Chapter seven

                                  Grief

The weather was unusually cool as the trees danced gently to the breeze. The cemetery was occupied by people on blacks.

Elon stood right in the front among many others as he watched the internment of the coffin take place. His head bowed in shame and guilt, he couldn't look at the coffin as tears flowed freely from his eyes.

After the burial was done, Hannah's mother went to Elon who refused to leave where he was standing. A woman who looked so much like Elon but with blue eyes placed her hand on his back gently.

"you shouldn't allow grief take over you" she said quietly. "since he was the only sibling I had and he was more of a father and mother to me since we lost our parents." she paused and Elon turned to face her.

She continued. "You are the new leader of the Bellingham and it will be officially announced by my cousins by dawn." She removed her hand from his shoulder and cupped his face with both hands. "you are brave"

"I do not deserve to be here...you..you... Know..." Elon breaks down in tears. "I have been...a terrible soon....when I was supposed to save him...I ki..."

"I know you couldn't help..." Hannah said sharply as she joined them and took Elon's face from his mother. She made him face her and cupped his face looking into his eyes in tears.

"You have the best heart Elon and you have really sacrificed a...lot." Hannah also broke down in tears and Elon hugged her as they both cried.

On Banwa private island, Dan and Damon including Damon's friends sat together under the glowing moon as they drank and laughed.

Damon used a small straw to sniff the cocaine and laughed. "this is cool man... What do y'all think?" he asked his friends who seemed to be enjoying their thing.

"yeah...always get this thing...it's damn hot. " one of his friends said while holding his straw closer to inhale again.

"you can always get it yourself...the seller is right here." Damon smiled as he gestured at Dan who was sipping a 1945 Romaniée-Conti.

"you are cool?" one of the guys asked Dan and he nodded in satisfaction.

"I will need like five hundred grams of this next week...for my birthday..." one of them said.

Damon smiled and said. "a cool way to start your new age..."

After they had finished cooling off, Dan who was trying so hard to balance himself took  Damon who was drugged and drunk to a stupor to the Maclaren Elva which was carefully packed among other expensive cars.

Dan managed to drive to the hostel, Escaping the securities with Damon and finally got to his room which his roommate was absent from as usual.

He dropped him on his bed, removed his shirt and tucked him neatly under the blanket before staggering out of the room.

While he was going, the hostel hall was spinning and he fell...no he crashed into someone.

"ouch!" Diane exclaimed.

Dan's eyes cleared a bit and he realized that he had crashed into someone.

"I'm sorry...I only need to get to my room." Dan said sluggishly.

"you are in a mess...you need to get out of here before Emil...I mean the hostel president sees you." Diane said, almost whispering. "I can help you to your room....where is your room card or will your roommate be in the room?"

"Room...card...is...I...put it...my bag. my roommate is....ooouta of town." the fuddled Dan said sluggishly.

Diane looked at him for a while...trying to see if the bag was hidden somewhere on his body.

"is it a small bag?" Diane asked.

"a bi..g...one that...hol...many...shi..s."

"can't even comprehend what you are saying...there's no bag on you." Diane checked his back to be sure that nothing hiding there. "you are coming from somewhere right? Which room did you have the party or something...?"

"zer...six...and...two." Dan said and held his hand out to Diane. "help...me...up." he said and Diane pulled him to his feet with all the strength in her.

"let's go to room 062," Diane said as she placed his hand on her shoulder and they both staggered to Damon's room.

Elon stood by his bed, his roommate confused about what to do.

"Elon! Please...I think you should just go back home and take care of yourself..." the guy said innocently.

"Shut it, man!" Elon said angrily and the guy took his bag and left for class.

Amelia entered shortly after Elon's roommate left the room. The scar was still on her face but she wore something casual other than her usual Chucky thing with her school bag which indicated that she was ready for class.

"Elon! I heard you are back and you've been acting strange...are you good?"  She asked as she moved closer to him but got no response.

"Elon?" she called and he faced her. Looking so ashamed and angry.

"I am terrible...I need to be alone...let me be," he mumbled.

Amelia held his hand gently and whispered. "you are not terrible...you are sweet and you have never left people around you alone... You shouldn't be hurt because you don't hurt people..."

Elon shook at the word 'HURT' "Just fick off Amelia...I don't want to see you and if I act strange, it's none of your business." he said angrily.

"I don't care...I know you are not like this and something must be eating you up." Amelia said stubbornly.

"Martinez!" Elon called quietly but Amelia heard him clearly. "get out of my room! " he barked as he pointed to the door and Amelia left, feeling sad and annoyed.

Breakfast was cool, as almost all the students gathered in the dining hall. Some were talking while some were eating and some were...actually reading.

