Samson's POV

"Hello Samson." It was Jane who sat down besides me. Okay, I have to cope with her throughout the ride. It was sure going to be a long and boring ride.

"Hello." I tried to smile but I couldn't. I was so pissed that it had to be Jane. I would have preferred someone else at least.

She grinned at me. "What's the problem? You don't seem excited to go for this ride." She sounded like she knew I wasn't excited, whereas I was excited but wasn't excited she was sitting next to me.

I didn't bother answering her perspective of my mood, I just stayed mute, scanning my eyes to see where Anita was. My eyes then landed on her back head. She was sitting at the front with a guy, obviously. I rolled my eyes at the thought of her sitting with that Lucas of a guy.

In a minute, the bus kicked off. As the bus moved, I was looking outside the window whilst miss Jane kept talking to me. Was she even aware that I wasn't listening to her?

"....so what do you say Samson? Samson? Samson!"

I jolted. "Ye...yes. Yes. What's the problem?" I was caught off guide.

"Wait, don't tell me you haven't been listening to me?" She scrunched her face.

"Er...well, not...really." I stressed my words, shrugging at the same time.

"Really?" Her voice broke. Instantly, I felt bad.

I just stayed quiet. I couldn't lie to her that I was listening.

"Fine." She sniffed, brought out her phone and started using it. Why was she being so dramatic right now? But even at that, I felt guilty. I mean, she was only human who also needed to be listened to, just like every other person. Because if I were to be in her  shoe, I'd probably do worse.

I sighed. "Jane, it's not like–"

"Just forget it. I'm sorry I sat with you. If you want to me to leave now, I could." Okay why was she playing the pity card?

I mentally rolled my eyes and scoffed a little. "And sit where?"

She looked around. "I don't know. Maybe stand or exchange seats with your girlfriend, Anita." Emphasis was laid.

I almost burst out laughing. This girl was being so dramatic. "And you think she'd agree to that?" I chuckled a bit.

"If she doesn't, then it's obvious she doesn't feel a thing for you."

Ouch! That pierced my heart. "Well, I wouldn't put it that way. You know what, enough of Anita talk."

"Hmm. Okay then. So what should we discuss about?"

"Anything. Maybe what you were talking to me about while I wasn't listening. Now I'm listening." I grinned at her.

She chuckled. "Nah. I'd rather we discuss something else."

"Okay." I simply said with a blank head. Nothing was forth coming.

"O...kay?"

"Huh...why me?" Oops! That just popped out of my mouth.

"Sorry?" She squinted her eyes in a perplexed manner, and I was hoping didn't hear. "Why you?" Okay, she heard.

"Uhm...yeah." I was looking straight ahead with my eyes wide open. I was quite embarrassed. "Yeah, why me?"

She started chuckling before it turned to a laughter, earning a few stares from students beside us.

"Why you?" She looked at me seductively.

I cleared my throat. Okay, this was really uncomfortable. "You heard right."

"Well," she shrugged, turning to a serious mode. "Because you are you."

I snapped my head at her reply. That wasn't what I was expecting.

"What?" She smirked. Okay, could she quit the acting with me?

"Just that?"

"Yeah. What more do you wanna hear? That you're handsome, dark, intelligent, what? All those are just subtitle of you."

"Argh! You making this difficult for me. Like, why did you choose me out of all the handsome guys here. I mean, there's Lucas." I pointed at him. Okay, I just indirectly admitted he was handsome.

She laughed a little. "Samson, asides from being handsome and all. You are Nigerian. Let's not even talk about that now. Your looks doesn't speak of you or define you, it's the size of your heart and the strength of your character. You're a nice guy, Samson. Lucas might be all that. Maybe more handsome that you are–"

"Uh-uh, not more handsome." I pouted like a child.

She burst out laughing. "Okay, not more handsome. He might be all that, but that doesn't mean I would like him. Yes, I crushed on him but I never wanted to know him 'cause I didn't fancy his personality. So...that's it."

I nodded my head slowly. "Fair enough." 

"So you, why...Anita?"

I smiled. "What makes you think I like Anita?"

