(052b - Who is Faking Part 2)

Omo! You guys don't even have joy o😂. If Semeeha was a real person and saw the way y'all bashed her in the last chapter, she'd have just gone to cry somewhere for two weeks straight 😂💔. She will still vex you in this chapter sha, just so you know🌚. But you'll still pity her small🤧.

P. S. I'm creating a cast list for Faceclaims of minor characters that have played, are playing and will play roles in this book and I'm so excited for you guys to see it. Don't worry, I'll post very soon.

Mind you, Collins has legit stepped up from minor-minor character to minor-major, but I can't fix him with the first cast list because I've passed the Wattpad limit for posting pictures on that page. So he's going to be heading this cast list and I can't wait for you to see all of them, Faceclaims, aesthetics, and all ✨.

BTW, I apologize in advance for any form of tackiness in this chapter😩.

Now, shall we? 😌.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

𝐒𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐇𝐀
(Semeeha Iris Malik)

It's been two days since I last spoke to Kizito.

Two days since he told me I needed to talk things out with Dawn and Hilary.

Two days since I started rehearsing my lines, what I should and shouldn't say to them when I'm apologizing, words I could use to stroke their ego, words that could portray me as repentant and apologetic.

I've been practicing for hours in front of my mirror, making several faces at my reflection to see which one made me look pitiable. I even tried to summon up tears a few times and tried to put up every act to make my apology as convincing as possible.

But all I've practiced haven't left the four walls of my room because I still haven't summoned up the courage to walk up to either of them and apologize for real.

It was hard, and that was a first. It has never been this hard cooking up an apology whenever we have a fallout.

Maybe it was because they were always the ones coming to me... and the aftermath of this fight was a lot longer than every other one we have had.

And truth be told, I can't keep waiting for them to come to me. I have to be the one to go to them this time. But I wasn't sure how to do that.

Should I go to our spot in the garden during break and sit down beside them? Or maybe I should go back to my seat beside Hilary.

"That seems like a good idea," I said to myself, nodding as I allowed my mind to cook up more plans.

I could use that opportunity to strike up a conversation with her. And knowing Hilary, she'll probably be happy I'm talking to her again since she has been trying to get my attention since I stopped sitting beside her. If I can get Hilary to start talking to me, She can help me convince Dawn. Dawn will not be able to say no to Hilary.

Problem solved.

My lips stretched in a wide grin at the fool-proof plan. It's literally the same way things have been going on. The only difference was that I had to be the one to go meet them this time, not the other way round like it has always been.

Now I just need to summon up the courage to...

My thoughts trailed off as my nose, having a mind of its own, caught a whiff of something.

Soon, it was no longer a whiff, but a strong smell. A strong, delicious smell. And no matter how much I tried to shake it off, it clouded every one of my sensory organs. Right from my nose, it moved to my tongue and I began to taste the small. On its own accord, my mouth began to water.

Jesus, what is that smell?

I allowed my nose to guide my eyes and ears, and they began to adjust to my surrounding. The chattering of my classmates began to fill my ear gradually, and my eyes starts forming images of the lives around me, reminding me that I was in class. And without wasting any more seconds, my eyes found the source of that mouth-watering smell.

It was right there, seated on a table in front of the class in between a cluster of my classmates.

Cake.

A big box of cupcakes, donuts, and treats.

And on cue, my tummy let out a loud and embarrassing growl, possibly loud enough to silence the entire class.

"Shit!"

I clutched my tummy, looking around the class to see if anyone heard that embarrassing sound coming from me. But most people were focused on the goodies in front of the class, trying to snag as many treats as they could in their hands to eat. And from the faint steam emitting from the box, it was obvious that everything in there was freshly baked.

Where did it come from? Who brought it to school?

And why does it smell so good?

My tummy growled again, painfully this time and I winced, clutching it.

I haven't had something good to eat in two days. My mother cut down even the fruits from my diet and left them as vegetables and water so that I can fit into the corset in tomorrow's endorsement photoshoot. Mama Marie wasn't around to bake any pastries and now that Mother was around, she wouldn't have any form of carbs lurking around in the house.

Everything I ate and later threw up two days ago was the last set of junks in the house. And I couldn't order anything because mother will know. It has been mildly bearable so far, but now, with the treats in front of the class staring right at me, I just realized how hungry I was.

No, that was an understatement. I was starving.

I was starving badly. And there was nothing I could do about it. I can't eat. The endorsement deal with Amy's Corsetry was tomorrow and I mustn't screw it up by eating carbs.

But I'm so hungry.

Get a grip, girl! I chided myself

"You okay?"

I blinked, turning my eyes away from the front to see Collins walking toward me. Realizing I was crouching slightly and holding my tummy, which might have given him the impression that something was wrong with me, I cleared my throat and quickly straightened up, mustering a poker face.

"Yeah, sure," I answered monotonously while opening my locker and pretending to search for something inside.

