Part Forty-five

A/N: Before you continue, please note that Nnenna and Bella are not the same person. I get that question a lot...

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Nnenna's POV

As I got dressed for school today, in my uniform, I couldn't help the permanent smile that has been etched on my face since this morning, or better still, since last night.
I removed David's number from the blacklisted contacts in Gold's phone that I had left it for quite some time, and decided to call him. From the moment we became a thing, he's been wondering why I don't call any longer and why he can't get through the number whenever he called. I didn't have the nerve to tell him that I blacklisted his number, so I kept giving him febble excuses.

We had a long conversation over the phone, he made some of his snarky comments and jokes that as usual, melted my heart. I couldn't wait to finally see him again today. We—the science students—had our last science paper today before our general final subject. We would be writing chemistry objective paper today, which was before our final subject— Fishery, as long as WASSCE was concerned. I decided that I would finally give in to him, I would let our relationship out in the open because I know it will make him happy. Also, I would be happy if people knew we were together, so those girls that flock around him would let him be.

“Eleven thirty...oh! I hope I make it in time.” I said out loud when I saw the time. Chemistry paper starts by twelve fifteen and I needed to be in school and get settled in before the examination starts.

I put my textbook, jotter and pen in my small bag in a hurry, then dashed out the door of my room. Mother was going through some files on the center table in the living room when I walked in on her. “Mum, I'm about leaving for my exam,”

“Okay my dear, do you have any money with you?” she asked, a question I've become tired of answering. I don't know why she would always ask me that when she rarely gives me allowance money.

“No,” I replied. I did have some money that I've saved up but I won't tell her that, because I know she won't give me any today if she knew I had.

She sighed softly in exasperation and handed me two-hundred naira note she took out from her purse. I thanked her and left. I navigated my footsteps straight to school, I wasn't the type to galavant around anyway. Once I arrived at the gate, I caught a glimpse of David. I just knew he was the one because he had this habit of crossing his bag over his shoulders and his customized walking posture. I passed greetings to the security guard and put my head up, walking in confident strides past David and headed towards the exam hall.

“Father's mother,” Dinma called me, as she usually would. Waving to me from her seat. I smiled and made my way to her.

“Hi,” I greeted her and everyone gathered around her, with same smile plastered on my face. “Studying, I see” I gestured towards the books placed on their desks.

“Can anyone study more than you?” she taunted.

“Oh come on, anyways I just glanced through but paid most attention to the elements and their characteristics.” I replied before taking in everyone in the class, very slowly. In honesty, I was stalling by talking with Dinma and others because I wanted the supervisor to get settled in, so I won't have to talk to David.
Once the supervisor took her seat, I sat down on the chair just across from her desk. With me seated in front and facing her directly, David wouldn't have the courage to talk to me.

As I went over my notes and textbook, David walked in with his group of friends, Hassan included. As they walked by me, I looked at them— hoping to catch David's gaze, and like I wanted, he looked at me for a nanosecond, but unlike him to pass me a smile whenever our eyes met, he simply looked away and walked away with his friends. My smile faltered and just in time, I saw Hassan, he smiled at me before walking away like his friend did. I was stunned for words, I couldn't fathom what made David ignore me like that. I wondered, was he really that angry with my decision to keep our relationship a secret.

Once the exam was over, I gave David a side-gesture – letting him know that I'll like to see him at our usual spot. He and I made it a tradition to spend some time alone, together, at the end of every paper before we went home. We would regularly meet at the back of the school canteen—towards the far clearing of the bush where he first proposed to me. As soon as he got the message, I snuck out from the midst of my friends and started heading to our own sanctuary.

I paced the environment nervously lost in thought until I felt his present around me, I turned to face him. His eyes weren't glittering with amusement and satisfaction as they normally would, instead they looked forlorn and filled with regret. For a moment I got scared, why? Was he regretting having anything to do with me? I found it difficult to think straight.

“Um...hi,” I started.

“How you dey?” (: How are you?), He asked.

“I'm good,” and then words left me. I don't know why I get speechless when he's with me, I realized, David has the ability to make me that way.
After sometime of uncomfortable silence between us, he asked.

“You wanted to see me?”

“Uh, yes. I wanted to know...” I cleared my hoarse voice, “where do we stand David, this thing between us, are you still serious about this?” I looked him straight in the eye, but too bad that he couldn't hold my gaze for more than five seconds.

