BEING A TEEN SERIES: CLOCKING SIXTEEN.

ELEVEN

I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT REPLYING COMMENTS, I WILL TRY TO DO.

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4. BEST MALE CHARACTER IN A BOOK (PAUL IN CAMPUS CRUSH) 

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I continued to stare into space after Joy finished speaking. She didn't wait a moment before answering my question. She didn't pause when she was talking. She was confident as she spoke.

I turned to her "You didn't even think before replying me" I said as Joy laughed.

"Of course. Asking who Arogundade Joy is, is the same thing as asking, who I am. Telling you who I am is pretty easy" Joy replied.

I chuckled as I tried to think, who am I?

Everything Joy said kept repeating in my head. That was who she was but who was I? I had no idea. I got distracted for the rest of the day and I hurried home.

I turned to the back of my jotter and jotted down everything Joy had said she was. I started analyzing each attributes of hers.

Joy doesn't wear a fake image in order to be accepted by anyone.

The statement stuck a raw nerve in me. A fake image. I didn't know if I wore a fake image to be accepted by people. But then, no one had really accepted me. Even my friends.

Joy thinks there's nothing wrong in being confident.

I wasn't confident in the least, all thanks to Gani who always found fault in whatever I did.

Nobody can put Joy down unless she allows them.

The girls said all kinds of things to ne whether I allowed it or not. I never spoke up for the fear of annoying them. Each time I did, I became the object of anger.  I bit my lips as I crawled into my bed.

Joy does what she loves without taking in anybody's opinion.

All thanks to Gani, I stopped singing and playing. My eyes went to the top of my wardrobe. I could see the two black bags on top of each other. They were very dusty after been untouched for almost a year.

I hugged my knees and pulled them closer towards me. I was nothing like Joy. I was the exact opposite. Who was I exactly?

I stared at the ceiling as I tried to think. I then snuggled into my blanket and slept off thinking about who I was.

I woke up early the next morning and got to school early. I even got to school before Joy. I sat on the cemented chair and stared into space. I was no longer getting frustrated, I was getting troubled and more troubled.

How was it that, Joy was able to answer a question I had spent four days trying to without batting an eyelid? I crossed my legs as I slipped my hands into my pockets.

Ini rubbed his forehead as he walked into the garden with his school bag. One of the assignments had given him an headache and he wanted to ask her before Rachel came.

Ini scoffed at the thought of her. He had never met someone as stupid as her in his entire life. He wondered how her brain worked.

A pair of fair legs came into Ini's view as he walked towards where Joy normally stayed. A figure sat on one of the cemented chairs crossing her legs.

The wind blew her hair slightly as she stared into space. Her brows were furrowed as if bothered by something. Ini's eyes widened in surprise upon recognizing the figure.

Why was he just realizing she had such..... beautiful legs? How come he never noticed? And that she looked extremely stunning when she looked serious.

Ini didn't realise his lips had curved up slightly as he watched her. She didn't even realise he was standing a few meters away from her.

Rachel was pretty. It was an obvious fact but then her stupidity overwhelmed her beauty. She was always following Josie and her friends around. Didn't she realise she always looked odd among them?

She stuttered a lot and barely spoke to people. She had zero confidence. He hadn't gotten surprised when she dropped Music in SSS1. Apparently, one of her so called friends had told her to drop it.

Ini wondered why Joy decided to coach her. She was never serious during class and was always sleeping. He honestly wondered how she got promoted. It didn't take one to think much before knowing she wasn't suited for Science class.

According to Joy, it had been just a few days of teaching and she had improved a lot. Maybe even though she was suited; if she worked hard, she'll easily gain a footing in the class.

Ini slipped his hands into his pockets as he turned around and started walking away. He prayed for her to come to her senses. She was way better than her four friends combined yet, they stepped on her anyhow.

I raised my head to see a figure walking away. The person looked like Ini as I shot up to my feet. Remembering his painting that I ruined the day before; I hurried after him.

I found Ini and Joy talking over some assignments. Ife and SK were also already there and SK was chattering away as usual.

"Good morning" I greeted.

"Awwwn... You are so pretty this morning" SK cooed as I blushed and lowered my head.

Ife elbowed SK immediately "What are you doing?" Ife asked and SK held his stomach.

"Who said am flirting with her? I merely gave a compliment. Why are you elbowing me?" SK complained as Ife sneered.

"I asked you what you were doing. I didn't say you were flirting" Ife replied as I burst into laughter.

Everyone turned to me as I quickly regained my composure. I managed a smile "It was funny" I said getting ready to receive  any insults they threw at me.

"Jesus, Babe, you should laugh often You are so pretty when you laugh" Sunkanmi said with a wide grin that made me blush again.

Joy nodded too "Sunkanmi is right. Laugh often" Joy said as my eyes widened in surprise.

"Thank you" I said with a smile.

"I'm sorry about the sunset painting. It was a beautiful painting but I ruined it. I apologise" I said softly lowering my head.

"No problems. I painted another one already" Ini replied as I looked at him in surprise.

Joy finished explaining the assignment to Ini and they left. I gave Joy a small smile.

"You have nice friends" I found myself saying.

"I know" Joy said as we sat down.

"I have nice friends too" I said with a smile as Joy snickered at me.

"Nice indeed" Joy said in a sarcastic tone.

"What do you mean nice indeed?" I asked.

"Are they really your friends?" Joy asked as I frowned. Donald had asked the same question.

"My friends; we have each others backs. We never put any one of us down. Even though am the only girl, they treat me equally and with respect and I do the same" Joy said as I swallowed my lips.

"Even if you treat Josie and the rest like that; Do they treat you the same?" Joy asked.

"To you, they might be your friends but to them,  you are definitely not a friend because friends don't treat each other they way they treat you. The way they treat you, you know the answer deep down in your heart" Joy added as she stood up and walked out of the garden.