Everyone of you that was hyping Somadina I'm the last chapter, that's the first and last time you'd ever see him talk with sense 🤣.  So don't get used to it.

Operation #prayforTolani is a go😪. Let's hope she's okay. Khalil might not be getting a POV for a while because I won't be able to do the right justice to all the emotions he is feeling😭💔. So I'll just talk about him from Jamal or Elyon's POV.

****

"𝑰 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆, 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝑰'𝒎 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔. 𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒕, 𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒐, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚."
_𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏

𝔼𝕃𝕐𝕆ℕ

Shuffling my feet on the tiled floor and scrunching up my face as the strong stench of antiseptics and drugs filled my nostrils, I looked around the almost empty hospital hall way. The only people here were me, Khalil who was several feet away from me, sitting on the bare floor and a few hospital staffs. Jamal had gone out to give Skye who had offered to stay home with Venus, a call. Sighing, I looked away from Khalil and stealing a glance at the digital wall clock just up ahead.

01:35 am

Which means we have been in the hospital for approximately three hours, twenty five minutes and still, we haven't gotten a favourable news concerning Tolani's condition. If I said it didn't scare me to shits, then I'd be lying.

I was terrified to my bones

The car had barely parked before Khalil jumped out of the passengers side, raising into the hospital. Calling him, I didn't wait for Jamal to turn of the ignition before I ran him, hot on his tails. I got into the hospital just in time to see him, hitting the counter frantically, asking the Nurse at the reception about Tolani.

"T-They brought her here about an hour ago. H-Her n-name is Tolani Adeoye." His face was rather stoic, expressionless but his quivery voice and his vibrating fingers gave away his worry, his uneasiness, his fear. I felt a presence behind me and I knew that Jamal had entered.

"Khalil Gobir?" A voice came from beside and we all looked to see a doctor walking towards us. Khalil rushed over to him, answering the man with Jamal and I tailing behind him.

"That's me. You are the one that called me." Khalil answered, the amok and agitation in his voice very evident. The doctor nodded to Khalil's statement.

"Yes, I was the one who called you. My name is doctor Ferdinand." He stated and Khalil nodded.

"The people who found and brought Tolani here also brought in her belongings. Her phone had a security but your number was the first her emergency contact list, which was why we called you first." Ferdinand said and Khalil heaved a deep sigh, the stoic expression on his face collapsing. I was still a bit surprised that Tolani had stored Khalil's name as the first on her emergency contact list.

I underestimated the level of their relationship.

Dr Ferdinand's voice jerked me out of my reverie.

"Who are you to her, if I may ask?" He was still talking to Khalil, but his eyes roamed around us, like he was trying to wonder what age we were.

"She's my best friend." Khalil answered, the pleading in his voice didn't go unheard, mixed with a edge of impatience for the young doctor. "Her parents are barely around, so I'm basically her family. You saw my name as the first one on her emergency contact list, so you should have realized by now that I am very much important to her. So please, tell me what is going on." He demanded, his gaze unwavering from the doctor's.

Dr Ferdinand sighed. "We ran some tests when she was brought in here and we realized that she had an abortion..." I gasped, throwing my palms over my mouth in shock and cutting the doctor off. Jamal cussed under his breath but Khalil didn't make any sound. He just stood there, eyes still unwavering from the doctor's, no expression whatsover on his face.

Tolani aborted the pregnancy!

Dr Ferdinand continued.

"The abortion must have been done by a quark because it wasn't done well at all. There are so many complications, one of which was what led her to this plate. She was found in one of the rest rooms of Zone-O, in the pool of her own blood. She's in a very critical condition at the moment." He explained.

Zone-O was a club. Why was she at a club?

There was silence for a moment, all of us trying to process what the doctor had just told us. I stole a look at Jamal, only to see his face filled with so much horror and terror. He obviously didn't know how deep all these was. I also didn't know how deep it was. I didn't even want to start thinking of what could be going on his Khalil's head.

This isn't good...

"Is she going to be okay?" Khalil asked in a controlled tone, his emotions obviously in check when in fact I knew that his mind was in turmoil. I looked at the doctor, hoping that his answer would be a positive one. But his sigh told me otherwise.

God...

"We are doing all we can to bring her back to consciousness. We are trying our best." Dr Ferdinand said, even though I could hear the uncertainty in his voice. The worry I once felt immediately graduated to fear.

Immense fear.

"Hey." Jamal's soft call jolted me out of my mind trip and I looked up to see him standing right in front me, his eyes trained intently on me. I mustered up a small smile to him, watching as he sat down beside me. In his hands were three stereofoam cups  I didn't need any soothsayer to tell me they contained coffee.

