Chapter 30 TANGLED SIGNALS
Godiva's POV
I tried hard to fight the urge to kiss his beautiful-looking lips. I only snapped back and shied away the second our lips came in contact, after I had also closed my eyes.
“Sorry,” I said. “I was just carried away in the moment.”
“Nah, it’s my bad,” he replied. “I wasn’t thinking straight because you’re my brother.”
He always teased me, calling me a man, and he knew how I detested it, yet he continued calling me that anyway.
I attempted slapping him jokingly when he grabbed my hands and placed his soft lips on them, gently pecking the back of my hands before he let go.
Dropping my hands gently, he said, “If I can’t get it on the lips, let me get it somewhere else. Told ya I hate losing.”
I watched him as he got up, dusting his shorts. I was still taken aback. For some reason, my heartbeat began dropping and suddenly started beating fast.
I knew it wasn’t love. I was only carried away by the care and attention he was showing me because, looking back, aside from Dina’s brother, he was the first guy ever to treat me with such intense care. Not even Leo treated me that way.
“Your hands,” his voice echoed, bringing me back from my delusional thoughts.
“Wh… what for?” I stammered, looking up at him.
“Come on, girl, stop thinking much,” he said, laughing. “I only want to help you up,” he continued as he snatched my hands and pulled me up.
The place was already getting dark. We knew it was almost time for dinner, and it meant we were going to be exposed if we didn’t hurry up to catch up with the others.
We walked as fast as our legs could carry us, both breathing heavily. We only reduced our steps when we reached the vicinity around our hostel and saw some of our schoolmates outside, chattering, others playing cards, a few on the pitch, and the rest were spectators.
‘Whoosh,’ the wind blew in a very aggressive manner. I was already shivering. We stopped to catch our breath before going to meet the others. I had barely caught my breath when Jerald suddenly wrapped me up in a warm embrace.
“You should be thankful I’m keeping you warm,” he said, still in an embrace with me, who was struggling hard to break free.
“Let me be, Jerald. I don’t want anyone to see us together because they’ll definitely misunderstand the situation,” I said as I broke free from the embrace.
“Who cares?” he whispered right into my ear from behind, making me jumpy because it was ticklish.
“I care!” I exclaimed. “I don’t want no one seeing me as one of your experiments.” Saying this, I increased my steps.
“Slow down, girl,” he said as he also increased his steps, following me.
I stopped abruptly, causing him to bump into me. “You just told me about your misogynistic and flirty nature, and you’re here still flirting with me?” I said in a rage, looking at him angrily.
“I’m not trying to flirt. I was only caring,” he replied in an upset manner. “Forge ahead, I’d follow so no one sees us coming in together.”
Walking away from him, I felt every sense of guilt. I had just judged him using his scars.
At that very moment, the Bible verse that spoke about judging people came rushing in, making me feel even more guilty.
I turned the second I stepped into the light at our hostel area. That was when I noticed he wasn’t standing where I had left him.
I panicked and turned completely when I caught a glimpse of him laughing with Hakeem right in front of the hostel.
I sluggishly walked toward the girls’ hostel, feeling heavy-hearted.
“Brooo,” Dina exclaimed the second she saw me approaching. “What on earth is wrong with you?”
I looked at her and released an obvious fake smile. That was when she knew something was up with me.
Earlier on, when I was still with Jerald, I imagined how I was going to tell Dina about the unforgettable stroll Jerald and I took.
Unfortunately, I was no longer enthusiastic about telling her because I was covered with guilt.
Thankfully, when we got into the hostel room, there was no one there. All the girls were outside, joining in the fun, and others like Dina spectating.
“What’s wrong, girl?” Dina’s voice rang the second we stepped into the room. Ignoring her, I walked toward my bed.
“You deaf, bro?” she asked, looking at me as I threw myself on my bed. “You kissed Hakeem again?” she persisted as she burst into laughter.
I couldn’t help but join in the laughter after her silly question. She asked that question just to tease me and lighten my mood.
“You’re sick, that’s certainly not it,” I replied, standing up to change the outfit I wore earlier on because they were already announcing dinner time.
While I was dressing up, I began telling her all of my encounter with Jerald earlier on. Her cheeks turned red.
She was smiling uncontrollably from when I started narrating, not until I told her about what I said to him a while back. Her smile suddenly turned into a frown.
“You shouldn’t have done that, girl. You’d have left all you had to say in your mind and say it to me, then we both tongue lash him,” Dina said, obviously disappointed.
“I was exasperated by the hug because I loved the care and was scared it was all him flirting, not caring like I had imagined,” I responded.
“Anyways, get up and smile because I’ll make a way for you two at the dinner hall,” Dina said, smiling mischievously.
A part of me was very excited, but the best part of me was scared. Getting such assurance from Dina meant only one thing, trouble.
I sighted Jerald seated with Hakeem at the far end of the dinner hall. He didn’t look like he had me in mind.
“Let’s sit over there,” Dina said, pointing toward the exact direction Jerald was seated.
“Bro, I’m not invested in your crazy ideas, so back off,” I announced with a smile on my face.
I wasn’t surprised a bit the second Dina drew me out from my seat and dragged me away.
I didn’t want anyone looking at me and remembering the previous night and the drama I caused.