Elena Sergio.

I have finally reached the end of the school year's first term. The time when all students would take a break from all social and academic activities most times a month and resumed the next year. Our first term always started from September to December. It went through the space of two to three months, then we vacate to enjoy our festive holiday which was Christmas.

Ever since the incident between Matthews and me, we never heard from each other again during the time we vacated school. At a point, I thought within myself that we were both ghosting each other out but I came to the realization that we didn't just have time to talk about it. There wasn't any need to talk about it. I was pretty sure our friendship remained intact and we were still cool. The only thing I was worried about was Karen, who witnessed a glimpse of that hot spicy moment. I promised to talk about it after Matthews left but it was my first-time experience. It'd sound complicated if we both sit to talk about my sex life.

I never had a proper sex life, if not any. Everyone in high school then used to talk about how many boys or girls they've kissed and their make-out moments. We were all growing teenagers and our hormones got the better of us. Some students were already having what they called body counts, something I didn't know the meaning until I was sixteen. I was just isolated in my space watching everybody explore their lives at a very young age. My fears were there of having to commit a mistake I wasn't prepared for.

The Christmas season passed me fast. It felt like time was being fast-forwarded and there wasn't much to do or experience. During every festive period, my family and I would always go on outings or travel to see my grandparents but this year was different. No one wanted to go outside maybe because of the weather but that shouldn't have stopped us from having our normal family routines. We spent the whole period looking at each other's faces. I mean whining and dining in our own company with no one even coming to visit.

That didn't stop me from preparing for a new step to see how everyone had glowed up. Prom night made me confident and my insecurities were reduced. I was going to kill them with my swag and drip all day long. They aren't prepared for what's coming to them. My sister was still all around me again, trying every possible best to get the info out of me, and while on new year's Eve, I had to give in.

"You can't keep running away from me thinking I'll forget about how I saw you and Matthew make out you know," she approached me while I sat in the parlor trying to watch a movie. A wrong timing which I had to allow.

"Sis, you can't expect me to welcome a conversation that has to do with my sex level. You seeing me in that awkward position is embarrassing enough," I had to whisper not to get my parent's attention with our conversation. They might think we were arguing again.

"I just want to know why you guys did it. Best friends don't get laid on the other person's bed," She sat quietly to my side and folded her arms while she frown her face. She wasn't going to let me off the hook, that was for sure.

"Things happen!" I became uncomfortable. My hands went to my ponytail and played with it unconsciously. A better way to ease the tension she was about to cause.

"Things don't just happen like that. You make them happen and you didn't stop it."

"I don't know!" I gave up, hitting my hands so hard on my lap. One of my sighs of frustration. "Kadjiri and I just had a major fallout. Matthews confessed his feelings for me and now, I made out with him. Ironically my life is going great." I was too ashamed to look Karen in the face. I leaned my back against the couch and covered my face in shame.

"Okay! Alright! I get it. This is awkward!"

"You don't have to tell me twice," I mumbled while my hands still covered my face.

"So what are you going to do now?"

"Probably ignoring him for the rest of the school year but I can't because we are classmates and best friends and it'll probably ruin our friendship and I won't be with anyone to talk to and relate with, handling myself in loneliness and isolation and–"

"Elena calm down!" Karen cut me off as words ran out of my mouth at the speed of a flash. Gently, she pulled my hands off my face and asked me to calm down. Like she always said, everything was going to be alright.

"Happy new year!" Mom and Dad exclaimed as the clock stroke twelve. We entered a new year so fast while conversing. Our conversation paused for a second and we joined in the celebration. Mom and Dad hugged us one after the other and left a kiss on our foreheads. Cookies were baked already for the moment which we used to celebrate the moment.

The whole excitement died down when they both left to call their friends and family members to wish them the compliment of the season. This gave Karen and me room to talk about my situation.

"As I was saying! Calm down okay," Karen assured me again while she looked into my eyes. I nodded in response and left her to do the talking. "Let me ask. How did you feel when he touched you? You weren't disgusted?"

I inhaled and exhaled heavily. "I wasn't. I don't know. I was blank. We kissed on the night before prom though but we never got to talk about it because I was sad then about Kadjiri. That was understandable but this was different. My consent was involved. My body felt like it wanted more. My mind only wanted him to continue and never stop but deep in my head I was wondering what kind of act am I doing?"

"Have you ever thought maybe you love Matthews and you don't just realize it?" Karen asked further.

"I don't think I do. I was always crazy about Kadjiri and fine, I noticed Matthews wasn't cool with me being all lovey-dovey around even before he knew his intentions. This is going to ruin our friendship."

"It's not. It might just take it to the next level!"

"Yeah right! Next level while we end. I don't know why I didn't push him away. The more I wanted to back out, the more my urges kept rising and it gave a nice sensation. Now, this is disgusting saying it to you," my face squeezed a bit when I knew the words coming out of my mouth. I just wanted to drop this talk while I can.

"You just have to talk to him or he should probably talk to you."

"Nope. That's not going to work. I can't look him in the eye."

