“People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything.” – Thomas Sowell.

•••

“The quicker we all settle down and stop making noise, the better for all of us as we’d be leaving here quicker.”

Moyin declared in a firm, authoritative voice that wasn’t quite characteristic of her usual warm, pleasant persona but Tomi guessed it was needed anyway. For a group of students, that held more power and prestige than the regular pupil, the student council did act lawless and barbaric at times. Especially on an occasion like this, which was their first official meeting since they got appointed—in which they were supposed to demonstrate absolute orderliness.

That wasn’t the case.

“Guys, please. Let’s settle down.” Moyin repeated, as she stood on the threshold—looming over the rest of the room, and gazed down upon the rest of them. They were currently in the Biology lab, and she was standing beside an humongous table that overlooked the rest of the apparatus in the room. The meeting was supposed to have commenced a while ago, but due to the avid interest shown by the prefects in form of their punctuality and composure, it was tarrying longer than it should.

“If we waste the whole of today, we’re just going to have to come back tomorrow and keep coming back every day, wasting our time until we have that meeting eventually. The fact stands, we would still hold the meeting anyway.”

The noise seemed to subside, and she took it as a cue to proceed. Drawing out a stool by her side, she smoothed her skirts before taking her seat—beside an equally, infuriated Mofiyin. They were indeed the couple, Tomi thought—as his lips twitched with his eyes trained on them. If only they had feelings for one another.

“Thank you,” Mofiyin cleared his throat, taking over from Moyin. “Once again, I’d welcome every one to the first official meeting of the 20th student council of Lake High, Lake County, Lagos–Nigeria. I’d have continued with all the pleasantries and all that, but seeing as we’ve already wasted too much of our time settling down, let’s go straight down to business. We all here are here because, we are prefects in whatever respective office we got posted in. But of course, no one was in that office last year or last two years, or no one has experience in doing whatever they’re doing now.

“Even if you’re a return prefect from S.S.S.1 like myself, Moyin, Tomi and the rest— we’re still pretty much inexperienced in this, because then we were the lower prefects and so we acted under the power of the prefects in the higher class.

“But now it’s different because now we’re those people, that the prefects in the lower class – who are also here, would be looking up to. And the prefects in S.S.S.1 also are totally new to this. So everyone is new to whatever office they’ve assumed. And since we’re all new and inexperienced sorta, I thought it would be best if we got together to help each other in every possible way we can.

“Without wasting more time, let’s talk about the main reason why we’re all here today. We’re all gathered here cos we’re prefects. Yeah, being a prefect demands so much that many of us might not be well equipped for. We all have different offices, but the one thing that’s common to all offices is that we’d be governing students.

“That is, giving them orders, keeping them in line, etcetera, etcetera. Now, it’s news to no one that the students here in Lake could be very compliant,” He paused, putting extra emphasis on his last word to make sure the entire room caught on the sarcasm, which was signified by a raucous laugh.

“How do we tackle this problem then? This persistent, recurrent problems of keeping rebellious and defiant students in check. According to the prefect handbook, we’re supposed to be tough, disciplined and no-nonsense people. The type that would exude fear without even carrying out any reasonable action.

“But we all know how easy it is, for us to declare we can be that and how difficult the task is in becoming that. It’s easier said than done, so guys—let’s discuss, what best way we can cultivate that reputation that is demanded of us by the school administration, and required by the student body alike.”

There was a brief pause punctuated by whispers and indistinct chatter, after Mofiyin’s imploration. Apparently, people were cooking up ideas in their heads and ensuring they were well developed and sensible before speaking them out. On Tomi’s left was Alexis, and the duo were in the center of the last table, at the back of the room—surrounded by other familiar faces.

The silence was finally broken, by April who was seated with Rena on the table directly in front of theirs. After rising to her feet, and clamoring multiple times for attention with groaned pleas—the chatter went recessive once again.

“Thank you,” She said, almost sarcastically or so Tomi thought. His back was faced to her, so he couldn’t exactly state where her head was. “I think the key to demanding respect, isn’t all about acting all supreme and bossy. Sure, we have that power. They know we have that power, but how much has that done to the respect we have for teachers who act that way?

“Let’s be honest, our favorite teachers in the school are the jovial, not so uptight ones who are easy to strike up a conversation with. Not the strict, stern ones who don’t tolerate any form of familiarity.”

“What are you suggesting?” Mofiyin asked, on behalf of everyone else as the noise started to rise again, many obviously questioning where her point was heading to.

“I’m saying, we should become their friends.” April continued. “You know, rap with them once in a while. Be jovial, friendly, approachable. So that when the time comes for us to give them a correction on an action or fault of theirs, they’d even be happy to listen to us and–”

“Oh, please. People that don’t want to be respectful won’t be respectful if they don’t want to.” A  rather short, bushy browed boy announced to the entire room, cutting April off. The action earning him a scowl from her.

