009

Few of the students gasped as some giggled and Nina was beginning to feel embarrassed.

"Well, I wasn't talking to you" she replied angrily at Maia and before Maia could say any other thing, Theo intervened.

"Fine! Go on, Nina. You have two minutes" he said.

"I can't say it hear. I need somewhere private." She replied and some of the students laughed , including Miles, Owen and lancet who nibbled at Theo.

What were they even thinking?"

Okay, as you wish" Theo replied and followed her to a direction she took.

She took him to a place that was a bit from students.

"1 minute left" he told her as they arrived.

"Theo, what's going on? Why's my name ringing on everybody's Lips? I thought this engagement stuff was meant to be a secret?" She asked angrily, grinning her teeth and Theo laughed.

"Is that why you called me out here? I thought you had something interesting to say?" He paused and laughed again.

"Anyway, I don't know anything about it. And even if I did, are you ashamed of it?"

"Come on Theo. I'm not here for jokes. How did everyone get to know about it?"

"Hold on. Are you trying to accuse me of something childish? Didn't it occur to you my sister might be responsible for it? Besides, badnews spreads faster, you know?"

"Badnews?" Nina thought, abacked .

"Did you just..."

"Time up Nina" he interrupted her and walked away, leaving her in an infuriated manner.

***

Classes were done for the day and Theo walked along to his car being accompanied by Maia.

"I've told you Maia. It's a tradition and not something I could easily reject." He groused along the way, sounding pissed off.

"So what about us? What happens to our relationship?" She asked bitterly.

"Well, you can just stick to me for the meantime, at least, until I get married."

"So, you're just gonna push me aside because of that pesky pillock?"

At that point, Theo had gotten to his car and the door had been opened for him to walk in. He turned around and sighted Nina from a distance, staring at them.

"Watch your tongue, Maia" he said bluntly and walked into the car which took off.

Nina stood at a distance, watching as Maia followed Theo to his car and she felt a bit angry

He had even sighted her, but he didn't seem to care how she might feel seeing them together.

"Hello there" a sweet voice called from behind and touched her.

It was Alvin.

"Alvin!' She called as she turned around and saw him.

"Hi. Long time. You always seem scarce in school." She told him.

"Oh yeah. I...kind of spend my free time in the library. You didn't show up in school yearsterday".

"Yes. I couldn't make it. Something came up."

He followed her to the gate where she could wait for her ride.

C

"So," he said as they stopped by the gate. How're you copping with CVHS?"

"Well, it's cool, I guess" she replied , a bit nervous.

She wandered if ye was going to saysay anything about her engagement with Theo.

"Okay. Will you be busy this evening? I was wandering if you could come to the cathedral later in the day."

"The cathedral? Uhm...maybe let's see how it goes."

They spent a little more time together until her car arrived.

"Okay. see you later, blondie" she told him as she headed for her car.

"Did you just call me blondie?" He asked after her and she smiled and waved at him.

And as she finally entered the car, she sighted Harmony staring at them, giving her a hard look.

When she got home, she took a shower and a nap and later ordered for some scrambled eggs and bread. And as she chomped on them, she thought of her betrothment to Theo.

He was being too rude for her liking and she wandered why she was so unlucky to be engaged to someone like him.

"Why did such stupid tradition every have to come up?"

And she also never knew grandma molly was also a participant. But, her grandma and grandpa seemed to be in love and didn't look like people who were forced into the marriage.

Each time she went visiting, even before she left for Spain, grandma molly always filed her with her love stories with grandpa Peter.

"Well , maybe they just got lucky to be in love".

She rounded up her dish and when she was done, she left for the cathedral.

***

Theo sat on the bed in his bedroom with Miles, Owen and Lancelot as they played video games together.

"Woah man! I can swear you're cheating" Owen said to Theo who was his opponent.

"Yippee! I knew I was gonna win anywa" Theo exclaimed as he finally won the game.

"Come on Theo. Swear you weren't cheating" lancelot said.

"Yeah. You've outplayed the three of us. How's that possible?" Miles also chipped in and Theo smirked.

"Well, you can just call me the game master" Theo replied and shrugged.

"By the way, Theo," Miles resumed talking. "Don't you think you should get along with your fiancee? Take for instance; if you guys were in good terms, she would've been here with you, right? Keeping you company."

"And what do I need her company for?" Theo asked as he started a new game with lancelot. "Besides, I tried being nicer, but she rebuffed my friend request like I was some piece of trash. So, she can go to hell."

"But she's your wife, Theo".

"POC Owen; she isn't my wife okay? She's just my fiancee and the wedding's still next month. And who knows? She might be dead before then".

"Huh? Are you crazy? How can you say such thing"

"Wow! I have one request, Theo. Please grant me the honor of being of being present on your wedding night. I'd want to watch the drama that'd take place" miles added and Theo turned to grin at him.

"Wohoo! I won!" Lancelot said in excitement as he knocked out theo .

"Come on dude. You only got lucky cause I was distracted".theo said.

"seriously? The same way you were distracted at the basketball court? You think I wouldn't notice you were staring at her?" Owen asked and Theo replied with a "whatever".

Just then, the door went open and harmony barged in, garbed in a skimpy dress.

"Harmony, do I need to put a notice board on the door to remind you to knock before coming into my room?" Theo snarled at her.

"Yes, harmony. You need to knock, okay? What if he had been with Nina?" Miles asked and theo threatened a punch on him.

"Hi Harmony" Lancelot said with a wave. "You look good".

"Must you say that each time you see me? I think it's beginning to sound old fashioned." She replied bumptiously and rolled her eyes.

"Harmony, who told everyone in school about my engagement with Nina?" Theo asked and Harmony felt a little twitchy.

"Uhm...well, I didn't tell everyone. I mean, definitely not everyone. It's not even possible to tell everyone, right?".

"Just answer the damn question!"

"Well, like I said, I didn't tell everyone. I only told Ethel, Brenda , Anna and Joyce and while we were talking about it, Becky and Dora who were passing by stooped to know what was going on and so...I had to tell them. And while we were still talking, three ladies kept staring at us and I think they mightve overhead us.

"Now, trust me, I told my friends not to tell anyone about it, but Anna told June and Ivy and I'm sure Ivy's gonna tell Oprah and Megan cause they're her best friends and..."

"Get out harmony!" Theo rasped as he threw a pillow at her.

"What an awesome connexion" miles said as he almost laugh out his lungs with Owen and Lancelot.

"Come on brother. There's no need to mad at me. Sooner or later the truth was bound to come out. Uhm...by the way, cloud you lend me your laptop?" She asked politely with a prodding smile.

"Not even in your wildest dreams" he replied icily.

"Hm. Go on and eat it then" she said with a huff and walked away.

"Wow! This sister of yours is something else theo" Owen said with laugher in his mouth.

"But don't you think you're a little harsh on her?"

"She lacks respect and needs to be taught some lessons."

"By the way, theo, what're your plans for Maia?" Lancelot asked.

"Well, I told her she could stick to me for the meantime".

"Really? But what about Nina? Don't you think she might get jealous?"

"Well, if she has a problem with it, she should spill it out".