We haven't slept a wink. We'd need as much coffee as we could get.

"Hey..." I muttered a moment after, unconsciously hugging my hands around my body again. Jamal noticed this and dropped the cups on the chair close to ours. He then went ahead to pull off the jacket he had on and wrapped it around me. I looked at him in question and he shrugged back, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

Is this his attempt to try to woo himself back into my life?

"It's just a kind gesture." He said, like he had read my mind. "You were cold and I offered you a jacket. Stop overthinking things." He added with a smirk and I scoffed at him.

"I don't know what you are talking about." I answered, defensively and he chuckled lightly, throwing his head back and muttering something like sure, whatever you say. I did a double take and looked at him. This was the first time I'd see him laugh in two months. The familiar rumbling sound made me feel so lightheaded.

I was reminded yet again, of how much I missed him.

How much I wanted him...

Not the time, Elyon. Not the time.

He handed me one cup of coffee and I took it, thanking him before taking a sip. A comfortable silence settled between us and I smiled, snuggling into his jacket, his scent filling me. I noticed him staring at a direction and my eyes followed his gaze, only for them to land on Khalil. The concern I was feeling initially came rushing back.

"He still hasn't stood up from there." He stated but I nodded anyway, sighing right after.

Immediately the doctor left our presence three hours ago, Khalil dropped to the floor like a sack. Scared, I rushed over to him but he held his hand out to stop me from coming any closer to him, muttering I need space over and over again. Since then, he hasn't moved from the position, just staring ahead at the wall in front of him, fingers shaking unconsciously.

I was worried about him.

Knowing that he indirectly had a part to play in telling our classmates about Tolani's pregnancy, he was definitely feeling that he was the cause of this, that he was the one that pushed her in committing abortion, which has led to her being hospitalized. Khalil was beating himself up about it, I knew that for sure and he'd keep beating himself up about it till she wakes up.

"He said he won't stand up from there until she wakes up." I said, my eyes moving away from Khalil's form and settling on Jamal who wouldn't stop looking at his cousin with so much emotions flashing across his face. The emotions were as clear as day, I could see it.

Worry...

Fear...

Guilt...

My mind went back to everything Khalil had told him last night befoee the phone call came in. Everything he said surprised the hell of me. I have never seen Khalil that emotional before, so it was obvious the issues had already gotten to it's tipping point, coupled with so much frustration from trying to reach Tolani all these while. Only to find out that she had aborted the baby and was now hospitalized.

My heart ached for Jamal, for the both of them but there was little to nothing I could do at this point.

"Jamal..." I called his name softly, trying to divert his attention from staring at Khalil. It worked because he looked at him, though the emotions in his eyes had not lessened.

"I haven't given him enough credit." He muttered, looking away from me and throwing his head back to stare at the ceiling above us. "How he is acting right now, it shows how much he cares about Tolani, shows how selfless he is. A selfless person won't leave me to die which means, he actually didn't leave me to die." He stated, a scoff like humorless laugh escaping his lips. I watched him, not knowing what else to say.

"Even though I don't know what exactly happened that day any more, all I know is that he didn't leave me to die. Which means, I hated him all these years for nothing." He scoffed out a laugh again, muttering the words Jamal, you are so pathetic under his breath.

Oh, Jamal...

"You are not pathetic." I quickly said, causing him to look at me. "You had your reasons to think what you saw that happened before you passed out was actually what happened. Then, if your parents knew what exactly happened that day, they didn't tell you. So it wasn't totally your fault for thinking the way you did-

What you didn't do right, however, was denying yourself closure and subjecting yourself to so much emotional stress. But it's not too late to make amends. I don't think Khalil would hold it against you. He shouldn't." I stole a look at Khalil again, watching as he buried his head in his hands and I sighed. "He's a good guy." I added, looking back at Jamal who exhaled as well, nodding.

We settled again in silence, the sound of the digital clock counting down in microseconds and the whizzing of the Air conditioner was the only thing that resonated in the empty hallway.

"Somadina said something about Tolani that I have never thought of," Jamal started suddenly and I sat up, looking at him. His eyes were trained on me pleadingly and I began to wonder what he wanted to ask.

"I want you to be very honest with me because if it's actually true, then Khalil knows and that means you know." He was rambling, which meant he was nervous. My hand involuntarily went to touch his that was resting against his thigh. I saw him swallow, looking from my hand on his and back to my face.

