Chapter 7

• **
• Unlike the rest, It was a different case for Jamal. His classmates were still in school and they did not notice he had not been in school for a while. He enjoyed every class he attended and couldn't wait for lunchtime so he can tell the rest about his experience. When it was lunchtime, he ran out of his class to join the rest in the cafeteria.
• He met them seated with gloomy faces. "Are you all alright?" he asked.
• "I hate being in school today," Jasmine said with scorn. "I should have not been in school"
• Jamal furrowed his brows. "Is anything the matter?"
• "A lot is the matter. I can't believe I was treated like an outcast" Jabal said.
• "I love the way you punished him. He is so rude" Ariana said.
• "Was Alvin rude to you?" Jamal asked.
• Jabal furrowed his brows. "Alvin? Alvin wasn't in my class. Have you forgotten they graduated already"
• Jamal batted his lashes. "Graduated? When? How? I saw Alvin on my way to class and he asked after him. I told him you are in school and should be in class soon"
• Jabal furrowed his brows. "What are you talking about ?"
• "What class did you attend this morning?" Jamal asked.
• "Mathematics class" Jabal answered and Jamal chuckled.
• "Were you not supposed to have English?"
• Jabal furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"
• "I saw English on your timetable this morning. How come you went to mathematics class instead?" Jamal asked. "Did the rest of you attended Mathematics class too?"
• Jabal stared at the rest and they looked away. "Wait, you knew about it? You all knew we were supposed to have English and not Mathematics?". He brushed his hair backward. "I can't believe this? Ariana even you?"
• Jasmine scoffed. "Are you not supposed to know your timetable? Why are you placing blame on others"
• "I am placing blame on others? Really?"
• Jamal groaned slightly. "Whose idea was it to make Jabal stay for Mathematics class? Is it Jasmine's?" he whispered to Ryan.
• "It wasn't anyone's idea. We did not notice early that we entered the wrong class"
• "Then why is Jasmine acting as she knew all along"
• "She is just pissed up. Jabal was the reason we entered the wrong class"
• Jamal sighed. "Then I guess this argument won't be ending soon. How about we go order some food"
• Ryan nodded and stood up. "Ariana, won't you like to join us?"
• Ariana stood up. "I guess I will"
• They left the twins who kept arguing and went to get some food for themselves.
• "Are we getting food for those two?" Jamal asked.
• "You mean Jabal and Jasmine?" Ariana asked and Jamal nodded.
• "Do you have any idea what they will want to eat or we just get them anything?" Ryan asked.
• "Let's just get them anything. They don't have a choice" Jamal said and they agreed.
• "Ryan, you can pick out a few things for Jasmine. I know she won't say no to you and Ariana you can get some things for Jabal"
• They ordered their food and headed back to meet Jasmine and Jabal who had stopped arguing.
• "Why did you guys leave without telling us?" Jabal asked.
• "You mean we should stop you two from arguing?" Jamal asked, furrowing his brows. "I don't think I will want to do that. But I don't know of Ariana or Ryan"
• Ryan shook his head. "I won't want to do that too"
• "Me neither," Ariana said.
• Jasmine scoffed. "Whatever. Did you get something for us? I am famished"
• "We did. You had better not complain you don't like it" Ariana said and Jasmine chuckled.
• "Jabal?" Jabal heard and turned to see Alvin walking toward them.
• "Alvin?" Jabal cooed.
• "Where have you been? I thought you changed your mind to go back home when I did not see you in class" Alvin said, sitting down. "Hi, everyone" he greeted and they waved at him muttering hi. "If Jamal had not told me you were in school and I saw you now, I would have concluded you never showed up in school today"
• "I had been in school since morning"
• "Then where have you been?"
• Jabal groaned slightly. "I entered the wrong class"
• "The wrong class? That is so unlike you" Alvin said and Jabal nodded.
• "I thought that too. You won't believe I stayed in a Mathematics class today"
• Alvin laughed. "That sounds more like Jasmine"
• Jasmine frowned. "Are you accusing me of being the reason he lost his way?"
