I'm back😊❤️ Thank Stardust_Wendy she's the reason this update is coming early❤️

Don't forget to vote oo. Hope you all enjoy the chapter. I'm saving the long A/N for after the chapter.

Song for this chapter is Dynasty by Mia.

First verse is for Hassana and Giwa..

Second verse is for Giwa and Ivandor

(Listen AFTER the chapter 😊❤️)

I won't lie, I have been scared to release this chapter, but... E go be😚🙏

~GIWA~

"So, that Stella girl, did she eventually win the post of Head girl?" Mum asked, starting off the car engine, as soon as Nini and I had joined her in the next night.

I actually laughed at the question, adjusting my seat belts and recalling the students election and prefectship hand over that had been the main deal of these past days. Today, we got to finally hand over our posts to the Ss2s'. So long, head girl post. It was good while it lasted.

"Really, Mum?" I said to her. "You were rooting for Stella too?"

Mum laughed a little.

"I don't even know who she is, I had just been catching small small gist. Seems like she was really at the advantaged side of the post." she admitted, driving now.

"True." I agreed. "But, Aminah shocked me too though. I mean, the way her votes suddenly skyrocketed. It was something I couldn't really understand. I didn't expect her to give Stella such a tough competition."

Mum laughed softly, letting out a soft "Ahhh."

"Stella. Aminah. Stella. Aminah." She was saying. "It's hard not to pick up names like that when it's in the mouth of every student of CH."

True.

"You all took these elections so seriously oo, as if it was a do or die something. Even carrying it to Social Media and everything. Scary." She commented still.

"Correction, Ss2s' did." I replied, suddenly pausing, thinking, then adding, "Well, and some of my classmates too."

"And my classmates too." Nini chipped in for me.

"Okay, fine. Let's say the entire school, except me." I just concluded, chucking slightly.

To be honest, the 'Hand over' was thrilling and all, but I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I wasn't thinking so much about Hassana.

Oh Hassana..

I knew that she was going to be fine, as the doctor said, but ever since yesterday night I had talked to her, been with her, my heart and mind couldn't be stable enough. Needless to say, I wasn't completely relaxed. Not like Mum and Nini at least.

"So!" Mum's voice brought me back to earth immediately, causing me to look at her through the rear view mirror.

"My baby girl is officially a big girl. You've handed over your post now. Abi?" Mum was saying to me, occasionally moving her eyes between the road and the mirror like she needed to see my facial expression as she spoke.

I don't know if she knew I wasn't totally okay and was trying to make me feel better. I figured that was what she was doing anyways. She was fund of that. I just smiled, anything to make her think I was okay for the mean time.

Through out the ride, I scanned through the screenshots of school work in my phone, privately revising all I had already read. Over-read, even. Over and over. Going through all these stuff so continuously almost got boring... But I couldn't find any other thing to do when I was idle if it wasn't studying. After all, WAEC starts on Monday.

We reached the hospital in no time. A little past 6 pm. Barely a five minutes drive it took.

The Town Hospital. That was where we were, driving in through the massive black gates. The same hospital that we were at yesterday night. The same one that Hassana was admitted into after.. yunno, what happened.

The car suddenly got quiet as we had gotten in, mum, driving in towards the parking lot, suddenly seizing her conversation with Nini who sat at the back seat this time with me. That, alone, made me know that even she was still worried. I understood now. I mean, even if she were worried, she was the mum here, she was the one who should be in control or at least feign control of her emotions. At least for me and Nini.

I sighed when it was time to come out of the car, closing it right behind as I stepped out. Nini left through the other side of the car. Mum locked the car up the moment we were all outside.

"Shade Onam is here!" Nini suddenly squealed, making me jolt up for a second at the sharpness and suddenness of the announcement when the atmosphere was eerily quiet between us all.

I followed her eyes, So did Mum. We both landed eyes on Shade Onam's massive limo, and the large able-bodied men in tuxedos and sunglasses who looked like movie spies standing around it like they were guarding the car from being stolen or something.

"I see you told your friends what happened..." Mum turned to me.

"I texted them actually." I replied.

I had sent texts to them telling them what happened that night as I was coming back from the hospital. Due to the way things were packed up for me as the head girl today, I did not have a chance to talk to them in person.

I wasn't even sure of my stance with Shade and Prissy. Shade, for a while had been a surface friend. Almost like an acquaintance. It hurt.. but okay. Prissy on the other hand.. I couldn't forget the message she had passed across through her notebook. However, I don't know why she hadn't said anything to me since then. In fact, she had been trying her hardest to not even make eye contact with me.. not in anger, definitely... She looked unsure of what to do. As if she was mentally debating if she should help me or not. As if she was mentally debating of it was a bad idea or not. If I would let her help me.

