Jamal's POV

"Take this antibiotics. It will reduce the tummy ache. Jamal, help her apply mentholated spirit on her bruises please. I need go and attend to someone." Nurse Tutu told me and I nodded. She then smiled at Elyon and walked out of the ward.

We were at the far end of the female ward and no one was on admission so it was only both of us that were in the room. Vanessa and Skye had gone to get something for Elyon to eat so I was the one with her. I had a feeling they both left on purpose to give Elyon and I an alone time.

Or it was just a mere speculation from my side.

"I never knew health bays in secondary school were this big, honestly." I heard Elyon say as I tore out a cotton wool and dipped it into the tray of mentholated spirit. I brought my hand close to her face and she unconsciously flinched.

"I need to treat the bruises, you need to hold still." I told her and she wined but held her face in place. I chuckled at how cute she looked. She hated mentholated spirit. It was pretty obvious. I dabbed the cut on her cheeks softly and she winced.

"I don't know what I was thinking getting into a fight with the Queen bitch herself." She murmured with a loud hiss at the end of her sentence but I heard her anyway. I stopped dabbing and looked at her.

"Why would you think of getting into a fight with Tolani in the first place?" I asked her and she shot me a displeased look. "She's vicious. If it were to be in an enclosed place, with no one in sight then she would beaten you to coma. I know that." I quickly added to clarify.

"Well maybe next time, you warn your ex girlfriend to watch her mouth, or put a leash on her. That ought to tame her." Elyon spat out angrily and I sighed, dropping the bloody cotton wool.

"For one, we were never dating. We were just..." I started but she cut me off.

"Fücking. You were just fücking." She completed rather rashly. I was taken aback and impressed at the same time.

Damn, I never knew her to be so blunt. It was sorta a huge turn on.

"Wow. I never knew you to be so blunt." I chuckled, unconsciously running my tongue tongue through my lower lips. She rolled her eyes but I didn't miss the small smile on the tug of her lips.

"Spend one second with Tolani and bad attributes tend to rub off on you." She replied and again, I was in between shocked and impressed. She sighed.

"I'm sorry. I'm not always this sassy and blunt. I'm just really pissed. I don't think I've ever been this pissed in my entire life." She added. I sighed and dragged my stood closer to her. Even with me sitting down on something lower than the bed, I was still at least two inches taller than her.

"What exactly happened. What did she say that had you all riled up to the extent of slapping her." I asked and she sighed as well.

"She said really mean things. About you...about me as well. I couldn't just let her talk like that and move along like nothing happened. She's been on my case all week. Bumping into me, pouring drinks on my dress. What she said was just the last straw. I couldn't take it." She replied frantically. That had me more curious.

"What exactly did she say?" I prodded further, watching as she had internal struggles whether to say it or not.

"It's a pretty embarrassing thing to say. I don't how she could have uttered those words in front of students. Too vulgar." She grimaced and that only peeked my interest.

Now I really wanted to know what Tolani said.

"Well, there is no one here. Just you and me. So, you can say it." I urged on and she sighed, giving in.

"She said... She said that the reason why I'm bold enough to talk back at her is because you have been banging me." She said in a rush and I almost didn't hear her. My eyes went huge in shock.

"What?!" I exclaimed.

"She also said that it's not a surprise because you have the ability to dickmatize girls." She relayed and my hand went to my mouth.

"The fuck?!" I yelled and she sighed again, looking away. "She said all that? In front of people?" I had to ask. I was shocked and angry.

What the hell is Tolani's problem?!

"I told you it was embarrassing and vulgar. She even called me a slut. I just couldn't take it. I had to put her in her place. Even if it meant getting my own butt kicked." Elyon said and looked away. I took a calming breath.

"Tolani is a liar and basically very immature. Don't let her words get to you. We both know that she's lying. You are not a slut. She is." I told Elyon, placing my hand on hers that rested on her thigh. She looked at me.

"We both know that but not every body do. What would they think of me?" She asked, a pained expression across her face.

"They can merely speculate. They can never be accurate. Is not like everyone has seen us kiss, not to talk of having sex." I smiled at her and she chuckled. A naughty thought came to my mind. I smirked and leaned in, much to her surprise. "Except, you want us to give them a show."

My hand was on either side of her, leaning against the bed and my body leaned towards her. She leaned back from the close proximity but that didn't do any justice to the distance and she couldn't lean further because her back would hit the bed and I'd be hovering over her. I could feel the heat radiating off her body and her intoxicating scent hit me. I looked into her eyes and I knew right there that couldn't keep up, else I'd loose my shit.

Fuck, what the hell is she doing to me?