"Okay," He sounded unconvinced but Collins knew he wasn't in the position to bother me with questions. If I keep acting like I wasn't interested in having any conversation with him, he'll either walk away or sit down and not say a word to me.

But of course, he didn't.

"Would you like a donut?" He asked.

That question made me look up immediately. Collins was stretching out a small cubic box that had the same brand logo as the big box of treats in front of the class, and I didn't need anyone to tell me that that box contained one of the pastries that has been making my tummy growl and my mouth water in hunger.

I swallowed the saliva that had begun to gather in my mouth

"What?" I blinked, swallowing again.

"Donut," Collins repeated as he moved closer, oblivious to the kind of wahala the tantalizing smell of the doughnut was causing to my senses. I cursed inwardly, taking my eyes away from the delicious deep-fried goodness.

What kind of temptation is this for heaven's sake?

"Or is it cake you want?" He continued, not taking the hint. "There are also chocolate cookies if that's the one you want," I saw him point back to the box from my peripheral vision. "They are freshly baked, I just ordered them-"

"Not interested," I cut him off dismissively, hoping to get him off my back.

I wasn't looking at him, trying to busy myself with anything that would keep my eyes away from the donuts, but I could still feel his presence close to me, indicating that he didn't take the clear hint.

Either he was just too dumb to read the room, or he saw the hint and chose to ignore it.

"Are you sure?" He went on to ask, moving closer to me again, an action that made the smell of the goodies he had in his hands attack my senses in full force. I had to discreetly wipe my hand over my mouth just to make sure I wasn't drooling.

"Semeeha, there is more than enough to go around if that's why you don't want to take. Some of the guys and I got like five boxes so you can just help yourself to-"

Oh for the love of God!

"Collins I said I don't want! Wetin sef, na by force?" I snapped at him, cutting the rest of his words off.

The sound of my voice echoed through the class, alerting the attention of a few of our classmates that were still in class to our corner. I wasn't looking at them, but I could imagine the look of confusion ok their faces, wondering what was going on.

But unlike my classmates that reacted, Collins had nada. As usual, he wasn't startled by the intensity of my voice and he didn't react in any way to how I had yelled at him... publicly for that matter.

"I'm sorry," Was what he said, his lips tugged ok that ridiculous smile that always played on his lips when I attacked him like this. That ridiculous smile that made me wonder what was so funny.

That ridiculous smile that made me feel so angry because... why the hell is he smiling after I just embarrassed him?

The fact that Collins always acted so unaffected by me, my outbursts, my lash outs or insults that he seemed to be at the receiving end ever since I became his seat partner, vexed the hell out of me.

It vexed... and scared me at the same time.

"I'm sorry," He repeated, pulling me out of my thoughts. "I shouldn't have pressured you when you already said you weren't interested."

And he was always the one to apologize. Always. Like he never got tired of it.

"Yes, you shouldn't have!" I snapped at him again, but not loud enough to alert our classmates, who had already gone back to their business, again. Collins nodded, that smile still playing on his lips.

"I'm sorry, Semeeha," He apologized once again, calling my name as if to add more emphasis to the apology or prove that he meant it.

How can he even apologize so much in nothing less than a span of thirty seconds? Who does that?

Someone called his name from the front of the class and soon he was skipping away in his usual, cheery demeanor after flashing a smile at me and telling me he'd see me later. He didn't even know he was leaving me with more questions plaguing my mind about him.

How does he move on so fast?

I've always said that Dawn or Hilary cannot hold a grudge to save their lives, but Collins was on another level entirely. No matter how I snapped at him or talked anyhow to him, he won't stop talking with me.

One minute I'm yelling at him for being such a pain in my behind, and the other minute, he's acting like it never even happened, talking with me as per regular. He doesn't even retaliate to any verbal attack from me. He's always smiling, always the first to apologize, and he'll do it at that moment.

At this point, I don't think the guy can get angry at anyone for anything. And as much as I don't want to believe that he doesn't get angry, I've witnessed it first hand.

Collins smiles through it all.

But still, I don't think anyone could be that good at staying in control of their emotions. It's either Collins was an angel, or he was faking this whole cheery, carefree, set clown attitude.

And I vote the latter.

He has to be faking it, right? I asked myself rhetorically. That seemed like the only logical explanation for always acting so in control.

It was all an act. It cannot be real.

"Hey, Hilary!"

That was Collins' voice again, bringing me out of my thoughts with a start. This time, it wasn't his cheery voice that had called my attention, but the name he called. And I looked up just in time to see Hilary making her way into class, smiling at Collins who had called her.

"Do you want?" He picked up the entire box and showed her.

"Yes please," My best friend jumped right at the offer, picking up a tiny box from inside the box. "Hmmn," She inhaled after bringing out the chocolate-coated donut from the box. "This smells fresh. Did you guys just order it? " She asked.

"Yeah," Collins answered. "Some of the guys and I put money together to order it for the class." He said, and Hilary nodded, taking a big bite out of the pastry. She hummed in delight, commenting on how good it tasted.