Funny, I still had her notebook. The notebook she had written the message to me in. Her Civic notebook. It was still with me. I hadn't had a chance to even return it and she had refused to ask me back for it. I really didn't fully understand what was on her mind.

"Let's go." Mum said to us and we obliged, quickly walking in to the hospital together.

I was a bit relieved she didn't insist I talked to Shade or something. Maybe she felt the guards around there wouldn't even let us. Come to think of it, Shade may not even be in the limo at the moment. She was probably in the hospital seeing Hassana or something.

I walked in to the hospital reception with the depressing smell of medicine and syringes hitting my nose, increasingly making me very uncomfortable and unhappy. I instantly decided I didn't want to be here. But I had to be here. For Hassana. I had to.

Barely steps into the reception, I saw Shade and Prissy walking in through the corridor, making it clear to me that they were coming from the ins' of the hospital. Probably Hassana's room.

There was something weirdly off about the girls. They walked fast, very fast, not looking around them, like they wanted to leave the hospital as fast as possible. Shade was using the collar of her coat to shield her face, sniffing softly and refusing for anyone to see her. And when Prissy wiped off her face with her arm and took in a huge sniff, wiping her face some more, I realised what was happening.

The girls were crying.

My heart dropped for a second. Stopped beating temporarily, then sped up with a dangerous pace.

Why?

Why are they crying?

"Shade. Prissy." Mum was quick to call the girls and they stopped on their tracks, turning to look at us immediately. It became clear that they were definately in tears. The two girls. They're faces looked swollen from their tears.

Again, I asked... Why? Why are they crying like this?

"Come here, girls." Mum had walked towards both girls and held them in her arms, hugging them as they broke down on her. She kept whispering, "it's okay" to them over and over while patting and rubbing on their back.

"Where is he? Your friend? That boy who came with you... Errrr..." Mum had released them from the gripping hug and now, was snapping her fingers to remember who she was talking about.

"He's still upstairs.." Shade quietly answered.

So, they came with someone... A boy.

"Calm down, okay?" Mum was telling both girls, who were still trying to control their emotions before her. "Calm down. It's okay. It's okay."

"What happened to Hassana?" I found myself quickly asking, diverting all the attention to me.

"What happened to Hassana? Why are you people crying like this?" I kept asking.

Mum looked at me, then to the girls, then back to me. A look of empathy stayed on her face all the way. That set me off the edge. I suddenly started panicking.

"Why aren't you guys saying anything!?" I started panicking even more. Started getting tensed. Dread and anxiety suddenly rose in me, fuelled my system, setting me on the edge.

"Giwa, she ran out of breath this morning. They had to put her on an oxygen mask again, but she regained consciousness. She's fine now." Shade told me.

I frowned, confused, worried and scared at the same time.

"Didn't.. didn't the doctor say she was going to be fine? Why..why then is she.. is she running out of breath?" I asked them all.

Mum sighed. "Giwa, just calm down, okay? We don't know why and all we need to do is breathe and hope everything gets sorted out."

"You knew, Mum?" I looked to my mum, narrowing my eyes at her, fear caused by all of this increasing in me.

"You knew what happened to Hassana this morning?" I asked her.

She looked at me for about two seconds... Then, nodded slowly.

Wow.

I looked away, diverting my attention to the blank space in front of me, saying nothing, but letting a truck load of thoughts swarm all through my mind.

How come?

The doctor said she was fine. He said she'd be discharged soon.. why is she losing her breath now?

Why?

Is this something to be worried about?

Should I be worried about Hassana?

"Giwa..." Mum's arms held me close and tried to calm me once again.

"Hassana will be fine. Nothing is going to happen to her. Believe me." She kept telling me and I literally forced myself to believe her.

That was the best thing I could do now. Hope and believe everything was all good and fine. Thinking too much amd escalating things in my head may cause me a serious mental break down.

Hassana will be fine...

Hassana will be fine...

Hassana will be fine...

I took breaths in.

Breathe, Giwa, Breathe...

Breathe, Giwa, Breathe...

Breathe, Giwa, Breathe..

I was calm again and Mum was still holding me. There was silence between us, all of us, for a while.

"Where's the doctor?" Mum asked Shade and Prissy, breaking it subtly, afterward.

Shade had told my mum all the information she needed and after bading me, Shade and Prissy goodbye, she left to see the doctor with Nini.

It was very akward after she left.

Very, very akward.

Me and these girls... We did not even have anything to say to one another.

Lord knows I was about to leave the arena, having how difficult it suddenly was for us to exist with each other, but then Shade had spoken up.

"You can.. you can see Hassana if you want. You know her ward, don't you?" She said to me, softly.

I nodded. "Yeah.. I..I do."

Of course, I did. I was here yesterday.

I noticed Prissy.

The girl was cleverly, yet somewhat nervously avoiding contact with me, still softly crying and cleaning off her face occasionally.

