Brown Skinned Bet

Chapter XXIX

•Daryl•

           I trudged over the concrete path of the slabways,particularly looming around the school as I had no definitely planned destination. I'd exited my room because I'd felt bored and overly swarmed with thoughts and although my reason for taking a stroll was to clear my head,I'd achieved nothing close to that within the past few minutes.

            I sighed,running my hand over my face as I reached the school building,contemplating if it was wise of me to forge on. On my decision that it didn't matter,I made my way down the empty corridors of the block,my gaze darted to the floor as I walked. The thoughts simply refused to obey my will.

           I'd tried to talk myself out of this a thousand times within the past few weeks. Thinking would change nothing. I just had to be patient and get home so I could access the situation but each time I recalled the coarse,tear-ridden voice of my little brother over the phone on harvest day and the bits of information he'd rendered to me then,I couldn't help but recoil and think.

           Not long after I'd begun my ascent up the stairs,my feet came to a stop over the second flight as I brought myself to lean against the wall,throwing my head backwards and then down as I continued staring at my feet. I had no idea what I was doing anymore,why had I even come here?

           My thoughts had engulfed me even more than when I'd left the hostel and the stroll had done nothing to ameliorate the situation. Despite everything that I already had on my mind,my thoughts still drifted towards Kainene from time to time and it made me wonder what really I wanted from her.

          I'd believed I wouldn't want more if only I'd told her how I truly felt but it seemed I'd only been deluding myself. Confessing to her only gave me more to think about,my mind chanted her words to me time and time again. What makes me different?

          I knew she was different but what I didn't know was how I could get her to believe that as well. Honestly,I could understand her,I wasn't sure how she felt towards me but if there was anything I was sure about,it was that I'd created a lot of insecurity in her,so much that I had no idea as to how I could reassure her.

           Everything was so messed up and I hated the fact that I had come with no solution to any of my problems. I was just about to turn on my heels and head back down the way I'd come from when I noticed a figure lean over the rail of the stairs,opposite where I was standing.

         School block was empty,as exams had been concluded over a week ago but before I could wonder it was,my gaze had averted from my feet and settled on Kainene's figure. Hands crossed over her chest,she gazed ever so tenderly at me and I could swear I almost melted under her gaze.

         Besides her being the last person I'd expected to see here,the fact that her gaze was clearly trying to pierce and see through me had my feet shuffling against the floor as I tried to conceal the chills that had begun creeping up my skin. I'd never seen that look in her eyes before and seeing it now,had my heartbeat escalating.

         "I can't believe you didn't notice I'd been behind you all this while" she was the first to break the silence,a small smile creeping over her lips. I stared at her,before the corner of my lip broke into a slight smirk as well. "I guess I've learnt from you" I told her,causing us both to chuckle.

         Our laughs died down and the silence took over again even though we both held our gazes,like we both had so much to say to each other.

         "So why are you stalking me this time?" I mused,cutting the strings of silence again. "You say it like I've stalked you before" she chuckled. "So you admit you're stalking me now" I questioned,causing her to give off a shrug which only meant maybe. My brows furrowed slightly as I watched her,my smile widening as I did. Would this girl ever cease to amaze me?