JOY STIRRED ON HER sleep yawning when she suddenly feels the light penetrate inside her room

"God!"she muttered and turn to the other side

"Wakey wakey! Today is Monday and by Monday it's school!"her Nana said in a singsong voice and she groan sitting up while she yawn

"Don't tell me the holiday is over?"she asked not really happy

"Yeah and I know you're happy you wanna see Jonah"her Nana said wriggling her brows and she sat up immediately,she pushed herself up and went straight to the bathroom to do her morning rituals

She came back to the room to wear her already well ironed uniform and took her breakfast before leaving for school,she went inside the school compound and the first person her eyes fell on was Bisi who was busy discussing with Ray

"Babe!"Joy called and rush over to her and gave her a bear hug

"Wow! Look at you"Bisi cooed and Joy giggled

"God! This holiday is really good on you see the way you gain some fats,Bisi is finally leaving the lepashanti's world"Joy said and they both laughed "have you seen Anna anywhere?"

"No,I don't think the twins is here yet"Bisi said tugging her hands with Joy's own walking towards the class

"It felt like yesterday we were in SS1 and now we are already in SS2 second term"Joy said and Bisi nodded when they suddenly heard

"Babes! Oh my God!"Anna said rushing towards her friends and they all squealed happily

"I missed you so much,can't lie the Skype wasn't enough"Joy said and Anna giggled

"I missed you too. Wow!"Anna said giving Bisi a once over "are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

"I saw it too, she's finally gaining some fats"Joy replied and Bisi covered her face with her palm like she was shy

The form master suddenly came into the class and everyone went back to their seat,the class going silent like a graveyard

"Good morning students!"he greets

"Good morning sir"they all replied

"I'm happy to see you all here again in good health,and I hope you all concentrate on your studies because you're getting closer to your final exams and I know you wouldn't want to disappoint your parents"he said and the class remain quiet "I also want to use this opportunity to congratulate Anna,your result was good this time around"on hearing this Anna smiled shyly

The form master said a word or two to them before leaving the class and class begin immediately which each of their teachers coming to give them the scheme of work for the term

The bell was finally rang for break period and Dami quickly stood up and went to meet Anna sitting on her desk

"Hey!"he said and Anna smiled "I heard your result was good,you didn't mind telling me"

"I'm sorry, planned on showing you when we resume school"

"Okay,can I see?"he asked and Anna nodded grabbing her bag and pulling her phone out "I was thinking we should go out and have a private time together"Dami added and Anna nodded following him out,she thought anyways they needed to talk to verify what happened between them

They walked over to a secluded area with Dami at the front and Anna tagging along at his back,he suddenly stopped and Anna did thesame,Dami was looking at eye to eye and she suddenly felt shy looking away

"The result"Anna said handing the phone over to Dami who went through her result

"You really tried babe wow! Four distinction five credit,no pass this time around,you improved"

"All thanks to you"Anna said collecting her phone back from Dami,she decided to walk away when Dami suddenly hold her hand stopping her from walking away from him

"We need to talk"

"About?"Anna asked folding her hands across her chest like she's suddenly feeling cold

"About what happened the last time we saw eachother"Dami replied running his hands over his hair

"Care to explain why you were smoking and drinking and also in the midst of louts?"Anna asked standing akimbo

"They're not louts Anna,they're my friends"

"You're still defending them,how old are you and you thought destroying your lungs is the best thing? Don't you have conscience especially for Rachael,I know you're the only she got"

"Don't say what you don't know about Johanna!"Dami suddenly flipped "yeah I know I smoke and drink and I'm just eighteen which is bad for my health but I needed something to distract me for awhile"

"You can be studying"Anna said shrugging "it's enough distraction"

"Will you shut up and let me talk!"Dami suddenly yelled at Anna scaring the shit out of her,she never knew Dami had that kind of voice and went silent immediately

"Better"Dami murmured rubbing his hands across his hair making it to look unkept in a fine way "I really like you Anna,I have never felt this kind of way towards any girl before and I want to keep you as long as I can and I need you to understand me"

"I want to understand you too but that can't happen if you keep things from me"Anna said meekly and Dami sighed

"What do you wanna know?"Dami asked suddenly picking Anna's interest,she didn't believe Dami will be ready to tell her anything and those five words were enough to make her day

"Everything about you"Anna replied and Dami sat on a rock beside them patting his lap for Anna to do thesame and she did sitting on his laps and on reflex wrapped her hands around his neck

"Ask questions,I will try to answer as truthfully as I can"Dami said and Anna nodded

