The air was dry and hot. My body was so unbearably hot that I slept naked last night. As I woke up this morning, I noticed that my room was stuffy, I sprang up from bed immediately, grabbing my towel from the adjoining bathroom, I headed to the swimming area.

The water glistened, pulling me. With no second thought, I stripped and hung my pajamas on the rail beside the door and dived into the pool. The water felt so cool and relaxing that I dreaded leaving it. I moaned enjoying the feeling. I really wanted to spend the whole day in the water, I mean like literally live in it.

A sound broke me out of my reverie. It was a male voice and it definitely wasn't my dad's, he was still at work.

Adrenaline rushed in as I noticed my state of undress. I glanced at my clothes on the rail, making a mental note on how I could get out quickly and grab my clothes. But it was too late, the voice was coming closer. I had to go underwater, holding my breath.

A figure appeared. He was only wearing shorts with a towel slung over his shoulder.

Who is this guy and why does he feel relaxed to swim?
Who let him in anyway?
And where the heck is Meredith?

"Mehn, the heat is so scorching. Meredith!" His deep voice boomed.

"Yeah!"Meredith appeared with another lady in tow. Both wearing swimming suits.

" Thanks for inviting us for a swim"He said.

"Oh, don't mention. You guys are my friends after all" I heard Meredith's voice.

"I thought we were experiencing harmattan. Why is it suddenly replaced with heat?" A low deep feminine voice asked as I heard a bottle being uncorked and the sound of clunking of a wine.

"This is Nigeria, Ure. Nothing is permanent" Meredith replied.

"Where's your husband by the way?"I heard the deep masculine voice.

" Oh, he's at work"

"Mmmm, how did you manage to snag such a rich guy?" The other woman, Ure right, asked.

I heard Meredith chuckle. "Well, I guess I had a Good luck charm"

I couldn't hold my breath for long. I rose to the surface gasping for air.

They were all startled. The other woman screamed jumping from her chair,ready to run.

"Who is she?! Who is she?!" She screamed.

Your worst nightmare

Meredith rose up from her seat smiling.
"Eliza, I didn't know you were here. What were you doing underwater?"

It's none of your business I thought as I glanced over to my pjs, still on the rail beside the door. Meredith followed my gaze, she walked over to it, grabbed it and stretched out her arm to hand it to me.

I was thinking
Is this woman dumb? Does she want to get my pjs wet? How am I supposed to wear it in the water?

I glanced over at the skinny guy who wore an amused expression on his face.
I didn't actually glance, I glowered at him.
I think he caught the hint. He excused himself and left the room.

I got out of the water with droplets of water trickling down my body. I didn't really care that they were looking at me. I mean, they're girls, right?

I grabbed the clothes from Meredith and dressed quickly, not sparing them a glance as I sauntered off. Two pairs of eyes following me.

Something prompted me to stay back and eavesdrop on them. So I did.

"Who is that snobby girl?" Her friend asked her.

Meredith sighed heavily as she sat on one of the chairs.
"David's daughter"

"Oh, that is she?! She's definitely what you said she was. A spoilt brat. She didn't even acknowledge us talk less of attempting a smile. That girl has an overblown attitude"

What the......

"Thank God, you've seen it ooo. You've seen what I had to deal with this Christmas. She doesn't know that I am much more crazier than her! I'm just tolerating her because of David"

"She deserves a slap from time to time"

What?! Who does she think she is?!
I thought as I clenched my fist.

"Of course. She's seen how I treat the maids in this house. It's just because she's David's daughter, if not eh..... I will......"

"You will do what?!" I snapped as I entered the room. I couldn't take it anymore.

They all turned their heads towards me.

"Oh, you were eavesdropping abi?" Ure her friend snapped. "A very bad attitude, you know. Well, it looks like you got it from your mom"

Hot anger seeped into me as I heard her call my mom.
I slowly drew close to her, clenching my fist. She looked scared at first. But masked it quickly, daring me.