Instead, I corked my head side ways in a joking manner and a goofy smile playing on my lips. She let out a laughter and jabbed my chest, pushing me away. I fell back to my stool, her contagious laughter feeling me as well.

"You are such a pervert." She said in between laughter and I scrunched my face jokingly.

"Hey. At the end of the day, you'll want a load of all these hotness." I gestured to my body in a rather dramatic way and she laughed heartily.

"In your dreams...owww!" She winced. I quickly followed her gaze to the bruise on her knee.

"Sorry. Let me get that for you." I picked up another spirit soaked cotton wool and began to dab her wounded knee. She winced and I blew air on it continuously as I kept dabbing. I noticed she wasn't wincing anymore and I looked up to see her staring at me, her teeth biting on her lowers lips as she smiled. I furrowed my brows but smiled.

"What?" I asked and she tilted her head sideways.

"Do you do this often?" She asked and I looked on in confusion.

"Do what?" I asked her.

"This. Helping out in the health centre. You are the nurse seem pretty close." She said and I chuckled.

"That's because I'm the one who is being helped. Due to my panic attacks, I'm always here. At least twice weekly, give or take." I flashed her a small smile why I placed a lump of cotton wool on her wound and took the plaster to tape it.

"Ohhh." Was all she muttered and I didn't say anything to that. I only taped her wound.

"All done." I said and she flashed me an appreciative smile. I quickly disposed of the used cotton wool.

"When last did you have a panic attack." She asked me immediately I sat back down and I swayed my head left and right, trying to remember.

Actually, since the day Elyon succeeded in putting me to sleep, I've been doing better. My parents were surprised and very ecstatic at my drastic change and Faizal was happy for me, though I still had to go and see him but my therapy days had been cut to twice weekly, Monday and Friday. I didn't want to tell my parents about it yet, about how Elyon was the reason I was getting better.

"It's been a while..." I started and she smiled. "...and I have you to thank for that." I added, a small smile playing on my lips.

"I didn't do anything really." She said and I shook my head, chuckling softly. She had zero idea how change she has brought into my life since she walked into it. I moved closer to her and this time she didn't lean back. She was watching every of my move.

"Don't say that, because you have no idea how much you have for me. The peace you have given me."

I whispered as my hand stretched out to touch her face. I looked at her, silently seeking for permission to touch her with my eyes and she gave a slight nod, I almost couldn't see it. My hand met the side of her face as I ran my knuckles on her cheek. I watched as she closed her eyes and sighed, leaning into my touch.

"I'm eternally grateful." I told her and she smiled. I brushed strands loose hair from her bun and pushed it behind her ear, tracing my finger down to her chin, watching her not so subtle attempt to hide the effect my touch had on her

This felt really nice.

"We are back!!!" Skye's over cheery high pitched voice ran through the air and I reluctantly took my hand off Elyon's chin.

Before I found my twin sister's voice good for positive vibes, now it was just plain annoying.

"Finally. I'm starving." Elyon said, taking the nylon Vanessa stretched out to her.

"Sorry we took so long. We had errands to run for the coaches." Vanessa chipped.

"Speaking of coaches, I need to get back to training with Mateo. We have to beat you guys." She sassed. I looked at Elyon's face at the mention of Mateo and she had a grimace on.

"In your dreams. We have a secret weapon we will soon unleash on you guys." I replied her and she stuck her tongue out to me, backtracking and leaving the ward, flashing us a peace finger gesture.

"I have to go as well. I'm still on water and glucose duty. Also, by the way Coach asked you both to take the day off but he needs you back on your feet by tomorrow." She said and we nodded before she left. I looked at Elyon as she brought out her bigi tropical and egg roll. I was contemplating whether to ask her about Mateo or not.

I've noticed the way both of them weren't vibing anymore or at least, Mateo wasn't vibing with her anymore and Elyon was just trying to tolerate his childishness like she did today. What he did was uncalled for and I was confused on why he made such dïck, especially after claiming he liked her and he was going to ask her out. What changed?

"What's with you and Mateo? Both of you are basically not on good terms anymore and he was like your first friend in this school. That's pretty weird." I was trying to make my statements as natural as possible, trying not to give anything away. She hissed.

"Oh, that. Just forget about it. Mateo is just being really immature. I didn't even expect his reaction today. I thought he was over it." She said and I got even more confused.

"Over what? Did anything happen?" I asked. I had my speculations but I didn't want to assume at all. She sighed.

"Last week he asked me out." She stated, looking at me. I wasn't surprised but I had to act like I was, so I widened my eyes.

