Chapter Ten

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

It's been a week now and I have tried my possible best to avoid Richard. He just keeps on pushing and pushing me into accepting I feel something for him.

When Mariana also asked if I had feelings for him, I told her no and just went to my room. Since then, she's been quietly staring at me.

I just feel bad. Not only am I hiding things from my best friend, I'm also secretly in love with her boyfriend and her boyfriend has been stalking me as well.

Eben just graduated and the school feels empty without him. There's no one to scare us from behind, no one to be waiting for us at the cafeteria or park, no one to hit our hand when we pick what he's eating without sanitising our hands.

There's no one to pick our books when we forget them in class. No one to leave his lecture hall to come and see us only to tell us to learn hard before going back.

I miss the times Eben would hide something of ours and Mariana would blame someone else and start a fight while I try to calm her. Not even once do we remembered it was only Eben that his them.

Snapping out of my thoughts, a drop of water falls on my skin and i look up to see the clouds changing it's colour. The dark clouds overshadowing the light. Well it looks like it's about to rain. It's been long since it rained and I'm glad it's going to happen today. Mariana and I need to get home before it happens.

I need to be in bed before it rains. I want to stay in bed and cuddle my pillow as I think of Richard...

Wait, where did that come from?

"Hey, thinking about the rain? Or somebody else," she playfully said.

I guess you are wrong today.

"I'm thinking about the rain. Let's get going before it falls," Mariana broke into my thought while holding her hand up to me.

"Sure. Let me get my things," I told her while she looks at me as if I told her I'd no longer attend lectures.

Leaving her side and going back to the hall, I realized I already had my things. My pamphlet is already under my armpit and my bag was already behind my bag.

OK, so heat things was I talking about? Maybe I left my phone. Or my pen...or or or my diary. Oh no, I don't even have one.

No wonder she was looking at me as if I had said something weird. So I walk back to her and she laughs while I pout.

We both sit in the car as Mariana drives us back home. The drive wasn't silent because she kept singing this new song she heard yesterday and can't seem to get the beat well.

Before i could send my head back the fourth time, familiar buildings came in view and I sigh knowing too well where we are. The drive was less than forty minutes and she parks the car in from of our apartment.

Looking up again, I see that the clouds are getting clear, the dark clouds are disappearing now. The wind is also OK.

My bad luck! It's so not fair.

We both go into our rooms. After changing, I go into the kitchen to prepare us food to eat for the evening though it seems to be early for that. In the act, Mariana comes out to join me.

"Hey, we are three going to eat it by the way," The princess announced, glaring at me. I raise my chin even though I know who it's definitely going to be.

Like for Christ sake, can't that man stay at his home? I'm sure he's got a mother and a sister.

"Sure, I won't forget. Can you please pass me the salt?" I just sighed, picking the napkin from her hand despite all I want to say.

The kitchen become busy as she sings her hips left and right listening to a song that she is only meant to listen since she has earpiece inside her ears. But knowing who she is, I can still hear it from where I stand.

After cooking, we both clean the kitchen. While I'm about to set the table, I carry the food flask to the dinning hall. But I was half way through when I heard the sound of the bell.

It didn't quite take long for some people to get to other people's houses. I groan as I hear the girl inside the kitchen clapping her hands. She had that thing inside her ears, how come she heard the bell.

This man has a good timing. Goodness he's so good at that.

"I'll go get the door,"  Mariana offered as she stretches her hands for the flask.

I nod at her as I see her disappear with the food. I sigh and remove the apron while letting my hair fall over my shoulders. I don't even know why I did that, since I like tying my hair.

And so I try to tie it back while entering back into the kitchen when I feel someone standing beside the door.

"Hey, how was your day?" Richard asked as soon as he starts to walk into the kitchen.

"It...it was good. Yours?" I stammer as I reply him.

He nods and smiles at me. His teeth is white and I don't blame him for showing them off. His chin always tightens when he raises them to smile. It makes him sexy when he does that with two of his top buttons opened and he lazily leans over something.

                                ****

After eating, instead of the bull going home or wherever he's supposed to be now, he sits across where I am, and stares at me as if I'm like some celebrity who just showed up after hiding to have  a surgery.

Which is quite uncomfortable to be under his intense gaze. In fact I don't like people looking at me. The way he's looking at me; I'm expecting Mariana to do that, since he's looking at me as if I'm hiding something from him.

Mariana suddenly gets up and goes into her room and I take that chance to ask him to stop staring at me.

"What are you staring at?" I snapped, looking back at him.

"Isn't that obvious?" He smiles at me, "Why, does it make you feel uncomfortable?"

Oh you wish. Yiiii oK, fine, because it seems his wish came through.

"Well yes. If you could just stop looking at me, I'll much appreciate it. I feel Mariana suspects us, so please..." I try reasoning with him but he blankly looks back at me.

"Trust me, it's far from that," he finally  soothed, leaning back into the chair.

I stare at him and he stares back. The bell rings again and my heart begins to ache.

What if it's Eben?

That could be the best movie show I could sit here and watch all day but at the end of the day, I'm gonna lose his friendship. He's going to think I support her on this and he's going to see me as something I'm not.

Mariana rushes out from her room and I ask her who she had invited. She tells me no one.

It seems your little boyfriend finally decided to pay us a surprise visit while your other boyfriend is around.

The bell goes again and this time, I take the courage to go and open the door.

Mariana doesn't really seem bothered. She knows how to calm Eben down for sure, because she sat down and picked her nail polish to paint her nails. I wouldn't do that if I were in her shoes.

