double update & short chapter.

038| "Even If I Were Gay..."

~K O M I S O L A~

I opened the door to the restroom. Ameenah was inside, washing her hands at one of the basins. I ignored her and went to the basin just away from her, proceeding to switch on the tap and wash my face.

After washing my face, I spared a glance at her and that's when I noticed something. The skin covering her knuckles had peeled off slightly and when she wiped her palms on her cloth, I noticed how dry and red they were becoming.

"Stop staring at my hands."

I blinked out of fright and looked up slowly. Ameenah was glaring at me, eyes sharply boring into my soul and spirit.

I looked away and switched off the running tap. I turned around, about to leave when her displeasing voice stopped me. "Why did you forfeit the competition?"

"How is that any of your business?" I fired. She was doing a pretty good job in acting like I wasn't of existence. Why ask me this sort of question?

Her face contorted into that of shock and disbelief at my outburst, folded arms dropping before she regained her composure.

"Leave me alone, Ameenah. The last thing I want is your bullshit." I said with a tone of finality.

"This is not how I want to beat you, Komisola. I'll do it fair and square. Trust me."

I suppressed the urge to heave an angry sigh. I was very much disinterested in whatever she was saying right now.

Ameenah walked past me and when I thought she left, her calm voice filled my ears again with words that set my brain on an alarm.

"By the way, I know you didn't steal the diamond necklace. But they don't know that, do they? I mean, they can't. They weren't there to help me. Only Sarai was."

I turned around and there was a tauntful smile on her face. Her eyes sparkled with enjoyment, taking in the sight of me being rendered speechless.

How did she know of the incident? She wasn't even in class.

That's when I realized, I was busy suspecting Dabirah and Sarai when it was totally someone else.

Ameenah just indirectly admitted that she put the necklace in my backpack.

~

I was afraid to enter into class. It was like stepping into the unknown, filling me with a sense of dread and striking me with panic.

I looked up and Hanniel appeared at my front. His eyes looked like he was asking for my permission to do something but what has Hanniel not surprised me with?

And then, not so surprisingly, he held my hand and pulled me into class, staring straight ahead while others had looks of shock and surprise on their faces. My eyes zeroed in on Ameenah.

Her eyes were particularly concentrated on I and Hanniel's hands together.

"Are they dating?" I heard one of our classmates comment.

"You did not know? He's always following her around like a lost puppy." Another person replied.

Meanwhile, I was also staring down at my hand and Hanniel's intertwined, just like Ameenah was. For the first time, in a long time, I didn't feel scared. I didn't feel my heart race in panic. I didn't feel my lungs get constricted.

I felt comfort in a strange way. It was friendly, like peace, silently assuring me.

We got to our seats and Hanniel released his hand from mine, shooting me a bedazzling smile that had me stare in bafflement as he took his seat. Our classmates turned their heads to look at us, eyes glinting with curiosity and inquisitiveness, hungry for gossip.

If anything, Hanniel wasn't bothered. He brought out his phone and was scrolling happily.

I was turning into a mess and I didn't know why.

I cleared my throat to myself which diverted their attention to me, eyes sharply moving to look at me. I averted my gaze and removed a novel from my backpack, titled Shooting Stars.

We were supposed to be having class. I wondered why there was no teacher.

"Hanniel!"

When one of Tiami's crew shouted, I slouched in my seat and focused on the words written in the big paperback in my hands.

What a day.

~H A N N I E L~

I felt oddly satisfied. If opening up was this easy with Komisola, then I wanted to open up about everything that had to do with myself.

I smiled to myself in comfort, scrolling through Pinterest as I searched for hairstyles. It was time to say goodbye to my curls.

Don't ask me why.

Someone yelled my name and at that moment, I instantly found the perfect hairstyle. It had the caption: Lee Felix, under the image. I quickly downloaded it before placing my phone on the table.

Jean was walking towards me. I was surprised that I remembered his name. Tiami was the only one who stood out in their gang.

"Bruh, I've got some questions to ask you." Jean made himself comfortable by sitting on my table, crossing his legs and pulling down his nose mask.

I nodded, giving him the go ahead.

He leaned closer and lowered his voice to ask me a question I wasn't surprised by, "Are you dating her? 'Cause she's wayyyyyy out of our league."

My eyebrows pulled together in question. I was starting to feel irritated by his presence. He pointed his crooked finger at Komisola like she wasn't worthy of being referred to. The way he said "her "...? Like she was repulsive and he was disgusted by her.

I scratched my temple, "I'm not dating her."

"So," Jean paused, like he was considering something, "what are you-"

"It's the other way round, actually. You're way out of her league, and even if I were gay, I wouldn't hit on you." I interrupted, staring blank faced at him. "Now shoo away." I picked up my phone and went back to Pinterest.