Saliva began to form in my mouth again, and my tummy growled for the hundredth time. Tears started welling up in my eyes as hunger tortured the very depths of my tummy, clawing painfully on my insides. I clutched my tummy again.

God, I'm hungry. I'm so hungry.

But I have to keep it together. I have to discipline myself.

I blinked away the tears, trying to comport myself. No one was even looking my way to notice my discomfort.

"Better don't let Sir Isaac find out that you guys are ordering things on school grounds. He will have your heads," I heard Hilary tell Collins, and the guy laughed in response, telling her that that could never happen and they were discreet as possible.

It felt somehow seeing them all buddy-buddy. I can't even remember the last time I shared a laugh with Hilary. She wasn't even looking at my corner anymore like she used to. Is that how fast she has forgotten that I even exist?

I need to salvage what was left of my friendship with these girls. I have to act on my plan now.

When She left Collins to go to her, no, our seat, I stood up from where I was seating and made my way to where she was. I tried my best to seem in control, pushing every negative thought down to the pit of my stomach and patting my face with the back of my palm to get rid of any sweat.

I stopped when I got closer to her, seeing that she was distracted by something. There was a full sheet of paper in her hand and she was reading from it, her other hand holding the donut she has half eaten. The deep frown that creased her forehead told me that she didn't like whatever she must be reading on that paper.

Made me wonder what was written there.

"Are people still writing love letters these days?"

It was when her head turned sharply to my corner that I realized I was the one that spoke up. And while my lips were stretched in a big smile, the only expression she had on her face was that of a mild surprise, just a little tug on one of her eyebrows and that was it. No response to what I said.

Nothing.

That didn't deter me though. I moved closer to her.

"Who is it from? A secret admirer?" I wiggled my brows teasingly, tip-toeing to peer that what was written inside that paper that got Hilary so angry.

Maybe if she sees that I care to know, she'll talk to me about whatever it was and everything will go back to normal.

Right?

Wrong.

Hilary folded the paper shut before I could even know the color of the pen used to write on the paper. Then she wordlessly tore it into two, right in my presence. She kept folding and tearing till once full paper became tiny pieces of paper. When she was satisfied with how tiny she had shredded it, she squeezed the pieces in her fist and went to throw them into the dust bin.

Wow.

"Wow," I repeated dumbly, blinking. "Uhm... that was-"

Hilary didn't pay attention to me, cutting off the rest of my words as she came back to the seat, picked up the box of donut Collins had given her, and made her way out of the class, much to my daze.

Simply put, she ignored the shit out of me.

What the...

I didn't think twice before going after her, following her as she made her way down the hallway that led to the library.

"Are you seriously going to keep ignoring me?" I called after her, thankful that there was no one on this side of the hallway and I had not yelled loud enough for the ones on the other side to hear me.

Hilary paused on her steps as soon as I said that, turning around to look at me. Her brows were tugged back up again, but this time with inquisition.

"Are you talking to me?" She asked as she pointed her index to herself, her question confusing me.

She drew me into even more confusion when she looked back as if to check if there was any other person I was talking to. I don't know why she'd do that when she clearly knew that she was the one I was talking to. I even called her name, so she knew it was her.

Was this punishment?

"You are certainly not talking to me," She scoffed out a humorless chuckle, before turning around to continue on her way.

"Hilary, you know it's you I'm talking to," I called after her again, stopping her from walking any further for the second time. I maintained a calm voice, knowing deep down that I wasn't even in the position to start raising my voice at her.

Not if I wanted to seem genuine.

"No, it can't be me you are talking to," She disagreed with me immediately, shaking her head. "You can't be talking to me about how I'm ignoring you when that's all you have been doing to me for the past month.-

Just because I decided not to indulge you any more to save myself from further embarrassments doesn't mean I'm ignoring you. It only means I cannot comman kee myself," She gave it back to me without mincing words, rendering me speechless for a moment.

It was hard to tell if she was angry. Her expression gave absolutely nothing away. But with the way she just spoke to me, I knew that trying to get back on the same page with her won't be as easy as I thought it would be.

Whenever I had fallouts like this with them, Hilary and Kizito were the easiest to get back with, so far I play my cards right and say the right things. Dawn will show a little bit of adamancy but she will have no other choice but to come around because every other person has.

But with what was going on right now, it showed that I might have to work a little harder to get back on the right terms with these girls. I didn't need anyone to tell me I'll have to hard a little bit of effort when putting everything I practiced to the test, because if Hilary was being this difficult, I can't begin to imagine how stubborn Dawn would be.

So help me God.

"I know I shouldn't have acted that way-" I started when I finally found my voice, trying to sound as solemn and as apologetic as possible. But Hilary wasn't having it.

"You shouldn't have," She cut me off again, her voice just as controlled as mine, if not more. I didn't like the way she was cutting me off but I couldn't say anything.

"You shouldn't have acted that way, yet you did Semeeha," She went on. "You didn't think twice before shutting me off, even after I told you that I was holding nothing against you... even with everything that happened with Dawn,"

Even though she was talking very calmly, I felt attacked because her words were throwing me off balance in ways I didn't expect. I didn't see her attacking me this way at all.

