The Habit

Chapter 16

Maryjane looked at emeka with a frown,looked at him from head to toes and hissed(as she walked up the stairs).

"So what is it you want to talk about"?chioma said as she folded her hands).

" Chioma I think you should get tested"emeka said in a whisper.

Then chioma remembered her dream, her heart started beating fast.

"What do you mean I should get tested" chioma said as she stammered,what are you talking about?

"I think am HIV positive" emeka said as tears immediately dropped from his eye.

"What"?chioma said as she bursted into tears " "Emeka you have killed me" she added as she held him by his shirt.

"Chioma behave yourself" emeka said as he looked around, don’t let people get suspicious.

"Oh God what will I do now" emeka said as he put his hands on his head.

"Emeka God will judge you, so you are positive and you intentionally slept with me without condom"(chioma whispered).

"No it a long story,let meet after school and go to nearest hospital for a test" emeka said as he held her by the shoulder.

"Get your stupid hands off me" chioma said as she pushed him by his chest and ran up the stairs in tears.

She needed a place to think about what just happened, she cleaned the tears from her eyes to avoid stares from others,she need to pour out the tears from her eyes, while she was walking too fast, she bumped into somebody.

"AM SORRY" (she said) not looking at the persons face,she ran quickly and sighted the door to the store room, she quickly opened the door,entered and shut the door behind her, she located a corner behind some dusty drums and bursted into tears.

back in class…

"I shouldn’t have left chioma with that fool,and why is she not here by now" maryjane said as she glanced at her wrist watch),immediately she saw emeka entering the class, she quickly rushed to meet him.

"Emeka emeka where is chioma" maryjane asked as she blocked his way),he looked at her seat and all over the class and back at her.

"I thought she already came to meet you,she already left from downstairs" emeka said.

"Then why is she not here"?,what did you tell her?,what did you do to her" mary jane said as she pulled him by his shirt),some boys and girls who were gisting left what they were doing and started looking at the drama they were creating.

"Leave my shirt alone" emeka said as he pulled her hands away),don’t blame me where your friend went to,go look for her as he pushed her aside to join his friends.

"Emeka what is happening"(one of his friends asked him)as they shake hands with him.

"Don't mind that girl" emeka said.

"Are you sure"(the friend asked).

" Yes I'm sure"emeka replied, they started playing a game(as they formed a circle).

"Where could chioma have gone"mary jane said within herself,maybe she branched to the library, let me quickly go and check.

She quickly carried her bag from her chair along with her bag and quickly walked out of the class,before she left, she looked by the corner of her eyes and saw emeka looking at her.

" Emeka why did you stop"(one of his friends yelled at him).

Chioma had tears all over her face, her face was filled with sweat as her head started pounding with headache.

The door suddenly opened, she quickly hide behind one of the furnitures,hello(the voice called), are you in here?,it me Patrick.

"Patrick"?,what is he doing here (chioma whispered).

" I know you can hear me, come out"(he called),she quickly walked out of her hiding place and saw him more handsome than ever staring at her.

"Is everything alright"?patrick asked

"How did you find me here"?Chioma asked in a confused face.

" Well I saw you running from the stairs and you bumped into me so I followed you here,I saw you crying,are you okay"patrick said as he drew close to her.

"Am fine pls it nothing" chioma said as she walked pass him to leave the room.

"No you’re not" Patrick said as he held her hands,pls talk to me,I want to know why you’re crying,I can’t just watch you crying like this,pls talk to me as a friend"patrick added as he looked at her straight in the eye), They stared at each other for 5 second, she could see trust in his eyes.

"Should I tell him"?chioma said within herself,the look in his brown eyes made her want to trust him,she felt like they had known each other for long, she opened her mouth to speak,suddenly the door opened.

Immediately the door opened Patrick and her turned to see who it was.

" Thank God you’re fine,I’ve been looking for you all over the school"mary jane said.

Mary jane noticed patrick holding her grip),he quickly let go of her hands.

The bell suddenly rang,common let go (as chioma pulled mj along with her out of the door.

"Chioma are you alright"?mary jane asked as she noticed the tears on her face.

"I have a confession I need to tell you" chioma said.

Maryjane looked at her face with seriousness

They located a corner for them to discuss,they waited for some students to walk pass them

"Chioma you’re scaring me what is going on"?mary jane said.

" You know when you asked me if there was something going on between emeka and I"chioma said.

Mary jane thought for a second) yes I remember so what about that?

