GUILTY OF LOVE

Seven

ROSA's POV

Three days have passed painfully locked up in my house and I feel like if I spend another day at home, I might lose it. Junior and his friends had left back to college the next day. Norman helped me gain some sanity a little bit. In fact I always looked forward to him coming back from school. We spent about 3 hours together after school for the last three days. He helps me out with assignments, copies some notes for me, helps me submit the assignments. Claire and Steve came to visit too but tomorrow I'm going to school. I think I need school. I need normal in my life right now and school might just have the degree of normal that I need.

Will, on the other hand has been less sympathetic towards me. We haven't really talked or seen each other. I think that there's a flaw in our relationship and I just can't see it so I can't fix it. We used to be so close but ever since his last trip to Florida, something is just off. We don't connect like we used to. He doesn't visit or sleep over anymore. He always has an excuse. He's distant.

"Good day students of Darwins high, this is to notify you all that at the hearing of the next school bell, all students are to gather in the school theatre for a brief assembly. This brief gathering is in honour of our recently declared kidnapped parent, Mr David Sandalwood. Father of one of our students Miss Rosa Mendez. Don't be late," the speaker announced.

I was in history class. The announcement woke up the population of students who were asleep on their desks which was half of the class. I was so lost in my thoughts, I wasn't even making any notes and history is one of my best subjects. It just comes easier to me because it's more like story time. After the announcement everyone were murmuring probably talking about me. As i packed my books in my bag, i loked wroinc the classroom. Claire was drawing on a sheet of paper, she has always hated history class. Norman had fallen asleep on his books, he looked so cute. Will was laughing with Edith. When Edith and my eyes met, she gave me the stink eye so I quickly looked away. I honestly don't know when Will and Edith became best friends. Will didn't really talk to her before because of the unspoken rivalry between Edith and I. I stood up and went to meet my teacher.

"Can I go use the bathroom please?"

"Okay, take the pass on the table", she pointed to the passes on her table close to her handbag.

I took one and went to the bathroom. I entered one of the stalls and was enjoying the privacy until Claire came in.

"Rosa... Rosa... Rosa, are you okay?" she asked standing right outside my stall.

"Yes, I am. I'm okay. I just need to be alone for now"

"Ok, if you need me. You know where to find me", she said before leaving me alone.

I don't know how long I spent in the bathroom. I thought I was ready to go back to school. I don't know why I thought that if I get back to school, everyone will treat me normally but instead I got the missing father treatment. They believe David is my father even though they know that he's just a step dad to me. Even the person who gave the announcement addressed David as my father and not my step dad. There's a reason why I still answer my papa's last name.

The bells rang. Shortly after, I heard the doors to the toilet open and footsteps.

"He said after her dad has been found, he'll break up with her", the first girl said.

Her dad has been found. Something that can be found had to be misplaced at first or missing. I'm the only person in this school who has a missing family member, could she be talking about me?

"Are you sure? They are the couples of the year for a reason. They've broken up countless times and gotten back together. Their relationship is kind of unbreakable", second girl said

"Tah... He said he loves me", the first girl said

"He could be playing with your feelings", the second girl said

"Will can't do that. He loves me. He told me that I'm the only one for him", the first girl said

Will? Can this be my Will? No, he loves only me and i love him. It should be another guy. I wanted to get up and go confront them but I don't know why I felt so weak at the mention of Will's name. I kept on telling myself that this wasn't my Will. They weren't talking about my boyfriend.