"Prissy." I called her.

She looked shocked to hear me say her name. She sort of jolted, widened her eyes for a second, before sharply turning to look at me with big brown eyes that looked like a ray of hope lingered in them. I could have sworn I heard a faint gasp coming from her.

"Y-Yeah?" She said. Rather, whispered. Her voice was just that faint. I believe it was a whisper.

"I still have your Civic notebook." I said.

She blinked at me. Once, but made it obvious. Eyes still somewhat wide on me, as it seemed she was thinking to herself, "oh, she knows. She remembered."

"I'll get it for you in school. I'm sure you're going to need it for WAEC." I said to her.

I didn't particularly wait for a response... She was delaying. I waved her a good bye, waved Shade a goodbye as well, and walked in through the narrow hallway behind them that led to the rest of the hospital. With the involuntary help of some nurses, I was up in the elevator, upstairs and soon at the door of Hassana's room.

I opened the door of her ward and stopped dead on my tracks, my heart knotting for a moment with who I saw.

Hassana... She was lying down, sideways, resting her head on her palms in a peaceful sleeping position.

However, she wasn't sleeping. She was fully awake, and engaged in a conversation with someone. And that was the main reason I had been momentarily stunned.

Ivandor.

He was the one she was talking to. He had a chair, positioned by her bed, sitting and sort of bending towards her, black hood over his head and elbows resting on his thigh, listening to her say something to him as she laid there.

I had not a chance to hear what they were saying because as soon as I had walked in, they both noticed me. At the same time, the two of them, Hassana and Ivandor, turned to look at me.

"Hi." I waved, unsure of my next reaction, unsure of how to even feel at the moment.

Hassana smiled at me first. I smiled back, involuntarily. Genuinely. She looked better. Better than how she looked yesterday. Much better. That was comforting.

Ivandor half smiled, a very quick one that I almost didn't catch. He stood up, gently pulling the seat he was sitting on back and looked to me and Hassana.

"I think I'll leave you two alone." He wasn't even looking at me. Barely kept eye contact. Shortly after, he left.... Leaving me with Hassana.

She turned to me, a baby-like pouty face on as she looked at me with those wide eyes of hers.

"Are you okay?" She asked softly.

I'm trying to be, Hassana....

Seeing you this way kills me...

Although, she looked better. A lot better. But she didn't look completely well. It was certain she wasn't completely fine yet.

The doctor said she'd be fine. She would be.

But then, why having to lose her breath? What if it keeps happening? Does that mean she isn't fine yet, as the doctor said?

Is the doctor lying to us?

Dear God..

Hassana.. Hassana..

"Why is your face changing like that?" She asked, observing my features closely, frowning.

Don't do this in front of her, Giwa. Be strong. Stay strong for her...

"Are you about to cry? I hope you're not coming here to cry oo!" She playfully reamed me in a mock-angered baby tone.

"I chased Shade and Prissy away from here because they were crying too much. Do you also want to join them???" She was still saying, fake-scowling at me.

I actually laughed. I genuinely laughed. Shaking my head and smiling, suppressing the tears that were coming, I made my way towards Hassana's bed and she was smiling at me brightly.

I wondered why she was doing this?

Smiling all the time...

Even when she didn't have a reason too..

Even in this state she was in..

I joined her on her bed, scooting in with her and actually fully sitting on it, hugging my knees to my chest and smiling at her.

"You don't need to be sad, Giwa." She said to me.

"I know." I breathed.

"The doctor said I'll be fine. Didn't you hear him? In the next three days, I'll be out of here." She was saying to me, beaming widely brown eyes that filled with hope and positivity.

I nodded, forcing myself to believe so.

"Yes, you will. Yes you will, Hassana." I said to her, and she smiled at me.

"Eww, I cannot wait to be out of here, this place smells like hospital!" She commented, trying to scoop herself into a sitting position to get closer to me.

"Hassana, it's a hospital!" I laughed.

"I don't like hospitals!" She whined, wincing slightly as she tried to sit up. I rushed to help her, placing my hands on her shoulders to properly steady her.

"Woah, you okay?" I asked her, not leaving her until I was sure she was properly sitting.

She giggled. "Yes, yes."

I chuckled lightly, letting go of her slowly. Very slowly. And relaxing when she was sitting by herself and leaning her back on the wall, sort of also resting her head back on the wall and breathing deeper than usual... Like just barely sitting up was some strennous work out session.

"Hassana.. are..are you sure you're okay?" I asked, watching her breathe that way.

She nodded, not having the energy to reply by talking. I watched her until she was calm. Until she was breathing evenly again.

"You're having difficulty breathing.." I pointed out.

"Not exactly... I've just been getting oddly exhausted and weak since last night." She replied, not moving on the wall as though fully trying to get herself.

