Surprise surpriseee!

(⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡

⊱𝙹𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚊⊰

Vanessa's phone buzzed for what felt like the 50th time since she got here, and mine followed suit. While I was buried in my notes, cramming for tomorrow's paper, Vanessa was knee-deep in something equally important.

Trying to sort and send out the invites for my party.

With first-term exams finally wrapping up in two days, this party was the event everyone was waiting for. The ultimate way to blow off steam, and officially kiss all that school stress goodbye.

I could almost taste the freedom, and the fun.

"He has sent the corrected one," Vee announced, and before she even finished her sentence, I tossed my pen aside and climbed onto the bed where she was.

"Let me see," I said, leaning over her shoulder like my life depended on it. Because, honestly, it kind of did.

Keeping my title as the reigning champion of epic parties in LIC was important. That reputation wasn't about to crumble on my watch.

Vanessa clicked on the file, and within seconds, it popped up on the screen. We both leaned in, squinting at the image like detectives solving a case.

"What the hell is this?" I blurted, my disbelief hitting an all-time high. My brows furrowed as I tried to make sense of the absolute mess labeled as "corrections."

"Is this guy for real?" Vee chimed in, her tone laced with the perfect mix of shock and judgment.

She leaned in closer, scanning the screen like there was some logical explanation for the madness we were looking at.

For a few moments, neither of us said a word. We just sat there, staring at the train wreck of an invite on the screen. It was supposed to be fixed. But somehow, it came back looking worse than when we sent it off.

The sloppy formatting was the first thing to hit me, random line breaks everywhere, text misaligned like a drunk person had formatted it, and a bizarre mix of fonts.

Seriously, who thought this was okay?

I squinted at the screen, trying to make sense of it. "What the fuck?" I muttered.

My annoyance built with every second I kept looking at it. It wasn't just bad, it was offensively bad. With a sharp sigh, I shoved myself off the bed.

Was it dramatic? Maybe. But if I and Vee didn't do something about this mess, I was pretty sure I'd lose it.

"Can you please find someone who actually knows what they're doing? I can't deal with this mess anymore," I said, throwing my hands up like the whole thing physically hurt me.

"I got it, don't worry," she said, her tone calm but laced with the same annoyance I felt.

She might've been holding it together better than me, but I knew she was just as over it.

I wandered over to my desk, hoping that burying myself in my notes would distract me from the absolute mess that was my party invitations. But nope. The disaster clung to me like an itch I couldn't scratch, refusing to let me focus on anything else.

With a heavy sigh, I dropped into my chair, pressing my fingers into my temples as if I could physically squeeze the irritation out of my brain.

God, this was going to ruin my whole day.

I needed those invitations to be perfect. Not just decent. Not just good enough. Perfect. Because anything less than that? Unacceptable.

Across the room, I heard the soft beep of Vanessa's phone. I glanced up just in time to see her recording a voice note.

"Dude," she started, her voice sharper than usual, "this is not what we asked for. This isn't even close to what we agreed on. Fix it, or we'll find someone who will."

She hit send and looked up at me.

"Done."

I groaned, pushing out of my chair and pacing the room. "That idiot has ruined my invitations."

"He hasn't," Vanessa said simply, stretching her legs out on the bed. "And don't worry. I'll find someone else to handle it."

Her confidence should have reassured me, but it didn't. Not even a little. The panic was already clawing its way up my chest. I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply.

"What the hell am I supposed to do if they're not ready by the day after tomorrow?"

The thought alone made my heart race. This party was too important to mess up. Vanessa shot me a sharp look, one that told me I was this close to getting on her nerves.

"Ty, I said calm down. I'll get someone else. It'll be fine."

That should have been enough. Vanessa always came through. She was the one person I trusted to handle things when I couldn't. But that didn't stop the what-ifs from circling in my head like vultures.

What if the new person messed it up? What if the invites were late? What if they looked cheap?