“I really don't understand what you mean Nne, I already told you my stand and that I want to be with you. You're the one who's making it difficult,” he said. I could sense that he wasn't his usual self, and I don't know why.

“What if I tell you that I want to take our relationship serious?”

His brows quirked in amazement, I bet he wasn't expecting me to say that to him. “For real?”

I nodded so fast my head could have fallen off my neck.

“You're serious, I thought you wanted to wait until before our graduation, or even after?” he asked, coming closer towards me.

“Yes, but I realized that there's no reason to prolong it anymore. I mean if it's going to happen, why not now?” it was a rhetorical question but he replied nonetheless.

“Wow, I'm really so happy. You mean, I can tell my friends about us now?”

I nodded again. He started moving close enough until he stood just few inches before me. He cupped my face in his palms, and forced me to look up at him.

“I swear I won't do anything to make you regret your decision, I promise to be the best boyfriend and be by you through thick and thin.” he kissed both my cheeks, trailed the contours of my face with his nose. The action trickled me, making me giggle a lot.

“First let's go back and hear what Mrs Omotala has to tell us,” I said to him, then held his hand as we left the place.

I engaged myself in a conversation with Dinma, Deborah and Johnson as Mrs Omotala admonished us to take our exams seriously, especially for those students who won't write NECO. She also said that it would be better to write and pass this exam in one sitting, just like our mates than to waste our parents money and bear the shame of coming to write WASSCE again.
It has not been too long she left to get our examination cards, that I overheard the exchange of stories going on between Daphne and her circle of friends.

“Honestly, I didn't know David could go that low. I've always known he played with girls feelings, but to do this, is beyond my reasoning.” one of them said.

“Is it now that you're realizing how far that guy can go to get what he wants, I don't know why he feels like he is better than anyone.” Timmi remarked.

I felt sick to my stomach and appalled at what they were saying about David, but there was another feeling gnawing deep inside that their words could be true.

“Can you imagine that in order to win a dare and save his pride, he agreed to date a girl...all for show!” Jade said to Amara when she asked to know what they were discussing.

I couldn't stay put and listen anymore, or continue to pretend that their words weren't getting to me. So, I excused myself from amidst my friends and tried going in search of David. Then Daphne stopped me with her next words.

“Who are you fooling by playing ignorant? It's not a secret to us anymore that you and David are seeing each other,”

“So you're the girl he managed to fool with his sweet words, awww...such a pity,” Jade shook her head in pity.

The thing was, I won't let them get to me with their hurtful and spiteful comments. I was going to be mature enough to ask David about this first, and hope he tells me that they were all lying. Before I could leave the hall, Mrs came back and started giving out our cards, so I had to stay back and collect mine. Once she was done, I immediately hung my backpack over my shoulders and rushed out to meet with David before he leaves for a football match.

I caught him talking to Ifeanyi at the far end of the hall, I wanted to wait until they were done but Ifeanyi caught my gaze and I saw that he whispered some words to David—who's features became stiff. I pretended to walk away so they could continue what they were saying, but I smoothly came back to listen to what they were discussing without their knowledge.

“Like for real? Guy...it was all a dare oo,” Ifeanyi said.

“Are you sure he's not pretending just so he can escape paying the price,” Adams added.

“Listen, I'm really serious about this, and about her. Please I'm begging you all to forget about the dare, I don't want her to know that I only started courting her because I was dared to do it...” David pleaded, confirming my fears and also managed to shatter my heart to a thousand pieces.

“Really David?” Hassan referred to his friend in a cautious tone.

“I know I will tell her one day, but just not today Hassan, please!”

“So? It's true then, that you were playing me for a fool. I can't believe this...” I started when I couldn't take anymore of standing and listening to me. I looked at their faces, they were all completely shocked, all except Hassan who looked more guilty than shocked.
I trusted the two of them, I don't understand how they could do this to me. They have not only succeeded in gaining my heart, they have also managed to give me my first heartbreak.

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Thanks for reading. How are you enjoying the story so far?

David has finally succeeded, is this the end?
Continue reading to find out. Like I promised, this story would come to an end by the end of this year, if YAHSHUA tarries to come.

Thanks for reading 💞💞. Please drop some comments and leave a vote if you enjoyed this chapter. I Love y'all 😘😘.