Passionate Heart

The Public Disgrace

Days passed swiftly but as days passed I became ill and stayed back at home. I hated visiting hospitals, so our family doctor came and treated me at home. Throughout the week, I didn't go to school.

I got better over the weekend yet I didn't go to school throughout the week that followed.

Christabel came as usual and was urging me to go to school.

Treasure baby, when are you resuming School.

I don't know I replied

I know you are feeling better now yet you won't go to school why na?

I want to rest know

So two weeks is not enough

OK give me two more weeks

We are missing you at School oo, so please resume school as soon as tomorrow abeg, please.

No, I insisted

okay oo, she gave up

Days passed until this day, my parents travelled as usual, my Nanny went out. I was alone with the cleaners when my schoolmates came to visit me.

it happened that Christabel came earlier with my class girls but had gone to the market to buy some commodities to cook for me.

George had come with my Schoolmates.

I feigned ill until they prayed for me and left.

Some minutes later after they left, George came back alone.

He can win and sat beside me in my bed.

Did you forget anything? I asked

I have come to see you he said and touched my cheeks playfully, we chatted and laughed until he came quite close and he used his hands to cup my face.

He was looking into my eyes.

ugly duckling he said and I hit him hard with a pillow

handsome Chicken I called him.

You know you are prettier than every other thing I have ever seen.

Thing kwa?

yea

me thing?

I mean every other girl I have ever seen

I can see you came to insult me I said and swallowed hard

He chuckled and came quite close again

He sickness didn't meddle with your beauty he said this time around

can I kiss you? he added looking closely at me.

No I said

please

yes..em..em..I mean no...

But before I could complete my statement he kissed me.

Just then the door opened and Christabel, Melinda, Florida, Lorita Patricia and Seniorita came in.

What are we seeing? Seniorita exclaimed

Or rather what did we just see Patricia shouted

The..almighty..George who have no single feeling for Treasure, on Treasure's bed, during what??? Lorita shouted

kissing everyone chorused

Christabel didn't say a word, she left silently, I was suspicious of her movement.

Boss Melinda as she was fondly called by all, dragged George out of the bed and George voluntarily sat on the floor and bowed his head.

we should do what? Melinda barked

punish him They chorused

For what? Melinda barked

for denying his feeling for our little girl Treasure Lorita shouted. Little girl that was what she usually called me as she was older.

They dragged George out of the house, George didn't resist. I followed them trying to help George but then Christabel rushed out of nowhere and emptied a bucket of beans water on George.

They laughed mockingly at him.

Now George apologize to our Treasure for the public disgrace

apologize apologize they chanted

George turned to look at me pityingly, I understood by his eye language that he wanted me to stop the girls. I opened my mouth to talk but then I remembered how those eyes shined in mockery as he said on that day.

"I don't have any feeling at all for you"

My heart went cold and I simply left the scene

Run, run Christabel ordered

I said run Melinda barked and George ran off

It didn't end there oh! or were you thinking it did? Well I don't

It actually ended at School the next day. I eventually decided to come to school this day, but I came late When I entered the class, I saw stickers and posters all over the school.

"SHOCKING REVELATION

George is madly in love with Treasure "

"George and Treasure caught in bed, during what? kissing !"

"George in Treasure's house, in fact on her bed, holding her face and kissing her passionately.

I became angry and started tearing down the stickers one after the other, the class laughed at me as I did that. I saw a shadow of someone standing behind me, I turned to behold George. He held NY hand by force immediately

happy? he asked

happy about what? is asked

oh! you want to play the pretending game right?

I don't understand

OK let me remind you, you must be haooy about this silly false comments you and your friends posted all over the classes.

I didn't post any...I started but he cuts in

No need to deny the obvious, is it by force? ..wait let me ask you, is love by force? I have told you times without numbers numbers that I'm not interested in you, you are not my type abay girl, I don't and I will never look at you twice, talk less of loving you ok?

I stood still like a bag of salt, I was shocked and dumbfounded

Christabel rushed and stood in between us, facing George in a challenging manner.

Deny it again...deny that you have no feeling whatsoever for Treasure She barked.

what kind of insult is that? oh my my! he partially laughed.

Look at me and look at her and look at that silly, naive non entity where does it match she and I ?

I turned and left the class. As I was going I heard him saying

I don't have no feelings for her ok? She is just a friend nothing more.

I didn't want to faint again because my head was already singing

La..hi..hieeee..eeh!..eeh!..eeh!..eeh!.

I rushed out of the class unnoticed. I needed a lonely place so I went to the back of the old staff room which was deserted that hour.

I stood on the verandah placing my hands on the wall and leaning on the wall.

I thought hard

is he worth dying for? why can't I just hate him?

I made up my mind to hate him, to do away with any kind of feeling I have for him.

It was the second time I received insults, shame and disgrace because of the so called love .

Suddenly I was succeeding, my heart was getting hard, hard and harder but then someone tapped me from behind.

I turned to see George.

you are here, I have been looking for you all along he said gently.

Anger filled my heart but I remained calm.

any problem?

I..I..wanted to apologized for what I just said . I don't mean anything I said to tiu over baby, I..I.. you know how much I hate crowds.

A tear dropped from my eyes. l looked at him from head to toe, I said nothing , turned and walked away. I simply went home.