I let out a loud hiss through my teeth, as if that would somehow vent all my frustration at once.

"You better calm down," Vanessa said, leveling me with a look so sharp I actually stopped.

I sucked in a deep breath, filling my lungs, forcing myself to slow down.

"Okay, okay," I muttered, mostly to myself as I sat back down. I had to trust Vanessa. She'd fix it. She always did.

But still, that knot of worry sat heavy in my chest, refusing to loosen. Not until I saw those invitations, perfect and flawless, exactly how I wanted them.

"Alright, let's go over who's getting these invites," Vanessa said, shutting her laptop with a satisfying click. She got off the bed and dragged a chair over, notebook and pen in hand.

"I already made a list," I said, pulling out my phone. I opened the notes app and passed it to her.

"Only 150 people?" she asked, one brow arching as she scrolled through.

"Yeah," I replied, watching her go through the names.

"Why isn't that babe's name here?" Vee asked, glancing at me like I'd missed something obvious.

"What babe?"

"Jude's girlfriend."

I blinked at her. Of all the things Vee had ever said, this had to be the most ridiculous.

"Vee, why the hell would I invite Idera to my party?"

She met my gaze, completely unfazed. "Why the hell wouldn't you?"

"What business do I have with her?"

She shrugged. "You tell me."

The conversation we'd had about Jude replayed in my mind, and I exhaled sharply. Whatever I'd agreed to back then must have been pure impulse. It had sounded like a solid plan at the moment, but now? Now it felt unnecessary. There had to be better ways to handle Jude.

"You know what? I'm done with that," I said, leaning back in my chair, waving it off like it was nothing.

Vee tilted her head slightly. "What do you mean by 'done'?"

"What else would I mean? We'll figure out another way."

She scoffed, shaking her head. "Do you really think there's another way?"

I frowned, catching something in her tone, like she wasn't really arguing, but just letting me hear myself.

"Jude doesn't care about anything. But somehow, he always gets under your soft skin and you start whining about it like a little baby. You're just going to let that slide?"

"I'm not soft-skinned," I muttered.

She didn't respond, just watched me for a beat, then picked up my phone, typed in Idera's name, and added it to the guest list.

"Figure out what you'll say to her," she said, setting the phone down.

I sighed and got up, flopping onto the bed. Hands behind my head, legs crossed, I stared at the ceiling, my mind spinning.

"I'll think of something abeg," I muttered.

How on earth was I supposed to invite Idera? The thought alone felt like trying to swallow a cactus.
Why did it even have to be her? Literally anyone else would've been easier to deal with.

What could I even say without choking on my own annoyance? The idea of being civil, let alone convincing, felt like scaling a mountain barefoot.

Every interaction I'd ever had with her was strained, and tense.

And don't even get me started on her audacity. The way she challenged me head-on, like she thrived on poking the bear. Everyone else knew better, but not her.

Oh no.

Idera leaned into it like she enjoyed watching me squirm.

Why couldn't Jude have picked someone less... her?

But as much as I hated the idea, I couldn't deny the truth. I needed her. She was the one person who we could use to get him. If I wanted to take him down, I had to suck it up and deal with her.