"I saw a Maclaren Elva parked roughly in my hostel this morning...I almost screamed because...who could park such a car recklessly? It's just crazy..." a lady said to a group of people who sat around a table eating their breakfast.

"Are you sure it's a Maclaren Elva?" another student asked.

"I know cars man!" she said proudly.

Some students were walking as fast as they could to the dining hall because it was almost nine and the lecture started at nine in the morning. Damon drove the Maclaren Ela car recklessly and parked right in front of the hall where almost all the students eating could see.

The hall became silent and almost all the students stretched their necks to see who would come out of the car.

Damon and Dan rushed out and Damon didn't even bother to lock it. They ran into the dining hall and all eyes followed them.

They both had to queue to get their food, luckily for them, only three people were in front of them.

Rosalyn looked back to see the people behind her because they were panting.  Damon saw her and winked for Rosalyn to see that it was her turn.

She gave her ticket to the woman in charge while Emily and Diane were waiting patiently for her.

Dan searched his pocket for his ticket but couldn't find it. "fuck! Damon...I left my ticket."

"don't worry...I will order for two from mine." Damon said.

"thank you," Dan said, feeling embarrassed as he looked around and his face fell on Diane who was staring at him as if she saw a ghost.

After the lecture, Amelia and Bruno sat alone on the school tennis lawn. Bruno took out his headphones from his bag and put them on Amelia.

"you think you know that song?" Bruno asked while scrolling on his phone for more songs.

"of course...Nicki Minaj and Lil baby...Do we have a problem?"

"oh yeah! You get it right..." Bruno said excitedly.

"here is my favourite part...will rap with it..." Amelia said and looked at Bruno in the eye as she sing along "Balenciaga coat, this is not Gucci...We went city to city in bulletproof...You can't run with my gang, they'll bully you...Been had switches, I know what them fullys do...I'm a vibe, let me know what you wanna do...Ain't no fun by yourself, bring a friend or two... (We be ménagin', that boost up his ego)

She a lil' demon off that Casamigos"

"wow..." Bruno clapped... "you're a vibe...okay my turn. "he said and Amelia played a song on her phone without increasing the volume.

"Now guess!" she said and smirked at Bruno.

"hmm! Mike Posner...I took a pill in Ibiza.."

"you are right..." Amelia said, more enthusiastic.

"but you know...Mike said he couldn't keep a girl but I can keep one." Bruno said as his eyes locked with Amelia's. Bruno smiled and scrolled on his phone for another song.

Rosalyn entered Emily's room, tired and Sleepy.

"Hey! Rose, why are you here alone?" Emily asked her as she took Rosalyn's jacket from her.

"I'm not used to sleeping without someone else in the room...since I got to this school.  Either share room with you or Diane." Rosalyn said and fell lazily on Emily's king-size bed.

"And where is Diane?" Emily asked, hiding her curiosity by staying calm.

"went on a date with the Dan guy... guess they are getting along... I'll say."

Emily felt a rush of anger and disappointment as her cheeks and ears became red.

"Are you okay?" Rosalyn asked, after noticing her cheeks turning red although her face remained as it was.

"Nothing...just don't like sharing my friends. " Emily said sharply and Rosalyn smiled.

Elon sat patiently on one of the chairs at the football field, some students were playing ball while a few were watching.

Elon looked more invisible where he was sitting among the empty chairs. Dan scanned through and saw him. 

"Are you Elon?" Dan asked as he threw himself on the empty seat beside Elon.

"Yes!" Elon said sharply.

"I need to warn you before handing the shit over.." Dan said coldly. "don't sell my shit nearby."

Elon smirked. "I'm the leader of the Bellingham." he said and Dan was shocked.  "you think I will start selling kilos of cocaine for money?"

"listen...I'm from an ordinary family and both parents are like Pablo Escobar marrying Griselda Blanco. I know what this shit does to people...if it's too much it can..."

"kill..." Elon said sharply. "and what more?... Just drop the thing I paid you for."

Dan smiled reluctantly and finally had to hand it over to him. "Good luck Bellingham," he said formally and left.

Hannah had not seen Elon since he got back to school because he had been absent from classes and she could only go to his hostel on invitation. She hadn't seen him at the dining hall either but was surprised to see him walking out of the class angrily after lectures.

She stood up and packed her things. "Jane... I want to check on Elon." Hannah said.

"Can I come too?" Jane asked, unsure of what Hannah would say.

"Sure..." Hannah said as she picked up her bag and Jane followed closely.

Elon lifted Bruno in the air and Amelia was shouting for Elon to leave him when Hannah and Jane got to the scene.

Luckily for them, there was no other student on the tennis lawn on that day except them.

