I Did Not Want To Fall For You

Chapter 23: Suspicious

Miss Folashade was at her class first thing the following morning to escort her to the principal's house. It was a weekend. The news had flown around so much that she didn't feel comfortable being around anyone. She made it clear to anyone that approached her and anyone she caught on her gist that it wasn't her boyfriend who tried to rape her and she was very vocal about who the actual culprits were.
The principal, Mrs. Folorunsho, was mad. She at once called upon Dozie, Samuel, and Onyebuchi and dealt them an uncountable number of strokes and she would have expelled them but that they were writing their final exams. She instead suspended them indefinitely and told them they would have to come from their homes (whenever it may be) to write their exams.
The following Monday, she called them out on the assembly and publicly suspended them.
Did she feel vindicated? Yes, she did, especially when she saw the nonchalant look on Onyebuchi's face. Dozie and Samuel weren't so calm and she felt even more pleased when their parents publicly embarrassed them and pleaded with her on their behalf. She didn't see Onyebuchi's parents; he was gone by the afternoon.
"I don't want to see you near any boy again," Miss Folashade warned afterward, "It is because you are too friendly with them."
Her mother came by in the afternoon and gave her a long hug and food and money and she talked with her father and sister on the phone. They told her to be careful and to limit her interactions with boys she wasn't comfortable with, never to be alone in dark places but they told her to keep Kaito and Nonso around because a man's protection was valued.
"How do you feel?" Kaito asked when it was all over. They were walking her back to class.
"Avenged," She answered with a shrug, "Good also, I guess. I am happy with all the love I received, especially since my mum came. I can't remember the last time she visited, probably SS1."
"And..." He prodded.
"It will take me some time to get over it. I have always been conscious of my boundaries; having people disrespect it so violently is... I'll get over it with time."
She sensed him about to put his arm around her but then he hesitated and withdrew it.
"It's fine," She smiled at him. He returned the smile, his arm going over her shoulder at the same time.
"Thank you guys for being here for me, I really am grateful," She said, pinching Nonso.
"Ow," He groaned.
"And thank God you weren't punished for Samuel's black eye," She said to Kaito.
"Principal actually scolded me," He admitted, "violence is never the answer and my hands are bruised."
"I won't be the only one with scars then," She beamed and winked at him.
"The atmosphere is too solemn," Nonso sighed, "And yet, I am not feeling so moved to spoil it." He looked at her meaningfully, "You know we are family, right? I know I was jealous before and I said a lot of things but I don't just see you as the girl my best friend likes, I see you as my friend, a sister. We are blood now."
She blushed, "Okay."
"There's nothing like okay. You must reciprocate the feeling."
She laughed, "Alright. I'm not sure if I saw you as a brother but I saw you as my friend. Well, now, we are brothers then. The brother I never had, my brother from another mother." Nonso whooped and high-fived her.
"I'm jealous," Kaito grumbled.
"You should be," Nonso smirked and patted her hair.
"She's not a pet," Kaito threw his hand off.
"You know a friendship is more stable than a relationship," Nonso teased him, "Be careful how you treat me."
Kaito muttered some incoherent words while she and Nonso shared a laugh.
"How about that kiss you wanted from Danielle?" She asked Nonso, "You know it doesn't count anymore. You should listen to your mother and stay away."
He smiled suspiciously but said nothing.