idk who relates more to the quote i put in this chapter, me or Bukunmi. wattpad really showed me shege this time around. btw the picture in the media is so Lisa-core.

TW: use of vulgar language, mature theme

┏━━━━•❅•°•❈ - •°•❅•━━━━┓

Fluctuat nec mergitur-
It is tossed by the waves
but it does not sink.
┗━━━━•❅•°•❈ - •°•❅•━━━━┛

009: A Loud Silence

Nobody tells you how loud the sound of silence is.

Especially when you're writing a test or an examination, the silence speaks volumes, loud enough for you to hear.

Everyone is in their own world, rummaging every core part of their memories, desperately seeking for answers to questions.

There are the hopeless ones, the ones that give up five minutes into the exam and fall asleep immediately.

There are the desperate ones, the ones who are ready to tear their hair apart, wondering why they can't remember that one thing they read.

There are the ones who turn into invertebrates at that moment, in serious need of a backbone. Everything they put down in their answer sheet doesn't come from their head but from another person's answer sheet.

And some simply have it easy. All they need to do is pick up their pen, ponder and wonder for some time and write. Rinse and repeat till they're done with the whole test.

Marcel and Jina were two of the people who had it easy.

And Bukunmi? She had dug her fingernails deep into her hair, scratching every itch in frustration.

I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this.

She dropped her pencil on the OMR sheet, shoulders slumping as she leaned backward on her seat. Her eyes skimmed over the pages, seeing that she hadn't answered a single question that had to do with calculations.

She tried to. But she couldn't. Maybe it was the crippling anxiety she felt, or the severe ache that she felt in her head whenever she tried to crack her brain in order to solve the questions.

Or maybe it was the beads of perspiration that only increased if she even dared to spend a glance on the calculative questions.

What is wrong with me?

That was when she noticed her partner sitting quietly, head down and resting on his arms with his eyes closed, pen dropped beside his booklet.

Marcel was through with it.

Lucky him. Bukunmi fought the urge to scoff at his sleeping face. He had answered it all, hadn't he? Else, he wouldn't have been this laid-back, sleeping without a care in the world.

"I just need to remember the formulae," she said to herself, starting with the most confident tone she'd found herself using since she had started writing. "At least..." her voice trailed off to a whisper.

His eyes fluttered open at the sound of the dejected voice. He realized she had been struggling with her questions. He really wanted to help but he wasn't sure how she would react to it. Judging by the type of person she appeared as to him, Bukunmi would probably take insult.

"I can do it on my own!" He could picture her saying it, voice defiant and serious.

He sat up, opened his question booklet and started from the first page which had a question on calculation. He nudged Bukunmi who shot him a glare in response. "Here," he whispered, his tone almost inaudible. "Write out the formula in your booklet."

Bukunmi's mouth hung open in shock. "Are you serious? Why would you want to help me? Look up, behind you."

Marcel turned his head, following the direction to which Bukunmi had pointed her finger discreetly.

A surveillance camera.

No way.

"Ensure that you shade properly, or else your answer will be considered invalid. If you have erased an answer and wish to change to another answer, erase properly or else your answer will be considered invalid. Make sure your signature is in the little box by the bottom left corner. You have just five minutes left."

No way.

"Aren't I done for?"

She dropped her pencil, vision getting blurry with tears as she stared at nothing. Giving everything up with a sigh, she slid her OMR sheet to the end of the desk and placed her head on her folded arms.

Last grade of high school, yet I'm still living like this.

"Pencils down! Keep your OMR sheet on the table. Follow my instructions or you'll be penalized! Good luck, students! Happy first Mathematics pop quiz of the term."

The teacher had gotten to Bukunmi's seat, and on picking her up her test, scanned it, seeing that she had not shaded a lot of answers. Marcel peered at the question paper, a frown immediately settling on his face. He looked at Bukunmi in disapproval and shook his head, wondering why she was submitting an incomplete test.

The teacher smirked to himself, also shaking his head before moving to the other seats. After gathering the sheets, he waved them at the students, exiting the classroom with a thumbs up.

