y'all I won't be updating in a while :)
school issues and all that so... idk
not putting the story on hold though, we've come a long way. and woah, chapter twenty seven.😍💕 almost at 600 reads💕

027| 𝐓𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝

~H A N N I E L~

"Hanniel,"

I halted in my steps, bringing a finger to my temple in exhaustion. I didn't really need to talk to anyone right now.

Not after what had just happened.

Honestly, I almost thought it was Komisola.

But, she probably would never talk to me again and maybe, just maybe I would try to stop chasing after her.

I turned around slowly, ready to snap at her and tell her to leave me alone. Which I would actually not do because I don't think I was capable of snapping at her.

But I was met face to face with a crying Ameenah. A sight that broke my already broken heart in a different way, causing pain to tug on my heartstrings. She stared me, her eyes red and swollen and this was the saddest Ameenah I had ever seen.

I couldn't help it. I ran to her and hugged her tightly. "'meenah, are you okay?"

She held me back, heaving and sobbing in my arms as I felt her shake her head.

"I know you might not want to talk to me again, but please..." She started, voice in a frail, low, vulnerable whisper.

I wondered what or who made her cry this much. And sound this way.

"Ameenah," I urged. "What's wrong with you?"

"She... she's gone. Senior Feranmi is dead."

"Who's that?" Left my lips and I regretted it because Ameenah's cry increased in volume.

"Remember, remember that bald senior, that one that usually sat with Amyra Abdelnour in the cafeteria..."

"Yes," I nodded slowly, already remembering. Ameenah and Dabirah had told me of a senior who rarely attended school. But everyone knew her. She had a case of grade IV glioblastoma and she was the best friend of the popular Muslim model, Amyra Abdelnour.

"She died this morning."

An unbearable silence followed, shattering and heartbreaking. I didn't know what to say because I was stunned.

Ameenah was still in my arms, crying but I was frozen to the spot.

We both did say anything afterwards, letting the unbearable silence engulf us while I was at a loss for words.

Until a senior walked in on us in the hallway.

After assessing the both of us with a solemn look and understanding gaze, he decided to speak, "Principal Matthews has summoned everyone to the hall."

With that he left, his slim figure striding down the hallway till he took a right turn after walking outside.

By the time, we got to the hall, everywhere was so silent and Principal Matthews had begun addressing everyone. The hall was strangely silent. Not that type of silence that had to with compliance and fear.

But it had a sorrowful aura to it.

"...Feranmi Adetale was a beautiful soul. A student who kept up with her grades, only gave the school good news and was loved by everyone. Those who truly knew her would know how wonderful a person she was."

Next to the Principal stood the popular Muslim model and seeing upclose was really breathtaking. Her skin looked like pure gold and her features were sculpted perfectly. Her long legs were revealed from her thigh to her knee since she was wearing white knee length socks. She was tall, probably 5'6 or 5'5 in height. However, the impassive expression on her face was saddening.

Then, Senior Solomon. The pretty boy of CH whom I had a resemblance to according to Dabirah and others. His hands were in his pocket and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. His face was guarded, unreadable but there were emotions in his eyes that fought against being hidden no matter how hard he tried.

He was affected.

But he didn't want to show it.

"Together, we shall watch this video specially made for her and after that, read the epitaph composed for her."

The large screen was switched on, and we all watched every bit of it to the end.

The first clip showed her with a guitar, laughing and happily singing before Amyra pounced on her in a hug. The next one involved her gushing about two popular k-pop groups; BTS and Stray Kids. The third one was her singing a song from a Nigerian teenage series; Best Friends In The World.

"...and if you feel under pressure, scared beyond measure... lost a close treasure, you've gotta remember..."

In the video, Amyra joined in, singing along with her best friend and it was too emotional to watch.

"Annyeonghaseyo, we are Amyra & Feranmi and we just wanted to say; Be strong, be happy."

Amyra bowed her head slightly and one could tell that she was crying. It was odd to see her this way, in the video. She was cheerful, lively and bubbly. Was she always all smiles whenever she was with the girl?

Amyra seemed like a cool person. She was that person with elegant, graceful steps, relaxed look and composure and a had calm, all chill demeanor. She seemed brighter in the clips edited in the video, like a different person.

I didn't realize the chant had already started. Everyone was slowly reading out each lines with a synchronized harmony. The solemnity that filled the atmosphere was heartbreaking. It was the type that crippled your heart, weakened it and made you question some things that weren't meant to be. It was full of sorrow.

"We wish you peace,"

"We wish you happiness,"

"To a beautiful soul, one who made peace,"

"To the girl who lived."

To the girl who lived...

She was in past tense from now henceforth. And many hated for it to be that way, I could see.

After a few seconds of silence returning, Principal Matthews dismissed us and we all took our leave. I also did, but that was after seeing Amyra break down and collapse to the floor while crying.

Everyone on the podium rushed to hold her, comfort her and console her. Meanwhile, Senior Solomon just walked dejectedly down the podium.

"Hanniel," Ameenah called out to me, sniffing one last time. "Let's go."

She entangled her fingers in mine and I was forced to remember how Komisola had held my hand today.

Now is not the time, Hanniel. I chastised myself. It was an irony how Grey eyes popped into my mind every time, literally every fucking second. I would always divert my thoughts away from her, find a way to distract myself but she seriously had a place in my head.

Sadly, nothing was ever permanent.

~

It was raining again.

This was the season of rain.

Last time it rained this heavily, I met a girl who stood under the rain, not complaining, not protesting but inhaling all of its peace and freshness. It was aesthetic, the way she stood under the rain and closed her eyes.

Now was different.

Ever had a friend in just a day and then go your separate ways?

I bet, not.

"You make it seem like I'm committing a huge sin by helping you, Komisola. No one's forcing me to do this."

"Because it is a sin!" She yelled. "A huge, fucking sin! Don't you get it? I honestly thought if I agreed to become your friend, then you'd get tired of me and finally leave me alone but no! It's like you're sent to me!"

Just wow...

"That's what you want?" I took a step back. A step that felt like one thousand. I was very sure she felt the distance too. The look in her eyes gave her away no matter how much she tried to hide it. It confused me for a second but I concluded to myself that I was probablyhust imagining things. There was no way she could feel it.

"You want me to get tired of you and leave you alone?"

She took a while before answering, jaw clenching and fists balled, "yes."

"Good. Because I am already tired of you."

At that moment, I knew I fucked up.

That was a complete lie but I couldn't take my words back. So I just decided to continue. After all, an eye for an eye.

"I'll leave you alone. I won't even act like I know you henceforth, Komisola Adedire. Goodbye."

Okay, maybe that was too grand because we were seat mates. But no matter what, I think my grand words did the work in hurting her.

After all, she did the same to me.

That was all I could think about, and the senior who lived.

~
I almost cried writing this chapter because feranmi had her own story(title: RANMI) but it just hasn't been published. making all of her life into one video was really emotional and disheartening.
and oh amyra :( and ameenah :(
oh and hanniel & komisola oh my God. did they just fight?