(017a - The Paragon Part 1)

Happy New Month Guys! And Happy Independence Day!!

I decided to rush this update for you guys so that you'll start the new month on a good Almost Unfixable note 😌.

This chapter is the official beginning of my collab with vilalove09 's book "INTRICACY". The Paragon is about to start.

And for those of you that have been waiting patiently for Simi and Hilary to make another appearance together, today might be your lucky day🌚.

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𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐘
(Hilary Idara Eghosa)

The school was very rowdy.

Not many students were in class, everyone roaming the length and breadth of the hallway, clad in the school's customized tracksuit. This wasn't only because today was Friday, Crestview's official sports day. It was also because this was the day of the Paragon, one of the biggest events of the school year.

Almost all the senior students were in the stadium, mostly the guys because a majority of them were involved in the activities of the day. It was still very early in the day, the students of Laurels International College were yet to show up so all that was happening right now was a last-minute warm-up. Everyone was looking forward to this event.

I was too.

But I wasn't going to be participating in it like I used to because I have developed aquaphobia, a byproduct of ASD. Though, I've been able to look at a pool without wanting to pass out or barf my guts out. But I can't go into a pool without having flashbacks.

I finally got a chance to speak to my therapist, on phone but not in person. Even though she seemed like a nice person over the phone, I was still very skeptical about the whole thing but I had no choice in the matter.

Everyone wanted me to get better and by everyone, I mean my parents and my friends. I also wanted to get better, but having a therapist meant that I would have to open up about everything that has been going on in school to a stranger... when I have not even been able to open up completely to my parents.

What's the likelihood that she won't tell my parents what has been happening in school after opening up to her?

There were a lot of questions going on in my mind. And I think I'm getting more anxious about meeting this woman because I was supposed to meet her tomorrow for the first time. I couldn't feel anything except anxiety.

I felt a soft nudge in my rib and I turned to my side to see Dawn looking at me. It was then I remembered that Semeeha had gone to change to her tracksuit and we were waiting for her, gisting to buy time when I trailed off in my thoughts. My eyes scanned around the class and I realized we were the only ones still seated.

"You were lost in thought, again." She stated, folding her hand across her chest with her eyes zeroed on me.

"Sorry," I apologized. "What were we talking about again?" I asked her, slightly embarrassed that I had forgotten what we were gisting about before. Dawn chuckled, resting her head on her propped hand resting on her table, gaze still settled on me.

"It's not very important anymore, now that I am certain you were thinking about something. I want to know what's going on in that head of yours if that's okay with you though." She said, eyes glazing with interest. I scoffed, shaking my head.

"It's nothing interesting. That, I can assure you." I told her.

"I don't care, I want to hear it." She maintained, not batting an eyelid. I looked at her and she shrugged, urging me to speak. I exhaled.

"I'm meeting my therapist tomorrow for the first time," I said. Dawn didn't say anything, she just kept looking at me as if she was waiting for more. I exhaled again, "I don't know what to think, or feel about the meeting." I added, looking down at my fingers.

"You are not comfortable with it?" She asked. I shrugged.

"She's a stranger," I said and heard Dawn make a sound as she hummed. "I don't think I'd be able to open up to her about things going on in school. About me and Jidenna, the rumors and how they had affected me... how they are still affecting me." I paused, stealing a glance at Dawn only to see she was paying full attention to me

I felt the push to say more. And I did.

"Yes, they are dying down, the rumors I mean. But I can't ignore the shady comments people pass at me when Jidenna is with another girl. I can't turn a blind eye to the way people look at me. I can't help but feel less of myself knowing that Jidenna is nowhere near affected by what he did... what he is doing, knowing that he never cared. I don't know how to handle these things-"

"Which is why you need a therapist," Dawn interjected, and I looked at her, brows furrowed in confusion.

"You are not getting my point, Dawn-" I started but she cut me off again.

