Drunk or Sober?

Hey guys!

Apologies for the delay of this chapter, it's been hectic typing, schooling, reading and being the normal teenage human, so please bear with my delays and amateurism.

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Mr. Mark was seated behind the steering, sipping coffee and slurping the tea, patiently he waited as we walked from the administrative block to the car.

James lazily strolled inside the car, followed by Anna; lurching slowly towards the passenger seat, hurriedly I jumped inside the car, slacking on the seat beside James.

Mr. Mark quaffed his tea, and drove the car outside the school.

***

"Long day." Anna stated, pulling off her shoe from her foot.

"Indeed," I said hanging my towel on my shoulder "See you after shower."

I vanished behind the bathroom door, lying tirelessly in the water-filled bath tub, meditating about school in Rolls College; I smiled, pouring a bubble bath all over my porous sponge.

***

Anna was lying faced down on my bed when I climbed back the stairs from responding to Mrs. Kendra, closed the door slowly, walking up to her and climbing atop her back, gently massaging her shoulders.

"Mmm" Anna slightly heaved a sigh.

"We'd be starting tomorrow you know" I said, falling on the bed.

"I'm really excited, was just thinking about it."

"Right" I wrapped my arms around Anna, sniffling on her neck.

"Henry" Mrs. Kendra knocked.

Quickly we disengaged, I ran to get the door.

"Here to get your laundry," Mrs. Kendra said "And, umm, have you seen Anna?" She continued.

"Anna's in here" I said, widely opening the door as she walked in.

"Anna where's your laundry" She stopped in front of Anna.

"Did you check my room?" Anna asked with an evident note of sarcasm.

"Yes I did"

"Well, they are in the basket beside my bed, check again" Anna responded, arrogantly rolling her eyeballs.

Mrs. Kendra picked up my laundry and sauntered away.

"So close" Anna said, exhaling deeply.

"What kind of limited relationship is this?" I mumbled rhetorically, dropping carelessly to the bed.

"I know, it's erm... there's nothing we can do" Anna shrugged.

"I should be with my girlfriend whenever, anytime, what's the need of restrictions in a relationship, what's the point" I croaked.

"Don't talk about it, please" Anna said, her voice wavering.

"No, let's not reason rationally, no sentiments, this relationship is leading to nowhere, we won't get married like normal people, we won't have kids like a normal couple, now how's that a good futuristic plan, huh?"

I didn't get any response, my eyes on the ground was now darted to Anna's face; tears rolled down her checks, profusely!

"Don't get me wrong Anna," I pulled closely to her "I love you, I really do but..."

Anna covered my hands in hers, rubbing them gently.

"D'you plan to leave me Henry? Do you plan to?" she sobbed.

"I love you Anna," slowly I tilted my face away from her gaze "but I want to raise a family, like my father, your father, our fore-fathers, that's all I wish for" I paused to look at her "But I can't succeed with you, and you know it "

"We don't need kids Henry" Anna mouthed "Our love is enough."

"An inexpressible love?" I asked "What do you think our families would say when they find out, 'cause they definitely would, we can't hide it from them forever"

"So you did plan leaving me?" Anna asked, wiping out tears with her thumb from her face.

"I haven't thought about that, yet."

"Do you love me Henry?" Anna asked, placing her hands on my shoulder.

"Of course I do, mind you this has nothing to do with love" I retorted.

"What d'you mean, it has everything to do with love, our love is only what we got Henry"

I heaved quietly.

"Now Henry, promise me you'd never leave me, swear to me Henry" Anna continued.

In a flash, I turned to her, seeing the passion in her eyes, I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out.

"Tell me now Henry, please" Anna quietly said.

Tears formed in my eyes, I became vexed at the realization of my initial plans, Anna loved me and I thought of leaving her,  my cheeks created a passage for tears to freely flow.

"I can't promise you that Anna, I'm sorry" I blurted out amid tears.

"Then end the relationship now Henry, go ahead and make a choice Hen."

"I can't do that Anna, I don't want to hurt you."

"Then what do you want to do for goodness sake Henry, you mustn't be this confused all the time, make a decision for once in your frigging life!" Anna yelled, cleaning tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry" Anna took her hands from my shoulder. "I'm really sorry Henry, this was a big mistake in the first place" Anna said, standing up to leave.

Swiftly I grabbed her hand, pulling her back.

"I cross my heart to ne'er leave you Anna, I'd always love you till the death of me" I declared, dragging Anna closer to me as she snuggled up to me, resting her head on my shoulder and sobbing.

"Till death does us apart" Anna whispered, kissing me enthusiastically.

***

THE NEXT DAY

Anna hurled her key to me, rushing inside the car

"I really don't want to drive, I don't" I said, sitting behind the steering wheel

"Well you have to." Anna said, closing the door to the passenger's seat. "First day at school eh"

"Yeah, feels 'gooood'" I said.

"Yup, guess what Henry" Anna said, burying her hands under my shirt.

"I'm driving" I curtly said.

"Well that's wrong" Anna exhumed her hand from my shirt. "I'm not supposed to tell you so you never heard this from me, geddit?"

