22 GOING TO HELL

Your last year in highschool is supposed to be exciting and adventurous just like in the movies but as for me, I couldn't wait to be done with it.

Two weeks into the first term and Yvonne and Segun were already acting like they owned the state. Not the school, but the state. Tunde was still acting weird around me and the only friends I had were China, Jay and his new friend, Frank.

Yvonne had bluntly told me to stay clear of Tunde and that was exactly what I was doing — not because she asked me to but because Tunde wouldn't even look at me. So I'd decided to let him be for the meantime.

In as much as Yvonne and Segun were art students, meaning they were in a different class, they were surprisingly popular to the extent that most girls dreamt to date Segun. And let's not even get started on Yvonne's clique.

As an SS3 student, I was down to nine subjects which I was going to write in my final exams. It was less stress but it was much more boring than ever before. Listening to Miss Helen made me question the use of English language in as much as I knew that if I failed English, I was toast.

Miss Helen always got distracted with little things and as a result, she did more nagging than teaching whenever she came to class. "China, give me those earrings, now!" Miss Helen shouted while approaching our seat. China and Frank were seated directly in front of Jay and I.

"But these are full stop earrings, ma" China defended while touching her precious earrings.

Miss Helen angrily approached her desk with her high heels making funny sounds. "Are you insane? Hand me those earrings young lady" Miss Helen outstretched her hand to a reluctant China.

"But ma —"

"Don't waste my time!" Miss Helen wasn't ready to hear any excuse. To China's defense, there was actually nothing wrong with her earrings but Miss Helen saw every girl as her competition and no one had any idea what we were all competing against her for.

I was brought out of my thoughts when I realized China had still refused to hand over the earrings and Miss Helen's fair complexion was already turning as red as a tomato.

"China so you've grown wings right? Because you're now in SS 3?" Miss Helen hollered.

"I'm not giving you anything, after all it doesn't belong to you" China snapped at the English teacher and the class went wild. Trust students to hail a student standing up to a well hated teacher.

"Are you talking back at me? You brat!" Miss Helen screamed murder, "Where is my cane? I'll teach you a lesson!"

The class booed at Miss Helen and she couldn't take it anymore and she began shouting "Kneel down! Kneel down all of you!" but only 5% of the class listened to her.

Forty five minutes later we found ourselves holding cutlasses, cutting grass in the school field. Unfortunately, Miss Helen had gotten the principal involved and according to him, we would have gotten suspended but he had showed us mercy.

Luckily for us, we were asked to go back to class as soon as it was break period. I thanked my stars because I was so close to passing out.

"Rachael, guess what I heard" China said to me in the cafeteria while we ate our food.

"What?" I grumbled without taking away my gaze on my noodles.

"Yvonne and Segun are siblings" said China.

"What?!" I shouted, "I thought they were dating or something"

"Nope. They have the same surname" China added.

"That's very weird. Siblings don't act the way they do"

"I know. I was surprised too, I swear" China admits. I shook my head — reminding myself it was non of my business before going back to my noodles.

"Hey, ladies" that voice sounded familiar and whoever it was had taken a seat next to me. I turned swiftly to see Segun with his signature smirk dancing on his lips. I'd never been so up close to him before. He smelled nice.

"Hey, Segun" that was China. I turned to her the same time Segun did and she gave me the 'what are you doing?' look.

"Hello, beautiful" he smiled at China, "Beautiful girls like you shouldn't be sitting alone"

"They aren't sitting alone," Jay appeared out of nowhere with Frank behind him, "In fact, you're occupying my spot" Jay faked a smile but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Bro, there's a lot of space everywhere for you to seat. It mustn't be here" Segun smirks.

"I don't know who you think you are but I need your stinking ass out... Of... My... Chair" it was a matter of seconds before Jay would loose his temper and I knew it.

"Come and move me" Segun said before he put his arm around my shoulder only to know what Jay would do.

Segun had just stepped on the lion's tail and we all knew it. We were all waiting to see what would happen next but before Jay could react, I yanked Segun's arm away and stood up immediately.

"I need to use the toilet" I announced it like it was NTA ten o'clock news. I walked out of the awkward situation and made my way to the girls' toilet.

I swung the door open without even remembering to knock and I was faced with the biggest shock of my life.

Tunde and Yvonne were making out passionately.

They hadn't even noticed me standing there. Segun ran up to me only to see what I had seen. "Yvonne?" Segun called out before they noticed our presence.
They didn't seem fazed or even shocked to the slightest. Yvonne buttoned up her shirt which had been previously open to reveal her sexy body. Segun's eyes had turned red instantly.

I walked out of the scene before any of them could say anything. I could hear Segun saying something but it was already indistinct because I was walking fast.

Seeing Tunde and Yvonne together like that was something I never wanted to see again. They had been kissing and touching each other in different places... Thinking about it made me almost puke.

Now I knew why Yvonne had asked me to stay away from Tunde. She liked him. It was clear from the beginning. I noticed it at her party but I don't know why I didn't take note of that.

I had no idea why seeing them together had so much effect on me but it just did.

"Why is your face like that? What happened? Did that idiot do anything to you?" Jay asked as soon as I arrived at our table. I knew very well he was referring to Segun.

"No, nothing happened" I replied.
"Your mood suddenly changed. What's up?" it was China this time around.

"I said nothing is wrong" I snapped.

"You guys should just let her be" I heard Frank mumble next to China.

With that, no one bothered me anymore till lunch break was over. During extension classes, we had a combine class with the art students and Yvonne and Tunde sat together and held hands like newly weds. I sulked inside. I felt so bitter and angry with myself and everyone else. And this wasn't the first time.

It didn't take time before we were done for the day and I just couldn't wait to get out of school. I was the only one left in the classroom since I had to get some books from my locker to take home. I'd asked Jay to wait for me outside.

I was putting the books in my bag when Tunde walked in. We stared at each other for exactly three seconds (since I was counting) before he went straight to his locker, retrieved some books and I watched as he was about to leave. "Tunde" I called out making him stop in his tracks. "We need to talk" I walked closer to where he stood and he turned around to look at me.

"Talk about what exactly?" he asked with bitterness oozing out of his tone.

"Are we just going to stop talking to each other because of an argument?" I asked

He scoffed and said, "You know, I went home after you'd accused me of being a drug addict and I began asking myself why you would think of something like that and then I realized you've been spending too much time with Jay and I knew he was the one feeding you with lies about me" he paused, "You're always around him but I just realized that no matter how close we were, we were never as close as you and Jay even when you knew I had feelings for you"

"Look, Tunde, it's not like that" I said, "We've always been good friends..."

"And so what? You only say I'm your friend but yet the first thing you ask me after we all nearly died in that hotel is if I'm on drugs" Tunde snapped.

"I'm really sorry. Just forgive me please" I pleaded.

"I've forgiven you. I realised you're not worth it" Tunde said. His words were stabbing me directly in the heart. "You can go to hell with your boyfriend, Jay"