"I think we are way pass the level of keep secrets at this point. So, talk to me." I responded calmly, urging him to speak. He exhaled, the uneasy expression on his face and I knew, whatever he wanted to ask was something very serious, especially since it had to do with Tolani.

"Did something happen to Tolani in the past? Something that made her turn out the way she is? An incident of any kind? Did she tell Khalil anything like that?" He asked frantically, searching my eyes for answers so intensely that I had to look away from him. I knew exactly what he was asking but I didn't know how to give him the answer.

Because I knew for a fact that it cause him to be shattered with guilt and shame. But I had to tell him anyway. At this point, there was no use keeping any secret. So, I told him.

Taking a deep breath, I started. "According to Khalil, who had heard from Tolani herself..." I paused, trying to prepare myself for what I was about to dump on Jamal. "She was raped at the age of seven." I deadpan, eyes trained squarely on Jamal.

He speedily withdrew his hand from where they were under mine like my touch suddenly burnt him, his eyes as wide as saucers. He searched my face, for any hint of joke or something to tell him I was kidding but he didn't find any, because I wasn't joking. Standing up abruptly, he began to walk away from me.

"Jamal!" I called, standing up and walking after him. He was walking towards the male restroom and I quickened my steps to catch up with him. He entered before I did and I looked around before I went him, locking the door behind me.

He was pacing in front of the mirror, muttering to himself so fast that I couldn't pick up what he was saying. I knew this would happen, I knew he'd be drowned with guilt once I told him about Tolani's past but he was taking it way worst than I thought. And it scared me because agitated Jamal meant panic attacks.

Terrible panic attacks

"Hey, Jamal..." I reached out to touch him but he swerved around to look at me, his eyes watery and I stopped, dropping my hand back to my side.

He's definitely going to beat himself up about this.

"Eleven year, Elyon." He started, his voice deeper and croaked as a result of all the emotions he was feeling. I didn't understand what he meant until he continued. "It took me Eleven years for me to know that someone that used to be my friend was raped when she was seven! That's how long it took for me to know that Tolani was destroyed at the age of seven!"

"You wouldn't have known, Jamal." I stated calmly, trying to pacify and calm him down. "You had your own issues to deal with and you wouldn't have known if she didn't tell you."

"It's no excuse!" He yelled back and I slightly winced. "I was her friend! I should have known! What kind of person am I? Why does it have to always reach the tipping point for me to notice that there's something wrong with the people around me!

Last year, I had no idea how far my best friend had spiraled until he attempted suicide! Suicide, Elyon! How more selfish can I get!" He screamed, his chest rising and falling, breathing erratic. I quickly walked closer to him, hands cupping his face so that his eyes could meet mine. Tears were falling, profusely and my heart broke, throat clogged with a rush of emotions. But I knew I couldn't cry. Both of us can't be crying at the same time.

"Look at me." I told him, instructing him and he did, his eyes not leaving mine. I held unto both sides of his face, my thumb caressing his cheeks.

"You need to breath." I said softly, my eyes still on his while my right hand came down to rest on his chest. Putting a technique I had learnt on how to calm an erratic breathing to use, my middle and fourth finger went back and forth against his chest, caressing slowly, softly.

"Follow the pattern of my fingers and breath." I said again, watching as his eyes fluttered close, long and heavy puffs of breath escaping his lips.

I could feel his heart race reducing back to normal and I heaved a deep sigh of relief. Soon, he was calm but we remained that way, my left hand on the side of his face and my right against his chest. He wasn't touching me, but at the close proximity that we were and because his breath was tickling my wrist, it felt like he was touching me.

"You are the least selfish person I know." My voice came out hushed and low so it felt like I was breathing my words out. Jamal opened his eyes, meeting my gaze with his soft ones. "Though sometimes, your actions might come off as selfish but you are just ignorant to it. You are not a selfish person, Jamal." I told him, picking my words in a way that would make him remember them.

"It still doesn't change the fact that immediately Tolani began to change, I didn't ask myself why she was changing. I should have tried, at least but instead, I made myself believe that she just wanted to bad. I didn't do right by her at all." He shook his head, the shame and guilt in his eyes had not go down any notch.

I sighed

"But now you'll do the right thing." I told him and he looked at me. "Because Tolani will wake up and you'll make things right between the both of you. Right?" I asked, searching his eyes which were still filled with so much doubt and uncertainty.

"What if she doesn't want to see me? There won't even be any reason for her to want to..." He started but I cut him off.

"She'll see you." I told him with all certainty in my tone, even when at the back of my mind, I was praying that Tolani allows Jamal to see her when she eventually wakes up. All we need at this point was closure. It was time to let the sleeping dogs lie.

