I really enjoyed how interactive the comments in the last chapter was. Some are confused and conflicted, some have theories about the entire situation with Jamal and Khalil. Let's keep this going because I really enjoy seeing things from the reader POV.

Like I said, things will get even more heated from here on now.

Let's dive in.

⁂𝕁𝔸𝕄𝔸𝕃⁂

I got back to school two periods before closing time. My mood has totally been ruined by what went down in Faizal's office. I was still very shocked at the turn of events, how Faizal basically turned around, saying what happened five years ago was a misunderstanding.

Misunderstanding my butt. I scoffed, making my way up the stairs to go to my class.

How can Faizal see Khalil has the victim after all these years, for God's sake? Khalil was nothing close to being a victim. He was a manipulative asshat that jad had everything handed downto him. Well, not anymore because I am done taking his shot load of crap.

It's long overdue anyway.

I got the front of my class room, only to meet it rowdy and disorganized. I rolled my eyes and turned around, retreating my steps. There is definitely no way I am spending my time in that class when all I need right now is the peace and quiet.

"Hey," Somadina's voice came from behind and I turned around to face him. He was just coming out of his class so he must have seen me or something.

"I haven't seen you all day." He stated and I nodded.

"Emergency therapy session. I had to go see Faizal." I replied with a shrug and he nodded in understanding.

"How did it turn out?" He asked again and I grimaced, recapping everything that had happened.

"Honestly, not so well." I answered and he made a sound whilst shoving his hand into his pocket. He seemed to have understood how I didn't want to talk about it because he didn't ask me any further questions.

"Well, the principal is calling me for only God knows what."  He said and I chuckled at the tortured expression on his face.

"I get, duty calls." I teased him and he scoffed.

"My very own worst nightmare." He rolled his eyes, walking closer to where I was standing. "Where are you going?" He asked me and I paused, trying to think of where I was actually going to go after leaving class.

"Probably the art studio. I need to clear my head, peace and quiet and I'd definitely not find it in that market place called a class." I nodded towards the class and he laughed.

"I hear you. Vanessa is helping Mr Ayoola invigilate the lower class." He said and I nodded on realization. Mid semester test started on Monday and will be going on throughout the week.

"Mateo and Skye are God knows where, doing God knows what..." He raised his eyebrow at me, a playful smirk playing on his lips. I could see what he did there and I groaned.

"Please don't make me start imagining the "nasty" going on between my twin sister and my best friend. I will puke my guts out." I stated, my face scrunched up in disgust.

"Abeggi. As if you don't do worse with Elyon." He teased and I laughed, shaking my head. Why do these guys think Elyon and I have done somethings?

Speaking of Elyon...

"Speaking of Elyon. Have you seen her?" I asked him. Somadina shook his head.

"I haven't seen her since lunch break. She wasn't really chatty actually, I wonder what's wrong." He shrugged turning to look at me properly, turning to look at me like I had done something. I rolled my eyes at him.

Must I always do something?

"It's her time of the month, that's why she wasn't chatty." I told him and he looked at me incredulously. I knew the question that was running through his mind.

"You keep count?" He asked me and I chuckled, adjusted my the strap of my bag on my shoulder.

"It's good to know so that you'd be prepared for all the mood swings. Now I know that today, she'll be extra thirsty." I replied and he made a sound, nodding his head in understanding.

"That makes a lot of sense. I should try it with Vanessa. Maybe, just maybe then I'd be able to deal with her terrible mood swings." He sighed, shaking his head and I laughed.

Wanting to get a good laugh, I decided to prank him.

"You knows she's right behind you sha." I said, nodding to the empty space behind him. Somadina's eyes widened and he visibly paled. I had to bite against my lips to stifle the laughter that was about to burst out.

"Did she hear everything?" He asked, his voice in a whisper and I nodded, cupping my hand over my mouth, trying to keep the laughter in. He took a deep breath and mustered a wide faux grin, probably to appease "imaginary Vanessa"

"Baby!" He hollered, turning, only to find an empty space behind him. At that moment, I doubled up with laughter while he turned back around to look at me, a frown on his face.

He looked so ridiculous.

"Like that, you think you will go to heaven bah?" He asked rhetorically, not joining me in laughter. I tried to stop laughing so I could catch my breath.

"I'm sorry...you just..." I wanted to laugh again but I covered it up with a false throat clearing when I saw his pouty face.

"Your face was priceless die!" I told him and he rolled his eyes at me

"I need to find better friends." He muttered to himself before side stepping me and then raced towards the administration block. I laughed again, wishing I got his expression on camera. It would be a good laugh for me and the guys.

