C17 Epic Embarrassment

In the past hours, All I've wanted is to make up with Victor so we can be on talking terms again.

I already have issues with the class boy and being at war with their new king, Victor, is not a bright idea at all. I get teased for every single thing I do.

The way I walk, speak and do things. Even the way I express emotions. Victor calls me local any chance he gets. It angers me but still sadly doesn't wipe out the fact that I still like him.

Dina has been trying to reach out to me but damn her! I won't talk to her! She has not been with Silvia for the past few days and she is alone. Serves her right! Her loneliness should be her punishment for dumping me to join Silvia, and for all, I care it may all be one, sick setup.

Although Nathaniel is against it but slightly ever shows it, he doesn't want me trying to be friends with Victor again. He says he feels I would get hurt. He acts like a father sometimes.

I start my mission of making peace with someone who derives pleasure from insulting and teasing me, by contributing to his facts when he gets involved in an argument I see him losing...

Like about animals, I don't know much about them, but he seems never to know the little I do. So I seize every opportunity I get to chip in facts that make him win. Whenever I do so, he doesn't complain but rather smiles and his male friends around would murmur things, but I don't care as long as I manage to make peace.

I would be honest with you, this sometimes makes me uneasy but I keep going. Hoping to get results sometime soon.

Days have passed with less drama, and we are down to two days left in camp. On Sunday, the second to the last day of camp, I saw Faith, Silvia, and Victor had some sort of intense discussion.

It bothered me. Why would my best friend be talking to them? It's not like I control who Faith talks to. It's impossible. I am just curious and bothered as Silvia is a master at sly games.

Edna and Victor are friends. Close friends. I know Edna likes him, but I do not pay any attention to it. It's not like I own Victor, and I am not ready to trash my relationship with Edna over a seemingly unworthy boy.

Dina has still been trying so hard to talk to me and I have turned her down every single time.

Finally, the last day of camp came. Edna is off somewhere reading a book or causing trouble. Faith and I are sitting alone.

We are at the camp canteen with all the other kids. Ready to eat the last meal camp has to offer. I am already feasting greedily on the plate of food before me when Faith decides to ask a question that almost sent rice out through my nostrils.

I chock on the food when I hear her question. Why is she asking? Who told her?

I then remember seeing her with Victor and Silvia yesterday. They can't be serious!

She asks me again;

" Did you tell Victor you like him?" she looks so stern, I feel my stomach do a flipflop.

I am not scared of my best friend. Rather, I feel guilty because this is the tip of the iceberg. She still knows nothing about the kisses with Nathaniel and my Asthma. Asides from that, she had warned me not to tell Victor anything like that cause I would regret it, and now she is asking me if I did what she advised against.

"Jade! " she queries again. She calls. She is raising her voice a bit. Attracting a few stares which I honestly dislike.

when Faith gets mad, just pray her outburst won't be in public, cause she won't care whoever the f*CK is listening. I give her a stern look and she lowers her voice a bit.

Her gaze suddenly gets glued on something behind me and I follow her gaze. My eyes fell on Victor and Silvia. She wants them to hear this? Maybe to prove a point to them as she expects me to answer no... I guess.

I want to answer her but I stop. The rat behind me is Hanna.One of the Silvias info dogs. She has placed her hand on her chin. Boring holes into the back of my head with her eyes and I can feel it. She wants to hear me so she can pass the information to Silvia. At this rate, even a whisper I try to make would be heard by her.

"Let's speak Spanish," I beg Faith and she declines. I don't blame her. I am horrible at that language and can't even construct a simple sentence in it except "I need water". I honestly wish now that I paid attention when she was teaching me.

She is raising her voice again and I was getting angered. I suddenly feel like she wants to humiliate me and not hear me out.

A sudden, gentle wash of fresh air kisses my back and then disappears. Like Hanna stood up and sat back down. I don't turn. The heat of the moment is my only concern now. I can't eat the food before me anymore.

She asks again and I answer;

" Look, it's not what you think, It's, I just, Well, He, I, We... No... He"I began to stutter like the idiot I am. For heavens sakes, I am talking to my best friend. Why am I sounding like a slave? Oh yes, guilt is the reason!

