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Thirty one
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2020-10-08 20:51:02Gossip doesn't die off as quickly as we'd like but in Apex, it never dies. It just takes a little nap sometimes and wake at the slightest nudge. In our case, the nudge came every combo day when Marcel and I sat on our seat and ignored our mates.
The rumors were ridiculous;
- Our parents had betrothed us to each other.- We were siblings all along, twins that got separated after our parents divorce.- My mom was a witch, like me and had charmed Kunle.I wasn't bothered by the whispers and stares, it was nobody's business. Marcel didn't seem bothered either, it was Henrietta who made it her duty to fuel it, making sure that every rumor that got to her left a little juicier and sillier.
Aside that, the term was pretty normal with teachers trying to compile their continuous assessment score for our SSCE registrations. Ms. Flora was excited about the examinations that were still months away. She said she had faith in our set to make the best results so far but she didn't waste any opportunity to encourage to study tirelessly and we did, some of us.
The bell had gone off indicating the end of our break period but it was at that moment my bladder decided it needed to be emptied so I ran to the bathrooms and breathed out as I sat on a toilet. The second bell rang while I was there but certain things can't be rushed so I sat there and prayed the teacher also had important things to attend to first.
I heard the main door being thrown open as I tried to get dressed and it wasn't long before a noise came up that sounded like the dinging of a phone. Although phones were prohibited in Apex, I had heard rumors of some students smuggling them in but until now, I had never seen or heard any.
"You said you were going to call me back".
My hand froze on the handle of the door to the tiny stall I was still in."What do I want? I already told you".She sounded angry but not as much as she sounded sad."Now you are busy. Not too long ago, you said you could never be too busy for me".
Her voice was thick with accusation. She let out a tired sigh."I'm staring at the confirmation right now. I don't know what to do".It was obvious she was trying to hold back tears, I knew she wouldn't succeed."Why would I joke about something like this?!" She yelled but soon began sobbing.
I felt like an intruder even if it hadn't been my intention to catch her at such a state of vulnerability."You have to help me, this is your fault".There was a slight pause."I can't just leave school, my parents will be alerted". She sniffed.
"You have to help me, do something. Hello, hello?"Her voice cracked at the end and she was full-on crying.I came out of the stall as I heard her drop to the ground. She looked up abruptly and glared when she saw it was me."How are you going to keep those grades up if you're skipping classes and hiding in bathroom stalls? Eh, Mandy". Becca said like she had not been crying two seconds ago.
I walked to the sink and washed my hands, ignoring her stares. When I looked at her again, I noticed a thin white stripe in her hand that she was clutching tightly. She noticed me staring at it and sprung up to her feet, crowding me within seconds.
"Look, Maddy. If you whisper a word about this to anyone, I will pull out whatever brain you have left out of your skull and stick it up your ass". Her voice was surprisingly firm but now that she was in front of me, I could see the sagging bags under her red eyes.
"Did you hear me, dummy? You better keep your mouth shut"."I wasn't going to say anything to anyone". Mostly because I wasn't sure what the problem was. Maybe she was scared I'd report her for having a phone in school.
She stared me right in the eyes for sometime before returning to her previous position on the floor.I should have left but the teacher was probably in the class by then and I didn't want a confrontation so I took a seat on the toilet floor, a few feet from her.
It was quiet for the first few minutes then she began laughing."I know you think I'm crazy but you don't have to look at me like that".
"I don't think you are crazy"."Why not? I me, what sane human willingly gets themself in such a mess?"She was calm now, blankly staring at the wall ahead of her with a single line of tears rolling down her cheek."I didn't even realize what was happening until it had gone too far. He was a nice man do I didn't care, plus, he bought me a lot of gifts, he also got me this phone after my dad seized mine".
She turned to look at me and I just stared."It's greed right?""What?""Greed. I am greedy, that is why I kept sleeping with my father's friend for things my dad could have provided for me if I had just been obedient".
I swallowed sharply and she chuckled."Come on, Mandy. The entire school knows, now they are going to know that I'm pregnant ".She began sobbing again."I've ruined my life. I'm fucking pregnant. Pregnant".
She was spiralling, nothing like the Becca I was used to and I didn't know what to do aside sit and watch."What will I tell my mom? She thinks I'm still a virgin". She giggled bitterly."How will I tell her I'm carrying her grandchild?"
Seeing her like this made me think of my mom. How had she reacted when she found out she was pregnant with me? Did she also run into a barely clean bathroom and cry to an unintended listener?"Maybe I should abort it". She wiped her eyes furiously and stared at me like my opinion mattered.
"But people die from that right?" She looked up to the ceiling when she realized I had no answers for her."Oh God! I've destroyed my future".She was trying not to cry too loudly and her shoulders were shaking uncontrollably. I wondered what she would have done if I hadn't had the urge to use the toilet at the time that I had. If I hadn't been here right now, would it have made a difference? She did look like a bird with a broken wing, hardly like the girl who had taunted me and gotten me suspended.
I tried to put myself in her shoes but it wouldn't fit, just like no feet would fit into mine. Slowly, I scooted closer to her, not sure what her reaction would be. I barely had my hand out before she was falling into my arms and letting her cries be muffled by my bossom. It was then I knew that my presence mattered.
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