I was still in his arms. I'd stopped crying. I noticed that his shoulders had been stained with tears but I just wanted to stay in his arms forever. Cheesy right? It was so cozy. I realized that some of his classmates were peeking out the window looking at us. Some of them were whispering to each other.

Can you guys just mind your business for once I thought. I ignored them. I noticed Isaac was still holding on. He wasn't about to release me. I smiled inwardly and I felt all warm inside.

I felt my phone vibrate in my breast pocket . It was always on vibration because we weren't allowed to use phones in school. If you're caught with a phone, you would be suspended and your phone would be seized. It was only very few of us that knew how to maneuver our way round it so we won't be caught.

It was my mom calling. I actually forgot that she was still in school. Isaac and I walked to a hidden place so I can answer the call.

"Mom, are you still in school?"

"No, I just left. The principal told me that she has everything under control. It's under investigation. She will clear your name Eliza. Trust me. She's working on it."

I nodded still sniffing my nose.
"Will you go to work today?"

"No I won't. I took an excuse. Ijeoma is covering for me though. She was the one that showed me the news on the internet so I had to take an excuse to handle it"

I remembered nurse Ijeoma, my mom's closest friend.

"How did you know that I didn't do it?" I asked her, glancing at Isaac who was leaning on one of the pillars.

"Although you're stubborn and headstrong at times, I knew you wouldn't do something like that. I knew it was an accident and Chika's story wasn't really adding up. I mean it was your first time seeing her at the party, right?"

"Yes" I responded firmly.

"So..... It didn't really make any sense"

I smiled. I was really lucky at how understanding and supportive my mum has always been. I felt this pang of guilt at how i've treated her in the past.
"Okay, thanks mom"

"You're welcome. Don't worry, Everything will be okay. Just concentrate on your studies."

"Okay. Will you go back home?"

"No. I have somewhere else I need to be"

"Where? Church?" I asked her. Church, home, market and work were the only places she frequented.

"No, I want to go meet someone"

"Who?" I curiously asked.

She sounded hesitant at first.

"Um.....well......I must not tell you, must I?"

I confirmed that she was hiding something.
" Are you going on a date?"

"Goodbye Eliza. See you at home"

"Mom, don't hang up"
And she hung up.
I don't know how I felt about my mom seeing someone. I mean, I want her to be happy but i'm still nursing the hope that she'll get back together with dad.

I heard someone clear a throat. I glanced at Isaac.

"A penny for your thoughts?" He asked walking towards me.

I smiled.
He smiled in response. I missed his smile. I just felt like touching his dimpled cheeks. I noticed his white shirt which was neatly tucked in his blue trousers. His light stubble and huge eyebrows which clearly defined his handsome features and that smile, Gosh!

"Eliza!"

I jerked and returned back to earth.
"Huh?"

"Have you been listening to me?" He chuckled.

I knew he noticed that I was ogling him. I felt embarrassed.
"What were you saying?" I asked him.

"I was asking if you were okay?"

"Yeah, I am" I remembered my little display of emotions earlier on and I felt embarrassed.
I've never cried in public before. Why did I just do that? I thought.

"I'm sorry that all these happened to you" His voice was laced with concern.

My heart fluttered within me.
"Thanks Isaac, for everything. For warning me about Chika, for texting me......" I was being emotional again.

"Well I tried calling you but you weren't picking up" He was smiling again.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone" apart from my friends I thought.

"I understand" He replied with that intense gaze.
I quickly averted my gaze. I didn't want to melt into a puddle.

"I was worried about you, you know. I wanted to come to your house and see you but unfortunately I don't know your house so......" He was smiling sheepishly.

No!,no!,no! You can't know my house! You can't! I thought. My eyes widening. No one can know my house! No one!

I decided to change the subject.
"Why were you worried about me? You just started noticing me at Chioma's party" I told him.
While i've noticed you all along I thought.

"Well......." He scratched his head. I guess I backed him into a corner.

"You remind me of someone. Someone I admire" He smiled again.

I lifted my eyebrows.
Oh, so you have a girlfriend. I thought. I knew that there was no way someone like you would be interested in someone like me.

"Have you heard from your girlfriends?" He asked me.

He was the second person that has asked me that question.

"No, actually, that's why I really need to talk to them" I excused myself, turning to go.

"Will I see you again? At least after school?" He had that hopeful expression.

But you have a girlfriend I thought.

"Maybe" I replied him and headed towards my class.

*          *           *             *               *          *
I noticed that Mr Nwankwo, the Geography teacher was already in the class. He was probably in his early 60's with grey hair.

"Excuse me sir"

He turned towards me, lifting his eyebrow.
As if on cue, the whole class turned to me. I could spot some of them whispering.

"You're late"

"I'm sorry for my tardiness Sir"

"What are you still doing outside? Come in, come in. I don't have all day" He had this Chinua Achebe's voice when he spoke, laced with wisdom. 

I entered and headed towards my seat which was on the second row and I was actually seating beside Chioma. We always sat together.

