Chapter five

Wake uppppppp" Lily screamed as she smacked the pillow on Tasha's head. Tasha jerked up instantly.

"What?, Isn't it too early" she screamed

"God, you're a sleepy bag. I've been calling your name since. I thought you were dead" Lily said as she sat down. Tasha laughed and yawned.

"Isn't it too early" she asked again stretching lazily on the bed still feeling sleepy.

"I get it, it's a nice morning but we're supposed to be at the hall" Lily said impatiently.

"Wait" Tasha said rubbing her eyes " you're dressed, where are we going to?" She asked

"Rosy garden" Lily said raising an eyebrow.

"Oh shit, it's today "Tasha said as she rushed out of the bed. "Thanks Lily" she added as she entered the bathroom.

Lily sighed shaking her head.

"Everybody use the seat belt" Miss Victory said. She was one of their teachers, the youngest in fact. Everyone nodded.

"Good, you can start now" she said to the driver and he took off. The students sang songs lifting their spirit as the school bus moved. They couldn't wait to see what the garden looked like.

When they got there, they were speechless. It was like the rainbow came down, different flowers were kept in different sections according to their breed. It was indeed Rosy.

"Now everyone gather round" Mrs favour said " there's no one here that'll say he or she hasn't been taught about flowering plants. So the time has come for me to know how active you guys are in class"

Everybody kept quiet, you could hear the heartbeat of some of the students, some were scared shitless.

"So I'll point a particular flower and choose a student to tell me the name of the flower and what it's popular for" She said looking around, some were dodging. Her eyes strayed cautiously, it landed on the Gusty and his friends, they looked at her square in the eyes. They weren't scared, that she knew, they were one of her best students, straight A students, they were very intelligent. And that she was proud of.

"Yes, Lucy come forward" she said and everybody sighed, the silence was becoming unbearable.

"Me?" Lucy asked surprised.

"Are you double?" Mrs favour asked sarcastically.

Lucy stepped forward shakily. Oh God, help me pass this and I promise to read my book always, she prayed inside. Mrs favour pointed to a flower and asked her to say something about it. Lily was speechless, her brain was blank, oh God, she thought. Now everyone was staring at her and they would think she's dumb, of course she isn't, she knows about fashion, hairstyle and clothes, of course she isn't dumb, she convinced herself.

"Don't you know it?" Mrs favour asked surprised.

"I do". Lucy said. What will Bose think of her now, she has been giving him the green light, oh this is bad

"I've forgotten ma" Lucy said tired of being speechless and the eyes of everyone on her.

"Lucy Matthew, you're such a shame. You've forgotten the name of this common flower, but you can't forget the names of all the guys you've dated" Mrs favour spat. Some students held their mouth, refraining themselves from laughing. They didn't want to be used as a scapegoat.

Lucy reddened with embarrassment as she bent her head, covering her face with her hand.

"Can any of her friends help her out?" Mrs favour asked. Sharon and her friends bent their head. Mrs favour shook her head.

"Anyone?"

"It's an Hibiscus. The dried leaf is popularly know as Zobo leaf in Nigeria. It is also used as herbal tea, for medicinal benefits. And also good for hair and skin" Bose said and everyone clapped. Lucy wished the ground will open up, this was worst than she expected. How will she look at him in the eye again. Her crush. She felt like crying, he wouldn't notice her, he'll think she's dumb and she knows she isn't. Her brain just loves fashion, it wasn't her fault she was pretty.

They continued walking to different sections, asked questions, laughed, joked and even sang songs. It was wonderful and Tasha was loving every moment then she touched her neck and stopped instantly.

"What?" Lily asked.

"My locket. I can't find my locket" Tasha said looking at the floor

" Did you leave it in the room?" Lily asked also searching with her eyes, and scattering the floor with her foot.

"No, I came with it. I can't lose it Lily, my mom gave it to me. You know how important it is to her" Tasha said worried as she stood hands akibom.

"Let's go look for it then" Lily said.

"No, we can't both leave. Who will cover up for us and besides Mrs favour will notice your absence more before mine" Tasha said

"So?" Lily asked rolling her eyes.

"Let me go alone, I won't waste time" Tasha said.

"Fine" Lily said

" Okay, thank you" Tasha said as she ran.

She went to the rose section first, cause that was the last place they just left. She searched but couldn't see it. She left there, and went to the different sections they've gone to. She still couldn't find it. She went to the Hibiscus section and sat down dejectedly on a wooden bench. Tears flowed down her cheeks, she hated this, what was she going to do?, tell Mrs favour?. Of what help will she be, cause nobody took it from her neck. How could she have been so careless. She sobbed quietly until she heard a familiar voice.