Somehow, I'd need to bury the grudge, slap on a convincing smile, and make her believe I genuinely wanted her there.

~~~

My alarm blared, cutting through my concentration. I reached for my phone on the nightstand, swiping right on the screen to shut it up.

6 AM.

Yeah, that's enough of this early morning reading.

I stretched out, feeling the stiffness in my muscles, and glanced over at my desk. My notes on Shakespeare's Othello were scattered across it, a mess of highlighters and papers.

Today's paper was Literature-in-English, and I'd been studying for it since right after Tuesday's math exam.

I'd been awake for a couple of hours already and sleep wasn't coming back, no matter how hard I tried. So instead of forcing it or mindlessly scrolling through social media, I figured I might as well make good use of the time.

I did revisions of the parts I hadn't quite gotten to yet, making sure I was as ready as I could be for whatever this woman threw our way.

Mrs. Fashola, our Literature teacher, was ridiculously thorough when it came to her subject. She insisted that we include every single detail in our analyses, no matter how tiny or seemingly pointless it was.

Straight to the point, no beating around the bush.

But she also had this annoying knack for setting exam questions that were borderline confusing. It was very easy for even the most prepared students to mess up.

If you weren't paying attention, you'd either make some silly mistake or end up thinking you had no clue to the answer of the question, when in reality, you totally did.

So yeah, this exam wasn't going to be a walk in the park.

But you know what? I was still going to nail it.

I'm not the best Literature student for nothing.

"Siri, play Am I dreaming by ASAP Rocky and Metro."

"Playing 'Am I Dreaming' by A$AP Rocky, Roisee and Metro Boomin."

And just like that, my morning kicked off.

The familiar tune blared through the speakers, immediately setting the vibe as I made my way to the bathroom. I turned on the water heater, letting it warm up, and started brushing my teeth, humming along and bobbing my head to the beat.

It was like a little energy boost, helping me shake off the grogginess.

I stepped into the shower and adjusted the knob until the water was just the right kind of warm, letting it cascade over me.

The steam quickly filled the bathroom, and as the droplets hit my skin, I could feel the tension in my muscles slowly melting away.

I let out a long, relaxing sigh.

"If I were you, I'd start thinking of how to approach her and explain the invitation to her."

Vanessa's voice popped into my head, popping the haze of relaxation like a needle to a balloon. My shoulders tensed immediately.

Thanks for ruining a perfectly good morning shower, Vee.

Thinking of the whole thing again made my stomach twist.

Asking Ethan or Hugo to do it would have been convenient, but they were going to ask questions, and I wasn't ready to give them answers. They weren't supposed to know about the plan in the first place.

Hugo would be a nightmare to involve. He'd start feeding me advice that would last me for the next 5 years. And Ethan? Oh, he'd go so overboard with it that he'd somehow manage to turn it into a full-blown disaster.

Which meant there was no escaping it. This was on me.

"Fuck," I muttered under my breath.

As the warm water poured over me, I tried to mentally map out how I'd approach her. There had to be a way to do this without making it weird, or painful.

I scrubbed my hair, trying to imagine her reaction. She would definitely be excited that I was inviting her to my party like every other person would.

At least if I was convincing enough, she would be excited. Who wouldn't be?

It's Jidenna Kalu's freaking party.

After rinsing off, I turned off the water, stepped out and grabbed my towel. I began drying off, but my mind stayed tangled in one frustrating loop.

Was I overthinking this? Probably.

But then again, was it overthinking when it came to someone like Idera?

Someone who throws every ounce of defiance she has straight at me. And worse? She doesn't even blink while doing it. That smug little spark in her eyes every time she lands a verbal jab, it drives me insane.

That's what makes this whole situation even harder to swallow. I had to not insult her, not shut her down. Pretend to be civil. Convince her that I genuinely want her at my party, all without my pride choking me in the process.

I ran the towel through my hair and sighed. I wasn't doing this because I wanted to. I was doing it because I had to.

The chances of it ending without an argument were about as slim as me suddenly deciding to let someone else take center stage at my party.

But how do you convince someone you've spent years trying to crush that you suddenly want them around?

I draped the towel over my shoulders once I was dried up and moisturized, and walked over to my closet, glancing at my neatly hung uniforms, crisp and freshly pressed. I picked one and slipped it on, smoothing the fabric over my shoulders.

Picking out a pair of sneakers, I laced them up and sprayed on some cologne. After packing my bag with everything I'd need for the day, my AirPods and phone included, I headed downstairs to the dining table.

The breakfast spread was already laid out, but the table was empty.

That gnawing feeling of disappointment hit me when I realized my parents and brother weren't there for breakfast.

Again.

The silence in the house was deafening, and for a moment, I just stood there, staring at the empty chairs. The absence felt heavier this time, and no matter how much I wanted to shrug it off, it stung. A sharp, bitter sting.