"So you are not going to say it?"

"Dad's gifting you a car on Saturday" Anna said, giggling childishly.

"Oh, that's cool"

"Dude, you're getting a car, your car nigger" Anna said, slightly nudging me with her elbow.

"You said it literally thirty seconds ago."

"You don't seem excited 'bout it."

"I am but you ruined the surprise" I mumbled, steering to the right.

"You knew?"

"Of course not, but how do I feign surprise when he tells me?" I sighed.

"Oh! That's true, should have thought of that" Anna said, quietly.

"Yeah you should have" I heaved.

"Are you mad at me?"

"No, why should I be?"

"I don't know, you acting unusually awkward this morning."

"Nah I'm not, I'm just saying you should be able to keep secrets, that's all"

"Yeah, that" Anna said, injecting an earpiece in her ears.

I drove quietly to school, parking the car in the lot and walking to class.

"Hey" I gently tapped Anna.

Slowly she turned, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Was sup with you?"

"What d'you mean?"

"You've been so cold."

"No I've not"

"You have, what's going on Ann?" I asked.

"Nothing Henry, I'm fine darling."

"Sure?"

"By all odds" Anna said, stuffing leaflets in her back-pack "See you after recess" Anna hung her bag on her shoulders strolling out of class.

In eager speed I scribbled down the remaining notes and dug them in my bag, jolting to my locker.

Immediately I banged the locker, I ambled out without a heading, shaking my head slowly to the somnific rhythm of Kyle Hume's If I Would Have Known when I strolled past Anna who had her hand wrapped in Lucas' , Lucas' a white fine-looking teenage boy that has been the talk of the school since I arrived hours ago.

His blonde, wavy hair danced to the melody of the breeze as he giggled with Anna who chuckled.

Anger and jealousy ran through my veins, I did very well resisting the urge to confront them from the distance where I surreptitiously spied on them, glaring at Anna and Lucas, they disappeared from my sight, slowly and distressingly I walked back to class, dragging my feet along.

Class was empty except for a white girl who had her face buried in the pages of a biology text book, carelessly I stumbled to my seat, soliloquizing.

"Hey" The white girl shouted, glaring at me with so much stern.

"Hey" I replied, forcing a smile.

"I'm tryna study, keep it down" She said.

"Sorry, just thinking out loud" I stupidly blurted out.

"Well, try not to" She finally said, letting the book swallow her face again.

I nodded continually.

"Hey, 'cuse me" I said, snapping my fingers at her direction.

She turned towards me, lifting her eyebrows.

"Weird question but have you ever been heartbroken, cheated on before?" I asked, wrinkling my face as I anticipated her response.

"Yeah, why?"

"Nothing really, I kinda need counsel, stuff like that."

She quietly chortled.

"You think you'd get it from me?" She amiably smiled now.

"Yeah, maybe, I think"

"Hmm, what d'you wanna know?" She asked, walking up to me, sitting on Anna's seat.

"How d'you handle the situation?"

"Personally, I just pretended like I had gotten over it, basically creating an impression that I had moved on"

"And what does that do, of what use?" I asked.

"I don't know, if you move on quickly after a break-up then you are definitely in control"

"Control of what?"

"Well, girls do love attention like really love being cared for and would get really mad if they don't get it..."

"Generally" I muttered.

"Girls specifically, how would you understand, you are a boy after all"

"Same thing, we've got the same feelings, the same emotions you know" I said, casting my eyes downwards.

"Hmm, believe me when I say attention matters to girls more"

"What about the attention not being reciprocated, huh, who gets hurt at the end?"

"You know we are different species right, and basically delicate, delicate in the sense that very minor stuff, attitude generally matter to us" She said, heaving a slight sigh.

"Indeed, so your name is?"

"I'm Evie, you?

"Henry, Henry Jamike"

"Jamike," Evie chuckled "Odd"

"It's not, I'm Nigerian"

"Oh, Africa, cool then"

"Yeah, thanks"

"So, Jamike, who's the girl?"

"My girlfriend of course" I replied, laughing quietly.

"What did she do?"

"I'm uncertain, for now, but she's giving me some attitude"

"Humph! well that's not a break-up, at least for now right"

"I hope" I mumbled.

"She's a lucky bae"

"Lucky, what d'you mean?"

"To be your girlfriend I mean" Evie said, twisting my ringlets "These natural?"

"Yeah they are, yours?" I asked, stroking her long dark hair.

"Yes"

Anna walked in looking at Evie and I in somewhat astonishment, her jaws dropped and her eyes popped, she stood inanimately gazing at me.

"I love your ringlets by the way"

"Th-th-thanks," I said, forcing saliva down my throat. "You hair's awesome too" I concluded.

"Thanks, get that a lot, can I have your number Jamike?"

"Call me Henry" I said, breathing nervously.

"Oh, sorry"

Anna walked slowly towards Evie, tapping her gently on her shoulder.

"Hey, that's my seat" Anna said

"Sorry babe," Evie said, standing up "Let me give you mine Henry." Evie took out a piece of paper and scribbled down some numbers in it before handing it to me.