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing. It'll pass." She dismissed it completely.

There was silence for a while. Between both of us. Hers, of tiredness, and mine, more of lacking words. I didn't know whether to tell her Inwas okay with all of this and that I was relaxed, because that was a fat lie. I was not fine with her state. It didn't sit well with me.

"Nova..." She said out of the blue, grasping attention all of a sudden.

"He.. he told me about God." She told me.

I looked at her.

"He did?"

She nodded, smiling, a warm smile that settled me within. She looked like she was recalling something.

"He was here earlier..." She told me.

Really?

"Something happened to me last night. Something... really, really strange.." she said.

My eyebrows went up, interest peaking. She turned to face me fully, eyes widening as she looked at me in curiosity.

"He told me so much about God, Giwa. I..I didn't know that God was capable of loving us even beyond all our imperfections. Do you know how comforting that is to hear?" She said to me.

I smiled at Hassana.

"I never really understood it that way, to be honest. I would have looked at things more differently. The fact that God loves us all is more than soothing. In a way, the world doesn't matter anymore ..." Hassana was saying.

Nova must have really took his time on talking to Hassana about God. Needless to say, I'm glad she had a chance to even hear about him.

"I shouldn't have tried to take my life yesterday, Giwa." She suddenly said, looking away from me, and bowing her head in shame.

"You shouldn't have." I said the truth, unapologetically not making her feel like what she tried to do to herself was any less bad.

"I should call...him." She said again, still not looking at me, but down still, eyes fixed on the hospital bed mattress.

Him?

"Who?" I asked her.

She looked at me. "Amir."

Amir? As in the one from Trinity we had met since the Dynamis???

Hassana still talked to him?

Why was Hassana's so secretive about these things? How many things was she still being secretive about?

Through the look in her eyes, I could tell that this Amir guy... She deeply cared about him. I don't know why she felt the need to reach out to him, but I told her, "Do it."

She nodded, seeming like she had already made up her mind on it.

"Once I'm out of here." She told me. "Lord knows where these hospital people took my phone to."

I laughed under my breath. She laughed too, softly, folded her arms and rested her head on my shoulder. I let her. Both of us sat this way for what felt like an eternity. It felt good. Peaceful.

"Talk to Ivandor." She had quietly told me, still resting her head on me. I let out a short sigh as the mere mention of his name tied a knot in my chest.

"I already did." I whispered. She heard.

"I know. He told me." She said.

She knew? He did?

"Talk to him.. again." Hassana said. She sounded sure.. very sure.. too sure of something.

"Why?" I asked her.

I could feel the smike on her face through her next reply. "You'll see, Giwa. Just talk to him. Say hi or something. Watch what happens afterwards."

I nearly jumped, accidentally pushing her off me, shocked by the confidence laced in her tone and she threw her head back, laughing. Like, really laughing. With so much energy that shocked me. Energy I thought she didn't have.

"Hassana, did you do something?" I asked her.

She nodded, smiling proudly at me.

"What did you do?" I asked further.

"Major damage control." She replied, clicking her tongue excitedly. Proudly. That sheepish smile, never leaving her suddenly brightened up face.

"Hassana.." I was speechless, blinking at the girl, wondering if she was serious right now.

"I know, I know, I'm a babe!" She proudly flipped her hair in a playful manner, laughing softly at my reaction. She nudged me, "Abi, na?" And moved her eyebrows up and down, smiling like she had won the lottery.

"Go. Go. Go!!" She literally started pushing me away, when I wasn't saying anything. "Go, go, ho talk to Ivandor or I won't talk to you!"

"Hassana, no, I can't leave you_"

She blocked her ears by pressing het hands to it and closed her eyes, singing out an infamous harmony with the words, "la la la."

I had to laugh and she still wouldn't stop. She wasn't going to stop until I had gone away. Until I had gone to talk to Ivandor as she was pestering me to.

"Alright. Alright. I'm going!" I gave a fake gesture of surrender and she finally stopped what she was doing, laughing and rejoicing at my give.

God, this girl..

She watched me in excitement as I stopped up, eyes beaming at me and hands waving me a 'good bye' as I left the room.

God knows how much I love that girl...

I got outside, to the reception up here and quickly spotted him - Ivandor. This time, he had his hood down, revealing the large bush of hair on his head that wasn't packed up or properly arranged, like it usually would be.

He sat quietly, on the iron bench of the reception, and silently just moping into space, staring at something I couldn't see. He somewhat looked worried too. Probably about Hassana. I mean.. everyone was.

I walked to where he was, a bit nervous, and took seat next to him. He was quick to notice the new presence, joining him closely on the bench and he turned to look at me, hazel eyes literally glinting for a second, I could have sworn.

"Hi." Was all he said. His voice was ..simple.
Yes, 'simple' was the word. He didn't sound pissed. He definitely didn't sound elated either. Just there. Simple.

