I Did Not Want To Fall For You

Chapter 6: Don't let him touch you too much

Dozie, Samuel, and Tayo were knelt in front of the class, on the stony ground.
"You don't have to punish them," She said quietly as they walked past them heading for the tarred road that ran in front of the classes, "It is a normal thing."
Dozie was shooting glares at them while Samuel had a mocking look on his face.
"I am punishing them because they were disturbing the class this early."
She said nothing again. He was looking at her.
"Kamsi."
"What?" She felt irritable.
"You know what they are saying isn't true. Why are you letting it get to you?"
She kept silent.
"Kamsi." His voice betrayed his disappointment.
She snapped. "Because it's not affecting you, abi? You are the guy, they'll hail you and clap your back; I am the girl, they'll laugh at me and make me feel like a whore. How can you understand? What is going to happen if my guardian hears about this and she tells my father? I can't control myself? I can't be trusted outside my parents' roof?"
They had stopped walking and she was glaring at him with every anger she could muster.
"Kamsi, you are overreacting," He sighed, "Trust me, I don't want my..."
She stopped listening to the rest of his statement.
"I am overreacting?" She blurted out, her heart pounding furiously in her chest, "I am overreacting!"
"Kamsi..." His eyes were wide. Her anger surprised them both.
"You... you..."
He took her into his arms. She was crying.
"You are not overreacting," He said softly, "but you are overthinking it. You are letting them get to you. Take a deep breath, calm down."
She tried to pull away. They were hugging right in the middle of the school where anyone could see them. She didn't want more rumours. He didn't let her go.
"Until you are calm," He spoke, "I'll have to teach you how to stand up for yourself and stop caring about useless remarks from indisciplined people."
Even through her tense haze, she could tell he was annoyed. With her? She felt even worse.
After what felt like hours, she was finally able to get herself under control.
"Are you angry with me?" She asked, sniffing when he let her go.
His annoyed face softened. "No," He smiled, "or maybe yes. I don't like that they are making you cry. You..."
"Labour prefect... and who is that?"
She jumped, turning to face Mrs. Aigbokan, the Vice Principal of the school. They were in trouble.
Mrs. Aigbokan was utterly displeased. "I know that you both are aware that this school is a place for learning and not for indecent acts."
"Yes ma," Kaito answered, his tone casual, "We weren't doing anything indecent. She was in a bad place and because she is a close friend of mine, I did what I thought was best to calm her down."
Mrs. Aigbokan stared at them and then shook her head.
"Regardless," Mrs. Aigbokan said, sounding less displeased, "You can do that in a less intimate way and in some other place that is not in the way of people. What do you expect the younger ones to learn from this?" She turned to her, "My dear, are you okay? What is troubling you?"
She blinked rapidly, caught off guard. "Ma... I... It's personal."
"Alright. Go wash your face, you look really troubled. Focus on your studies, nothing else should matter. You are almost done with school. You understand?"
"Yes, ma. Thank you, ma."
Mrs Aigbokan nodded, "Do not do such in public again," She warned them both then asked Kaito, "Who punished those three outside?"
"I did," Kaito answered, "they were causing a ruckus in their class."
"Alright. Release them now, it is time for class. Return to your classes at once. Girl, go wash your face."
"Thank you, ma," they said together and went away.
Kaito released Dozie and co while she went off to the tap area to wash her face and she went off to class, feeling more confident in herself and Kaito.
*
They didn't have all their classes that day because Waec was close at hand, just a week away. They were supposed to focus more on revisions.
"Thank you," She said to Michael after school. He was chatting with Cynthia, Daniel's seatmate.
"For?" He asked blankly and she rolled her eyes.
He laughed. "I was simply doing my duty as the class captain," He said and cleared his throat, "So Kamsi, somebody's son has finally found you?"
Not again, she thought, ignoring him.
"Answer me na," He prodded, "How did it happen? And under our noses or maybe I should have known. Kaito is always coming to our class to see you and I do see both of you together with Nonso. I just didn't guess that far."
"Pele."
"Nice ship though," He complimented, "I wish you happiness in our happiness-depraved school. Don't let the backbiters suck your happiness from you."
"Ok oo, Mr class captain."
"Bestie, I heard your gist oo."
She gaped in shock, not at the statement but at the person who said them to her.
"Who are you calling, bestie?" She asked Toyosi.
"You na," Toyo replied and rolled her eyes, "I should have come ever since but I forgot. Where's Tochukwu? When did you guys start dating?"
"We are not dating. Sittie, bye," She waved at Sarah and left the class with Toyosi.
"But you guys kissed?"
"We didn't kiss. When did you start believing rumours?"
"Stop lying jo," Toyo eyed her casually, "Like kissing is not a normal thing here. Maybe not for you since you are a good girl."
"Exactly. I am not that type," She said and rolled her eyes.
"There's nothing bad," Toyo said with a shrug, "I mean, you can experiment since you like him, know what it feels like. No one will know if you guys do it in a more discrete place, but don't let him touch you too much, you'll lose your value, and trust me, you'll start hearing your gist five seconds after. Isn't that what M.K. did to Stephanie?"
"Toyosi, thank you for your advice but I don't need it."
How did people manage to talk about such things with so much casualty? Toyosi was practically encouraging her to indulge in fornication, who does that?
She suddenly stopped in her tracks, her thoughts going to Kaito.
"I should wait for him," She said absentmindedly, "We have plans to go somewhere and read. Are you joining us?"
"Yup, but you don't need to wait for him. He can come to meet you in the refectory."
"We..."
"Be scarce," Toyosi insisted, "It's not good for you to always be available for a guy, they'll take you for granted."