Ten Years Ago... High School.
Valery, just like most students with a social life, hated Mondays. Mondays meant math class, and math class meant pop quizzes.
Most days, she hid in the school library when overwhelmed. It was on the third floor, and Valery's class sat on the fourth.
It was only a matter of not getting caught, but then again, she was as innocent as they came based on looks, and using the washroom was always the go-to excuse.
On one Monday, while trying to skip the class, she almost comes face to face with the teacher at the staircase. Valery turned around naturally and quickly ran right. She would have nowhere to go except her classroom if she took the other way.
At the far end was an abandoned room nobody used. Although that was the first place she thought of, she had never been to the old classroom- not with the stories surrounding why it was never used.
For the sake of her life, Valery convinced herself that they were fake tales to scare students. At the turn of the knob, she jumped inside and shut the door.
Valery let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, laughing at herself for being so determined. But then she felt a chill when reality hit her.
This room is pitch black.
Valery could not see anything, and that began to creep her out. "It doesn't feel like I'm in the school anymore." She murmured as she felt the walls with her palm, looking for a light switch.
"Where else could you be?" A strained voice echoes behind her.
"Ahhh!" Valery slipped just as she pitched out a terrifying scream.
**
The room had been off-limits longer than any staff or student could project. Students talk about hearing twisted sounds and menacing laughs at that corner after school hours. They said it was haunted by ghosts.
In a superstitious society, everyone believed it. And now, Valery was living the nightmare of coming into contact with a phantom.
She picks herself up, forgetting which way she came from. Adrenaline rippling through her body, Valery runs around the room blindly, hoping to miraculously find the door or something to help her get out. When her hand touched a solid chest, she ran in the opposite direction, wailing. Valery begged the heavens for help in that frail moment, promising never to miss any class if she survived the ordeal.
Suddenly, the room became bright. Someone had switched on the lights.
Valery was so scared she kept her eyes shut after the 'click' sound. She froze when a hand snatched her by the collar of her uniform.
"Stop running and open your eyes." It took many more words to convince her.
It was no longer dark when she unblocked her view. Luckily, she was saved from slamming her head into an old locker. Valery's jaw gradually drops as she recollects herself. Why was a supposed classroom decorated with chairs, a fridge, a table tennis board, a computer, a stocked bookshelf, and a television? What the hell was going on?
"Lucky you...you found my hideout," said the boy holding on to her. Only then did Valery realize she was one step from falling if he let go. Slowly, she inclines her head.
"You?... What are you doing?"
"I'm saving a damsel in distress." A tall young man with dark eyes replied coyly. He let go after she found her footing, then folded his arms, "Why are you here, Violet?"
"My name is not Violet. It's Valery."
"I know, I know. But I prefer Violet, like African violets," he smirked. "Why come here of all places? Are you not afraid of the ghost that lives here?"
Valery frowned. "I'm not afraid of ghosts!"
"Didn't seem like that when you screamed like a little girl." The boy imitated the creepy voice Valery had heard earlier.
"Leo!" Valery backs up slowly, her face grimacing.
"Leo? People who call me Leo are either afraid of me or work for me. You know, like a Mafia," Derrick snickered. Valery's anger amused him. "On second thought, maybe you should call me Leo. You did think I was the ghost, didn't you? So technically, that puts you under those who fear me."
Valery hurried towards the door but was quickly intercepted. "You haven't answered my question, Violet." Derrick suddenly turned cold and unfriendly.
"Do I have to? Isn't it obvious that I'm skipping class? Had I known I'd run into the likes of you, I would have endured that."
"This is the only place in the entire school I don't find repulsive, do not ruin it for me," Derrick's tone came across as threatening.
"Instead of attempting to scare me, ask politely, Der-rick!" Valery said, devoid of any tension or uncertainty. Bullies like Derrick had no control over her.
Derrick took a long look and then sighed. "Fine, Valery, can you let this be our little secret?" His grin seemed insincere. "You can stay until the math period is over. Do help yourself to a snack. I saw how you drooled at the fridge like it was your first love." He turned away from the intruder and leaned against a curtained wall.
Valery saw that he had lowered his guard. She says nothing, backing away from the exit to the fridge.