"Hi.." I said back, hoping he would say more. Hoping he would show just a tiny tiny bit more enthusiasm. Anything to drop the akwardness of the air and make me not feel more nervous.

"Say hi or something." Hassana had said.

"Watch what happens afterwards." Hassana had also said.

But.. nothing much was happening. Absolutely nothing.

It was just a 'hi' from him, a 'hi' back from me and a quick, short smile accompanied with a single nod, then voila, his attention was back on the empty space in front of him, eyes fixed straight ahead, not turning to the side as he was absolutely minding his own business and saying nothing more to me.

"Hassana told me to come and talk to you."

Blood of Jesus.. Did I just say that to him?

He had actually paused for a moment, eyebrows furrowed as he seemed surprised by my unexpected start. Then, to my advantage, he actually... smiled?

He smiled. He was still smiling. A real genuine smile. The one I had missed seeing. The one that made him look much more different. Sweeter. Easier to talk to. I found myself warming up more, feeling a whole lot better.

"I don't.. I don't even know why I started like that..." I laughed it off as well, seizing the moment to laugh with him.

A chuckle left him and he turned to me, warming me even more with the friendliness he was exuding. For the first time in a long time, his hazel eyes didn't make me feel nervous or intimidated, it actually calmed me.

"How has it been for you?" I asked him. "How are you doing, Ivan?"

He actually looked like he was thinking of how to answer. Wondering how to put his answer.

"Been okay." He finally replied.

I could detect that was a lie.

"You?" He inquired.

"Same." I shrugged, easily resting my elbows on my thighs and my jaw in my hands as I looked at him.

Easily, very, very easily, he could also detect my flimsy lie and his look softened on me. I looked away, sitting up straight, unable to keep eye contact with him all of a sudden, feeling way too vulnerable.

"You've always been the easiest person to read you know that, right?" He said, laughing softly.

I still didn't look at him.

"You know that, right, Giwa?" I heard him again, felt him coming closer to me, craning forward to look at me.

"And you've always been the only person to fully understand me.." I muttered and I was certain he heard.

I looked at him. "You know that, right?"

He nodded. A corner of his lips lifted shortly, in what looked like an agreeing smile. It was fast though. Dissapeared almost as quickly as it appeared. His look on me was suddenly one I couldn't quite pick up or comprehend.

"I know you're probably tired of hearing me say it, but I'm sorry for how things went with us.." I said to him.

"I've been working a lot on myself and that's the much I can do to fix myself. The things that happened that day is what I can't change, neither can I erase the memories from your mind, but the most I can do it work on myself and that's exactly what I'm doing." I told him.

He was looking at me, having a serious, yet understanding look on his face, but he said nothing. I hoped he was understanding. I mean, Ivandor was increasing becoming one of the most unpredictable people I knew. He could be smiling with me and all and have me dissapointed in the end... So I didn't want to gey my hopes up on anything. I just wanted to say what I had to say and leave.

"Thank you for being there for me." I told him. "Our experiences were worthwhile and the memories live on with me. I understand I can't make you forget what happened and that's okay. You've been nice enough to me already."

"Giwa.." he said, peaking my interest immediately. I blinked at him, expectant.

"I already forgave you." He told me.

I felt an entire weight being lifted off me immediately on hearing what he just said.

"You..You did?" I stuttered, blinking, wondering if I heard him well.

He nodded, smiling at me. Fully now. His billion dollar smile on full display. "Yes."

Relief rushed through me, calming a part of me down instantly.

"I'd been doing a lot of thinking lately." He said, looking away from me slowly, looking back to the space in front of him. I joined him, hoping I would see whatever he was looking at.

"..about a lot of things.." he added, sighing softly.

I see.

"And plus," he looked at me and smiled a little, a contagious smile, "Hassana and I talked. She was speaking in your favor. Quite a lot."

My heart warmed up so much, so much tingles and sweetness filled it up that instant.

Hassana had been rooting for me back there? What on earth did she even say to him that helped change his mind?

I didn't even know how to feel. I didn't know what to say and all I could do was smile and let our all the goodness and love I was feeling with that one smile.

Wow, Hassana. Thankyou. Thankyou so much.

"She really loves you, Giwa." He said to me. "I have never seen one friend so particular about the other in my life."

I smiled. "I know. I know that."

I can't wait for her to leave here. Can't wait to start all over with her. Can't wait to treat her the way she deserves to be treated. The way she always deserved to be treated.

"And Giwa?" Ivandor called softly. I looked to him. "Yeah?"

"I am really happy for the person you're becoming. I always knew you had it in you." He told me.

I smiled at his words. "Thank you."

"Even if I still feel what we need right now isn't to be together..." he chipped in lightly, sinking my heart a little.

