Chapter three:The Rumors
894 Words
The rumors started a few weeks later.
Someone had seen Daniel and me leaving the library together.
That was all it took.
By Monday morning, people had already created an entire story.
“They’re dating.”
“No, they’re not.”
“I heard Daniel likes her.”
“I heard they’ve been together for weeks.”
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I went to the bathroom during break and stood in front of the mirror.
Tasha came in a few minutes later.
“You heard?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
“It doesn’t look fine.”
I sighed.
“I just don’t understand why people care so much.”
“They don’t. They just like drama.”
We returned to class.
Daniel was already sitting at his desk.
He looked at me.
I walked over.
“You okay?”
“Not really.”
I sat down.
“What happened?”
“Someone asked me if we’re dating.”
My heart skipped.
“What did you say?”
“The truth.”
I stared at him.
“What truth?”
“That we’re friends.”
I looked down at my notebook.
I knew he was right.
We were friends.
But hearing him say it still hurt.
He noticed.
“Amara.”
“It’s okay.”
“No, it isn’t.”
Before he could continue, Mr. Adeyemi entered the classroom.
The conversation ended.
For the rest of the day, I barely spoke to Daniel.
Not because I was angry.
I just didn’t know what to say.
The school cultural event gave us another reason to work together.
I was responsible for part of the stage decorations, while Daniel was helping with the technical equipment.
We had to stay after school several times.
At first, things were awkward.
Then, slowly, they became normal again.
One evening, Daniel was standing on a ladder while I held a roll of tape.
“Pass it.”
I handed it to him.
“Thanks.”
He continued working.
Then he said, “I hate this.”
“What?”
“Pretending we don’t like being around each other.”
I looked up.
“Daniel.”
“I know.”
“People are talking.”
“I don’t care.”
“I do.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want people deciding who I am.”
He climbed down from the ladder.
“I understand.”
We stood there in silence.
Then he asked, “What do you think?”
“About what?”
“About me.”
I looked at him.
“You’re kind.”
He smiled.
“Anything else?”
“You’re annoying.”
He laughed.
“That’s fair.”
“And you talk too much.”
“Also fair.”
I smiled.
“But I like talking to you.”
His smile faded.
Not because he was unhappy.
The moment had suddenly become serious.
“I like talking to you too.”
Neither of us moved.
Then the lights went out.
I jumped.
Daniel laughed.
“Relax. It’s just the power.”
“I knew that.”
“You screamed.”
“I did not.”
“You definitely did.”
I laughed.
He turned on his phone flashlight, and we finished packing our things.
Outside, it had started raining.
“Do you have an umbrella?” I asked.
“No.”
“Me neither.”
We looked at each other.
Then we ran.
By the time we reached the bus stop, we were completely soaked.
Daniel looked at me and started laughing.
“What?”
“You look ridiculous.”
I looked at him.
“You look worse.”
He laughed even harder.
Soon, I was laughing too.
For those few minutes, I forgot about everything.
The rumours.
The exams.
My mother’s expectations.
Tasha’s warning.
There was just us, standing at a bus stop in the rain and laughing like two idiots.
That night, Daniel texted me.
Today was fun.
I smiled.
Even though we got soaked?
His reply came quickly.
Especially because we got soaked.
I stared at the screen.
Then another message appeared.
I think I like you, Amara.
My heart started beating faster.
I read it again.
I didn’t know what to say.
Finally, I typed:
I think I like you too.
I put my phone down.
Then picked it up again.
I read his message one more time.
I was smiling when I fell asleep.
The next morning, Tasha was waiting for me at school.
Her face looked serious.
“Amara, we need to talk.”
“What happened?”
“It’s Daniel.”
My smile disappeared.
“What about him?”
“My brother knows.”
“Knows what?”
“That you two like each other.”
I swallowed.
“And?”
“He’s angry.”
“Why?”
“He thinks Daniel shouldn’t be involved with anyone right now.”
“Why?”
Tasha looked uncomfortable.
“Because Daniel’s father is planning to send him away.”
My stomach dropped.
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“When?”
“I don’t know.”
I stared at her.
For the first time, I understood why she had warned me.
It wasn’t because Daniel was dangerous.
It was because things around him were complicated.
And now I was already involved.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD