Jessica gasped dramatically immediately we stepped down from the pink SUV. We all turned sharply to her.

"We didn't even gist again!" Jessica lamented. The rest of us just groaned and rolled our eyes.

The love fest was planned to take place in the Senior school cafeteria. Since the cafeteria had round tables and chairs unlike the auditorium, it served the purpose. Regular couples paid three thousand for a table of two, while those on double dates paid seven thousand for a table of four. Then there was table for six which cost ten thousand. I didn't know which one Vincent planned for. I just hoped he didn't pay for a table for two. Awkwardness would choke us to death, if he did that.

As we walked to the senior school building, we saw few couples loitering, walking hands in hands, while laughing and chatting animatedly. Some hung out at a few stands that had been set up. I could notice an ice cream stand and a gift kiosk.

"Tonight's going to be awesome!" Jessica squealed. I suspected her super excitement was just because Stephen agreed to be her val. Just as we were about to enter the building, two boys were coming out.

Hakeem and Chijioke.

Hakim was dressed in a red danshiki. It was like he and Aliyah planned to go traditional. It was kinda cute. Chijioke was dressed casually in a white shirt, black rugged jean and white sneakers. His red face cap was turned backwards.

This boy though.

The two paused at the same time and looked us over with hanging jaws.

"Hakeem close your mouth," Aliyah said.

"These girls came to murder men them!" Hakim exclaimed turning to Chijioke. "These girls are fire!"

I couldn't stop myself from smiling. I knew Hakeem. I've had an encounter with him and it was a good one. He also part of my few favorite seniors. He met me in the art studio one time when I was working on an assignment Mr. Akin, our visual arts instructor had given us. The man had told us to make an art with the theme, motherhood and I was stuck. He wasn't into art but music, yet he gave me a some ideas.

I caught Chijioke staring at Jessica and  his heartache made very obvious by the way he was looking at her. It was either Jessica was oblivious to this or she chose to pretend she didn't see him because she kept smiling, giggling and saying 'awwn'. She had revealed to me earlier that she hadn't spoken to him since Monday when the shit happened.

"I agree." Chijioke nodded. "You're beautiful –" His eyes widened. "I mean you all are beautiful. Very." I smiled lightly. He must have been referring to Jessica earlier.

I wondered who Chijioke came with until Hakeem told us Chijioke volunteered to take his place in the media team.

"My friend, I love what you did to your hair," Hakeem said to me.

"Thank you." I had applied a coil activator Amanda had given me so that my coils were  more pronounced. Hakeem said something to Aliyah in Hausa and she blushed.

"Get out." Then she added something else in Hausa that got him grinning from ear to ear. I had to wonder when they became so close because Aliyah spent most her school time with us.

Chijioke threw me a mock salute before he and Hakim left us.

"Jessie, are you fighting with CJ?" Aliyah asked as we walked into the building.

"You took the words right out of my mouth. How could he resist touching this gloriousness?" Amanda said too.

"Uh. . .we-the boys!" Jessica screeched. "Wow!" She added with dreamy eyes. Just at the entrance of the cafeteria, Vincent, Stephen, Alec and Peter were seated chatting and laughing.

"Hey!" Jessica greeted standing in front of Stephen. The way she had walked so fast leaving us behind was baffling. The boy looked up from her leg slowly up to her face as he bit his lip. When his eyes got to her face, he muttered a 'wow'.

Amanda shook her head with a smile and muttered 'Jessica' before we walked to meet the boys too. The stupid boys just gaped at us, looking at us from toe to head.

"Chimamanda," Peter breathed with a cheeky smile. His gaze lingered on the slit stopping mid thigh. "What exactly is your plan tonight?" He was dressed in a red tuxedo with a white shirt with three undid buttons underneath. Some how his hair that had pronounced coils looked darker and his skin lighter. The boy was just too fine.

"You're such a perv!" It was very obvious that she was blushing. Alec kept nodding at us like a lizard, a cheeky grin in place. He was dressed almost like Peter with just few modifications. Vincent wore a very dark red tuxedo with a black shirt under. I just shook my head at that. The seniors had told us uncountable times that red and white were the colours of the day. But at least he was better than Stephen. The boy wore a black turtle neck and black trousers with white sneakers, then a blood red blazer. Unlike his friends that were sensible enough to wear single and simple chains, he settled with numerous big chains instead. I was  aware of a pair of eyes looking at me. I looked and Stephen's eyes met mine. Jessica was saying something to him and he was checking me out? And biting his lips at that? This guy was unbelievable.