"If there is anyone that gets how this feels Hilary, it's me. You of all people should know that." She said and I kept quiet. She was right. She was very right.

"Look," She started, shifting closer to me. "I understand how much this is taking a toll on you. I get it perfectly because I've been here and I know that it's draining. Emotionally, psychologically, mentally draining. But it will keep draining you if you don't seek professional help." She stated plainly and I looked on, thinking about what she just said.

Is that how she got better? By seeing a therapist?

"Is that how you were able to get things together after last session?" I voiced out my thoughts. "You saw a therapist?" I prodded further and her lips tugged in a small smile, followed by a nod.

"Yes, I saw a therapist." She confirmed, rolling her eyes upward like she was in thoughts. "I didn't want to tell you guys because I didn't want to bother anyone with my shit." She chuckled at the thought and I felt my lips quirk a bit in a smile.

"But that wasn't why I was able to get things together last session." She continued and I paid rapt attention. "Going to a therapist only helped in the process to get better. It was after I saw the therapist that I was able to tell my parents everything that happened."

My eyes widened in shock.

Everything?

"You told them everything that happened?" I asked to confirm what I heard and she nodded, shocking me again. "Everything that happened between you and-"

"Every single detail." She answered with laughter in her voice like my reaction was funny to her. But my reaction was justified. If what happened to Dawn last session happened to me, I'd take all of it to my grave.

"I know it's shocking, I understand why it is. But it's the best way to let things go." Dawn said and I looked at her, still awed by her boldness. "Don't even get me started on their reaction. They were very angry."

"I expect nothing less." I chipped and she laughed. A loud, resonating, and contagious laugh had me laughing too.

"They got over it eventually." She said after the laughter had subsided. "They stayed by me and didn't hold anything against me. At the end of the day, I was still their daughter and they couldn't hate me for my mistakes.-

So if my parents can understand, I know for a fact that your parents won't change their mind about you. Why would they even change their mind about you? They will only take extra care of you. You need this therapy because you need to be okay again. You need to be able to swim again. You need to be you again, Hilary. All you need to do is trust the process." She finished, with a shrug and smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

Wow...

Trust the process.

Dawn's case was different from mine. What she opened up to her parents about was something very huge, something that can make a parent look at their child very differently, a child that they have always thought was innocent. But at the end of the day, they helped her get back on her feet, made her a stronger version of her former self.

She took a Big Step in her recovery.

Dawn is Strong and nothing was going to change my mind about that.

She was also an amazing best friend for sharing something so huge with me. For pushing me continuously to be better.

"Has anyone ever told you, you are an amazing person?" I asked. Her lips stretched into a wide grin.

"I have heard it before but you can say it again, just in case." She answered, wiggling her brows at me teasingly. I found myself laughing and at the same time, pulling her into a bear hug. She hugged me back, tight.

"Thank you," I whispered, snuggling closer to her.

"I told you I've got your back." She whispered back and I snuggled even closer, enjoying the bear hug.

Dawn and her soft body.

Whoever will date this girl las las will enjoy cuddling with her.

"Wow, you guys are having a hug without me." Semeeha's voice filled the room, causing Dawn and me to pull away from each other. The darker girl was standing by the door, now dressed in her very own tweaked version of the school's tracksuit, hands akimbo as she peered at us like she caught us stealing.

Since it was a special occasion, the entire school was on the customized tracksuit; deep blue or wine sweatshirts with grey joggers that had either blue or wine trimmings. Trust Crestview to spend a lot of money to make their students look dope, but students go on their own to tweak the tracksuits, like our teen celebrity.

Dawn also tweaked hers, but not as flamboyant as Semeeha's. She only made the sweatshirt into crop sweats but Semeeha added little rhinestones to her trimmings. She told us she did it all by herself with a bedazzler. She should have gotten into trouble for that enormous change in her tracksuit but the school wouldn't dare.

I didn't tweak mine because I didn't see the need to and because I always looked different with my Sports Pro Varsity jacket.