She scoffed. "Duh! It's obvious. I can see it clearly written in your eyes right now." She traced my eyes, looking toward Anita's direction. "You ain't happy she's with that guy."

I sighed. "I can't really do much. She's grown up and can do whatever she wants to do. I'm just a...guy that she's not even seeing." I giggled at my statement, and that earned me a genuine smile from Jane. "Why I chose her is because she's special. She's unique. She's smart obviously. She's...she's just it for me."

"Aw! So...do you still like her?"

"Oh hell yes! I really do."

"And do you think the feeling is mutual?"

"Honestly, Anita is a complex being. I can't really understand her. Sometimes, she acts like she likes me too, other times, she doesn't even care if I exist. It almost seem as though she's playing with my feelings. And it hurts."

"Why don't you talk to her about it?"

"Nah. I can't afford to lose her the second time. She's a great friend, trust me, and I don't wanna lose such soul from my life. Even though she doesn't like me like I do, I know I have a soft spot in her heart, I hope though."

"Hmm. You said lose her a second time? Explain that."

I smiled. "This seem like an interview."

"I know right?"

"Well, I expressed my feeling towards her and asked her to be my girlfriend. She didn't reply me, instead her treatment towards me changed. She hated me. And I'm scared if I do that again, she'd hate me and possibly never talk to me again. So...I can't talk to her about it again. Let's just remain friends."

"Hmm."

There was a brief silence between us.

"So...what about us?" She asked.

"It doesn't hurt to be friends?"

"Are you asking or you want us to be friends?"

"Okay, let's be friends." I smiled.

She smiled too. "Don't you have a cell phone?"

"Er...no, not for now."

"Why? You're old enough to be using a phone."

"I know that. I just feel having a phone now would be a huge distraction to me, so I decided not to get one." I half lied. 

"Hmm, not bad. Serious boy." She teased.

"Oh well, you could say that again."

The bus finally stopped. I guess we've arrived already.

We got down from the bus. Jane went to meet her friends, so I was walking alone. I then sighted Anita and Lucas walking together. Dang it! Couldn't this hell of a guy leave Anita alone. Well, at this point he couldn't stop me from going to meet Anita. She was my friend too. But why was she angry with me? I can't remember upsetting her.

I walked slowly to them. "Hey." I greeted. One hand was in my pocket, the other was what I used to wave at them.

"Hey bro." Lucas shook my hand.

"Hey Samson." Anita replied.

"Anita...can I talk to you in private?"

She looked at Lucas before responding. "Sure." What was that look for though? Were they now a thing?

She walked up to me and we walked away. She started walking silently. I was nervous to say anything to her.

"Are we gonna do this?" She broke the silence.

"What?" I asked awkwardly.

"This. Us walking without you saying anything."

"Oh." I chuckled in a somewhat nervous way. Why do I always feel this way when I was with this girl? Lord, help me. I have to learn to control my emotions whenever I'm with her.

She stopped in her track, making me stop too. "So...you're ready to talk now?"

"I..." I sighed. "I don't know what I did to you or what I said to you, but if I've offended you, I'm really sorry. We can't be doing this here. You're the only person I can talk to here."

"Oh, really?" She pouted her lips, with her arms around her tit. "What about your girlfriend?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "You know I don't have a girlfriend."

She rolled her eyes. "Since you want me to say her name, then I would. What about Jane, your girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Then what is she? Your sex mate?"

"What are you even saying?" I was getting pissed already. "I could also say the same thing about you but no, I respect you that's why. She's just a friend, and that began today."

"Oh, a friend now? I thought you said you didn't have anybody to talk to here."

"Anita, you know what I mean by that. Besides, why getting so jealous just because of a girl? You know I can never date her."

She chuckled. "Why would I be jealous? Or you're the one that's jealous of Lucas and I relationship."

I looked her like I was talking to the Anita I knew before. "What came over you, Anita?"

"Nothing. I'm still the Anita you know. I haven't changed."

"Oh, I see. So who's this Lucas guy to you?"

"My..." She gulped. "He is my very close friend, so I don't know why you're getting all worked up about him."

"So are you. Jane is not even my friend yet. I just got to know her today, so it's still a build up process."