I open the door to meet a joyful mother in her African prints. I smile at her and she smiles back.

It seems we've got some explanations to give you, woman about who Richard is. Since you don't know who your daughter has become. I sometimes don't know either.

"Mum, what brings you here?" I chortled, following Mariana's mum behind.

"I came for a visit. Where's that little brat?" She questioned as she puts something in my hand. Something I would like to look at after she's gone since I have to come up with something when she asks who Richard was.

And as much as I would've loved the title, I wouldn't want them to lie to her about he being my boyfriend while he's not and I secretly want him to be.

I go back to close the door behind me and guide her inside, even though she knows her way inside.

"Raymond, what are you doing here? You told your dad you were in the office," she pointed at Richard and frown.

I look confused as to how she knows him. Then, I remember hearing that name somewhere. Raymond is supposed to be Mariana's elder brother.

What is actually happening? I look at Mariana who looks surprisingly at her mum.

"He's your son?" It came as a question and as a whisper but it was loud for her to hear.

"Yes, that's Raymond. Why, didn't they tell you? Now, that's weird," she chuckled, not knowing how confused her visit  has made me.

"I'll be inside," that was all I could say.

"Why? I just got here," their mother insisted the second time after she told me to stay and I told her I had something to do.

"Mum, I don't feel well. I'm glad to to see you," I simply managed to tell her as I lead my back into my room.

"Oh, take some medicine and have a long rest," she screamed after me.

After twenty minutes, Mariana enters my room. She looks sad and I have been controlling my anger.

They both played me. Do I look like a joke to them?

"Hello, can we talk?" She pleaded as she found her way to my bed.

"Yes we have to. Can you explain to me? Can you tell me why you two were playing me? For how long were you two going to keep that act?" I had so many questions going on in my head.

"Yes, I will explain. Sorry for playing you. We were going to stop when you finally accepted you loved him too," she told without me understanding anything.

"Are you kidding me? We were supposed to be best friends, why would you do this to me?" I feel betrayed and fooled.

"Sorry. I'm sorry," she apologized as if it was no big deal.

"Yeah, you should be," I feel so angry right now, I could slap her. She seems not to also get the picture. After what they did, I wasn't expecting her to come and just say sorry.

"I don't know how it started. It just did. When he came to meet us at the pizza hut, you didn't seem friendly. You were looking else where and you seem not to care about his presence. So it just happened from there," she tried reasoning with me.

"That doesn't justify what you both have done to me. Because he could have done something to earn my attention!" I spat , knowing too well I was also interested in him since day one.

"Well he did. You felt pity for him so when I asked you to go out with him because I couldn't make it, you did. That was the only way you would meet him or go out with him," that was what she thought, because I wouldn't think twice before going out with him, should he have asked me.

Was it pity I felt?

"He began liking you but you were not transparent. I asked more than four times if you liked him but you said no. You were always

breaking my heart," she sadly blamed me as if I were the bad one here.

"Well, don't play the victim game here. I just can't believe this!" I exclaimed.

He was her brother all along? Like, who does that?

Eben?

"Did Eben know about it? Did you tell him?"

"Well I didn't. You know he's smart enough to know what was going on," she admired as I squeeze my cheeks inside my mouth.

"Oh well so I'm the dumb one here," I grumbled, getting up from my bed.

"Sorry. Seriously, I am,"assured as I remember something.

Oh so you definitely know about the kiss.

"Did he tell you anything about something? Like...like...I don't know, did he tell you anything?" Instead of being angry, I am blushing.

"No, he didn't really tell me what went on. I normally informed him where you were at that time," she remembered as I understand why he knew where we were or I was.

Tsk he lied he could see what was going on. He even lied about his talents. What else did he lie about?

I sigh and she raises her eye brow at me.

"Oh but then I saw some thing. Both of you were kissing," she cheerfully informed as I open my eyes widely. She continues anyway, "I had earpiece on so I didn't really hear what was going on, but then damn I saw you two. It took me so much strength to restrain myself from teasing you or mentioning the topic. He didn't tell me much. He just said you are one hell of a stubborn woman."

Oh goodness.

"I'm your best friend, you should've told me," she took turns in blaming me.

"That your supposed boyfriend was hitting on me? Besides I'm an adult and I can do whatever pleases me," I hissed to cover my read cheeks.

"You would've told me if he were Eben or anybody else," she was totally not right on that. Because...

"Well, I would've kicked his ass if it were Eben or anybody else."

"So why didn't you kick my brother's ass?" She teased, turning her head slowly.

"You were also not faithful so that wasn't needed. I want to sleep. I need to sleep," I declared as I feel my eyes becoming heavy.

She questions me before I can pull the covers over my head, "We are not done here young lady. Tell me, do you like him?"

"I don't like him...I love him. Happy now?" If my cheeks are not already on fire then I don't know when it's going to catch fire.

She hugs me and says thank you repeatedly.

"I just knew it will happen. He'll be so happy,"babbled as I call her back.

"No, you are not going to tell him. This time you are going to be on my side. If you want me to forgive you, then you've got to work for it. Both of you are going to work for it. You take that or leave it. It's your choice, not mine. Now you can go. And tell your brother to leave this apartment," I said without smiling, even though the authority I had in my voice made me want to laugh.

"He left. I asked him to leave because I didn't want him annoying you more and you killing him later," she revealed as a sense of disappointment fill my heart.

Next time you need to think twice before playing (with) me.

                                       ****
I love drama, so you can't really blame me for this. I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading.


You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net