Chapter 101 RACING HEARTS
Godiva POV
We stood outside the principal’s office patiently waiting for him while he was in a meeting with a few board members from the school.
“Bro, is my heart beating fast?” I asked Di, placing her hand on my chest.
“That’s not even needed, I can hear your heart pounding from here,” Dina replied with a shaky voice.
“You got this girls, just take a deep breath. I have faith in you, you’re champions,” Slosh encouraged warmly, trying to calm us down.
“Thank you,” I whispered to Slosh with a faint smile, when tears suddenly rolled down my cheeks.
“Wait, are you tearing up?” Di gasped, quickly wrapping her arms around me.
“What’s wrong? Are you tensed?” Slosh asked worriedly, stepping closer.
“I’m good, it’s nothing,” I muttered between sobs, knowing fully well I had just lied.
How was I supposed to tell Slosh I was crying because he was there with me instead of Jerald, and because he said the exact words Jerald would have said to me? Maybe Jerald’s words would have even sounded better than his.
“Are you crying because you were touched by my words?” Slosh teased proudly, grinning.
“Actually, I’ve been wanting to ask, what exactly are you doing here?” Dina cut in coldly, folding her arms.
“I thought you both would need my encouragement since Ben is in his class, and you don’t have Jerald anymore,” Slosh teased with a playful shrug.
“Well, words of encouragement from the wrong person suck,” Dina fired back laughing.
“Thank God I’m not even here for you...” Slosh shot back before the principal’s secretary interrupted.
“The principal is now ready for you,” Miss Peculiar, the principal’s secretary, announced formally.
“Okay girl, this is it,” Dina muttered, letting go of me before quickly doing the sign of the cross as we both turned toward the principal’s office.
“You got this, really,” Slosh assured softly, holding my hands briefly before gradually letting go.
“Welcome Dina and Godiva, please take a seat,” the principal ushered, pointing toward the seats directly opposite him.
“Good day sir,” Dina and I chorused softly, slightly bowing our heads. I guessed that was something we subconsciously learnt from spending time with Jerald and Ben.
“Good day,” he responded, taking off his glasses as though to have a better view of us. “Your results are out, and we’ve been invited to the library for the official announcement.”
“Alright sir,” we chorused again, waiting nervously for the next instruction.
“Now, you girls should get your bags and we’ll head out together in the school bus,” the principal announced after a brief silence.
“How was it?” Slosh asked anxiously the second we stepped out of the principal’s office.
“We’re yet to find out,” I replied with a fake smile before walking away and leaving him behind.
“So, are you ready to see your failures?” Lis sneered as we walked through the hallway leading to our classroom.
“You don’t even have the right to call us that since you couldn’t manage to get to the semi-finals.” I brushed my shoulder against hers as I walked past. “Well, I guess that makes you the real failure then.”
“Damn brutal girl, did you see her expression?” Dina laughed, turning back dramatically.
“Excuse sir, we need to tag along with the principal to the state library,” Dina informed the physics teacher as we dropped our bags.
“All the best,” he encouraged with a contagious smile that ended up making me smile too. That was honestly the first time I had ever seen the physics teacher smile.
“Is there no way I can go with you?” Slosh whispered as we attempted leaving the classroom.
“That’s never possible, and you know it,” I laughed lightly at him.
On our way to the library, Dina and I held onto each other tightly, refusing to let go even for a second. I guessed that was the only way we could draw strength from each other.
“Did you tell Ben you were coming here?” I asked Dina in a low tone so the principal and his secretary wouldn’t overhear us.
“I couldn’t tell him, plus there was no way he’d miss school.” Dina’s expression suddenly turned bitter. “And since your saga with Jerald, he hasn’t really been himself anymore.”
“I’m sorry I’m making you go through all this,” I muttered guiltily.
“Girl, don’t even say that,” Dina dismissed softly, smiling at me.
We were surprised when we got to the venue and saw the mothers already waiting there.
“Mama!”
“Mum!” Dina and I chorused simultaneously, running to hug them.
“Mum, how did you know the results were out?” Dina asked, still hugging Mrs Job tightly.
“The principal called and mentioned you girls were coming here with him to hear the results,” Mama explained gently, patting my back.
“Thank God you’re here Mama,” I whispered emotionally, hugging her tighter.
“Good day,” the principal greeted politely, stretching his hands toward Mama and Mrs Job for a handshake.
“Good day Mr Principal,” Mama and Mrs Job responded warmly, taking turns shaking his hands.
“Shall we?” the principal ushered, leading us toward the hall where we were usually addressed.
When we got into the hall, lots of people were already waiting. Some stood pacing around anxiously, while others sat interacting and laughing loudly in an annoying manner.
I could already guess the people pacing restlessly were either the candidates or their relatives.
Dina and I joined them in pacing around the hall. All through it, I silently prayed in my heart.
“You girls, be at ease and take a seat,” Mama urged after a long while of waiting.
“Don’t worry about us Mama,” I replied with a fake smile.
“We’ll definitely sit when the anchor or whoever steps out,” Dina added in an unusually calm tone that almost made me laugh.
“Remind me again how this guy even got my contact?” I groaned in disgust, staring at the text message Slosh had just sent me. It read:
“You’re pretty, strong, courageous, smart, a victor and a champ.”
“Aww, your new found love is so romantic,” Dina teased, laughing hysterically.
I was just about responding when a huge man walked in from the stage holding a sealed card that looked like invitation cards in one hand and a microphone in the other.
At the sight of him, my heart began thudding even louder and faster.