BEL AND THE FOUR OF HEARTS

Eleven

The class period ended, the students started to shuffle out of the room, grabbing their bags and chatting amongst themselves. I joined in, packing my things into my backpack and slinging it on.

Just as I was about to leave, I heard someone call out my name. I turned around to see Keisha walking towards me. Her expression stern and her steps determined. It reminded her of those high school movies where the popular girl confronts the new girl. I couldn't help but roll my eyes inwardly, but I straightened up and faced Keisha.

I studied her face as she approached, wanting to know if she had been crying all night or not after what happened yesterday. But to my surprise, she seemed perfectly fine, with no visible signs of tears. Maybe she had a good concealer, I thought to myself.

As Keisha got closer, her eyes narrowed, and she spoke in a low voice,

"What are you up to exactly?"

I shifted my weight to one leg,

"Nothing much, just heading to my next class," I replied.

Keisha's face contorted into a scowl.

"Don't play dumb with me, Belinda. I've seen everything. Just back off! Let your claws off Jason," she said with an accusing tone.

I chuckled.

"You should tell that to him, not me. I'm not the one with a crush on your boyfriend," I retorted.

Keisha's face turned red with anger. "He's mine! and I know you're just trying to steal him away from me."

‘Don't worry, I'll be dumping him soon, but for the short while, wallow in jealousy, darling.’ I said in my mind, keeping my face neutral on the outside.

Keisha's body language was tense, her fists were clenched tightly, and her shoulders were slightly raised. Her jaw was set, and her eyes were narrowed in anger as she glared at me. I could see the muscles in her neck straining as she held back her emotions.

She took a step closer to me, struggling to control herself, she was barely holding back her rage.

Oh, your warrior Pauline isn't in school today to help knock some sense into me?" I mocked, although being inwardly moved by her in that instant.

Keisha brushed her shoulder past mine with such force that I felt a sharp ache. It was like a jolt of electricity that ran through my entire body. I watched as she stormed out of the class, my mouth gaping open in shock.

The suddenness of the movement had taken me by surprise.

Some students were coming into the classroom for their next period. I quickly composed myself, straightened my shoulders and tried to ignore the pain in my arm.

It was as though I was living in a scene straight out of a movie. I half-expected the cameras to come out and capture every moment of our conversation.

I was the main character in my own story, and Keisha was the antagonist, I convinced myself.

*****

I sauntered out of school, feeling relieved that the day was finally over. The halls were empty now, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of freedom wash over me. As I walked, my backpack felt heavy on my shoulders, but I didn't mind. It was a small price to pay for the privilege of leaving this place.

I couldn't wait to get home and do absolutely nothing for the rest of the day.

As I stepped out of the school gates, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The fresh air felt good in my lungs. I made my way down the sidewalk.

“Hey! Bel!”

I turned around to see who it was, and to my surprise, it was Mark waving at me. Scratch that, I wasn't surprised. I stopped and waited for him to reach me, almost having expected him to show up.

His curly afro hair bounced with each step he took. The strands of hair seemed to have a mind of their own, forming tight coils that bounced up and down in a rhythm that was almost mesmerizing. It was as if each strand was trying to escape from the rest, to have its own moment in the spotlight.

God, he was so well-groomed.

If there was anything to like about him, it was definitely his sense of style. The way his clothes fit perfectly on his body made him stand out from the rest of the guys I saw. Despite my reservations about him, I still appreciated the effort he put into his appearance.

As he finally reached me, his smile seemed to lighting up his entire face, and I couldn't help but return it.

"Hey, Belinda! Thanks for earlier, you were really helpful. You're a lot nicer than you make yourself look, you know."

I smiled and replied, "No problem, Mark. It was my pleasure. And thanks, I think?" I was a little taken aback by his comment, but I appreciated the compliment.

“Wanna wait for Greg together?”

I didn't see any reason to say no, actually. Just as I was about to answer, a car honked behind us.

It was a black convertible who's convertible top wasn't down; sleek and shiny vehicle. Its smooth, aerodynamic body seemed to glide effortlessly through the air. The black paint job was immaculate, reflecting the sunlight in a dazzling display.

As the car came to a stop, I could hear the low rumble of its engine. The tinted glasses of the car added to the suspense, making it impossible to see who was inside. I wondered who it could be and what they wanted.

The suspense heightened as the driver slowly wound down the tinted glasses.

As the glasses were wound down further, I caught a glimpse of the passenger seat where a mysterious figure was seated, their face still hidden in the shadows. My curiosity was piqued.

And then, the scent wafted out from the car, hitting my nose with a familiar smell— a mix of fresh laundry, musky cologne, and a hint of leather. I knew who owned that scent.

"Hey babe,” he called me resting his elbow on the window.

I was stunned. Babe?

My ear twitched with irritation. It was like nails on a chalkboard. I couldn't believe he had the audacity to call me such a nickname when we barely knew each other. I could feel my annoyance rising, and I knew I had to keep my cool.

The way he said it also made me cringe. It was like he thought it was some endearing term that would make me swoon. But in reality, it just made me want to roll my eyes and walk away.

Just because we had one meal together, he thought he had the right to call me that?

He is crazier than I thought. I stood there, dumbfounded, unsure of how to react.

Okay, you signed up for this, Bel. This should be the least of the things to expect.

His smile faltered for a second as he realized that I wasn't responding.

I looked at Mark with a helpless expression on my face, hoping he could somehow intervene and save me from this awkward situation. He returned my gaze with a look of surprise and confusion as well.

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend," he said with a weird kind of smile on his face.

"Oh, he's not my—" I tried to argue, but Jason cut me off.

"Come on, I'll take you home, babe," he said with a smirk.

Can you just shut the f**k up already?

Can he just stop using that word? I gritted my jaws, smiling sheepishly at Mark who said,

"I guess I should be on my way now. See you later," as he walked off, pulling the second strap of his backpack over his shoulder and I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in my stomach as I watched him go.

"So, babe," he began, emphasizing the word once again. "Are you ready to go?"

I forced a smile and nodded, trying my best to hide my irritation. As I walked towards the passenger side of his car.

I got in.

"What the hell, Jason?" I said, taking off my backpack.

"We're not even dating, and you call me 'babe'? That's ridiculous!"

Jason shrugged, still smiling. "We soon will be," he said, his tone confident.

"And besides, it's just a term of endearment."

I rolled my eyes. "A term of annoyance, more like it," I muttered under my breath.

Here's a sizzling hot cup of what you ordered, madam.