Hannah's face widened in fear as she ran towards Elon. "Elon! Leave him..." Right as he dropped him, Bruno fought back and punched him in his abdomen.

Elon groaned in anger and moved closer to him. Amelia screamed again and Hanna was doing her best to stop Elon from going to Bruno. He lifted Bruno and threw him on the ground. Elon lifted his heavy arm in the air, Just as he was about to punch him, he closed his eyes and began to cry which surprised everyone including Jane who was rubbing Elon's hair gently.

Bruno pulled himself away and Amelia helped him up. "Shame on you Elon" she said, disappointed.

"told you not to get yourself involved with a Martinez...you said you don't mind losing us for her...here she is losing you to someone else," Hannah said angrily as she faced Amelia instead of Elon.

Jane didn't stop rubbing Elon's hair as he sobbed. Hannah knelt in front of Elon and hugged him tightly. Bruno held Amelia's arm and they both left.

Dan and Diane went for another night out and they both ended up in the east hostel. 

"if you don't mind...we can both go to Damon before going to my room...Maybe he will allow my roommate to share the room with him tonight and we can have some private time." Dan said to Diane as they both walked down the passage like new lovers.

"cool!" she said as they both got to Damon's room entrance.

"Forgive my manners," Dan said playfully and opened the unlocked door without knocking.

"obviously a bad one," Diane said as they both entered the room.

Damon was typing on his laptop when they entered. "Dan..." his face brightened when he saw Dan and just as Diane appeared beside Dan, Damon's face became cold as he continued typing on his laptop.

"Damon...don't know if...you can allow my roommate to stay over...since your roommate is not around," Dan said,

"hmm...I will have to inform my roommate first and...he will definitely say yes but to be honest I don't like that lady with you." Damon said bluntly. "anyways...your roommate can come over...but after I inform my roommate."

"Yeah! Thanks, Damon." Dan grinned.

Hannah and Jane were at the poolside. Jane was rubbing Elon's hair who rested his head on Jane's thighs and also seemed to be half awake.

"Elon!" Jane called calmly as she continued rubbing his hair and patting his back.

"uhn!" Elon answered lazily.

"something came to my mind... losing a loved one can be more damaging than we thought..." Jane said quietly and she paused. The white noise coming from the water had a calming effect on every one of them. 

She continued. "you may need a psychiatrist or... what do you think Elon?"

Hannah didn't say a word because she realized that only Jane could talk to him at that moment.

"I hate to tell you that I've been seeing my dad lately...always looking angry or disappointed...there are these unexplainable feelings that come with it...I don't know but I wish I could switch places with him at the momen..."

"don't you say that again..." Hannah said.

"shhh!!" Jane signalled for Hannah not to say anything.  "it's good he's expressing himself."

"I don't mind going to a therapist...only if it will help."

"I know of a therapist who is from an ordinary family...no one to use your words against you or something," Jane explained.

"I don't mind." Elon said and looked up at Hannah. "what do you think?"

"I don't mind either." Hannah shrugged.

Dan entered Damon's room without any warning as usual. He entered and closed the door.

Damon stood right in front of Dan, his hair was damp and he only had a towel tied to his waist.

Dan swallowed hard as he moved closer to him. "you...you are handsome." he stammered quietly and Damon smiled.

Dan didn't stop, he continued to move closer without taking his eyes off Damon.

"I like you," Damon said as he looked into Dan's eyes.

Dan touched him gently and goosebumps rose all over Damon's body. He traced Damon's neck to his navel and he could barely stand on his feet as he held Dan's shoulder for support.

Dan cupped his face, their eyes locked as he caressed Damon's lips and their lips pressed against each other.

"I can't spend the night here...Rosalyn is waiting in the west... also want to check on my new boyfriend," Diane said playfully as she opened the door.

"the three of us will spend the night together...tomorrow," Emily said, smiling warmly and Diane waved to her before closing the door.

Diane opened the door excitedly but met Dan's roommate. "how are you?" Diane asked in a friendly way and the guy smiled.

"I'm cool but Dan should be with Damon or maybe off somewhere else...can't predict his movement." the guy explained.

"I understand...Even though I hate to do it I have no choice but to stop at Damon's room."

"alright. Do have a great night."

"And you too..." with that, she closed the door and went to Damon's room.

She inhaled deeply before opening the four, knowing that Damon would never lock his room door and also has the thought of pissing him.

Diane opened the door and saw a towel on the floor which she assumed to be Damon's and there goes Dan's trouser...her eyes traced the cloth on the floor and fell on the two guys having a passionate sex.

"Dan!!" she yelled and the two guys became aware that there was a third party right in at the door, looking at them surprised, disgusted and betrayed.