"But you did while he was about to unwrap you like a gift in your bedroom," Her evil smile filled her face and appeared on one side. She was teasing and this wasn't a good time. I frowned.

"Okay fine!" She realized her wrongs before I made mention of it. "I apologize but you need to talk to him and know the next step. You might just realize you've felt for him like he does."

"Alright, sis!" The conversation finally ended at this point. I told her what she wanted to hear, bailing myself some time to head to my room and take a quick nap. The morning was drawing near and my beauty sleep was important.

*****

A beginning of a new session it was. The morning hit differently and the breeze blew from the west, causing a sweet feeling to my face. My uniform was already ironed, awaiting me to put them on and get ready for school. My face was covered with a little bit of brown powder to give myself the morning glow and also my lips with lip gloss. Back in the previous step, my hair was always looking pale and sick but I took it upon myself this year to get a new look. I packed my hair in a ponytail and put on my uniform.

The school was buzzing with a different energy. Most students came in with different looks and orientations. They met up with classmates and friends they haven't seen in a long while just to get back together with them. I sighted Matthews while entering school but decided to ignore him. He wasn't with anyone which was weird, I could have thought he'd be with Clara for their usual meet and greet sessions in the morning. I watched him pack his bike and heard off after I made myself look unseen.

Kadjiri was just getting to school at the same time I arrived. Thinking I'd look anonymous, it was an excellent fail. He waved at me from afar, increasing his steps to approach but I found a way to exit before too near. It was his audacity for me. I remember pretty well how he wrecked me the previous year but felt guilty about it. It looked quite unbelievable. If truly he felt guilty and sad about his actions, he could have made up for it publicly, not seeking my validation in private, trying to sort things out. He could become a chameleon when people see us together again in public.

All that was put behind me. My mind was set up for a new race to run and my past wasn't going to hunt me down. I walked along the corridor, planning on reaching my locker some few steps away. I look around the school to notice if there were any changes but I found none. It had the same color on the walls and the lockers were still looking a little bit neater than before. Something else got my attention before reaching for my locker. Anabel was seen arguing uncontrollably with Kadjiri. To my surprise, he got into the building before me.

It looked like things weren't going well between them. Deep down, I had this weird happiness for what my eyes were seeing, after all, they were behind the whole dare thing. I got a little bit closer to listen to their conversation.

"So after all this while when I thought we were going to prank her, you got feeling for her, isn't it? You lied to my face about sticking to my plans only," I overheard Anabel say. She better be joking with what she just uttered from her mouth or it'd make everything in my life fall apart since Matthews is still involved.

"I didn't lie to you. I did as you requested. My heart couldn't help it," KJ replied. Yeah sure. His heart couldn't help being manipulated by playing the coolest guy on campus and going on to break people's hearts. Pathetic.

"I'm going to get you for this! Mark my words!" Anabel was being serious with her words. The first time I'd see her sound hurt about something. She was seen most times as the toughest person ever. I wouldn't lie to myself, what I just watched was funny and pleasing. My enemies are getting what's coming to them. They were finally done with their conversation and Kadjiri left her there hanging unto herself. Her eyes caught me listening to their conversation but I changed my posture and pretended like I was getting something from my locker.

"Deep down you're happy huh? That you stole KJ from me. You must be proud of yourself," Anabel approached me with an aggressive tune but for the first time I didn't feel bodied by her voice. I looked at her face closely and saw a teardrop before she cleaned it quickly.

"I didn't steal him from you!" I cleared the air before it got out of hand. "Besides, I don't love him anymore. Don't play the victim card with me after you both planned to humiliate me in front of the whole school. You're just sad because your plan backfired." I sounded pretty mean and I loved it.

"Don't you dare–" Her index finger was raised toward me, pointing directly to my face before I cut in. I wasn't ready to tolerate nonsense that morning.

"I shouldn't dare what?! You better put your hand down before we all get crazy right here and cause a commotion," I warned and she knew I wasn't playing. "Please leave! I don't want to talk to you." She respected my space and did as I said. I felt proud of myself at that moment. I commanded my respect and I stood my ground. This term was just starting but it seemed too beautiful already.

"Way to go, Elena," Clara hailed from nowhere and whistled. It sounded more like sarcasm but I went on with it. "You just defeated the beast!" She said further. My face was all red but I didn't make it obvious. Surprisingly, it couldn't be her friend she was referring to like that."

"Thank you!" I complimented back.

"Don't thank me. I hope you keep the same energy to defend Matthews from me by the time I'm down," she smirked and folded her arms while she stared at me. This turned around badly in a snap than I thought.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. Her words sounded confusing.

"You know definitely what I'm talking about. Because of you, Matthews ditched me on prom night after getting all prepared for him and you think you'll get away with it?" This wasn't sounding right. She was mistaken and I wasn't getting what was going on.

"Clara you're clearly–" She cut me off before I could even speak.

"Nope, I'm not! Game on girl!" Her words were finalized and she made a dramatic exit. A new term was just starting and things just got worst than before.

Let's see the drama that awaits us this new session.