But not today.

There was no need to wear it because I wasn't participating in any sports today.

Or in a very long time.

"Well, if you had gotten here sooner, you'd have joined in the hug. But no, you decided to take an entire hour in the locker room to change to your tracksuit." Dawn fired back at her, the tease evident in her voice. Semeeha sashayed into the class, intentionally adding an extra sway to her hips.

"You can't look this good-" She gestured to her body. "If you don't put an effort." She said, twirling for us like she was on a runway fashion show. Dawn and I just kept looking at her without saying anything, not a bit surprised by what she was doing.

"Besides," she continued, finally getting to our table. "Those guys from Laurels should see hot cake abeg. From last year, I know for a fact that they have fine guys in that school. I got one's name the last time. Was it Udah... no, Umar? Yes, that's his name. The guy is fine die." She swooned. Dawn and I exchanged a knowing look.

"I thought you said Nigerian guys are not your spec." I shot at her, holding her ransom to claim she made when we were in SS2.

Semeeha Malik had spelled it out loud and clear that no guy at Crestview would ever be worthy of her. She then went on to expand the claim, that Nigerian guys, in general, are not worth her and that if at all she was going to date anyone, it wouldn't be a Nigerian. To her, no Nigerian guy can afford an international teen supermodel.

Now she's changing mouth.

Semeeha and inconsistency in her words. Five and Six.

"I didn't say Nigerian guys are not my spec." She defended immediately and I smirked, ready to listen to whatever claim she had now. "I said Crestview guys are not worthy of a babe like me. As per, they can't afford me..." Dawn cut her off.

"No no." Dawn wagged her finger at her. "I remember you generalizing it to the entire Nigerian male population then, Semeeha. Don't change your words."

"Okay, what if I have changed my mind now," Semeeha stated, shrugging. "I'm ready to explore all my options now. This is the final year of high school, I want to have a bit of fun too. Tekena's party is coming up tonight. That's where it starts from." She smirked, obviously cooking up something in her mind.

"You know the kind of fun I think you are talking about comes with a price right?" Dawn asked rhetorically. "And being a very popular person in the country and continent, you need to be careful how you are having that fun." She continued, her tone cautious and warning.

But Semeeha being Semeeha, brushed it aside like what Dawn said wasn't important.

"Unlike Hilary that can't handle shit, I think I can handle myself just fine." That was what she said, words that spewed out of her mouth and became an unintentional jab at me.

Oh wow.

Dawn noticed this and was about to point it out to Semeeha but I touched her thigh, telling her not to bother. It was unintentional, but that didn't make it hurt any less. She could have just made her point without bringing me into it. That was unnecessary. The girl in question didn't even notice she said anything wrong. She just tapped away on her phone in all her attitude.

SMH. A Big One.

"Kizito is asking where we are." She said, finally looking up from her phone, flashing us the screen as if to show us her chats with Kizito.

"Maybe we should go to the complex," I said, looking at Dawn who answered with a shrug. "Almost everyone is there anyway," I added.

"It's true." Dawn chirped. "Let's go. We'll grab my things on the way." She said, jumping to her feet. I stood up as well and began to pack everything I might need into my bag. Water bottle, my phone, a novel, and a pair of flip-flops, just in case my legs get tired from wearing kicks.

Semeeha was also packing her things and I sighted several packs of bubble gum in her bag.

"Hey, can I gave bubble gum?" I asked her and she chuckled.

"Do you even have to ask me?" She asked in sarcasm and I smiled. "Take it na. What's mine is yours." She added easily, handing me two of the six packs.

"Thank you." I grinned, taking it from her. She picked another pack and stretched it over to Dawn.

"Do you want too?" She asked and Dawn squealed, before taking the gum from her.

Semeeha chuckled and muttered something like, "Baby." Dawn heard her and began to argue that she wasn't a baby. They began to bicker childishly while I watched them with smiles tugged at the corners of my lips.

