Happy birthday to me🎂🍰🎊

˗ˏˋ༻ʚDelphineʼs Povɞ༺ˎˊ˗

It was a sunny afternoon. The football Coach had asked everyone to run five laps instead of training with the football. Krystian, with more stamina than his new best friend, finished early and headed straight for the changing room to get back into his school uniform. He planned to wait outside for Romeo and maybe find a way to encourage him to push through the last lap.

“Krystian,” a JSS3 boy called, placing a hand on his shoulder. Krystian turned, curious but not bothered. “I heard Romeo’s sister has cancer. Is it true?”

“His sister has cancer?” A SS1 senior nearby stood up, clearly surprised. He’d taken a liking to Krystian lately because he saw some potential in him. “How are you still friends with him?”

Krystian parted his lips to speak, but another voice jumped in, loud and fast. “Forget the cancer stuff. You know his mum left his dad, right? That boy’s just bad luck, Krystian. I don’t even get how you’re still hanging out with him.”

Krystian was surprised too, but not by the news. What caught him off guard was how easily people gathered just to tear someone else down. He might have only been twelve, but even twelve-year-olds knew when something was just plain wrong.

“So true,” the first boy laughed, snapping Krystian out of his thoughts. “Does he know you just feel sorry for him? Imagine his father leaving too and his sister dying.”

“What if what his sister has is contagious?” John, one of his classmates, stepped in front of him, voice low but sharp. “Stop feeling sorry for him and just cut him off before you die—”

John didn’t get to finish. Krystian stood up so fast the bench rattled beneath him, his small fists clenched tightly at his sides. For a second, he wanted to swing. Start a fight. But deep down, he knew how that would end and it wouldn’t be in his favour.

“I feel sorry for him. I’m only friends with him to remind him how wonderful my life is in comparison to his.” Krystian’s voice rang through the room, steady and loud, as his eyes scanned every face. “Is that what you want me to say?”

He took a breath, letting the weight of his next words settle before he spoke. “Romeo is my best friend. He happens to be the strongest person I know, because despite everything happening to him, he’s still standing.”

He grabbed his sportswear with one swift motion, anger simmering beneath his calm.

“And I swear,” he said, turning toward the door, “if I hear anyone talking trash about Romeo or his family again, I’ll report it to the principal and my parents, and that person will be in serious trouble.”

Krystian didn’t wait for a reply as he moved to the door. “I’m going to class,” he muttered and walked out.

˗ˏˋ༻ʚ♡︎ɞ༺ˎˊ˗

The door slammed shut behind Kim as she rushed out after Romeo, the echo slicing through the thick silence left in the classroom. No one moved. No one dared to speak. It was as if the entire room had frozen mid-breath, still reeling from what had just happened. The tension between Romeo and Krystian had exploded without warning. Romeo bursting in and landing a punch straight to Krystian’s face was unexpected.

Krystian . . .

My gaze shifted to him. His face was tight with fury, jaw clenched, eyes dark and distant. The anger radiated off him like heat. Toyosi made a hesitant step forward, but Ore caught her wrist and held her back. In that moment, Krystian didn’t just look hurt; he looked dangerous and unpredictable.

No one dared speak until he grabbed his things and stormed out of the classroom. Only then did the murmur of voices return, cautious and low.

“Can you let him be for now?” Ore whispered, tugging Toyosi back down to her seat. “Better safe than sorry. The way I’m seeing it, he’s going to transfer aggression to you if you go close.”

Her advice was reasonable. Anyone with a shred of sense would’ve taken it. But maybe I wasn’t thinking clearly. Maybe guilt was louder than reason. Because before I knew it, I was already on my feet, hurrying out of the classroom in search of Krystian.

I was still mad at him; angry at how he kept choosing to shield Toyosi, over and over again. But none of that mattered right now. He was hurt. And it was my fault. Romeo had found out exactly like Krystian had warned me he would, and he’d snapped at Krystian, not me, even though it was me who dragged Krystian into it in the first place.

The least I could do was apologise.