Once and for all.

I was pulled against him, or rather, he pulled me against him, his hands wrapping tightly around me. I sighed in contentment, my hands on their own accord moving to wrap around his neck. His face buried in the hollow of my neck, his breath tickling the sensitive spot on my neck that had me shuddering involuntarily against him. His hands tightened their hold around me, pulling me to flush even more against his body. I was allowing him have so much effect on me, even after I told myself I wasn't going to let him.

But who cares?

"I'm so sorry, Elyon." He whispered, his lips brushing against my earlobe ever so slightly that had me gasping softly. "I shouldn't have..."

"Shhh." I cut him off, tiptoeing even more to arch my body against his. "Just hold me." My voice came out like a desperate child, clamouring for cookies.

Chai! See your life, Elyon.

Jamal chuckled slightly, the rumbling of his body against mine shook me. He did what I asked, holding me tighter if that was even possible and I sighed,

Satisfied.

☆☆☆☆

It was day break.

Jamal had talked me into sleeping a bit, maybe we'd wake up to the new of Tolani regaining consciousness. But no, that didn't happen when I woke up. Good thing school was practically over for us, we could skip. Thankfully, I was able to persuade Khalil to get up from the floor where he had spent most of his night to come and sit down on one of the chairs.

He still hasn't said a word to any of us and I was worried.

"I just dropped Venus off in school and I came rushing down here." I heard Skye's voice from few feet away and I looked up to see her making her way towards us, a duffle bag in one hand and a large Shoprite nylon in the other. Jamal went to meet her mid way, helping her with the duffle bag.

"Tell me you brought something we can freshen up with." Jamal requested, looking through the duffle bag and sighed when he saw it contained cloths. Before he could keep prodding further, Skye stopped him.

"There are lady things in there. You'll go blind soon." She teased and I found myself chuckling, causing Skye to look at me, a surprised look on her face as she didn't expect me to laugh at what she said. Or to even acknowledge her at all.

Like I said, I was going to let the sleeping dogs lie once and for all.

"Fine." Jamal growled out, then mumbled some incoherent words to himself before snatching the Shoprite back from Skye's hand.

The latter gasped, then smacked her brother on his head, scolding him. I chuckled at their antics, looking through my phone to answer the messages of my parents. I realized that Skye and Jamal had gone quiet. I looked up and saw Jamal, looking through the shopping bag while Skye was looking away from us. Following her gaze, I saw that she was staring at Khalil, her face holding nervousness, worry and guilt.

"Is he okay?" She asked softly, looking back at us. Jamal and I exchanged a look and glanced at Khalil who was still rootly seated in his spot, staring ahead with an impassive  and stoic expression.

"He's been like that since yesterday. He hasn't said anything to either of us and he won't, until Tolani wakes up." Jamal answered, looking back at his sister.

"I got him his stuffs too." She said, looking even more nervous. "I don't know if I should go and give him or..." She trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

"You should go and give him." I answered and she looked at me, uncertainty clouding her eyes. "Don't worry, don't over think it. Just walk up to him and give him his things." I said and she nodded, retrieving a small bag from the duffle bag before taking slow, careful steps towards Khalil.

Jamal and I watched them. Though we didn't hear what Skye was saying but her gesture said it all. She stretched the bag over to Khalil who just stared bag at her and I held my breath, hoping Khalil doesn't snub her. He didn't. He took the bag from her hand and nodded at her, still not saying a word, but I could have sworn I saw his lips twitch slightly in a small smile of appreciation.

"That went well." Jamal said behind me and I nodded, turning around to look at him. His lips were stretched in an askew smile.

"It did. Soon, it will be your turn." I told him and his smile turned upside down as the realization dawned on him. I side stepped him, taking his things out the duffel bag before carrying it from the chair and making my way over the bathroom.

(Thirty minutes later...)

I was standing in front of the mirror, all dressed up, trying to pack my hair. The door opened and through the mirror, I could see Skye walk in, shutting the door behind her before her eyes met mine. I looked away from her, staring back at my reflection. She wanted to talk to me but she was nervous and it was clear as day.

"D-Do you need help?" She asked, her voice coming out in stutters. I looked at her through the mirror again, watching as she played with her fingers nervously. My lips twitched in a small smile and I looked away from her.

"I'm good. Thanks." I answered, finally packing my hair in an high bun and brushing my edges back. I heard her soft sigh from behind me and I waited. All I wanted was for her to give a good apology, to show that she was sorry and if she was feeling nervous, then it was a work in progress.

It was just a matter of time before she...