“And so we should give up and not do anything about it, since the decision for them to give us respect lies on their shoulders?” Mofiyin questioned him in a slightly angered tone. “Tosin, if you have anything reasonable to say—you’d wait for the person speaking to conclude their point, before you butt in with yours. Is that understood?”

The boy nodded in a rather, bitter, resigned manner before April was given the mandate to continue.

“As I was saying, people would be more happy and compelled to take orders from people who are nice and care about them. This is not just hear-say and bullshit, of course. I’ve done my research and it works.

“As someone who is a very approachable person, and someone who talks to a lot of people in the school and who many can walk up to—I want to assure you all that I easily dish out orders, and tell people to do my bidding without much stress. In fact, they do it in such a happy manner that makes me wonder if they’re expecting payment after the service. I’m sure if everyone could imbibe this spirit, it would work for them.”

“Thank you, April.” Mofiyin nodded, before the social prefect took her seat. “Now, Tosin if you have a fault with her plan—you can go on now and voice your displeasure.”

The Assembly prefect stood up, nodded in a rather exaggerated curt way that served as a mockery of some sorts, but Mofiyin of course wasn’t going to take up fault with him.

“Now April’s suggestion is great and all, but it’d would only work if you have a flawless, fair skin and a pretty face like hers.”

The entire room laughed.

“Some people are just born to be stubborn,” Tosin continued. “Boys especially, that no matter what sort of personal relationship you develop with them—it won’t help in curbing their excessiveness.  It’s simply the truth. And the problem is that most of these people are boys, and is easier for girls like April to keep them in order because well—we know, don’t need to go over that point again. But for another boy like me? Oh, please it ain’t gonna cut it. We need a more–”

“So, what you’re saying is that boys should go get correctional surgeries that would transform them all to hot girls?” It was April’s time to butt in, and Tomi couldn’t help but laugh at the petty drama unfolding. Definitely, the drama queen herself wasn’t going to let that one slide. Tosin brought it on himself.

“I hadn’t finished what I was saying before you–”

“And now you know how it feels.” April snapped, before flashing an apologetic look in the direction of Mofiyin and Moyin. The former was clearly bothered about the situation of things, while the latter was only chuckling and sending some subtle eye signals in the direction of her friends.

“As I was saying, we need to be tough. Most especially boys. That plan doesn’t work all the time, in fact if done wrong it could be disastrous than helpful because some of us here don’t know where to restrain ourselves and draw the line to differentiate between casual friendship and intimate ones.

“If we get in too deep with these students, they’d take us for granted and be like—is it not this person who is our friend, and who is our pal? They can’t do anything, blah blah. It would be best to remain on a neutral, unfriendly ground with them where we can go about our duties without any casual link in place.”

“You’re recommending the very strict persona?” Mofiyin asked.

“Not necessarily as strict as the teachers, but yeah still strict.” Tosin nodded. “We don’t need to develop any sort of relationship with the students, and we also don’t need to spite anyone necessarily. Just be about business only.

“They don’t need to like us. But if you happen to have a pretty face, and flawless skin once again—then lucky for you. It’s a plus for your arsenal. But not everyone in this room has such resources at their disposal. I think everyone would agree with me on that front, quite well.”

Surprisingly, Tosin’s point wasn’t panned or met with scrutiny either. It was quite well received. And to be frank himself, Tomi knew it was the truth. April’s idea only worked with people—girls mostly, who had a lot of admirers and a huge fan base who idolize them.

The rest that had close to nothing in such aspect wouldn’t exactly experience success in that area. Plus, he wasn’t exactly the most friendly or social person around and he didn’t feel like becoming one just for the sake of prefectship.

“So where is the manual for being tough?” Another prefect, on the table before them inquired. It was Simisola, who was now the current chapel prefect. “For some of us, that is a very strange, foreign idea as we’ve been very free spirited persons all our lives. If you’re going to point us in a direction, you’re going to have to tell us the directions and how to navigate that path or else we’d just be lost. So Tosin, do enlighten us. How are the ways that we’re supposed to achieve this neutral status with the student body that you speak of?”

“Five bucks says this meeting would likely end up in a fight.” A low pitched voice came from his side, which of course belonged to Alexis. “Tosin threw low key shots at the Ice princess, surely her compatriots won’t sit still and watch their goddess being slaughtered.”

“Yeah, but not Simi.” Tomi said in a very low volume, so as not to draw attention to himself. “She doesn’t move or belong, or want to belong in their circle. She’s in the Moyin and Legide class, just without the uh—let’s say, orientation.”

“Oh, please everyone wants to be like April and Rena.” Alexis scowled. “Whether they know it or not. They want to be.”

