Dedicated to lizzy_lizzie

Taking slow strides, Daniel moved towards the door. I was on my feet too, anxious and curious to know who was at the door. In my heart, I prayed vehemently it wasn't a teacher. What would be our explanation of being alone, together in a class?

Although we weren't in a compromising position but it was all too suspicious coupled with the mentality of Nigerian adults. If you ever saw a young girl and boy alone, in an enclosed space they were up to no good.

"Just tell him you'll be his girlfriend, jare." The unmistakable voice of Zara said.

Flouncing into the classroom with an arm round Anna's shoulder, Zara whistled in no particular rhythm. While Wale walked behind them hands shoved in the pocket of his combat-trousers like he was their bodyguard, escorting them.

"Three of you are mad!" Daniel used his index finger to point at the side of his head.

"Very mad!" I buttressed as I walked to join Daniel in front of the class. "In fact insane." I added  when I got to his side.

The trio who stood before us standing in accordance to their height had shocked faces as a result of Daniel and I's utterances. They stood in the order; Wale, Zara then Anna.

"Daniel ahan! Just because we want you both to reconcile?!" Zara whined like a little child. She took her hand away from Anna's shoulder letting it fall to her side.

"Daniel ahan, just because we want you both to reconcile!" Daniel mimicked in a high pitched voice. This earned laughter from Anna, Wale and I while Zara glared at him. "That's how you sound; stupid."

"The only stupid person here is you." Zara retorted, her bulging eyeballs glaring at him in disdain.

Her orange colored tank top was drenched with sweat at the neckline due to sweat and beads of sweat which arrayed her  forehead rolled down her face slowly.

"Says the ninny. Abeg go sit down one side," Daniel used a hand to dismiss her but she didn't move. Instead she stood unmoving, staring at him eye to eye.

"Idiot!" Using her palm, Zara wiped off the beads of sweat on her forehead then wiped her hand on her denim jacket which was tied around her waist.

"Fool." 

I could feel the tension in the room. It wasn't one I liked and I didn't want to be put in a situation where I would have to choose between one of my best friends and the guy I liked.

Through gritted teeth, Zara replied Daniel, batting her eyelashes while eyeing him. "Asshole!"

"Fuckh-"

Wale whose eyes had been flickering from Daniel to Zara as they exchanged words raised his hands up and said, "you both should calm down. We aren't kids anymore."

"It was this tall fool over here that started it." A hiss followed Zara's words.

Simultaneously, Anna and I called her name in disapproval, "Zara!"

"What?" She questioned then added, "he started it."

She was right. Daniel started it though Zara and the others had a part to play but it all still fell back to him. He had really changed compared to how he behaved while we were dating.

Wale turned to the girls, "I think we should leave."

"I'm not even staying here with this..." Without completing her sentence, Zara stormed out of the class.

Anna shook her head then walked out of the class with Wale.

I decided to voice my thoughts minutes after they had left Daniel and I alone again. "You've changed." I moved in front of his path so I was standing face to face with him. My head was slightly raised up so I could make eye contact with him.

"Is the change a good or bad one?"

I shook my head sideways, "a very bad change. Very horrible."

"I apologize for that."

I refuted his apology, "It's none of my business  It's your girlfriend, Tobi's problem," intentionally bringing up the topic.

He raked his hand through his disheveled hair, "yeah." He whispered.

Sashaying back to where I was seated earlier, I moved my hips hoping it would tease him. I had watched in a couple of movies how the lady intentionally shook her hips to get the man's attention. And it always worked.

Taking my seat, I noticed Daniel was still facing the whiteboard, hand still on his hair. I grew sad as my sashaying went in vain but the emotion was gone when I heard his voice.

"I asked before the cockroaches interrupted, would Tobi be willing to be my girlfriend again?" He was still in front of the class staring at the whiteboard, one hand in his pocket, the other tugging on his hair.

I shrugged feigning ignorance, "how do I know? Or am I Tobi?"

"What's your name?"

The perplexity of the question made me furrow my brows. He knew my name so why was he asking. "Tobi," I answered nonetheless.

"Your name is Tobi right? Then maybe you're the Tobi." He turned around slowly. A corner of his lips twitched upwards.

"It maybe you, it maybe me. It maybe someone by your side."

Daniel threw his head back while he chuckled due to my song.

"It's you joor!" He gave up, sighing in defeat . "Nigerian girls are something else. You girls can't let a guy ask your out stylishly. That's how Irene was-"

The smile on my face faded. "Who is Irene?"

His eyes went wide as though he realized something. His silence was questioning which meant there was probably more to this Irene girl.

"Who is Irene?" I reiterated taking in his composure, searching for lies.

"She's just a friend." He answered. "We live in the same vicinity." He added then I nodded.

"Did you ask..." Just as I was about to ask a question he interrupted me carrying on with what we were saying earlier before the name Irene came up.

"So back to what I was saying," Daniel interrupted "Will Tobi be my girlfriend?"

A smile broke on my face, "I don't know."

He walked over to me, took both my hands in his hands and pulled me up. "You don't know, eh?" He asked looking down at me while I stared back, raising my head to look back at him.

I nodded.