Derrick chuckled when she took out a chocolate bar, "That was fast. I thought..."
"You thought what? This is not some K-drama where the girl meets a boy, gets angry and leaves with a punch or something on his face. I'm Ghanaian, and I don't hide my love for chocolate, so, meh." Valery helped herself. Looking at the bright room, she slowly wowed. The windows were covered with thick blue-black curtains, and the walls were painted grey like the fridge. The floor was tiled in squares, and on the left side of the wall were a few posters of comic characters, cars and a picture of the school.
Valery sat on the small sofa, admiring the room as she bit down on the chocolate bar. Derrick, on the other hand, stared at her suspiciously.
"So this is where you hide? And all these things."
Derrick tucked his hands in his pockets. "They are all mine. No one comes here, so hearing myself speak is easier."
"This sounds unrealistic; how did you get them in here without getting noticed?"
Derrick smiled. "My dad donates a lot of funds to the school. It's just one of the privileges that come with it."
"That's not enough reason to have a secret room and not get caught."
"Is that so? Well, I changed the locks so no one can get in," Derrick paces the room, observing the visitor. "So, math class, huh?" He let himself go on the bean bag sofa tucked beside the couch. Valery nodded while Derrick took out his AirPods. After plugging his ears, he lays back and shuts his eyes.
Two periods later, the bell rang for recess.
Valery stood up. "I'm heading out."
"Wait a few more minutes; it's unsafe to go now. Just five more minutes," Derrick said, eyes still shut. Although it bothered Valery to take orders from him, she obeyed. After exactly five minutes, Valery proceeded toward the door. This time Derrick did not stop her.
Holding onto the doorknob, she turns to say thank you. Only then does Derrick look at her, curving his lips when the door shut.
Present day... It was the smell of strong coffee that stirred her awake. When her brown orbs were half-lidded, a mug was hanging in the air... No, there was a hand holding onto it. It took a few more blinks to open her eyes, but she nearly bolted out of her skin when she realized that this was not her room. "Slow down; you're at my place." Derrick chuckled at how she took that hot mug, peering around as if she had been kidnapped. He sat on the bed and pushed the tray he brought along closer. "I didn't know what you would like, so I made your old favourite. Omelettes with two slices of bread, fried chicken franks and a chocolate bar in case you want dessert." "Thanks." Valery did not know what to say; the situation was weird. 'Hold on, am I naked?' Her thoughts went wild when she suddenly looked down at her chest. "Do you not remember what happened last night?" Derrick tilted his head to the side, searching for her lost gaze. Valery was not going to pretend that she did not re
Ten Years Back...High School. Valery was average regarding weight and did not hide her love for food. Plump cheeks and a sharp jawline. Although her head was well-rounded and small, her thick black hair made it look twice its size. She had small eyes and a cute nose that complimented her appearance. Valery had dark brown skin, soft and glossy. Her lips were full and tainted with a light shade of pink on the bottom. She went for the usual during lunch break; Jollof rice with fried chicken and potato salad. With much delight, she dug in, but an approaching presence made her lift her head after a few bites. "So, where were you during the fourth and fifth periods?" Margret was curious. As much as they told each other everything, Valery knew not to mention where she was. Margret loved being a matchmaker and had already shipped her with many of their mates. Being paired with Derrick was the last thing she needed. Margret sat down with her tray and dug into her food. Valery: "I was at t
Present Day... They had dinner, but they barely finished it. This meeting was more about talking, not eating. Derrick avoided difficult questions, his go-to method of preventing Valery from shutting herself out completely. He saved his feelings for her for a later time when she would reciprocate them wholeheartedly. "Look, I think I should clear the air about this." When the conversation veered off track, Valery took a deep breath and looked Derrick in the eye. "I am a wreck from what happened years ago. I have been in four or five relationships after high school, and it's always been complicated because I made them so." She did not want to beat about the bush anymore. "That makes the two of us. It's been hell trying to replace you." Derrick didn't have to say I love you to get her to understand that. "Derrick..." "No, let me finish." Derrick was ready to be upfront like she expected of him. "I get it if you want to take things slow. I will understand if you want to stay frie
