~~~

The cause of my rapid heartbeat was Nathaniel Johnson and the way he looked even more stunning in the daylight. He was still smiling at me, and I couldn't help but notice how perfect and white his teeth were.

I didn't particularly like the school uniform, not that there was anything wrong with it, but because I didn't like how my mom had informed the tailor to sew mine. The school offers uniforms, but my mom had complained so much about how inappropriate the length was that the principal had let her do as she wished with mine. She had made sure the skirt was past my knees, as did my clothes at home; it made me look odd in a school where long was considered twelve inches above the knee. 

I didn't dislike it because it made me look odd; I knew I would always be the second my enrollment to Ever High Rivers was finalized. I disliked it because it covered so much of my legs which was a part of me I wasn't insecure about.

"You have sexy legs by the way."

I shook my head to stop my mind from replaying a compliment that wasn't that serious.

My day wear (uniform), the one senior Nathaniel made me submit to a conformity prefect, was given to me by a friend who had already graduated, which explains the short length and I wore it whenever we were going on a break because I liked to pack my stuff early.

Nathaniel managed to pull off the colors of the uniform effortlessly. The grey trousers suited him, and his skin was a rich, smooth brown against the stark white of his shirt.

"Good morning, Senior," I greeted him.

"How are you?" He inquired.

"I... I... I'm okay," I stuttered.

Why was I suddenly stuttering?

Luckily, he didn't seem to mind my stuttering. His attention shifted to the money in my hand, and his brows furrowed.

"Why didn't you buy something?" he asked.

"I don't want anything," I lied.

"You wouldn't be holding money if you didn't want something."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I changed my mind," I said.

He was about to say something when Senior Skylar appeared out of nowhere, complaining loudly about the sun like she was the only human or direction it faced.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

She planted a kiss on the side of Nathaniel's face, and I couldn't help but notice how he pulled away before she tried to kiss him again. Interesting.

"Have you done it?" he asked her, while I was intrigued by the tension between them.

She sighed, "I tried, but my daddy said ..."

"You can't be serious." he interrupted.

I pressed my lips together as she looked around as if checking if anyone else was witnessing their interaction. Somehow, she looked right through me as if I were invisible.

"Why do you sound upset?" she asked in a lower tone.

He stared at her as if she had grown two heads. "Upset isn't the accurate word."

She grabbed his arm just as he surprised me by grabbing my hand. My eyes widened as she finally acknowledged my presence with a harsh glare that started from my cornrows to the black shoes that I had gotten from Douglas Market, not in a luxurious brand store for an outrageous price.

Her face morphed in disgust.

I pulled my hand away from Nathaniel's and moved away from them.

Ah! Abeg! Ah! Please!

He frowned, and I noticed his eyes became more intense when he was upset.

"Nathaniel, I'm trying to talk to you, and you're more interested in that thing," she spat.

Thing... I was the thing.

Nathaniel ran his hand down his face, his chest rising and falling as he took a deep breath before looking back at her. "Skylar Thompson," he started, and I realized that everyone around us was now paying attention. Both juniors and seniors were watching.

"Baby, what's wrong?" she mumbled, trying to touch him.

He grabbed her wrist before she could reach his chest.

Crocodile tears filled her eyes. It was so obvious. "Nathaniel," she whispered.

"I've had enough of your selfishness," he sounded really upset, releasing her hand.

I held my breath. It wasn't even the end of the semester yet, and he was breaking up with her. Wow!

"Nathaniel, don't do this, please. I'm sorry I should have never told my parents any of that, please don't leave me. I'll die if you do," she rambled, tears streaming down her face.

"Skylar, we're done. This," he gestured between them, "is over. Now please just leave me alone and stop draining me with your...," he looked her up and down, searching for the right word to use, "everything," he finally said.

Oh, Susan Oluwadare, you're missing all this action.

"Baby," she cooed, trying to grab his face.

"We're done!" He spat.

"Nathaniel, please I love you," she confessed.

Whispers filled the air, and my eyes widened.

Nathaniel appeared very uncomfortable. "Just stop this Skylar," he said, his tone softer. "I can't keep doing this with you."

She cried even harder. "Nathan... Nathan... I love you."

The thing about the scene was that Skylar was the one drawing attention. While Nathan kept his voice low and tone harsh, only letting me who was nearest to them hear, Skylar kept her voice loud, and words empty. Her apologies weren't sincere, and it was obvious she wanted the attention.

"If you loved me you wouldn't be playing with my future," he said.

Future?

I turned around and ran back to my class as soon as I heard one of the conformity staff yell, "Everyone, leave the tuck shop immediately!"

The gathering must have caught his attention.

I couldn't help but wonder what she had done that upset him so much.

~~~
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