Mateo in the Media.

Mateo's POV

It's been a month and it still feels like I'm walking on egg shells with Skye. We haven't spoken for a month and I was frustrated. I admit I feel so miserable and worse part was I didn't even know what I did wrong. Yes, she caught me with Tolani but I didn't think she would take it this far, yet I feel like I've hurt her in a way.

But how?

Not being able to talk to Skye for a month and counting has been hell, I have to admit it. She was the only one that knew about me, the real me and she was the only one that understood what I was going through, majorly because it is only her I've told about my illness. She's the only one my stupidity didn't chase away and now, somehow I've ruined what we had.

Is that a new thing? You ruin everything, Mateo. You are destructive.

I shook my head, trying to think positive thoughts.

Thankfully, Elyon and I were already talking so I was able to ask her about Skye. I tried not to be forward. I just asked her randomly about Skye but Elyon being the smart girl that she was, she picked up on what I was doing and didn't make it very easy for me.

"Come on! Just tell me what she told you." I pleaded, following Elyon out of the staff room. She sighed and turned around.

"For the one millionth time Mateo, Skye didn't tell me anything. Even if she did, I won't tell you. It's basic girl code." She said and turned back to start walking again. I exhaled in frustration but followed her still.

"Elyon, you have to help me here. Skye hasn't spoken to me in a month and it's killing me even more that I don't know what I did. You know it, Skye definitely told you. I need you to tell me so that I can make amends." I told her, pleading desperately. Elyon stopped again and looked at me.

"If you actually want to make amends, then try to speak to her." She said and I scoffed.

"Don't you think I've tried. I've called her, messaged her. I've tried everything. She keeps ignoring me. She literally can't stand me." I lamented. Elyon looked up.

"When I said try speaking to her, I mean in person. Show her that you want to actually make amends. Phone calls and whatsapp messages don't go a long way this days. That's all I can say. Just pray it works." With that, she spurned and walked off and this time, I didn't follow her. I ran my hands through my hair and exhaled.

Ladies are complicated.

******

I stood outside the chemistry lab that was right beside the music studio. Ss2 science and technical students were having class there and definitely, Skye was going to be there. I looked at my watch for the fifth time and started counting down.

5... 4... 3... 2... 1.

Riiiinngggg...

The bell for change of period went and the science students began to troop out of the chemistry lab one after the other. Vanessa and Somadina walked out together and waved at me when they sighted me. I nodded and smiled at them as they walked past me. I prayed silently that Jamal won't come out before Skye or at the same time with her.

Like an answer to my prayer, Skye walked out of the lab alone and I was quick to grab her hand. She made to snap but I quickly dragged her into the music room and closed the door, locking it so that she won't have any means of escape. I placed the key in my pocket  and turned to her.

Now that looks like you are about to harm her or something. My subconscious chided me.

"What the hell is the meaning of this?" Skye's high pitched voice pierced through my thoughts and my ear drums,  I almost cringed. Thankfully, the room was sound proof which means no one can hear her shouting.

Again. Sounds like a major serial killer attempt. I cringed on realization.

"I had to look for a way to get us alone. Skye, we have to talk." I told her, my tone pleading. She rolled her eyes at me.

"You know, you could have just told me you wanted to speak to me, instead of dragging me here like your lap dog." She snapped at me and I groaned.

"Haven't I tried that? I keep messaging you, asking you to speak to me and you keep ignoring. This was my final choice, Skye." I replied and she looked away, folding her hands across her chest. I ran my tongue over my suddenly dry lips and respired.

"I'm sorry for dragging you here. I had no choice. I just need to know what I did wrong. You haven't spoken to me for more than a month now and it's killing me." I told her and she scoffed.

"You see, that's your problem. That's what you are always doing wrong. You hurt someone and you don't always know, at least not until you break the person's leg." She muttered the last part but I heard anyway and felt a pang in my heart.

Of course she won't forget.

"You are using what I did to Jamal against me." I stated and she sighed.

"I am not..." She started but I cut her off.