"It's not like that-" I began again.

"You still remained in Collins' seat after I told you to come back," She cut me off once more, continuing like she never stopped. "I'd greet you every single time; in class, in the library, on the freaking hallway and you'll pass me by without as much as a glance like I'm one of our many classmates you treat as irrelevant.-

Do you have an idea how embarrassing it always felt for my so-called best friend to act like I didn't exist, even in public?"

I was dumbfounded, to say the least. I didn't know how to respond because I had no idea she took it this personal. She never looked like she took it this personal, but I was wrong.

This wasn't going as well as I thought it would. Heck, this wasn't going well at all.

Since when did Hilary get so complicated? It has never been this difficult to get back on the same page with her.

Till now.

The girl exhaled after moments of uncomfortable silence, slapping her palm over her forehead with a look of exhaustion marred across her face.

"I honestly don't have the emotional strength to deal with this, Semeeha," She spoke up, her voice reduced to a weak whisper. "A lot is going on and I have so much on my mind, so I cannot afford to add to them. I can't deal with this right now, abeg."

The tone she used was dismissive and I knew immediately that she was going to walk out at any time. And heaven knows, I've clearly done nothing to get back on the same page with her. I needed to act fast.

"I'm Sorry, Hilary,"

That was what she wanted to hear, and I gave it to her.

An apology.

And from the way her shoulders slumped as she exhaled, and settled her eyes back on me, I knew I had said the right thing. That was the reaction I was hoping to get from her and I got it. All I just needed to do was keep it up and I'd be able to get through to her in no time.

No matter how tough she always tried to prove that she was, Hilary was the most soft-hearted, most forgiving person I knew. All you just need to do was apply pressure and eventually, she'll cave in.

Just like I'm about to do right now.

"I know there is no excuse for treating you the way I did," I continued, moving closer to her so that she'd see how genuine my apology was. "I was just trying to act as if the distance you and Dawn kept away from me wasn't affecting me. Of course, I couldn't handle it and that's why I was acting out,"

I also picked my words carefully, trying to make it seem like I was accepting the faults of my actions. I had to seem as genuine as possible for Hilary to cave in, and with the way she was silent, and mellow, I knew it was just a matter of time before she did.

Just a little more push.

"I'm really sorry, Hilary. You didn't deserve to be treated that way," I pleaded, keeping my voice somber with hints of desperation sipping from it, my expression forlorn, and my body language destitute. I even tried to force a few tears, anything that could help me sell this better.

And when Hilary let out a sigh of resignation, I knew it was selling perfectly.

Good. Very Good.

"As much as I want to accept your apology, I'm not the one you owe it to," She stated, and I knew that she was talking about Dawn.

Dawn will not be a problem once I have you on my corner, Hilary. I thought to myself.

"I still stand by what I said before. I don't have a problem with you because I'm not the one you had a clash with." She said, and I smiled, knowing that I was slowly having her in my corner.

"Dawn on the other hand is not a big fan of you at the moment, and I understand exactly where she's coming from. She has every right not to talk to you for the rest of her life if she wants to,"

I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

That girl really needs to get off her high horse.

But of course, I didn't say that out. I only nodded as if I agreed.

"I know. I understand that," I answered. "And that's why I need to apologize to her as soon as possible. I shouldn't even have let it drag this long. I should have apologized when I had the chance to. That's why I need you, Hilary,"

I intentionally made that last statement, just to bait her into asking if I only apologized to her just to get through to Dawn.

And she took the bait.

"Is that why you apologized to me?" She folded her hands across her chest, a slight frown appearing on her face. "So that you can use me to get to Dawn?"

"Of course not," I quickly debunked, shaking my head. "You deserved the apology, Hilary. I wronged you too," I told her, and she sighed. I couldn't tell if she was buying it, couldn't tell what was going on in her mind, but I went on.

"Look, I just want to make amends with my best friends," I said to her, making my voice sound as convincing as possible. "I just need you both to know how genuinely sorry I am for acting the way I did and for saying the things I said, especially Dawn.-

But I know she won't even want to look at me, so I need you to help me reach her and try to convince her that I'm ready to own up. Let me apologize to both of you. You guys deserve a proper apology for putting up with my bullshit for this long,"

When I was done talking, Hilary was looking at me. I couldn't say for sure what she was looking for but her eyes were steadily searching my face as if to look for any hint that I didn't mean anything I was saying. It made me feel uncomfortable, being under her scrutinizing gaze like that.

But I didn't look away.

I held her gaze, knowing that if I looked away from her, I'd give away how uncomfortable I was under and gaze and she might not take me seriously. I needed Hilary to see that I was being serious about fixing things between the three of us.

I really wanted to fix things between the three of us. Maybe I was going about it in an unorthodox way, but what other choice do I have?

Besides, friends were suckers for apologies so I just needed to make up one. If anything, I was going out of my way to give them what they wanted, especially since apology wasn't my thing.

