~~~

The cause of my rapid heartbeat was Nathaniel Johnson and the way he looked even more stunning in the daylight. He was still smiling at me, and I couldn’t help but notice how perfect and white his teeth were.

I didn’t particularly like the school uniform—not because there was anything wrong with it, but because my mom had insisted the tailor sew mine a certain way. The school offers uniforms, but my mom complained so much about how inappropriate the length was that the principal allowed her to make adjustments. She made sure the skirt was past my knees, unlike the usual style at Ever High Rivers, where the length was considered ‘proper’ if it was twelve inches above the knee.

It wasn’t that I hated how I looked; it just felt awkward, being the only one who wore a uniform like this. But more than that, I didn’t like how much of my legs it covered—a part of me I had no problem with.

"You have sexy legs, by the way."

I quickly shook my head, trying to push the compliment out of my thoughts. It wasn’t that serious.

My uniform—shorter than the regulation one—was a hand-me-down from a friend who’d graduated. I wore it on break days when I liked to pack my things early.

Nathaniel, on the other hand, managed to make the uniform look effortless. The grey trousers fit him perfectly, and his smooth, rich brown skin contrasted against the stark whiteness of his shirt.

"Good morning, Senior," I greeted, my voice a little breathier than I intended.

"How are you?" he asked, his gaze soft and warm.

"I... I... I'm okay," I stuttered. Why was I suddenly stuttering?

He didn’t seem to mind, though. His attention shifted to the money in my hand, his brows furrowing.

"Why didn’t you buy something?" he asked.

"I don’t want anything," I lied.

"You wouldn’t be holding money if you didn’t want something," he observed, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

I shrugged, trying to hide my nervousness. "I changed my mind."

Before he could reply, Senior Skylar appeared out of nowhere, dramatically complaining about the sun as if it were the only thing in the sky.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

Without hesitation, she planted a kiss on the side of Nathaniel’s face. I noticed the way he pulled away before she tried to kiss him again. Interesting.

"Have you done it?" he asked her, his tone more serious than I'd ever heard.

She sighed exaggeratedly. "I tried, but my daddy said..."

"You can’t be serious," he interrupted, looking frustrated.

I pressed my lips together, trying to hide my curiosity as I watched the interaction unfold. Skylar glanced around as if searching for witnesses, but when her eyes landed on me, she looked right through me, as if I were invisible.

"Why do you sound upset?" she asked in a softer tone, but I could hear the edge in her voice.

Nathaniel’s expression hardened, though his voice remained calm. "Upset isn’t the word."

Skylar grabbed his arm, but Nathaniel surprised me by grabbing my hand. My eyes widened as Skylar finally noticed me, her gaze sharpening as it traveled from my cornrows to the black shoes I’d bought at Douglas Market—far from the luxury brands she was used to.

Her face twisted in disgust.

I pulled my hand away from Nathaniel’s, stepping back.

Ah! Abeg, please!

Nathaniel frowned, his intense eyes locked on Skylar. I noticed the way his chest rose and fell with each breath, his discomfort palpable.

"Nathaniel, I’m trying to talk to you, and you’re more interested in that thing," she spat.

‘Thing’... I was the thing.

Nathaniel ran a hand down his face, taking a deep breath before looking back at her. "Skylar Thompson," he said, his voice low but firm. I realized then that everyone around us, both juniors and seniors, was watching.

"Baby, what’s wrong?" she murmured, trying to touch his face.

He grabbed her wrist before she could reach him.

Her tears came suddenly, and though they looked genuine, I could tell they were an act. "Nathaniel," she whispered.

"I’ve had enough of your selfishness," he said, his tone final as he released her wrist.

I held my breath. Was he breaking up with her? It wasn’t even the end of the semester yet. Wow.

"Nathaniel, don’t do this, please. I’m sorry. I should have never told my parents any of that. Please don’t leave me. I’ll die if you do," she rambled, her voice cracking as tears streamed down her face.

"Skylar, we’re done," he said, his voice stronger now. "This," he gestured between them, "is over. Now please, just leave me alone and stop draining me with your...," he paused, looking her up and down, searching for the right word. "Everything," he finally said.

Oh, Susan Oluwadare, where are you now?

"Baby," she cooed, trying to grab his face, but he stepped back, his jaw tightening.

"We’re done!" he spat, his voice full of resolve.

"Please, Nathan, I love you," she confessed, the words hanging heavy in the air.

Whispers filled the space around us, and my heart skipped a beat.

Nathaniel looked uncomfortable. "Just stop this, Skylar," he said in a softer tone. "I can’t keep doing this with you."

She cried harder, her voice trembling. "Nathan... Nathan... I love you."

The thing about this scene was, while Nathaniel kept his voice low and his tone sharp, only letting me—who was nearest—hear, Skylar raised her voice for the whole world to hear. Her words felt empty, her apologies shallow. She wasn’t sincere; she just wanted the attention.

"If you loved me, you wouldn’t be playing with my future," he said, his words cutting through the air.

Future?

I turned and ran back to class as soon as I heard one of the conformity staff yell, "Everyone, leave the tuck shop immediately!"

The commotion must have caught Nathaniel’s attention.

I couldn’t help but wonder—what had Skylar done to upset him so much?

~~~
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