048b - Once Bitten, Twice Shy Part 2

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(048b - Once Bitten, Twice Shy Part 2.)

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Thank you all so much for the 70k Views. I really appreciate everyone's contribution to the growth of this bookπŸ”₯. It's almost a year since I started this book and it's mind-blowing because I have never written a book for one year before. This is the first, and it's making me realize the amount of effort I'm putting into this book. So yeah, I appreciate myself too😌.

I just want to let you know that updates will not be as frequent as before (not like it was really frequent) because I'm a little busy with a contract. But don't worry, it's just going to be for this month and a few weeks next month. So bare with me if you see updates seldomly, or don't even see them at all.

Don't worry, I'll try to be writing underneath so that when I'm finally free, you won't have to wait for long before you see a new update. I'll try my best to make it up to you guys in whatever way I can. I'm sure you understand.

Let's Dive in❀️✨.


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π‡πˆπ‹π€π‘π˜
(Hilary Idara Eghosa)

Ever since I became a student of Crestview International Academy, I can count the number of times I have stepped foot into Sir Isaac's office on my fingers.

Five times.

And four of those five times strictly had to do with my prefectship duties. The fifth time was at the beginning of this session, the day I was chosen as Simi's tutor.

This was the sixth time. And as you might have rightly guessed, it wasn't for a good reason, which was a first.

"This is exactly why God will never bless you with a kid because you will never know how to treat them right!"

I groaned inwardly, remembering the exact statement I made that got me here in the first place.

That statement had plunged the entire class into bigger chaos than it was before as soon as I said it, everyone screaming at the top of their lungs, cheering me. I didn't have the luxury to look around to see if anyone wasn't cheering, but it sounded like the whole class was. But they weren't the ones that made that statement, which is why it was easy for them to cheer, to hype me,

Because it wasn't until the words left my lips that realized the gravity of what I said. The implication it had.

Mrs. Khadija was dumbstruck, flabbergasted, and stupefied. She stood rooted on her feet, staring at me with an expression that made cold chills run down my spine and settle at the pit of my stomach in a strange feeling. I might not have been able to place the dark expression her face held, but I sure as hell knew my words struck a chord. Hard.

But it was already too late for me to take those words back.

"Get out and go to the Principal's office right now!" She had growled out, pointing out the door defiantly. "Stupid Idiot!" she cursed at me, her voice quivering a bit.

I didn't bother begging, didn't want to in fact. Wasn't even sure what I'd be begging for if I wanted to. I just walked out of the lab and made my way to the administration block, with her just a distance behind me. And now, here we are.

"Principal Isaac, I am so sorry about this,"

Yeah, I forgot to add. My mum was summoned.

"Hilary has never acted this way before and hearing that she said something so vile and disrespectful to her teacher is really appalling," She sounded so shocked, glancing at me from the corner of her eyes.

I looked away. I didn't want to see the disappointment in her eyes.

Sir Isaac wanted to speak by Mrs. Khadija beat him to it.

"It's me you are supposed to apologize to, not the principal!" She snapped at my mum, voice so loud that I feared even Sir Isaac's soundproof office won't be able to contain it. My Mum immediately turned to her.

"Madam, I apologize..."

"Oh Please!" Mrs. Khadija rudely cut the apology off, causing my mum to go quiet. "I don't need any stupid apology from a woman who had failed to raise her daughter right!"

What the fuck!

I pushed myself off the wall I was leaning on and sharply turned to the woman who dared to insult my mum, wanting nothing more but to give her another piece of my mind. But as if Mum knew what I was about to do, she held her hand up to stop me, wordlessly staring back at the woman who had insulted her.

I groaned, leaned back against the wall, and folded my hands across my chest in annoyance.

"If you raised her right, she'd have known better than to insult her elders," The woman went on, spitting at Mum disdainfully, literally questioning her parental skills in such a degrading manner that made my tummy churn in disgust and more annoyance.

But what annoyed me the most was how completely calm Mum was with that woman insulting her and her person.