I swallowed hard, forcing the feeling back. This was nothing new.

Just another regular day in the Kalu household.

"Whatever," I muttered under my breath, grabbing a sandwich and taking a bite then gulping down the cup of orange juice in one go.

Without another glance, I walked out of the house, the door closing behind me with a thud.

As I neared the car, I noticed the driver already seated inside. The soft hum of the engine showed that he was prepared to drive off.

I reached for the door handle, my hand meeting the cool metal as I pulled it open. The scent of freshly cleaned leather and a hint of cologne filled my senses as I settled into the backseat and closed the door behind me.

"Good morning, Sir," greeted the driver politely with a nod as he glanced at me through the rearview mirror.

We began to move, and the automatic gates of the house smoothly slid open, revealing the driveway leading to the estate road.

I texted my brother, reminding him to find out if one of Dad's Villa was available and in good shape to be used as the venue for the party.

The drive to school was only fifteen minutes, but this morning that fifteen minutes seemed like a blur, and soon we had arrived at school.

Stepping out of the car, the warm sunlight hit my face as I shut the door behind me.

"Good morning, Senior Jidenna." The cheerful voices made me pause for a moment. A small group of female students stood nearby, their faces beaming with excitement.

I blinked, caught off guard. The students knew their place and always kept their distance, especially the seniors.

Their short sleeves and the single stripe on the left shoulder of their pinafores marked them as junior students in their first year.

That explained it.

They looked up at me expectantly, waiting for my reply. I hesitated for a second before giving them a brief nod, expecting them to scamper off. But to my surprise, their faces lit up even more, eyes wide and bright, as if I'd just made their morning.

Now, that was unexpected. I stared at them for a moment longer, confused, as they giggled and rushed through the school gates.

The heck?

"Don't look so surprised. They're fresh meat, so they most definitely don't know you're the scary big bad wolf."

Ethan appeared out of nowhere, his usual wide grin plastered on his face as he leaned into me.

"They probably think you're hot too. Give it a week or two, they'll hear all about you, see your true colours, and be too terrified to look you in the eye."

I scoffed, shrugging his arm off my shoulder. Ethan raised an eyebrow, still grinning.

"Come on, admit it, though. It must've felt nice for once."

"Don't push it," I warned, walking into the school gates with him.

He chuckled and flung an arm casually over my neck.

"Your sweet 18 is in two weeks, and no invitations yet," he teased.

I let out a frustrated sigh, shaking my head.

"The stupid guy we found just messed up the thing. Now Vanessa has to look for another person to make it." I explained, annoyance creeping into my tone.

Ethan shrugged, seemingly unfazed by the setback.

"What do you even need invitations for? Just text those you want to invite and that's it."

I frowned, the idea not sitting right with me. It was going to be the party of the term, and you can't invite people to that with just a text. Besides, all my parties have always been strictly by invitations. Anyone could forge a text from me to get in.

"I don't want to do that."

Ethan glanced at me with a raised brow.

"Sorry oh. Mr I want everything to be perfect," he said and removed his arm from around me.

As we walked further into the school and towards the senior's block, we spotted Chike in the distance and Ethan gave me a quick nudge.

"Let me go and meet Chike before our formation go cast," he said with a grin.

"Literature go whine you, but no panic."

I rolled my eyes at his remark. Reading and passing on his own had never been in Ethan's dictionary. He always relied on formations and cheats to help him out.

He gave me a playful salute as he backed away.

"See you later, my dude," he called out before turning and sprinting off in Chike's direction, leaving me alone to find my way to class.

I watched him go as the little convo between us had lifted my mood slightly. But as I headed to class, the stress of everything I had to deal with settled back on my shoulders, reminding me that there was still a lot to figure out before my so-called "sweet 18."

As I made my way into the seniors block and through the corridors, my phone vibrated in my pocket, pulling me out of my thoughts. I fished it out and saw a text from Vanessa pop up on the screen.

Hey, Ty, the guy I contacted said he's busy. But dw, I'll try to look for another person before tomorrow.

Before I could even begin to process her message, another notification lit up my screen. This time from Nonso.

Dad's locking up the villa. There's nothing I can do. Sorry.

I stopped in my tracks and a wave of frustration washed over me.

Perfect. Just perfect.

I clenched my jaw, shoving the phone back into my pocket with more force than necessary. No invitations, no venue, no fucking party.

As I continued walking, the noise of student's chatter around me faded into the background, replaced by the swirling mess of thoughts in my head.

I couldn't believe how quickly things were falling apart. All the planning, the anticipation, the excitement. It all felt like it was slipping through my fingers, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it.

