It was Friday and all the students and some teachers of L.H.S were out on the field for their usual extracurricular activities. Today, SS3 A was playing a friendly match against SS3 B students. Some students from both classes were gathered on the field cheering their classmates. On the other side were juniors playing softball. Bee and Sam stood watching the match with some girls who were shouting and screaming at the top of their lungs,
" Go, Jack!"
" You're so cute, we love you, Jack"
" Oh my gosh! Did he just wave at me?"
" Oh my! He is so cute, I wish he could walk up to me and say hi"
" I wonder how it would feel to be hugged by those strong arms of his. Oh my! I would never let him go"
Sam was fed up, he couldn't take it anymore. Are they watching the match or Jack? He thought.
Jack is the most admired boy in L.H.S, his dad was super rich, he has the build of an athlete, and also good-looking. Not to mention that he has brains and he is also the captain of the school football team. The only thing most people don't like about him is his cold and indifferent attitude. A lot of students wondered why he was that way. He rarely smiles or talks to others except for his teammates and close friends. And to top it all, he was Karen's boyfriend and many people didn't like the fact he was dating her, especially the girls. Sam in particular hates anyone who is friends with Karen, he would never forget what she did to him.
" I wonder why he doesn't pay attention to us, we are by far prettier than Karen...
" Keep it down will you?" Sam yelled at the girls and they sneered at him in return.
" Mind your business, fatty," One of the girls said.
" You are just jealous that no girl is interested in you," said another girl and they all laughed.
" It's not funny," Sam said gloomily. He doesn't like it when others made fun of his size. He turned to look at Bee who was focused on the match she wasn't paying attention to their argument.
" Bee," he called. Bee turned to look at him.
" Do you think I'm fat?" He asked. Bee scanned him from head to toe and said,
" No, not at all. You're not fat, you're just round like a bouncy ball." She said giggling.
" Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Sam said annoyed. He drifted his focus back to the match, he frowned upon seeing the science class losing. The art class led with three points.
" They are no match for us. Not with Jack Andrews on our side." A girl who stood at Bee's other side said. Bee's gaze drifted from the others to Jack. He looked so handsome even while he plays. After the locker incident, she had seen him a couple of times with Karen or Julian but he never spoke a word to her. She kept staring at him with a smile on her face.
" It's a goal! SS3 B has won again! 4:0, Shame on the science class" All the students from the art class said as they ran into the football pitch, cheering their classmates and giving them slapping handshakes.
" Whatever. At least we are the best when it comes to quiz and debate competitions." The boys from the science class said as they left the pitch gloomily.
The Coach congratulate both teams and announced that the girls in SS3 A will be playing against the girls in SS3 B next Friday. They all cheered as they made for the washroom.
In the corridor, Karen walked up to Jack and wiped his face with her face towel.
" You did a great job today babe," she said softly as she wiped the sweat off his face. She leaned on his chest as if she didn't have a bone left in her body. As they walked, all eyes were fixed on them, some of the girls were jealous while the others sneered at them.
" Go get a room," some girls said annoyed.
Karen liked the fact that all eyes were on them she felt like she was on top of the world. She was not only beautiful but also dating the hottest guy in school. She was aware that a lot of girls envies her. How satisfying.
At seeing them, Bee felt a twinge of sorrow in her heart, she didn't understand why she feels that way. She shoved it down and walked to the cafeteria where Sam was buying snacks and soft drinks for the both of them.
*
In an empty classroom, Julian and his bandmates were practicing for their show on Saturday. Mr. Felix, the owner of Felix Lunch, had invited them to play in his eatery. The five of them have been practicing for more than four hours straight.
" Julian, we should take a break. We have been at this for hours." Noah, one of the boys said as he puts down his guitar.
" What are you doing Noah? We have to keep practicing." Julian said, his tune slightly raised.
" Yes Julian, Noah is right. We need to take a break. Besides I'm tired." Said Daniel and he dropped the drumsticks.
" Seriously! Guys, you're being lazy" Julian snapped.
" Come on Julian, we all want to impress Mr. Felix as much as you do, but we are humans, not machines. We need to take a break." Fetus, the shortest boy amongst them said. He stopped playing the keyboard and stood up.
" And where do you think you're going? No one leaves till we perfect the song." Julian said angrily.
" Don't you get it, Julian, we can't go on like this. Look around you man, we are all exhausted. We have been practicing for hours, maybe it is the song..."
" Meaning what!" Julian yelled, cutting Zion midway. His animated face looks frightening at the moment. " I wrote all the songs we performed together and now..."
" Come on bro, Zion didn't mean it that way. All he is..."
" Shut up! I am not talking to you, Fetus. And I am not your bro" Julian snapped.
They were surprised to see Julian acting in this manner. He has always been the sweet and playful Julian. What has gotten into him? They tried to calm him down but he got angrier and stormed out of the classroom.
" What has gotten into him?" Fetus said surprised.
