It was Monday morning, but Jessica had no earthly desire to go to school.
She dragged herself out of bed and lay on the floor for a few minutes before summoning all her willpower and making it to the shower. After an eternity of getting prepared and heading out the door she was finally at the gates.

She greeted the security guard who she later came to find was called Mr. Ofori at the gate, but he'd responded halfheartedly, which was very much unlike him.He gave her a pained look as he pressed the buzzer that allowed outsiders access to the school, and turned to face his monitor his back to her, giving her an ominous feeling. Jessie frowned, lines appearing on her forehead.
She adjusted her backpack tighter on her back, and walked in.
She noticed that most of the students stared at her and pointed at her as she made her way into the school, but Jessica was never was one to care.
"They'd all teamed up against me during that pancake episode hadn't they? What's so special about their looking at me now? she thought brushing them off.

She was finally at the stairway on the way to her class when she saw Elaine clutching a copy of what Jessica recognized as the school magazine, deeply engrossed in what she was reading.
"Hey. She greeted her tiredly."What's up?
Elaine let out a small scream wide eyed, quickly closing the magazine and stuffing it into her bag, and slowly responded in her small voice, fidgeting with her fingers, continually staring at Jessica's stomach.

"What's wrong? why are you looking at my stomach like that? Jessica asked, consciously pulling down the blazer of her school uniform.
Wordlessly, she dragged her to their small corner behind the staircase.
"You know you can tell me everything right? Elaine asked, carefully.
"Of course I do, Jessica shrugged. What's wrong?
"That's what I should be asking you! " Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? She asked her hands on her freshly ironed skirt.
Huh?!.......
"Well you have to let your parents know because well it gets obvious obvious, she said gesturing towards my stomach.
Elaine.........
"Don't worry, you'll be fine she said matter of factly, digging out a pamphlet discussing how to cope with life as a teenage mom from her satchel bag.

"Look Elaine I'm not pregnant okay?.. what even gave you that impression? Jessie asked,genuinely surprised.

"You're not pregnant? Oh okay!. She said heaving a sigh of relief."Well then, what's this? She asked, bringing out the school magazine from her bag.

"What's this? Jessie repeated, taking it from her curiously. She'd never really been interested in the school magazine, and hadn't even been aware when the latest edition came out.

Her eyes glazed over when she saw the picture on the cover. It was her, hugging Yaw and another obviously edited one of me and Yaw coming out of an OB-GYN office. Jessie stared at the magazine incredulous. Shocked, she sat down abruptly, grabbing hold of the pillar for support.

"What's this? She asked the anger slowly building up inside of her.
"Well word sort of got out that you were pregnant... Elaine said worriedly.
Huh?
People were whispering it in the hallway, but it wasn't until the school magazine was distributed that I saw it for myself. "Who's the guy anyway? She asked trying to get Jessica's mind off the present.

"He's Yaw my cousin. Jessie said half explaining.
"I thought Yaw was your brother?...
"Elaine I have two Yaws okay? Stop trying to distract me.... she said gradually coming to a realization that the magazine was probably the reason why she was suddenly the center of attention.
So that's why everyone stared at me! "It was because of this. Even the security guard at the barrier's greeting was a bit off today!....She said half crying.
All because someone couldn't find a story and decided to use me instead! Elaine stifled a laugh, not wanting Jessica to get mad at her

Jessica slowly turned to her, "Who's the editor of the magazine?
"Umm..actually, I'm not quite sure who it is this term but I can ask around.... she said evasively.
She could see the shock in Jessie's face gradually change to anger as  she scanned the pages.

"How did it happen?!...... this is obviously fabricated I mean just look at this! She barked at Elaine, waving the magazine in her hand. "Well why are you screaming at me? Elaine countered.What did I do"?.

Jessica shut her eyes tightly, the tears threatening to burst out at any moment. She quickly took out her phone and videocalled Gabby who picked up on the first ring.

"Hey Tète what's up?
Gabby! Look at this! She cried, holding up the page so Gabby could see.
"Ahh! "What does he want from you at all? Where's Elaine? " Should I come over there?
"You'll come here? Elaine asked surprised." Don't you have a test today?
"I do?
Elaine smiled knowingly and nodded. "Of course you do Gabby it's your biology test today!

"Who is responsible for this? Jessie interrupted the conversation, jolting the other two back to reality.
Umm... I think you should calm down first...... Elaine began.
I said, who did this?!!
Elaine hesitated to tell her what she knew, trying to kill time and hoping Jessica's anger would abate after a while.
"It's Jayden isn't it?....Jessie said menacingly, her chest heaving at every breath.
It's him right?
She stood up suddenly, grabbed her satchel bag, hung up the video call leaving a very shaken Gabby at the other end, and started to walk out of the corner.