"He did? When last week?" I asked her and she told me the day. It was exactly the day the threatened me in the visual art studio.

Bastard.

"Wow, he didn't waste any time." I muttered.

"I told him no." She deadpanned and I looked at her, this time really surprised.

She told him no?!

She told him no!! (subconscious happy dance.)

"Wow. Why?" I was short of words and that was all I could mutter.

"I didn't just like him like that." She replied, frowning.

"But I saw the way you guys acted around each other. You looked like you had something." I needed to confirm but she groaned.

"That is the problem. I thought he was flirting with me and I was flirting back. I didn't think he would be catching feelings. I'm not always this flirty. Skye told me how Mateo is so flirty and a man whore per say and when he was flirting with me I made a mistake of indulging him. See where that led." She hissed. I sighed, having a battle within me.

"It's not totally Mateo's fault that he is like that. It's a pretty long story. He is not always this grumpy and immature. He isn't used to girls saying no, so it's pretty hard on him. Give him time." Here I was, defending someone who never had my back, again.

"I don't know what to do about his man child attitude so if he wants to treat me like I killed his baby, then I rather ignore him." She concluded and I didn't say anything to that. Instead, I spotted the other egg roll on the bed and snatched it.

"Hey!" She stretched to get it and I moved out of her reach. She had a pain on her leg so it was impossible for her to reach me. I laughed and took a big bite from the egg roll, eliciting a groan from her.

"You are dead." She took an empty bottle of water and threw it at me. I laughed heartily as I dodged everything she was throwing.

I could get used to this.

*****

School was over and all the guys had to hit the shower because of the activities we did. I was the last to enter the locker room because I was helping Elyon pack her stuffs.

I was back in my school uniform shirt and trouser, a towel around my neck as my hair still dripped of water. I went to my locker and began to pick my things. I heard the door open and close and I looked up to see Mateo standing by the doorway and the look on his face showed he didn't come for anything friendly.

What now?

"Hey man. I thought you would have gone home." I stated, trying to keep things very simple.

"Why would you think that? So you would get a private time with Elyon again?" He glared at me and I fought the underlying urge to roll my eyes.

Here we go again.

"I don't understand you. She needed my help, she was injured." I replied him and he scoffed.

"Why does it always have to be you, uhn? Playing the hero every time. Helping a damsel in distress. Trying to charm Elyon. Vanessa could have been the one to help her." He growled out, closing in on me and it was my turn to scoff.

"Why do you fücking care?" I had to ask. "You were the one that was rude to her on the field today, saying we should leave her. Why the hell do you care now? Because it's me? Mateo, that's just petty and you know it." I snapped at him. He chuckled humorlessly, jabbing his index to my chest and it took a lot for me not to loose my shit.

"You told her something about me, right. That's why she didn't say yes to me, abi?" He accused and I sighed.

"I didn't tell her anything about you. I don't do that to my friends." I emphasized the word "friend" and he just scoffed. "Your action and her reaction to your action was all both of you. I had no hand in it. So you need to pause and stop blaming me for your fück ups." I emphasized each word carefully, watching as Mateo's eye blaze.

"You've got a lot of nerve talking to me that way." He sneered and I sighed, trying to calm my own anger.

"I allowed you asked her out, Mateo. You knew I had feelings for her yet you went for her, knowing fully well that any day, any time I'd pick your happiness over mine, because you are my friend..." I paused for effect, seeing the way he clenched and unclenched his fist.

"But she said no. So you had either walk away or deal with it like a man. Elyon is not another one of your conquests. She's way more than that. And if you don't see her as she is, a Redemption, then you don't deserve her." I concluded. Mateo opened his mouth and closed it, anger and rage coursing through the veins so much, I could feel it.

"Fuck you." He spat out and walked out of the room, banging the door behind him loudly. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. The dreadful reality hit.

What I've been avoiding has finally happened.

A/N
What has happened?? Me I don't know oo.

So, so sha... I told y'all I'll make this update way better than the last one and I hope I fulfilled that claim. This chapter was very fun to write because I was writing it in Jamal's POV. Honestly, Jamal's POV has got to be my best POV because of the way he expresses himself. It makes everything so intense. I'd agree.

Mateo is pretty vengeful now, wow! We might be getting into his back story very very soon.

Elyon and Jamal are getting pretty closer. The chemistry is bubbling and it's getting pretty noticeable.

P.S. A kiss scene is very intense to write and it's all about timing. So, I'm not sure a kiss scene is coming soon but I might surprise you guys actually. Be praying. 🌚🌚🌚

Expect a new update soon, I hope. It depends. Don't forget to comment as usual, vote and share.

I love y'all.