" Whatever it is, I hope he gets over it soon." Said, Daniel.
They packed up and walked out of the classroom.
*
" Karen!" Julian called and ran to where Karen stood with her friends, Sophia and Celine. At hearing Julian's voice, she excused herself and walked up to him.
" Hi, Julian," She said indifferently.
" Hi. I've been calling your phone for days but you..."
" I have been busy lately" Karen cuts him off. " What do you want, Julian? Start talking, my friends are waiting for me."
" Did I do something wrong? What's up with the attitude babe..."
" Don't ever call me that" Karen snapped. " If I am anyone's babe that would be Jack and not you."
" Karen, I thought we have something going on."
" Had something. Whatever we had was nothing, we were only having fun with each other. It's over Julian, get used to it." She said and walked away.
Julian could feel his heart breaking into pieces. He stood there and watch her walk away, laughing and chatting with her friends. This past couple of days had been rough for him, first, his mother was rushed to the hospital, he fought with his band and now the love of his life had dumped him as if he was a piece of rag. His small eyes were bringing to teared up.
" Julian!" Someone called him from behind. At hearing the familiar voice, he blinked back the tears, faked a smile, and turned to look at him.
" Hey Man!" He said grinning. Jack threw him a friendly punch and said,
" Missed you at the match today, we won by the way."
" Ahh! I had no doubts. With the best football player on our side, we are sure to win." He scratched his head and said, " you know sport is not my thing. I was practicing with the boys for tomorrow's show at Felix Lunch. You're coming right?"
" I will if Karen agrees to come with me," Jack said. When Julian heard Karen's name, he felt a twinge of sorrow but he immediately shove it in and smile.
" Sure"
" I'm so blessed to have Karen in my life. I don't know what I will do without her." Jack said.
" Yeah, she is a sweetheart," Julian said with a smile, hiding the hurt he feels inside.
" Thanks, Man, I won't have been able to date her without your help," Jack said and patted Julian's shoulder.
" Come on man, what are friends for? You know I'm ready to do anything for you. You're like the brother I never had." Julian said.
" I'm heading home, do you need a ride? My driver would drop you at your house..."
" No! I mean there is no need for that. My driver will be here to pick me up anytime soon." Said Julian.
Julian has always turned down Jack's offers to take him home or visit him at his house. Whenever Jack brought up the issue of going to his house, Julian will always gives him an excuse. He wondered why.
" Okay. See you tomorrow then." Jack said
" Sure Man." They gave each other slapping handshakes before Jack left. After Jack had walked off a distance, Julian let the tears he has been holding back flow freely down his cheeks. A can of chilled Fanta is all I need to calm myself. He thought as he walked slowly towards the school cafeteria.
At the cafeteria, Bee and Sam sat opposite each other sipping on their drinks and munching on their snacks.
" That's the third bottle of coke you're drinking, after this, no more drink or snack for you. You've had enough for today." Bee said frowning slightly.
" But Bee, I am not full yet. I need more" Sam said as he took another bite of his snack.
" What do you mean you're not full yet? You won't have another period." Bee said firmly. Sam looked at her and grumbled.
" Do you have plans tomorrow?" Bee asked.
" No. But why did you ask?" Asked Sam.
" Well, I will be free tomorrow, my mum will be going out and my younger brother will be going on a day camp at his school, so, I was thinking if we could study together at my place. It's better to start reading early." Bee said.
Sam frowned and said,
" No. Can't we do something fun like watching a movie while munching on snacks rather than studying? It's boring"
" No, it's not."
" It is!"
" It's not..."
" Will you guys stop arguing already? You're disturbing the peace of this place." A voice spoke from behind them. Bee turned to look at the person that had spoken. She saw Julian, seated on a stool with a bottle of Fanta in hand. He wore an earpiece.
" How can you possibly hear us when you're wearing an earpiece? Huh." Sam asked facing him completely. He never liked Julian, not because he is friends with Karen but because he used to bully him back in SS 2. He calls him a wizard and Karen a Witch. Both of them made life difficult for him last year.
" If it is not the fatty who would eat whatever he could find," Julian said mockingly.
" How dare you call me fat?" Sam said annoyed he stood up and wanted to attack Julian but Bee held him back.
" He is not worth it. Let's go" Bee said and she carried their bags. They were about to walk out when Julian spoke.
" You are Bee Foster right, the new girl in SS3, science class?
" Yeah. I am and so" Bee said.
" You're too pretty to be dating this loser, you should go for someone better like me," Julian said grinning widely.
" She is not my girlfriend and not everyone is a spoilt brat like you," Sam said. Sam's words, surprised Julian. The Samuel Adewale he knows was not this confident. What changed?
" I see the fatty had developed balls." Said Julian.
" He has a name, and it is Samuel. And it is a good thing he doesn't think with his balls all the time." Bee said and walked out with Sam by her side.
" This Bee Foster girl is quite bold and fearless. I will love to get to know her more." Julian muttered and took a sip of his drink.