The Woman I Cherish 24

Jewel was seen in his room
arranging his clothes in his bag. He
was planning of going home. He
couldn’t wait until weekend
anymore. He just wanted to leave
his room. His door suddenly
opened and Angel walked in. she
paused when she saw Jewel
arranging his clothes in his bag.
She became scared. she slowly
walked to meet Jewel.
“what are you doing? why are you
arranging your clothes in your bag.
I hope it’s not what I’m thinking.”
Angel said, curiously.
“I’m going back home. I can’t be in
this room anymore.” Jewel
responded.
“what about the school panels?
what did they say to you? what’s
your fate?” Angel asked.
“The semester has almost come to
an end, so I can’t face the panel
right now. I will face the panel
when we resume next semester.
that’s when my fate will be
decided.” Jewel said.
Angel held his hands and stared
into his eyes.
“we will overcome this. I’m very
sure of it. just have faith” Angel
assured him.
“yes I believe. I’m not guilty.
nothing will happen. I will resume
with my mates next semester.”
Jewel responded and zipped his
bag.
“yes, that’s the spirit” Angel said.
“I will start leaving now. I don’t
want Henry to meet me here. I
really don’t want to see his face
right now” Jewel said.
“yes, I understand” Angel
responded.
“I’m changing my hostel once I
resume next semester. I can’t be in
the same hostel with such a
person” Jewel said.
“yes, that’s what you should do”
Angel responded.
“okay, see you next semester” Jewel
said.
Angel hugged him immediately. she
hugged him tightly.
“I will miss you. I will miss you a
lot.” Angel said.
“I will miss you more” Jewel
responded.
Angel freed him and stared into his
eyes.
“we will resume together next
semester” Angel said.
“yes we will” Jewel responded.
“okay, let me see you off” Angel
said.
“okay” Jewel responded.
Angel assisted Jewel in carrying
his luggage and they left the room
together.
*******************************************
A cab pulled to an abrupt halt in
front of a black gate. The cab man
quickly alighted and went to the
trunk. He opened the trunk and
brought down the luggage in it.
“oga, we have reached your
location.” He said.
Jewel quickly alighted from the
cab.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know we are here
already” he said.
He had been sleeping all the way
back home and didn’t even realize
that he had reached his destination.
He was very tired. The drive back
home was rough. He settled the
cab man and he drove off. He
stared at the gate with smiles on
his face.
“mum, dad, I’m back home.” he
said.
He opened the gate and dragged
his luggage into the compound. It’s
a compound that houses four flats.
The compound was very silent and
no one could be seen around.
“as usual. everyone is in their flats.”
he said and dragged his luggage to
their own flat.
He stood at the door and heaved a
sigh of relief.
“finally, I’m home” he said and
knocked on the door.
Few seconds later, the door opened
to reveal a woman in her early
forties.
“Jewel!” the woman called,
surprised.
“mum” Jewel said.
Jewel’s mum hugged him
immediately.
“welcome home my son” she said.
“thanks mum” Jewel responded.
“I have missed you so much” she
said.
“I miss you too mum” Jewel
responded.
“please come in and rest. you must
be very tired.” she said and
assisted Jewel in carrying his bag
into the sitting room.
Jewel entered into the sitting room
and sat down on the sofa.
“mum, where is dad?” he asked.
“he has not returned from work” his
mum responded.
“okay” he said.
“I hope your exams went well” his
mum said.
“yes mum” he responded.
He was not ready to break the bad
news to his mother.
“okay son, let me get you
something to eat. I know you must
be very hungry.” he mum said and
went to the kitchen.
Jewel carried his luggage and went
straight to his room.
*******************************************
Angel lay on her bed and stared at
the ceiling. She looked very sad.
several thought were on her mind.
She stood up from her bed, brought
out her bag and started packing her
stuffs in it. The door suddenly
opened and Jessica walked in. she
saw Angel packing her things into
her bag and approached her.
“what are you doing?” Jessica
asked.
“I’m going home” Angel responded.
“I thought you said you won’t leave
until weekend” Jessica said.
“I changed my mind” Angel
responded.
“it seems I will start leaving also,
because I can’t be in this room all
alone.” Jessica said.
Angel continued with what she was
doing. she suddenly paused and
faced Jessica.
“what will be the fate of Jewel if
found guilty?” she asked.
“according to the rules and
regulation on our exam pass.
possession of unauthorized
materials in the examination hall is
2 semesters rustication, while
smuggling of answer booklet into
the examination hall is expulsion.
So it depends on which one Jewel
is found guilty of” Jessica
responded.
Angel suddenly became weak. she
stopped what she was doing and
sat on her bed.
“I know Jewel won’t be found guilty
of any of those. I know that for
sure. He has a bright future ahead.”
she assured herself.
*******************************************
Jewel sat in the sitting room,
watching his favorite programme watching his favorite programme on
tv. His parent has gone out, so he
was all alone in the house. A knock
sounded on the door, distracting
him from the programme he was
watching.
“who could that be?” he mumbled.
He stood up and went to the door.
He opened the door and froze
immediately. standing before him
was Jane, his childhood friend and
first love, who dumped him for a
richer guy in her school. He stared
at her in shock. He never believed
he would ever see her again after
what she did to him.
“My Jewel!” Jane called and
immediately hugged him.
“I miss you so much, my Jewel.
This few months without you had
been hell for me.” Jane said.
Jewel stared at her, surprised.
‘was it not this same Jane who
broke my heart some months ago.
why is she suddenly acting nice?’
He thought.
“my Jewel, I miss you so much. I
returned last week from school, and
ever since, I have been waiting for
you to return also. Thank God you
are finally back.” Jane said.
“I thought you broke up with me
already. Why are you suddenly
acting nice?” Jewel asked.
“no o, I can never break up with
you. you are my everything. I only
said what I said back then to
protect you.” Jane responded.
“protect me, how?” Jewel asked.
“Daniel is a member of a cult group.
He had been trying to date me, but
I kept turning him down. He warned
all my friends to stay away from
me, because he thinks they were
the reason why I kept turning him
down. He threatened to harm
anyone he sees close to me. As we
speak now, I don’t have any close
friend in school, all because of
Daniel. I dare not tell him that you
are my boyfriend, when you visited.
if I did, you wouldn’t have returned
home safely. He would have
inflicted injuries on you. I don’t
know what I would have done if he
had harmed you. I only said that to
protect you. you are my Jewel. I
can’t let anyone harm you. I can’t
bear to see even a scratch on your
body.” Jane said.
Jewel suddenly became weak after
what Jane narrated to him.
‘so Jane didn’t actually broke up
with me. she was only protecting
me.’ he thought.
“all this while, I thought you have
ended our relationship” Jewel said.
“I can’t do that. my life will be
miserable without you. you are my
everything.” Jane responded.
“okay, you can come in now” Jewel
said and gave way for her to enter.
Jane planted a kiss on his lips first.