KEILANI
I am reminiscing on dad's warning before leaving the house, and guilt grips me. I should have walked away when I had the chance. I don't need to get close to anyone. I am horrible when it comes to choosing the best of friends. I will end up choosing someone like Celestia.
A hand nudges me hard, making me stagger. I look forward to seeing it is Kailea and I draw her back, but Amoris hit my hand off hers.
"Touch her again, and I will do more than slap your hand off hers", she mimics me, referring to the incident at the diner, and she stands waiting for a comeback.
For today, I will ignore them. If anything, I want to lay low for today. Bury my head in the negative words of dad and the silence of mum and the pitiful and helpless stare of Cyril. So I do what I should have done yesterday, I walk away.
A hand pulls me back, and a huge boy stands before me. I walk to the side and look up to see Eric holding unto his girlfriends hand as they stare intensely at each other.
Everyone gasps and begins to whisper, I am surprised Eric took my side over his best friend/ girlfriend. I swirl and notice everyone in the hallway staring at us. Celestia is in front of her locker looking at me. My heart aches, knowing she didn't stand up for me and never will.
She is definitely winning best friend of the year.
"Enough Eric" I hold his hand and stare at him, and he stares into my tired eyes, and a weak smile appears on his lip.
"Are you really going to side church girl? Are you really siding this bastard?" she yells at the top of her lungs, and my grip on my bag tightens as I try to keep my cool.
"Thank you" I spurn and walk away before things escalate.
"Come on, walk away you bitch. Are you done ruining your best friend's life? You jinx" she tries to get a reaction from me but she is not getting it today.
I halt and look at Celestia and she lowers her head not saying a word to defend me. I chuckle and continue walking. So much for having a best-friend.
"Or you didn't know" she tries harder, trying to provoke me and if I am been honest it is working.
"Stop it" Eric urges and I halt.
"Ever since Keilani knew Celestia, things haven't been moving well for her. It is like knowing you brought her bad luck-"
"Amoris!" Eric warns and she laughs mockingly.
"Stay away from her Eric or your dads clothing line will collapse" she warns and I grit and I feel heat radiate from me.
I take a step forward and her next words stop me.
"Her little brother is autistic and is home schooled because her family is ashamed of him. Do you want to be with such a girl-"
My body vibrate in anger as I tighten my fist. I spurn and walk straight to her, ready to beat her to a pulp for involving my family into this. I raise my hand to slap her and Eric holds my hand and throws it away aggressively. I widen my eyes in shock. I chuckle.
What was I expecting? Did I really think he will take my side…..again? I actually feel stupid for thinking he was a friend. He only came to me during lunch breaks day yesterday and the day before that just to mock me. Why was I stupid? Eric Khan is just like his friends, they are trouble makers and bad news. I need to remember that when next he comes to me whenever boredom hits him or when Ethan tries to help.
Aisha stands in front of me and give me a mocking smirk, "What did you think? Did you really think anyone will want to befriend someone like you?"
"Come on now. You are smarter than that-" the bell rings for assembly and she nudges my shoulder and walk away.
I stagger and I stare at the tiles as my chest heaves while I try to calm my nerves. Kailea and Amoris nudge my shoulder too and I almost fall but I gain my balance before embarrassing myself. I lock eyes with Eric and he is sad and remorseful. He opens his mouth to speak but stops himself and walks out.
Everyone leaves just I and Ethan in the hallway. I stand up and spurn to leave before he pulls me back and I push him off me.
I was stupid enough to get close yesterday. He got his revenge for the words I said or did to offend him yesterday or is it for the previous times we must have butt head. I specifically said call my mum...not him. Dad raved in anger and there is no words he didn't spit out. I don't know which is worse, my dad's silence or his poisonous words that always cut through my heart and causes chest pain.
Dad accused me of spending time with a boy when I should have been studying- slut. He said I'd grow up to be just like my mum- wayward. He didn't have to say it, but his eyes did when he said I'd grow to be wayward, and his eyes landed on mum or when he said I would be a thorn in their flesh. He also said I am ungrateful and not worthy of his love. That stung seeing as everything I do is to hear my father say he is proud of me. Maybe I am not doing it the right way. I will try harder and harder. At least, I will settle for a smile.
"How are you?" Ethan asks worry lace in his voice.
"Do you care? I said call mu-"
"Atleast a parent came over. Isn't that enough? You don't have to be a bitch about it or be ungrateful" those words cause my chest to seize and I had to take deep breaths as I nod.
"Yeah you are right. Sorry for been ungrateful. I should have brought a bouquet as thank you for yest-"
"It is not that" his voice slowly becomes hostile.
"Then what is it?" I scream at the top of my lungs
"This was a mistake. I should have left you to die" he nudge my shoulder and walk away and I have to bite my lips to stop tears from flowing freely.
I take deep breath to gather my thoughts before strolling to the assembly ground.
~
I carry my tray in my hands and sit on my regular sit. I clean the spoon with the tissue wrapped around the cutleries. I use the fork to take spaghetti and eat it.
"Can I?" a dark skin boy who looks awfully familiar asks politely and I look around to be sure it is me he is referring to.
Now I know why he looks familiar, he is my classmate. He laughs and I look up at him. He is tall, has beards, on glasses, dimple, neatly dressed.
"Sure" he sits and curtly nods.
"I have been scared to approach you because you are always with Celestia" he stops eating and stares at me nervously and I chuckle.
"I understand" I shake my head.