This was exactly why it was very hard to regret everything I said to Mrs. Khadija. I wasn't a wicked person. Yes, I'm sorry for using her predicament against her. I know I shouldn't have done that, and I know I shouldn't have said what I said the way I said it. It wasn't in my place to talk to her that way. My parents taught me better than to disrespect people.

But God knows, I didn't regret putting her in her place. She deserved it and a lot worse.

Maybe I regret the way I went about it, but I don't regret telling her how much of a terrible person she is, and how much of a terrible teacher she has been to everyone, especially to Simi.

"Mrs. Khadija, you'll have to take it easy," Sir Isaac was trying to pacify the really angry woman. "We have to sort this out amicably," He added, only for the woman to dismiss his words with a wave of her hand and a loud hiss.

And she says I'm being disrespectful. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"I apologize on her behalf, Madam." Mum pleaded for the umpteenth time, her voice remaining calm and controller and the expression on her face beseeching. "I'm truly sorry for everything she said to you and how much she disrespected you. But I can swear, Hilary is not like that," She added, vouching for me.

"That's why this is so shocking," Sir Isaac chipped in. "Hilary has never had any problem with a teacher in the past. She has always been a good, respectful girl." He commemorated my Mum's statement, vouching for me too.

"Oh, so you are trying to say I'm the problem, abi?" Mrs. Khadija held her hand to her chest.

Yes, you are the problem.

"Not at all,"

"That's not what we are saying, Madam,"

Sir Isaac and Mum replied simultaneously and respectively.

"What I'm saying is, I'm sure Hilary never meant to disrespect you," Mum went on, trying to appease the woman that obviously didn't want to be appeased.

"She meant it!" She retorted back at Mum, who sat still unflinchingly. "She was trying to defend her dullard of a boyfriend and decided to insult me when all I was trying to do was teach!"

"Boyfriend?" Mum and Sir Isaac asked at the same time, turning to look at me incredulously.

"Simi is not my boyfriend!" I shot back defensively, pushing myself off the wall again.

What kind of woman is this for Heaven's sake.

It was so obvious she was trying to throw me under the bus right now, but she was going about it in the pettiest way ever. She desperately wanted me to get into trouble and get me punished by the school. I knew Mrs. Khadija. She would want to drag this matter till the outcome was only satisfactory to her. Even if it meant getting me expelled.

Just like every other secondary school, Crestview frowned at students being in a romantic relationships with each other. it wasn't as if they didn't know students still went ahead with it, they did. It was more like, so far you don't get caught, you are safe. But if anyone was caught frolicking on school grounds, it was a crime punishable by expulsion. At least, that's what it said in the handbook.

That's why she was doing this, calling Simi my boyfriend in front of the Principal and my Mum.

How Petty.

"Hilary." She called my name, turning to look at me in a way that told me she wanted me to start explaining myself. I groaned out in frustration, fighting the overwhelming urge to facepalm myself.

"Simi is not my boyfriend," I repeated. "He is my friend, the guy the school assigned me to tutor," I looked at Sir Isaac as I said that, trying him know who I was talking about and he nodded. "She was talking down on him and victimizing him in class today, I had to make her understand that what she was doing is wrong," I explained myself.

"Can you imagine!" Mrs. Khadija fired after being quiet for a while, holding her hands out in a gesture that said see me see wahala. "Demonic behavior! Spirit of rebellion. She's so unapologetically and unremorseful for disrespecting me in front of the entire class!"

"You also disrespected Simi in front of the entire class, Ma! And this is not even the fucking first time!" I snapped back before I could stop myself.

"Language!" Sir Isaac snapped, hitting his table so loud, that I flinched.

"Idara!"

Mum thundered at the same time, shooting up on her feet with a speed that had me shutting up immediately. She stared at me, shock and disbelief marred across her face, looking at me like she was just seeing me for the first time like she couldn't even recognize her daughter anymore.