Tomi frowned, and was about to press on with the argument if he wasn’t sure another word from him would draw the attention of the rest in the room, accompanied by a caution most likely from the pair addressing them. But he didn’t think Alexis words were true.

He for one never wanted the glamour that Itunu and Dabby enjoyed, and although he’d admit at the moment that It did have It perks—if there was a chance to travel back in time, and alter the course of events, he’d do so without so much as a first thought.

“…it’s not about it being in a hand-book or something. It’s a gradual learning process for all of us.” Tosin was saying, as Tomi’s attention returned back to the discussion at hand.

“I’m not saying we’re going to buy guns and sling it over our shoulders, and that if anyone so much as give us a greeting, we’d blast them into oblivion. No, I’m just saying we have to act like the prefects we are. Act in the capacity of power we have. Let them know that we’re not just students, and we wouldn’t act as such and that they shouldn’t treat us as such. Just business all the way.”

Another bout of muffled chatter traversed the atmosphere of the room, before Moyin herself broke it and proceeded to address everyone.

“Tosin, I don’t think you get Simi’s point quite well. She is saying that some of them enjoy being the friendly, casual people they are. And so therefore, making that transition into that strict, no-nonsense person might be difficult for them. As they’d need tips on how to become that person.”

“No that question of hers sounds more confrontational, than answer seeking.” Tosin replied, ascending from his seat again. “We all know how to serious and strict. Don’t be friendly, simple. She’s just looking for a confrontation, and trying to disregard my suggestion as efficient which it is B-T-W, because if every teacher in this school was friendly, there would absolutely be no form of order in the school. It would be mayhem everywhere, that I can assure you.”

After Tosin settled down, Legide who was sitting on the edge of Tomi’s right, with Ella—raised her hand up signifying for her attention. Mofiyin gave her a nod, and she stood up.

“Tosin does have a point, and Simi and April do to but I think Tosin just sort-off hit the nail on the head in his last statement without even realizing he has given us the one solution. He said that if every teacher was friendly, there would be no law and order in the school which is definitely true but that statement also means that since all teachers aren’t friendly, some or others are very strict.

“Meaning, every teacher has their own different approach in handling their students and it works perfectly for all of them not because the few stern ones are the ones compensating for their lack of indifference.”

“So you’re saying that we should be different in our own ways?” Mofiyin asked.

“I’m saying that we all as people should adopt several means or whatever method we think best to us in carrying out their duties. The people with the pretty face and flawless skin, should go about being nice as far as it works for them while the people who want to act all serious and strict should also do as they wish. All in all, it’s about the end product not the means. I mean, its not like we’re killing anyone or committing any crime, that’d question the means. One method can’t work for everybody.”

“Thank you, Legide. I think that’s the best thing I’ve heard today.” Mofiyin commended her effort, as she settled down. “Anyone has a counter point, or anything else they want to add?”

“Not a counter point, just a suggestion.” Itunu who sat on the left corner of April’s table, rose to his feet, clearing his throat. “Uhm, so I have a cousin who goes to Grange high school in Ikeja. Definitely we all here would have heard of it, as it’s the biggest high school on the main land. He is in college now, B-T-W but he said during his time as a prefect back in school, they took him out and the other prefects to this camp empowerment program where they were taught so many things on assuming responsibility and handling it. He said what they were taught were really instrumental to everyone, as it made their task ten times easier.”

“A camp empowerment program?”

“Yeah, a camp empowerment program. Like you know boot camps and summer camps, but this one doesn’t go down in the bush or something. They have a facility somewhere on the country side, that still manage to blend that jungle vibe but their residence is quite posh. He said it was exhilarating fun with learning. So, I looked into it and found out it was legit.

“All I have to do now is, discuss it with the counselor with Rena, April and Dabby and if we’re successful in convincing her she’d pitch the idea to the principal and it’d get a green light. It’s the real deal. What do you think?”

If anything by the enthusiastic looks on the faces of the rest was to go by, it said that they were indeed interested.

“I love the idea.” Moyin was the one to talk. “I mean, the activities of late have been quite stressful so we definitely need a break. And what better way to get that break than getting away from our hectic life to have fun, and also learn all that’s needed to know while at it? It’s too good to be true.”

Iunu’s back was turned to Tomi, but he knew the boy was smiling. “Well, it’s true fortunately. And we just need luck in convincing the school. That’s all.”

“Well, I wish you abundance of luck in everything that you’d need on that front.” Mofiyin replied, rising to his feet alongside Moyin. And Tomi knew, and the rest without an announcement that the meeting had indeed come to a close. “We’d adjourn this meeting till next week, till when the social prefects would have news for us regarding this camp trip. Till then, have a great school life everyone.”

They all dispersed haphazardly, like a bunch of balls at the beginning of a snooker game. Tomi himself was heading to the sick bay, as he heard gotten news that his attention was demanded. He could only hope that Legide’s own wasn’t, so they wouldn’t have the luxury of privacy.