"Yes, you are, Skye. I know I've done a lot of shit in the past and recently but I'm trying to make amends here. I already feel shitty as it is that I won't be able to get my friends back the same way. You bringing up what happened last year is not fair considering the fact that I'm trying to change."

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes but I blinked it back. I saw Skye's expression switch from anger to remorse. I was truly pained by that statement but I knew I deserve every backlash she might want to rain on me, but it felt so much painful coming from her than anyone else.

"I didn't mean it that way, Mateo. It came out wrong." She whispered, looking away from me.

"I'm not a mind reader, Skye. I wouldn't know what I did wrong except you tell me. That's why I'm going through all of these to make amends, because you are the one person that didn't stay away from me and I don't want to chase you away. So please tell me what I did wrong. Is it Tolani? I'll stay away from her, if that's what will get you talking to me. What happened that day was a mistake. I should never have let it happen and I'm sorry." I pleaded, desperation evident in my voice and it surprised me.

I've never been one to care about others feelings but being with Skye most times these days has thought me a lot of things. Even when I didn't care, even when I was very selfish, she still cared about me, about my wellbeing, about my mental state and it shook me to the core.

Someone was cracking my walls for the first time in years and I was letting her.

"It's a very complicated situation, Mateo." She finally spoke and I looked at her. Her forehead was creased and she looked frustrated as well. Her emerald eyes didn't hold it's usual vibrancy and sparkle and it scared me that I must have done something bad. I moved closer to her and she looked at me, her lips trembling as if she wanted to cry.

"Is it something I did? Let me fix it. I'll fix it,  I promise." I told her. She looked at me for a while.

"I doubt you can do anything about this one, Mateo." She said and I got a bit confused.

Just as I was about to ask her, the turning of the lock clicked and the door came flying open, revealing a very angry Jamal. Before I could ask any questions, his fist connected to my jaw and I felt myself flying to the other side of the room and hitting the floor pretty hard.

"Mateo!" Skye screamed and I winced as I heard the cracking my ribs.

Owwww.

*******

Jamal's POV

After chemistry class, our chemistry teacher asked me to stay back because he wanted to talk to me and I knew exactly why. Chemistry wasn't exactly my best subject so I was seriously slacking in it. To top it up, I didn't like Mr Johnson at all.

Lately I've been on the edge, getting unnecessarily riled up and angry for no reasons. The nightmares were back and wasn't speaking to anyone about them. Everyone has noticed my attitude especially Elyon but I've tried to convince her that everything was good but knowing Elyon, she didn't believe me one bit but has decided to drop it. Mr Johnson calling me for whatever reason was going to be an addition to my already piled up issues.

"Jamal, come here." He beckoned to me and I moved closer to his table. He began to looked through the test script and I caught a glimpse of Skye's score.

68%. Med o. This man can fail people ehn.

"Is there a reason you called me sir?" In asked him, trying to be as respectful as possible since I couldn't stand the man. He ignored me and kept looking for my script. I caught a glimpse of Somadina's script and gasped.

78%? 78%?! Somadina doesn't get anything short of 98%. This man is evil sha.

"Ahh, there it is." He grinned like he just won a trophy and waved my script in my face. "You are not improving, Jamal." He gave me the script and I looked at it.

43%. Great.

"Well, I'm trying my best. You don't make it any easy." I replied sardonically but he just smirked.

"Chemistry isn't exactly easy, you know. It is not for the weak at heart and it is certainly not for the..." His eyes surveyed me from head to toe and I frowned. "Mentally deranged." He said and my frown turned into a full blown glare.

Now you see why I can't stand this asshole.

"With all due respect sir, I'm going to ask you not to insult me." My voice came out in a gruff and he chuckled at my expense.

"Oh I'm sorry. Did I hit a nerve. I sincerely didn't mean to. I mean, I'm just being a concerned teacher. I just want you to give your parents an advice for me. It's not too late for them to find a special school for you." He said again and that one hit deeper and straight down to my core. I clenched my fist and tried to breath. He smirked deviously as he saw what his words were doing to me. The effect they were having on me.