Where are you going? Elaine shouted after her, afraid she was going to do something drastic.

I'm going to kill that idiot. She said marching towards the P4 classroom.
"It's not him! Elaine called out, running after her. Actually,...it's...it's Ginger! She puffed out after finally catching up with her.
"Oh great! Another reason to go ballistic! Changing her direction from the P4 classroom to her own. She strode into the room and immediately all the pairs of eyes were trained on her. She strode up to a pair of girls sitting in the corner.

"Where's Ginger?
"She's not in school, Miranda replied slyly and added,
"Neither should you be!
"What do you mean? Elaine asked, frowning.
"Well, continued Sunny, don't pregnant women have to get antenatal care?

"Shouldn't you be in the hospital by now?. She scoffed. She walked leisurely to Jessica's desk, pulled out the drawer, and took out Jessica's yellow towel, but it had something printed on it. ST. PETERS OBSTETRIC HOSPITAL.
Genuine surprise registered on Jessica's face, and she struggled to find a way out of what she apparently knew nothing about.

Sunny held out the towel between her fingers, pinching her nose and violently threw it at Jessica. Apparently it had been drenched in something and stuffed away, so the smell was quite intense.

"Ughh! Why do you have this stashed away here? She said, in an obviously rehearsed manner. It's not a trash can you know, and certainly not the place to hide your dirty secret".
"This reeks of pregnancy fluids! Miranda joined
"You're so fake, thinking you could pull the wool over our eyes like that! Queen of the hypocrites! she laughed wickedly at her remark.
You were parading yourself like some all righteous holy angel, but this is what you really do" she said. "Sleeping around for money. "You should be ashamed of yourself!

Hehn?!
Jessie gave a small scream, finally realizing the back story behind the magazine article.
Sunny gave a self satisfied smirk.
Jessie opened her mouth to give her a retort but Elaine stopped her, placing her hand on her shoulders.

"Allow me, she said dragging the bewildered Jessica behind her and facing the pair in front of her.

"YOU should be ashamed of yourself you silly twat! You guys did this didn't you?
Do you think this makes you look any less horrible than you do now?! No matter the amount of makeup you apply on that face of yours, your heart will always be ugly! Plus, I don't think you're exactly in the position to judge anyone, You who bribed your way into the school!.

A couple of students who had been watching exchanges between the two sides gasped.
Elaine grabbed Jessie's hand to leave, but paused and walked back to Sunny. "Ah.... didn't you just get your butt enhanced last weekend? Sunny blanched, obviously not expecting her to have known about it.

"And you!", Elaine turned to Miranda didn't you have your eyes widened and your nose done last month? And you're one to know about pregnancies and obstetrics aren't you? Jessie touched her arm, leading her away from the girls, and towards the P4 classroom.

" You better not try me next time!. She shouted at them even as Jessie dragged her away. Elaine threw one last comment at Sunny.
"You're so full of plastic I'm sure you'd probably melt in the sun if we let you!
Elaine!
What?!....
Jessie shook her head, finally releasing her arm. "What was that?? I never knew you could talk like that!
"Well those two bullied me a lot in the past, I just couldn't hold it back anymore, I thought you would do something, bout you broke down, so........, she let the rest of the response hang in the air.
Jessie placed both her hands on the sides of Elaine's shoulders and grinned,
"You were amazing! Finally standing up to your fears like that! You were strong, and Gabby would be so proud of you!
Elaine laughed at the thought "."Yeah , she would have right?
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Jayden watched nervously at the screen as Jessica made her way up towards the P4 private classrooms, pacing the length of the room and twirling a ballpoint pen between his fingers. He wound his arms around a pillar and placed his head on it, his back to the impending war.

He ordered a latte from their personal coffee barista to calm himself down.

Wendell who'd been watching for a while suddenly shrieked, "She's here! She's coming!!!. Jayden started, obviously unprepared for what was going to happen. He made a move to lock the door, but Jessica barged in, so he immediately sat down, his breath hitched.

"JAYDEN!!!!!..... Jayden didn't know why but he felt his stomach drop, a sinking feeling enveloping him.

"Wow she's really loud, Jayden said turning to the boys and gesturing towards her trying to brush off her presence.
Jake, how about you employ her as your personal alarm? You'll be able to make it to school early then!
Jake gave a worried smile and took a step back. "I....I don't think she's here for me, a...are you? He asked Jessica carefully.

She returned a wan smile in his direction, and turned back to the reason why she was there.
"I've warned you countlessly, haven't I senior? She said rolling up the sleeves on her shirt."But you just don't seem to be able to understand!