Friendships like this.

We all got ready and moved out of the class, walked down the senior block after we stopped at Dawn's class, and moved out of the building to the sports complex. The environment around the sports complex was pretty rowdy with students, mostly seniors.

When we got in, it was even rowdier. It seemed as though everyone in the school was already here because the pavilion at the right was almost filled up. The one on the left was always set aside for visiting schools. I recognized the swim team immediately, doing a little bit of exercise on the soccer field. Then the basketball players running laps on the track, around the field.

As we walked a bit further down the walkway that led to the pavilion, I recognized some girls from our class in a group. When one of them, specifically Tomilola, looked up and her eyes met mine, I quickly looked away, praying that she would just ignore me and look away too. But she didn't. From my peripheral vision, I noticed she called the attention of her remaining friends and I felt panic brewing in my chest.

But to my surprise, they were grinning and waving, calling a name.

It was then I remembered I had a very popular teen model as a best friend.

"Semeeha!" Tomilola screamed, waving vigorously and leaping on her feet as if Semeeha couldn't see her properly. The rest of her friends mimicked her gestures, calling Semeeha's name and waving.

Their loud calls kinda attracted the attention of some other students who began to do the same, calling Semeeha's name, wanting so desperately for the celebrity to notice them and give them at least a wave of the hand. Some students, definitely juniors, even called Dawn's name and greeted her. Dawn answered good-naturedly as "Dawn" would do.

No one called my name.

And for once in the last two weeks, I was so happy I wasn't attracting any attention. Since everything began, all I wanted was to be invisible and now, it felt like I was. No one focused on me.

It was an amazing feeling.

Till we left the middle of Semeeha's "fan club", the celebrity in question didn't say anything to them. Not a wave in answer to their high praises, or even a smile. Semeeha's expression remained stoic and haughty, her nose raised high to the air and her poise exuding pride and audaciousness. In other words, She flat out ignored every single person that had greeted her.

Every single one of them.

"Pathetic." She spat out in disdain when we moved further away from the group. "All of them are so pathetic." She repeated, flipping her braids over her shoulder.

"At least, a smile would have been nice," I told her, nudging her gently with my elbow. She scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"I can't waste my smile on simpletons. I'm not Dawn. She's the one who greets every single person she sees on the road. I'm classy, so I don't talk to just anyone." She stated shrewdly, throwing a smirk at Dawn's way. I turned my head to Dawn to watch her reaction but the girl only had a grin spread across her lips.

"Well, that's why I'm the social prefect and you are not," Dawn replied. I had to catch my mouth from dropping open.

Ouch! Low blow!

But Semeeha laughed, like what Dawn had said was funny. She laughed like she didn't catch the subtle jab that Dawn had unintentionally, thrown at her. A high-pitched laugh that sounded almost fake. I looked at her as the laugh subsided into small chuckles, her lips stretched in a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

She caught the jab. I could feel the tension. But before I could do anything to dissipate it, a male voice called Dawn's name.

"Yo! Dawn!"

"Collins! Come over here." Dawn called back, beckoning for the guy to come to us. As he came closer, I recognized him as one of our set mates, probably from the art or commercial class because I knew he wasn't in science or technical.

When he got to us, he and Dawn exchanged some sort of rehearsed funny handshake ritual thingy that ended with a "Wakanda Forever" sign. A greeting I knew was only familiar within the dance team. The Collins guy acknowledged Semeeha and me, me waving back and Semeeha ignoring him as she did to the others. Collins didn't seem to care as his sole attention was on Dawn.

"Awfar?" Dawn asked him.

"Everything is set for tonight." He answered and Dawn nodded. They talked in hushed tones for a bit then the guy walked away.

"What's going on tonight?" I asked Dawn when Collins left. She looked at me incredulously like I had asked the dumbest shit ever.

What did I say now?