"Why did you–" The loud and aggressive pushing back of Bukunmi's seat cut off Marcel from speaking further. Before he could blink, she had stormed out of the class, running off to God knows where.

Marcel stared at the door, at a loss for words.

-

Slumped shoulders, sad eyes and a heavy heart. A single ball being tossed across the field from one direction to the other. Sweaty bodies running and crashing into each other every now and then. Students going about their day.

The weather was bright and sunny, perfect enough for students who didn't have to write a pop quiz.

Andro sat down on the bleachers, taking a seat next to Bukunmi who was too immersed in the football game to even notice Andro's presence. It wasn't an activity she found interesting or entertaining, but right now it was a perfect way to distract her from her own thoughts.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Bukunmi jumped, finally noticing Andro's presence. "How did the test go?"

The petite girl gave a little smile, one that didn't hide how disappointed she was. "Do you think I have a problem?"

"What problem?"

"Before the beginning of this term, I read ahead of the class. I am still reading. I'm through with the syllabuses for almost every subject. I still try to remember stuff like definitions, or explanations. But when it comes to calculations, it's like my mind goes blank."

Andro kept quiet, giving approval for her to go on. "I was so scared in class today, Alexandro. I could've sworn I knew those calculations. Those questions were similar to ones I've solved before. But I suddenly didn't remember it. No matter how much I tried, I wasn't getting it."

The duo sat in silence for a while, letting Bukunmi's words linger in the air.

"Remember you asked me if I believed in you," Andro stated. "I do, I'll always do, no matter what happens. But what is the use of my belief in you if you don't even believe in yourself?"

Bukunmi looked away, refusing to let the feeling of shame overcome her.

"Did you use your anxiety pills before writing the test?"

She scowled. "I don't need them. I don't need to depend on drugs before I can answer mathematical questions. What sort of process is that? It's drug abuse."

Andro laughed, eyes sparkling with amusement as he looked at Bukunmi. "Sure. Drug abuse. I'm not saying you need to use them every time."

"End of topic then. I will not be using them."

Andro saw how adamant she was. As soft as she could be, she was definitely a tough nut to crack sometimes. "What's that thing you brought for me? Doughnuts?"

"Not at all," Andro denied, pushing the white nylons that had doughnuts in them behind him.

"You're lying. Give me my doughnuts."

Finally giving in, Andro rolled his eyes, tossing the nylon which contained doughnuts in them to Bukunmi who swiftly caught it in return. "When you've had a terrible day, a doughnut is the only way."

Andro scoffed in amusement. "Is that your way of making rhymes?"

The petite girl shrugged, dismissing Andro's sarcastic question as she munched on her doughnut.

"You know... Marcel tried to help me today."

Andro glanced at Bukunmi. "Marcel, who?"

"He's one of the new students in our class, my seat partner. He's also your roommate–"

"Oh, the curly haired boy that looks like a foreigner?"

Bukunmi laughed, "Yes sir. I'm surprised you even know him."

"He is my roommate, of course I do. So how did he help you?"

Bukunmi heaved a sigh, savoring the last bit of her doughnut before she answered. "During the test, he..." she struggled to let the words out as she suddenly felt like she could choke on the bits of doughnut she had just swallowed. Her cheeks warmed with embarrassment. How was she going to say this to Andro unashamedly? She would only come across more pitiful than she already was. "He was showing me answers when he saw that I was unable to answer. I had to point out the camera at the back of the class. I didn't want him to be implicated because of me."

Andro said nothing for a while, ignoring Bukunmi's hot stare. "Are you friends?"

Friends?

Was Marcel someone she could call a friend? Everything had seem so fast-paced. One moment she was the girl without a seat partner, reading to no avail, the next moment, he sat down beside her when no one would, offered to be her tutor, lent notes to her, and shared his chocolate with her.

That was something only a friend would do, right?

So maybe, he was a friend to her. What she didn't know however was, if she was also a friend to him.