They hadn’t exactly gotten the chance to talk since the Lake County anniversary day, and so much had changed since then. His relationship with Rena to be precise, and he didn’t exactly know what that meant for his with Legide.

One way to find out.

*****

“That should do it.” Tomi remarked, as he pressed the bandage tightly into place on the boy’s knee. He was in a crouching position, hunched over the first aid kit—while an injured junior, probably in the J.S.S.1 Class sat on the bed before him, emitting loud and unsuppressed groans amidst treatment.

Tomi did feel sorry for the boy’s plight, but the excruciating pain he suffered would do well to remind him not to partake in highly dangerous games with his mates, that he had been involved in earlier which got him into trouble.

“Try not to move around too much, and if it itches, don’t even think of peeling off the bandage to scratch it.” Tomi continued, rising to his feet and propping both of his hands on his waist. He was indeed exhausted, and couldn’t wait for the day to come to an end—so he could retreat home, to his abode of solitude which was his bedroom. “Would you like to lie down for a bit, before returning to the class?”

The boy’s restless demeanor said it all. “Nah, I’m fine. I’d get going now. Thanks.”

Tomi arched a brow. “I hope you’re not thinking of playing again?”

“Of course not, I can’t even move my leg well not to talk of jumping about.” The boy said, jerking the injured leg forward and gritting his teeth in a way that said a lot about the pain that sizzled through his leg. Tomi thought it was a bit exaggerated, though.

“Okay, off you go then. Remember, first thing when you get home? What do you do?”

The boy hopped to his feet gently, and straightened up like he was a soldier being addressed by a superior. “Tell my parents immediately, so they can give it the appropriate treatment needed.”

“Good, cos this is just first-aid. You can go now.” Tomi nodded, satisfactorily.

“Thanks, again.” The boy said, before limping out of the large spacious room. Tomi watched his retreating figure for a while in rueful amusement, before setting about to returning the first-aid box back into its rightful place. He was only binding it with its locks, when he heard the gentle padding of feet—drifting in his direction, and knew that indeed his worst fear had come to reality.

Being accosted by Legide.

Better to play it cool. Maintaining a neutral façade, he bundled the box into his arms before lodging it right back into its place in the wall. Upon his request, the nail used to hang the box had being lowered so as to accommodate his shortcoming in height. Oh, the pun in that. Now it was easier to access the box.

He stalled a bit in the action, so as to delay the inevitable but then again he realized that it was useless as he couldn’t escape it. The period still had a solid fifteen minutes, before its expiration and he couldn’t get out of the sick bay without feigning some sort of distress or lying to his company. He was literally in for it.

“Hey,” He said in a slightly surprised voice, as if he hadn’t been aware of her presence for the past couple of seconds. He didn’t know what to expect from her. He was thinking her mood would be in a furious, hurt state but he was wrong, because when their gazes locked—he couldn’t read any negative emotion in her eyes, or any emotion whatsoever. That made him more terrified of the pending interaction.

“Hey,” She replied in an equally, casual voice. Her head was slightly tilted to one side, and the rest of her body it seemed—as she relaxed more of her weight on her left leg, as if in a brooding quest trying to decipher his mood. It would seem that the mood seeking gesture was mutual.

“You look tired, more than someone who has just applied a bandage on a junior student. More like someone who has just completed a surgery, which is likely not to succeed but is split into several phases. Are you okay?”

He smiled, wiping the sweat that grazed his forehead with his palm. “I’m fine, just exhausted. I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night, and well I’ve sort-off started midnight readings, since the end of the term is already here. So I guess that’s taking a toll on me. Plus, the Biology lab was really stuffy earlier. We really need to find another place to have our meetings.”

“Yeah, I totally agree.” She said. “They used to hold in the social prefects office before, but the administration complained that somehow the prefects always failed to keep the noise to a minimum, and so they had to ban them from ever conducting the meeting on their block anymore.

“Since that time, we’ve been making use of the labs but now taken into consideration the number of complaints people have made today, I guess a complaint to the school is in order.”

“That makes sense, why don’t we sit?” He gestured to the receptive corner of the room, where two plump sofas faced each other. As usual, they took positions across each other and their conversation was delayed by another brief pause before he talked again. “So uh, what’s up? How have you been doing? You should have a lot to say on that.”

“I wouldn’t, if you hadn’t avoided me all through the week like some plague.” Her querying tone took him by surprise. He thought she was going for the act-like-nothing-had-happened resolution, clearly he guessed wrong. “I don’t know, did I do something wrong? Multiple times you have removed yourself from my company, when there was absolutely no need for it. Even if this was as a result of what happened on anniversary day, I wouldn’t have tagged you as a petty person to hold grudges for so long a period–”

“Now, why would you say that? This isn’t because of anniversary day.” He shook his head, rather vigorously. He was intent on convincing her it wasn’t so, because that was the truth. But explaining the truth, was entirely another abysmal action on its own. “I don’t know, I’ve just been really tired and reserved these days. I’m sort of an introvert, and human interactions take a toll on me after time. So there are days I don’t want to talk to people for longer than its necessary, just so I can just—you know, recharge my batteries.”