"Tekena Tamumo's party," Semeeha answered the question, and my mouth formed an O in realization. I had completely forgotten about the After Party, and I didn't prepare for it.

"Don't tell me you didn't prepare." Dawn shot and I pouted. Her eyes still widened in shock."We talked about this Hilary!" She nudged me roughly and I winced, shrugging.

"I forgot about the party, sorry!" I answered. "You guys can go without me." Immediately, the both of them began to shake their heads in negation.

"Hell no! There is absolutely no way you are missing the first party of the session. Probably the only party we are going to have before graduation!" Semeeha rapped out faster than I could blink. Before I could even digest her words, Dawn shot at me too.

"And there is no way you are missing my first dance of the session. You are going to that party, Hilary. We'll figure something out about your clothes. But right now, get across to your mum and tell her you are not coming home tonight."

"Are you guys scheming without me?" A familiar deep voice of a hunk came behind us and we all turned, coming face to face with Kizito in all his hot and goofy self. I felt my energy spike a degree higher.

"Kizito!" I screamed, running to him. He let out a hearty laugh beckoning for me to come to hug him. But I had a better idea. I ran around him and jumped on his back. My legs wrapped around his waist securely while his hands automatically held to either of my thighs so he could steady me well on his back.

He has been so scarce lately because of the Paragon practice, his duties solely within the sports complex because he was the sports prefect and Captain of the American Football team. The only time we had a chance to talk was always after school, on WhatsApp. It was so good seeing him today after not seeing him for almost a week. And he was looking good in his varsity jacket, sweatpants, and big grey timberlands.

"You are excited today." Kizito chipped, looking at me over his shoulder and I hummed, resting my head in the hollow of his neck. "That's a good thing. That's a very good thing. I'm loving the energy." He added, grinning from ear to ear. I couldn't see him, but I knew he was doing that. Dawn and Semeeha laughed as I giggled.

"Thank Dawn for that." I nodded towards the girl standing just a few feet away from Kizito and me, who flipped an imaginary hair since her real hair which was in brown braids was tied up in a bun.

"What can I say, I have that effect on people. Just take a good look at me," She gestured to her body. "I'm a life-sized teddy bear." She punctuated her statement with one of her contagious laughs, pulling all of us into it immediately.

"That one I can agree on." Semeeha chipped, as our laughter subsided.

"Well, you are a pretty sexy teddy bear if that's the case," Kizito said and I saw Dawn's smile widen into a full-blown grin, clearly blushing.

Kizito has always had his way with words. Words that did nothing except lift your spirit every single time, making you feel better and better about yourself. Why you'd believe him anytime he says those words is because he was the most genuine person you could ever come across. So straightforward and genuine. Unlike most of the guys in our set, Kizito doesn't think those attributes make him weak.

Jidenna should come and learn a thing or two from him.

I swear, I'm not petty. Just extremely hurt.

Don't think about him, or else your mood will dampen. I reminded myself, shutting Jidenna and everything about him out of my mind.

"So, you guys are also going for TK's party hmmn?" He asked to confirm.

"Like I said before you showed up, it's the first party of the session. There is no way I am missing it." Semeeha replied, then smirked. "Plus, who else can make that party the talk of social media except Semeeha Malik." She boasted, adjusting her sweatshirt on her body animatedly.

"I think the last thing anyone wants to see on social media is a bunch of teenagers partying when they have only one week to their continuous assessment," Dawn rapped, causing Semeeha to give her a dismissive wave. "But I'm going sha," She finished, flashing a grin at Kizito who looked at her in disbelief.

"You are going to Tekena Tamumo's party." He repeated, still looking at her with disbelief while trying to steady me on his back. I understood his worry. Dawn was supposed to be staying away from TK, but rather, she was going to his party. Although, we can't stop her from having fun, can we?

"Of course I'm going," She answered Kizito. "It's not like I have much of a choice anyway. The dancers are having their first performance tonight and I'm having my first performance as the dance captain with them. There is no way I'm missing out on all that fun." She said, folding her hand across her chest.