"I am Noah." He stretch out his hands and I shake it.
I hear shouts and screams. I look sideways and see a crowd with Eric and one of our class mate at the middle. Eric holds him by the shirt and the other persons white is stained with his blood. The whole school gathers. Ethan drags Eric while Isah is holding the other guy. Noah stands up to interfere and I hold him back and I promise his body thrum in what I think is anger. He pulls my hand away from his lightly and runs to the crowd.
I stand up and race after him. Noah pushes himself through the crowd and I do same. When Noah gets close to Eric he pushes Eric away from the guy he is fighting and Noah punch Eric on the mouth twice. Ethan pulls Eric behind him and push Noah backwards, defending his friend. Kailea draws Ethan back begging him not to interfere. Noah glance back at his friend who is completely drained of strength and is badly injured. His vein pops out of his skin and his dark skin turns red and I can tell he is livid. Noah runs to Eric in anger and Ethan punch him to the ground. I run to where Noah is, I kneel before him and stand him up.
I spurn and look Ethan dead in the eyes. The opportunity I have waited for is right before me and I don't plan to misuse it. I don't know why but the sight of him provokes me, he brings out the worst of me. Why hit a guy who is trying to protect his friend? He should let Eric and Noah fight it out since Eric is super strong.
I pull Ethan by the shirt and raise my hand to slap him, a hand holds it before it can hit Ethan, I look up and see a provoked Eric. He slaps me hard. The whole school gasps, I touch the spot I was slapped. I am shocked to the bones. My cheek burns like lava is thrown at it. Is this what it feels like to be slapped? I hear shouts, I look up but I don't see any reason for the shout. I look at the ground and notice Ethan straddling around Eric, punching him with all he has.
Is he helping me?
"Shit!" Isah curse under his breath as he race past me and pull Ethan away from Eric.
Isah pulls Ethan away from Eric, Ethan struggles to break free and finish what he started. I see the intent to murder in his eyes. Isah drags him away from the diner. Noah race to meet Eric but I hold him back. Noah widens his eyes as his eyes meet mine. He looks flabbergasted that I stopped him. Noah touches my cheeks with both hands and looks at me admirably. He is grateful I stood up for him. He turns my neck a bit to look at the spot I was slapped and his happy face turns sad. He races to meet him again and I pull him back and hold unto his hands which are trembling at this point. His angry expression softens and I let go of him.
"Your friend?" I remind him, and he races to meet him, realization just dawn on him.
I follow suit and race after him. Noah's friend is clothed in his own blood and is weak. We stand him up, I place his right hand on my shoulder, and his left on Noah's shoulder, and we carry him to the infirmary.
~
I enter into the house and greet mum and walk straight to the stairs to avoid being called back and mum seeing the fingerprint on my face.
"Lani honey! Come and talk to umakhulu" Mum speaks to me, and I halt and take a deep breath.
I sluggishly spurn and walk to my mum. I sit beside her and see my mum talking to her mum through whatsapp. Mum's apple laptop on the center table, her gaze is on her mum.
"Good evening, Umakhulu" I greet, and Mum chuckles and turns her face to stare at me.
"Mandisa!" She hurls, and I close my eyes because I know she is livid.
She calls me by South African name only when she is pissed.
"What happened, Zola?" grandmother asks
"Someone raise their accursed hands on my daughter" Mum twists my neck and pushes me closer to the screen to show my grandmother.
Grand ma squeezes her face and grabs her phone from the table, and dials a number. Grand-ma doesn't say a word, and she doesn't care who started the fight. All she cares about is making the person pay.
Mum lets go of me and looks intensely at me, waiting for an explanation. I dare not keep quiet, or she will beat me to a pulp and still get the truth out of me. I take a deep breath and explain everything to my mum. Mum is silent and just looks at me, observing my every move.
"Don't tell me to keep calm. Some guy laid his hand on my only grand-daughter and you want me to keep calm- I want him expelled or I will lock him up for the rest of his life... Is that my daughter?....Give her the phone...…Tracy...who did you say hit you?" Grandmother asks me as her angry face stares at me
"Eric Khan" I reply.
"You heard her...…do something or so help me God, he will spend his whole life in prison and I will ensure I wreck his family and make them penniless...….just imagine ooo.....he even left his prints on my Mandisa's face...…her pretty face...…..no, I am coming to Nigeria...….there is a need. If your dad hears of this, your mother in law is in trouble...…..fine call me tomorrow and keep me updated" she hangs up and sit back on the chair and sighs
"Mum calls the commissioner of police and tells him to send his boys to accompany me to the school tomorrow. I will make sure they flog him in front of the school to make sure no one lays their hand on my Mandisa ever again" she seeth, her eyes not leaving my cheeks.
Grandmother grins, happy my mum took after her and is not willing to let this slide. Grand-ma stands up and grabs her phone and moves far away from sight. I am so scared to look my mum in the eyes. I have never seen her this angry. Her face is emotionless, so it is hard to tell her emotions.
"Stand up and get ready to go to church. Put make-up on that spot and come downstairs and eat before you leave" she orders, and I didn't hesitate to stand up.
I stand up and walk to the stairs. I didn't bother to convince my mum not to create a scene because I know she won't listen. If there are people she doesn't mess with, it is I and Cyril. My thought diverts to Ethan. He didn't have to hit Eric for my sake after our encounter earlier, yet he did. Why did he do that? Why have you been nice to me? We don't dislike each other.
Tomorrow is going to be bloody.