chapter 12

"I-, I don't know who to pick", he said unsure, his hands fidgeting nervously as he intertwined his fingers.

“Make up your mind”, I said , urging him.

“Calvin, we don't have all day”, said Mrs Jones, exhausted from our little antics.

“If you don't make up your mind I am going to choose for you”, she said.

Looking at us both, Calvin made up his mind. “I choose Kiana”, he said finally.

“I am so sorry”, he whispered to zoe.

I stood beside him smiling triumphantly, as if I just won a gold medal.

“Zoe can you please join Lina”, Mrs Jones said as she pointed to Lina's direction.

Feeling scorned, She picked up her bag and books, while giving me and Calvin a dirty look as she walked away towards Lina's desk.

Throughout the school day, Zoe refused to talk to me or even  acknowledge my presence. Even when we boarded the school bus to go home, I kept a seat for her in our usual position and when she entered the bus, she ignored my tapping on the seat and went to sit down with another group of friends.

This went on for about a week until Calvin and I went to her house to talk to her.

“What do you want”, she asked as she stood in the doorway to her room, blocking us from entering the room.

“We came to talk to you”, I said. “You've been ignoring us the past week, Why?”, I asked, folding my arms to seem more serious.

“Don't you guys remember”, she said as she turned her attention away from me towards Calvin turned to Calvin.

“Is it because of what happened during the lab period?", Calvin asked. Are you angry because of that?

“Ummm yeah!”, she retorted as she made a face while raising her hands up.

“I am sorry for that, I promise I will choose you next time”, he said.

“I am also sorry for picking him when I saw you did it first”, i said apologising.

Have you forgiven us, I said nervously.

“Yes”, she said.

Ohh thank God, phew, i hated you being mad at me, it made me sad throughout the week cause i had nobody to laugh at people with”, i said as i blew a sigh of relief. 

“And I am also sorry I got mad at you guys, guess I was feeling a certain way,maybe jealous that you chose each other ", she replied truthfully.

(Flashback ending, back to present…)

I think that was the last time we ever had a misunderstanding over a boy.

 

After my breakfast, I decided to go back to my routine of painting and working at the gallery in town.

I decided to avoid Alexandria completely and to not do anything to arouse suspicion.

At home, I dedicated my time to painting a piece that was ordered by Asher to commemorate his new apartment and also the end of their band's tour.

I locked myself for almost three days in an unused room that i converted to my personal painting room,

As I waited for the paint to dry, before I applied varnish, I decided to take a break by strolling around the garden by the corner of the compound.

I took in the fresh air and the sounds of birds chirping as I strolled. I bent down to admire and take in the scent of the trimmed tulips, as it wrapped its scent around me and I got lost in it.

Snapping me out of my trance was a low whisper saying, “has he done it yet?, i don't want to have to remind him, cause he would not like it then, I will not repeat myself”.

Through the corners of my eyes, I saw a dark shadow at the end of the garden facing the wall.

I already knew it was Alexandria. In my few weeks of being here, I noticed that  there were times when I would see him hiding to either make a call or 0ick up a phone call either.

Not wanting to eavesdrop any further, I slowly stood up from my position and walked backwards slowly, making sure to not make a sound.

I was almost at the door when I accidentally hit the door frame.

“Who’s that?. Who is there?” he asked again, his voice louder than before echoing.

I ran to my painting room as fast as my legs could carry me. Panting as I locked the door and slid to the ground, taking quick deep breaths.

“That was close, what would he have done if he saw it was me”, I said to myself as I regained my composure.

I stood up to check on my painting I left behind to dry, when a loud knock stopped me in my tracks.

My heart beating loudly, I prayed it wouldn't be Alexandria. The knocking was heard again, this time louder than the previous one.

“Please God, don't let it be him, I don't want to face him now”.

I held my breath, hoping he would turn away.

“Kiana, kiana, i know you're in there”, his voice called out loudly.

Open this door, I just want to talk to you. Slowly walking towards the door, I was almost at the door when I hesitated.

“You don't want to ruin your good mood, do you?”, I asked myself. 

‘You know he is only here to ask you about the conversation you heard in the garden, what if it goes wrong like the last conversation you two had.

Not wanting to waste my time and breath on him, I decided to ignore his calls for me to open the door.

“I know you're ignoring me, don't make me break this door to get you to talk to me”, he continued.

“For the love of God, just open this door”, he said pleading.

“Okay since you've made up your mind to not open the door” he said a few minutes later. “Could you at least tell me what part of the conversation you heard”.

In a loud stern voice that sent shivers down my spine and also shook my core, he shouted, “Open this door now”.