Four

Bimbo walked into the cafeteria and joined the line. Paul's words were still echoing in her head and if anything; she felt weird which was totally new.

She played with her meal card as the line loved slowly. She picked her snacks and places it on the tray before moving towards the counter and swiping her meal card which made the machine turn red.

Bimbo's eyes widened immediately as she cursed in her head. Just when did the money on her meal card finish?

It was then she remembered she even hadn't filled it for the term. She had been using the money that remained from the previous term. She looked around and seeing no one familiar; she hissed inwardly.

Seeing the looks the other students were giving her; she became embarrassed. Giving a small smile to the woman at the counter; she moved to drop her tray of her snacks but she froze as someone swiped his meal card.

"For the both of us" his clear magnetic voice rang in Bimbo's ears as she turned. She could only see the latter's side face as he walked away after carrying his tray.

But she only needed to see his side face to recognize who he was. Practically everyone in Boston International College and its environs knew him. Bimbo chuckled and smiled at the fact that she just got one of the most popular guys in the school to pay for her snack.

"I didn't even get to say thank you" Bimbo said as he watched him seat on a table alone. But she didn't dare walk up to him and saw thank you.

She pursed her lips before walking towards the table she and Dorathy always shared. Dorathy was already waiting on the table as she munched her meat pie slowly.

"What took you so long?" Dorathy asked as Bimbo sat down.

"I didn't know the money on my meal card had expired" Bimbo said as Dorathy stopped eating.

"What the fuck? That's so embarrassing" Dorathy said as she glanced at Bimbo's tray of snacks.

"So how did you get these?" Dorathy asked and Bimbo chuckled.

"You won't believe who I got to pay for my snacks?" Bimbo replied as she wore a proud expression.

"Paul?" Dorathy asked and Bimbo laughed.

"I would be so happy if he was the one but no. Snr Jerry paid for me" Bimbo replied and Dorathy froze.

"Snr Jerry? You mean our Social Prefect; Adeleke Jeremiah?" Dorathy asked with wide eyes.

"Yup" Bimbo asked as she tore the nylon of her chips.

"Madd oh!" Dorathy hollered and Bimbo laughed.

"He just swiped his meal card and was like, for both of us. He didn't even allow me to say thank you before he walked away" Bimbo said and Dorathy laughed.

"So that's not surprising" Dorathy replied and Bimbo nodded.

"I know right" Bimbo said as she sighed.

"Something's bothering you?" Dorathy asked and Bimbo nodded.

"Yeah. Its Paul" Bimbo replied and Dorathy pursed her lips.

"Just take it slow huh?" Dorathy said as Bimbo shook her head.

"That's not it. We kinda had this talk after Chemistry Practical" Bimbo said and Dorathy adjusted her skirt as she hitched closer to Bimbo.

"What did he say?" Dorathy asked.

"He asked me to give him back his time and space and I should stop glueing to him as if I'm scared he'll run away. He also said he gets mad headaches around me; I should stop helping him because I'm not Jesus and all" Bimbo replied with a small sigh while Dorathy also sighed and slowly unscrewed the lid of her Coke bottle.

"Wow!" Dorathy said and Bimbo pursed her lips.

"He also said I make him feel guilty of not been able to like me back" Bimbo added as a forlorn look appeared in her eyes.

"But you know what Dora? I glue to him because I am scared he will actually run away. I help him all the time so that even if he doesn't like me back; he'll always feel indebted to me. If he keeps feeling indebted to me; he would start caring for me" Bimbo said as Dorathy chuckled.

"Bimbo, you are 16 and you still have these kinds of thoughts?" Dorathy asked as she chugged down the coke in her hands.

"Do you want me to be honest?" Dorathy asked as Bimbo turned to her and nodded.

"Paul; he's not for you" Dorathy said and Bimbo froze as she turned to her.

"Don't start thinking. Let me explain; you might actually like or love him; you do. I know you do; you don't even care for me the way you do for him. Probably everyone can see that" Dorathy added as she shrugged.

"You are beautiful, smart and talented. Everyone likes you as well; how could someone like you chase a guy for four years and he didn't accept you? It only means one thing; he's not for you"

"You guys aren't for each other Abim. When are you going to try to understand this? Have you ever taken his feelings into consideration?" Dorathy asked as Bimbo scoffed.

"Has he also taken my feelings into consideration? You know how much and what I have had to sacrifice to like and chase him openly. I gave up my dignity as a lady; do you think I do not know about the whispers behind my back? I do? How many guys I've turned down just because of him? Dorathy you know it too well" Bimbo replied as she sighed.

"I know he knows them all too. So why? Why wouldn't he even spare me one more glance? Why wouldn't he look at me the way he looks at other girls? What's the point of being so pretty when the guy you like doesn't like you back?" Bimbo asked and Dorathy rubbed her forehead.

"I want you to see reason Bimmy. I want you to be rational with your thinking" Dorathy said as Bimbo frowned.

"I'm not rational enough right now?" Bimbo asked and Dorathy shook her head.

"Listen to yourself, do you think you sound rational right now? You are letting your emotions get in the way" Dorathy replied and Bimbo sighed.

"I try to be rational but I really can't. Its rather very hard you know. You've never liked someone so you might not understand" Bimbo said and Dorathy lips twitched.

"Do you know I have never liked someone?" Dorathy asked and Bimbo laughed.

"I have never seen you show interest in someone before. Not even the slightest one" Bimbo replied as she folded her arms and Dorathy laughed.

"That's because I'm not as bold as you Bimmy. I'm not bold enough to chase after the guy I like openly. Unlike you; I can't sacrfice anything until I'm sure he can also sacrfice for me" Dorathy said and Bimbo fell into thoughts.

"I always admire you ehn. Liking a guy for this long and even when he keeps pushing you away" Dorathy added and Bimbo chuckled.

"The more he pushes me away; the more I want to be glued to him" Bimbo said and Dorathy laughed.

"What if he pushes you to a point that you can't glue back at him?" Dorathy asked as Bimbo furrowed her brows.

"What kind of point would that be?" Bimbo asked and Dorathy shrugged.

"Getting a girlfriend" Dorathy replied and Bimbo felt herself freeze all over.