ALL DOWN THE DRAIN

Immediately assembly was over, I rushed out of the hall straight to the art studio. It seemed like it has been ages since I had been here. After finishing my sketch and starting tutorials with Vincent, I didn't come here frequently anymore. I knew that if they didn't see me in class, they would suspect that I was in the library so I chose to come to the studio instead. I wasn't ready to face anyone neither girls nor boys. The boys knew what happened on Saturday but I didn't think the girls did.

I fished out the studio keys from the pocket of my blazer to unlock the studio. I had to bribe Mr. Ola into giving me the keys. I told him I was going to make a portrait for him. 

I closed the door behind me before taking a seat in the outer studio. I didn't think there would be any need to go into the inner studio. Luckily I took my bag to the auditorium during assembly. I brought out my civic education notebook to read. The tests was holding for a week with three subjects each day and two on the last. As I flipped through my civic education notebook, I couldn't help but remind myself of Saturday. It had been playing in my head like a broken record. I kept reprimanding myself for going. If only I had stuck to the plan I made when coming to Regal high. . .

I gasped as someone pushed the door of the studio open and stomped into the place. My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as I widened them in utmost shock.

How did Vincent know I was here?

And he must have known Mr. Ola was not around that was why he settled for a grand entry.

I quickly stood up. "Vincent."

He came to stand in front of me too close for comfort. I knew Vincent was annoyed with me. He was really angry. I decided it was best to just be the bigger person and apologize.

I wouldn't die if I apologized right?

"You're happy now right?" He was breathing upon my face. I wanted to tell him to step back but I decided against it.

"I'm. . .sorry about Saturday Vincent."

"You saw me in one of my weakest states and you thought it was best to finally snap the last string holding my family together?" I saw the tears glazing his eyes and threatening to poor out. It broke my heart and made me feel as guilty as a serial killer who had gotten over her thirst for blood.

Why on earth did I go to that party?

"The freaking last string!"

"I didn't plan to cause trouble. Sorry," I apologized with all sincerity looking everywhere but Vincent. I never knew I could apologize so easily.

Vincent chuckled bitterly. "You didn't have to plan. Nairobi you're trouble." When he called my name, I remembered when he called me Ro. I liked it. So now it's just Nairobi. I doubt he would ever even call my name again. I could see it in his eyes. Vincent hated me now. I was forced to imagine how much damage I had caused not only for Constance but also Vincent, his family and me. Vincent clapped his palms. "You parents just came together and decided to create TROUBLE."

Why did he have to bring parents into this? But then he didn't know. He didn't know because he didn't want to know.

"When we have problems, let whatever you want to say stay within us. DON'T BRING PARENTS INTO IT OKAY?!" My voice was breaking for unknown reasons. This time I looked into his eyes. His dark brown eyes was so close to black and his pupils were dilated. Vincent was so close that if anyone sighted us, they would think we wanted to kiss. The irony. Vincent stared at me but said nothing.

"We're cancelling this tutorial," he finally said with a calm voice. He was struggling to be calm. It was as obvious as the sun on a sunny day.  "I don't want to talk to you, touch you or come near you ever again."

To be honest, his words hit me hard but I wouldn't let him know that. His words weren't supposed to hurt me so much. "Fine!"

"Don't tell Ms. Daniels," he threatened.

"It was all you just so you know. I never meant for you to tell Constance about her mother on her birthday," I said. I was not going to let him act like the victim. I didn't enjoy being threatened. "It was all your fault!"

Vincent stepped closer to me staring at me coldly. He pulled my jaw so that I looked straight at him.

The audacity!

"HOW DID YOU KNOW ABOUT HER?"

I was confused now. What exactly was Vincent angry about if not me telling him to tell Constance about her mother while he was drunk?

"Who told you?" He asked again eyes searching mine. Then he removed his hand from my jaw and stepped back a few paces. "I told you when I was drunk."

I let him believe what ever he wanted to believe. I wasn't ready to give explanations. "Why are you mad at me if not for what I stated?"

His expression turned hard. "You used the red cloth. It's special to Constance."

"Seriously?!" I screeched getting angry. "You hate me because I wanted to help your ungrateful ass? How was I supposed to know the old thing was special?!"

"Well Constance hates me!"

"Because you decided to blurt out how you killed your mother and so many other rub-"

I wasn't supposed to say that. I didn't want to but I was becoming equally angry.

"I s-said t-that?" It was then that it occurred to me that his friends must have told him what happened. He couldn't recall anything.

"Yes you did."

"But it's your fault. It's your stupid fault! Why did you even come to my home? I didn't invite you. You've ruined everything. And I was thinking. . .oh lord," he ruffled his overgrown hair pacing about.

"I should have never agreed to you coming to my home. I knew it was too good to be true. I didn't know your bad luck would be so. . .ugh! I don't want to ever interact with you. Ever." He stomped out of the art studio the same way he came in.

"You've made it clear enough the first time," I muttered slumping on my former seat.

After the bells for end of tests and beginning of break rang, I ran out to the class to the garden. I scolded myself for being so cowardly. I couldn't even face anyone. They would be expecting me to be at the library studying for mathematics so I decided to head to the garden instead.

"Nairobi."

I flinched and hit my head on a tree trunk. I looked up to see Stephen. I frowned. He had been acting like I was invisible through out the morning. The usual Stephen would come to my deck and disturb my life no matter how moody or dismissive I was. But Stephen didn't even greet me today, I was kind of hurt.

"What?" I asked in a very plain and cold voice as I continued solving my equations. He couldn't be here to have a friendly talk. It was very unlikely.

"How did you know about his mother?" Stephen didn't sit. He just stood in front of me.

"Just scold me already and get out," I said coldly not looking up at him.

And he did just that.

"Constance hasn't left her mother's room till today. Vincent has crawled back into his shell," Stephen narrated. "You should have just shut the hell up."

Stephen had never been so rude to me and I just wanted to hate him. But I couldn't. I blamed myself like everyone else did.

"WHY THE HECK ARE YOU ALL BLAMING THIS ON ME? I WASN'T THE DRUNK IDIOT THAT SPEWED GARBAGE TO HIS SISTER!" I didn't wait for him to speak as I angrily packed my books, shot him a glare and angrily walked away.

"How was your tests?" Chijioke asked me. He was talking with an unfamiliar schoolmate at the class entrance. I honestly hadn't met or crossed him since morning. I didn't see him during assembly and after each test, he just disappeared from the class.

"Fine," I answered through gritted teeth. I didn't mean to. We didn't say anymore after that because I walked away. Aliyah and Jessica weren't in class. Amanda was studying. I sighted Israel studying with Nmesoma and shook my head.

Cheat.

All my efforts to at least make friends just went down the drain. I scoffed bitterly. I was made to be lonely. It was at this moment I realised how much I missed Richard. I rushed to the toilet and I wept.

Naya's a crybaby. Who agrees with me? Vote if you do and um. . .still vote if you don't.

Byeee