One Hundred And Eleven

After school.

I came out of class with Casey and saw Uche standing with Nick and their other friends. I quickly strode past them with my hair covering my face and hoped they wouldn't know I was the one.

"Julie!" I turned back when Uche called my name. I thought he was too engrossed in their conversation not to see me pass, but he did."Are you avoiding me?"

"No," I shook my head vigorously, but who was I kidding, he could tell when I was lying, he had told me that himself.

"You are," he deduced with a sigh but I wasn't just going to agree to it.

"I'm not, I swear."

"Then why did you try to hide your face like that when you walked past us?"

"I just didn't wanna distract you and Nick from talking with your friends."

He sighed again at my attempt to lie."Look, I'm sorry about what I said earlier, okay?"

"No. No need to be sorry, you said nothing wrong."

"I did. I shouldn't have..."

"I asked you to say your mind, didn't I?" I shrugged.

"And I knew you wouldn't be happy if I said what I said, but u still did, so I'm sorry." He stared at me after he apologized again and I didn't say anything after him."Come on, say something."

"There's nothing to say. I'm going home." I said and turned to leave but he pulled me back.

"Come on, you still mad?" His question has me thinking. I wasn't even mad. I was more sad than mad. I was sad when I thought of it earlier and realized he was actually right. I did degrade my looks and everything else about myself from time to time. I don't even know when I started to do that, but I knew I should stop myself from that type of mentality.

"I'm not. I just want to go home, and maybe sleep, I think I have a headache."

"Alright, I'll get my bag from Nick so we can go together. Wait for me." He said before hurrying up the school steps.

I watched him go in and turned around to leave. I suddenly had the urge to cry, but I didn't want him to come out and meet me crying.

I hurried in my steps as I walked farther away from school. Instead of going home, I stopped by a diner and got a burger and fries. Eating always helped elevate my mood.

I stuffed more fries into my mouth when I saw Uche's name pop up on my screen for the fourth time. He has been calling; probably wondering why I left, but I couldn't even explain that to myself. I just needed time to myself for a while.

"Where are u?"

"Can u pls call me back"

"U still mad aren't u?"

*****

Early evening.

It was around four in the evening or so. I found the strength to pick myself up and leave the diner. When I got to my street, I hurriedly walked past Uche's house so he couldn't see me, but that was useless.

I met him sitting on our porch with Nick when I got to our yard. He immediately got up when he saw me, but I just kept my eyes on the floor as I went inside.

I had just closed the doors when I heard Nick ask him, "She still mad at you?"

Uche sighed, "I guess so."

"You apologize yet?"

"Yeah. I really fucked up, should have just kept my mouth shut when she asked." 

"I don't know what you were thinking. Casey asked me last night if we were like a thing..." Nick scoffed."A thing. I don't know if she's dumb or what, not to know I'm just using her, but I'm stupid. I told her we were, it seemed like the perfect answer for her to leave my dm."

"She'd kill you if she could hear those things you just said about her." I heard Uche."And Julie is not like Casey is to you. I'm going home, update me if she smiles later on."

***

Later that night.

I was still eating when Nick stood up with his plate to drop in the sink. I immediately got up too, picking up my plate even if it still had done food in it. I just didn't want to remain in the dining room with her alone. She hasn't been smiling much lately like she always did; I didn't have to be told someone was wrong.

"Nick, please clean your plate, I don't want any dish in the sink. And Julie, don't go yet, I want to speak with you."

"Okay," I sat back down and continued eating quietly. Nick rinsed out his plate and went upstairs, and then what I had been avoiding hit me; I sat alone with my aunt.

"Your mum called," she started, making me drop my fork.

"She's allowed to make calls now?" I asked, getting excited that I could call her again.

"She's got out already." My aunt's answer made my jaw drop.

"Today?"

"No, some days ago. She asked me not to let you know so she could surprise you but..."

"But what?" I got worried.

"You see, the uhm...she was asked to stay with her family for the first two months after she's out...and she's been living with our parents these past few days but I think they fought..."

"Oh," I muttered, not as surprised as I sounded.

"I offered she stayed here with us, but she uhm, she turned it down. She thinks your grandparents will still have access to her if she's here with me; with us, so..."

"Where is she now?"

"With mum and dad." My aunt answered, running her fingers through her hair roughly.

"Can I call her?"

"Yeah. She actually mentioned that she'd call you later herself. She wants you back with her."

"She does?" I got on my feet, excitement flowing through me.

"Yeah. She might call tomorrow." My aunt gave me a forced smile. I picked up my plate and took it to the sink. It was while I was washing she asked."Do you want to go?"

I turned my head to look at her."I mean you should try to convince your mum to change her mind and accept my offer. She needs another adult around her to make sure she doesn't return to her ways...if it's just you and her, I don't know...she might..."

"What do you mean 'her ways'?" I got offended but did my best not to show it. And I almost assumed she was just sad about me leaving."You don't trust in my mum changing, do you?"

"It's not that I don't trust her, it's just...I've been here before with her, we've all been here, you know how she is..."

"She's quit this time, I'm sure." 

"You're sure?" My aunt sighed a question and I just nodded even if my neck felt heavy."Then how come she doesn't want to stay with our parents?"

"She just has her reasons. Grandma and Grandpa always say bad things about her, they must have made her mad." I wiped my hands dry and went towards the stairs."Goodnight aunt," I said finally before going up the stairs.