"I really love Tobi and I'm a hundred percent sure she loves me too."

I scoffed, "she loves who?"

"Alright then." He said then thought for a while before speaking. "In alphabetical order, what's the third vowel?"

Third vowel? Was he teaching me kindergarten work now? "Why do you ask?"

"Just answer the question."

Without pushing further, still puzzled, I answered. "I?"

"What's the opposite of hate?"

"Love." I was puzzled. "What's with the funny questions Daniel?"

"Y. O. U. Spells what?"

"Daniel, why the questions?"

He rolled his eyes, "just answer my question. Y. O. U. Spells?"

"You." I replied.

"Say all three words together."  He instructed.

"I... love... you?" I said all three words as he had instructed then repeated when I realized what he made me say. "I love you."

A proud grin appeared on his face. "I love you too."

I retracted my hands from his then pushed his chest playfully while laughing. "You're a-"

"Genius." He completed, interrupting me.

I scoffed then hissed. "Genius indeed."

Wrapping his hands round my waist, he pulled me closer to him closing the little space between us. "I missed you."

"I didn't miss you at all." I lied then he feigned being hurt.

"I know you missed me. I also miss... kissing you."

I blushed, averting my gaze to his chest. One of his hands left my waist but I found the fingers of the hand raising my head to look at his face.

Our eyes staring at each others, he bent his head, eyes flicking to my lips and his lips which were slightly pouted approached mine slowly. Using both his hands on my waist, he held me tighter probably to avoid me from releasing myself from his grasp.

Ring!

The sound made us pull apart. Quickly, he pecked my cheek and ran to pick his phone which was responsible for the ringing from the table.

"Guy, how far na?" Daniel said after picking the call, a frown of displeasure on his face.

"Oh." The frown on his face vanished. "We're coming." He ended the call and shoved the phone in his pocket.

"English teacher is in the class." He told me on seeing the quizzical look I gave him after the call. "Wale said he's already teaching."

"Oh gosh!"

Our English teacher, Mr Usman doesn't take nonsense. The potbellied man always had a cane with him everywhere he went.

"Let's hurry to the class." Daniel told me and we went out the class. Fortunately, the trio didn't lock the door on their way out.

We both ran to the senior block and flew the stairs so we could make it in time for  the class.

"Good afternoon Sir." The greeting flew out of both our mouths simultaneously. The hungry eyes of our classmates averted to where Daniel and I stood by the doorway.

The pin-mouth of the marker departed from the board. Mr Usman closed the marker then turned to look at us, bending his head slightly and moving the thick lens of his glasses a tab bit farther  from the bridge of his nose. His dull eyes stared directly at us instead of using his glasses.

He pushed back the glasses then spoke, "how may I help you?"

"We... are in this class Sir." My voice quivered as I stuttered while replying.

He stood upright, then took a look at the wristwatch on his strapped wrist. "You're thirteen minutes late." After saying this, he walked backwards without taking a glance from his back  then grabbed the long cane that leaned on the wall.

"Where were you both?"

My heart began to thump in my chest while I remained silent. My eyes travelled round the class taking in the countenance of my classmates who were seated watching the scene playing out before them.

My eyes landed on a familiar face with a crooked grin resting on the lips. The sight of both of us in distress must have been enthralling to Pauline.

Daniel who was standing next to me answered, "we were at the library reading a physics textbook. We had both argued on a particular question we saw in our textbook. We didn't know we had spent so much time in the library. We're sorry Sir." The lie rolled of Daniel's tongue while he exuded confidence as opposed to the fear which must be very glaring on my face.

Daniel was a very good liar. The lies always rolled off his tongue smoothly and confidently. He was also very convincing. I wonder if I had ever lied to me but I doubt that though. Daniel wouldn't do such, at least to me.

"Wow."  Mr Usman said nodding his head. "These are diligent students. While they are reading, the rest of you are playing with phones, games and all sort of nonsense. I hope you won't play your life away." All these Mr Usman said while pointing his long cane at Daniel and I.

Pauline's grin was replaced with a displeased frown. Luck shined on me and our eyes met. I flashed my teeth to her, it was my turn to grin.

"You can both go to your seats." Mr Usman told us and we both hurried to our respective seats. "The rest of you had better emulate these two..."

"So what happened? Are you both back together?" Anna whispered when I sat down.

"Later." I whispered back.

"I hate that idiot you're dating." Zara muttered, a frown on her face. "Did you say yes?"

I shrugged with a grin.

"I want details." Zara told me.

A/N
Writing is not for lazy! Kudos to all writers!

I apologize for being inconsistent with the updates of this book. A lot happens behind the pen. Funny enough, I wasn't having writer's block. I was just tired, worn out and disinterested. I also feel like my writing is crap. All these coupled with how overwhelmed I feel due to all that is happening in the world. I'm so scared and sad. And being the sensitive person that I am, it affects my mood. All I can say is, it is well. May the Lord lead us through.

The Bling Lagosians was the answer to the question in the author's note of chapter thirty. Only two people got the answer correctly lizzy_lizzie and Black-At_Heart

Who's your favorite character in this book?

This chapter took me about six days to write plus the breaks and all though. Chapter's unedited.