on. Depends on if you play your card well."

"What do you mean Marie?" I asked.
"Shhh..." She placed her finger against her lips. "I have to work on you so you can improve your grades. Can we start by being silent in class?"

I rolled my eyes. Thinking of the fact that I'm going to be alone during lunch break gave me chills.

__

Immediately the bell rung, Marie hurried out of class leaving me on my own. I wanted to call to her to wait for me but that would bring everyone's attention to me and I didn't want that to happen. I preferred being quiet, just hiding in my shadows.

I shut my red note close, and put it in my schoolbag. I was not going to leave my seat at all, I hated walking down those halls alone.

A boy in my class, came up to me dropping a paper on my desk. His name was Tyrone. He was South-African.

"Read it," he commanded. I bit inside my cheeks as I turned the paper the right way so I could read it correctly.

Meet me behind the gallery...

I looked back up at Tyrone.

"Who is it?" I asked.
"Can we go now?"

I really hoped it was not Priscillia. I hated that pompous rude thing, upon she was thin, she was so intimidating. When someone heard about her for the first time, they'd think she was a plus size and she could beat you up but she was short, thin and yet troublesome.

"Who is it? How can I meet with someone I don't know?"

"It's a surprise."

A surprise?

"Can we go now?" he asked again.

"Okay." I stood up and left with him.

My school was so big so the gallery was like four minutes away. I hated walking long distances and I was grateful for the fact that I was not a boarder because I would have to walk like twelve minutes down to my hostel.

When we got behind the gallery, I swear that I was really exhausted already and I needed some water. I rested my palm on my knee as I bowed my head to catch some breath. I was just that lazy.

"Stressed and tired, huh? Here." Someone had a bottle of water in front of me. I started at the cap of the bottle for Big bang theory knows how long before I raised up my head to see someone I was not expecting. My trouble maker a.k.a Tamilore.

I exhaled. "Are you the one who called me?"

"Can you, at least, take this from me?" he asked.
I did. I had a tiny admiration for him even though he and Priscillia made me hate school. I mean, who wouldn't? He was smart, good-looking, had charming dimples, pink lips and his hair was drop dead gorgeous. He was an athlete and everything teacher liked him. He was so popular.

So that was what made me collect the water from him. I did not want him to think I was dumb and I wanted him to see I was nice and there was no reason for him troubling me anymore.

He shoved his hands into his pockets. "Drink up," he ordered. I did.
I exhaled after drinking very little quantity from it.

"Tammy if you called me here to make trouble then please just let me go. I dunno what I've done to you since I came to this school in ninth grade," I said. Just immediately, I regretted saying that.

"Nah, I can't do that to you anymore," he said.
"Why?" I asked. In my mind I was already thanking my stars.

"Cause I like you."

I was beyond shocked. That had to be a dare. Tammy never liked me, he never saw good in me, he always asked me to tell my mum to switch my school.

"Is it wrong to say that?" he asked. "Don't be too surprised Jade. I know you are but don't be. I can't hold myself anymore..."

"You're so bad at this dare, Tammy. This is a dare huh?" I did not know why I was bold to talk to him that moment. I never talked when he was around me.
"Jade..." He took my hands and knelt in front of me with apology filled in his eyes. "I'm sorry about what I did to you, I had no reason. I did that so you'd be afraid of people, I wanted guys to think of you as a weird person because I wanted to protect you, I didn't want them to have eyes for you. Jade I'm sorry."

Someone snapped their hands in front of me, and I put the water down from my mouth. I had been imagining the whole time.

"This is why you are so weird," he said. "Anyways, get me a new can of water. That was not for free."

Did he call me there to bully me? How far could he go?

His friends laughed. They were about eight of them who walked together. Tamilore was the head, and his side kick was Tyrone. As for the rest, I really did not know them, I always mixed them up.
And still I was trying to think Marie did not intentionally let this happen to me.

"You're wondering why you're here right?" he asked. "Don't be dumb. Are you wondering why you are here?! Yes or No?!"

"Y-yes.." I stammered.
He chuckled. "You're taking my blazers home, you'll launder for me, iron and bring it tomorrow. That's the least favour you can do for me as a day student."

But they had washing machines and essentials in their hostels. I knew of it.
"And also, sew up this part of my tie. You tore it last term."

I remembered what happened. But it was not my fault. I saw an abandoned tie on the floor in the empty cafeteria and then he came in to blame it on me. It was obviously a set-up.
He pushed me and I came down on the floor, hurting my ankle. I winced. His friends laughed, and started walking away. He stood there staring at me with a smirk on his face and once his friends were far off, he had this pity look on my before throwing a massage balm at me before leaving.