As Mr Nwankwo resumed his teaching of Coastal Erosion. I glanced at Chioma, she was already glaring at me with a scowl on her face. I was also receiving stares from the other students.
The two girls behind me were whispering, I could tell it was about me. I decided to tune them off but couldn't.

"Look at her. She had the guts to come to school after the scandal she caused"

"But let's view this realistically, spilling a drink on someone shouldn't be a cause for alarm o!"

"Well maybe, she didn't apologize to her" one of the girls responded.

"She did. I was there nah."

This comment brought a smile on my face.

"Well, I guess she didn't know who she was dealing with. I mean, you know Chika nah. She did the same thing to a girl online. It almost ruined her, the girl even attempted suicide because no one believed her"

I decided to turn back.
"I didn't do it. You guys should believe me."

"We know. But don't commit suicide because of what you see online" one of the girls adviced.

I was happy that at least, there were some people that was actually on my side.

I glanced at Chioma, she appeared to be deadpanned about the whole thing.
I wondered what I did to deserve such treatment.

*           *            *           *           *             *
          When school was over, I spotted Chioma entering Ebube and Amaka's class (Art class). The class was empty, Ebube and Amaka were the only ones there. The three girls were talking seriously about something.

As I walked up to them, they appeared surprised.
"Hi" I began.

They were staring at me like I was an alien.

"What's going on between you and Isaac?" Chioma asked outrightly.

"Nothing"

Chioma scoffed. "Oh really"

"Yes" I firmly said.

"Then why were you talking to him at my party? You've never talked to him before. Why did he carry you like a princess after you almost ruined my party?" She whined. Yes, she was whining like a little girl because she was being unreasonable.
"And why did I see you in his arms this morning pretending to be crying?! Explain that!"

I could see flames of anger in her eyes. I knew that I needed to defend myself before she tags me 'a boyfriend stealer'

I mean, Isaac was not even her boyfriend. But I knew she was interested in him firstly.

"First of all, he was the one that approached me at the party.
What did you expect me to do? Push him away because Chioma would be furious with me? Can't I talk to boys again?" I was also furious with her.

" Secondly, there was nothing princessy with the way he carried me" I told her as I remembered the way he flung me over his shoulders. "And third, I was feeling emotional this morning. I needed a shoulder to cry on and he happened to be there"

"Oh, really" Amaka chirped in.

I ignored Amaka and turned towards Chioma.
" Chioma, Nothing is going on between Isaac and I"

Even though I had feelings for him but I knew better not to pursue it.
Chioma was interested in him so I need to back off.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yes" I assured her.
I felt like they were satisfied with my explanations.

I decided to ask them mine.

"Why weren't you guys picking your calls yesterday?"

"Eliza, you ruined my party?!" Chioma retorted.

"How?! What do you mean by that?!"
My anger was slowly rising to the surface.

"You spilled that drink in Chika, didn't you?" Amaka asked me.

I felt like I was in an interrogation room.

"I unintentionally spilled that drink on her" I pointed out to them, stressing on that word 'unintentionally'  I continued.
"someone bumped into me and I spilled it. Was that why you guys went Mia (missing in action) yesterday?"

"Well,we were angry. Eliza." Ebube replied.

"Well, why didn't you try to confirm from me about what happened? Why didn't you try to listen to my side of the story?" I asked them, feeling betrayed.

"Well, we were there Eliza. We thought you deliberately did it" Amaka said.

I shook my head, not believing what was coming out from their mouth.
"No, this is not how friends behave. Friends support each other. They stick to each other. I thought that you girls were in my corner!"

I glanced at Chioma, my supposed best friend. She slowly averted her gaze.

I felt like I was being stabbed in the back. I felt like I was in the middle of a lake, drowning while they stood on the shore, just watching me, not making a move to help me.

"Eliza!"

I jumped when I heard my name, I turned and it was Isaac.

No, Isaac. Not now. This is not the right time I thought.

"I've been looking for you all these while. I checked your class, I didn't know you were here" He smiled.

Well, okay, can you go please I thought

I felt uncomfortable right now because he was the subject of our argument earlier on.

I didn't want him to be here. I wanted him to leave.

"Why were you looking for me?" I asked him.

"Well, I wanted to know if you would be coming to St Thomas high school to watch me play?"

"Watch you play what?"

"Football. We'll be playing against St Thomas high school. So....." He said while coming closer "I would really love it if you would come support me"

I was speechless.

I was wracking my brain to come up with an excuse.

I glanced at Chioma, her arms were folded, glowering at me, willing me to speak.

I didn't want to give her the wrong impression that something was actually there when it wasn't.
But I really wanted to go watch him play.

I felt like I was backed into a corner.

Hey guys, I'm back again with new interesting chapters!!!

I know I took a pretty long while to update so I would be updating on the weekends now (Saturday or Sunday).

About the novel,

Eliza is really in a difficult situation.
What do you think she should do right now?

Don't forget to click that little star below. I noticed I've been getting little votes and it is very discouraging.

And please comment, I promise I will reply every one of them.

xoxo😘