First you ask me to lick your shoe, then you have me pancaked, then you try to have me raped, and now you spread a stupid rumor about me being pregnant! And by my cousin!. "Are you retarted?.

"If you're here to apologize or something let me tell you now that you're too late for that now he said conceitedly, blowing on his fingers.

"Were you traumatized as a child or something? Jessica asked angrily, but unknowingly she'd touched a raw nerve and Jayden twitched.
"Don't you know you ought to apologize when you do something wrong? "You've been doing this for a long time, terrorizing other people who dare speak up against you so you feel better about yourself!

"You know I initially said the time for apologies is up, but I guess I'll grant you a second chance to redeem yourself since I of course, am the better one. Jayden said arrogantly.

Jessica felt her skin wither. She started to walked up to Jayden as she spoke and soon, he had his back to the wall.
Me, who's never had a boyfriend, me who hasn't even held hands with a boy, me who hasn't even had a first kiss!. How dare you!

Jayden smirked, "Fancy telling me that now! He threw his head back and laughed, a deep throaty sound filling the room.

Jessica sighed. He obviously wasn't getting the point. She wound her leg around his and yanked. He tripped and fell to the floor and Jake stood up immediately to help him, but Jenai pulled him back down.

"You know what? "You deserve to be spanked! I always thought persuasion was the best option, but now I see why you're so spoiled. " Your mother never gave you a proper spanking!.

Jayden made a move to stand back up, but Jessica pulled his silk tie back to the floor, and pinned his arm behind him, placing her knee on his back for good measure.

"You! You want to die huh? "Do you know who I am? "I'll never forgive you for this I'll finish you today!

"You still have a mouth to talk huh? "Guess you haven't really got the import of what I'm telling you" She smiled scarily and Jayden shivered. Looks like we'll just have to pound it into you then!

"What?!......what do you mean?. "Look if you dare touch me I'll sue you for physical abuse and.....and!

Jenai sat on the edge of his seat, his eyebrows knit in anticipation.
Jessie sat astride him and grabbed his head between her hands. Surely she wasn't going to....Jenai thought.

Thwack!

There was a sickening crunch as Jessie's head connected with Jayden's nose.
Wendell gasped, Jake gasped, and even Jenai and the private barista stood astounded.

"Aargh my nose!!! Jayden screamed, the blood seeping out of his nose. Jessie shook her head to steady herself, and raised her arm to give him another blow when Jenai grabbed her arm and in one single movement hoisted her off Jayden.

" Yes man! Hold her tight there! Jayden said lifting himself off the floor. I'll...... Aww!!!he winced, gingerly touching his nose. "Uggghh I'm sure it's disconnected! This hurts so freaking much!!

Wendell and Jake rushed to his side, helping him stop the bleeding with some tissue.
"That's exactly how much I was hurt! Jessica sharply retorted, trying to attempt a second round.

" I think that's enough Jessica ......Jenai said quietly and Jessie's heart stopped. "I'm sure he's learnt his lesson. He said reflectively.

Jessica freed herself from Jenai's grip and picked up her bag from the floor eyeing Jayden as she did so.
Jenai led her out of the room and into a small compartment of the same room. He plopped her onto a chair and raised her face with his finger examining her bruised lip.

"I never pegged you down as a fighter" he said rummaging through a medicine box. Jessica folded her arms and scowled at him.

" I'm not, I only do when I absolutely have to and your friend there deserved a little reminder that I wasn't exactly going to sit back and watch him play with my life.

She nodded her head towards the adjoining room where Jayden and the boys were.
Jenai sighed as he dressed up Jessica's lip. " He wasn't always like this, cold and unfeeling, but he's had a hard life, a tough childhood so please try not to be too hard on him okay? "This has been his way of reassuring himself that he was in control of who he was,who he is.

"Well that's not the way to go! If he's going through a self identity crisis he should see a therapist or something. " Isn't that what you rich people do? She asked nonchalant.

She stood up abruptly, nearly knocking the bottle of Gentian Violet Jenai was using to clean up her bruise. She paused at the door, turned to Jenai and said,nervously clenching her fists. "W'oay3 ade3 paa Jenai. Medaase" she said in Twi, the local language.

"Huh? I don't really know Twi so......
You've worked hard, Jenai, thanks. He smiled wantonly and stood up.
"Don't leave through that door, you'll only stir up rumors with your lip busted like that. I can have a driver take you home if you want? Jenai offered.

"No thanks, my friend is waiting for me, she needs to know I'm fine. She touched her lip. Thanks for everything though you may have used a bit too much violet, and now I look a little thuggish she smiled.

"Thanks again.
"You're welcome he smiled back.