April folds her clothes properly, while she arranges her box. Everyone had started preparing their things to go home. She finished her last paper four days ago.

But per the tradition of Hallel college, no one was leaving till the Christmas Carol and the distribution of results was done.

April wouldn't deny the fact she had spent the last four days eating and sleeping. Although Science had urged her to join them in the preparation for the Christmas Carol.

Science was obviously presenting something. If there was any preparation going on for Carol, April had no idea.

"Las las, it's still our Sunday wears, we will put on for this carol!" Science groans making April smile. "There is this red gown Mum just got me, I would have loved to slay in it," Science says and laughs.

"Then use it." April jokes.

"So you hate me this much!" Science says while she drags her box down too. "I'm sure SS3 ballers will surely host a party on new year's eve," Science says to April.

"That's nice!" April who didn't seem interested In this topic says.

"It would have been if I wasn't traveling to South Africa for the holidays," Science says.

"Your parents stay there?" April asks.

"No, Grandma does. That's where we have our family reunion. All her kids and grandkids visit every Christmas. But we didn't go last year, dad said we must go this year." Science says.

          ______________________________🖊

   April hugs herself while she walks to another side of the social hall.

Carol night was the next day, and students were already making preparations.

The senior students were the ones organizing the Junior students to do the work. She knew the credit would always be there, even though the only thing they did was stand and order students around or sit and order students around. Being a senior was one of the sweetest things in secondary school. April thought with a smile on her face.

Her smile suddenly turns into shock immediately Jordan appears in front of her, wondering when he got there, and where he came from, she takes a proper view of him.

He was clad in the school day wear, with a very heavy sweater. He looked sick.

"Seems like I knew I would see you here. I saw this In the music room, I thought you were going to get it one of these days, but you didn't. Wondering what you read for exams. You thought it was missing right?" Jordan asks. All this while April stared at him without uttering a word. She could guess he didn't remember anything. Because of the way and confidence, he approached her with. "What's wrong?" Jordan asks negligently what was going on.

"Nothing. Thank you!" April says casually, while she stretches her hands to collect the textbook. He releases it to her without breaking eye contact. She believed he was trying to decipher what was going on using her facial expression. Because she obviously sounded cold, which was unlike her.

Yes, he always made her speechless and uncomfortable, but today she wasn't feeling speechless, and neither was she uncomfortable, she just felt like moving away from his sight, just one look on his face, and everything that happened came gushing into her memory.

"You okay?" Jordan asks with an honest look on his face.

"Yes." She responds almost immediately.

"So this first term, done and dusted right?" He asks with a smile, obviously trying to make a conversation which definitely affected on April, she simply looks away. The awkward feelings were back again.

"You do drugs!" April blurts out without thinking. She watched as his face suddenly turns pale, they make eye contact for a while. Before Jordan looks away.

"Drugs?" Jordan asks to pretend like he didn't understand what she was saying. He suddenly smiles totally making it more awkward.

"You think I do drugs?" Jordan smiles. "What impression did I give you? I take alcohol doesn't mean I do drugs!" Jordan says keeping a straight face.

    April who couldn't believe it, he could deny it so easily, lets out a small smile. Which obviously wasn't genuine. It was how easily and effortlessly he denied it.

"I don't think so. Lying isn't helping either, because I witnessed it with my eyes." April says. The look on Jordan's face is priceless. "The last time I came to the music room, a few days before exams, that was where I dropped this. I didn't forget about them, I was only scared of coming to pick them up because you were there. I saw you take drugs, you also took it out on me. I am sure you can't remember." April says she could see the shock on Jordan's face. "Thanks for the books." She says and walks out without uttering any other word.

Living Jordan to dwell in his thoughts.

           ______________________________🖊

   April couldn't deny the fact the carol night was better than what she expected, the social hall looked beautiful and splendid. She could agree a lot of hard work was put into the progress of it. Although she had been feeling uneasy since she got in. That was the feeling she got when something wrong was about to happen. She could feel there was something wrong somewhere, but couldn't place her hands on what it was.

  The presentation made by the students was mindblowing. Although she wasn't part of anything they presented. She sat with Science and Nancy throughout. She hadn't set her eyes on Light since it began.

  She suddenly feels very interested when the head boy is called out for a closing speech. But the deputy comes out instead. There were murmurings among the students, till the deputy senior perfectly clears his throat using the microphone. The hall suddenly becomes quiet.

