Believe - Episode 20

 

After Oreoluwa left them, Funmi looked at Ayo and began, “At first, I helped you because I wanted to but when you won the annual math quiz ahead of me.” She looked down at her feet in regret. “I began to dislike you and that was when…”

After Funmi finished narrating. Ayo examined her and believed all she had said . She was however confused about something Funmi had mentioned. A word that had made Funmi change her good intentions to a bad one.

“Funmi, I believe all that you’ve said and I’m willing to forgive you,” Ayo said. “But, you have to tell me who told you I have an altruistic behavior that made you have this huge plan of wanting to be my best friend.”

Funmi made to say something but Ayo stopped her. “Bear it in mind that only my mum and my previous school’s counsellor knows about this.”

“I can’t tell you, Ayo.” Funmi shook her head rapidly. “No, I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“No! I had rather have you not forgive me than ruin…” She stopped talking.

“Ruin what?” Ayo shook Funmi all over as if doing that would bring out the answers she needed. “You had better tell me, if not it would be the end of our 45 minutes friendship that would be ruined.” She stood up from beside Funmi.

“It’s your friend that told me.” She immediately knelt beside Ayo

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/believe

. “She didn’t mean to tell me. It slipped out of her mouth when trying to warn me to stay away from you. She somehow knew I had bad intentions and that was why…”

“Bukky?”

Funmi nods her head.

“How did she know?” Ayo thought out loud. She brushed it off her mind as she remembered Funmi was still kneeling. “Get up, Funmi.”

“Only if you promise not to quarrel with Bukky because of this. She really care about you like a true friend would.”

“Okay, I promise.” Ayo said without meaning it.

“Thanks. So am I forgiven?” Funmi got up from her kneeling position.

Ayo wiped the tears that were about to drop from her eyes. “You haven’t done anything wrong.” She hugged her. “You will always be a part of me Funmi and I can’t do away with that part. Thank you.”

“Thank you,” Funmi said in return. She released herself from the embrace.

“If not for you, I won’t be here and you wouldn’t have to compete against me. You wouldn’t have to think of ways to win against me.”

“Ayo…”

“No, let me finish,” Ayo interrupted. “If you haven’t helped me to improve my math skill back then in JS 1, I wouldn’t have taken third position in my first maths quiz ever. I would probably be seated among the audience right now. So, your pain is justifiable. You helped me and how did I repay you?” - she used her sleeve to wipe her tears – “By ruining your chances of winning the annual maths quiz for three straight years.”

Funmi pulled Ayo into her embrace. They both needed it.

“So, it’s understandable if you want me to lose against you in this math Olympiad. It’s okay if you are going to use my psychological illness against me. It’s okay if you are going to make me feel sorry for you so you could win. It’s okay if…”

“It’s not okay, Ayo. That’s cheating.” Funmi interrupted now.

“Shhh. I told you to let me finish.”

“I just couldn’t let you put me first and yourself second.”

They stood apart and stared at each other in silence.

“We should probably head back up,” Ayo suggested.

“Yes, we should.” Funmi agreed. They both left the room, holding hands.

“Hey! Guys,” someone said behind them as they stepped out of the room.

“Aissh!” Both girls exclaimed. “You scared us,” Funmi added.

“I knew you would be lurking somewhere around,” Ayo said.

“I couldn’t let one friend strangle the other friend.” He squeezed himself in between them and placed an arm each across both of their shoulders. “By the way, that was an interesting story, Funmi.”

Both girls chuckled.

“And Ayo, if I had known about that altruistic nature earlier, I would have used it against you today.” He grinned.

“Joker.” Ayo said.

Read " Hope " by the same author ( HABEEBLLAH DAMILOLA )

. “I would have strangled you if you did and Funmi won’t be there to rescue you.”

The three of them laughed wholeheartedly as they found their way to their seats amongst the audience.

The audience began to clap as soon as Ayo, Funmi and Oreoluwa took their seat. It was as though the audience were applauding them because of their new found friendship. The three of them joined in clapping as they also heard what the quiz master had said.

“Congratulations Perfect and Michael. I’ll see you both in the finals.” The quiz master had said.

Both Perfect and Michael left the stage afterwards. The quiz master gave a closing speech and the audience took their leave for their various destinations.

Altruistic – Someone who always put others people’s interest first before theirs OR someone pleases other people at the expense of their own happiness. They usually don’t know these.

Hello, Readers.

 After today's episode, I will not be posting new episodes for a week. But after that I promise to post the rest of the story at a time.

The reason behind it is I have to polish the rest of the story so as to make it a nice piece without confusion. I sincerely apologise. 

So, till next week Saturday. Meanwhile, in the meantime. What is your opinion on the story so far and each of the characters? Thanks for your love for reading this far. I really appreciate