"I guess he's my friend. I haven't gotten used to him yet. His whole presence still seems like a mystery to me. It's like he's let out an exclusive part of him to me, but I don't want to dive into that part yet."

"If you are friends, then it makes sense that he was only trying to help you–"

"Why make me seem more pathetic than I already am?" Bukunmi cut in, overwhelmed with rage from nowhere. "When he did that, I just wanted to vanish from the surface of the Earth. And then, I started thinking of the implications. What if the Principal caught that on footage? That old man is always extra careful when they inform him that a particular class has a test. He's always fixated on that class for that moment."

"I don't understand," Andro started calmly, his behavior a contrast to Bukunmi's agitated demeanor. "Are you embarrassed by the fact that he tried to help you or are you worried about him getting in trouble with that man?"

Bukunmi scowled, eyes narrowing into slits at Andro's lost expression. "What's that question supposed to mean? You're not helping me in any way– OW!"

The immediate pain that shot through her head could be compared to hitting one's foot against a large rock. A shrill noise rang in her ears as her nose was squeezed against the sandy body of the football. Bukunmi saw nothing for a moment, all her senses on a temporary shutdown.

"Oh my– are you okay?!"

Holding her before she could fall back and prevent the situation from further aggravating by hitting her head on the bleachers behind her, Andro's panick-stricken face searched Bukunmi's face for any sign of consciousness.

She had gone.

Maybe not.

"I... Omo, I can't see anything, Alexandro. Is this you? Why is your face blurry?"

Andro held back a snigger as he waved his hand in Bukunmi's face. "Can you see my hand?"

"Wait..." Bukunmi breathed out. "I... I think it's clearing small small. Okay. Okay."

She sat up slowly, blinking profusely as Andro's dark face finally become a clear, sharp image.

"Omo. My enemies are seriously after me today. Who threw the ball?" Already exasperated, Bukunmi fought back tears as she scanned the field for the perpetrator.

"Are you okay? Does your head hurt?"

"Of course my head hurts," Bukunmi gritted out, eyes refusing to leave the field. They threw a ball at my face.

"Okay." Andro then rose from his feet. "Who threw the ball?" He questioned, his voice loud enough for everyone on the field to hear. They'd all become quiet as soon as he stood up. Those laughing and pointing fingers at Bukunmi snapped their mouths shut, looking at everything but Andro. "You can't hear me? I said who threw the damn ball?"

The person who had committed the evil deed stepped forward all too graciously, a cunning smirk on his face as the look in his eyes matched Andro's cold glare. "Calm down, bro. It was just a mistake. It happens when we do stuff like this." He glanced at Bukunmi whose forehead had become red. "Right, Adetale?"

"Apologize to her."

Dare barked a loud scoff instantly, a flaming anger in his eyes as he stared at Andro. His jaw tightened, body becoming more tense. "This is the second time I will be forced to apologize to this dumbass. I have no reason to, bro. Shit happens."

"Yes, just like you happened when you were conceived."

Chimo.

"Are you going to apologize to her or not?"

"Fuck off, Alexandro!" Dare shouted, already releasing heavy fumes of rage. He looked like he was about to ram Andro into the ground.

Andro smiled. "Do you know one of the principles I live by? You'll find out now."

Before anyone could say anything or even blink, Andro had lunged the ball with all of his might and force, which shot through the air in a velocity that no one had time to register before colliding with Dare's open mouth.

"His mouth!"

"Shit, Dare, are you okay?!"

"You guys, take him to the nurse's office!"

"What's going on there?!"

We are cooked.

-

She rested her back on the wall, counting from one to a hundred as she waited for her fearless knight in shining armour to step out of the Principal's office.

67... 68... 69... 70...

"But why is today so terrible?" She mused aloud to herself, shaking her head and counting numbers once again.

71... 72... 73... 74... 75...

Then she realized. "He's only going to get me into more trouble with Dare. What was I thinking?"

"What do you mean, more trouble with Dare? Did you have something with that fool?" Bukunmi jumped, surprised to see a stoic looking Andro next to her.