I didn’t have to think too hard about where to find Krystian. My instincts told me the nurse’s office. He’d likely gone there for treatment.

The door creaked softly as I stepped into the nurse’s office. There he was, sitting on the small bed, head bowed, eyes fixed on his palm like it held all the answers he didn’t want. The room was silent, empty except for the two of us. He must’ve felt my presence, because the moment the door clicked shut behind me, he spoke.

“Great, youʼre the best person I want to see right now.” His voice dripped with sarcasm as he lifted his head. My eyes instinctively moved to his swollen bottom lip.

“Where’s the school nurse?”

“I don’t know, new girl; maybe she’s on vacation?”

“Krystian!”

“Why are you here?” He asked bluntly, one brow arched in suspicion. “You want to see how miserable I look before you run back to class? I thought you were done with me.”

“Then why did you send the flowers?” I snapped, just as he muttered Kim’s name under his breath.

“Yeah,” I continued, bitter, “she can’t keep a secret to save her life. I wouldn’t even be shocked if she was the one who told Romeo.”

Without another word, I moved to the cabinet in the corner and grabbed the transparent first aid kit. I placed it beside him, pulling out a Q-tip and setting it gently on top of the box.

“I don’t need your help,” Krystian muttered, eyeing the kit with clear resistance.

“Why? Afraid of spirit?” My tone was flat. “Unlike you, I know how to apologise.”

“What are you apologising for?”

I froze mid-motion, my fingers tightening on the lid of the box. His question landed sharper than I expected, like it knew exactly where to hit.

“And what are you not not apologising for?” I shot back. I waited for him to scoff, to say something witty, but instead . . . he was quiet.

“Look, Delphine,” he finally said with a tired sigh, tugging gently at my wrist until I sat beside him. I threw him a glare for touching me, but he didn’t seem to care. “I was wrong for not telling the police what I saw that day. I might’ve been blindly protecting my best friend, but only because it didn’t make sense to me that Toyosi could be capable of killing Danielle.”

Not this again.

“I couldn’t sleep after that night,” he went on, voice quieter now. “Maybe it was guilt. Or maybe it was my subconscious trying to push me to face the truth. But I couldn’t just walk up to Toyosi and accuse her without knowing. That’s why . . . that’s why I chose to help you.”

“What are you saying?” I asked, frowning.

“I wanted to help you find who really did it. To clear my conscience. I was planning to confront Toyosi if all the evidence pointed to her. But honestly? The chances of that were slim.”

I bit my bottom lip and opened the kit. As I searched for the disinfectant; his words still echoed in my mind. “All the proof points to her, but your best friend is denying everything.”

“She said she can prove she’s innocent, remember?” Krystian replied, his tone soft but unreadable. “I haven’t spoken to her since then. Not because I think she did it, but . . . for a different reason.”

My eyes narrowed. “Why haven’t you spoken to her?”

He gave a small shrug. “You.”

“Me?”

My breath caught when Krystian leaned in slightly, a small smile teasing the edge of his lips. “Maybe I thought it’d show you how sorry I was for keeping you in the dark—ow!”

He winced just as the cotton soaked in disinfectant, dabbed his busted lip.

“Your way of apologising is weird,” I muttered.

“At least I said the word sorry, unlike someone else.” I knew he meant me. I’d come in here to apologise, but somehow, I’d danced around it the entire time.

“You’ll only be forgiven when we catch the real killer,” I said, searching through the kit for a band-aid and coming up short. “Last period’s free. Let’s meet with Toyosi at the basketball court.”

I stood and returned the kit to the cabinet. As I made my way to the door, I glanced back. “You’ll probably have to wait for the nurse if you want a band-aid.”

“I don’t think I need one,” Krystian murmured, stretching out on the bed. “But I’d rather stay here and skip at least two periods. Courtesy of Romeo.”

The mention of Romeo brought a sting of guilt I couldn’t ignore. I hesitated by the door, then finally said it. “I’m sorry.”

And before he could respond, I stepped out and gently closed the door behind me.