"I mean, with our final exams around the corner, for example, that may not be a bright idea.." he was saying and I nodded, understanding.

"..but majorly... We need enough space for ourselves. You're already working on yourself and you need time and space for that. I also feel there's a lot about me, I should also work on too, if I am being honest." He said.

I nodded, completely getting his point.

In a way, the was right. We truly didn't need this right now. I wouldn't lie. It hurt. It hurt like hell. But it was okay. I was okay.

"But, I'm ever ready to always be there for you. Always. Call me if you need anything. Text if you want to talk. Don't hesitate to dial me up anytime you want, okay? I have no hard feelings whatsoever towards you, Giwa." He said to me.

I smiled, in appreciation. "I will."

He smiled back at me and my heart still melted under that smile. I still hadn't gotten over him. I didn't even know if it was possible.

"Is it.. Is it still safe to say 'I love you' though?" I asked him hesitantly. ".. because..'cause I really, really do. I still do."

"I love you too, Giwa." He was quick to confess. That million dollar smile touched his lips again and he added, "I never actually stopped."

That did wonders to my heart. I couldn't stop smiling. I didn't think anything was going to be capable of making me to stop.

"I think I should go back to Hassana though." I told him. "I need to hug her and keep telling her I love her all over again till she's tired of hearing it."

He actually laughed. A full on laughter. One that I had missed so much. I laughed too, happy that he was laughing with me again. I didn't think it would ever be so.

"You should though.." he told me. "While you're at it, I'll be here waiting for Yure and Nova to show up here."

I blinked. I didn't think I heard him correctly.

"Yure?" I asked him, raising a questioning brow. "You're waiting for.. Yure?"

He laughed a little, then nodded, positively answering my question.

"You two..." I was still confused. "You two are friends now? I mean... Friends again?"

"You could say that." He nodded.

Aww.

I didn't even know which to be happier for. The fact that Ivandor had completely let go of everything tying his happiness down, or the fact that Yure had his friend back.

Before I left, I had smiled and waved Ivandor a good bye. He smiled back, mock saluting me.

I walked into Hassana's ward.

For some strange reason, chills went through my body the moment the moment I walked in to room. I literally felt it... A cooling, quick breeze that rushed past me for a second.

It didn't feel ordinary. I knew something was up.

.. something was wrong..

It distracted me for a moment, almost making me forget why I had walked in her.... Until I remembered.

Hassana. Hassana.

I looked to her bed immediately. She was on it, lying down, side ways, with her head resting in her palms. The same sleeping position I had met her in when I walked in here the first time and saw Ivandor with her.

"Hassana?" I called her softly.

She didn't respond.

My heartbeat increased it's pace as I walked towards her, an unsettling feeling lingered down there... deep down there in my guts.

"Hassana." I got to her bed side, stretching forth shaky hands to touch her. Slowly.

That was when I noticed...

Her breathing...

A short sigh of relief left me, but then, tension immediately arose at realising how strange her breathing seemed.

It was soft..yes, but deeper.. slower.

Was she just asleep? Was I over thinking things?

I touched her and she jumped, ever so slightly. I flinched from her touch and her eyes shot open and started flustering, halfly opening, halfly closing, like someone about to pass out. Her mouth was slightly hung open... I realised she wasn't only breathing with her nose. She was also breathing with her mouth.. and she definitely wasn't sleeping either.

Something was happening to her...

"G-G-Gi-Giwa.." her weak voice called out to me. A voice that didn't even sound like her.

"I..I.. I feel so tired.. I..I can't breathe.."

I didn't even wait for her to finish what she was saying and I rushed out of the ward, screaming like a mad woman, alerting all the nurses around that a patient in room 45 was losing her breath.

It didn't take long. In seconds, Hassana's ward was filled up. Doctors and Nurses were rushing in to her aid with the speed of light, filling up the room and trying to help her out in some way.

My mind wasn't stable. My brain wasn't even completely able to comprehend the things they were doing to her in details, because I was too busy panicking, scared shitless I was as they all worked in urgency, doing everything they could to help her.

"Doctor, what's happening!?" That was my mum screaming as she rushed into the ward, looking so scared, visibly shaking, vibrating everywhere, her body, her breathing, the woman was trembling in fear and panic, just like I was.

Of course, they couldn't talk to her. No one could at the moment. They were too busy with Hassana. I only watched them, watched Hassana, deteorating faster and faster by the second, setting us more on the edge. They were trying her best, doing all they could, yet, she only wheezed more. She was getting more weak, tured, breathless, looking physically exhausted... No matter what they were doing.

It was like a nightmare. I watched Hassana, tears welling up in my eyes, heart breaking, shattering into pieces, more and more, second by second, as I watched her. I watched her. I watched my best friend get worse and worse on that bed. I watched her suffering, sweating, breathing like that, a traumatizing manner of breathing, refusing to co-operate with any treatment. I watched her struggle on that bed. She was struggling, she was fighting... For her own life.