I sighed, my laughter subsiding when I remembered that I still didn't know where Elyon was. I rubbed my temple, trying to figure out where Elyon would be at this time.

I fished out my phone from my pocket, hoping to chat her up when I realized that the airtel network in school was terrible and school wifi was down for the time being. I resolved in sending her a text message instead that I was back.

"Why are you standing in the middle of the hall way, looking lost?" A very familiar voice asked. I didn't have to loo ask up to know who it was but I did anyway.

"You don't have to concern yourself with that, Tolani" I replied, flashing her a smile as I side stepped her and made to walk away from her.

No matter how much Tolani wanted to make me believe that she was "changed", I still didn't believe her. No, not one bit. She tried to always want to talk to me and all that but I won't give her that licence. For all I know, she was planning something in that devious mind of hers, probably using the fact that I know about her parents impending divorce as a means to want to keep holding a conversation.

I'm not being mean. I'm just being careful.

"If you are looking for Elyon," her words made me pause in my tracks and turn around to look at her. "I saw her with Khalil." She added and I frowned.

With who?

"With who?" I asked incredulously, the frown not for a second escaping my face. She shrugged, cocking her head from side to side like she was trying to remember something.

"I think they were headed for the health centre. She didn't look too good, maybe weak even because he was carrying her." She mentioned again and several alarm bells rang of in my ear.

He carried her?! He fucking laid his finger on her.

"Are you okay, Jamal?" Tolani asked and I scowled at her, making her step back a bit, a horrified look on her face. "D-did I say anything wrong?" She stuttered out and I scoffed.

Oh, I see what she just did.

"Of course you did. And you know you did!" I snapped at her while she looked even more confused than she did before. I scoffed out a laugh. There is no way in heaven I am buying that act.

Ignoring her, I turned around and briskly made my way down the stairs, leaving the school block to go to the health centre. I needed to confront a demon that wouldn't just go away.

⁂⁂⁂⁂

I got to the health centre and made my way to the female ward. Just few feet away from the room, I could hear voices, very familiar voice and I knew no doubts that they were in there. I stopped by the door, trying to calm myself down and telling myself repeatedly that I shouldn't loose it.

But how dare he?!

Taking a deep breath, I walked into the ward and met them, just seated a distance away. I frowned at their position. Elyon was seated on the bed, Khalil was in front of her, seated on a plastic chair, way too close to her. They were engrossed in whatever conversation they were having that they didn't even notice I had walked in.

It sickened me. It disgusted me.

"Elyon." I called, definitely catching them unawares. Elyon looked over Khalil's shoulder at me just the same time he turned around and trained his eyes on me. My gaze didn't waver from his and he also didn't look away, his expression stoic.

It annoyed me that he didn't even seem fazed that I was there.

"I had no idea you were back." Elyon's voice sliced through our little staring contest and I looked at her. She was on her feet now, watching me. I began to walk towards them, looking back at Khalil who was watching me as well.

"I texted you." I replied, showing her my phone for emphasis and looking back at Elyon. "I'm guessing you didn't see the message." I rose my eyebrow at her
She turned around and fished her phone from her bag.

"Ohh." Was what she said as she checked her phone and I had to stop myself from scoffing. "I missed it, I'm sorry." She flashed me a smile and I nodded. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to her in front of Khalil.

Speaking of Khalil...

"You don't have to keep staying here since I'm back." I told him, trying to keep the edge off my voice. He just stared at me, not saying anything. "I can take it from here. You should leave." I added, nodding towards the door.

"Jamal." Elyon whispered harshly just as Khalil let out a short chuckle as he stood up from where he was seated.

"It's alright, Elyon." He told her, his lips shifting in a lopsided grin. He flashed me a look, very fast that I almost thought I had imagined it. "You should take care of yourself and take sometime to rest too."

Just leave!

"Thanks Khalil." Elyon smiled at him. It was like I was practically invisible to them with the way they kept conversing like I wasn't there and it made me scowl.

"I'll check up on you later." He said and with that, he made his way out of the ward and thankfully put of earshots. I turned to look at Elyon who already had a frown creased across her forehead, her hand folded across her chest.

And so it begins.

"What was that about?" She asked me, pointing towards the entrance which Khalil had just walked out of. I gave her a look and dumped my back on the chair Khalil had just stood up from.

"I should be asking you the same thing." I replied and her frown deepened, looking at me incredulously. "What was he doing here?" I asked.

"Are you seriously asking me that?" She answered my question with a question and I rolled my eyes. "You know how bad my cramps are on the first day. He saw me in pains and he offered to help." She explained.

