Two ways

Mona climbed off the bus and led her legs to her house which was streets away from Daliy's bus station. Well, she was prepared to walk because when she gets home, she'd be meeting her parents and would be questioned about her mood and why she came home late.

Her thoughts were mixed as she walked away from the middle of the road, the thought of the road brought Mr Ken to her mind. Wait. . .why hasn't she been having Mr Ken on her mind these days? He was always occupying so much space in her mind but now, he occupied a little only when she sees him.

She laughed when she recalled how audacious she was asking for his phone number that Saturday she bumped into him. She stared at her legs as friction took place between her legs and the ground. Her thoughts weren't on how friction was taking place but on the crazy moments she shared with Mr Ken, her mood felt treated when she recalled him. Seems her crush on him hasn't expired.

Mona's pace in walking as her legs shared a few kilometres apart as she moved them one by one, she beheld a leg placed on her way but she had increased her pace and her brain had acted upon it before she could discard her movement. She looked up at her enemy and tripped but he took her hand and brought her to her feet in one move.

Mona straightened her braids and, "huff," she settled her gaze on the figure that was resting on the wall busy with his phone.

"I never knew you hated me this much Mr Ken," She ran her hands on her long braids. Mr Ken scoffed.

"You hate yourself more Miss Mona Sanchez. Well, I didn't know you were the one coming my way," he confessed. She gasped.

"You mean this was planned for someone else? So, Mr Ken can also be a bad person. Totally out of my expectations." She stated. The man eyed her and stood straight.

"Everyone is bad Mona" his words reminded her of her friend. Her facial expression changed. He continued. "The time is 8:36 pm and that is when Miss Mona Sanchez arrived home." He jerked her out of her thoughts.

"Yes, I know," she sounded depressed about it. "I went somewhere. If you want to know more why don't you follow me home? My parents will be happy to know you are my mathematics teacher." She needed an excuse for coming late.

Mr Ken knew she wanted to use him. "And why would I do so?"

"Because. . . because," she kept thinking of a reason. "Mr Ken is my friend." She said.

Mr Ken's brows hung up in confusion. "When did we become friends, Miss Mona?"

"Now,"

"Well, I don't consider you to be my friend. I am your teacher."

"To be honest Mr Ken, I don't see you as my teacher."

"But you still call me Mr Ken."

"Because the name suits you well, Kenny." Mona laughed. "I'm sorry" she stopped laughing when she saw his stern face.

"Well, you have made me upset so I'm not following you home." He turned away to enter his house. Mona now realized that they were actually in front of his house.

"But I said sorry. Don't you want to know where I went to?"

"I'm not interested!" He waved at her.

"Kenny!" She shook her head and corrected herself. "Mr Ken!" She saw him enter his house.

Mona took her phone and texted him. "Please Mr Ken," she sent to him.

The man standing behind his gate groaned, why can't he refuse her now? "Why do I feel you are using me instead of inviting me?" He startled her. Mona jumped out of her thoughts and went to stand in the same line he was. He had come out of the gate to escort her home and maybe have dinner with her and her family.

"I'm sorry," was the only response she offered.

"Whatever." He led the way and she followed, with that. Her thoughts flew to what she'd do after having dinner, following gradually, her mind told her that tomorrow was another day with the same chapter. What will she do about Gina?

Surprisingly, she was tugged with much force forward. "It's getting late dummy," he teased her.

Mona didn't take his words as funny, she now took Gina's words as true when Mr Ken called her a dummy.

"Am I really that dumb?" She kind of muttered to herself.

"That's if you consider yourself dumb, are you?"

Mona shook her head. "You just called me a dummy and Gina also called me dumb. So I am dumb."

"Totally," he stunned her, she narrowed her gaze at him. When she met his eyes, he shrugged and she looked away. She walked away from him.

Kenny knew he had hurt her feelings so he increased his pace and stood next to her. "You know why you are dumb?" He asked. She looked at him and answered.

"Because I'm. . . I'm a sucker in maths,"

"Dummy." He called her again and she lifted her hand to hit him lazily but halted halfway as she recalled he was her teacher but as she said earlier, she didn't consider him to be her teacher. She let her hand down and looked away.

"Truth be told, you are dumb because you are too vulnerable. You are shameless." He stated. "Will you tell me why you answered the question I asked this morning wrongly?"

"You already know why, should I still explain?"

Mr Ken bit the skin inside of his lips. "A dummy sometimes, a brave dummy. So you told me you'll tell me where you went today."

"You said, you aren't interested."

"I am now."

"I went on a date with Derick," she smiled and frowned. "I broke his heart." She added.

"I expected that. What are you going to do about your stupid friend then?"

"I thought teachers don't curse."

"Right now, I'm your friend."

"Oh, Mr Ken." Mona shook her head. The man smiled secretly. "My friend isn't stupid, she's just afraid and expressing her frustration. When everything is okay, she'll be the friend she was to me." Mona smiled as she pictured when everything will be okay.

Kenny didn't know what to tell her to make her understand that Gina had no good thoughts about her or a good plan. He just pursed his lips and nodded. "I just pray you don't get hurt because of your thoughts about people." He uttered.

Mona turned to him but her feet met with a stone so she stumbled and fell. Mr Ken could help break her fall by pulling her hair.

And it hurt like damn! Mona was brought back to her feet after her scarp had passed through hell.

She massaged her head and glared at her mathematics teacher, No, Friend at the moment.

"That was the only way."

"That's a lie, Mr Francis once told me that there is more than a way to do things but you chose to punish me because I didn't accept your suggestion." She almost yelled at him.

Mr Ken laughed, "he was never wrong," he answered. "There were actually two ways. Letting you fall or saving you by pulling your hair." He pointed out

When she lost, she increased her pace away from him.