I was just thinking of what to do to her.
But I don't know what got into me as I gave her a tight hot slap and pushed her into the pool.

She screamed and started splashing the water, screeching and calling me names.

"Oh, I thought you wanted to swim. Looked like you needed a little help." I said to her smirking. I noticed Meredith's stunned expression as she glared at me. I ignored her and left.

Flashback
As I walked into the school's cafeteria during lunch time. My first instinct was to sit with my friends but as I glanced their way, my seat was already occupied with a school bag.

A stupid schoolbag!!!

It looked like Chioma's schoolbag. Why would she bring her schoolbag into the cafeteria? I didn't pursue the matter because I knew what it meant.
Apparently, they didn't want me to sit with them.

I felt hurt as I looked for a seat elsewhere. I spotted one close to the window and I went over there.

I noticed that as I walked in, everyone's eyes were on me. Some of them were sneering at me. I just decided to suck it up and ignore them.

I stood up to go towards the area where foods were being dished out. Mama Iyabo, a dark plumpy woman who was the school's cook was just staring at me. She was also known as a big time gossip. She knows almost everything that happens in the school. Everything. And she doesn't keep her mouth shut.

I wonder why the school administrator haven't sacked her by now. It's not like her food is great. Almost all the students prefer to bring their homemade food to school. While some of us who didn't plan for any homemade food, had no choice but to eat her food because we were hungry.

As I waited for her to bring out the Jollof rice I ordered. I noticed she was slow at it. I impatiently tapped my right foot as I felt uncomfortable at her steady gaze on me.

Immediately, she stopped what she was doing and looked at me, acting like she had received a revelation.

"Wait ooo, are you not that girl everyone has been raving about on the internet?" She asked me.

I hadn't visited the internet lately. My mom advised against it.

Nasty people exist Eliza and they're all on the internet. I recall her saying.

I chose to ignore the cook.

" Can I have my lunch, please? "

" But wait for a sec....... Why did you do that to Chika of all people? That was a wrong move you made. You should've known better."

"Ma'am! ........ My lunch please!" My tone was slightly harsh.

"Okay, okay ooo" She brought it out "Here's your lunch. Mmm, Good luck ooo!"

I grabbed it from her and returned back to my seat. Ignoring the stares that followed me everywhere.

I noticed that I was the only one on this table. No one wanted to sit with me. I felt more alone than ever.
As I glanced over at Chioma's table. I could see how they were laughing and chatting.

I was suddenly filled with regret. I regretted ever meeting Chika. I regretted being involved in that situation with her.

I wolfed down my food as tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn't savor what I ate. It tasted like sawdust in my mouth. I was just forcing it down my throat.

As I finished it, I hurriedly disposed of it in the trashcan and left the cafeteria. As I walked down the path with the intention of going to my class and hiding there away from prying eyes, I spotted Isaac and his friends. They were probably coming out from the field. They were all sweaty with their sports uniform laughing loudly and coming my way.

I didn't know what to do as I tried to look for a place to hide. My eyes spotted the girl's bathroom on my left and I dashed towards it.

I knew he wouldn't come looking for me here. I knew why I was hiding from him. I just didn't want him to bombard me with questions of why I refused his invitation. If I could spend the rest of the year avoiding him, that would be best.

I know it's insane, avoiding him but I couldn't come up with an authentic reason for turning him down when he invited me to the football match.

As I walked towards the bathroom mirror, I stared at my reflection. I couldn't recognize the girl staring back at me. My eyes were dull and dead. I wasn't like this before. The Eliza I knew was lively, beautiful, full of fun and excitement.

As I turned on the tap, I splashed water on my face, rubbing my eyes as if I had the power to erase the dull look in my eyes.

I heard the bathroom door open and three girls walked in. They were science students. I recognized them from Isaac's class. They were my seniors.

I thought they would walk past me and do their business but they stood there, glaring at me. The other two approached me, backing me to the wall. I couldn't really process what was happening.