I walked down the hallway, barely aware of my surroundings. My thoughts were a tangled mess, and I tried not to dwell too long on what Krystian had said; his reason for covering up for Toyosi, the guilt in his voice, and the softness in his apology. I needed something—anything—to take my mind off it.

And as if the universe heard me, I caught sight of Kim sprinting toward me from the far end of the corridor. She came to a stop right in front of me, chest rising and falling like she’d run a marathon.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” she breathed.

“Why?” I kept walking, and Kim quickly matched my pace, barely skipping a beat.

“I’m sorry!” she blurted. “I didn’t mean to, it all happened so fast. Romeo caught on too quickly, and I panicked. I didn’t have a choice. I just . . . spilled.”

I should’ve been angrier, and part of me was. But deep down, I knew it would’ve come out eventually. I just wish it had happened after his sister started treatment and not like this.

Still, my concern shifted.

“I’m more worried about you,” I said, glancing at her. “Did he lash out at you? You ran after him while he was fuming. You’re lucky he didn’t snap.”

Kim shook her head, her expression turning unreadable. “He didn’t lash out. He . . .”

She trailed off.

That silence made me uncomfortable. I stopped walking and turned to face her fully. “What did Romeo do to you?”

She hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor tiles. “He . . .”

Her voice barely made it past her lips. “He kissed me.”

“Eh?!”

“Romeo kissed me—!”

Before she could say another word, my hand flew up to clamp over her mouth. I whipped my head around, scanning the hallway like a demon hunter, half-expecting a teacher or nosy junior to pop out of nowhere.

“Are you trying to broadcast it to the whole school?” I hissed. Kim shook her head slowly, and I pulled my hand away.

I stared at her, stunned, but not in the way she probably expected. I wasn’t disappointed or anything. Just . . . confused. Neutral, maybe. I never quite got the whole concept of kissing. Why did people feel the need to mash their mouths together just because their hearts raced a little? It was all so weird.

“Did you like it?”

“What?”

“Did you like him kissing you?”

“How would I know?!” she exclaimed, then spun on her heel and bolted in the opposite direction, arms flailing slightly as she went.

I couldn’t help it; her reaction pulled a smile from me. Just like that, with Kim’s chaos still hanging in the air, I continued toward class with a little less heaviness in my chest.

˗ˏˋ༻ʚ♡︎ɞ༺ˎˊ˗

The class wasn’t crowded because it was lunch break. Toyosi and her usual circle of friends were nowhere in sight either. I had already mentioned our plan to Krystian, but maybe . . . maybe I should’ve confronted her first before dragging him into it.

“D-Delphine?”

I turned to find a classmate hovering near my desk, her voice barely above a whisper and her eyes uncertain.

“Ivie, right?” I asked.

She gave a small nod, looking like she half-regretted approaching me. It was strange. The last time I’d seen her, she had her hand in the air, hesitating to join the debate club. Now she looked like she was bracing herself for a storm.

“I-I—”

The door creaked open, cutting her off. We both turned instinctively to see who had walked in.

Romeo.

“You were saying?” I prompted gently, but Ivie was already retreating, slipping quietly back to her seat. I watched her go, wondering what kind of life she must’ve lived in for so long, what kind of isolation made someone speak only to shrink away the moment attention turned to them.

I thought he’d walk straight past me, to his usual seat near the window. But instead, he slid into Kim’s chair beside mine, his presence loud even in silence. I pressed my lips together and busied my hands, fingers fidgeting against my skirt. I didn’t know where to begin. Should I apologise for going behind his back? For wanting to help without asking? Or should I just blurt out the question stuck in my throat since Kim ran off?

“Romeo—”

“About your sister, Danielle.” He said.

The mention of her name hit me like a switch flicked on in the dark. My back straightened, heart thudding just a little faster.

“I’m in.”

“You’re in with what?”

“Helping you.” His voice was flat, almost dismissive, but I heard the weight behind it. “I’m not looking to be indebted. Just . . . take it as payment for sponsoring Grace’s treatment.”

“Wait!” The word burst out of me, louder than I meant. I turned fully to him, wide-eyed. “You’re going to sign the contract?!”