"Fine," She finally caved. A squeal of delight left my lips as I threw my hands around her. When I heard a small chuckle escape her lips, my chest swelled with self-pride.

Sold!

"Thank you!"

"Don't thank me yet," Hilary said as she pulled away from me. "I still have to convince Dawn and that is no walk in the park," She reminded me and I exhaled, trying not to roll my eyes for the second time.

Tell me about it.

"I'll try to get through to her before the end of today so that we can just get this done and over with. I'll call if there's any development, okay?"

I nodded, a big smile still stretched across my face.

"That's all I need," I told her.

It was all I needed.

Now that I have Hilary in my corner, I'll have all the help necessary to convince Dawn. She won't be able to say no to me with Hilary vouching for me. And she won't want to put Hilary in a position where she might be forced to choose between hanging out with me and hanging out with her, just like I did with Kizito.

Besides, Dawn won't want to throw away five years of friendship just like that.

She'll cave in.

It might take a little moment, but she eventually will.

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"No."

What the actual fuck?

"Excuse me?" I blinked back at the light-skinned girl standing in front of me, hands crossed over her chest in a haughty stance, trying my best to contain my shock but it was all futile.

"You heard me loud and clear, Semeeha," She answered with a nonchalant shrug. "I'm sorry, but there is no way I'm buying that half-assed apology," She added, and my face contorted in a deep frown.

I don't know what pissed me off the most. Maybe it was the way she so casually rejected my apology or the way she described it as half-assed.

I mean, I'm sure I did everything right. I said the right things and made sure I was careful with my words. I also made the right expressions, keeping my face as sober as possible. I literally polished and sweetened up the apology I gave Hilary for her because I knew it will take a lot more to convince her.

Heck, I even got to the garden earlier than the both of them so that she'll see that I was serious about making amends, fighting through the burning hunger clawing its way to the very depths of my stomach.

But even with all the things I did, with the kind of efforts I made just to get back on her good side, Dawn didn't think twice before dismissing my apology and calling it half-assed.

What the hell? I was annoyed.

"Are you actually being serious right now?" I moved closer to her, unable to hide the edge in my voice.

"I think we all need to calm down," Hilary stepped in front of me, trying to stop me from moving closer to Dawn, who just stood there calmly.

Why in the world is she so calm?

"I am calm," She answered Hilary, before meeting my eyes again. "I certainly can't say the same for Semeeha," She added. Wasn't sure if she intentionally wanted to spite me with that statement, but intentionally or unintentionally, it worked.

She was enjoying this so much. She wanted to see me beg her.

God forbid.

I took a deep, calming breath that did nothing to calm me down.

"Are you seriously going to make this difficult for me?" I asked her, trying my best to talk calmly despite my irritation. "You are doing this on purpose, abi? You want me to beg you, isn't it?"

She scoffed out a laugh.

"Beg me?" She asked incredulously like she couldn't believe what I just said. "Semeeha, I'm not making anything difficult for you and I certainly don't need you to beg me because there is nothing your begging can do. I've made my decision,"

"I just poured out my heart to you, Dawn!" I couldn't hide the frustration in my voice anymore. The most annoying part was that she didn't bat an eyelid at the intensity of my voice, as if my frustration didn't move her.

I've always known Dawn to be stubborn... but not this stubborn. Christ, she's being so difficult and annoying right now.

"I just spent the last twenty minutes apologizing to you and telling you how sorry I am for everything I did, yet you are not taking all my efforts to make amends into consideration. Hell, you don't even take me seriously!" I snapped at her.

"There is no point trying to take you seriously when this is just going to repeat itself, Semeeha," She didn't yell back. She just spoke but her words held so much weight. The way her stance was unshaken and her demeanor laid-back made me feel on edge.

Dawn was so in control, keeping all her emotions under subjection... Unlike me.

It was irritating.

"This is a process I'm already used to, babes," She continued, and I grimaced at the way she casually called me babes. "This is the exact way you always apologize every time you fück up, yet we don't see any result. I don't know if that's what you were expecting this time, but that's not what you are going to get from me.-

Apologies don't cut it anymore, Semeeha. Action does," She looked me right in the eye as she said that, letting me know that she was serious. "And until I see a change for myself, we cannot be close. I cannot put myself in that position with you just yet,"

What the hell does she even mean by that? I fought the urge to scoff.

"I'm sorry if it doesn't sit right with you, but that's my decision," She concluded, giving me no room for defense or to even speak. I just stood there, staring at her with my mouth agape.

She's really doing this. I couldn't stop the barely audible scoff from leaving my lips. If Dawn heard it, she didn't act like it. All she did was turn to Hilary.

"I have to go," She said, an indication that she was done talking to me. "I need a mental preparation for the babysitting job Dunni forced me to do because of her date," She added with a knowing smile.

From the light chuckle that escaped Hilary's lips, I figured that she knew whatever Dawn might be talking about. It was definitely something they both shared... without me, of course.