"Elyon, I'm so sorry..." Skye finally said, her voice quivering. I stopped what I was doing and went back to staring at her through the mirror. Her head hung low, her fingers running against each other in a nervous fit. I said nothing, watching and waiting for her to say more.

And she did.

"I said really terrible things to you, things I shouldn't have said to my best friend, or anyone for that matter." She finally looked up, her teary eyes meeting mine. I turned around, leaning back against the counter and looked at her, still not saying a word.

"I can't believe I accused you of cheating, when I know first hand how much you love Jamal and how you will never hurt him for anything-"

"Yet, you still accused me of cheating." I said, cutting her off and she sniffed, using the back of her hand the wipe the tears that were cascading from her eyes down to her face. The memories of that day came rushing back into my mind in full force and in as much as I didn't want my emotions to get the best of me, I couldn't help the immense feeling of betrayal.

"Why would you even say that? In front of your brother, my boyfriend. Do you know how much toll your words took on my self esteem, on my pride?" I asked rhetorically, making sure she hears the hurt in my voice.

"There is nothing I can say at this point that will justify me for saying those words to you." She answered, her eyes pleading with me.

"In fact, there is no reason to justify myself because I was wrong and you were not. If I really wanted to be a good sister, I should have looked at things from your perspective, knowing fully well that no matter what, you'd always have my brother's best interests at heart. But I was blinded by envy," She paused while I frowned in confusion.

Envy? How? I asked myself. Almost as if she heard my thoughts, Skye continued, while trying to clean the tears that wouldn't stop running down her face. My heart constricted, the emotions oozing from her made me want to listen to what she had to say.

"I was envious of the fact that you have been able to reach Jamal in so many ways that I have never been able to. It took a toll on my pride as his sister, his first best friend. So, I settled for the next best thing. Supporting him in all his decisions even though I knew they were draining him emotionally, mentally and even physically. I didn't realize how much I was damaging him even when I thought I was helping him..." Her voice broke and she burst into tears. Sighing, I moved closer to her, gathering her in my arms.

"Skye..." I cooed softly, rubbing her back soothingly to calm her down, only for her cries to increase even more.

"I'm the worst sister and worst bestfriend ever, ain't I?" She asked between sobs and I respired, not saying anything else.

Seeing it from her perspective, it wasn't exactly her fault even though she could have handled the envy way better than she did. But I wasn't going to fault her anymore. I was tired of fighting either. So, I pulled away from her slightly so that I could look at her. Her face was swollen and wet from so much crying, her green eyes blood shot. I took my had to her face, cleaning away her tears that wouldn't stop flowing.

"The fact that you feel bad about everything, kinda makes you the world's best sister and bestfriend." I whispered and she sniffed, bringing her hand up to clean her face.

"I'm so sorry, Elyon." She repeated and I nodded.

"And I forgive you." I answered. I saw the way the relief spread across her face. "I might not be comfortable being too close with you yet, but we are certainly cool. No hard feelings." I assured her and she nodded vigorously.

"That's all I need. Thank you." She collapsed against me, hands wrapping around my torso and I smiled, hugging her back.

Bygones are now Bygones

Suddenly, the door flew open and a Jamal with a mis-buttoned shirt, came into view, panting erratically.

"Why would you open the door like that!" Skye snapped at him. "What if we were naked!"

"Well, you weren't! But that's not why I'm here." He answered in a frantic speed, talking a pause to catch his breath. Skye and I watched him with furrowed brows, wondering what he was on about, until he dropped the bombshell.

"Tolani is awake!"

A/N

She's awake oo 😩❤️. Now Khalil can breath.

I'm so sorry for not updating on Sunday or Yesterday. I've been trying to see where I was posted to by NYSC only for them to tell me that I am not going with Stream 1 but with Stream 2. That's good, in a way Sha. I have an entire two months to get fat because once I go to camp like this, I'll come back looking like a ruler💆🏽‍♀️.

Things are already patching up for the gang. Elyon has forgiven Skye, but they are not best friends again, at least not yet. Jamal and Elyon are not back together either, Jamal still has unfinished business.

Khalil just wants to be certain that Tolani is healthy and since she's awake, then she should be okay, I think 🤔😬. I can't believe she went through with the abortion. But I won't fault her 😔

#prayforTolani 😔🙏🏾

Looking at things now, do you think Skye deserved to be forgiven so easily? Let me know your answer in the comment session.

One more update for this week. Then, we'd be able to see how Tolani is fairing. Don't forget to VOTE! COMMENT!! SHARE!!!

I'll see you when I see you 😘❤️.