I smiled weakly, giving her a thumb up as she left. I could hear Anna's whimper from where she had placed her head on the desk, instantaneously I knew why at least I thought.

"Babe?" I unpacked her hair, and stroked it gently. "Are you okay?" I asked, she ignored me, "Who's the boy from the canteen?" I slowly asked.

Slowly Anna lifted up her head, wiping streaks of tears from her cheeks.

"What makes you think she'll love you better" Anna whimpered.

"Oh my! It's nothing like that darling"

"Please cut off those English hypocritical phrases, you're fraud Henry" Anna sobbed.

"Who's he?" I asked again.

"He's a friend okay, a friend period" Anna shouted, snatching her hair band from me.

"You misunderstood everything babe, she's not even a friend, she's not even an acquaintance okay, Evie is just in our class and we barely spoke..."

"I don't give a fuck Henry, you just make these things up and I know it, you're a player and we are done, done! You and I are done!" Anna sniffled and dropped her head back to the chair.

"Wow," There seemed to be momentary speech impairment "that was umm, quick, quick and surprising." Tears clustered my eyes as I jerked from my seat and raced out of the class.

ANNA'S POV

What I said about ending our relationship was capricious and irrational, it wasn't what I wanted Heavens knows, but I was overwhelmed with impulse, I was hurting and my actions were governed by a malfunctioning mind, impulsively I walked to 'Evie'.

"Hey." I clenched my fists on her desk.

"'Sup." She smiled.

My expression was stern.

"What's this thing with you and Henry?" I blurted out, carelessly.

"Oh Jamike? He came to me saying blah blah blah, his girlfriend broke up with him and all that, though we talked it over and after that he asked me to be his girlfriend, and I agreed, he seemed desperate," Evie shuddered, "Only because he was desperate" She said.

"He asked you to be his girlfriend?" I clenched my fists tighter.

"Yep" Evie replied.

Impetuously, I slapped the book from her hand fighting back tears that despairingly wanted to flow, my legs twitched, shuddered, shivered and raced, raced from the class in search of Henry.

 But he wasn't anywhere in the school, the canteen, the field, James' class, in any of the million and one blocks in the school, I searched and searched till the recess was over to no avail, sluggishly and despairingly I took one step after another heading back to my class.

Shattered and broken I walked I slept off, woken by the blaring dismissal bell, unhurridely I hung my backpack on my back, tottering to my car.

"Anna! hey, hol' up" Lucas jogged up to me.

"Hey, Lucas" I said, forcing a smile.

"'sup, didn't see you during recess."

"Sorry about that, a lot was on my mind."

Lucas smiled, stroking his backpack handle

"So I was wondering if we could hang out some time, you and I." Lucas smiled.

"Nope, I've got plans." I lied.

"Oh you do? What sort of plans?." Lucas asked.

"I have a date."

"Oh!"  Lucas gasped "You have a date, good to know you do" Lucas twisted some ringlets on his hair.

"Yeah" I said, walking into my car.

"What about some other time? maybe next week?" 

"Talk to you later dude" I briskly said, igniting the car.

Lucas shouldn't be treated that way, from anybody at all, he's a darling, his alluring face and enticing voice, his physique though not so masculine but beautiful, no built muscles on his arms, in fact no muscles at all, not the typical personification of a 'jennie' but what kind of boy should have such pleasant voice and baby face, or the straight legs and hands, no Lucas is not my type.

I successfully drove inside my compound, carelessly parking my car in the garage and hurrying inside the house where my mother sat on the sofa in the living room, watching a television programme, deliberately I strolled past her.

"How was school today darling?" My mother asked, muting the television.

I ignored her and proceeded for the stairs, outside Henry's door I stopped, feeling every atom of anguish and anger, taking in every bit of the pain and trauma, hotheadedly I flung the door open and saw Henry lying carelessly on the bed.

"Henry, where have you been?" I asked.  

HENRY"S POV

"...we are done, done! You and I are done!"

Those words reverberated in my head, those words tormented me awfully, those words clouded my mind with utter confusion, terror and fear, the words replayed in my head as I washed my face in the school bathroom, cleaning and drying tears that soaked my cheeks, those words echoed as I staggered out of the school, misguidedly, walking lifelessly and aimlessly on the streets of Winter Park, my head seemed to be splitting and my eyes were heavy, I kept staggering, staggering till I walked into a bar.

***

Enigmatically everywhere got dark, tranquil, ultimately quiet, I was devoid of awareness and consciousness, mysteriously I appeared in front of my door How did I get here? I wondered, but it didn't matter, I flung the door open and slumped on the bed, my shirt reeked of alcohol, a lot of it, I took off my shirt and sprawled on the bed, I could not think, I could not process anything, I was in utmost confusion.

"Henry where have you been?" A distorted voice asked.

"Here" I wearily replied.

"Did you ask Evie to be your girlfriend Henry?" The voice asked again.

"Yes" I blurted out, smiling broadly.

I heard a thump on the floor, torpidly I tilted my head from where the bang came from, it was a girl, she was on her knees, shaking vehemently, her blurry face seemed to be wet.

What is she doing here? I asked, turning my head away and shutting my eyes.

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