Chapter 9 ~Don't Break~

The days were becoming shorter, and they soon turned into weeks, making two months pass by, like a flash of light, it passed so quickly without Ariana even noticing. Thankfully, Ida and Efe had completed their senior high school, it was mostly that way, the West African Senior Secondary School Examination(WASSCE); taken by senior high final year students, it helped accessed them for their works, after three years of study, students had to take this exam in order to go to the university or further their education. This was same for the Junior high students, they had to take an examination to be able to go to senior high, the Basic Education Certificate Examination ( BECE ), there was this kind of feeling that was mostly common amongst these final year students, dread, anxiety, nervousness and above all uninterrupted excitement. It was a beautiful period of time, right at the corner of the white board, a girl started the countdown, with a black board marker in the right hand, Jessica scribbled the number of days left and circled it. It was a tradition most final year students did, it was the countdown, it made students want to work hard and be done once and for all, though it doesn't apply for everyone.

"Ah! What is that, who even sent you to write that. You are just wasting marker" Asantewaa, one of the lazy students in class complained, there was a scowl on her face as glared at Jessica, the latter stood there unsure of what to do.

" You are just making us all anxious and scared, don't you know some of us still have difficulties in understanding the whole syllabus " Another girl complained, she sat by Asantewaa, who was dramatically memorising the definition of isomers.

" Speak for yourselves, you only complain because you are not prepared, besides, I don't even see how writing the countdown at the corner of the board disrupts your studies" A boy named Simon defended Jessica, he was once Ariana's friend, they still talked,only if it was necessary, most of the students in the class nodded and mumbled in agreement. This made Asantewaa and her friend pissed, for they begun giving rude remarks, Ariana had decided to ignore the noise, she was solving a maths equation and had to explain the solution to Perry as soon as she got home, her attempts to concentrate failed and soon she got frustrated, taking in a deep breath she tried to concentrate again but the obnoxious voices of her mates was starting to irritate her, with a sharp snap of her head towards Asantewaa, she glared at her.

She mostly kept to herself but that didn't stop her from being sassy when it was necessary.

The class became quiet instantly, for her mates knew her too well, she looked kind and sweet most of the time, she was kind and sweet, sometimes childish, but those looks disappeared instantly when she got pissed, she looked almost intimidating, her mates never crossed her, they always tried to be on her good side, even Jessica the "queen bee" took in a sharp breath as she gripped the marker tighter in her hands.

" You do know some of us see how important it is for us to study hard for the exams, you can't just sit there and make unnecessary noise, then disrupt us from concentrating on important things" Ariana said boldly, Asantewaa shut her mouth looking at her book.

" If you really want to study just shut up and do it" She finally said, picking up the books she was using, she stomped out of the class, she wondered why she was so angry and frustrated, she knew it wasn't because of the noise her mates did, they always did it on daily basis, the fact that their final examination was knocking on their doors didn't stop them from making so much noise, giving out funny comments and playing around. She mostly left the class quietly to a much serene place, she was someone who felt really uncomfortable where there was so much noise.

She kicked a stone angrily, she was very much frustrated, frustrated with everything going on at home, her mother had came home one evening confronting her with questions, she confronted her about Perry and how she didn't want her daughter to be close with a boy, her mother didn't allow her go out at night, someone had told her Ariana and Perry were always together in the night, it infuriated her, how people couldn't mind their stupid business. Not to talk of Perry having issues with his parents, their strong grip was still on him, the anxiety that came with completing junior high was much stronger, she hadn't noticed she had so much bottled up in her, maybe it was because she always was with Perry and he always made her happy, made her forget all her worries, but now that they had to be cautious with their relationship, it made things more difficult, the only time they met, they only talked about school, like tonight, and it made her heart ache, he didn't even kiss her like he used to. She stopped in front of the library unsure of what to do, she didn't feel like studying anymore, she turned heading to class again, but decided against it, she wasn't ready for her mates, she felt she might break down any moment...

Ariana sat up on her bed hugging her knees, her head rested on her knees which were raised to her chest, she was waiting for Perry, he was going to knock on her window, the book they were going to use laid by her side, she jumped up when she heard a light tap on her window, she knew it was Perry, without wasting time, she grabbed her sweater and the book. She left the room, without caring if her mother saw her or not.

As she stepped out into the cold night, she felt overwhelmed, she wondered how not having Perry by her side made her so frustrated at everything, how so lonely she felt, it felt surreal.

"Hey, were you able to solve the questions?"

Not sure why, but the question made her even more frustrated, she dropped the book on the veranda, she wore her sweater without replying, Perry quickly sat down on the cold tiled floor flipping through the note book, he loved Ariana's smooth handwriting, he loved they way the each letter curved and was slanted slightly, he knew how she felt and he knew that as she sat next to him, leaving much space between them, that she was going to say something, he wasn't ready to even confront the issue, he hadn't told her yet, he knew he had to, but how to, he knew not.

"I don't like this at all" She simply said, even her soothing voice seemed strained, he looked at her trying to act confused, but his facade soon dropped with her next words.

" Don't try to act like you are confused Perry. I know you know what I'm talking about" Her voice was low and the words came out rushed, it made Perry a bit scared, not scared of her, scared of how she was going to react.

"Tell me what is going on, you don't even talk to me anymore, you are always scared someone would see us, who really cares, because I don't, my mum wants me to not talk to you anymore, but I'm still here because I want to be by you, but.... but" She couldn't complete her sentence, Perry scooted closer to her wrapping her in a warm embrace.

" Please don't cry, I really don't want this." He said patting her back in a comforting manner.

" What are you talking about?" She sat upright looking at him, Perry stood up dipping his hands in his pocket

"My parents, they know about us. They want me to break up with you, they threatened to send me abroad if I don't do as they say" Perry said, his head hung low , Ariana stood up instantly looking shocked.

"What are you going to do?" She asked calmly , she was surprised at how her voice was calm and collected, though she was so shocked and terrified.

"Are you going to leave me?" She asked, her voice quivered, she wanted to cry, draw herself into a ball and just cry, Perry failed to look at her and it made her more sick.

" You can bring back the book when you are done, Goodnight " She said , she walked away from him , leaving Perry alone in the cold night, he was scared, he was scared things were not going to be the same anymore....