CHAPTER 3

As the weeks passed, Josiah and I became good friends, he would walk with me on the hallways, cracking silly jokes all the way, he would disturb me during prep hours and when I'd get upset, he would read to me. At one point, he was chased back to his class by a strict prefect after he had made a lot of noise in mine. I remember that that day, he came to my class with a bunch of his friends and after he got tired of me reading for hours, he took out a music box from his bag and began to blast loud afro-beat music and almost everyone including Ella began to dance, while I just sat there looking awkwardly at him while he danced in front of me. Ten minutes later, the prefect came to the class and took him and his friends out of the class with a stern warning to stay away from the Junior block. But the next day, there he was again during prep beside my seat holding his books with a small smile curving his lips, it took a lot to suppress my smile. He had actually stopped talking to Ella and he didn't let anyone take advantage of me or walk all over me on his watch and although there were still people that tried to taunt me in his absence, I appreciated the gesture. He became my best friend, but just that, a best friend.

On a particular Friday, I was walking with him to the kiosk to get some water, because, for some reason, my body always craved the kiosk bottled water.

"I'm going home tomorrow" I told him and looked up at his face, searching for an expression.

"Oh good, can I come?" He seemed excited.

"My uncle would kill you" I laughed "Don't bother hoping"

"Ouch" his countenance fell a bit "so, who's gonna keep me company when you're gone?"

"I don't know, you can ask Ella" I laughed.

"You know for someone so quiet all the time, you sure have a lot of rubbish to say" He dramatically folded his arms, his nose in the air.

"So, I should shut up?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I didn't say that, but that would be smart" he laughed, the sound slicing through the air and I punched his arm.

Just as we got to the kiosk, I saw a familiar figure walking past us, earbuds on and munching on some plantain chips. "I know him" I muttered and Josiah looked down at me and then to my dismay, this boy turned around and called out to the figure in the distance.

"Yo, Tony!" Josiah called and the figure, a boy, took off his buds and approached us.

"Josiah, what's good man" The boy, Tony, shook Josiah's hand and turned to stare at me.

"I know you" he said with folded eyebrows.

"She said the exact same thing just before I called you" Josiah laughed.

Just then, his Asian features clicked in my head. He was the boy I ran into near the class area after dinner at the beginning of the term, the half-caste Asian boy.

"I remember now" I said "We bumped into each other some weeks ago"

"Oh yeah, the unfamiliar face" he said "I didn't even get your name" he stretched his hand.

"I'm Joan" I shook his hand "and I know you're Tony"

"Yeah" he chuckled, the sound rich "What do you guys want to get?"

"Just water" I said.

Josiah leaned in to whisper to Tony softly but loud enough for me to hear "Joan's a whale, tell no one!" he proceeded to laugh and I shot daggers at him with my eyes.

Tony chuckled again "I have to ask" he stared between Josiah and me "How long has this been going on? Are you guys a thing?"

Josiah placed his arm around my shoulder "Yeah, we are" he smirked and I pushed him away, laughing.

"Not in a million years" I said and Josiah mumbled an 'ouch'. "We're just friends" I said to Tony.

"Totally, she's my bestie now" Josiah smiled.

Tony smiled too "Okay, in that case" he held my left hand softly "How about I buy that water for you?"

I laughed and subtly pulled my hand free "No thanks, but you can come along if you want to though"

Tony had the thickest, darkest, longest hair and he packed it all in the most spontaneous and messy low bun and even that added to the charm. His hair contrasted sharply with his skin which made him stand out everywhere and it always seemed like the sun was shining down on him. He was almost as tall as Josiah and he wore jewelry on his uniform.

"My fish" the kiosk woman said as soon as I handed her my money and both Josiah and Tony burst into laughter. I got the water, Josiah got some chocolates and veggie biscuits and Tony got more plantain chips.

"We've got further math after this break, yeah?" I asked Josiah as we walked out of the kiosk.

"Yeah" he said with a tight jaw, he looked mad and I suddenly felt like I did something wrong.

"Are you okay" I leaned in to whisper amidst the loud munching of Tony on his chips.

"I am" he said faking a smile.

"We'll talk about this later" I said with my eyes.

"Okay"

"You know for an athlete, you eat bad snacks" Tony looked at Josiah with a smirk.

"Nah bro" he raised his biscuits "these are veggie biscuits"

"Oh yeah, what about those?" he pointed at the chocolates Josiah bought.

Josiah handed them to me "They're for Joan, she loves chocolates"

"Really?" Tony folded his arms.

"Really" Josiah said.

Tony looked closely at me "noted"

I quickly looked away and began to open and munch down on my chocolates, halfway through eating the first bar, I looked up to find the two of them staring down at me.

"What?" I asked confused and they both burst into laughter.

Tony parted ways with us when we got to the junction between our class and his.

"Bye, Josiah" Tony waved to the both of us "Be seeing you, Joan"

I was on my way to class with Josiah when he suddenly stopped and pulled me aside.

"Your parents?" he said out of the blue.

"What?" I blinked.

"You said your uncle would kill me if I came to your place"

"Yeah, so?"

"What about your parents?" he muttered "You've never mentioned them"

I felt my mood go black.

I ignored Josiah in class and for the rest of the day. He had ruined my mood and I was definitely not in the mood to tell him about my parent's tragic death years back. During prep, he didn't come over so, I guess he finally got the memo that I didn't want to talk to him. Yet a part of me kept wishing he'd come, that he didn't give up so easily. He didn't show up.

I went to my hostel and packed my things in readiness for going home the next day and after a shower, I changed and went to bed.