"Not now" she murmured and turned. It was Gusty and surprisingly, he was alone.

"What on earth are you doing here?" Gusty asked hotly. Tasha wondered why he was always angry at her, he just hated her and the feeling is mutual. But can't he just avoid her?.

"I'm hundred percent sure your father don't own this place" Tasha said sarcastically leering at him. God, how she hated him.

"I'm looking for my locket" Tasha said on second thought.

"I thought you insinuated it wasn't my business, huhhh" Gusty said his voice filled with hatred and mockery.

Tasha didn't know when she burst in tears, she was tired. Really tired of all this, she wasn't in the mood for all this, all she wants is to find her locket.

Gusty stared at her and hissed. Somehow, seeing her cry this hard was appealing. He was just filled with a certain kind of joy even though he wasn't the reason, how he wish he was the reason.

He turned to leave when his eyes caught something shiny on the floor. He bent down and picked it up. It was a locket, on opening, he saw little Tasha on her mom's lap smiling with careless abandon.

"Is this yours" he asked and he regretted it instantly. He could have made her beg for it, what on earth even propelled him to ask.

Tasha raised her head looking at him. Instantly her face brightened up with a smile.

"Yes" she shouted and ran to him, joyously she jumped on him. They fell and she was on him.

They were surprised. Their eyes locked, it was as if they were in a trance. They kept on staring at each other until Gusty phone rang. They both blinked, it was as if they were being brought back from the dead.

Tasha stood up, dusted her skirt. She couldn't look him in the eyes. She held her locket tightly.

"Thank you" she whispered and ran away.

Gusty just stayed like that on the floor with a smile on his face. His phone continued ringing bringing him back from his reverie.

"What is it Miles?" He said sharply as he stood up.

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Gusty stood in front of the full length mirror in his room combing his hair. It was visible he was just coming out of the bathroom, water dripped from his body. As he combed his hair, he smiled. He just couldn't forget how Tasha looked on top of him. So innocent, that a pang of guilt was in him. She looked so, so, cute, so beautiful,so...

"Why are you smiling at the mirror man?"

Gusty turned instantly, the smile vanished like it wasn't there. He kept his face blank, how he normally does.

"Why didn't you knock?" Gusty asked coldly dropping the comb on the desk.

"Don't answer my question with a question" Miles asked not moved by the tone of his voice. Gusty just hissed and sat down on the bed.

"You're running mad bro" Miles said and Gusty stared daggers at him

"What?" Miles asked shrugging his shoulders "cause why on earth will you smiling at a mirror like that. Like you would like to eat it up" he added. Gusty just shook his head, miles can be foolish sometimes.

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13th of February.

The students assembled at the hall for the next activity. There was a special kind of joy in the air, the next day was Val's day, the students just couldn't wait. Mrs favour came in and everybody kept quiet.

"Hello great students of Green leaf academy" Mrs favour called as she climbed the podium.

" Great" the students echoed back.

"Now, as you all know, tomorrow is Valentine's day and as I said earlier, we're going to celebrate it in a grand style. She said and the students stood up clapping.

Gusty and his friends hissed. This was why they hated assembly, just a bunch of immature kids.

"I've found a new way to celebrate it. " She said signalling to one of the teachers. The teacher came forward with a see through glass. The students were confused.

"I've written down all the names of all the girls and folded it inside this box. So all the guys will pick a name. Which ever name you pick, will be your val for tomorrow." She said. Some of the students groaned while some were excited.

"Now all the boys should come forward" Mrs favour said and they stood up. The boys picked one after the other, opened the folded paper and called out the name of their date. It didn't favour some but there was nothing they could do.

Girls prayed and wished Gusty would pick them. Gusty and his friends were last.

Zuba came forward and picked a paper, he opened it. "Nita?" He called confused, it wasn't familiar. Nita screamed and waved her hand in excitement.

"I'm over here" she said waving, Zuba was speechless, where on earth was she from.

Munchy picked a paper. "Success" he said. She just waved quietly, controlling herself. Deep down excitement was eating her. She just smiled.

Bose picked a paper, opened it and sighed." Nora". Nora smiled and looked at him squinting her eyes, Bose smiled. He always had a thing for her and she knew it.

It was miles turn. He sighed as he opened his paper. He couldn't talk, he was dumbfounded. Not his enemy. He rolled his eyes and searched for her, when his eyes found hers, he stared at her hotly.

"Lily" he said.

Lily felt like she died and came back. How on earth will she be paired with him.