   April wonders why Jordan didn't come out to give the closing speech, she could bet he was around because she saw him while entering the hall, although she avoided eye contact with him.

    Listening to the DSP speak, she couldn't help but smile, he was very optimistic and funny.  He didn't fail to make some funny jokes, deep down she knew if Jordan was the one giving this address, you won't be seeing anyone's teeth shining, let alone a grin. The guy was just too stuck up, no matter how you tried to sugarcoat his case.

"Let's go," Nancy says interrupting April's thoughts. Making April gets up involuntarily, she didn't even notice when they said the lord's prayer.

"Finally, we are going home," Science says quite excited. Meanwhile, April lets out a weak smile.

    They start walking out, alongside a few students who were trooping out, some were even coming into the hall, which caused a lot of pressure while they moved, in less than some seconds, she is separated from her friends. She quietly hugs herself while she steps out of the hall, letting out an involuntary scream when someone drags her, she couldn't make out the face, but he was putting on a hoodie, besides the light was dim.

"Don't yell. I am the one." She recognizes the voice immediately, wondering why he pulled her out like that she turns to him fully. He was putting on a hoodie, his head was covered, and some parts of his face too.
"I'm sorry for pulling you out that way. I know I scared you, and I just wanted to apologize, I don't know what I did to you In my venerable state, I would never hurt anyone on purpose. I haven't had peace of mind since we spoke yesterday." Jordan says while he exposes his hair. April who seemed speechless stares at him. He looked so calm and peaceful, yet dangerous.

"I know you weren't in the right state of mind then. But you could be dangerous when you take that." April says calmly. "I don't have anything against you, "

"But your behavior towards me has changed." He defends.

"I'm not mad at you, I am just scared of getting close to you, " April says honestly. Now staring into those eyes, which she was always scared of looking into.

"I am sorry for whatever I did, " Jordan says, he had this genuine look on his face.

"I have nothing against you," April responds.

"Thanks." Jordan takes a deep breath. "So I won't be seeing you till next year." Jordan smiles. Meanwhile, the uneasy feeling begins again, she hugs herself. She hated this feeling of fear, she always felt this way, when something bad was going to happen.

"Sorry?" She asks.

"I mean, we always throw a new year's eve party. Wondering if you would be interested in coming!" Jordan says with both hands in his pocket.

Obviously the party the girls were talking about. Was he really inviting her. Although she knew his crowd was never hers. She would never fit in.

"I'm not the party type. Besides my mum won't let me go to any gathering which isn't school or church-related." April says in a calm tone.

"Can I have your social media handle?" Jordan asks casually.

"Not on any social media," April replies almost immediately. She noticed the look of disbelief Jordan gave her. "Or you don't want me to have it?" He asks with a smirk.

"Honestly I am not. April says.

"You need glasses to give you the look," Jordan says, obviously confusing April who didn't understand what he was saying. "I mean being a nerd," Jordan says.

    April couldn't help but smile, this was the first time he was joking around without his grumpy look. He had a smile on his face which made her believe there was another side of Jordan that she hadn't met.

"I am not a nerd." She smiles.

"Okay, give me your mobile number. Who knows I might convince your mum." Jordan smiles.

"You wouldn't want to meet her." April smiles, while she takes his phone and types her number. She knew deep down, there was no chance of giving in to what he was saying. The number was just for formality.

"We have been standing here for close to thirty minutes," Jordan confirms after April's hands the phone to him.
"Let me walk you..., "

"I don't think my friends have gone yet!" April interrupts. That uneasy feeling was back again. She silently made a short prayer. Praying for everyone close to her. Meanwhile, Jordan watches her without uttering a word.

"Are you okay?" Jordan asks immediately as she opens her eyes. She doesn't reply but throws her hands over him and buries her face on his chest, trying to stabilize her breath.

She always told herself, she was a tall girl, but with Jordan, she couldn't stand a chance.

Jordan suited her back tenderly obviously wondering what was going on with her.

"April." They disengage immediately.

  April and Jordan turn almost immediately, just to see Science and Nancy standing not too far from them.

Science waves at him, indicating a "hi", while Nancy as usual didn't utter a word nor move. Jordan nods at Science before turning to April.

"Hope you're okay? Be good." He says before retracing his steps. April watches him cover his hair and some part of his face again, while he strolled away.

"When did you become friends with Jordan?" Science asks not to lose eye contact with April.

1,896 WORDS🌹
THE BETRAYAL SER🌹ES