It all happened in slow motion.

Hassana looked at me, eyes filled with tears and pain, lips shaking in horror, eyes struggling to steady, crossing over and over, and a trembling hand, slowly going up from the bed, stretching forth towards me...

"G-Giwa..." She called me..a weak, almost unheard sound that sounded like my name.

I stood in shock, trying to comprehend this, trying to understand what was happening. Trying to understand what she was trying to tell me.

Her hand stayed in the air a while longer, calling out to me. I couldn't move. I couldn't think.

Right before my eyes..

Her hand dropped.

I felt my world crash before me, slamming me painfully, brutally, on my face and blinding me for a moment with the shock and trauma.

Hassana's hand dropped, lifeless, weakly on the bed and stayed there, not moving. Her entire body, still, not moving.

I felt something in my head explode, shattering my brain cells into tiny pieces and I felt myself tipping towards the edge of my sanity.

"Mummmy!!!!" That was the shrieking, painful, brain-splitting, gut-twisting scream that came out of Nini. A voice I didn't know she had. It was horrifying. A scream that I instantly knew I would never be able to get out out my head for the rest of my life.

Hassana wasn't moving. She wasn't moving one at all. She laid there on the bed, completely still.

That was when I found my voice, rising, coming out of me and bursting through like a volcano.

"Blood of Jesus!" I screamed.

The nurses started to take us away, calmly, urging us to leave the room and I found myself struggling with them, fighting with them, crying and screaming at the top of my lungs, letting out painful, shrieking sounds from my mouth that I didn't even know I could make. Sounds that didn't sound like me. Sounds that made me think I was actually started to really lose my sanity.

"Relax. Nothing happened. We're still treating her. Please, rekax." The nurses were saying.

"Stop lying to me! STOP FUCKING LYING TO ME!!!" I kept screaming at all of them, crying, shaking, pulling my hair off, pushing them off me, fighting them off, trying to force myself further into the room to get closer to Hassana when they weren't letting me.

"Please, calm down okay? Be calm. Nothing is confirmed yet. Please be calm." They kept saying, but I only went more and more ballistic, showing them an animalistic side of me that I didn't even know I had.

I didn't even know how it happened, but I saw myself outside the room, struggling still with a few nurses, still trying in vain to get them off me.

Ivandor was quick to find me outside, like he had been standing there waiting. I felt his hands on me and I tried struggling with him too, crying and screaming at the top of my lungs.

"Giwa, what happened!" He was asking me, tension rising in him, eyes intently looking at me, panic stricken and utterly scared as fuck.

"Giwa, talk to me. What happened!" He kept asking me, shaking me, trying to get me to talk. I felt my entire body shaking, literally vibrating in fear as I talked to him.

"I don't know. I don't know. I was just.. She was just.. and her..Her hands just dropped and I just.." I kept stuttering, crying, dealing with shaky, uncontrolled breaths, shaky hands, uncontrollable sobs and convulsion.

He seemed to have got the hint. I heard him curse under his breath, and I only got more hysteric, covered my face with my hands and cried out painfully loud. Ivandor pulled me into his arms, holding me and I could feel his heartbeat too, his heart was beating so fast, yet he was staying calm for me, whispering, "it's probably not what it looks like" and "she probably just passed out, Giwa. Let's have faith, okay?"

I cried on him, trying to hold myself, trying to believe that was the case. I honestly didn't know how I could cope with this if she really...

No, it can't be. It can't be. She just passed out...

Hassana just passed out. That's what happened there....

Breathe, Giwa, Breathe...

"What happened?" I heard Shade's voice and I knew she had arrived. I could sense the fear in her voice as she asked.

"What happened?" I heard a lighter voice ask again and I knew it was Prissy.

I was in Ivandor's arms, crying and not looking at them, refusing to give an answer.

What on earth would I even say to them?

"Where's Hassana?" I heard another voice.

Yure.

"Bro, why aren't you guys saying anything, you're scaring me.."

Nova.

"What room is she in? I'm going in since y'all don't want to talk."

Krisdana.

And I guess the entire crew was present now.

I couldn't look at any of them. Couldn't stop crying. Couldn't say a word to them and I knew they were getting more and more scared, I felt the tension in the air through their silence.

Mum walked out of Hassana's ward, trailing worriedly, behind Doctor Clem and I jumped out of Ivandor's arms.

"Mum, how is she!?" I was quick to ask.

Mum looked at me, sighed softly, and let out a gentle hand... Telling me to 'chill'.

I realised she wasn't sure too. She wasn't sure what had happened to Hassana too. Maybe that's why she was following the doctor, to probably talk to him and properly understand what was happening.

