SUBMIT! ANNA HEARD AND groaned before passing her paper forward for their teacher to compile,she looked at her friends and met that they already submitted their works too,Mrs Kayode their government teacher left the class and Anna heaved slumping on her desk

"Did you write?"She suddenly heard Joy's voice and turned around to meet her face

"I think I did,Dami's tutoring is paying off"Anna said feeling bitter,jealous and angry as Dami's name sprung out of her mouth

"Don't worry it will come out good"Joy said giving her an assuring smile and she returned it too

"I have to use the restroom"Anna said standing dusting an imaginary dust from her skirt while Joy nodded, leaving her going after Bisi who was busy writing on a book

"Bisi!"Joy called and Bisi mind fled hiding her book immediately,Joy eyed her warily before sitting with her due to the space Bisi created

"What are you hiding?"Joy asked curiously

"A book"Bisi replied dismissively "what brought you here?"

"Nothing how was the test?"Joy asked

************

Anna went inside the ladies restroom,she eased herself and out washing her hands before the door suddenly creaked opened revealing Martha who was coming inside the restroom

"Johanna!"Martha greeted and Anna felt bile raise in her guts she swallowed and nodded at her meekly

"I heard you wrote test today,how was it?"Martha asked trying to indulge in a conversation with her

"Was fine"Anna kept her replied as plain as she possible

"That's great,I was thinking lately can we be friends? I really like you a lot"Martha said and Anna looked at her warily

"Why do you wanna be my friend?"she asked having a feeling she came out too harsh but she couldn't care less

"I just like you and would love to be your friend"Martha said fidgeting with the hem of her dress looking nervous,Anna thought she was been uselessly mean and decided to amend her tone,she coughed before replying her

"No problem it's cool"Anna replied shrugging and Martha's face broke into a wide smile

**

Joy sighed while sitting on the school library going through her book for her tomorrow's test,she had free period and decided to spend it on the library

"Stop it"she whispered to Jonah who was busy distracting her

"You can't be showing a book more interest than me"Jonah said pouting and Joy rolled her eyes

"You're handsome and my man so happy now?"Joy said going back to her book while Jonah groan sitting back on his seat and rashly placing his head on the it,it doesn't take a soothsayer to show how frustrated Jonah was

Joy giggled silently afraid of being caught my the librarian,she dropped her book and turn to look at Jonah

"Happy now?"She said and Jonah broke into a wide smile tugging his left arm with Joy and dragging her to stand up,she quickly placed her books in her bag as they made their way out of the library

Jonah kept on dragging her along and she felt the sudden urge to ask him where he was dragging her to

"Where we heading?"She asked and Jonah stopped abruptly without warning her leading her to hit her head on Jonah's broad back

"I was thinking of taking you out on our first date"Jonah said smiling widely and her smile matches his immediately,they went to the school garage and Jonah brought a car key unlocking a posh red car door

"You brought a car to school?"Joy asked amusedly and he chuckled slyly

"Mom traveled and I had the opportunity to drive to school myself dad is less of a threat"Jonah replied and her smile went wider

"You had this planned all along"she said and he nodded urging her to enter the car,they drove out of the school compound to Joy's house,she kissed Ruth on the cheek who was busy resting recovering from her illness,she went to her room and changed her uniform to a royal blue short gown that reaches above her knee,the gown was flayed right from the waist to the above the knee,she did a little touch of make up and left the house joining Jonah in his car after informing her Nana of her date

They ride to Jonah's house and luckily enough which was normal Tara was the only person at home and Jonah led them to his room going straight to his bathroom to change while Joy sat on the bed a wave of nostalgia hitting her as she remembered what happened the last time she was in this same room

Jonah came out of the bathroom clad in black wash jeans and White round neck shirt,he wore his sneakers and they left the house going back to the car as Jonah starts the car, thirty minutes into the ride and Joy decided to break the silence apart from the background music playing from his car

"Where are we going?"Joy asked mostly out of curiosity and also the fact she's a little scared because they are passing by most of the houses

"Trust me and relax!"Jonah said smiling at her and she calm down following the music playing from the car stereo

"E sure for you baby I'm going no where!"Joy shouted following the music and Jonah laughed out loud before joining her in singing

"Your love is true I will always be there!"he added his

"No one can love you mmmmh nobody! No one can love you boo mmmh nobody!"they both sang simultaneously laughing out loud enjoying themselves,they continue singing before the car stopped

Joy came down from the car and went forward taking in the nature,they were tall green trees,grasses, beautiful flowers,bird chirping and a small lake a beautiful perfection known as nature

Joy face widened into a big smile and she turned to thank Jonah for bringing her here before hearing a click of camera