"AH!"

"Is he serious?"

Jean still hadn't left my table. His eyes had widened and his mouth was hung open. Yusrah who was at Dabirah's table helped him wear his nose mask back. He blinked in realization and shot up from the table, exiting with a nervous laugh.

"I was just joking, bruh..."

I tuned out what he was saying and focused on my phone. If we weren't having class, I might as well busy myself. No need to listen to someone who's all up in the sky about himself.

"Do you have to make your feelings for her so obvious?"

Ameenah asked beside me after Jean had gone back to his seat, telling the others everything he just heard. He was the one who asked. In my opinion, I gave him a very honest answer.

I looked at her and she had her arms folded at me. I crossed my legs before replying.

"I'm having a ripper of a day starting now," I said.

Ameenah raised a brow. "What the hell does that mean?"

"I'm having a great day starting now. It's an Aussie slang, you should try using it." I suggested and smiled at her.

"No, thank you... mate."

I chuckled and kissed my teeth.

"You don't know what you're getting into, Hanniel." Ameenah told me. She sounded like she was warning me. "You and someone like Komisola can never date, as long as you're in CH."

"Who told you we have to date?" I frowned. "I'm fine with her just being my friend. Trust me, it's a lot more than I can ever ask for."

I was about to go back to my phone when our Economics teacher walked in. An extremely tall, lean man who always wore green suits. Always green.

Ameenah was about to order everyone to greet but he raised a hand, stopping her. "Before you greet, all of you should go to the hall. You're having a joint class with other departments."

Loud groans followed, mixed with joyful squeals. Some people were happy and some people weren't. I didn't have a problem with it. I hardly knew any one there.

"I give you just three minutes-" The Economics teacher started to say. The whole class scattered. Literally. Some people ran out of class while others catwalked like they didn't care.

That included, me, Komisola, Ameenah and a whole lot.

~

The Assembly Hall was large. It was painted white and had air conditioners everywhere. There were also standing fans. One could freeze to death.

At our front, on the podium was a big projector screen and a table in front with the projector. I took my seat beside Komisola to my right and Ameenah was to my left. I slouched in my seat.

For a reason, girls from other departments kept looking back, shamelessly pointing fingers and a few even went as far ahead as biting their lips and smirking, lowering their eyes.

"They're annoying," I said to myself but Grey eyes heard me.

"You're just starting. It's okay as long as they haven't confessed their love or shit. They'll even stalk your social media." She told me, not bothering to look up from her novel.

"I'm not on social media." I sighed in relief and smiled.

"Good for you." Her reply was brief and brusque. She went back to fully focusing on her novel. At least, she was getting comfortable with me. And yes, I decided to drop the habit of counting how many words she said. She didn't admit it, but it was lowkey creepy.

Just like how she said twenty four words to me now.

"Hey, Abdelnour! We reserved a seat for you!" I looked up when I heard some guys hollering out to someone. It was Ibrahim.

He wasn't looking at them, however. Instead he had his eyes focused on... me?

No. Not exactly.

Komisola?

I watched him, following his every action next as he answered, "Sorry but I already have somewhere to sit."

My head whipped back, peering behind Komisola and the seat beside her was vacant. She wasn't even paying attention to what was going on around her. But she looked up when her eyes zoned in on a pair of Converse. She lowered her book at a slow pace and stared with lifeless eyes at Ibrahim.

Trust me when I say this. I wasn't expecting her to smile.

She smiled.

She smiled!

All it took for her to smile was Ibrahim standing at her front!

"Is someone sitting here?" He pointed to the empty seat beside Komisola. No one wanted to sit there. Our classmates had all been passing and throwing not so subtle glances at us.

Grey eyes shook her head in response. Ibrahim smiled back at her and took his seat.

He started talking to her. He actually started talking to her and she was answering.

What the...

I snorted in disbelief and annoyance. Okay then.

"You can greet now."

When the loud voice which I instantly recognized as the Economics teacher's, it felt like I was in a seminar thereupon. Was he using a microphone?

It was just a class.

After everyone stood up and muttered their greetings with unenthusiasm, we took our seats without for his reply and he started the seminar.

"We aren't writing notes today. Just explanation of the next note we're going to write."

To my left, Ameenah groaned, "I hate Economics."

I laughed at her expense and gave her a small squeeze on the shoulder in comfort. "The class will soon be over."

"That's on the bright side." Ameenah acknowledged and hissed. "Oh and, great comeback for Jean back in class, by the way."

I shrugged since I didn't have anything to say. All I wanted right now was for this seminar class to be over.