Someone held my hand and I looked down to see Vincent with a small smile. This guy was dressed so simply but he was easily the most good looking out of the four of them in my opinion. He tugged my hand gently as if telling me to seat.

"Aren't we going inside yet?" I asked craning my neck to look into the cafeteria. It seemed like the event had started.

"We're waiting for my val," Alec said before he dialed a number on his phone.

I sat beside Vincent and my heart raced for reasons best known to it. The others were talking to themselves and I just sat there stiffly beside Vincent.

What to talk about? I had no idea. I knew right from when I said yes that spending time not studying with Vincent would be hella awkward.

"I like your necklace," Vincent started.
I unconsciously touched the piece of jewelry dangling from my neck. 

"Thank you."

"You look drop dead gorgeous."

My eyes threatened to fall off their sockets with the way I widened them. How could he just say that?

How?!

And the fact that I was looking all flustered while he looked at me directly made me more flustered.

Who the hell was this boy?!

"Xander!" A very girly voice called. Alec stopped whatever he was telling Aliyah and looked up, beaming with a smile. We all did. Standing in front of us was a girl of about 5'6 height and beautiful dark skin that practically glowed. I knew her. She was the the annoying girl from final assembly last term. Apparently she was in the art class.

"Dabira!" Jessica shot up fawning over the girl. "Dayum this degree of hotness is dangerous! Girl you look amazing."

And yes, she did look amazing. Just like Jessica she had a knee length boot, though hers was leather and black. Her outfit consisted of a white long sleeved turtleneck top underneath a very short red camouflage dungaree. Then a red beret over her rainbow coloured Bob cut hair.

"And Alec looks ridiculous! Hey guys," she smiled sweetly at us. "Dude suit seriously?!" She was turning the boy around and clicking her tongue in displeasure.

"It's a tuxedo. And let's be honest you mean I look ridiculously handsome."

"No you don't! What happened to our casual look?!"

"You don't look casual though. You look like a fashion model from Paris," Peter commented. The Dabira girl stared at Peter and smiled.

"Meow! Peter a la hot!"

"You don't get to say that to my val," Amanda joked dragging Peter to herself.

"Stephen!"

"Mine!" Jessica said hugging Stephen to herself. The boy looked a bit uncomfortable by that but the discomfort was gone as soon as it came and he was grinning like a moron.

The rainbow haired girl turned to me and Vincent. "Vincent has a val? Wow shocker. Are you our classmate?"

Oh wow. She didn't even know or remember me. That was the real shocker.

"How would you know." Aliyah scoffed inaudibly after her statement. Dabira turned to her direction beside Alec and she sure acted like she was just seeing Aliyah.

"Wow. Your gown is beautiful. The flay really suits your shape. It doesn't bring out your stomach. And is that some cleavage I see? I half expected you to come here in a niqab." The girl giggled at a joke only she found funny. "Who is your val by the way?"

Aliyah just stared at the girl and I saw her eyes glaze over. She blinked numerous times before speaking. "I need fresh air." With that she walked away so fast.

"Never. Never ever talk to my friend like that." I snapped at the girl who watched Aliyah walk away. The girl turned to look at me with a clueless and confused look.

"What did I say?" She even sounded confused and honestly clueless. "Why does Aliyah not like me? I try to say nice things all the time but she's always offended by something." I heard her say as I walked away to follow Aliyah.

Was she really so clueless?

I could only just hiss.

When I reached outside, I couldn't find Aliyah. I tried to look out for any white scarf but it was futile. I only hoped she hadn't decided to go home.

"The others have gone inside," Vincent told me immediately I got to the entrance of the cafeteria like it wasn't obvious. "We paid for the table of six. I hope you're okay with that."

"If the Dabira girl is sitting with us then I'm not okay with it," I said as I proceeded to walk into the cafeteria. Vincent pulled me back.

"She's Alec's val."

"I don't like her."

"I feel you. She's blunt as hell and she never even knows when she says the wrong things. Reasons I can't be friends with her. I would just bite her head off."

I actually chuckled at that and Vincent smiled. "Shall we?"

"I'm clueless."

Vincent placed my hand under his elbow, the shot me a smile before leading me into the cafeteria while I just stared at Vincent.

Can you get used to the new Vincent?

What are your thoughts about Oluwadabira?

And should I write about the love fest in Vincent's or Nairobi's POV? The differences between both POVs are not much though.

Give me your votes and feedbacks.

Your girl,

Ann.