Literature.

Right. That was what I was supposed to be occupied with. Not my failing party.

The exam came and went by in a blur. I didn't find it particularly hard, neither did I find it too easy, and I finished up before the two hours elapsed. While others were fighting for their B's and C's, I had submitted my script, with confidence that my A was secured.

Right from that time, I brooded over the fact that I might not have a "sweet 18" party, as Ethan called it. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't even notice Hugo approaching until his voice broke through my thoughts.

"Jide, you've been very scarce."

I looked up, surprised to see him standing there. It felt like ages since we'd actually spoken. The last time we'd had something close to a real conversation was that day in the hallway, and ever since then, he'd been hanging out with her.

The fact that he was spending all his time with her, while I was left to deal with everything on my own, suddenly made my blood boil. I hadn't had a proper conversation with my best friend because he was too busy doing whatever with her.

Something inside me snapped. I suddenly wanted him to get away from me, to leave me alone with my frustrations.

"No, I've not been scarce," I retorted, my voice sharp and cutting. "You've been too busy hanging out with that bitch to remember your best friend."

Hugo blinked, taken aback by the harshness in my words. "What-"

"Hugo, fuck off abeg," I interrupted him, not in the mood to hear whatever excuse he was about to offer. I pushed past him and walked out of the class.

I didn't know what possessed me to look for Idera in the foul mood I was in, but I found myself striding down the corridor, and my eyes scanned the crowd of students that walked about.

A part of me hoped I'd find her, preferably alone, so I could do what I had to do. How was I even going to go about it? Threaten her? Talk to her?

I didn't even know, but something compelled me to keep moving forward.

"Don't worry, once my hand heals, I'll have your time."

That voice followed by soft chuckles stopped me dead in my tracks. It was hers, sharp, and unmistakably close. I knew she was just around the corner.

A moment later, she appeared in the corridor, walking alongside Oma.

She wasn't alone. I needed her to be alone, not with anyone.

Fuck it. It was just a simple question. How hard could that be?

I kept walking, closing the distance between us, until I was right in front of her, forcing both her and Oma to stop in their tracks.

My eyes flicked to her left hand, wrapped in bandages and hanging from a sling over her shoulder. For a fleeting moment, I wondered what had happened to her. But that curiosity was quickly buried under the reason that had brought me here in the first place.

"I want to talk to you," I said, going straight to the point.

She stared at me, her eyes narrowing in a mix of irritation and surprise. Her expression made it clear she wasn't in the mood for whatever I had to say.

You sure aren't the only one who's irritated, I thought bitterly.

"What?" she snapped, her tone dismissive, like I was wasting her time.

My irritation flared, but I forced myself to stay calm, even though my patience was wearing thin.

"I said I want to talk to you," I repeated, each word clipped.

She looked at me again, this time more annoyed than surprised. Her eyes narrowed further, and I could see a challenge evident in her gaze.

"I heard you," she replied, her voice laced with annoyance. "And I'm asking why you want to talk to me."

She was doing it again. That fucking tone she used that never failed to ignite my frustration. It was like a deliberate act to provoke me.

"Don't raise your voice at me," I warned.

"Did you hear me raise my voice at you?" she retorted, arching an eyebrow and placing her functioning arm on her waist.

At that moment, I felt the last thread of my patience snap. The plan suddenly seemed pointless, not worth this hassle, not worth the mounting anger bubbling inside me.

Idera wasn't worth this fucking stress.

"You know what? Just fuck off," I muttered, turning away from her while trying to hold myself together.

I was done.

But just as I took a step to leave, her voice rang out, loud and sharp, slicing through the air like a knife.

"Are you mad?"

I froze mid-step, her words cutting deep, igniting a storm inside me. A surge of anger rushed through my veins, hot and unrelenting, filling my chest with an unbearable tightness. Slowly, I turned back to face her.

"What did you say?"

She didn't flinch. Instead, she stood her ground, her eyes blazing with defiance. That look fueled my rage further. My fists clenched at my sides, itching to respond with equal intensity.

"Jidenna, are you mad?" she repeated, her words hitting like a punch to the gut.

"What the fuck is this? What is wrong with you? Which one is 'fuck off'?" she shot back, her glare unwavering.

"That's why you're asking me if I'm mad?"
I retorted, trying so hard to keep my cool.

The nerve she had, standing there without a hint of fear only seemed to intensify my anger.

"You're mad," she declared, her voice cold and final, the certainty in her words like a slap in the face.

"I don't know why I even asked you that. I don't know what the hell you're up to, but you better stay away from me."

With those words, she turned sharply and walked away with Oma, leaving me frozen in place. I stood there, speechless, and watched her leave as if I were glued to the spot.

What the fuck just happened?