“Recharge your batteries?” Her brows furrowed, and saw a faint smile glow on the edge of her lips. Maybe she wasn’t so angry after all. “What are you, depressed?”

“Nothing as serious as that,” He settled into his seat. “Sometimes I just get really tired, but that’s just what it is. It’s nothing you should take personal, I assure you. And now that you’ve brought it to my notice, I’d do well to remember to bring that part of myself into order.

“It’s not exactly great, and just like you—a lot of persons would begin to misinterpret it as something else. And unfortunately, I won’t have the luxury to explain why it is so to everyone else. So, yeah. It’s what it is.”

“I guess so,” She was finally smiling this time. “So, we’re cool? You’re not hung up about what happened on anniversary day?”

“Nah, why would I? It was just like you said. You offered your opinion, I offered mine. They clashed and we both didn’t like the outcome. But now it’s all in the past and it’s definitely nothing to dwell on. So, how are you doing?”

She sighed, in a way that said that the weariness was going about. “I’m just hanging in there. This term has been so fucking stressful, just like you said. I can’t wait to get it over with, I can’t wait for the holidays.”

“Wow, a nerd like you?” He laughed. “Not exactly genius—y behavior.”

“Look at who is talking,” She rolled her eyes. “I’m not the one who is wearing glasses, and has cheekbones.”

His face flushed a bit in embarrassment. “I’m not like you. Pretty much average in any subject that’s not Mathematics. In fact, I’m overrated sef.”

“Okay, thinking you’re overrated? Is you overrating yourself, like you’re some big ass deal.” She sat up, bracing her hands on the sides of the chair. “And dismissing a compliment, and acting like it comes every other day, is indeed acting like you’re big deal also. So Mister, everything you’re saying is in conflict with your body language and intent.”

“Don’t make it sound so complicated.” He said. “So speaking about the other aspects of anniversary day? Did the review ratings finally come in, and most of all—were they favorable?”

“Oh, they were good.” Her face altered into that of an extremely pleased one, and he didn’t need an outburst, or display of joy for him to know that their mission had been successful.

“A lot of people phoned in. Parents, of course giving praise to the school for sending us out and imagine their surprise, when the counselor so enlightened them on the fact that it was a volunteer work by the student themselves and that the school hadn’t urged them to do it. We didn’t only goose up our approval ratings as health prefects, we goosed up the school’s approval ratings as a whole.”

“I don’t see why parents should be enthusiastic to send their kids to a school that would likely teach them how to handle dirt, from their point of view—that is.”

“No, silly. I’m talking about the responsibility part. The public perception would be that Lake High as somehow unraveled a formulae to inculcate the spirit of discipline and responsibility into its students, which many parents themselves find it difficult to do.

“It would be a dream come true, literally. Except it would be a nightmare to the student being sent to the school, if such thing has actually been discovered.”

“Oh, now I see it.” He smiled. “But still, I’m not concerned if our action made the principal eligible for running for presidency next two years. Since they still wouldn’t reward us if we do something so big anyway. I’m only concerned that it helped us, and since it did I’m glad. Nothing more.”

“Hmm, such a business man.” She laughed gently. “Anyway, unlike you think there is no reward, there is actually a reward in some sense. A thrilling one, actually. You know that storage room here in the clinic? Well, you also know how the prefects in the past always used it to get busy and all? The principal has agreed to install a TV, for us there. So we can watch in our leisure time.”

“You gotta be kidding me.” He sat up, astounded.

“Seriously, and they’d also have the staff room Dstv run on it. Although now I think more on it, we shouldn’t get our hopes up too high since it’s always tuned in to Africa Magic Yoruba, and we’d be more or less not allowed to change the channel, since we can’t go to the staff-room, pick up the remote and demand that they watch whatever we want to watch.”

He settled back into the seat, very much pleased at the development. It wasn’t exactly mind blowing entertainment, but it was still entertainment nonetheless and God knew he needed it at such cutthroat periods like this.

“It’s still good. We’d do Yoruba movie and chill.” He remarked.

“Yoruba movie and chill?” She stared at him, wide-eyed with amusement.

“Read it on some novel on Wattpad.” He laughed. “Don’t ask me how I stumbled upon it.”

“If you insist,” She said, rising to her feet. Where was she going? “How about we go set the storage room in order before the technicians who will fix it in would come in. The counselor said they’d be arriving before today, and meeting the room in a messy state wouldn’t exactly stop them from doing their work but I don’t want them groaning, and probably cursing on us when they begin to wonder who left it in the state its currently is.”