• Alvin chuckled. "Of course not. I know how much you love Mathematics. That is what I meant"
• "Well, it doesn't sound that way to me"
• "Do you still have this anger issue of yours? I thought you would have dropped it now that you dress like a female" Alvin said jokingly and Jasmine frowned harder.
• "You had better stop right here. You won't want her dashing at you dangerously" Jabal advised.
• "Just joking," Alvin said quickly, and Jasmine sighed.
• "Where is Beverly?" she asked instead.
• "She should be here already" Alvin replied.
• "Is someone missing me already?" Beverly said walking towards them.
• "Beverly?" Jasmine stood up to hug her. "I have missed you"
• "I missed you too". she pulled away. "I can't believe you were in school today," she said, pulling back the seat close to Jasmine. "Hi, everyone"
• "Hi, Beverly" Ariana cooed.
• "How have you been, Bev," Jamal said while Ryan only waved.
• "It's been a while, Jamal. How have you been?" Beverly asked.
• "I've been fine and you?"
• "I've been good too" she answered. "Oh is that a hotdog? Can I have some?"
• Jasmine nodded. "I don't mind. Or do you want me to go get some for you?"
• Beverly smiled. "No, thanks. I just want to eat a little"
• "Then it's all yours," Jasmine said.
• Beverly picked up the hotdog and muttered a thank you. They began to talk about random things.
• "I still don't get why the examinations were shifted," Beverly said. "I can't wait to leave this school"
• Jasmine furrowed her brows. "The exam was shifted?"
• "You don't know? Virtually everyone knows about it. Jabal and Jamal, you don't know too?"
• They shrugged. "We don't know about it"
• "I don't know about it either," Ariana said, seeing that they weren't putting her into the conversation.
• Alvin furrowed his brows. "Did you not read the..."
• "We did not" Jabal answered and Alvin sighed.
• "I guess that is the reason you did not know about it. But thank goodness, you resumed today. You have enough time to prepare for examinations" he said.
• "When are the examinations?" Ryan spoke up for the first time in a while.
• "Five weeks" Alvin replied.
• "How did you know that?" Ariana whispered to Jasmine.
• Jasmin had told her that yesterday when she asked.
• "It was a plain guess" Jasmine whispered back.
• "You won't be missing any more class today, will you?" Beverly asked.
• "I only missed the first class. You weren't in the music class today and also in biology class. You would have known I was in school. I actually, thought you were not in school"
• "I was ..."
• "She got a detention," Alvin said quickly.
• "No one asked you that" Beverly yelled at Alvin.
• "I only helped you out. It seems you are finding it difficult to tell her"
• "You helped me out? Are you being serious?"
• Jasmine groaned slightly and stood up. "Shouldn't we be getting back to class?" she asked and the rest nodded in agreement.
• They were also tired of the argument.
• "Lunch break will be over soon," Jamal said. "I should get back to class. See you guys around"
• They waved at him and headed to their respective class.
• **
• When it was time to go home, Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief. She was so tired and could only wish she go home to get some rest after a long day of stress.
• "Do you know how I feel now?" she asked Ryan.
• Ariana had left the class an hour earlier for some reason, leaving only her and Ryan.
• "Tired?" Ryan asked and she nodded.
• "Very tired"
• "You look really, tired. Was class stressful for you?"
• She nodded. "Dance class strained me out completely. You know it's been a while since I last danced"
• "I never knew you dance, until I saw you in the dance class"
• "I thought you were into just music. Why did you suddenly join the dance class?"
• "I did not join the dance class. A teacher sent for me"
• Jasmine furrowed her brows. "A teacher? Do you mean the female dance instructors?"
• He nodded. "Yes"
• She folded her arms. "Why did she send for you?"
• "You know I am into art? She wanted me to paint out something for her"
• "What does she want you to paint"
• "She wants me to paint... Wait, why the sudden interrogation?"
• "I am not investigating you. I just want to know why she chose you out of all the student artists and what she wants you to paint"
• "She chose me because she thinks I am good"
• "Not because of your face?" she asked borrowing her brows.
• He shrugged. "No?"
• "And not because she likes you?"
• He smiled. "No"
• "Why do I sense jealousy here," Jamal said and Jasmine turned quickly.