Breath Jamal, breath.

"Would that be all sir?" I asked him through clenched teeth.

"Of course." He replied and I spurned around, walking away from him. I had a second thought and stopped dead in my tracks, turning around to face Mr Johnson. He was smirking, like he was expecting me to do what I did.

"Do you have anything to say to me, Jamal?" He asked and I smiled, taking him by surprise. I smiled even though I was pained and ripping on the inside.

"As a matter of fact I do, Mr Johnson. I want to educate you and I'd want you to listen to me very well." I closed in on him and his smirk turned upside down as I towered over him since I was taller than the rather fat man.

"PTSD is not a mental illness. It is a disorder characterized by the fact that I can't get over an accident that happened ten years ago. An accident that killed my grandfather." I saw his eyes widen at the realization and it was my turn to chuckle as his shallow mindedness

Not many people knew the cause of my constant episodes and panic attacks and they tend to come to the conclusion that I am a mentally deranged patient. One of those people was Mr Johnson here who has teased and mocked me half of my high school years and I've spent greater parts of those years believing every of his words.

Not anymore.

"You are surprised? Of course. You don't know about me yet you decided to come to the conclusion that I had some mental illness of some sort and used it to mock me and make me feel inferior all my high school life." I was seething so I made sure my anger showed in every of my words and I watched in bliss as he cowered. I stepped closer to him and he took another step back, his back hitting the table. I took my index and stabbed his chest.

"Not any more, because the next time you utter a word, directly or indirectly shaming me about my disorder, that will be the last time you ever work as a teacher anywhere. Mark my words." I concluded, satisfied at the terrified expression he had on his face and spurned around to walk out of the room. I stopped short and turned back to him again.

"For your information, Chemistry is the only subject every science and technical student has a problem with. If you must know, I am a B student, well except your subject. If you want to find out, you can ask the Principal for my records. So the problem isn't me. It's you." I told him and walked out of the lab, anger coursing through my veins.

Proving a point didn't stop me from getting angry. His words got to me. His words got to me real good and he enjoyed seeing me vulnerable. This won't be the first time he would refer to me as a mentally deranged student. This wouldn't be the first time someone would call me mentally deranged. It was infuriating.

"I was starting to wonder when you'll come out." I heard a familiar voice called to me and I looked up to see Tolani leaning against the wall between the chemistry lab and the music room, a smirk playing on her lips. I groaned.

Something to add to my frustration. Today is not just my day.

"I'm not in the mood for whatever you have to say to me Tolani, so leave me alone." I started to walk off but her next words stopped me.

"What if it's about Skye. You care about your sister, don't you?" She asked rhetorically and I spurned around to look at her.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked her and she shrugged.

"Well, not to be a busy body but I saw Mateo drag Skye into the music room and lock the door." She said and my eyes widened.

"What?!" I exclaimed and she chuckled.

"We don't want to have another rape incident on our hands do we? It will become a family curse." She winked and walked away.

I didn't register the words she said, I didn't have the time to. All I could think of was rape. Everything that has happened in the space of twenty minutes made me loose my reasoning capability and I just acted. I have always had the music room spare key with me so I fetched it from my bag and unlocked the door speedily, pushing it open. I saw Mateo standing close to Skye and her back against the wall.

My eyes saw red.

I wasn't thinking and immediately I clenched my fist and immediately, they collided with Mateo's jaw before he could even say anything. The punch sent him flying across the room and landing on the floor in a hard tug. I swear, I heard a crack and Skye's scream followed that crack.

"Mateo!" She pushed herself off the wall and ran towards him but I was quick to bark at her.

"Stay away from him!" I growled out and she jerked back, staring confusingly at me. I stared at Mateo's injured form murderously and he shifted back in fear,  clutching him side. "And you stay away from my sister. What were you trying to do to her, ehn?!!" I snapped at him, taking threatening steps towards him. His lips were bursted and blood was coming out of his mouth.

"Jamal, stop!" Skye screamed at me but I paid her no heed.

