Chapter 41 Forty -One

Chapter 41 Forty -One


Xavier

I brushed past her with my shoulder hitting hers. Her words echoing in my head You shouldn’t have just told me.

The words kept resounding in my head even as I tried to push them away. The way she had appeared calm and soft towards me that day, especially as I was in my most vulnerable state, I thought it was safe sharing those with her. I thought she wasn’t like Greyhigh students, especially since she has also been their bait.

I thought maybe they would give her enough reason not to be like them. Truly a problem shared won’t be half-solved, a problem shared becomes gossip to the public.

My chin dropped to my chest, I honestly  felt so stupid by sharing those with her. Thank God I didn’t go further when I wanted to, by now they would have known too much.

I stopped right on my track, almost turning back to just say something to her. I didn’t even know what I wanted to say, if I should tell her to stay away from my business. She was never even in my business, I brought her into it.

I clenched my fist and decided to go  to the locker room.

As I walked down the hallway, everyone was staring at me as usual. It shouldn’t mean anything to me. It usually doesn’t get to me except that right now I saw two girls whispering and to make it worse, they were laughing. I didn’t even know what they were laughing about, but for a reason, I felt it was me.

“So it’s true,” one of them said, trying to hold back her laughter.

“I knew he was not all perfect.”

“I still can’t wrap my head around it, I wish it wasn’t true though,” another girl said, burying her face in her palm.

“Why do you even care, it doesn’t add anything to you,” the other girl rolled her eyes.

“If it becomes true, I will miss seeing him on the field,” she fakely cried.

And the other girl rolled her eyes,“Oh please, there are other great runners, he has just been in the spotlight just because his Dad owns this place.”

I started walking slowly, wondering what they were even talking about me.

“Oooh, he is even here,” one guy screamed, pointing at me.

I froze. Turning towards him slowly.

I got to where he was standing and leaned closer. 

His face turned ashen and he began to tremble.

“What are you talking about?” I questioned, my voice cold and my eyes were hard.

“The dr…drug test,” he stuttered, his lips trembling.

My shoulders stiffened, I leaned back, my eyes lowered to the ground, blinking rapidly.

It means the rumours had spread.

I continued to walk towards the locker room. As I opened the door of the locker room, everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at me. An incredulous look on their face.

My heart raced, why were they staring at me like that?

I looked down at myself, there was nothing awkward about what I wore, it was just my uniform.

And something jolted on my mind. Normally when I walked into the locker room, I always received chants or hyping from the boys, but they did none of that.

I felt a heavy feeling in my stomach and my heart raced, should I be worried?

I walked slowly to my locker and one of my teammates, Roy, walked towards me.

“What’s up bro?”

“Hey man,” I answered.

He leaned closer, his eyes fixed on me.

“Did you really fail the drug test?” He questioned, his tone low, and his gaze shifted above his shoulders as if he was preventing the others from hearing.

I paused with what I was doing , my mind froze.

“You know that cannot be true,” I snapped.

He leaned back, his shoulders slumped.

“It’s everywhere though, everyone is talking about it.” 

“Who knows,” he shrugged,“ maybe very soon it’d be on the blog.”

“Oh my God,” I heaved a deep sigh.

“I wondered who is spreading this news, it’s not even true.”

“Man, you just have to find a way to get away with it, the Athletic Championship is coming up and you know what that means.”

I nodded.

“You will be fine,” he squeezed my shoulders and then walked away.

I finished changing into my track suit and we started heading to the field.

As we got to the field, everyone formed their usual groupings and started warming up.

“Xavier,” the coach, Mr Martins called.

I jerked up.

He walked closer to me.

“You know,you’re not supposed to be on this grounds.”

“Why?” My brows furrowed.

“The administration heard the rumors too. And your Dad is still hell bent on the punishment which is suspension on the championship,” he said simply.

My posture stiffened and I ran my hands through my hair.

“Why would my Dad even have a say in this? I mean he is not the coach or part of this disciplinary committee .”

“He is part of the board Xavier, he has a say in everything in this school,” he said simply.

“What are you even saying he owns this school,” he added, rolling his eyes.

That was true and everybody was going to think that just because my Dad is the owner of this school then I was supposed to walk over this easily, if only they knew.

“I thought he was just blabbing and he doesn’t mean it,” I lowered my gaze.

“Well Xavier, he wasn’t and you shouldn’t be on this pitch right now, it will be on me if sees you here.”

“But Coach, he is not here, he won’t know,” I said, pain laced in my tone.

Mr martins shook his head.

“There are eyes everywhere Xavier,” he said, his eyes darting over the place.

I swallowed and my shoulders slumped.

“Okay,” I said, my voice low and sober.

If anything, I don’t want to put Mr Martins in trouble. He has been very good to me, if not for my Dad that’s being controlling.

I was heading back to the locker, my face sullen, I never thought a day like this would come where I won’t be doing the thing I love.

Well I doubt if they will be able to survive without me in that team, but from the look of things, it seems like they don’t even care, I know a lot of them have been waiting for my downfall.For this day to come.

I might still participate in the game though. 

“Let me just hold on to that for assurance,” I muttered to myself.

As I walked further, my eyes met Kimberly. She was standing in an opposite direction not too far from me. She stopped and she stared at me. Her words kept replaying in my head.

You shouldn’t have told me.

She took a step forward and opened her mouth like she was about to say something.

But I walked past, without looking at her.

It’s like I trusted the wrong person. Maybe I should just really stay away from her.