Chapter Two
Anike’s POV

Time really flew by and things have been going really great.

Jada spends most of her time here with me and even though I used to hate not being alone, Jada gets me. She does not stress me enough to give an answer to all she says because I mostly listen.
She loves talking about her twin brother, Jayden and even though I have not seen him, he smells like trouble.

She is always complaining about him and all his pranks and his friends but I haven’t seen him for once. We went shopping together but Jada complained about him going with his friends instead of her.

And five days after getting here, I am packing my bags into grandma’s jeep. I have never stayed in a hostel before and Jada helped me pack my load too. 

“Did you get everything?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Has your mum called, you know phones are not allowed once you get in the school.”

I shook my head lightly and got into the jeep. I heard grandma sigh as she got in quietly, dropping the matter like I had hoped she would.

The driver drove us to the school and I just spent the entire trip looking outside the window. 
The view here is definitely different from that of Lagos.

While Lagos would have been filled with yellow buses, the ones here were a mix of yellow and brown and I only saw a few before we got into the estate. The rustic town also brought different vibes.

“You have to focus on your book here Anike. Do not get distracted by anyone.”

“Yes ma’am.”
I replied absent mindedly.
It is not like I am willing to get distracted in the first place.

“You see, this school is as bad as it is good. I was once a principal there so I know. stay away from trouble, okay?”

“yeah.”

The view suddenly changed from Beautiful houses to the sight of a huge gate with the name Royals Academy written on it.

Wow, the gate even matched the standard.
As if just noticing the little traffic caused by different cars trying to drive in.
A curious look filled my face when I saw the type of structures in the compound. A school like this truly exists in Nigeria. 

Wow!

I stared open mouthed at the statue of a boy and girl in the school uniform with a book in hand. It was so perfectly done and this is truly a big upgrade from the secondary school I transferred from.
 while that one was just a single structure in a compound, I can’t count the ones here.

The driver finally parked the car after finding a good spot.

“Remember what I said Anike.”
grandma said again before I could step out.
“Yes grandma.”
I muttered  and got down from the jeep.

 I looked around and the cars parked around here looked so luxurious. Different parents and students were  trying to get their stuff from the car while some others watched their drivers do the work. 

Everyone was dressed casually, making me look less odd or more like making it less obvious that I am new.

The kinds of bags people were bringing down from their various vehicles made me wonder why they parked so much load to school. What exactly is in there?

Uniforms or food, because I just don’t understand.
Before I could get to the booth of the jeep and open it, I heard someone scream my name.

“Anike!”

God Almighty!

I stopped in my tracks and slowly turned around ignoring the looks I was getting from others.

Jada seemed to care less about the stares as she just pulled me into a hug.

“Hey! I had no idea you would be coming by this time. we should have come together.”

She said when she pulled out from the hug while I just stood stiff the whole while. I smiled when I saw she was expecting a reply,
“Yeah, I know right.”

“Good morning ma’am.”
She said and rushed to grandma who was already standing in front of the booth, the driver was beside her too and Jada made sure to greet him also.

“How is Jayden?”

“Jayden is busy with our suitcases. Let me call him.”

I watched her walk off to where their car was parked.

“Anike, let’s carry this your bag down.”

“Okay ma.”

Mr Bayo, our driver, helped me carry the one big suitcase I had packed in contrast to the others who were busy with five bags or so.

“Thank you, sir.”
I muttered when he got it down. He nodded with a smile and got back to the jeep while grandma stretched her phone towards me.

“Anike, take the phone. It is your mum.”

I glanced at it with a strong desire to just cut the call but grandma’s hoping eyes toned that desire down and I just collected the phone from her.

“Hello mum.”

“Hey Anike. I am sorry for not calling back the other time. grandma said you are at the school now. How do you like it?”

I walked a little away from where grandma stood watching my every reaction,
“Why do you sound so rushed, mum? Are you busy?”

“Uhm somehow. I spent the night out yesterday with Dele and I have loads of work to get back to now.”

I sighed,

“You have time for Mr Dele but not even five minutes to talk to me?”

“I am talking to you right now Anike, I do not need that attitude this morning.”