"So beautiful"Jonah muttered and she came forward to see the picture he had taken,a picture of her smiling carefree and her gown blown by the not so gentle air,the picture was a picture perfect and Joy loved it so much

"This is beautiful"Joy said her eyes glisten,Jonah almost lost his balance when Joy jumped on him giving him a long and beautiful kiss,Jonah chuckled in between the kiss and Joy pulled away

"I'm going to give you a perfect gift on your birthday"Joy said smiling mischievously and Jonah brows arch in confusion

"Your birthday November 16th remember?"Joy said and realisation hits Jonah,his sixteenth birthday will be coming soon and he hadn't think about it

"You just made me remember it,I haven't pay much attention into it"he said and Joy nodded

"Thank you"she says smiling and Jonah return a teasing smile

"For what?"he asked

"For bringing me here,there is no perfect date like this"Joy replied gesturing to the environment and Jonah chuckled

"The date is not perfect when there's nothing to eat now let's set the mat"Jonah said and Joy nodded following him to the car booth,they brought a mat and spread it on the lower green grass,a basket full of fruit and juice and slowly sat down after setting everything eating

"I think it's better we know more about each other what do you think?"Jonah asked and Joy nodded

"That's a good idea"

"Favourite food?"Jonah asked

"Pancakes"Joy replied laughing and Jonah nodded in disagreement

"I mean real foods"

"Okay Rice,you?"

"Spaghetti"

"Best colour"

"Pink,what about you?"

"Black"

They continue asking each other questions and before they knew it time was gone,Jonah lazily went through the picture he took Joy while they were busy asking questions in order to know each other more

"I love this one so much,it look so beautiful"Jonah said viewing the first picture he took Joy "I'm going to paint it"

"You paint?!"Joy asked surprised and Jonah shrugged

"I do not most times, people rarely know I paint apart from my family"he said and Joy nodded in understanding

"Its getting late"Joy said and Jonah agreed they stood parking the mat and left over fruits when Jonah suddenly grabbed Joy's hand,he drew her closer and kiss her passionately emitting feelings from Joy she never for once thought she had

"I love you Joy, I love you so much"Jonah confessed and Joy got confused having a mixed feelings,she didn't know how to accept what Jonah is saying or the best reply to give him,she never once imagine Jonah falling in love with her and she always dream of such thing happen but a dream is always a dream and this confession is scaring the shit out of her

Jonah noticed how tense she is and wrapped his hands around her waist

"Take your time Rejoice,I just felt like letting you know how I really feel and I want you to believe this no matter what happens I will always love you"

"You're scaring me Jonathan"Joy said frowning slightly while Jonah chuckled

"I'm sorry"

They went back to the car and Jonah ignited the car engines driving out of the beautiful sight

"I was planning on telling my friends about us,I can't continue keeping secrets from them"Joy said and Jonah stopped the car abruptly making Joy to almost hit her head on the car front,she turned and look at Jonah with a terrified gaze

"You can't let Johanna or Bisi know"Jonah said his chest rising and Joy grew much more confuse

"What's wrong in letting my friends know I'm in a relationship?"Joy asked and Jonah shook his head in an unacceptable manner

"You can't let them know,trust me they will know at the right time"Jonah said and Joy narrowed her eyes looking at him

"Are you ashame about people seeing us together?"Joy asked believing that's the only reason Jonah can be acting this way

"I will never and never feel that way,you have to believe me there are things I rather not say now but trust me I will let you know at the right time"Jonah said and Joy opened her mouth to argue but close it back nodding though not fully believing Jonathan's words

"We should head back"Joy said and Jonah ignited the car engines once again driving back home

The rest of the drive went awkward and Joy silently cursed Jonah for ruining her first perfect date

*****************

"We run the world girls! We run the world girls!"Anna sang loudly following the music playing from her MP3 she placed on her bed

She had her shower and changed to her pyjamas slumping on her bed as she thinks about the test she wrote,she knew the result will be out the following day and prayed she make her mama proud, suddenly her mind wandered to Dami and she decided to call him, she had never call him before now and she decided to try it out

"Hey!"she heard Dami's sing song voice and smiled to herself

"How you doing?"she asked and Dami replied

"I'm fine! What's up?"

Anna noticed Dami was in a good mood and decided to have a long chitchat with him which she succeeded having

"Was planning on visiting Rachael tomorrow"Anna said changing their topic of discussion

"You're free to"

"Hope you will be around?"Anna asked

"Yeah"

"Good night"

"Good night"

Anna dropped her phone on the cupboard beside her bed and yawn before falling asleep smiling widely