✮Ｓｔｅｐｈａｎｉｅ✮

CH.19: BROKEN

I entered the school's premises and all eyes were on me. I attempted to prance with my shoulders high and show everyone that my status was being altered by my sudden sense of prestigious superiority, but I was afraid that my friends might realize my recent dealings with Nicole and judge me.

Arthur passed by and he said casually, "Good morning."

"Tell that to Delaney," I snapped and slammed my locker angrily.

"What?"

"Oh yes."

"Dude, I've been texting you and you never responded to any of my texts. And what's with the attitude?" We looked at each other for a moment then he went soft on me, "What is going on with you, Steph? You know you can tell me anything."

I sighed and equally turned meek. "There's been a lot going on in my mind lately, most of which you'd never acknowledge. We've got so much to talk about."

Arthur's phone made a loud beep. "Hold on," he said. He opened his phone and viewed some information. Then he looked at me confoundedly, then back into his phone again. His eyes were moist and his face looked tensed. He looked intently at me like he was trying to see through me, through my heart perhaps.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Suddenly, I received a beep too. I opened my phone and mysteriously, on the screen were pictures and videos of me from Haidée's party. I was shocked and anxious.

I looked at Arthur in the eyes, "just allow me explain." His face displayed many emotions, I just couldn't identify what he was feeling at that moment but it wasn't good. After staring at me for a few seconds, he walked away without uttering one word.

At this distress, I remembered God—where I had last forsaken Him in inquiring for a sign and direction. I called out to Him during what seemed like my darkest moment and asked Him to comfort me and reveal to me what I had to do next.

What I was beginning to feel was greatly disturbing. I had only a thousand questions for him and I wrote them down in class that day

Q: Can I and Nicole be good friends?
A:
Q: Is Nicole going to connect me with my dreams and destiny?
A:
Q: Can I talk her out of immorality, can I change her?
A:
Q: Is it wrong to have fun?
A:
Q: Are you cool with my ways so far?
A:

All through at school, Crystal kept hitting my phone up with texts. Emlyn almost found out about him. Not like I care, but...

I wasn't sure Emlyn had seen my pictures online or that he was aware that I and Nicole were buddies now.

Yeah, about that... I packed my stuff after school, waiting for the right moment to approach Arthur and pour my heart out to him to free myself from every guilt then spend the rest of my day rehearsing the school play at the theater.

Nicole suddenly summoned me into the Den of the Tycoons and I appeared there.

"What are you doing?"

"Rehearsing the school play, why?"

"School play? No, no, no. You cannot underplay your potentials this way. School plays are for losers."

"Look, Nicole. I have to go now. What do you want?"

"Well, I want you to join this club and be a part of our crew."

"No, thanks. I think I like it at the Drama Club," I said. I grabbed my bag from a chair and turned to leave.

I was utterly worried and overwhelmed by too many things that I took a brief rest on the stairs, on my way up to the theater.
Andrew and Richard came to me and leaned on the railings.