"What did the Principal say?" Bukunmi asked, casually shunning Andro's interrogation. The latter narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"I told him it wasn't intentional. We were playing football and the ball hit his face. He was just a crybaby."

"How did the Principal let you go with that sort of explanation? And two of his front teeth fell out from how hard you threw the ball. He bled, Alexandro."

"Oh?" Andro raised a brow. "That's good. I have been waiting to scatter that set of teeth he confidently uses in spewing rubbish."

Bukunmi exhaled sharply. Alexandro looked so happy for someone who had almost messed up a person's face. Her shoulders slumped. She knew that deep down, he was fuming with uncontrollable anger. The hatred Dare had for him was as deeply rooted as his.

She tried not to dwell too much on the fact that Andro has just revived everything that had managed to die down. Dare had laid off her back since the session started, but she had been foolish enough to talk to Andro, that too hanging out publicly.

It wasn't a tough nut to crack. Dare had thrown the ball at her intentionally. The aim had been her and only her.

She didn't know which she feared more; Dare's insanity or Andro's rage.

"Are you okay?" she asked, examining his face for any signs of distress. The tall teenage boy nodded in confirmation with a smile to make Bukunmi worry less.

They both stood in silence before Andro took a step closer. "Today, I might have realized that your avoiding me probably has something to do with that dimwit that's still inside..."

Isn't that such a smart observation?

Andro released a frustrated sigh before continuing. "I saw the fear in your eyes when he held your stare before entering with me. I don't know what he's said or done to you, but pray I don't find out."

Alexandro doesn't bluff.

He definitely didn't. And that was what scared Bukunmi. No one could ever forget the time he'd almost sent Dare back to his creator in the cafeteria and he was going to be always willing to recreate that memory.

Speaking of, Andro had really gotten away with a lot of things as a star student.

"Let's go. I'll escort you to your hostel."

Bukunmi nodded, having so much to say and nothing to say at the same time. She hated to admit it but she was too scared of Andro. Andro was like a time ticking bomb. All he needed was a trigger and he instantly exploded. Or even, the tail of a sleeping lion. All you had to do was step hard on it, and he'd chew you out into pieces.

"You don't have to be scared of me," the tall teenage boy said, quietly and calmly to assure Bukunmi. "I could never hurt you. You don't need to be guarded around me."

Bukunmi nodded in understanding, stepping forward to take a hold of Andro's arm. "Can we go before he comes?"

"Okay," Andro replied, "I'll take you to the nurse's office first. Your forehead is swelling and it's already red–"

"I'll go by myself. Go to your hostel. Thank you for today, Andro. And I'm sorry I got you in trouble with the Principal."

And before the tall teenage boy could say anything in objection, the petite girl withdrew her hand and ran off in an opposite direction.

"What do I do with her?"

-

Parking lot. Ten minutes.

Lisa read the text over and over again. Anger coursed through her veins as she clutched the phone painfully in her hands. She'd never come across someone as persistent as him. No matter how many times she blocked him, he texted yet again with a new number and would keep it doing repeatedly.

But today, she was going to end it all. She was tired of him bothering her.

So here she was, standing in the parking lot just as he had requested. It took exactly ten minutes for his car to roll into view.

She fought the irritation that seeped through her as she stared at the black KIA, her eyes not leaving the spot it had been parked in, even when her ex-boyfriend alighted and start to graciously walk towards her.

A dark-skinned, five feet eight inches devil. A rising star adored by everyone, known as the white angel to everyone but with so much dirty linen. He was disgusting. Obsessive. There was only one reason why Lisa had stayed with him for so long, because he did as she wanted.

But if she was going to start all over, she would have to repent for her second biggest mistake. Erase her terrible past. That would include leaving him.

"Baby," he cooed, lovey-dovey eyes sparkling at Lisa as he excitedly marched towards her. His voice was too deep, she almost couldn't make out what he said. How had she been attracted to that?

