Chapter 4

Henry and Jewel became close and closer by the weeks and those weeks turned into months. This sparked up rumours from every one, even seniors from other class but Jewel didn't care about that. She like Henry and she was so certain he likes her just as much, if not more.

They went home for the mid semester break and still kept in touch. Pearl stopped trying to persuade her sister against being friends with Henry. The girls of her class also find the same but Henrietta supported their relationship. Jewel was glad that she was allowed to be with the one she likes in peace. Even though they were not official yet.

Soon, they came back from the mid semester break and were placed in their respective classes. Henry and Jewel were no longer in the same class because of their various divisions. That did not stop them from seeing each other because they still saw each other during the free period or whenever it was time for sport and he doesn't feel like playing any sport.

One day during sport, Jewel walked past an empty class and saw Henry leaning by the window, obviously lost in thought. She walked in and spotted his sketch pad on the table.

"Hey," she called to him and he turned around to looked at her. Jewel didn't miss how his eyes brightened up when he saw that it was her.

"You are not going for sport today again?" She asked him, folding her hand and resting her weight on her right leg. He shook his head, leaning again the burglary proof of the window. .

"Nah. I don't feel like." He replied as his eyes were intently trained on her, taking in to her out fit. She was in her purple house sport gear, a black and purple sport bra and joggers.

Damn, she looks hot!

"Oh, okay." Jewel nodded, trying to act normal when all she was feeling was heat from being under his deep and intense gaze.

"I also want to write some books." She added after a moment of silence. Henry nodded and Jewel smiled, turning to go, only to be pulled back by Henry.

She gasped as she collided with his body, Henry's hands wrapping around her waist. Jewel breath caught in her throat as she was surprised at what was happening. She has never been so close to any guy and here she was, in the arms of Henry.

Henry has always wanted her like this, this close to him,feeling the heat radiate from her body to his. Was it to early to say he was crazy about her. It just first term after all. But he didn't care. He wanted her. Just as much as she wanted him.

Henry looked straight into her eyes, seeing uncertainty in them. Hw could feel her heart beating hard. His hands tightened around her waist and he felt her skin beneath his fingers, felt how her body was reacting to even his slightest touch.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his voice in hushed whispers that sent sweet shivers down Jewel's spine.

"Uhm.. I..." She stuttered, her voice quivering. Henry smirked, glad at the kind of effect he had on her. Just like she had on him. 

"I can literally feel your heart beating Jewel." He lowered his face closer her and her heart picked up the beat. He those his eye brows at her in question. She almost caused at him for acting oblivious to what he was clearly doing to her.

"I..." Jewel cleared her throat, pulling away from Henry grasp. Henry let her, but his eyes were still intently on hers.

"I should go. I'll see you later." With that, Jewel left the empty class room and made her way to her own class.

When she go there, she heaved a deep sigh before leaning her back against the wall. Her breathing was labored and ragged then she closed her eyes. She has never being held like that by a guy and it felt electrifying.

It felt good.

She saw the shadow hovering above her and she opened her eyes, looking up to see Henry looking at her, watching her with that intense gaze of his. She leaned further into the wall, unsure of what to do.

"Something happened in there and you felt it too." He stated withing mincing any words and Jewel looked on, not knowing what to say.

"Henry..." She muttered and her words caught in her throat when he moved closer. That irresistible smirk was playing on his lips and it really drawled Jewel in.

"You felt it too, didn't you?" He stated more than he asked and Jewel looked on, her lips parting involuntarily. He placed both his hands on either side of her, resting it on the wall and trapping her. He leaned closer till his breath began to fan her face. Jewel inhaled the sweet minty breath.

"I-I've n-never b-b-being t-thins c-close to a guy." Jewel stuttered.

"Really..." Henry drawled, leaning his head further in. Jewel's heart began to race. It looked like Henry wanted to kiss her and truth be told, she wanted to know how it felt.

But on school grounds?

Freaking out a little by this, Jewel swung her tiny hand and slapped Henry across the face. His face jerked side ways and he had a smirk on his lips when he looked back at her. Jewel was almost shaking as she didn't know how Henry would react.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that." She quickly apologized and Henry started chuckling.

"You are tensed. I can feel it." He simply said when his laughter subsided and Jewel nodded.

"I'm freaked out. I've never done this before." She stated and Henry nodded, in understanding.

"I understand that and it's okay." He started and she nodded. "But I also know you want me to kiss you. Your body is basically screaming it." His voice went a notch lower and huskier, it sent currents of shivers down her spine.

"I... What if someone sees us..." She trailed off, sighing as his lips brushed her nose softly.

"Don't worry, teachers are gone home and everyone is on the field." He replied, easing her tension.

" Just follow my lead." Henry whispered and she nodded like someone in a daze. Henry smiled and leaned further in, brushing his lips to hers every so softly. Jewel sighed and relaxed her body, parting her lips for him to kiss her. She still couldn't believe that she was having her first kiss.

This is really happening. She thought.

"What the hell do you think you are doing!" An angry voice rang through the air and Jewel instinctively pushed Henry away. They both turned and looked at who had shouted only to see a fuming Pearl.