"What is the matter with you?" Her voice came down in a whisper, disapproval sipping through her tone. The disappointment flickering in her eyes didn't go unnoticed too. I had to look away, my shoulders slumped.

"See what I'm saying!" Mrs. Khadija rambled on, clapping her hands together in a familiar rhythmic mocking manner. "She needs to be punished! She should be suspended! She should have her badge taken from her! She's not fit to be a prefect!"

Mum didn't even debunk anything the woman was saying, or try to vouch for me or pacify her on my behalf anymore. She just shook her head and went back to her seat. It was then I knew I had really disappointed her.

Oh God.

"Mrs. Khadija, that's alright," Sir Isaac gestured with his hands for her to calm down. "Don't worry, I'll make sure everything is sorted out and Hilary never repeats such again,"

"I want her to be punished," Mrs. Khadija maintained adamantly.

"It will be sorted out," The Principal repeated, not outrightly promising Mrs. Khadija that I will get punished. He wasn't even being specific if I'd get punished or not, but I pray I wasn't going to.

Mrs. Khadija left when Sir Isaac asked her to, leaving just me and my mum in the office with him. She didn't seem too happy that he asked her to leave though, obviously wanting to be present as Sir Isaac passes the judgment on me.

"I apologize for this embarrassment, Mrs. Eghosa," He apologized to Mum as soon as the door slammed shut behind Mrs. Khadija. "I didn't mean to call you from your place of work for something like this,"

"It's alright, Principal Isaac. I understand," She flashed a small, reassuring smile at him. A smile I could tell didn't reach her eyes.

"Go and get your things from class, Hilary," Sir Isaac turned to me. "I want to have a brief discussion with your mum," He added, causing me to gulp involuntarily, swallowing the invisible lump in my throat.

"Am I being suspended?" I asked him,

"No, you are not being suspended," Sir. Isaac shook his head. I exhaled, a wave of relief washing over me. "It's almost closing time, so you can as well just go home with your mum when she's ready. You have never gotten into trouble before. This being your first time so I'm going to let you off with a warning. Don't let this repeat itself again. Is that clear?"

I nodded and mustered a small appreciative smile, walking towards the door to go out of the office.

Then I paused, turning my head to the side, and looked at Mum. I wanted to see her reaction to the revelation that I wasn't getting punished after all, but I didn't get anything from her. She wasn't looking at me and wasn't smiling either. I needed no soothsayer to tell me that she was pissed at me.

My shoulders slumped at that realization.

I finally walked out of the office, exhaling in exhaustion and somehow, dejection. Mum wasn't happy with me and she had every right not to be. Not only did I get in trouble in school that made the principal summon her, but she was also insulted by a teacher questioning her parental skills, practically telling her that she didn't do a good job raising me.

It was embarrassing. I was embarrassed on her behalf. But I also knew it was my fault. I was the one that put her in the position to be embarrassed and insulted by that deranged woman.

And then, I even disrespected her further by snapping back at Mrs. Khadija in her presence and the presence of the principal, indirectly proving the woman right.

I messed up. And I know I wasn't going to hear the end of it when we get home. I can't even begin to imagine how Dad will react when he finds out about this. I don't think I'd be able to bear his disappointment as well.

Moving out of the reception slash waiting room of the principal's office, my mind was on Sir Isaac's instruction to get my things from class. Suddenly, I began to feel a bit reluctant to go to class. I didn't want to be in the same space as my classmates after what went down. In as much as they hyped me for what I did, it didn't diminish the fact that it was some kind of taint on my already crappy reputation and an embarrassing one at that.

But when I got to the hallway outside the office, I knew immediately that I didn't have to go to my class. Because Simisola was standing right there in that hallway.

And my bag was with him, strap slung over his shoulder.

Has he been waiting for me? I asked myself, my heart swelling in my chest and my lips stretching in an automatic smile as I halted in my steps and watched him for a bit.