Spreading out his arms for a hug, he leant forward to embrace an unmoved Lisa who let him have his way. He snuggled into her neck, his breath fanning her collarbone as he spoke. "Ugh, I missed you so much. Why didn't you tell me you were changing schools?"

Lisa said nothing in response.

"Fuck, I missed this body so much."

Lisa rolled her eyes, proceeding to peel him off her skin. "Why are you here, Asher?"

"Baby," the ex-boyfriend, Asher whined. "That's not the way to speak to me. Bad, bad, bad!"

"Fuck off, Asher. I'm not a dog."

Asher snickered, then full-blown cackled, a dark glint now in his eyes as he mocked Lisa. "But you're my pet. You know when a dog wanders away, it's the job of its owner to find it and bring it back home." He gestured to himself. "Home, sweet home, baby girl."

"Why don't you ever get anything? How are you so dumb for a celebrity? I broke up with you over a text on December 31st, right before we crossed over to this year, Asher, goddammit–"

"You broke up with me!" Asher yelled, suddenly teary-eyed. He looked terrified and one would think he had just seen a ghost. "But I didn't break up with you. I... I don't get it. Isn't something like that supposed to be mutual?"

Once again, no response from Lisa.

"I miss you. Every night, there's a new girl but she doesn't get it like you do. I thought we were perfect for each other. We were both broken, I accepted you for the way you are. You think if you have any other boyfriend, he won't be scared of how obsessed you are with s*x?"

Her face became pale, hands suddenly running cold as she gasped at Asher. The latter smiled, obviously satisfied with the reaction he had gotten. He kept going. "See, you get it! They'd run from you. They'd think, how does she do it? She asks for it every time, I can't take it anymore! She's addicted!"

"You are such a..."

"Your mates are virgins," Asher stated calmly, looking too innocent like he hadn't just shot an arrow at Lisa's heart with the words he'd just uttered. "You should be grateful," he emphasized, his voice slowly rising with every word that followed, "that you have someone like me who is willing to give it to you every damn time whenever you ask! I give you everything. I give you space when you suddenly want, I give you all the luxury items because your mum doesn't get them for you, I give you so much love, I give you s*x all the time like I'm a fucking s*x worker and I never complained!"

Lisa breathed fumes of rage as she jabbed her finger deep into Asher's chest who wasn't moved. "You know my problem, Asher. Don't come here and try to guilt trip me into getting back with you."

Asher scoffed, scratching his forehead in deep thought before answering. "Getting back? We were never separated to begin with. You're mine. You were always mine. You'll be mine forever."

Through gritted teeth, Lisa spelt out her reply to Asher, "Fuck yourself."

She turned around, seething as she started to storm off. "Monalisa!" Asher called out, stopping her in her tracks. "I have a gift for you! But before that, before that... your school has a popular page on social media, right? I want my gift to be public. But what to do?"

If it was possible for a human to combust from rages, Lisa would have already done that immediately she laid her eyes on Asher. "My baby doesn't like PDA," he continued. "So if you don't want PDA, please do what I want."

"Post it."

The maniacal glint that shone through his brown eyes died down, replaced by confusion and astonishment.

"You've known me long enough to know I don't give a shit about stuff like this. But I don't think you can pull it off sha. Think about yourself too."

Asher said nothing, his expression as if he contemplated what Lisa had just told him.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish, Asher."

a/n: if someone told me that I'd write this chapter through this month, I'd scoff and walk away. Wattpad is terrible, y'all! they cleared all my drafts! at one point i got tired and said i was going to quit writing, but i already started Liberosis.😞
i wrote this chapter like 5 times. I'd write close to 2k words and clear it. it just wasn't working out. i wanted to reveal Lisa's secret but I didn't know how to do it, I think this one is actually pretty okay.

her secret is pretty obvious, right? what do you think her problem is? (there's a hint in her moodboard)

and andro's principle 😭 i think that one too was pretty obvious😭 i want a six feet tall teenage boy that can defend me like Andro. is it too much to ask??😞

bye, y'all!🫧