Ninety Four

"Okay," I mumbled and saw his smile broaden."Maybe your dad will see I'm not w distraction..."

"No, Julie," he cut me short, being slightly irritated."We're not doing this for him. We're doing this so you can get a chance for a scholarship." 

"Yeah," I laughed because I wasn't even sure I wanted to go to college yet.

***

Evening.

Later that week.

I had just plugged my ear pods in when I saw Uche walk in. He had the textbooks he had said he'd bring. I sighed and unplugged my ear pods from my ears.

"You've got to be kidding me," I heard Nick say from the kitchen where he was getting something to drink.

"Nick..." I wanted to stop him from saying anything stupid but he did worse. He joined us in the living room and went straight to where Uche stood.

"Hey," Uche said but we heard Nick snort.

"Don't be hey-ing me, man. Whatchu doing here almost every time, you realize that you're not supposed to show your face a lot to someone mad at you?"

Uche inhaled air," I came to see Julie."

"You can see her anywhere, I don't give a shit, just don't show up here like we're cool."

"Nick..." I wanted to interfere.

"What?!" Nick snapped at me.

"Hey man, don't talk to her like that..."

"It's my sister, Uche, I fucking talk to her however I like, and you won't do shit about it."

"Alright..." Uche took two steps back away from Nick."Look, I really just came for Julie. I'm sorry you have to see the face of someone you are mad at. You'll see me less when she's no longer grounded, I promise."

Nick gave him the middle finger and bumped his shoulder against his before making his way up the stairs.

I sighed and took Uche's arm."Let's just go to my room." 

"No!" My aunt's voice echoed from the dining room where she was."No, no, no. He's not going up to your room with you." 

I rolled my eyes; I thought she had her earphones over her head. She really sat there and listened to Nick say those things to Uche without saying anything, and now she's getting involved.

"Here's fine," Uche winked at me and led the way back to the couch. I groaned in frustration and went and sat next to him.

*****

"You?" The class teacher asked when Uche and I went up to his desk to inform him that I wanted to participate in the school competition.

"Yes," I answered even though embarrassed he was acting shocked.

"You just came here a month ago, are you sure?" He asked again.

"I've been studying," I forced a smile.

"With Uche?" He turned to Uche.

"Yeah, we've been studying together," Uche confirmed and our teacher signed the form.

"Good luck." He told me before returning the form to me.

"He thinks I'm stupid for signing up for it," I voiced out once we left the class together.

"No, he doesn't." Uche tried to laugh it off but I felt weird about it.

"This is stupid. I can't believe I'm doing this, I'm literally just going to embarrass myself on that day." I panicked.

"No, you won't. You've been doing great so far with our studies."

"Yeah, but I'm still nowhere as good as you and the others on the team. How did you even convince me to do this?" My breathing got heavier as nervousness swerved through me.

"You don't have to be as good, you just have to be good enough to answer at least two questions for the team."

"And what if I'm not able to do that?"

"..." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck."You really wanna quit now? Forfeit this past one week of thorough study?"

I scoffed, "I've only been able to do that 'cause I was grounded."

"No, you've been studying for the scholarship exam." He was being so positive but I just had to let him know the real reason I was doing this.

"My aunt and your dad have no issue with us if we're together, as long as we're studying. I'm only studying with you 'cause it's the only way I get to spend time with you without feeling like I'm actually being the distraction your dad said I am." I confessed and saw the disbelief in his smile.

"Ha! Nice one, almost got me."

"You think I'm joking with this?"

"No way you've been putting in that much effort through last week just to prove you're not a distraction," he didn't believe me.

"Believe what you want," I told him and went towards my locker. He followed.

"If that's really why you're doing it, then we can stop." He told me.

"No, it's cool," I replied absentmindedly as I squatted in front of my open locker.

"No, it's not. You're no longer grounded, so we can go see a movie together after school." He squatted next to me.

"We don't even know what movie is on today?"

"I can find out and get us tickets," he pinched my cheeks and took the book I just brought out.

***

After school.

Uche and I strolled towards one of the theaters in town where he had gotten online tickets ready for us. We were getting popcorn when I noticed he had this textbook with him so I asked about it.

"Oh shit, it's from the school library. I forgot to return it; I totally forgot that we canceled studying."

"The librarian ain't gonna be smiling when you return it tomorrow," I laughed at his situation and heard him chortle.

"Can I put it in your bag, I'll take it before we go home so I can return it tomorrow."

"My bag's gonna be heavy," I shook my head with my lips pouted, "Put it in yours."

"My bag's full," he turned and showed me."Just give me your bag, I'll carry it for you till we get home."

"It's pink, my bag's cherry pink," I giggled.

"So?" He took it from me and put the textbook inside.

"What if one of your friends sees you with it?" I giggled some more.

"Oh, fuck them. Who gives an f." He snorted, "Ma'am, two popcorns please." He turned to the lady behind the counter.

Five hours later.

After two movies, we were about to leave the theater when Uche checked his phone."Shit, my dad." I heard him mutter.

"What?" I got concerned.

"I got four missed calls from him and a text. An angry one." He added.

"What's the text say?"

"He's over at your place, having wine with your aunt." He put his phone back in his pocket."He forgot to take his key with him when he left in the morning so he can't get in without my key."

"Oh," I just said at first, and then I got nervous, "Wait, he's at my place?"

"Yeah. That's what his text says."

"Shit, how do I look? Do I look irresponsible? Is my skirt too short?" 

Uche laughed, "Don't worry, my dad thinks every teenager's irresponsible, you really can't impress him. And besides, I don't think your aunt would have let you leave home today if she thought your skirt was the least short; she won't even let Nick rock some certain type of ripped jeans. So you good." He messed my hair with his last three words and laughed again, but I didn't.

"My aunt left before me this morning," I muttered guiltily and Uche stopped laughing.

"She didn't see you leave for school?"

"No. She has this meeting so she left like very early."

"Damn," he realized why I was nervous in the first place.