I readjusted my skirt as I leaned on the wall, focusing my gaze on the book in my hand. Though I wasn't reading anything, I just needed to focus on something other than the numerous faces of strangers roaming about the school's corridor.

I still wasn't comfortable with unfamiliar faces because they made me nervous.

I glanced sideways, thinking I would see Peter somewhere close but I didn't and I wondered where he was. It was strange that he hadn't come looking for me. I had not seen him since I left my hostel and that was like an hour ago.

As I turned my attention to my book, I noticed someone smiling at me. It was Clement, a classmate of mine who has suddenly started throwing smiles at me each time our eyes met. He waved when he noticed he got my attention and I did the same, burying my face in my book immediately.

It was the first day of our external examination and I was surprisingly nervous. A lot had happened and to be honest, it had affected my preparation for the exams just as my mum and Peter predicted.

Many a time, I drifted off to the world of the unknown, thinking about various things and hoping for the impossible. It was sickening but I couldn't stop - though, studying with Peter helped a lot. He had a way of grabbing my attention without even trying.

"Hi, Beatrice!" I looked up immediately to the faces of two girls whom I deemed were external students - students whose schools had merged with mine for the first examination.

"Hey!" I managed to reply, surprised at the attention I was getting when I did nothing to earn them. Honestly, I didn't like the attention. Like receiving smiles from a guy each time he saw me wasn't enough, people who had done nothing but ignore me in the past waved at me too. Was that not hypocritical?

I would have ignored these girls had they been my classmates as I honestly didn't want to talk to anyone but Peter that moment.

"Ready for the exam, Beatrice?" The girl who had spoken at first asked and I nodded.

"I guess. . ." I trailed off, wondering if it would be rude to ask the question on my mind. Why were they talking to me?

"How do you know my name?" I asked instead and they exchanged glances with each other like I had asked the most ridiculous question.

"Of course, we know. Not when your principal brags about you." The second girl replied with a strange look on her face. I couldn't tell if she was smiling or frowning but I chose not to dwell on that. I honestly didn't care.

"Oh, I see! So what are your names?" I tried to start a conversation with them because it felt like I owe them that.

"Well, I'm Bisola and this is Ada." The first girl replied with a bright smile while Ada looked indifferent. Perhaps, she was like that due to the examination that was to start very soon.

"See you around, B." Bisola bade, her beautiful smile still on her face and I nodded with a smile of my own.

I watched them walk away and I let out a sigh I didn't know I was holding. Just then, I sighted Peter some distance away and a frown crept unto my forehead. I couldn't believe my eyes. There he was, talking with Amara whose fingers were wrapped around his wrist when I had been looking for him since.

My tummy contorted and I suddenly felt sick. Why was he talking with Amara of all people and why was she holding his hand? I gasped when she leaned in, still holding his hand.

I willed myself to look away but I just couldn't as I felt jealousy seep into me, consuming my entire frame. I watched Peter say something to her and a stupid pout formed at the corner of her lips.

She tried to say something but Peter pulled his hand from her grip, his lips still moving as raked a finger through his hair. I couldn't hear what he was saying but from the look on Amara's face, I could tell it wasn't something she liked to hear.

I let out a sigh of contentment and quickly looked away when I saw Peter look at my direction. Not knowing what to do and feeling stupid standing alone with a book in my hand, I fixated my gaze to my shoes, noticing my untied shoelace for the first time.

Glad to have found something else to do, I stooped to tie up my loosed laces only to see two hands taking over the job. A gasp escaped my lips and my eyes widened as I watched Peter tie up my shoelace. Excitement enveloped me and I suddenly found it difficult to keep standing.

I could hear murmurs and whisper around me and I looked up to see the curious faces of student gawking at us. My cheeks flushed and I stared down at Peter who was carefully tying my lace like he had all the time in the world.

"Peter," I whispered.

"Hmm?"

"I can do it." I tried to pull my leg away but he held my ankle, stopping me.

"Almost done."

I held my breath as I waited for him to finish and when he finally did, he had the biggest smile on his face.

"How are you?" He pulled my cheek and I slapped his hand away, feeling my cheeks heating up.

From the corner of my eyes, I could see Amara glaring at me with so much hatred and for a moment, I flinched.

"Nervous?" Peter asked and I nodded.
"Then I'm doomed. If the Almighty Beatrice is nervous, then what can the likes of Peter do?"

I rolled my eyes, though stiffening a laugh. "There's nothing to be afraid of. I'm pretty sure some of the past questions will be repeated. Just relax."

"Then why are you nervous?" Peter raised a brow and I looked away, avoiding Peter's eyes which seemed to be studying me.

"Beatrice." Peter sighed wearily. "I've told you to stop thinking about it. You haven't lost your father forever. You two will still meet one day." He stressed like he was already tired of me. He had spent the rest of the evening consoling me the day I returned from our fruitless journey.

I gaped at him, anger welling up in me suddenly as I heard him speak. I was tired of people giving me false hope. I knew he was trying to help but I was tired of shying away from the truth when it was right in front of my face, mocking me each blessed day.

"Let's face reality, Peter!" My voice came out a bit louder than intended. "Stop building castles in the air. This is not a novel or a movie where everything falls into place and everyone lives happily ever after. This is reality. This is my life and there is little possibility that I'll find my father on this earth. My grandparents aren't even in the country. I don't even - "

I was cut short by the forced embrace Peter pulled me into. I stood, stunned as he stroke my head, pulling me closer to him.

My heart which had been pounding in my chest slowly calmed as I buried my head in his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist, leaning even closer and inhaling the scent I had so come to love.

I shut my eyes tightly to wield my tears from falling. It was appalling that we never ran out of tears regardless of how much we cried.

"It's okay, baby" He rubbed my back. "Calm down. I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spoken that way to you." My voice came out muffled as I tried not to concentrate on the fact that I had just been called 'baby' by Peter for the very first time. It was just a normal word so why would it give me butterflies?

For a moment, it was just me and Peter in our own world with the rest feeling invisible. I hugged Peter tighter, feeling some kind of comfort in his arms. It was like my solace. As much as I would have loved to remain in his arms, we were in his school and about to write our examination.

I wasn't ready for any drama from teachers so I broke the hug to Peter's displeasure. He groaned.

"Let's revise," I suggested, trying to calm my racing heart.

"What?" Peter's face contorted into a frown. "We've read enough. I don't want to add any extra thing. My head can't carry it." He held his head and looked at me with puppy eyes.

"You're not serious," I smiled. "Let me ask you questions then."

"Argh! I just want to get over with this fucking exam!" He snapped quite loud and a teacher who had been walking briskly with some paper in her hand turned to look at him with an ugly glare on her face.

My heart thudded in my chest as I wondered what she would do to him but Peter flashed her a sheepish smile and she shook her head in disapproval before walking away.

Immediately she was gone, I fell into fits of giggles alongside Peter who threw his arm around my shoulder making me go still. Why did tiny gestures as these have so much effect on me?