Romeo stood, casually slinging his schoolbag over his shoulder. He didn’t answer; just made his way back to his seat.

His silence didn’t matter. The relief washed over me anyway, gentle and overwhelming. I didn’t know how Romeo was going to help. But if this was his way of giving something back for what was being done for Grace, then I wasn’t about to question it.

˗ˏˋ༻ʚ♡︎ɞ༺ˎˊ˗

The last period crawled in like it had all the time in the world, but eventually, it arrived. I sat quietly at my desk as Mrs. Nelson wrapped up the lesson with her usual warmth and a parting smile. Everyone looked relieved that the class was ending even though Mrs. Nelson was one of the most loved teachers in the entire school.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Krystian slipping out of the classroom with Toyosi, walking right beside him. I didn’t need to guess where they were headed as my fingers moved with a quiet purpose, slipping my books into my backpack.

Before standing, I glanced to the back and caught Romeo putting in his earpiece, lost in whatever music he used to tune out the world. Honestly, I didn’t know how exactly he was planning to help with all of this, but I needed him there. It mattered. I didn’t want him to think I took his decision lightly.

I stood up and was just about to head over to him when a voice called out. “Where are you going?”

I stopped mid-way and turned. Kim was watching me, curiosity enveloping her features. I blinked and noticed the open jotter on her desk. It was filled with points from our team’s debate topic.

“I have something to discuss with Krystian and Romeo,” I replied, keeping my tone neutral. It was the truth, even if I was dancing around the deeper part of it.

“Is it because of what I caused?” Kim’s eyes widened. “Should I come with you?”

“No . . . ” I said, dragging the word slightly. “It’s better if I go alone. And I promise, neither of them is mad at you. I mean, Romeo kissed you, right—?”

“Can you please not announce it?” Kim hissed, darting glances around the room to make sure no one had heard. I smirked at her reaction, then turned and made my way toward Romeo’s seat.

He looked up just as I approached and tapped pause on his phone. “Hey.”

The casual greeting softened the tension in my shoulders, and I dropped into the seat beside his.

“We need to go to the basketball court,” I said.

“Why?”

“Krystian and—” I stopped when I noticed the hard edge forming between Romeo’s brows. I sighed. This was going to be a long one. “Krystian and Toyosi are waiting there. I don’t have time to explain everything now, but I know you’ll figure it out.”

Romeo didn’t respond immediately. He just packed his books slowly, zipped his bag, and slung it over one shoulder before rising.

“Just hope I don’t murder him,” he muttered.

I didn’t say anything. Kim’s eyes were glued to us as we left the classroom. I knew she was holding herself back, resisting the urge to follow.

As we stepped into the lobby, I caught myself glancing at Romeo . . . and then at his lips. I instantly regretted it. The imaginary scene of him and Kim kissing flickered in my mind like a clip I couldn’t pause.

“What is it?” Romeo asked, eyeing me with suspicion.

“Nothing,” I said quickly, offering a smile that looked unnatural. He didn’t need to know what I knew; not yet. That would just make things awkward for everyone.

We finally arrived at the sports complex. We hadn’t reached the basketball court yet, but from where we stood, I could already see Krystian and Toyosi, seated apart but visibly tense.

“Do you trust him?” I glanced at Romeo as we walked side by side.

“I don’t know,” I admitted, frowning at the uncertainty of my own voice. It felt like a question that needed a firm answer—yes or no—just to prove I’d chosen a side. But the truth was, I hadn’t. Not completely.

“I don’t,” Romeo said flatly, and with that, he walked ahead, stepping through the opening that led onto the court.

Krystian and Toyosi turned at our arrival. Krystianʼs expressions werenʼt welcoming. It was between anger and frustration.

“What’s he doing here?” Krystian asked sharply, pushing himself up from the ground.

“What are you?” Romeo shot back. “The involvement police?”

Before I could process what was happening, they were already at each otherʼs faces. I jumped between them just as Toyosi rose to her feet.