~~~

"Will you talk?" Hugo's voice cut through the silence, pulling me back to reality.

The sound of silverware clinking and chatter filling my ears as I sat in the crowded cafeteria with Hugo and Ethan. My tray of half-eaten food sat in front of me, but I couldn't bring myself to take another bite.

It had been an hour since Hugo and Ethan had dragged me out to the field, trying to calm me down after the mess with Idera. The anger had cooled, but the shock still lingered like a fog I couldn't shake off.

Why was I so disoriented?

I took a deep breath and finally answered.

"I was only trying to invite her to my party."

"Ehn?" Ethan's eyes widened as he practically choked on his drink.

"What?" I asked, frowning at his reaction.

"Repeat that thing you just said," he demanded, leaning closer to me with an incredulous look on his face.

"I wanted to invite her to my party," I repeated, slower this time, as if that would make it any more believable.

Ethan and Hugo exchanged glances, both clearly shocked.

"Since when? Is everything okay?" Hugo asked, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Guy, wetin you dey plan wey you wan invite Idera come your party?" Ethan added, his tone suspicious.

"Must I be planning anything? Can't I just invite her?" I shot back, trying to keep my voice steady.

"No. No, you cannot just invite her because you hate her," Hugo said, as if stating the obvious.

"Or," Ethan leaned in, a mischievous grin forming on his face, "you're just pretending to hate her."

"Ethan, shut the fuck up," I snapped, glaring at him.

"I'm still very confused here," Hugo said, shaking his head. "You've never liked her. Why the sudden change? Why would you want her at your party?"

There was no way in hell I was going to open up and tell them the real reason I wanted Idera at my party. Not to them, and definitely not to Ethan, who had the emotional depth of a teaspoon.

"Look," I began, trying to keep my voice casual, as my eyes were fixed on the tiny holes my fork was making on the half piece of boiled egg on my plate.

"I just thought it would be interesting,"

I knew I wasn't selling it, not even to myself, but it was the best I could manage under the circumstances. Avoiding their eyes, I prayed they'd just drop it, move on, let me off the hook.