I had no idea what to say anymore.

“You know mum, if grandma did not call you, would you have bothered calling?”

She sighed,
“Of course! Darling I would have called."
She replied in that loud voice she uses whenever she lies.

I do not know why I felt really sad about that after everything she has done, they have done since dad has not called too, but I just felt so bad. I really mean nothing to them. 

I walked further away from grandma because I didn’t want her to hear what I was about to say. I looked down at my Nike Jordan,

“Mum, I know you more than you know me and I can tell you are lying. I wish you and Mr Dele a happy married life and you should be happier this time than when you were with dad and I. I will stay here with grandma even after school so do not act like I am forcing myself on you.”

Mum took a sharp breath like she was not expecting that.

I have been surprising her and myself by speaking out like this but it is just because It is all I have pent down this last one year and now I can’t keep it in anymore.

“Anike, stop talking like this. I do not think like that and I would love…”

“Mum, just stop! Stop...”

Whatever I was about to say next died in my throat when I went ahead to hit someone.

“Fuck. Don’t you look at where you're going?”
I moved back from the chest I had hit my head on and pushed back the strong cologne the person had on.

I looked up at the boy’s face and he just looked so familiar but I can swear I have never seen him before. 

He is dark skinned but his skin shined and looked so smooth like chocolate. He had darker hair and it was freshly cut into a cute afro. His eyes were staring hard at me, his nose and lips looked so familiar to one I have seen before and his sharp jawline just made it all better. I ran through his outfit and he was wearing a grey jogger and a black baggy top. simple outfit but,
Damn!
This boy is hot!
Perhaps he is Jada’s brother?
The infamous Jayden.

“You do not have something to say?”
He asked, looking more annoyed than he did seconds ago, making me come back to my senses. 

Am I serious?

Staring at a hot guy like this for more than a second.

I cleared my throat,

“I am sorry. I was on a call…”

“Anike. Oh my God, Jayden this is Anike, Anike this is Jayden my twin.”

I guessed as much.

Jada linked her hands with mine and Jayden glare softened a little.

I wanted to say something but I got dumb founded 
and he seemed like he did not care as we walked together back to grandma’s jeep.

She looked worried and it suddenly made me remember mum.

I looked at grandma’s Samsung Fold phone and mum had already cut the call. I smiled briefly at grandma as I returned her phone. 

She wanted to say something but Jayden cut her off greeting her so politely and looking so different from the guy that wanted to cut my head off minutes ago.

“Are you okay? I saw you and my brother talking.”

“Yeah, I am okay. You look so much like your brother.”

I whispered back at her, making her grin.

“Correction, he looks like me. I am minutes older than him and we are twins. Come on.”
I chuckled and nodded at how stupid she just made me look.

Even though I just met her a week ago, she makes me feel better every time and she is just such a good friend to me. I can’t believe I even have a friend, but Ibadan really has lots of surprises for me.

“I have an appointment; can you guys help me show Anike around?”

“Sure grandma. I would love to.”

“thank you dear. Take care of her okay?”

Grandma said as she pulled me into a hug.

She moved back with a sad smile that I perfectly understood before getting back into her jeep.
 
Jada looked around after they drove off,

“You brought only one suitcase?”
Jada asked looking shocked,

“Yeah, I noticed everyone brought more than. Why?”

I asked and pulled up the handle of my suitcase, trolling it.

“Just because. Snacks are not really allowed but honestly, you are right, what do we pack?”
I chuckled and checked behind me for Jayden.

Surprisingly, he was smiling at a light skin beautiful girl. They just look so great together, maybe they are dating?

“Oh… that is Sophia, Jayden’s girlfriend.”

Jada whispered behind me and I almost jumped up because it was just so sudden.

The hot guy dating the hot girl, they are definitely worthy of being couple of the year.

“wow. They look good together.”

“Really? I hate her.”

Oh, not expecting to hear that.
I had no idea what to say to that so I just walked with her in silence until she broke it,

“They are toxic for each other, they just don’t see it but whatever, it is their problem. And trust me, if Jayden comes to me after they break up and complains, I will land him a smack on his back.”