"I heard that he hasn't seen her since he got back from Florida", the second girl said

"He doesn't have time for that b***h. He told me that she doesn't let him touch her", the first girl said

"What do you mean by touch?" the second girl sounded confused

"He hasn't slept with her yet. She's still a virgin. According to him, they only kiss. That should be why he got bored of her", the first girl said while washing her hands under the running tap in the sink

"You better trap him down fast. That b***h has starved that boy for too long", the second girl said

"At his party, dinner will be served...", those were the last words I heard because I could now hear their footsteps leaving the bathroom as the first girl's words faded into the air

Aftr listening to the conversation, I was now sure that it was both Will and I that were being discussed. How dare Will tell that slut about my virginity. It's my privacy. He had no right to talk about it to anyone. I stepped out of the bathroom. The strong scent of cheap perfume that hit my face was one I will remember even if I had amnesia. It was Edith.

I took two of the blue pills I had purchased from Junior before he went back. Truthfully, I don't know what the pills are meant for but it helps me relax. I reinforced my strawberry lip gloss and repacked my messy hair into a beautiful black ponytail, thank God my baby hairs were still laid. I adjusted my uniform and then left the toilet after I was satisfied with my look.

The hallway was empty, everyone must be gathered at the school theatre. I hurried up the stairs. On getting to the third stair, I could hear Principal Crest making her speech so I quickened my steps.

I pushed the door to the theatre room and entered in a hurry. The door closed with a loud bang announcing my presence and the whole room turned silent. Every head in the room turned towards my direction and it was really awkward. The expressions they had on their faces weren't the same with the ones I was used to getting from audiences at the school plays that I always participated in every year. Their expressions held pity.

I spotted Claire and Steve at the middle of the assembly and there was an empty seat at the beginning of the walk way so I hurried over there while the principal continued to give his speech which turned out to be an heartfelt verbal support to the family of the kidnapped victim.

Claire is my best friend and I know she wants the best for me. I know what she can do and I know that she was the one that arranged the sitting position the way it was. From the first seat, it was me, Steve, Claire, and then Will, his best friend Cole and then the other members of the football team. Will, seriously? That is the one person that I don't want to talk to right now. I don't want to believe that Will can cheat on me but I can believe it seeing that Will is the star quarterback of our school's football team and Edith is the head cheerleader. I could smell the cheap perfume closely and i knew that Edith was close by. It didn't really take long for me to find her two seats in front of mine.

Within five minutes that I sat, I saw Will whispering something into Claire's ears and Claire passed the message to Steve. Then they rearranged themselves and before I knew it Will was seating next to me.

"Hey. How are you holding up?", he asked in a hushed tone. His hands on mine. Could he really be cheating in me with Edith? It's not possible, he loves and cares about me.

"I'm good", I answered with a reassuring smile. I saw Edith's head turn to look at us so I kissed the back of Will's hand to piss her off. He's my man.

"So will you be attending my party? It'll probably take your mind off everything right now"

"I can't. With everything going on at home right now, I can't"

"It's okay. I understand", he said with a smile. By now the principal was done with his speech so we let go of each other hands to clap.

The sheriff came up to the wodden podium to address us on his latest findings in the case and reassure us that David will be found and justice will be enacted the kidnappers when found.

"What's going on between you and Edith?" I asked.

"What... what... why do you ask?" he stammered

"When did you start talking and laughing together in class?"

"Oh, that? We were talking about practice stuff", he quickly brushed my questions off

"Practice stuff? Is she teaching you how to pass the ball or are you teaching her new cheers for the game?" I asked.

"Not only practice stuff. We also talked about our last trip to Florida", he said putting his arm across my shoulder.

"Our last trip?" I asked removing his arm from my shoulders.

"Yeah, Edith's family were lodged in the same resort as my family."

"How come I'm just hearing about all these now? Is Edith the reason why you hardly called or replied my texts?"

"Of course not", he said with a laugh

"I told you the reception there was bad", he added

"But it wasn't bad enough for you to post pictures on your i********: and upload new stories", I grumbled catching him in his outrageous lies.

"Babe... I love you. I love you so so much and I can't even look at another girl, especially not Edith. You don't have to be jealous because nothing is going on bet..." He was saying but I interrupted him.

"Jealous? Me, jealous? Never", I said and we kissed.