But the look on Hugo's face told me he wasn't buying it. I could practically feel his eyes drilling into me, searching for the truth beneath my flimsy excuse.

And Ethan? Well, I didn't even need to look at him to know that he was already spinning some wild theory in his head, probably something ridiculous like me being in love with Idera or hatching some crazy scheme.

"Interesting how?" Hugo pressed, his voice careful, almost gentle, but there was a hint of concern in there too. It was like he knew something was up.

I shrugged, trying to play it off. "I don't know, man. Maybe it's time to bury the hatchet."

Ethan snorted. "Or maybe you're digging up a whole new one."

Hugo didn't laugh. He just stared at me, like he was trying to read something deeper in my words.

"You're definitely planning something. Come on, tell us nau. You know we're your gees," Ethan said, a sly grin spreading across his face.

"Leave me alone," I muttered, trying to shut down the conversation before it went any further. The last thing I needed was for them to keep digging.

"Ah ahn, it's just me and Lotanna nau," he insisted, glancing at Hugo with a conspiratorial wink.

"If you don't believe me, rest."

Ethan chuckled, undeterred. "I'll find out. Don't worry."

When has the word no ever stopped this boy? The only thing I could do was pray he would never find out anything.

"So you wanted to invite her and what happened?" Hugo asked, his voice more level now that the initial shock had worn off.

"I changed my mind last minute," I said, shrugging as if it was no big deal.

"And insulted her," Hugo added, his tone bordering on accusatory.

"I didn't insult her. She yelled at me, so I told her to fuck off."

"You told her to fuck off because she shouted at you?" Hugo repeated, raising an eyebrow.

Ethan couldn't hold it in any longer. He burst into laughter, loud enough to turn heads in the cafeteria. I cringed inwardly as more eyes shifted toward us.

"Jesus Christ," I muttered under my breath, wishing the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

"When last did you and Serena fuck?" He asked so casually, like he was asking about the weather or what I had for breakfast.

"What kind of question is that?" I shot back sharply, hoping that would make him shut his mouth and mind his fucking business.

But no, not Ethan. Never Ethan.

He just chuckled, as if my irritation was nothing more than light entertainment for him. Casually, he picked up a fry, and leaned back in his chair.

"Dude, you need to get laid. You're taking out your frustrations on the poor babe."

There and then, I made a decision to ignore every single word that fell out of his mouth for the rest of the day. It wasn't worth the energy.

I turned my gaze to Hugo instead, and caught him giving me a long, searching look. I could tell he wasn't entirely convinced that everything was fine.

"Just don't let whatever's going on that you're hiding from me stress you out too much. We're not done with exams, remember?"

I nodded, glad and relieved that he didn't probe further. If I wanted everything to go as planned, I had to be more discreet. And I really didn't know if being discreet could work with Idera.

But I was going to try, or else I wouldn't hear the end of it from Vee. After all, I was the one who stood to gain from it in the end.

Time went by quickly, and soon enough, school was over.

Hugo and I made our way toward the car parked outside. Ethan had left school with IK and Chike, leaving just the two of us.

"Will you talk to me now?" Hugo finally broke the quiet.

I kept my gaze forward, hands shoved deep into my pockets. "About what?"

"About why you suddenly want to invite Idera to your party," he pressed, his tone more insistent, like he'd been holding back long enough.

I shrugged, not giving anything away.

"You're the one always trying to get me to be civil with her. That's what I'm doing."

Hugo turned to face me, eyes searching my face, looking for any trace of honesty. "Really?"

"Yes."

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair, clearly not convinced but too tired to push further.

"Whatever it is, just don't do anything you'll regret, Jide."

I didn't respond. I wasn't sure if I even could. I only nodded, even though I wasn't sure what I was agreeing to.

The truth was, I didn't know if I'd regret it or not. But something told me that this was only the beginning of something I hadn't planned for.

~~~~

Blows kisses to everyone!