*****

"What do you think you are doing!" Pearl screamed out, matching towards Jewel and Henry in rage. She was so furious you could see the fumes coming out of her ears and nose. Henry quickly stepped away from Jewel so that he won't get her into more trouble. But what Henry didn't know was that he was the one in trouble.

"Pearl I..." He started to explain but a resounding slap rang through the room, indicating that Pearl had slapped him. Her palms were basically imprinted there. Henry groaned, cussing under his breath.

"What the fuck..."

"Pearl!" Jewel shouted, trying to defend Henry but Pearl flashed her a glare.

"How Dare you!" She snapped at Henry before looming back at Jewel. "You better get to my room now before I descend on you." Jewel gave Henry a sympathetic look before she scurried away.

"Pearl, I didn't do anything." Henry defended and Pearl snorted in sarcasm.

"You think I am blind and that that I saw was nothing uhn?! After all my warnings, you still want against my will, trying to kiss my sister. Are you insane!" She snapped at him.

"It's not like I tried to force her or anything!" Henry countered. "We both wanted it."

"Oh shut up Henry. You are talking like I don't know you or your reputation in this school." Pearl retorted back, shutting Henry up abruptly.

"Now let me warn you. If you hurt my sister, I'd do more than a slap to you. I'll inflict worst pain on you. You fücking know what I am capable of so don't dare me at all." Pearl threatened and sashayed away, leaving Henry in the pool of his own jumbled thoughts.

*****

Henry got to the hostel with his ego bruised and walked towards his room. His room mates were present. It was Kayode that noticed Henry and first sighted his cheeks. He gasped dramatically, calling the attention of everyone's attention.

"Dude!" He exclaimed dramatically. "What happened to your cheek. It's swollen o." He added, watching has Henry plopped down on his bed. The other guys noticed as well. Henry hissed, hating the attention that Kayode had called to him.

"Guy, I'm fine. I just had a little accident." He replied, trying to downplay the entire situation. Ayomide scoffed and stood up from his bed to look at Henry.

"Abeg, stop lying to us. Abi we look like babies ni." Ayomide chided, looking at Henry skeptically. "What happened to you? Tell us na. We are your guys!" Ayomide added and Henry sighed, sitting up on his bed.

"Pearl happened." Was his simple reply. The guys looked at each other in utter confusion before looking back at him.

"Pearl, as in your ex girlfriend Pearl. Jewel's sister Pearl." Ademola spoke for the first time in a while and Henry shot him a glare at his very dumb statement.

"No oo, it's the Pearl from Crown lake academy." Henry replied with sarcasm laced in his voice. "Abeg, stop asking me jamb question." Henry snapped in annoyance.

"Sorry o. No vex." Ademola began to laugh at his expense. "Wait first. So, you and Pearl are back together that she kissed your cheeks so much it swelled up?" Ademola attempted another joke but this one didn't sell.

"Guy, that was fücking dry na." Kayode grimaced disapprovingly at Ademola who wouldn't stop laughing at his own dry joke.

"Dude, stop laughing. The joke didn't make any sense fa." Ayomide chided and Ademola stopped laughing for once. Henry kissed his teeth and plopped back down to his bed, laying on it as he stared at the ceiling of their room.

He really liked Jewel but things were getting in the way. The rumours, the numerous senior girls that liked him and wouldn't stop pestering him and the Pearl. He couldn't wait for Pearl to graduate. For now, he just wanted to focus on how much he liked Jewel and wanted to be with her.

Though, he needs to take it slow so as not to scare her away since she was pretty new at everything.

He did want to kiss her though.

"Now, you are thinking too much." Ayomide's voice sliced through Henry's reverie and he looked up to see that his friends were watching him intently.

"No jokes now and on a more serious note, what happened to your cheeks? What did Pearl do?" Ademola asked, more serious now.

"She slapped me." Henry revealed. He didn't miss the look of awe, mixed with shock and surprise on his friends face. Yes, it was quite a big deal that someone would slap Henry.

"Wawu! This one no be small thing oo." Kayode muttered in pidgin and Henry sighed, agreeing with Kayode.

"You guys haven't talking in like, how many months and she suddenly slaps you out of no where." Ayomide analyzed. "There must have been something you did." He added, looking at Henry skeptically. Henry exhaled again, getting ready to give the gist to his friends.

"She asked me to stay away from Jewel and I didn't. Today, Jewel and I were lost in the moment and she caught us. She got really angry and slapped me really hard." Henry explained briefly and the guys hummed in response.

"Why didn't you stay away from Jewel like she asked you too?" Ademola asked.

"Abi o. You sef, you like calling unnecessary wahala to yourself." Kayode stated and Henry scoffed. Instead of his friends to be supporting him, now they are chastising him.

"Guys, calm down and stop blaming the guy." Ayomide's chided them and they kept quiet then Ayomide faced a very conflicted Henry. "Henry, my guy, do you like Jewel?" He asked Henry who nodded in return.

"Yes, I really like her." Henry answered genuinely.

"Then it's settled then. All you need to do is wait for Pearl to graduate before you make your move, that way, you won't have to face her again." Ademola chipped in.

"I personally think this is a bad idea. Y'all should just stay friends." Kayode said and that earned him a knock from the guys. Henry smiled, appreciating his friends for their support and good advice.

Then he decided to heed to Ademola and Ayomide's advice.

But not until he gets his girl.