"Okay. Seems like you have it all figured out." Kizito stated, nodding in approval and Dawn shrugged, a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Of course I do."

"What about you, baby girl?" Kizito asked and it took me some seconds to realize he was talking to me.

"Oh, me. The girls are making me go." I nodded towards the duo standing right in front of us.

"It's time for you to get out of your shell, gurl!" Semeeha hollered, feigning a black American accent that made me chuckle involuntarily. "There is no way all of us are going to that party and you'll be at home, stuffing your face with carbs and junks and thinking about how everything has been terrible for you,"

"I don't think that's the point..." I chipped in but she cut me off.

"Well, my point is," She drew in a deep breath before she continued. "You are going to that party and you are going SLAY! Do you hear me?"

"This is that one time in three months I agree with Semeeha," Dawn stated, agreeing with the former.

"Ditto." Kizito also agreed and I sighed, dropping down from his back.

"Fine." I breathed out and the girls squealed. "Besides, if I didn't say yes, you guys will bundle me to that party yourselves."

"Thank God you know the kind of friends you have," Kizito said and we all laughed.

"Kizito!" An unfamiliar voice came from behind Kizito, who looked back to see who had called him. As soon as the person came into my line of vision, I recognized him immediately. Sochima Johnson.

"Chima, what's up?" Kizito asked when the guy in question got to us. His dressing was very similar to Kizito's; Varsity Jacket, sweat pants and kicks, his signature afro hair in its little twist-outs at the edges. He looked simple and pretty sharp.

He was a Sports Pro after all. They always look sharp.

"Hi girls," Sochima greeted us girls and I waved at him, flashing him a small smile in greeting which he flashed right back. Semeeha didn't answer, as per usual. He must have encountered this side of Semeeha because he didn't focus much on her after the greeting.

His gaze, however, focused intently on Dawn. And Dawn, on the other hand, was avoiding his gaze not so subtly.

Is this a class thing? Because they are in the same class. I thought to myself.

"Chima!" Kizito called, jerking Sochima out of his reverie, breaking his gaze away from Dawn.

"Right. Sorry." He apologized, rubbing the back of his neck as he let out a short nervous laugh. Then he looked at Kizito. "LIC is around." He said and Kizito widened his eyes.

"Laurels is already here?" He asked, glancing at his wristwatch. "Wow, the time went so fast." He muttered to more himself than the rest of us.

"Big Guy wants all the captains to meet up with him immediately. Simi is already there, that's why I came to call you." Sochima said and my ears perked at the mention of his name.

The Swim Team has never had a standing captain, but it made perfect sense that Simi was the one that was attending the meeting. He was the best anyway. I then remembered that we were going to start the tutorials next Monday. We only had next week free before test week.

Would one week be enough?

"Girl's, I have to go. Duty calls." Kizito's voice cut through my thoughts. I looked up and saw that Sochima was already walking away.

"It's all good," Semeeha said, waving Kizito off. "Just make sure you kick their ass tonight at the game." She added, causing Kizito's lips to quirk in an arrogant smirk.

"You know I don't disappoint." He answered, his voice gone an octave lower, deeper and sexier that could make any girl swoon. I swear I heard Semeeha giggle. It was shocking because,

Semeeha never giggles.

"You girls should have fun today, and cheer louder than anyone else." Kizito added.

"Of course!" Dawn chirped, bouncing up and down in excitement.

Kizito then pulled the three of us in for a hug, pressing dainty kisses to our foreheads like he usually did. It was a normal thing between us girls and Kizito. He was that close to the three of us. No wonder people had speculations about our relationship. If you see how he is with us separately, you'd think he's dating the three of us at the same time.

But it was not like that.

Kizito's relationship with us was platonic.

He was like a big brother to us.

He was a big brother to me, now that Henry is no more.