“Alright then,” He nodded, standing up and trailing after her. They walked to the other end of the room, before turning left to enter the destination in question. Upon setting feet into the room, and slamming the door close after him—he looked around and the appearance of things made him puzzled.

“I thought you said this place wasn’t tidy?”

There was a devilish smile on her lips, when she turned to face him. “I lied.”

A cold chill ran down his spine. “Why?”

She bit her lower lip. “I wanted privacy with you.”

His throat bobbed up and down. “And I’m going to ask why again?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” She laughed, inching closer to him—her eyes dropping to his lips. “Earlier I mentioned that, the past prefects used this place for rather, secret activities. Obviously, that’s my motive.”

“Oh,” His plethora of questions disappeared, and before he could say another word she sealed her lips with his.

Pleasure.

The contact roused all sort of worldly and carnal desire buried in him, and he didn’t know when his other arms snaked through her waist and pulled her in closer. She arched into him, molding her body with his—the contact every bit as maddening, as the pulsating of pleasure in him and he did his best to fight back a guttural groan. This wasn’t in anyway proper, and he was doing it because he wasn’t thinking and he didn’t want to think.

Kissing her was even better than he had imagined. Yes, he’d admit that in the past few years that he had harbored feelings of an erotic nature for her, he had nursed several scenarios in his head where he kissed her. But he hadn’t in his wildest dreams, thought that it would be this intoxicating and satiating. Especially for someone like him, who even hadn’t had his first kiss until about a week ago–

Wait a minute!

He pulled away abruptly, and broke out of her embrace leaving both of them panting and gasping for her. He braced his head with both hands, to steady his reeling head while she put herself into order before looking back up at him, with a surprised look on her face.

“Wow, that was great.” She smiled, moving closer to him again. “I should go out to make sure we won’t be disturbed and then–”

“No, no.” He shook his head, holding his hand up. “No we can’t do that again. We can’t ever do that again.”

Her shoulders frowned, a frown taking up residence on her face. “Why?”

“It’s not right, I’m sorry.” He shook his head.

“It’s not right?” She stepped back, and made no attempt to resume their previous intimate contact. “Okay, you’re going to have to give me more than that, because up until the last few seconds—you were enjoying it.”

He sighed, this wasn’t going to be easy. “I can’t kiss you, Legide. It’s not right.”

“Why isn’t it right?” Her angered state was changing into that of a dismayed, helpless one. “I clearly like you, a lot. And you do too. So why can’t we? Or, wait. You don’t like me?”

His silent reply was enough affirmation, and the tears that welled up in her lids broke something in him. He couldn’t believe this was happening. He was in a position that he had been craving for, for several years and yet he wasn’t taking advantage of the situation.

“It was only in my head. I was imagining things.” She wiped, quickly at the tear that trickled down her left eye and he made to touch her but she took a step backward. “Don’t touch me if you’re not going to tell me what I want.”

He swallowed. “I’m so sorry, Legide. If I knew you had this in mind, I’d have discouraged you.”

“You sure as hell would,” She screamed all of a sudden, and then reality came crashing to him that they weren’t exactly in a realm where other people weren’t. Someone could walk in on them at any moment. “All this while, talking privately with me, allowing me to flirt and even flirting back, letting me on and you dare say you would have discouraged me? You knew I liked you all along! I made it quite clear, even if I didn’t say the words and even if you were confused you weren’t supposed to have responded in the way you did! You’re no different from those fuck boys!”

“Okay first of all, reduce the volume of your voice.” He hissed in distaste. “And second of all, I’m not a fuck-boy okay? I’m so sorry, I thought I wanted this and that was why I permitted all that from you, but now I just realized I don’t. I wish I could say more but that’s all I got.”

She bit her lower lip, and looked away clearly stung by the truth in her words. When she spoke again, her voice had reduced to a squeak. “It’s because of her, isn’t it? Rena? You like her, don’t you?”

“Legide, I’m sorry–”

“Look me in the eyes and tell me this has nothing to do with Rena.” She said, her voice becoming calmer. Too calm, in a way that made him nervous. “Of course, you can’t. You like her. I wish you the best. Thanks for wasting my time.”

“Legide…” Was all he could say, as he watched her walk out of the room in defeat. He decided against chasing after her, as the action would be too dramatic and pointless since he had nothing to say that would console her, or soothe her agitated state.

He still couldn’t believe the upheaval that his life had undergone. Two weeks ago, his lips hadn’t come in contact with anyone else’s —but now in the space of five days, two different girls had kissed him without even asking for his consent on the matter.

Speaking about girls kissing him, he thought of Rena and realized the grave offence had just committed. He wasn’t in a relationship with her, but he did have feelings for her—feelings that were reciprocated, and certainly didn’t permit him going about kissing other girls whether it was of his own freewill or not. He had to meet with her.

