31| red

NADIA

I yawned my whole way downstairs, my one eye closed because the light was way too bright for me. It was clear that I slept late last night but it was worth it in any case.

I took my final step, barefoot in the kitchen, only to see Vicky preparing some breakfast. The aroma was enough to make my stomach growl. "Vicky?"

"Good morning sister-in-law," she chirped. Her brown hair was tied down and she had an apron. "Good morning chef," she smiled. "Have a seat. Breakfasts almost ready,"

"I didn't know you could cook," I said, grabbing a glass full of water before taking a seat. "Me neither, hopefully you don't poison it,"

I rolled my eyes. "Zeke it's too early for this," Unlike me, Zeke was always on top of his morning routine and he didn't waste time while I preferred slower morning routines compared to his. He was already dressed, as he grabbed a banana from the fruit baskets and in just a second, half of the banana was gone.

"Don't worry about him. Clearly he hasn't had a woman outside his family cook for him. It's normal for him to act this way,"

"Okay what happened with you two?" It was a mistake to ask that because within 2 seconds, war had begun.

"It was his fault,"

"My fault? No you're the one who was driving carelessly."

"That gave you no reason flatten my tire!" She hissed

"Red, I-"

"What did you just call her?" Vicky's brows furrowed, her eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place my finger on.

"Red. Everyone here calls her that," Zeke states as a matter-of-fact.

"Why?"

"Nothing, it's nothing." She said quickly. "It just reminded me of... someone," She said, her voice low.

But it was not until I smelt something, like smoke. Like something was burning. As if-

"THE FOOD IS BURNING," Vicky screeched, wrinkly turning off the stove as I backed away, coughing because the smoke had quickly filled the kitchen. 

Zeke sighed. "Remind me to pray for the guy you're going to end up with," Vicky shot him the finger and stuck her tongue out, looking at the disastrous state of the kitchen.

I watched as he helped her clean up, a cheeky smile forming on my face as I couldn't help but think that they would be so good together but maybe in another life time.

□□□

"Oh my gosh, you should've been there. It was way too funny. Her and Zeke fought like their lives depended on it and I swear I almost got a headache."

"Vee you're in my bad books for making my girl feel like this," I couldn't help the smile on my face upon hearing 'my girl' but it seemed so normal to him.

"Trust me bro, if you were there you'd understand,"

"Nope, trust me. That's the last situation I want to be in,"

That was this morning because now I was in English class and this time we were doing poetry: Sonnet 18 by Shakespeare

"Do you guys think true love is timeless, or is it bound by mortality?" Our professor asked once we finished analyzing the poem.

Nicholas replied, "It's a 100% bound by mortality. If you think about it, the memories and moments of that person, comes from their physical presence. Those things live on whereas the love is somehow lost and it dies because the everyday experiences that make you fall in love more and more each day, no longer exist due to their absence. Like everything else, true love is subject to death."

Our professor nodded. "Does anyone disagree?" To my surprise, no one did and I didn't understand why.

I shifted in my seat. "I disagree. True love can transcend time and death because that person doesn't have to be physically present for you to still have that emotional bond- despite being physically separated by them. The memories and your beliefs would never enable your love to be bound by mortality. Love actually defies mortality because it's not dependent on physical presence, "

"Both really good responses but I'd like to remind everyone this is based on your opinion. So there's no right or wrong answer but in the context of the poem, Shakespeare has confidence that his beloveds beauty and love will transcend death through the poem itself,"

I felt a tap on my shoulder, the hand cold compared to mine. I turned around and came face to face with Nicholas. "You believe in true love?"

"Of course I do. I'm a hopeless romantic,"

Nicholas chuckled. "What's so funny? You don't agree?"

"Actually I do,"

"But?"

"But my true love doesn't exist anymore. She was with someone else," Was? I couldn't tell if he was lying or if he was actually being serious but I decided to take him seriously. 

"Ooh, and may I know who the girl that stole your heart is?"

He shook his head like he was erasing something like a memory in his head. "She's dead now,"

My eyes widened. "What? Oh my gosh I'm so sorry,"

"Yeah it's okay. Let's just close the topic,"

The bell rang, signaling the end of the class. I got up quickly because I needed the restroom so I grabbed my bag, leaving Blue behind. "I'll see you at the cafeteria okay?" I told her before walking out. Just as I was about to exit, someone opened the door for me.

I rolled my eyes playfully. "You didn't have to do that new boy,"

"Of course I did. My mom raised a gentleman,"

"By the way, I didn't know you were friends with Eli,"

"Yeah, we've been friends for quite some time. Brothers actually. Our families are really close,"

"Yeah it.. happened suddenly," I say honestly. "You happy?" I smile, is that even a question. 

"I am. I really am."

"You trust him?" 

I blinked, not aware that I was being interrogated. "Of course I trust him. Why do you ask?"

"I just know him," he says like there's something I don't know. But before I could ask, we had already reached the restroom and he went into another direction. I bit my lip as I pushed the doors to the restroom open.

Weird. 

But I decided to not spend my entire morning thinking about so I went into an empty cubical, and I gasped upon seeing my jeans with a red stain.

You have got to be kidding.

I rummaged through my bag only to find nothing.

Great.

Why does being a girl have to be so hard?

I slipped my jeans back on, buttoned them, grabbed my bag and made my way out and to my luck, the first person I saw was a girl. "Hey do you have a pad?"

"I have a tampon," I pursued my lips. I hated tampons but beggers can't be choosers innit? so I nodded. "That'll do," Once I got them, my next stop was to the cafeteria, hoping that Blue had some shorts because there was no way I could stay in these.

I entered the cafeteria, my eyes scanned the area and then my eyes landed on the familiar blonde-headed girl, her back facing me. "Blue," I pulled her aside. "I need those shorts of yours. I just-"

I trailed off when my eyes followed hers. My heart stopped at the sight. It was Elijah and there was some girl with her hands all over him. He grabbed her wrists and gently pushed her away but she persisted. My jaw clenched.

"Here they are," Blue said, handing me the shorts. I grabbed them, not even thanking her as I stormed off to the restroom.