"Then get to hang out with her so you can get to know her better and probably ask her out."

"You know it's our last day here. And can you stop talking about asking her out. I feel nothing for her, honestly."

"Oh my! You're very right. It's our last day here. I need to go hang out with Lucas, so I don't miss him too much." That sounded like a forced speech, but it got to me a little bit.

"So...you gonna leave me here, all alone?"

"You could do same with your new friend, Jane." She shrugged, looking away like she knew I was hurting by her words but she just enjoyed watching me get hurt.

"Wait, why are you doing this to me? Who am I to you?"

"I'm doing nothing to you, Samson. And, you're just a friend."

It felt as though my spirit man left my body. I felt numb. Her words struck me real hard. I felt GAMED! So...I was just a friend to her?

My mouth was left in ajar. "Wow!" My voice broke. I blinked my eyes countlessly, so a tear wouldn't drop. It was that bad.

"Are you all right?" She asked indifferently.

I closed my eyes and opened it again. "Yeah, yeah, sure, I am."

"So...what about me, what do you feel for me?"

Was she really asking? Well, I couldn't lie to her.

"I...I can't lie to you or pretend that I don't like you. I really do. I see you as a true friend. The closest friend I've ever hard." I paused, and gulped a little. I was trying so hard not to cry. I hope I don't. "You are very special to me, and you'd always be. Right now, I don't care if you hate me or not, I just want to tell you that, I still have a huge crush on you. But even though it stops, you'd always be special to me. That's who you are to me, and that's what I feel for you."

"Oh." She looked away from me. She was obviously in shock, and I could see a little feel of guilt in her. "Thanks. Later." She turned back and walked away slowly.

Was this it? Was it over? She said 'later', well, that meant it might not be over. But yet again, Anita wasn't predictable. I just hope she doesn't cut ties with me.

The excursion was a fun one, but obviously not for me. I don't know about Anita, but it wasn't for me. I felt a little bit down.

It was five in the evening and it was time for us to return to our various destination.

We were then asked to enter into the bus. I sighted Anita entering. Few seconds later, I entered the bus too.

"Uhm...is the seat taken?"

She looked up at me. She nodded her head 'no.'

I then sat down beside her.

"Hey Anita." Lucas came.

"Hey Luke." She already had a nickname for me? Wow!

He looked at me in a way that read 'dude, you sitting on my seat.'

"Uhm...I'm sorry. I guess you kept the seat for him." I wanted to stand but Anita held me down.

"No, I didn't. You happen to be first to sit here, so it's fine."

"Really?" Lucas frowned a bit.

"Yeah."

"Fine." He stormed out.

I paused a bit before speaking up. "Are you sure it's fine, cause he looked pretty much annoyed?"

She chuckled. "Yeah. You sat here first, so no issue."

"Okay then. I don't just wanna be the cause of you guys fight."

She laughed. "It's fine. I would call and explain to him when we get to the hotel, so you don't need to worry."

"That'd be better."

We didn't speak at all to each other throughout the ride. In fact, I slept off.

Hours later, we got to our destination.

Principal Shedrack, "Welcome back students. How was it? Hope you had fun and learnt something." He said.

"Yes Sir." We answered simultaneously.

"So our stay here is over. Go to your rooms and pack up, we leave tomorrow."

"Okay Sir."

We rushed upstair to our rooms. I was exhausted. Today had been a long and eventful day. In spite of all that happened today, I learnt something. Something that made me pleased and disappointed at the same time. Well, life isn't a bed of roses.

We both got to our doors opposite each other. As I was trying to unlock my door, I heard a word from Anita, "thanks."

I slowly twirled around to face her. "Thanks? For what?"

"For what you said to me today."

"Oh," I smirked. "It's really nothing to thank me for. It's just the way I feel about you. But since you're thanking me for that, well, thanks also for letting me know how you truly feel about me. I really appreciate it." I smiled genuinely at her. I was really grateful that she told me how she felt. Now I could focus on my studies.

She smiled sadly at me.

I nodded at her, still smiling before I finally unlocked my door and went in.

* * * * *

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