"It's a simple question. " she fires. I feel anger and hate grow in me at that moment. Anger towards Faith for not finding a better place and time for this and hate for Silvia.

"Yes! " I reply bluntly

"but not like like like... I mean... Not the crush type. He is my friend after all. " I quickly add after seeing disappointment cloud her face. I am not ready to lose my only support in school over a boy.

"Oh really?" A familiar voice that causes my heart to stop says from behind me. Without turning, I knew who it belongs to. The enchanting voice draws the attention of the whole canteen and everywhere goes pin-drop silent.

I turn around to see that Hanna and Victor changed seats! Faith must have seen them. There is no way she didn't. I am hurt. Did she just sell me out? Victor sat there the whole time listening to me.

"You didn't mean crush? You are such a liar! What did you mean then?

Jade, I don't like you, never liked you, and never will! Just because I talk to you doesn't make us friends! Stop pushing yourself on me! "He screams and all eyes are on us.

I suddenly feel the world closing in on me. I want to disappear. Puff into thin air, or the ground to open and swallow me up, or just be put out of existence, or to find I was just daydreaming or day nightmare. Anything but this!

Neither of them happened. This is a reality at its peak. I felt like dying. I simply stare at him in embarrassment.

" Okay, can we still be friends?" I ask stupidly even after he has pointed out that we were and aren't friends. I did t in my stupid attempt to mend the situation and hide my shame.

I feel mad at Favor. I feel like she sold me out and had a hand in this disgrace.

Nathaniel is here and is silently watching everything.

Victor in a state of confusion and bewilderment, before accepting my handshake.

I then walk out of the canteen with jelly for my legs. Nathaniel comes out to meet me. He makes me laugh about the situation by calling it a little war. I know he cares, but to what extent?

A few minutes to get into the bus taking us back. After we get our certificates, I saw Nathaniel sanitizing almost everywhere and I ask why. He tells me for hygiene's sake and at his mother's orders. What a mom... Lol

I still haven't spoken to Faith and I don't plan to. She is equally angry. I don't know why though. However, I had more right to be mad.

How the bus got filled with Faith and Edna sitting behind me and Nathaniel beside me, I don't know.

I begin to think of every little thing and how much my classmates misunderstand and hate me. Yes, I am rough and not fancy, but there is more to me than what they want to see. They don't want to get to know me better.

Some like Kora and Silvia, not excluding the boys, want to hurt me badly. I have held up well enough but now they are succeeding.

I begin to cry. Oh no! Not now. Please not now. 'After some hours we would get home. Then we can cry all we want.' I tell myself as if I am talking to my mind. However, this doesn't work. I am sobbing inaudibly. I thought no one heard till Nathaniel puts his hands on my shoulder.

"Are you okay? He questions and I nod as I am not in the mood to talk. He drags me into a comforting hug and I cry more. I keep crying till I Take a sharp inhale, causing me to feel a spike in my heart. My heartbeat suddenly and rapidly starts beating off course.

Not here God please not here. I am beginning to find it hard to breathe. My inhalers are in my bag which is in the boot, this feels like death.

I start vibrating in Nathaniel's arms and he knew just what Is wrong. He pulls me closer to himself so I can bury my nose in his cloth to get some relief. That didn't work causing me to push him away. Not that I am mad at him, but due to the pain.

My breathing becomes audibly labored. I am now coughing and gasping for air and Faith is watching with horror written all over her face. Some think I was acting to get attention. Yes, that's h much they dislike me.

Till I fall to the ground holding my neck which feels like it's closing up.

This is beyond embarrassing.

"Who has honey?" I hear Faith scream. I have no idea what she is doing and I am losing my hearing and sight senses.

I watch Faith stand above me with a white handkerchief in her hand.

Nathaniel carries my head in his arms and Faith puts the folded hands over my nose.

After what felt like minutes, my breathing becomes normalized. I can not raise my head cause I feel all eyes boring holes into my skin.

Nathan helps me up and I pretty much sleep in Nathans's arms all through the trip back.