"Tell me about your parents,I know Rachael and you didn't fall from the sky"she asked and Dami suddenly tensed and Anna felt she had asked the wrong question immediately feeling agitated,her nerves calm down when she heard Dami suddenly decided to talk

"My family is really messed up"Dami replied and Anna gave him an encouraging smile "my mom was like any other woman,a full house wife, always at home to take care of me before she gave birth to Rachael,she was the closest person I ever got and she understood me so well"Dami said pausing "well my dad wasn't an ideal man and I always think why my mom decided to marry someone like him,he is a gang leader,smoke, drink and come back home in the night to beat my cheerful mom, injuring her and making her cry throughout the night with me in her arms"Dami stopped sniffing fighting back the tears

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me anymore"

"I'm okay"Dami said smiling "this continued till Rachael's was born and one day my dad brought a lady home,my mom got angry and for the first time she wanted to talk and vent out her anger on my dad but my dad got angry beat her and out of anger break a bottle and killed her with it"

"What?! Your mom is dead?"Anna asked surprised about what she just learnt

"Yeah she is and Rachael was only a year then"

"What happened to your dad?"

"He ran away and I was too small to do anything,he left with the lady and never came for us and went on to build his gang"Dami replied shrugging

"I wasn't expecting that"Anna said shaking her head "you really went through a lot,what about your family? No one helped?"

"My mom was disowned from her family when her dad discovered she was pregnant for my dad and that pregnancy is me and I never really knew my paternal family"Dami said chuckling "well I'm over it"

"You're not Dami and it's obvious it's destroying you"

"I know what I'm doing and this is the only way I can get closer to my dad and have my revenge and build a better future for Rachee"

"It doesn't have to be this way,you can always involve the police"

"Why am I schooling? To do what? I came to school to destroy my dad,I want to become a lawyer who will send his remains to hell after dealing with him the way I want"

"Dami! Calm down and relax you don't have to do it this way, revenge is ugly it doesn't usually end pretty well"

"My mind is made up,don't try talking me out of it"Dami said with a finality tone and Anna swallowed immediately "you either support me or we go on our separate ways"

"Are you cheating on me?"Anna asked out of the blues

"No why did you ask?"

"Cause I know you ain't virgin"

"Yeah I'm not virgin and I won't deny it,I had met girls before you and trust me I'm not cheating on you"

"I hate cheaters"

"I know"Dami replied and they suddenly grew silent,not an awkward one but a comfortable one with both of them in their own worlds

"Can you tell me what happened between you and Desmond?"Anna suddenly asked and Dami stood up with her gently dropping her

"Not today,we will talk about it another time"he said and Anna nodded,he already told her things she wasn't expecting him to ever tell her "let's go back to class the break is over" he held her hand and tried walking away but Anna stopped him

"I'm with Damilola,I will support and help you whatever way I can"Anna said and Dami smile grew before he lean over giving her a kiss of a life time

******

The school came to an end and Joy sluggishly packed her books in her bag feeling down,she expected Jonah to talk to her since morning but it felt he doesn't want to and she's sad about that,she greeted her friends goodbye waiting for her driver to pick her up when she suddenly felt someone hug her from behind

"Did you miss me?"Jonah asked and Joy's mood changed immediately,she chuckled free tears felling from her eyes as she turn around giving Jonah a bone crushing hug

"Oh my God! I missed you so much!"she said and Jonah laughed

"I missed you more and was almost tempted to call you several times"

"You should have done that"Joy said hitting him playfully on the chest

"Well I wanted to keep to my words and I did,I really missed you"

"So do I"Joy said smiling

"Mind if we go out and ditch our driver?"Jonah asked and Joy chuckled

"I was thinking of same thing"she replied and their hands entangled immediately walking out of the school compound

They decided to walk instead of taking cab and look around the big city, walking and gisting till they get tired and decide to return home

"I'm sorry for what happened"Joy suddenly said breaking the silence

"I'm sorry too,I hope we don't fight again in the nearest future"Jonah said and Joy giggled

"I can't promise that"she replied and Jonah tickled her making her to laugh out loud gaining the attention of passer-by  "stop it!"she commanded and he stopped

"How long do you intend on keeping me?"Joy asked and Jonah stopped walking grabbing her hands

"As long as I can"he replied and pushed a door open that led to a diner "and no more questions,let's enjoy the rest of the day"

Joy nodded and they went inside the diner ordering for snacks asking eachother how they spent the holiday, laughing and whirling away time unknown to them a figure was sitting at the other end of the diner busy staring dagger at them as each seconds passed away in hatred