I was left in the dark. And I swear, it hurts like a bitch. It hurt even more that I was totally wrong about Dawn compromising and letting me off the hook because of Hilary. It was obvious she didn't care about putting Hilary on the spot where she'd have to choose.

How selfish.

Dawn didn't as much as take a backward glance at me as she walked away, and Hilary didn't stop her.

"Are you just going to let her walk away like that?" I lamented, turning to Hilary who was already looking at me sympathetically. What was she even sympathetic about, letting Dawn walk away without doing anything?

"You didn't even try to help when she was going off at me." I accused, and she frowned.

"I got you an audience with her, didn't I?" She asked rhetorically, even though we both knew the answer to that question. I exhaled, both in exhaustion and annoyance.

My plan didn't work. It half worked, but that doesn't even count.

"Semeeha, I can't influence Dawn's decision to take it easy on you or not," Hilary was still talking. "You wronged her and this is how she dims it fit to react. You have to take whatever she offers, respect it and wait for her to come around."

"And how long will I have to wait for her to come around, Hilary?" Does she think I have the luxury to wait around for her to come around? Who does Dawn think she is anyway?

But of course, I didn't say any of that out loud.

"Don't think about that," Hilary answered, trying to pacify me even though it wasn't working. "What you should be thinking about is how you'll prove to her that you are indeed sorry. Let your actions show that you are trying to make amends. Let her see the change, Semeeha,"

But I don't have the strength to start going through all that. Besides, I didn't go through all this stress and put all this effort into the apology, only to get rejected by Dawn.

Dawn Dayo of all people.

I have to find another way to convince her, and I have to do it today. If I don't get her back on my page, Kizito might use that as an excuse to continue keeping his distance and I cannot afford to let that happen.

I will not let Dawn ruin things for me.

I watched from a safe distance as Dawn made her way out of her class and started walking down the hallway toward the restroom. And from that safe distance, I followed her because I didn't want her turning around to see that I was creeping on her.

Just as I hoped, she entered the female rest room and I followed right behind her, waiting for a moment to be sure she had entered one of the stalls before I walked in, turning the knob lock to lock the door from inside. Then, I checked every stall to make sure no one was in except Dawn and me.

Good. I thought to myself when I saw that it was just both of us. All I had to do was wait till she was done with her business.

Dawn and I will have this talk whether she likes it or not. She needs to stop being so heady and difficult.

In no time, I heard the flushing system go off, indicating that Dawn was done. I pushed myself off the door of the restroom when the door of her stall opened, watching her walk out. Immediately, she noticed she wasn't the only one in the room and turned to look at where I stood.

If she was surprised that I was the one standing there, she barely showed it. She just stared at me for a moment. Her unwavering gaze unsettled me for the first time, but I tried my best not to show it, holding her gaze with mine, my hands folded across my chest to mimic a confident stance.

But honest to God, I felt very uncomfortable under her gaze.

Dawn finally looked away from me, walking to the basin to wash her hand, and I could finally breathe properly. The sound of rushing water tore through the uncomfortable silence, and I watched Dawn take her time washing her hands while I struggled to find my voice.

Speak, Semeeha!

"We need to talk," My voice was surprisingly controlled. Dawn didn't reply immediately. She just turned off the running tap and stretched her hands under the drier for it to dry up.

This babe is using me to dry her hands. Wow.

"Dawn-"

"We have nothing more to take about, Semeeha," She finally spoke, even though she cut me off. I let that slide.

"Of course we have a lot to talk about," I countered, and she turned to look at me, her face giving nothing away. I couldn't tell what she was thinking about, and it irritated me to the core.

But I kept my cool. I need to keep my cool if I want this to work.

"Dawn, I told you I'm sorry for the things I said to you and I mean it. What else do you want from me?" I asked as I slowly walked closer to her, allowing the frustration in my tone to be evident.

"We've been friends for almost five years, babes," I continued, wanting to put her on a spot using our years of friendship. "Is that how little all those years mean to you? That you want to throw away five good years for something so petty?"

The idea was to get a reaction from her with that statement, but I sure as hell didn't expect the kind reaction I got.

"Something so petty?" The edge in her voice was clear as there, the obvious annoyance undisputable. "Semeeha, are you seriously going to stand there and say I'm throwing away our friendship for something so petty? My best friend insulting me is so petty? Are you kidding me?"

Did I say the wrong thing? Of course, I didn't. This is just a build-up. Everything will go as planned.

"But that's why I apologized," I defended myself and she scoffed in response. "I apologized, but you are intent on dragging this matter more than it's supposed to be dragged," She showed slight surprise when I said that like she couldn't believe that I was saying that.

It didn't deter me.

"The fact that you are so adamant about accepting my apology just shows how little you care about and value our friendsh-"

"Don't you dare pull that card on me, Semeeha. Don't you dare!" She snapped, cutting me off abruptly in a way that made me jump back slightly in shock.

