CHAPTER SEVEN

"Hi." I answered. "Am coming to your mom's burial and I mostly came hear to give you this." She said handing me a card. It was a card telling me she would always be there for me but also encouraging me to move on with life like as if nothing happened. I looked at her smiled and said, "Thank you." "Sure, anything for a friend." She answered and a teacher called her. Each and every person was packing their books and leaving. I also started parking my books when Hannah came and said, "Hey Rita, can I get your contact?" "Sure." I said and gave her my number. "Thank you." She said and went out of the class room. After a while Brandon came into class. I thought he had come to give another insult. "Rita?" He said. "hhhmm?" I said. "I'm sorry for what I did earlier today. Honestly, I didn't know your mom had died plus you're not ugly. Actually, you're really pretty." He said and I asked him, "Are you sorry on your own will or is some one forcing you?" "Honestly, I am sorry but telling you that am sorry isn't on my own will." He said. "I knew it. But it's alright." I said and went out of class. I was thinking of how being at my mother's burial would be like, dressing in black which isn't my thing. Thinking of it Sara wouldn't have any problem with dressing in black since it's her thing. I went to the parking yard and noticed that dad's car wasn't there that's when I remembered that I hadn't called him. I got my phone and called him, "Hi dad." Hey, What's up?" He said. "I need you to come and pick me up. School has ended earl today." I told him. "Am sorry Rita, but I wont be able to come. We are having preparations for your mom's burial." He told me. "Let me send you money and you take a cub." He added. "Thank you." I told him and he hang up. I turned and saw Aaron. "Rita," He said. "Yes, What do you need?" I asked him. "Just wanted to talk." He said. "Talk about what?" I asked him. "What is the dress code for your mom's burial?" He asked. "Why do you ask like as if you're coming?" I asked. "A friend of mine asked me to ask you." He told me. "Alright then. A person has to be dressed in black. That's as far as I know. I only know about the dress code." I told him. "Thanks." He said and as I was leaving, he said, "Where are you going?" He asked. "Am going home." I said and he had a confused face. "What are you going to use to go home?" He asked. "A cub." I answered. "Isn't your dad coming to pick you up?" He asked again. "No, he isn't. They're organizing for my mom's burial." I told him. "So, you have the money to pay for the cub." He asked. "No, I don't. But my dad said he would send me some money for the fare." I said. "I know a person who can take you for free." He said. "Let me call him." He added. He got his phone and called him. As he was speaking to his friend, I was looking at him and wondering why doesn't look or act like a drug addict yet people say he is one. He finished and said, "He's coming." He said. "In the mean time you could do something." He added. "Something like what?" I asked him. "Do you know every part of the school?" He asked me. "No." I answered. "I'll give you a tour of the school. Till he comes." He said. "Aren't your parents waiting for you?" I asked him. "Nah, they don' pick me up." He said. "Why?" I asked with a curious face. "Nothin' much. Actually, I don't know." He said. But I thought that it was maybe because he drugs or maybe he is very stubborn. But I didn't tell him what I thought and just kept quiet. "Are you coming?" He asked. "What if your friend comes and I aren't there?" I asked. "Oh, come on. I think you don't want to come with me. He'll just call when he is about to arrive." He said. "So, are you coming?" He asked again. "Yeah." I said and smiled to show him I was fine with it. We started walking through the hallway, where I knew too well since I pass there every day. Then we reached a really big door, I always saw it but ignored it. "Have you ever reached this side?" He asked me. "Yes, I've reached this side." I told him. He smiled and opened the door. It was like some room where people would go to relax. There was a fig tree in the middle, roses, and different types of flowers were at the edge. The cool breeze that was there could make a person feel so calm. There were a few people there. "This is where I always come to relax my mind." Aaron said. "Wow, it's a nice place." I said. "It is. I used to come here with my ex and when we had nothing else between us I came hear alone and sat starring at the lake." He said. "Oh, that's sad." I said. "Hey, can I ask you a question?" He said. "Yeah sure." I said. "Have you ever had a boy friend?" He asked. "No, I have never been a best friend to a boy." I said. He looked at me like as if he thought I were lying. So, I continued speaking to make him understand. "Apart from my brother, you're the only guy that I speak to comfortably." I said. "Are you serious?" He asked. "Yeah, I am. What did you expect?" I asked. "I expected you to be having at least one boy friend because you look really good." He said. "What?" I said. He sighed deeply and said, "Rita, I got to tell you something." "Yes?" I said in a way that sounded like a question. "I love you." He said. "What!?" I was so shocked that was all I could say. "I know your thinking that I barely know you and I can't truly love you, but it's just that I can't get my mind off you from the time I saw you. It's just that I ...." I stopped him and said. "Aaron, I don't want to sound like a heartless person but I've never been in a relationship with any one and I don't really think I could be in a relationship with you. I am sorry." He was quiet for a while and then afterwards he said, "I love you and I need you, Rita. Just give me one chance to prove to you that I shall take care of you." Now I was silent without any words. "Please, just give me that one chance." He added. He held my hands and my heart was beating so fast. I couldn't make my heart beat normal when I looked in his blue eyes. We looked at each other for a while then suddenly his friend called. I broke off from the stare first and looked down and later removed my hands slowly. He answered and said, "He's arrived. We both went out but what he said was still in my head. I really needed someone to speak to about it. When we reached his friend's car, entered and greeted the guy and still didn't say a word to Aaron. He looked at me for a while and later on said, "good bye." I just waved back with a faint smile. When we went out of school, the driver asked, "How do you know Aaron?" "We're just friends." I told him. "He has never bothered to tell me pick a person up and the fare would be on him. To be honest, I think he loves you more than his girl friend." He said. "Aaron has a girl friend?" I asked. "I don't know. Am just saying if he had one am sure she would be jealous of you because of the way he cares for you." He answered. "Ya think so?" I asked him. "Yeah, really. He had that way he looked at you. Maybe he likes you." He said. "I don't really get what your saying." I said. "Are you sure you don't get it or you don't want me to talk about Aaron liking you? Okay, the truth is he likes you. You believe it or not." He said and I just remained silent until we reached home. "you can stop at your right." I said. "Hey am sorry if I made you mad." He said. "It's alright." I answered and went out of the car. I entered the gate and he left. I saw my uncle Brussels at the door way. "Hey, welcome back from school." He said. "Thankyou, uncle Brussels." I said. I said and hugged him and later entered into the house.