"Kizito is such a rockstar." Dawn cooed softly as we stared at his retreating figure after he threw the last wave over his shoulder and disappeared out of the Sports complex with Chima.

"He is," I heard Semeeha whisper and I looked at her.

There was that look again. That same look from last Friday.

And yet again, I couldn't decipher it.

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It was exactly Noon and the Paragon was starting. Swimming was the first game of the day and that explained why the Indoor swimming pool was jam-packed with a lot of people, mostly students from both Crestview and the guest school, Laurels International College.

Apart from the students and school officials, some parents were also around. I recognized Simi's mum seated at the stand set aside for parents and school officials. Thankfully, the building was large enough to contain both schools, including the parents and school officials.

Since they arrived, we haven't seen any player from the guest school apart from their supporter's club sitting at the left side of the building, dressed in their sky blue shirt and deep blue and black check pleated skirt and trouser school uniform, holding plaque cards and cheering for their school even when the game had not started yet.

Semeeha wouldn't stop talking about the Umar dude that she's been fawning over from the beginning of the day. We still haven't seen the guy to be sure she's right about him being a hunk. The funny part, she was already starting to comparing him to Kizito. It was then Dawn decided to indulge her, claiming that no one could be as hot as Kizito.

I didn't have the strength to indulge in the argument... not while I was trying my best not to have a nervous breakdown.

Water...

So much water...

I swallowed, trying to keep my head straight and my mind clear. But it wasn't working.

And the girls noticed.

"Hilary, are you alright?" Dawn asked. Even though I wasn't looking at her to see her expression, my head hanging low and my hand gripping the edge of the seat, I could hear the concern in her voice. Still, I couldn't answer her. I was trying so hard to get my mind, body, and soul together.

Breathe, Hilary.

"Do we need to leave this place?" That was Semeeha's voice, and from the shuffles, I knew they were both trying to get up and probably lead me out of the large room. I quickly shook my head, raising my head.

"It's okay." I choked out, drawing in some air to fill my lungs. "I just need fresh air for a bit," I added quickly, rummaging my bag for my bottle of pills. Dawn quickly stretched her water bottle to me and I grabbed it, made my way down the bleachers and out of the building.

I grabbed onto the railings as soon as I got outside, leaning against the pavement as I tried to catch my breath. When I saw the bench just a few feet away, I went to sit down on it, burying my face in my hands.

Breathe, Hilary. I told myself again as I tried to gulp in another whiff of fresh air, allowing it to fill my lungs. It was working, but just a little.

I heard footsteps approaching but ignored them, focusing on getting my breathing steady and smooth. Whoever was coming this way should just act like they didn't see me and walk into the hall. At this point in my life, I want to remain invisible to everyone else. I wanted to be ignored.

It was way better than being the center of attention for all the wrong reasons.

The approaching footsteps got closer until they stopped, just in front of me. My head was still hanging low but I saw a pair of legs standing right in front of me. I'm not sure who it was that was standing there but I knew the person was looking at me. I could feel their gaze on me.

Just go away, please

"Are you okay?"

I froze.

Oh my God...

It's Him.

𝐀/𝐍

Okruu 🌚🔥

For all of you that have been waiting for Hilary and Simi to... I don't know... make an appearance together, I think it's about to happen... or not?🤔

Either it's Simi that made that last statement or someone entirely different?

Hilary has started noticing Semeeha's "feelings" for Kizito (I'm sure we have all established the fact that Semeeha has it bad for Kizito), but she's still not sure if it's actually what it is.

I mean, they have all been friends for a pretty long time. It's hard to decipher if it's getting to something more than just friendship. That's why Hilary said Kizito's relationship with all of them is plainly platonic. She thinks it is.

Chima and Dawn though 🥺😌. Don't worry you'll still get to see them in the next chapter.

Will try my best to update again. I can't tell you when specifically but, just keep your fingers crossed. See you when I see you 🤗❤️.