He was oblivious to my presence in the hallway with him, staring right ahead at the plain wall in front of him like he found something interesting about it. He wasn't doing anything. All he did was stand there, leaning lazily against the white wall behind him with his hands folded across his chest, the sole of his sneakers tapping patiently on the tiled floor beneath his feet.

He was so laid back. It was beguiling... incredibly attractive. He didn't even have to do anything for me to find him that way.

Wondering how long he has been standing there, I started making my way toward him. And like he heard my footsteps approaching him, he paused his tapping and turned in my direction, pushing himself off the wall he was leaning on to stand upright.

It wasn't until after his eyes met mine that it dawned on me. It was like someone had doused me with ice-cold water, refreshing my memory and reminding me what I said at the lab... how I blurted out about his learning disorder to the whole science class, and possibly to the entire SS3 population because I knew the gist won't just die in our class.

It would never.

And soon, everyone will know Simi has a learning disorder, possibly putting him in the position of even more ridicule and mockery from our classmates.

Shit.

Realizing the implication of what I did made me halt in my steps, stopping short in the middle of the hallway, guilt washing over me at an unimaginable wave.

What the fuck did I do?

Simi's brows furrowed in confusion, probably wondering why I had stopped in the middle of the hallway like that. But he didn't dwell on it for long because he started walking towards me to meet me halfway, till he was standing right in front of me.

Right in my personal space.

Not like I actually mind. I liked it when he was this close to me, so close yet our skin barely touched. But then, his skin didn't even have to touch mine before he made me feel everything all at once. Every single, beautiful thing.

But I still had to find out if he was pissed at me for blurting out about his learning disorder like that.

When I looked up at him, his face didn't give anything away. He didn't look angry, or disappointed in me. His expression wasn't impassive either. It was just... cool. Very cool. And I could see the concern twinkling in his eyes as he stared down at me.

He looked like Simi. My Simi.

Your Simi? Since when na? Sister, be calming down o. My subconscious mocked me.

"Hey," My voice came out more hushed than I expected, with a hint of huskiness sipping through.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his voice just as hushed and husky as mine, maybe a bit deeper too. I could also hear the concern in his tone, and that made my heart swell even more. "You are not getting punished, are you?" He asked, and I shook my head slowly.

"No," I answered, averting my gaze from his for a bit. "But Sir Isaac called my mum though," I added, looking back at him. He nodded like he already knew.

"Yeah," He whispered. "Someone saw her and came to tell the entire class," He told me, a ghost smile playing at the corners of his lips.

I sighed, knowing for sure that that only added to the unnecessary drama. I can bet anything right now that they were exaggerating my call to Sir Isaac's office. Some may be even saying I'm getting expelled.

I have never met any other set as dramatic as mine.

"I figured you might not want to come back to class, so I packed your things for you," He went on when I didn't say anything, allowing my bag to slip down from his shoulder and catching it with his hand before it could fall, placing it in the space between our bodies for me to collect.

"Thanks," I whispered, looking down at the bag before holding onto it, and collecting it from him. I expected him to let go now that I had it but Simi didn't. And I didn't have to look up to know he was still looking at me. It's not as if he ever took his eyes off anyway.

"Something is bothering you," He picked up so easily, and I didn't even attempt to deny it. "Are you scared? Is that it?" He asked, moving impossibly closer till my bag was squeezed between us. "Is it about your mum's reaction? Or is it about our classmates-"

"You are not pissed at me?" I cut him off with a gentle question, looking back up to meet his eyes.

He looked slightly taken aback at first like he was trying to understand what I meant. And as if it finally dawned on him, a corner of his lips quirked further in a smile.

"And why would I be pissed at you, Hilary?" He asked me a question of his own, bobbing his head to the side as he peered at me inquisitively. I exhaled, took my bag from between us, and slung it over my shoulder.

"Simi, I swear I didn't mean to blurt out about your Dyscalculia like that," I told him sincerely, my voice pleading. "No matter how angry I was, I should have controlled myself enough to know that you weren't okay with me talking about it, especially in that manner-"

"I never said I wasn't okay with it," It was his turn to

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