Truth

Nimah couldn't stop herself from thinking about that moment, the moment she had never thought she would experience. His chest was clean and glossy, it looked too attractive to her.

It had been five days since this happened but she couldn't stop thinking of it. The masculine feature of Nathan made her feel in a way that she couldn't explain.

Since then, whenever she came across Nathan, her body reacted so strangely. She perspired profusely, her heartbeat as well palpitated in an abnormal way.

She wanted to have a conversation with him and at the same time she wanted to avoid him because of the way she usually felt whenever she saw him.

Nimah sat on her bed, unable to fall asleep. The last time she saw Nathan was when his mother requested him to help Nimah tie her shoe lace.

He initially refused to help but later agreed after being placed on condition. Each and every touch of his on Nimah's skin made her body tingle in a way she found difficult to explain.

She didn't know why all of this happened to her, but she knew something was wrong. This was a thing she couldn't discuss with anyone, she had no confidant, but keeping this to herself would make her burdened.

Who could she discuss this with? She sat, giving it a gentle thought until she fell asleep.

"You all woke up late today, you guys need to get ready soon. Your bus will be here anytime from now." Alicia hastened the kids, as they rushed into their respective bathrooms.

They all slept late the previous night, resulting to their late wake. Nimah got ready quicker than everybody, so she went to assist ms. Alicia in the kitchen.

She decided on telling Alicia about her feelings and ask her why she did felt that way. Wait, what if she gave it another meaning that would hurt her, that could lead to her immigration. She kept shut, but still bothered... Nathan's image refused to leave her head, it kept lurking around in her brain, she couldn't take it anymore... She had to spill it.

"Mum?"

She heard her voice calling ms. Alicia but twice, and it sounded overlapped. Her second voice sounded a bit masculine.

"Mum!" She heard a masculine voice now. They both turned their head to the kitchen entrance, it was Nathan, standing at the entrance.

She got it now, her second voice was Nathan's... Her palms became soaked immediately she sighted Nathan, her heart palpitating very heavily in her chest, threatening to break the walls of the chest so it would come out.

"Nathan, what are you doing here?" Alicia queried.

"I came to inform you that we are ready, have you packaged the lunch boxes?" Nathan spoke with his bold, man voice.

"Sure! They are packaged... You can go to the dinning, I will bring your breakfast." She said and turned to Nimah, who lowered her gaze as beads of sweat dropped from her forehead.

"Nimah, are you okay? You are sweating excessively despite the available ventilation, are you alright?"

This was the right time to tell her this, she definitely would be able to relate if what was happening to her was normal.

'Mum, that is what I wanted to tell you', she was about to say when she heard the honk of the school bus.

"Oh no! Your bus is here." Alicia and Nimah hurried to the dinning room with a bowl of cereal and a jar of condensed milk.

"Quickly have this for breakfast, you should not delay your bus." Alicia placed the bowl and jar on the dinning table.

"Mum, I don't think we can have breakfast... The new driver that drives the school bus doesn't like being delayed." Kristen said, pouring some milk into her cup.

"Kristen is right, we will go have breakfast in school." Joe added.

"Okay then, you can take it with you... Have your lunch boxes." Alicia distributed the lunch boxes, and waved them farewell.

"Nathan!" She called and he stopped, turning back to her. "Your lunch box, you didn't have breakfast.. You will have to starve yourself till closing hour." Alicia requested convincingly, she knew he would refuse bit she decided to try her luck.

"Mum! Do not worry about me, I will sort myself out... I ain't a kid anymore, I am a grown up. I will go now." Nathan turned and ran to the bus which had kept honking repeatedly.

~~~~~

"Good morning Nimah." A young lady waved at Nimah as she walked into the classroom and Nimah waved back. Everyone directed their attention to her, showing different reactions as she entered.

She was used to the way they all stared at her every time, some stared at her disgustingly, some stared at her with hatred while some stared at her pitifully.

Since she had been in that school, the only friend she was able to make was Big Joe, whom seemed to be always busy due to his representative duties, so she was almost always lonely.

The lady who just waved at her was a classmate but she looked like she didn't care, she was among those who criticized her and called her names. Whatever the reason she called her was, she didn't want to know.

"When did you become friend with that filthy thing? Do you even know her status? She must be one of those poor girls from Oliver." A lady spat as she expressed disgust.

"Oh no, Charlotte! Don't say that again." The lady shook her head.

"What do you mean, Phoebe? How can you stoop so low and make this ugly rag a friend?"

"I have made my findings about her... She isn't from Oliver." Pheobe chuckled darkly. "She lives in the Branz mansion."

"Branz?!" Charlotte ejaculated surprisedly. "Which Branz are you referring to?"

"Nathan Branz of course."

"You don't mean it." Charlotte almost screamed. "Do you mean she is Nathan's sister?"

"I don't think she is, but she must be a relative and you know what that means, don't you?" Pheobe whinked at her.

"What exactly is going on in your mind, Pheobe?"

You should have known by now... We will definitely make her our pawn in this game."

"What game are you talking about Pheobe? Please be explicit."

"Okay then, since you want me to say it out then I will..." She smirked, glancing at Nimah from her seat. "We can use Nimah to get rid of that saucy girlfriend of Nathan, Emily and once we accomplish that mission i will become Nathan's girlfriend forever... Nathan will be mine forever." Pheobe giggled loudly.

"You should not be too happy Pheobe, how sure are you that this will work out? Nimah can be so cunning friend, we can't force her to do anything."

"Of course, why should we force her? We can compel her to do whatever we want, can't we?"

"In what way?"

"Everyone here despises her alot, she must have been enduring so much, right? She would not want to add more to her suffering by refusing to help us." She chuckled evily.

As Nimah say all alone at her locker, all she could see was the bare chest of Nathan. This would not make her concentrate on her studies, she could not bear this.

"What's going on here pal?' She heard a familiar voice as someone placed his palm on her shoulder.

She turned back and sighted that huge figure in a human form. It was Big Joe, he smiled and walked to his seat.

" What happened to you Nimah, you look stressed out and bothered... Is there a problem? "

Yes there is, she wanted to say but another question would have to follow, which was obviously 'what's. the problem.' She didn't know if she could share her problem with him.

Despite being friends for a while now, Nimah still found it difficult to trust Joe.

"Why are you quiet Nimah, can't you share your problems with me."

"I have a question to ask you and I want you to give me the best answer."

"Sure! Is it Physics, Chemistry, Or Biology?" Joe sat properly, waiting for her question.

"It's not any of the subject, it is just something natural."

"Go ahead then."

Nimah didn't know how to start with her question, she looked dumb as she tried to think of a way to put her words.

"Can you tell me what makes someone's heart beat abnormally and sweat excessively just at the sight of some one." She asked innocently

"Does the person look scary? If he does then it must be because the person is afraid of him." Joe said simply, masticating chips roughly.

"And what if the person is a normal person? I mean, what can make a normal person have so much effect on the other?"

"If they are opposite gender, then..." He held his jaw as he tilted his head, trying to think of something. Nimah on the other hand couldn't wait for his response, this was the answer she was looking for.

"Then what Joe?"

"Then, it means the person being affected by the other is actually in love with the person." He stated simply, like a law in physics.

In love? Nimah was shocked? Could it be that she was in love with Nathan? That cannot be possible, he hated her, so she can't fall in love with him. She never thought to this extent, she had to get rid of the so called love, she told herself being unable to accept that she was in love with Nathan.