This girl is a comedian.

The imagination of that scene made me laugh out loud. I cannot remember when I have laughed so wholeheartedly but I did that morning.

“You look so beautiful when you laugh. you know this is the first time I am seeing you laugh?”

Jada said, helping me drop my suitcase beside the pile of her own.

“You should laugh more Anike.”
She added, making me smile.
“thanks.”

She grinned and linked her hands back to mine taking me wherever.

“I feel so great that you are warming up to me.” 
“yeah.”
I replied with a smile.
I feel happy to have her as my first friend in ages.

“I really pray we become roommates. The girls in this school are crazy, I do not want any drama. Last session is already enough for me. I will tell you all about it if we do become roommates.”

I nodded,

“Are there things I should know about this school if I really want to set in?”

Jada chuckled,

“Of course, there are. In fact, this school is filled with rules  but let’s see the class you get into first.”

“Okay, thanks.”

“Oh, stop what are friends for?”

I looked at the big building we were walking into now. Painted in cream and dark brown just like the rest of the buildings in the compound. Stepping into the building, the first thing I felt was the cold from the AC.

The interior design of the building itself looked so expensive and I could not help but notice the Mac Book the receptionist was using.

How much is the school fee here?

I asked myself again because I just don’t get it.
Jada greeted the receptionist and I followed her lead.

“Please ma is Mrs Ugo around?”

“yeah.”

“Okay, thank you ma.”

Jada took me to the supposed Mrs Ugo office and we met her seated behind her desk, busy on her Macbook too.
She also looks younger than I expected.

“Good morning ma!”

“Jada, how are you doing? How is Jayden?”

“we are fine ma. This is Anike the transfer student.”

She turned to me and removed her cat shaped glasses from her face, dropping it on the desk. 

Different thoughts ran through my head in that split second because she had to remove the glasses but I did not expect her to break into a grin.

“Oh My. This is the intelligent Anike we have been hearing about. It is great to meet you. We have your clothes, books, locker, room arranged.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

She smiled the more and went back to her Macbook, typing away for a while. 

When she was done, she turned it to me and asked me to type my name under some sort of document.
Wow, everything here is digital.

I did as instructed and after another minute of her typing she stood up and walked to a photocopy machine at the far corner of her office.

“You know you got a rare full scholarship opportunity. That is really good. Well done Anike.”

I got in with a scholarship?

Why did grandma let this information slip?

Why did she cover it up with a principal cut or what did she call it?

I noticed the smile on Jada’s face fall immediately when Mrs Ugo said this.

“This is your slip. Your room number, your locker number. You can get your books from the book shop. These are your uniforms.”

She passed more than ten branded bags to me and I am still shocked by how many uniforms I am meant to wear in this school.

 I collected them from her and the weight almost fell me down.

“thank you, ma.”

 I said again and dropped the bags on the floor.
Jada was still seated quietly beside me,

“You are in class two. welcome to Royal Academy, Anike.”

“Oh My God. As if this cannot get any worse!”
Jada thought out loud, surprising both Mrs Ugo and I.

She then stood up and walked out of the office.
I muttered another series of thanks, packed the bags and ran after Jada.

“Jada. Jada, wait! What is wrong?”

She turned around then looked round the whole area as she walked closer to me,

“You are a scholarship student?”
She whisper asked,

“yeah, I just found out too.”

“well, that is fucked up. One way to settle in here like you asked is to not be a scholarship student. We haven’t got one in ages and you would be the first. Trust me, class two is the worst class to keep that kind of secret from but you have to.”

What is she talking about?

I am not built for all this drama and scholarship fiasco.
If they can’t afford here and that would lead to stress for me then I would rather go to another school. except from what I have seen, this school is not like other schools.

“What are you trying to say?”

She sighed again,
And leaned even closer,

“What I am saying is no one else in this school must find out that you are a scholarship student. No one.”

Anike is a scholarship student.
But can she keep the secret or more like can Jada keep the secret?

Let's read on to find out!

And also is Anike’s reaction to her mum justifiable.

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Love y'all
Eniola_writes 💕💕