Thirty six

"What happened? What did she do?"

"Well, nothing wrong actually, it's just...." He sighed again."You know what? Let's talk about this on our way home. Ms Miller doesn't like small talks in her class."

"Okay." I nodded.

****

The school bell rang, finally we were going home. We had other classes after the music class and they were tiring. I had taken my phone from Ms Miller after music class.

Although I sat right next to Casey through the other classes, she didn't talk to me. I should be happy about it because finally she wasn't all friendly around me but I wasn't. She was acting like I wasn't there and I swear I enjoyed the less talks but I still felt bad.

"Julie," I heard Nick when I was putting some of my books in my locker.

"What?" I stood up from squatting and faced him.

"We are leaving now," He said.

"So?"

"You don't wanna come with?"

"Please," I scoffed."I know the way home now so thanks."

"Good for you and good for me, at least now I don't have to deal with you around my friends." He smirked and walked past me towards the school door. My eyes followed him and I saw his friends waiting there for him, Uche was also waiting.

Uche! He was supposed to tell me about Casey as we went home and even if not that, I wanted to go home with him. Nick got to them and they started to leave through the door, everyone except Uche. He was talking to Nick and looking at me, he was probably asking if I wasn't coming.

I squatted down again and shoved my books in my locker hurriedly and stood back up so I could meet them but I saw Casey after I stood up.

"Heyyyy," I dragged because I wasn't expecting to see her there. I was actually planning to keep my books and leave before she came to keep hers but Nick showed up.

Casey looked away, showing me to my face that she didn't want to see me but i know she was just being dramatic. I was dramatic sometimes too.

"I'm sorry," I started. I was gonna apologize even though I didn't generally think I was wrong but to make her feel better, I guess. I don't want to feel like a bad person like I've been feeling since I said we weren't friends.

"Casey, I said I'm sorry." I repeated after she said nothing.

"What are you sorry about, it's fine, you don't have to apologize. You were being honest, I get it. We are not friends. I don't have any friends, I don't even know what I was expecting, you are just like the others and it makes it worst that Nick's your cousin." She said while trying to stop tears from falling down her cheeks with the back of her palm occasionally.

"Casey...."

"No, I get it. I'm stupid for thinking you are different." She sniffed, wiping another tear."You actually are, you are different. At least, you don't wanna be friends with me or anybody, the others just hate me..." She sniffed again."They just hate me for no reason."

"...." I didn't even know what to say. I have never had anyone pour out their feelings with tears in their eyes like what she was doing. I felt tears welling up in mine so I looked away and blinked repeatedly to stop them.

"Do you need a hug?" I just asked.

'What on earth are you doing?!!!' I asked myself in my head. Does she need a hug?!! I hated hugs, except they were from my mum or my aunt, which was only acceptable because we'll... she's my aunt.

She stopped crying and looked at me with surprise, some tears still in her eyes. I was about to rephrase my statement when she put her arms around me and hugged me.

....At least she smelt good, maybe asking if she wanted a hug was not stupid of me. I hugged her back and felt her arms tighten around me.

"Too tight!" I told her and she relieved me of the hug.

"Sorry." She smiled with some tears still in those eyes but whatever, I was happy she wasn't sulking anymore.

"Here." I held out my face towel to her.

'Okay Julie, what the hell are you doing?!!' It was my inner self again. 'It's no bad,' I tried convincing myself; 'It's not bad, Uche lent me his too.'

'...but that's Uche!' My inner self yelled at me.

I was about to withdraw my hand when she took the face towel, wiping her teary eyes with it.

Hold on..... Uche! I turned back and he wasn't there anymore, he had left. He had left with Nick. Oh no, whyyy?! I took deep breath to calm myself down before turning back to Casey so I didn't transfer any bad feelings.

"I have to go." I told her and started towards the door, hurrying in my footsteps.

"Julie, your..." I knew what she wanted to say but I couldn't go back or else Uche would have probably gone farther. I hurried on outside the school towards home.

I was still walking fast when the thought hit me. What if they didn't go in this direction? What if they didn't head home but rather to Kim's or one of those places they usually went as a group.

I started to run now, maybe I could catch up with them if they were headed home like I was. I got to a junction and stopped. I started to contemplate with myself on the direction.

'Left or right?' I asked myself while panting from the running I've been doing. After a short while, I decided to go left and as I headed in that direction, I realized I was right because I could see them from where I was but it seemed to be just Nick and Uche now.

"Uche!" I called while running towards them. I saw him stop and turn around. He heard me? He heard me, yes! Damn, he had sharp ears. I knew it was him because he was taller between the both of them.

He stood waiting as I approached them now, no longer running but panting and trying to catch my breath. Nick had turned around now and after some seconds, I saw him turn and continue to go forward.

"Come on, let's go. Are you waiting for her?" I heard Nick tell, I was closer now and so could hear him. Uche didn't budge from where he stood with his hands in his pocket and it made me happy as hell that he didn't.

When I got to him, I stopped and bent, leaning on my knees as I breathed heavily. When I looked up to see him, he was smiling, smiling like he very much enjoyed how I was breathing.

****

Heyy, it's your author geni. Please note that everything written here is nothing but fiction.Please vote as you read, comment your thoughts and don't forget to leave a review, I am very open to constructive criticism. I'm on all socials as @genika3na.