"You think I like fighting with you?" She asked me. "You think I like the way we keep going back and forth like this? Of course, I don't! But we can't seem to help ourselves because you just don't know when to shut the fück up and think!"

Jesus. My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. Dawn... is raising her voice at me. Dawn... shouting at me. Madt.

I was dumbfounded.

And she wasn't even done.

"You don't get to pull that friendship card on me because if there is anyone that has never valued our friendship Semeeha, it's you. It's all you!" She jabbed her finger at me and I veered back automatically as if she pushed me.

"And the fact that you cornered me here, trying to guilt-trip me into taking you back as my friend just proves that you still don't understand the gravity of what you did to me, Semeeha. It just proves that you never meant the apology, that it was all fake!-"

I felt like I was being slapped across the face, hard.

"-You don't clearly don't understand and you have never cared to understand how much you hurt me! How much your words destabilized me. All you care about is yourself when it was never about you in the first place!"

My heart was pounding furiously against my chest as I wordlessly stared at her.

"You are selfish, Semeeha," She said to my face, giving me a straight-up uppercut. "You came back at your own convenience, and you came back without caring how we have been fairing. Did you know that Hilary has been having lapses in her ASD?-"

Jesus Christ...

"-Did you know she has had to increase her therapy days because she's been having back-to-back anxiety and panic attacks? Did you even ask her how she's been? If she has been okay?"

Hilary has been having anxiety attacks? Jesus Christ!

But she seemed fine today. She looked fine. She's always smiling and happy. How did I not see that she's been struggling?

The shock on my face must have given away that I knew nothing about the panic and anxiety attacks because Dawn let out a small, humorless laugh as she shook her head in what seemed like pity and shame.

"Selfish,"

She repeated, her voice turned down to a whisper but that didn't lessen the impact of her words on me.

"And you wonder why I'm not making it easy for you," She scoffed. "Nah," She shook her head. "I can't put myself through your brute anymore, Semeeha. Not until I see that you are intentional about changing."

She sounded like she was done with me, like she had nothing more to say to me. I didn't even know how to respond to her after the dime she just dropped. I was completely speechless, especially with everything she said about Hilary, things I never expected.

And when finally she walked past me, I knew she was done with me.

Dawn was done with me.

Or so I thought.

"Oh, and by the way," She spoke from behind me, and I turned around to look at her, almost veering back at the intense expression marred across her face, her eyes boring into me as if. she could see right through me.

"I see what you are doing with Kizito,"

My heart jumped in my chest, my eyes widening slightly. And it seemed like my expression was enough to prove whatever Dawn was thinking right because the corner of her lips quirked in a sly smirk.

I quickly fixed my face, trying to feign ignorance.

"What?" Was all my lips could mutter. Dawn chuckled, finding my disorientation funny.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Semeeha," She wasn't spelling out what she meant, and I desperately wanted to believe that she was only suspecting and trying to use reverse psychology to drag the truth out of me.

But Dawn didn't look like someone that was just suspecting. She looked like someone that knew.

Still, I tried to act ignorant.

"I don't know what you are going on about," I maintained and she chuckled again, shrugging.

"Maybe I don't," She said, punctuating with a slight bob of her head to the side and back. "Maybe I am wrong-" She shrugged. I almost sighed in relief, thinking she was just going to walk out at that moment. I couldn't breathe properly with her being in here with me.

But Dawn didn't move, and I knew she wasn't done with me. She took a step closer to me, and I immediately stepped back.

"-Though, my instincts are never wrong in cases like this, Semeeha. But for your sake, I'm desperately praying that it's wrong and my mind is just playing tricks on me.-"

I knew there was a but coming.

"-But if at all, my mind is not playing tricks on me and you are doing exactly what I think you are doing with Kizito and his girlfriend, then you should probably start worrying about me not valuing our friendship anymore-"

She moved three more steps closer to me till she cornered me. My back was pressed against the tiled white wall of the restroom as I tried to act brave.

I was failing woefully.

"-Because Semeeha, I won't twice before throwing those five years out of the window and fighting you."

My breath caught in my throat.

"I'm going to fight you, Semeeha. And I'm going to fight you with everything I've got.-"

She moved one more step closer till she was in my personal space, her eyes trained intently on me to show me that she was dead serious.

And by God, she was dead serious.

"-So, you had better pray to whatever deity you serve that it's not what I think it is." She punctuated with a sweet, yet malicious smile that spoke promises of her words.

And with that, she walked out, throwing my mind into a heap of dilemmas.

She knows.

Dawn knows.

But How?

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

I couldn't stop myself.

No matter how much I tried to stop myself from doing it, I couldn't, not when I was this stressed, this worked up. Everything Dawn had said to me threw me over the cliff I'd been hanging on for the better part of the day into a sea of premium, undiluted anxiety and dilemma and this was the only way I knew how to get rid of it.

By giving into my cravings and the hunger that has been tearing my insides apart and stuffing my face with what was left of the treats Collins had offered me earlier today. The same treats I had denied vehemently.