"I wasn't doing anything to your sister." He said, his voice coming out in mumbles as blood filled his mouth. He spat a mouth full out and looked at me.

He is still denying it?? Fucker!

I took fast steps towards him but Skye quickly came in between us and pushed me away, succeeding in making me stagger backwards.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Jamal?! Where's your head at?!" She snapped at me and I looked at her like she has gone bananas.

"Where is my head at? Where is your head at?!! He had you locked in here and was going to do something to you and you are defending him! Are you mad?!" My index finger went to the side of my head for emphasis.

"He wasn't going to do anything to me! We were only talking, Jamal. He locked the door because he wanted some privacy. Why would you think Mateo of all people would do anything to me?!! You have been acting out lately but this certainly takes the cake. What is the matter with you?!" She screamed at me, tears spilling from her eyes and I back tracked, reality hitting me like a brick. I looked at Mateo all coiled up on the floor, groaning in pain.

What have I done?

Skye rushed to Mateo's side and quickly removed his shirt, examining him for any other injury and I saw the bruise on his side indicating an internal bleeding. I quickly rushed to his side.

"Mateo, I didn't mean to..." I reached for him but he pushed himself back, fear evident in his eyes and my hands hung there.

Lord, what have I done?

"I think you should leave." Skye said, her voice quivering. I looked at her but she wasn't looking me back.

"Let me help. I'll take him to the health centre." I started but she stopped me.

"I'll call Somadina. You have done enough. You should go." Her voice was dark, dismissive, void of any emotion. I couldn't believe I was hearing that from my twin sister.

"Skye..." I called again but she ignored, attending to Mateo who wouldn't stop groaning in pain. Skye picked her phone and called Somadina. I backtracked and walked out of the room, feeling void.

Numb.

*****

"Jamal, Elyon is here to see you." My mum popped her head in through the crack of the door and Elyon pushed herself in, smiling at mum who smiled back and pulled the door close.

After everything that went down in school, I couldn't wait. I snuck out of school and took a taxi home straight. Elyon called me severally, sending next messages to me. Somadina also did the same thing. I wasn't ready to face any of them, so I switched off my phone. Now the one who I was running from was right here in my room.

I messed up big time. I shouldn't have listened to Tolani, of all people. I hurt my Mateo, just like he had hurt me. I chastised him for it, I hated him for it at some point but I was doing the exact same thing to him.

What's wrong with you, Jamal Inioluwa Bamidele?

"Hey." Her sweet, velvety voice pierced through my reverie as she walked further into the room and toward the bed where on was currently lying on, looking miserable. I looked at her. She was still in her school uniform which meant she hasn't gone home yet.

She came here first.

"You didn't go home." I states matter of factly and she shrugged in response, sitting down right beside me.

"I didn't see the need to. Not when you need me." She replied, placing her hand on my thigh.

I sighed, my heart getting filled with much more love for her than it could ever take. I felt tears well up in my eyes and I looked up, trying to blink it back but it began to fall. From my peripheral vision, I saw her face scrunch up in concern.

"Jamal, are you okay?" She asked, changing her position till she was facing me directly. I couldn't even answer her as my shoulder shook and sobs escaped my lips. Her hand came to my face and cupped it, making me look at her.

"Jamal, please talk to me. I'm here." She searched my eyes, her face showing genuine concern. I moved closer to her, wanting nothing more but to be held by her.

"Hold me, please." I muttered the request and she wasted on time in coming closer to me and pulling me into her arms.

There and then, I let the tears flow like a torrent. She didn't mind, she held me tighter, pulling us into a comfortable position where we were both lying down and my head was resting on her chest and she was holding me, my own hand wrapped around her mid section. She stroked my hair with her fingers and kept whispering.

"It's going to be alright."

*****

Mateo's POV

"That would be all. Please take your drugs regular and stay off sports for the time being." The doctor teased and I chuckled, regretting my decision immediately as I winced at the pain it brought to my side.