During busy work hours, Valery got a call from the nurse at the reception. "A delivery guy is asking for you, Dr Benson," she said. Valery did scratch her head for some seconds, trying to recall if she had any agenda that would require one. "Did he say where or who it's from? You know what, direct him to my office," said Valery. Moments later, a grand bouquet of fresh flowers hijacks her office. It came with a second parcel in a white paper bag and a note. 'Flowers for my African Violet, to keep her company.' Valery read the note with some enthusiasm. She appreciated Derrick's effort to impress her with classic romantic gestures. However, the door swung open just as she unwrapped the small parcel. "Val... Oh wow." Anita Blankson from ICU walks in, forgetting to knock as always. "No one told me there was a new Juliet in town. Aww, these are lovely." Anita skedaddles to the flowers to admire them closely. Valery rolls her eyes as the drama queen at her workplace invades her privac
It was odd. The hours moved sluggishly while they were glued to each other. Derrick was sweaty, yet the air conditioner was on full blast. Nursing a boner to a woman he simply found divine was torture. He wanted to take her badly, but Valery was the one to bring him peace and steer him away from his old habits. It would be wrong to ruin that. He was a man; this was the best way to prove it. A hand hooked around her neck, Derrick controls Valery's tongue but not how hard her privates grind against his crotch. It was an amusing factor of how much they had grown. The Violet from before would crawl into the ground at the thought of being intimate. But this version was okay. A little kinky but sweet. "Is this what you truly want, Violet?" Derrick could die from those steamy gusts. "You're stalling," Valery said. "I want to be careful with you," Derrick responded, hands never leaving her cushioned skin. "I won't break if you bend me over," Valery said with an innocent face. It made
Years Back... High School. Being out of school was okay if all you had to do was lie in bed, eat and watch TV. No one forces you to do chores or run errands, and no one fights with you over the single couch. The downside was being behind in academics and missing friends. Margret could come over any day, but it wasn't enough to cure the restless, lonely days. After the accident, Mr York was put in a tight spot. The school's board of directors issued an investigation into the matter, and the outcome was not good. There were rules concerning the discipline of students and how far the staff could go. Hard labour was not allowed- not per the school's standard. It was an unlawful act forced on students, and the principal was penalized for allowing it to happen. Valery's case may have come out because of the severity of her injuries and the period it took place. It encouraged other students to speak up about their unfortunate moments, that went unnoticed. Mr York was let off the hook wit
High School... The alarm went off at six-thirty. A digital rooster was screaming in Derrrick's ears tirelessly. "Tsk!" He swung his entire arm, searching for the phone. After a few sweeps over the bed, he finds nothing. "God damn it!" Derrick gritted his teeth as he lifted his head. It was easier to locate the small light breaching through the pillowcase. His fingers crawl underneath, and he has it. *Kuk! Kuk!* Derrick did not hear the timid knocks. When the door squeaked open, and the rays from outside peeked into his perfectly dark room, he turned. "What is it now?!" Derrick yelled at the intruder. The maid flinched. "You will be late for school, sir." The servant had learned to thread softly in this mansion over the years. "So?" Derrick grunted. He would get out of bed at the time he deemed fit. "Your father is waiting for you to come down," said the maid. That changed everything. "I'll come down soon," Derrick responded with a sigh. It took him thirty minutes to go down
High School... With time, Valery fully recovered. She burned the midnight oil, working her butt off to stay ahead in most subjects- including the ones she did not fancy. That was not the only thing she broke a sweat to maintain. Hiding her friendship with Leo was another hustle. He made it harder to handle each time he sent random notes to her class, demanding her presence. She agreed to see him at every second recess and closing hours. But it wasn't all bad; she did benefit from that enclosed environment. Derrick lay on the lazy beanbag, throwing a ping-pong ball against the wall. He peeked behind intermittently, with a sour expression on his face. Valery had developed a new habit he found problematic. She preferred doing homework and studying to amusing him. "You're getting noisy again," Valery said, her eyes still buried in an exercise book. "Can't you do your homework when you get home?" "Do you want me to leave?" Valery raised her head. At least it got her to look at h