Chapter Forty-Four

During lunch in the cafeteria, Dera handed Jennifer the box of doughnuts.

'You can share it with me if you want,' Dera said with a sweet smile.

Jennifer glanced at the box and then shifted her gaze back to Dera, a playful smile gracing her lips. 'I initially thought you bought it just for me,' she chuckled. With a light-hearted gesture, she opened the box, revealing an array of delicious treats. Jennifer eagerly reached for a raspberry jelly-filled doughnut and indulged herself. 'You know what, Dera,' Jennifer said, her tone warm and inviting, 'you're more than welcome to help yourself. There's joy in sharing, and love is meant to be spread.' She gestured towards the box, encouraging Dera to select her desired treat, emphasising the spirit of camaraderie and generosity.

Dera chuckled. 'You sound as though you're the one that bought these doughnuts.' She rolled her eyes playfully.

Jennifer couldn't help but chuckle at Dera's playful remark. 'You're right,' she teased, a mischievous glint in her eyes. 'You may have bought them, but the doughnuts are all mine, right?'

Dera joined in the lighthearted banter, playing along. 'Of course,' she joked, her laughter mingling with Jennifer's. The joyful atmosphere set the stage for their delightful treat.

Jennifer reached for another mouthwatering doughnut from the box. Taking a bite of her selected treat, her eyes widened with pure delight. 'Oh, this is delicious!' she exclaimed, savouring the delectable flavours that danced on her taste buds.

With a gleeful grin, Dera reached for a vanilla cream-filled doughnut and eagerly took a generous bite, relishing the moment as the creamy goodness enveloped her mouth. An approving nod followed. 'Mmm, absolutely delicious,' she exclaimed with a satisfied expression.

The two girls shared a joyous laughter, their spirits lifted by the simple pleasure of indulging in the doughnuts and each other's company.

'Dera, how come you don't make mistakes in your studies?' Jennifer suddenly asked, curious.

'I do make mistakes,' Dera replied, taking another big bite. 'However, I learn from them and use those lessons to reinforce my learning.'

After lunch, Mr. Johnson called Dera to his office. Unlike before, Dera felt confident and unburdened as she walked towards his office. The weight of being a struggling student had lifted, and she no longer felt ashamed.

Standing in front of Mr. Johnson's office door, Dera knocked and waited for a response.

'Come in,' Mr. Johnson's voice called from inside.

Dera turned to Jennifer and said, 'I'll be fine. You can go back to class.' She pushed the door open and entered. 'Mr. Johnson, you wanted to see me?' Dera addressed the principal respectfully, choosing not to let past grievances affect her manners.

Mr. Johnson nodded and asked, 'Dera, what is this app that I've been hearing about?'

Jennifer contemplated lingering near the office door to listen, wanting to ensure that the principal didn't reprimand or embarrass Dera. However, since Dera had told her to return to class, Jennifer had no choice but to comply. She turned around and left.

'It's Goodwall,' Dera replied.

'Did the company pay you to advertise for them?' Mr. Johnson enquired, reaching for his coffee cup.

Dera shook her head. 'No, Sir… it was my assignment.'

'How about I pay you to download the app for me, and then open an account for me?' Mr. Johnson asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

'You don't need to pay me,' Dera replied. 'Can I have your phone?' she requested.

'Sure.' Mr. Johnson handed his iPhone 14 to Dera.

Dera swiftly downloaded the app onto his phone, opened an account for him, and handed his phone back. 'It's done.'

'Thank you, Dera. If you want, you could join the mathematics competition,' Mr. Johnson offered. 'And again, you don't have to work in the garden anymore.'

'Thank you, but no, thanks,' Dera refused. 'For the mathematics competition, I'd rather focus on my forthcoming exams.' She had initially considered participating but later decided to prioritise her exams. 'As for the gardening, I love planting trees, flowers, and vegetables. I just enjoy tending to plants. I will continue with the work, but you can tell the gardening team to join me instead. Thank you, Sir.'

Mr. Johnson marvelled at the remarkable achievements Dera had made recently, truly impressed by her determination and capability. Seeing her potential, he became convinced that she possessed the ability to accomplish anything she set her heart on. However, a pang of regret washed over him as he reflected upon his past actions—shutting her out of the library and causing her embarrassment in front of the entire school. He couldn't help but feel remorse for those moments.

'Dera, even if you have a hard time with something, you seem to be doing just fine to the outside world... you never close your door... creativity runs through your veins. In fact, you simply have the personality of Goodwall. Maybe you should change your name to Goodwall,' Mr. Johnson remarked, offering a sweet compliment.

Dera smiled but chose not to respond. Instead, she headed for the door.

When Dera returned to the classroom, Jennifer turned around and asked, 'Dera, I think the principal actually regrets what he did to you, right?'

Abraham, who overheard Jennifer's question, replied, 'Of course, he regrets it.'

After school that day, Dera rode her bicycle home, enjoying the gentle breeze and the rustling of green leaves. The atmosphere was peaceful and serene.

Upon arriving home, Dera spotted Andrew standing under the tall tree in their compound. The scene was so beautiful that Dera wished she had a smartphone to capture her handsome brother, who looked like a piece of art in the golden sunlight filtering through the leaves.

Noticing a box on the bench beside him, she approached Andrew and playfully tickled him. Startled, he turned around and burst into laughter.

'Ooh, did I startle you?' Dera asked, laughing.

'A little,' Andrew replied, smiling. He reached for the box on the bench and handed it to her. 'Take this.'

'What could it be?' Dera asked, opening the rectangular box to reveal a second-hand black Samsung phone. It wasn't brand new, but it was still nice.

'I should have bought you a brand new phone, but...' Andrew trailed off.

Dera chuckled. 'It might be fairly used, but I really like it. Honestly, I do. Let me try out the camera. Stay still.'

Dera moved away from the tree and captured pictures of Andrew. She had wanted to capture a moment of her brother sitting under that tree, and now that she could, she felt a surge of happiness.

'Thank you... you look very handsome,' Dera said.

The corners of Andrew's lips curled into a smile when he saw the pictures. They turned out great. 'That phone was for you to Goodwall on,' he remarked.

Dera laughed and opened the Goodwall app that Andrew had thoughtfully installed on her phone, and then she logged into her account. To her delight, she noticed that ten of her classmates were already following her on the platform. Filled with excitement, she swiftly tapped on the "Follow" button in return, instantly connecting with them and sending warm messages of welcome, expressing her genuine enthusiasm for their presence on Goodwall.

Just then, Dera received a message notification from Jennifer, asking if she had returned home already.

Dera smiled and replied, 'Yes, I just got home. Andrew got me a nice phone.'

'Really?' Jennifer was thrilled.

'Yes!' Dera exclaimed with affirmation, a burst of joy sparkling in her eyes. She quickly snapped a joyful selfie with her phone, capturing the moment and the radiant smile adorning her face. With a skip in her step, she proceeded to make her way inside. Upon entering the living room, she was greeted by a delightful surprise. Andrew had lovingly replaced the worn-out, frayed cushions with brand new ones, showcasing their vibrant colours and adding a refreshing touch to the space. Dera's face lit up with pleasant surprise, appreciating the transformation and the newfound splash of colour that brought renewed life to the room.