“Both of you, stop!” I yelled, loud enough to echo through the open space. I could already sense a few eyes from nearby glancing over. “Can you both please act civilised? After this, feel free to hate and mentally strangle each other all you want; I’m done caring!”

The two boys paused, reluctantly stepping back and giving me breathing room. I watched Krystian run a hand through his hair, exhaling deeply. His busted lip was still there but less obvious than before. There was no bandage, just a fading mark of what had happened earlier.

“Let’s just get this over with,” he muttered, sitting again. The four of us formed a circle, close enough to keep our voices low. This wasn’t a conversation meant for the public.

“How many people know about your identity?” Toyosi asked. Her voice was steadier than the day I’d confronted her. Too steady. It annoyed me, but I kept my expression flat.

“Just the three of you,” I replied, staring at her pointedly. “You said you had evidence.”

“Evidence for what?” Romeo asked, turning his gaze toward me. “Killing your sister?”

I gave a small nod, watching as his eyebrows lifted in disbelief. I knew he was probably guessing and wasnʼt expecting to be right.

“Toyosi?” he echoed. “That’s hard to believe.”

“Are you defending her too?” I asked sharply, but Romeo didn’t flinch.

“You weren’t there the day your sister died so you wonʼt get it. It just doesn’t add up,” he said with a slight shrug.

“I don’t need anyone to defend me,” Toyosi cut in, rubbing her eyes. She looked exhausted, but there was strength behind her words. “I told you I could defend myself, remember?”

She reached into her bag and handed me her phone. I looked down to see her call log open. It was a call with Praise, lasting nearly fifteen minutes.

“I did go to the restroom that day,” she began, voice quieter now. “Danielle had found out about me going to that club and said she was going to expose me. I panicked. I called Praise. He knew about it already and had been warning me to stop. That day, I just . . . I needed someone to talk to. He told me to negotiate with her. When Danielle ran out of class, I assumed she was heading to the press club, and so I went there.”

Her eyes, now glassy, drifted to Krystian. “When I got there, she was already dead. Just lying there. I freaked out. I thought if someone saw me there, they’d think I killed her. So I ran.”

“That’s your proof?” I scoffed. “We’re supposed to just believe that because you said it?”

“I have an alibi,” Toyosi whispered, her voice nearly trembling. “Chika and Daniela. If you don’t believe me, maybe you’ll believe them. They’re your friends, right?”

I squinted at her, but she didn’t flinch.

“When I came out of the restroom stall, they were already there. They didn’t hear my call, but they saw me crying and volunteered to walk with me. They didn’t ask questions, just followed me to the press club entrance, then they left.”

“Can I see your phone?” Krystian asked, holding out his hand. Something in his tone was softer than before. Even Romeo didn’t protest, just stood by silently. I still wasn’t buying it, but it felt like they were.

Toyosi handed over her phone. Krystian examined it, brow furrowed.

“What was the estimated time of death the police said again?” he asked.

“Two twenty-five,” Romeo said quietly.

Krystian frowned but nodded without looking up. “No one left the class except Danielle because Miss. Susan, took her time grumbling while packing her stuff. Toyosi didn’t leave right away either. We had a short chat before she excused herself to use the restroom.”

He turned the phone so I could see the call log. “She called Praise at two twenty. The call ended at two thirty-five. Danielle was found dead at two twenty-five. Ten minutes before.”

“Doesnʼt prove anything—”

“Why are you so desperate to pin your sister’s death on me?” Toyosi snapped, her voice raw. “Are you that desperate for justice?”

“Yes!” I shouted, my voice cracking. “Yes, I am!”

“Then find it the right way!” she fired back.

Even Romeo blinked, visibly taken aback by the outburst. I watched her carefully; her eyes, her stance. She’d always been like this. A double face.

Toyosi rose, grabbing her backpack. She looked down at me with something that wasn’t quite pity, but wasn’t pride either.

“If you don’t believe me,” she said, “then go ask my alibi.”

No one said a word as she walked away, clutching the strap of her bag like it was holding her together. The silence she left behind was heavier than anything she’d said.

˗ˏˋ༻ʚ♡︎ɞ༺ˎˊ˗

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