6

She turned to leave angrily. I met Luke's gaze and he sensed that she was more than a friend. 'Don't tell her anything.' He mouthed to me.

I scurried off to follow behind her. "Grace." I got her to stop even in her hastened steps. I pulled her shoulder and that brought her to look at me. Neither of us had to bother about hovering over the other since we were literally the same height.

"What do you want?!" She snapped. "How could you? You refused to say a word to me but then you can talk to that weird kid that talks to himself in science class?" She rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.

"I can explain." I sharply expressed, trying to corner a way for me to be free from the bondage.

"Well, go ahead." She tapped her foot against the floor impatiently.

"Okay, see… Luke and I had to talk about some important stuff." I began, nervously scratching the back of my head as if it would dispense answers.

"What sort of important stuff?" She expanded her frown at me.

"I.. I.." I stuttered. My eyes widened after comprehending that I could tell a lie freely. I was insane to trust Luke but I wouldn't know if I didn't try.

"He was convincing me to talk and live freely." I closed my eyes tight, waiting for an impact but got nothing in return.

I reopened them slowly, one eye after the other. I was still alive.

"Why?" She heightened her dubious eyebrows at me.

"Good question Grace. Why? Luke saw me after you walked away in anger and talked me into freedom again, it's just, I'm sorry for being like this in the first place. I just hope you can forgive me." I forced a smile, apprehending how forged my story appeared.

"I don't know what you are up to." She sighed, looking down at her feet with gloomy eyes. Her face wore a smile and she looked back at me, "but I'm glad to know you are back." She grinned, holding my hands in hers.

I returned the gesture then caught her off guard, pulling her in for a deep kiss. I cupped her cheeks in mine, closed my eyes tight and sucked on her lower lip. I always loved to take her lower lip, it was our mini tradition.

She held the back of my head, pushing me closer to her face to heighten the depth of our kiss. She pulled away after a minute and stared lovingly into my eyes. "How I missed you." She consented to holding my hand, pulling me in an unknown direction.

My heart sped in pursuit. It was our first public kiss. I avoided as much gazes as I could, wondering if any of them could see me. What had we done?

"Are you okay?" She noticed after a while of walking, that I was not speaking.

"I'm good." I pulled an effort labeled smile.

"Sure?" One of her brows arched in my direction.

"Sure." I nodded. With the longing to change the conversation, I manufactured reference to a different subject. "Why did you leave class anyway?"

"I got bored and tired, like what the hell? The maths teacher was avoiding questions, she's a new one, it's obvious she doesn't want to die. What's the point anyway?"

I shook my head at her, "so where do we go from here?" I yearned to return home.

"I have no idea." She said. She activated a discussion that conveyed a suggestion but my mind was cut off. My mind zoomed off to Luke and how ride it was of me to have left him there, all by himself.

"What do you say to that?" Grace trapped me back into reality.

"I'm sorry, I got distracted." I sincerely apologized.

"I said, there's this new place around and it is a girl's only club." She winked at me. She was getting at a point but I didn't get it.

"It's more of a lesbian hangout. It means, we can be ourselves without having to worry about what people have to say." She clarified. That got me to sigh in relief. Grace was a lesbian.

"Really?" I told her. I would have to find an excuse for my mom so she would permit me to leave the house.

"I'll be there then." I felt relieved to know I could say that although it was an uncertainty.

"Wait, you really aren't planning on letting me down?" She expressed her astonishment. We stopped walking and leaned against some random locker in the hallway.

She was used to me telling her negative responses in times like this. Instead of a response, I nodded with an approving smile.

"Hey, why don't we head back to class? Since we are here, we might as well just do this school shit right anyways." She rolled her eyes at me as if I were school in itself.

I smirked at her, held her hand and strolled to class with her.

*

The day was over and no one had come by to pick me up from school. Since my mother worked her store, she usually had time to fix my siblings and I in her schedule after school everyday.

I gave up after multiple texts I had sent her were ignored. I was sitting cross legged in the middle of the school field where everyone minded their business and paid no attention to me.

Grace had been discarded earlier on, wanting to get ready for tonight.

I stood to my feet, tucked my phone in my pocket, pulled my denim pants higher up my waist and headed in no particular direction to wait for a miracle to happen.

"Why are you still in school?" Masculine arms wrapped around me from behind, earning a flinch from the startling action.

"What is wrong with you? Why are you following me?!" I snapped angrily. It was none other than Luke.

"Well, I'm glad to see you are still here." He grinned nervously, stuffing his hands into his pocket. He ruffled his hair, trying to shove it out of his face.

"What do you want Luke?" I spoke in a more calmer tone.

"I came here to warn you. The other time I said almadate lasts for twelve hours maybe?" He began, scratching the back of his neck with his fingers harshly. I feared he would bruise himself but mentally decided not to pay attention to it.

"Yeah, what about that?" I felt the fear. Was there a side effect?

"I lied."

"What?!" I gasped. Did he mean the almadate didn't work?

"It only lasts an hour and a few minutes, I'm sorry." He looked at his feet. I reached for a handful of his collar in my arms and began to shake him fervently.

"Why would you lie to me? That was so dangerous. What if I had gone home earlier?" I yelled in his face.

"Woah!" He pulled himself out of my grip. "You looked like you were so happy and I just thought to restore your confidence for a whi-"

"You broke that confidence!" I clutched on to my handbag, a deep frown on my face while we journeyed home.

"And I'm sorry!" He yelled behind me, jogging to keep up with me. "Let me take you home, you look like you have no means." He suggested, panting as he spoke.

I stopped in my tracks, he was right.

I felt bad to be angry at someone who had given me the chance of a better life for an hour. "Fine, just this once."

*

Luke pulled up in front of my house and I had the sudden fear against going in. What if I saw something I did not want to? Or worse, news I would hate to hear?

"Thanks for your help." At least I still had the confidence to speak without the almadate. I alighted the car and waved him goodbye.

With a sigh, I made my way to my front door. He zoomed off from behind me while I opened the door. Amusingly, it budged. Mother was never careless enough to leave the doors open.

"Mum?" I called as soon as I walked in but there she was, standing patiently, like she had been waiting for my presence.

I sighed in relief, for a moment, I thought something had been up.

I was going to talk to her when I noticed the blue notebook in her hand. I stumbled backwards. She had my diary.

"M..mum." I stuttered as she advanced towards me. I took steps backwards until I got to the door.

"Ariyah, what does this mean by you are bisexual?" Her voice was creaking. She must have been crying limitless.

The almadate had worn off. This meant I couldn't lie...