He headed out of the clinic, going straight to the class where he hoped Rena and the rest were. It was a pretty much free period for the upper senior classes. The moment, the senior block came into sight—he saw a familiar figure in the deserted hallway, and called out.

“Alexis.”

His addressee spun around as expected, and slowed down so he could catch up with him. After his friend studied him, his puzzled expression deepened.

“Okay, you’re not looking all that great. Did you give a student the wrong drug or something?”

“More like the wrong impression.” He sighed.

“What do you mean?”

Their class was only a few meters away, and he halted as he wouldn’t risk the conversation falling prey to the wrong ears.

“Legide kissed me.”

“What!” Alexis eyes widened. “Wow, how was it?”

“Is that the sort of question you should be asking!” Tomi groaned, face palming.

“No, how would I know. I’m not the one being kissed, and it’s not like I’d have experience in this, since it hasn’t happened to you before.” He laughed. “Okay, so that’s not good. What did you do?”

“What did you think I did?”

“Oh no, you didn’t give the poor girl a speech on focusing on her studies and closing off her emotions to the opposite sex until she was ready for marriage?”

“Don’t be crazy,” Tomi grunted. “I just told her it wasn’t right. Since I like someone else now, and it wouldn’t make sense if I was kissing someone else.”

“What! You told her that?” Alexis jaw dropped open.

“No, I didn’t. She sort of figured and put two and two together. Everyone isn’t as dumb as you are, you know.”

“You’re sick.” Alexis hissed. “But are you sure you did the right thing in discouraging her?”

“What sort of question is that?”

“A normal one, not a rhetorical–”

“No, I mean why would you ask me such thing when you know clearly it isn’t right. I like Rena, not her. Simple.”

“Yes, and have you and Rena talked about the new terms of your relationship? Have you agreed to be exclusive, and how are you sure Rena isn’t kissing someone else right now in whatever place she is in currently?”

“Once again, I’d say not everyone is as dumb or vile and dirty as you are, Alexis.”

His friend shrugged. “Just saying, you don’t even know if Rena is taking y’all serious. Might as well–”

“I heard my name.”

Shit!

Before whirling around, to assess the level of wrath he would incur—he gauged it on the face of Alexis, and saw that it would be an enormous one. Sighing, he turned around to find Rena staring at him in a rather, inquisitive manner and April also, standing beside her taking in the scene.

“Why, what’s up with Rena?” April asked.

How am I supposed to explain this?

The sensible thing would be for him to lie, and probably tell her at a later date. But God, he had seen too many movies and read a handful of books, where keeping secrets for the shortest of time frames always resulted in a rather catastrophic fate. That terrified him. Her finding out on her own accord, and reading more meaning to it. It was paranoia, sure since she would never find out if he didn’t keep the information for too long a period to himself, but still something in him told him it would be best to get it over with, once and for all.

“Rena, we need to talk.”

“Yeah, go on.” She nodded, folding her hands. If she weren’t looking angered by the suspicious thing going on, he’d have taken time to admire her ever, stunning profile but she was in no mood for that she seemed.

“It’s a rather private matter.” Alexis said on his behalf. “Don’t think it would be appropriate for us to talk about it here.”

“Yeah well, you might want to say it fast so we don’t get interrupted by anyone passing.” Rena said.

“How about we go to the social office, upstairs or the clinic at least?” Tomi sighed.

“The social office is off bounds. Painters are inside, repainting the walls and all. And the clinic’s scent irritates me. I hate the smell of medicine, and I only tolerate it when I have absolutely no choice. So could you please, tell me what’s going on without wasting more time?”

Tomi raked a hand through his hair. “Maybe our friends should excuse us.”

“What’s the use?” April finally spoke up. “She’d still tell us anyway. Dude, just get on with it.”

He looked helplessly at Alexis, knowing there was no way he could wriggle out of this one without someone else getting wounded. The question was, who would it be?

“Uhm, not so long ago I was in the clinic. Working with Legide…” He noticed the clenching of her jaw upon the mention of Legide’s name, almost as if she knew where he was headed. “One thing lead to another and she kissed me.”

“She kissed you?” April was the one who exclaimed, while Rena only swallowed. Her anxiety crumbling into hurt. Oh, no. This wasn’t happening. “How? Did you kiss her back?”

“Of course not, I stopped the kiss and told her it wasn’t right–”

“Yeah, but for how long did it take for you to realize that. How long did the kiss last before you pulled away?”

“April, please.” Rena cradled her head with a palm of hers, her gaze rooted to her feet for a while as the most damning of silence descended. “So, how did you feel about the kiss?”

“Like I said earlier, I told her it wasn’t right.”

“Because?” Rena’s eyes returned to him, and he could spot a glimmer of fury in them. He had to be very careful with the way he picked his words, or else he was going to see a side to her that many had not seen. “Why isn’t it right?”

“Because, well—I have something with you.”

“Did you tell her that?”

“I don’t think there was need to. She was clearly hurt, I didn’t need to worsen it. Plus, she figured it out herself.”

“Oh, and all of a sudden you care about her feelings and you don’t care about mine!” She shrieked.

“Of course, I did! That’s why I told her it wasn’t right!”

Alexis cleared his throat, in an attention seeking way. “You guys might want to keep your voices low if you don’t want to draw attention from people.”

Rena sighed again, before pulling at April. “Let’s go.”

“No, why—are you angry with me?” Tomi stepped in her front, before she could move.

“No, I’m so happy that I really need to leave with April, so as to get you a present to show just how much I’m happy!” She scowled, the words surging out from her mouth like a missile.

He’d have laughed, if the situation was peachy. “I’m very, very sorry. Really sorry, please I’d make it up to you. I just didn’t feel like it was the right thing to do at the moment.”

“What are you apologizing for exactly? Kissing her, or not clarifying the reason why you can’t kiss her.”

Before he could reply, a figure materialized from the base of the stairs and began towards their direction. He groaned inwardly, that he was interrupted at such a crucial moment but as the figure came closer into sight, he saw it was Mofiyin and that brought relief to him.

“Hey, what’s going on here?” Mofiyin said in a cheerful tone, halting and looking around at the group. Obviously, stunned that no one bothered to reply him and after seeing the murderous glares and the daggers flying about, he was of course able to deduce something crucial was going on.

“I’d best be off then.” He said again, before disappearing into what seemed to be their class.

“Look, Rena you have every right to be angry.” Tomi started, immediately. “But I did the right thing. And we haven’t exactly talked about what we are now. I’m not giving excuses, but there is no reason to be bitter about this. No one got betrayed, and it should count as something that I’m telling you this now and not keeping it a secret, so you’d know it isn’t a big deal.”

She looked at him for a while, before her chilly expression died. “Fine, but that’s not what is making me angry. It’s the fact that both of you would still keep on seeing a lot of each other, and I don’t like that. What is she going to do next?”

He relaxed finally. “Legide isn’t the type that’d throw herself at someone who rejected her.”

“Oh, so you know her, huh? You guys are pretty tight.” Rena queried.

“She’s my friend.” He said firmly, and then began to wonder if that was the smartest things to say.

“Look here, Baba.” April snickered. “Don’t think you know girls just because they’re your friends. We’re girls also, we know what we’re saying and since when did you even become at expert on knowing girls? A week ago, you hadn’t even kissed any one.”

His lower jaw dropped, while Rena nudged her friend lightly. Alexis on the other hand was laughing.

“You told her that, really?” Tomi scowled.

“Oh, please. Don’t act like you don’t tell him everything.” She rolled her eyes. “Anyway, let’s not spend more time on this topic. It keeps on annoying me more and more, and I fear if we talk more on it—might just be tempted to punch her in the eye, the next time I see her. I was looking for you in fact, to talk.”

“Oh, about what?” He asked.

“An outing. Ragnarok has been in cinemas, for a while now. We should go see it.”

“I didn’t know you were big on action movies.”

“I’m not,” She smirked. “But it’s the perfect excuse for you to give to your folks as to why you’d be absent again from the house, since they’re like extra protective.”

He considered her point. Would they buy it?

“I don’t know, if I could pull that off again–”

“And Alexis could come for real this time if he wants.” Rena cut in. Obviously determined, and he knew he should do his best to heed to her wishes especially because of what just happened not so long ago. “And April could also tag along to keep him company, so he doesn’t look scopeless.”

“Oh it is on!” April exclaimed in glee, and Alexis was also smiling. He knew when the battle was lost, and he knew it was now.

“Alright, fine. Thor:Ragnarok it is then.” He nodded.

“Oh, you’re in for a treat.” Rena smiled, edged closer to him and whispered into his ear. “Oh and by the way, later today when my driver comes to pick me in the evening, meet me in the car. I need to show you why kissing me is so much better than kissing her.”

Oh.

And with that, she pulled April and they both hurried away into their class in the distance. Tomi laughed, before he followed after them with Alexis  by his side.

“How did we get into this?” His friend asked, looking at the two visions in the distance.

“To be honest, I really don’t know. Feels like a dream.” He replied.

And he could only hope that the dream lasted forever. But he knew better than that, because eventually—all dreams came to an end.

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This came a bit early, but the circumstances of things won't allow me update tomorrow morning as usual, so here you go. How was the chapter? The drama with Tomi and Legide, and the resulting reaction from Rena?

I think it was all hilarious, do share your own thoughts in the comments. Tap that lonely star before you leave also. See you, same time—next week. God bless.