"I have told you not to trust him, Elyon. You should never trust Khalil, especially when he is offering to help you. He would definitely want something in return." I told her and she looked at me like I had grown two heads, hands akimbo.

"So you expect me to have refused his help?" She asked me but I said nothing. Elyon can ask help from anyone but Khalil. He is two faced, I know that for a fact.

"Are you for real?" Her voice tore through my mind trip and I looked at her. She must have read the expression on my face so she definitely knew what I was thinking.

"I'm being honest with you, Elyon. If only you would just trust me. If not for Tolani that told me that..."I stopped what I was saying noticing the error I just made. Elyon let out a sarcastic laugh.

Fuck me.

"Tolani? So, you can hang out with Tolani but I can't hang out with Khalil because of some sort of paranoia." She sassed. I sighed, moving closer to her.

"You know that's not what I meant." I stated calmly and she looked on, not saying anything. "Trust me when I say you need to stay away from Khalil. He's my cousin and I know him way better than you do. He is selfish and manipulative and he is definitely up to something."

"If you will just tell me what's up between you two!" She snapped, throwing her hands up in frustration and I sighed again, rubbing my temple as I started to feel a sudden wave of headache.

"You keep telling to stay away from someone that basically shows he cares. You and Skye keep telling me he is bad news but yet, he is always ready to have your back." She stated matter-of-factly before taking a pause, trying to catch her breath.

"He beat up those guys from Atlantic Hall that harassed Skye." She reminded me. "That's not being selfish, Jamal. Khalil isn't a bad guy. Not the way you make it seem." She said conclusively and I shook my head, not believing any of that.

It even pained more that she was too naive. Way too naive.

"Elyon, you don't know him like I do. Trust me, I'm his cousin." I sure was beginning to sound like a broken record because I have lost count of how many times I have had to remind her of that fact.

"Take it from me, he isn't someone you want to be friends with. I am very sure he is using you to get to me." I stated emphatically, hoping and praying that my words would somehow stick into Elyon's thick skull.

When did she get so stubborn?

"Well, I can say for a fact that you also don't know this Khalil." She deadpan, her words making me frown. "The Khalil you used to know was fourteen years old. Can't you at least, give him a benefit of doubt? He is grown now..."

"Which means he is even more devious that he used to be." I stated, cutting her off mid-sentence. Elyon sighed, shaking her head. I sighed, stretching over to take her hand in mine. She let me begrudgingly.

"Trust me, Elyon." I whispered, searching her eyes for understanding.

"I trust you." She replied. "But you don't trust me enough to tell me what exactly is the issue. Is that how much it's affecting you?" She asked, searching my eyes intently that I had to look away.

"Jamal, you can't just tell me not to be friends with someone or not to talk to someone without giving me reasons. And I certainly can't keep having this back and forth conversation about Khalil."

"Then let's not talk about him." I said, my voice pleading.

"I'm sorry, but you haven't given me enough reasons to stay away from him. And you know me Jamal, I hate being left in the dark. This is already more than just a family issue. This involves me already so I think I have a little bit of right to know what is going on." She stated conclusively, leaving no room for argument.

There was even no way I could argue when she made a solid point.

A very solid point.

This involves her already so, she needs to know everything. Maybe, just maybe she will finally stay away from the devil himself when she hears what he made me go through.

"Elyon..." I started but the closing bell went off, interrupting my speech. Elyon looked at me for a moment and removed her hands that were still clasped in mine before picking her bag from the bed.

"Let me know when you are ready." She simply said, side stepped me and started to walk out of the ward. I turned around, just in time to see her stop in her tracks and turn around to look at me.

"And, you could have at least said thank you to Khalil for helping me. What you did wasn't cool, beef aside." Was what she said before she finally walked away.

I sighed in utter frustration and plopped down on the bed, my hand in my head.

Khalil has begun to mess with everything. That's what he always does, mess with everything.

I won't let him anymore.

I have to tell Elyon everything.

Once and for all.

A/N

So world war three didn't happen. Thank God for that.

The next chapter will definitely be about Jamal telling Elyon's everything she needs to know about his past with Khalil.

Do you think it will change how Elyon sees him? Let me know what you think.

I am so sorry if this chapter is very tacky and short. Very unusual but then, I'm not feeling too well and I seriously don't want to keep you guys waiting for an update.

Don't worry, the next update and subsequent updates to come will be way more worded, trust me on that one and it will be one of the stepping stones to the revelation of everything.

We are getting close to the climax.