My heart picked up a pace.

"Hello" I managed to speak.

"Who you dey talk to?! (Who do you think you are talking to?) " One of the tall girls whom I recognized as Chidinma snapped at me with pidgin English. "Abi na me or someone else? (Is it me or someone else?) If I slap you eh!"
She raised her hand and I flinched closing my eyes but the slap wasn't forthcoming.

I looked at the girls' eyes and I saw fury and anger in them.
I wondered why they were doing this. Their cold stares brought shiver through my spine.

" Please"I couldn't recognize my voice because it came out as a whimper." I don't know what I did to you girls. If you can just tell me, I'll...... "

" Abeg, shut up! "The shorter one snapped at me and I immediately pressed my lips shut." So you still dey speak English, abi? (so you're still speaking English, right?) "

I shook my head with fear.

" Ehe, now that you're quiet. Tell me something. Wetin push you go Chika's corner and spill that drink on her? (What pushed you to spill that drink on Chika?) "
Chidinma asked me with that death glare, leaning towards me.

" I..... I......" I was still shivering with fright. I couldn't utter a word. I just didn't want them to lay their hands on me. I felt like a fry in their midst about to be squashed.

" So now you're mute. See let me tell you something or better yet warn you" Chidinma used a long hard stick she had to poke at my chest. It felt painful. "Whatever pushed you to do that to our queen, abi na demon or split personality. Pray say that thing disappear (pray that, that thing disppears). Because eh......"

I felt tears trickling down my cheeks as she continued poking me with the stick.

"If she enters this school next year, and you still dey jealous of am and you still dey cause trouble (and you're still jealous of her, causing trouble) We, here" She said gesturing towards her two friends. "We will make your life a living hell. You hear me!!! (Did you hear me?)"

I nodded immediately with the tears still trickling down my cheeks.

"Good" She smiled devilishly as she turned around, walking out the door and the other two followed after her.

I burst into tears as my knees buckled and I found myself on the floor. I brought my knees to my chest as I cried uncontrollably.

Why are they doing this?
What wrong have I done?

I felt as if Chika was close by laughing at me. She wasn't here but her influence was everywhere.
I stared at nothing in particular as I had all these thoughts.

They won't let me breathe. It will only get worse if Chika steps her foot in the school.

My tears dried up unknowingly, I felt as if it had ran out of fluids. I could only hear my nose sniffing.

At first, I couldn't believe my ears when I heard them mention the fact that Chika was coming to the school.

Why was she enrolling?
Why can't she just stay far away from me?

Somehow I found the strength to get up and as I stared at my reflection again, my eyes were still the same.
I turned away as I walked towards the door, opening it, I bumped into a strong hard chest. I thought of only one person who had this chest.

"We should stop meeting like this" That deep voice sent a fluttery feeling through me.

He was smiling but I decided to ignore him and leave. I wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone. Even if that person was Isaac. As I turned to leave,he grabbed my arm.

"Eliza, what's going on? I noticed you've been avoiding me. Did I do something to upset you?"

I didn't respond as I stared into nothingness. My mind was still in turmoil.

"Okay, maybe, you're not in the mood to talk but I just wanted to remind you about the football........"

"Isaac!" I was surprised at how my voice came out loud and harsh.

He seemed taken aback, releasing my arm.

"Just stop! Whatever it is you're doing with me. Stop it! I'm not your girlfriend neither am I your friend! Stop hovering around me! It's suffocating!"

I knew he was hurt but I just needed to leave this premise.

I got a written permission from my form teacher after coming up with a story that I had a migraine. So she had to let me go as I handed the letter to the gateman who let me out.

I knew that school wasn't over but I just decided to escape from that hell hole.

Happy new year once again.
A new and exciting chapter is here.
In this chapter, I added lots of pidgin English.
Pidgin English is a form of broken English in Nigeria filled with slangs.

So Pls, don't forget to vote, comment and share.
Pls, Pls, Pls.