"Actually there was something going on between us,not only that,we also had s*x" chioma said as she bow her head in shame.

"WHAT"?mary jane said (covering her mouth with her hands),chioma?,you did what?,gosh how could you?.

Tears began dripping from her eyes down to her cheeks.

"But I later regretted after he started getting serious so i told him I don’t have anything to do with him again,that was those times I told you about him asking me out,so what he now told me today" chioma said.

"yes what did he tell you"?mary jane asked.

"He said he think his HIV positive" chioma replied.

"Jesus Christ" mary jane shouted as her bag drops from her hand.

She bent down and covered her knees with her face as she bursted into tears.

"So does it mean you guys never used a condom"?mary jane asked.

" That was the first time that he didn’t use it"chioma said in tears.

"Wait, so you slept with him more than once"?,chioma why?

" Chioma it alright get up"mary jane said as she pulled her up with her hands.

"We are not exactly sure you have it,we have to go for a test first,clean your face" mary jane added as she wiped her face with her palm.

The school was already empty as the students had left the school.

"Common let go" mary jane said as she picked up her bag and pulled her along with her till they got out of the school.

back at home….

Chioma was still in tears as she lay on her bed without noticing her mum came into the house.

"Chioma am home" chioma mum said as she dropped her hand bag on the couch and started removing her earings.

"is this girl sleeping"?she added, chioma?

Chioma heard footsteps coming toward her door,she quickly wiped off her tears and pretended to be resting,chioma are you there(as she knocked on the door), yes mum come in(she replied),she quickly opened the door and found her on her bed with head sink in her pillow.

" Chioma are you alright"her mum asked as she sat down beside her on the bed..(she nodded).

"I’ve been calling your name,you didn’t even notice I came in" her mum said as she touched her neck),you’re burning up,let me get you medicine (she quickly walked out of the door).

A minute later she came in with a glass of water and a tablet of medicine.

"Get up and take this" her mum said as she sat her up), she collected the water and drug and gulped it down.

"Have you eaten"? her mum asked.

She shook her head,okay just rest let me go get you something to eat.

She watched her as she walked out of the door,she bursted into tears again.

"How will I explain to my mum that I am HIV positive" chioma said within herself.

5minutes later, her mum came in with a cup of tea and some sliced bread, she got up and started eating while her mum was staring at her where she sat.

"Chioma if there’s anything that is bothering you that you need to talk about,don’t hesitate to tell me okay" her mum said.

"Okay mum" chioma replied.

And she stood up,kissed her forehead and walked out of her room.

"Tomorrow is my exam,I need to read not to forget what I’ve read before emeka came into my life" chioma said.

She brought out her time table, checked the paper she's having tomorrow, then she started reading.

Still in her room(7pm)

She was still reading her books, she's been reading for the past two hours nonstop when she heard a knock on her door.

"come in" chioma said

Her mum stood at the door way.

"Chioma dinner is ready"(she said)

"Mum can I skip dinner just for tonight pls"?chioma said.

"Alright just for tonight,good night, make sure you close your window before your sleep" chioma mum said as she shut the door.

Tuesday morning (6am)

She blinked her eyes open with her head on her reading table.

"So I slept while reading yesterday" she said within herself.

She quickly arranged her books in her bag and dashed into the bathroom, 2minutes later she was done having her bath, she cleaned herself with a towel and quickly put on her uniform,brushed down her long hair,gather her stuff before walking out of her room.

She sat down on the dinning table waiting for her mum to bring breakfast.

in school after assembly…

"Chioma you haven’t told me how you know that Patrick of a guy" Maryjane said as they walked down to their class.

"Well my mum sent me to go buy something at home and I was been attacked by some group of boys who wanted to rape me and he saved me,I don’t know how he did it but the boys ran away and he came and untied me and told me to run home,that how I saw him" chioma said

"Wow,this is serious,thank God for him" mj said

They passed a door which was the music room and heard a sound coming from the door.

"Did you hear that"?maryjane asked common let check.

They quietly pushed the door open and heard the most beautiful voice they ever heard in their life,they saw patrick singing and playing a guiter,he was singing a cover of Edsheeran titled perfect.

They watched him with their mouth wide open, as he was singing along with the guitar he was playing.

"We were still kids when we fell in love not knowing what it was, I will have give you all this time,

darling just kiss me slow,

your heart is who I own,

and in your eyes your hold in mind,

baby am dancing in the dark,

you between my arms,

listening to our favorite song" Patrick was singing Then he stopped singing when he saw chioma and maryjane.