"Yes sir. Thank you sir." I replied and he nodded, turning to my dad who stood by the door with Skye. They shook hands and walked out of my room, leaving Sky and o alone.

That punch from Jamal was a very deadly one. I had two broken ribs and a bursted lip, courtesy of him. Funny how, I wasn't holding it against him because I felt this was calling it a truce. Compared to everything I did to him last year, the punch and broken ribs were not enough.

Skye had been with me since school. The health centre didn't have the equipments needed for my kind of injury so we had to call my dad to pick us up. I told her to stay back when dad came, not wanting to get her into more trouble with Jamal and also feeling that Jamal might need her but she insisted on following me. The family doctor was waiting for us when we got home. I thought Skye would leave, but she didn't and that simple gesture hit way different than anything I've ever felt.

"You don't have to stand over there all through." I found myself saying and she looked up to meet my eyes. I beckoned to her to come and she did, walking towards me slowly, hesitantly. I chuckled"Don't worry, its not like you sitting close me will break more of my bones." I teased and she smiled softly.

"That's what I'm actually scared of." She said and I chuckled, wincing when pain shot through my side again.

"Fuck..." I cussed and I saw her eyes widen I'm concern.

"Are you okay? Do you want me to call the doctor. He shouldn't be far." She stood up to move but I was quick to grab her hand and immediately a jolt shot through my veins, straight to my heart's core.

Damn!

It seemed like she felt it too because she stopped short and looked at our linked hands and back to my face. I felt my heart swell with a bunch of emotions I couldn't decipher but I could feel one emotion clearly. It was hope. My lips parted involuntarily and I looked at her, watching as her eyes held a glint, an unfamiliar glint that entranced me. It sounds cliche, yes but that's exactly how it felt like.

What is this feeling??

She slowly slipped her hand away from mine and the feeling began to fade. I almost reached for her hand again because I've begun to miss the feeling and I wanted to feel it again. My desperation baffled me and I couldn't help but ask myself what all these meant. I looked at Skye again and saw that she was staring at her hand. I made to talk but I felt a lump in my throat which was new. I cleared my throat, getting her attention.

"You don't have to call the doctor. I'm fine. I promise." I said when I saw the look of uncertainty in her eyes. She nodded.

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault." She said but I shook my head, stopping her.

"It's not your fault. Trust me it's not. Jamal has every right to feel the need to protect you. I'd do the same if I had a sister." I told her and she looked at me incredulously.

"He broke your ribs, Mateo and you are defending him. You even told your Dad that you fell off while playing basket ball with your friends. Why?!" She asked and I sighed.

"Because Jamal would have done the same for me too." I replied and she kept quiet. "He actually did the same for me, you told me that. I broke his leg, he didn't report me to anyone. Now, I'm doing the same for him." I told her and she exhaled, flipping her hair to the side absentmindedly and my eyes unconsciously following the movement.

"Either ways, I'm still sorry. I shouldn't have kept a grudge with you. Looking at it now, it's just a stupid grudge." She said and I raised an eyebrow.

"What was my offence actually?" I asked and she chuckled.

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad we are back to talking again anyway. I wouldn't want it any other way." She said and I smiled, not replying that as my thoughts strayed.

For years, I've always thought of Skye to be my very close friend, my go to girl, my best friend's sister. But now??

But now...

Hmmm...

A/N

Late night update guys!!!

I promised y'all drama in this chapter and I've given you drama. I hope this drama was worth it because I deprived myself of sleep to write it. So it had better be worth it 🌚🌚🌚

Chai! Tolani is a bitch sha.

Mateo is really trying fa, honestly. He wants to make amends and he went lengths to make sure Skye talks to him again,even though he got punched for it by Jamal.

I don't blame Jamal for taking the action that he did, giving the fact that his head wasn't in the right place and Tolani capitalized on that. Manipulative bitch. Anyway, Elyon was there to help him again.

Mateo and Skye... Hmmm. Somebody say Hmmm 🤔🤔🤔.

What do you think that means?.

Anyway, don't forget to comment as usual, vote and share. I love y'all. ❤️❤️❤️