I watched them - Mum and Doctor Clem - as they went to a section of the reception...

Carefully avoiding us..

I watched them, afraid, not ready for this. They were talking. Actually, Doctor Clem was talking. Mum was listening, standing with fists folded tightly. Fists I knew she was clenching in fear, hoping what she felt was happening wasn't so.

She listened to him and I watched her demeanor. Hoping to understand their conversation through it.

I watched as Mum let out a sigh, and her fists relaxed, as the doctor talked.

Is that a good sign?

I couldn't tell. She looked calm. However, she kept looking back at all of us. Occasionally. At me. At Ivandor. At Shade, Prissy, Yure, Nova and Krisdana. I wondered if all was really well.

The doctor was done talking to her. She nodded to something he said and the both of them turned to look at all of us, with looks on their faces I couldn't comprehend.

"Oh God no.." I heard Ivandor mutter to himself, like he knew... Like he could read the entire conversation through the looks in their eyes.

Jesus, what was happening...

"Kids.." Mum called out to us as she walked closer to us, stretching out her hands to assemble us together. "Come."

We hesitated at first, scared, looking at her with terror, wondering what she was calling us for. We walked towards her as she walked towards us.

"Mum, what's happening?" I asked, fidgetting, eyes wide in fear and panic.

All eyes were on my mum, all of us, eyes wide in fear too, shaking, scared to shit, looking at her and trembling badly.

"All of you should calm down. Please. Don't make this hard for me." I could have sworn her voice had broken at the last part.

Prissy started crying.

She literally sat on the floor and started sobbing, blocking her ears with her hands and convulsing in tears and Shade tried to pick her up, reaching towards her with shaky hands.

Mum took a moment, looked away from us and exhaled. When she looked to us, her eyes were teary, red... I lost it.

"Mum, what happened to Hassana!" I screamed, gathering the attention of every soul in the reception. The whole place was silent, pin drop silent... Like everyone had paused what they were doing for us.

"Shade, leave Prissy. Leave her." Mum said to Shade, who was still trying to get Prissy up from the floor, scaring me with the high pitched shrillness of her voice.

"I'm so sorry, kids.." She said to all of us, tears streaming down her eyes, now uncontrollably.

"M-Mum, I..I don't. I don't understand..." I sobbed.

She swallowed, exhaling again and finding back her voice, looking at every one of us as she spoke.

"She was deteorating badly.. really badly..." She said to us.

And...?

And..?

I felt current passing madly in my veins and my heart breaking more and more, prepping me up for the worst blow yet.

"10:37pm.." Mum said to us all.

What?

"We lost her at 10:37pm. I'm so sorry, kids, but Hassana is no more." Mum told us the truth.

That was torture....

I'm so sorry this had to happen. Believe me, I wanted to change things but the entire book has already been drafted..so😪😪

To be honest, this is by far the most heartbreaking chapter for me to write.. because just the same way, Hassana.. died...I watched a family member leave us that way too. It was too fast to comprehend and the shock is something that I can't get over till today. Still makes me cringe when I think about it (please no sympathy or anything🙏.. I don't want to cry or be reminded about it, this chapter was already too torturing for me to write, I only said it cause it connects to Hassana's situation) I don't know if you have witnessed someone die before, that thing can make someone run mad. I mean, one second, they're alive, and the next second, they're not. Everything you just read, from Hassana's hand stretching forth, dropping, to the shock, tears and panic... All actually also truly happened. I would have gone ahead to write a whole book about that experience, but I doubt my heart would be able to handle it. So, maybe showing it this way is the best.

Hassana is gone. They will never her to see her again on this Earth. I know it's hard to take in and I don't know about you guys, but every time I think about the fact Hassana was dying, it always broke my heart and literally gave me chills because she had gone through so much in her life, even more than you know tbh.

I also think about Amir too...(oh sigh)

And Giwa, and her friends, how badly they would take this. It's going to be hard. See how Giwa was talking about treating Hassana better and showing her more love after she had left the hospital... So, Hassana didn't make it. She's dead, and now what?

Don't hesitate to show love to people you love. Don't hesitate to tell them you love them and treat them well enough. Don't hesitate to forgive your friends, your family members and whoever it is you love. Death is a bitch. You'll never know how much time they have left in this world. Don't wait for them to die or to be on their death bed before you reach out to them.

On side note;

Song for this chapter is Dynasty by Mia.

First verse is for Hassana and Giwa..

Second verse is for Giwa and Ivandor

(Media above)

On another side note, I have an announcement to make in the next chapter, soooo, anticipate ❤️

I have to apologise for the length of this chapter. Can't even say how many words it is. I HAD to take my time with this chapter because it was VERY sensitive.

I'm sad. This chapter made me sad. I need to go cry myself to sleep. See you all next time. 4 chapters to go❤️