He didn't even know I had it. I had stolen the whole box from his locker when I knew the class was empty. It was embarrassing, but I couldn't help myself. I needed to eat something.

I had to eat something or my head would have combusted.

That's why I was hiding in the far corner of the library, in between tall shelves where no one will find me, pushing whole donuts down my throat.

At this point, I didn't care if I choke. I just want to forget everything and eat till I pass out. I want to eat till my tummy cannot take it anymore.

The same tummy you are going to show your mother tonight? The same tummy you will show off for the photoshoot tomorrow?

That tiny voice was like a slap back to reality. A reality that had Natasha Malik in it. My entire body froze like I was being drenched with ice cold water in the middle of the artic, realization dawning on me that I had just spiraled out of control and was fücking up big time.

No. I have fucked up, bad.

I looked down at the box of treats to see that a few were left in the box. And when I looked down at the front of my cloth, it was so damn obvious that I had just finished eating because it was doused with sprinkles, syrup, whipped cream, and chocolate. I knew my face was just like that, if not more, but that wasn't what concerned me.

My tummy.

I looked down, and of course, there it was. The bump. A very noticeable at that, budging out from the sweatshirt I had on.

Jesus!

My mother will kill me. Natasha Malik will kill me.

I thought you wanted to eat till your tummy can't take it anymore, hmmn?

This was another voice. Dark, Hoarse, Taunting. It was driving me crazy.

Come on. The voice continued to taunt, a tone dripping with hardcore menace that sent a chill running down my spine.

You can still have two more, Or five even. It kept mocking me. I'm sure your tummy can take it. You have the laxative to relieve yourself, don't you? Finish it!

"Shut up!" I screamed, not caring how loud my voice was or that I was in the library. I just needed it to shut up.

I don't know if I ran out of the library, or if I flew. All that was on my mind was how to get to class, to my bag... to the bottle of laxatives. I don't know why I risked bringing it to school, but at this point, I'm glad I did.

I need to get rid of this bump, right now.

As soon as I got to the bottle, I threw two straight in my mouth, ignoring the bitter taste it left on my tongue before pushing it down with the water left in my bottle. Thankfully, no one was in the class to see me do this. And when I was sure the drugs had settled in my stomach, I began to count down.

Ten...

Nine...

No feeling yet, but I started making my way out of the classroom, walking slowly through the scanty hallway so that no one will suspect that anything was going on.

Eight...

Seven...

I started to feel discomfort in the pit of my stomach, and that prompted me to walk faster, but not too fast. I winced when I felt a painful jab against my tummy. I knew the laxatives were doing their work, only that it was a lot more painful than last time.

Six...

Five...

Sweat broke out on my skin and I was starting to feel very dizzy, my eyes seeing double and triples of everyone and everything within my sight. Still, I tried to push on, shaking my head to clear it of any haze or dizziness. But that didn't work because it only made my head ache more, and made me feel even weaker.

Thankfully, I was already getting to the end of the hallway, where the restrooms were. I was almost there.

Four...

Almost there.

Thr-

I bumped into someone right in the middle of the hallway

"Semeeha?"

I couldn't place the owner of the voice for the life of me. My jumbled mind couldn't register who the person was even though it sounded familiar... yet distant. But, I didn't care to know who it was. I needed to get to the restroom as quickly as I could because I didn't have much time left.

Three...

But when I attempted to knock the person out of the way and keep moving, it felt like I was hitting an unmovable rock. Taut and Strong. The person did not budge.

"Jesus, you are burning up!" Even if the voice was distorted, I could pick up that the person was really concerned about me from the tone of their voice. I felt their hand on my forehead, feeling my temperature.

I need to get off the hallway. But this person won't let me.

Two...

"You don't look so good," The person was still talking. "Let me take you to the-"

I opened my mouth to speak, wanting to yell at whoever it was to get out of my way.

But that was a very big Mistake.

'Cos immediately I opened my mouth, Everything came rushing out and splattering all over the floor. I couldn't stop it, couldn't close my mouth. It just kept flowing and flowing all over the place. I heard distant screaming, but my mind didn't pay attention to it.

All I wanted to do was let it all out. And I was letting it out, all over the shirt and shoes of whoever was in front of me... and also in front of my entire classmates.

One.

I blacked out.

𝐀/𝐍

Omo mehn💀. So much vomit, I think I'm going to be sick 😷.

So Semeeha tried to apologize to the girls, but only Hilary budged. I kinda hinted why she budged some easily to Semeeha's pleas. she probably even knew Semeeha was faking, but she still budged. Why?

And what was she reading on the sheet of paper that made her frown so hard👀?

Please, let's all bow down to Queen Dawn for giving Semeeha hot hot! My babe is already confident in herself though. And apparently, she's been seeing Semeeha's little schemings. Hehehe🙂. What does that mean for Semeeha?

Collins though 🥺❤️.

Anyway sha, the next few chapters are going to be madt! Like, just expect premium drama and a little bit of redemption arc🌚. From who? You'll find out 😌.

Till then, kisses 😚.