The Real Me

Chapter 7. Between Friends And Uncertainty

Anastasia's Pov

I slipped into the classroom, grateful for a moment of solitude after leaving Gilbert and Beatrice behind.

The juniors were almost finished with their duties, so I made my way to my desk, arranging my books neatly before settling into my seat.

Our class has a total of 72 students, but attendance can be hit or miss; some students prefer to skip school altogether.

The seating arrangement consists of four columns and nine rows, with two students sharing each row, seated at separate desks.

In our first semester of Form One, I sat with Beatrice, but by the second semester, she chose to sit with Daniel, a day student in our class.

I was left to sit alone at first, but then Beverlyn, who is also a day student, decided to join me.

Now, she’s my best friend, and we do everything together—whether it’s eating, chatting, studying, or even heading to the washroom.

Though she has other friends, she consistently chooses to be with me over them.

She’s a true friend, far more reliable than Beatrice ever was.

If it were up to Beatrice, I would likely be left to navigate the social landscape of our school alone, drowning in loneliness.

Beverlyn's presence makes all the difference, and I’m grateful to have her by my side.

As the class filled up, the noise level rose.

Beatrice walked in, with Gilbert trailing behind her.

When he glanced my way, I quickly averted my gaze, not wanting him to think I was staring.

To be honest, I wasn’t; I was just looking toward the whiteboard and the door.

I sat up straight, focusing intently on my desk as if something precious lay on it.

I hoped that Beverlyn would arrive soon, so I would have someone to chat with.

Everyone else was engrossed in conversation with their friends, and Beatrice was too busy to even acknowledge me.

While I know I should be okay with this, it gets lonely every single time.

My thoughts were interrupted when someone mentioned my name in greeting.

I looked up to see Emelia settling into her seat, meaning she had just arrived.

She's a day student, but she always comes to school early.

I returned her greeting with a small smile.

"I hope you had a wonderful weekend and slept well!" She has a nurturing spirit—like the mother of our class—always checking in on everyone.

"Yeah, I did! How about you?" I replied, giving her my full attention.

"I slept very well and had a wonderful weekend, all thanks to God," she said with a cheerful laugh.

"We thank God!" I echoed, matching her enthusiasm.

Just then, our classmate Sarah called out to Emelia, pulling her attention away from me and leaving me alone once again.

This was nothing new; I was used to it already.

Not long after, the siren blared, signaling that it was time to assemble, and we all made our way to the assembly hall.

As I was descending the stairs, I spotted Beverlyn and told her I would save a seat for her.

When I arrived at the assembly hall, it was already packed with students, and I began scanning for an empty seat that would be suitable for both Beverlyn and me.

Just then, I felt a tug on my left hand.

I turned to see Gilbert holding onto me, raising my eyebrows in curiosity about what he wanted.

"Let go, there’s a seat over there," he said, pointing to a spot in the middle of the hall, almost at the far end, where his friends—mostly boys—were gathered.

I shook my head slightly. He couldn't possibly expect me to sit there as the only girl among all those boys.

"No, thanks. I’m waiting for Beverlyn, and we’ll sit together," I replied, glancing toward the door to see if she was coming.

“Come on, the hall is full, and I’ve saved a seat for you,” he insisted, tugging me to follow him.

“Your friend can join us if she wants,” he added.

"I don't want to sit with the boys," I complained, feeling a wave of discomfort.

"Why not? Is your ex there?" he asked, an amused grin spreading across his face.

What the hell? I didn’t even know them.

"It’s just our classmates, and they don’t bite," he said as we approached them, my heart racing furiously.

I didn’t know what was wrong with me lately, but this situation was not helping at all.

As we approached the group of boys, I could feel all eyes on us—specifically, on me.

To my surprise, I found an unexpected surge of courage as I met their stares.

However, I was quickly pulled away from my thoughts when Gilbert dragged me to sit beside him, wedged between him and Felix.

I sat there stiffly, feeling like a toy on display.

"Relax, Ana. Just imagine they don’t exist," Gilbert said, placing his hands on my shoulders.

His touch only amplified my discomfort, making it harder to relax.

I forced a smile, hoping he would take the hint and remove his hands. Instead, he began to rub my shoulders, which only made things worse.

"Is she your new chick, Karter?" one of the boys asked, and I felt the heat rise to my cheeks.

"What the hell, Eric? She’s my bestie!" Gilbert snapped, and I was taken aback by his declaration.

Best friends? I didn’t realize he saw me that way.

"Oh, bestie with benefits!" Felix chuckled beside me, earning a glare from me that I hoped conveyed my disapproval.

"Seriously, Felix?" Gilbert shot back, clearly not amused.

"What? It's not a big deal. I mean, why are you guys suddenly besties, if you know what I mean," Felix winked, and laughter erupted around the group.

I knew exactly what he was hinting at.

"Dude, you dey craze! Where your brain dey?" Gilbert playfully punched Felix on the back.

"Hello, princess," a voice called from behind me. I turned to see a boy I’d seen around but didn’t know well.

"What’s your name?" he asked, flashing me a smile.

"Anastasia." I said casually.

"Wow, a beautiful name for a beautiful lady," he complimented, making me flustered.

"Nice to meet you. I’m Isaac, but you can call me Bullet," he said, extending his hand for a handshake.

I took it, feeling the roughness of his palm against mine.

Before I could fully register the moment, Gilbert abruptly separated our hands.

I glanced at him, confusion written on my face, and he simply pointed toward the door.

I followed his gaze to see Beverlyn at the front with her friends, scanning the crowd, and I instinctively knew she was looking for me.

I called out to her, but my voice was lost in the noise.

"Bev!" I shouted again, earning laughter from the boys around me.

I turned to them, perplexed by their amusement.

"With that voice, I don’t think she’ll hear you," Felix teased, chuckling along with the others.

What the hell? Are they laughing at my voice? I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment, and I buried my head in my lap.

Gilbert called out to Beverlyn again, then nudged me to look up.

I did, and relief washed over me as I saw her making her way toward us.

I stood up quickly, desperate to escape the boys' teasing, but Gilbert grasped my hand, pulling me back down into my seat, which only fueled my annoyance.

"Hey, Anas!" Bev greeted me as she approached, her eyes darting around, trying to understand the situation.

"Have you found a seat? If not, come join us!" I offered, even though there were no empty spots.

I just wanted her close so I wouldn’t have to endure this moment alone with the boys.

"No, where am I going to sit?" she replied, glancing around for an available seat.

I shot a look at Gilbert, who had suggested she could sit with us.

"There’s space here," he said, pointing to the seat behind mine.

Bev nodded and made her way to sit between Isaac and another boy I didn’t recognize.

I felt her hands on my shoulders, and I turned to meet her gaze. The look in her eyes was unmistakable—girl, you have a lot to talk about.

I couldn’t help but smile at her playful expression.

The hall was filling up as more students arrived, some left standing as the assembly was about to commence.