I was really shaken up by the horrid event of last night. I considered staying at home but decided against that. It would only make matters worse. I felt betrayed, hated, every negative emotions that existed in the sphere of our wicked world. I felt like I could kill Dinma. I knew I could.

I needed distraction.

The universe plus fate decided to make things worse and entertain themselves. I was unluckily going be having chemistry practicals with Vincent that day. Could the universe be any more sadistic?

I prayed in my heart as I and Jessica together with Aliyah headed down to the stairs chemistry lab. I think Jessica noticed my sour mood because she hadn't said any thing that annoyed me since morning. We had barely even said anything to each other and I was really grateful for that. I didn't want to yell at her or anyone.

Well anyone except Vincent. He was the perfect person to pour out my frustration on.

We sat at the same spot we sat yesterday during the chemistry class, except that Amanda was absent. She was still preparing lab apparatuses for the practical class. Jessica kept complaining on the pairing.

"I can't believe I'd be working with Temi." She had said this about a bazillion times now and I wanted to shut her up so bad. Temi was the girl that was always with Olamide.

"But seriously if that girl had not done that stupid change of stupid name, I would be working with Stephen. This doesn't just make sense. It's not fair!" She  groaned pulling at her braids. The beads at the tips clacked noisily probably trying to tick me off. I should have stayed on my own. I didn't fail to notice that Jessica was more pissed because she was not going to work with Stephen.

"Thanks to Allah she did change her surname. I might have been paired with her if she didn't," Aliyah said adjusting her pretty blue scarf.  Aliyah was paired with Chijioke.

"Babe, what's the matter?" Jessica asked me after some time. I knew she was bound to ask. At least she didn't ask if I was okay because I didn't look like I was okay at all. Chijioke had even told me that he didn't want to be yelled at so he was going to leave me alone till he was sure I was over whatever was annoying me. My scowl was so set, it surprised me that Jessica even hung around me.

"You don't have to say anything though. I get that we're not so close," she added.
Aliyah didn't say a word.

"I prefer not to speak," I said as politely as I could. I knew it was going to hurt her. We were supposed to be friends. Jessica and Aliyah talked but I was the secretive one. There was nothing I could do about it.

Jessica nodded in understanding.

Soon she left to join some other lively group, leaving me and Aliyah alone.

"I understand that you don't like me," Aliyah started. I didn't say a word so she continued, "but I'd love it if you accepted me as friend."

"I didn't say you couldn't be my friend and I never said I didn't like you," I told her. I knew she had said that because I said I didn't like being around people who endured shaming.

I used to be insulted and made fun of before. I had told a ‘frenemy’ of mine about my supposed mother and she thought it was going to be nice telling the whole class. Most of my classmates started using it to insult and make fun me. They would even form songs. Those times I would cry so much but I never reported. I couldn't tell anyone again for fear of being judged. It was during this time I met Bolaji.

I was crying at a certain time at the back of my class block when he spotted me and came to console me as the good senior he was. He asked me the matter and I told him that my classmates were making fun of me, leaving out the reason they did. Luckily for me he didn't ask but told me something that may have changed me.

"You may be weak but you don't have to show it. Showing your weakness only hurts you more and give them the satisfaction that they've gotten to you. It's okay to cry but don't cry in front of them, don't keep shut when they insult you. Talk back, make them believe that you don't care about whatever they say to you. Do you know you can mask your emotions?"

I shook my head.

"You act like you're immune to the hurt, like you feel nothing even if you feel it. Remember I didn't say not to cry. When you've dealt with their taunts and you're sure you're alone, you can cry all you want. You'd even figure out you feel a bit better after crying not because you just cried but because you dealt with those little monsters". I laughed a little at how he described my mated but to be honest they kind of deserved it.

"Thank you, senior–"

"Bolaji. I'm just a class after you though," he introduced with a smile. It was after this encounter we became friends. He even permitted me to call his attention if i was ever insulted again. But of course I never did, I handled it myself. I even took it far by beating up the girl who spread the news at first, when she tried insulting me again. I was suspended from school, but I won't lie I was kind of proud of myself.

Aliyah didn't reply me again but nodded. It would have been better to have the discussion if I wasn't trying to hold back a breakdown.

In about ten minutes time, we started with our practical on quantitative analysis. It was great to finally do science but the accursed bad mood ruined it.

"I'll do the practical while you take the readings. Then when we're done, I'll do the calculations and we'd be out of here in no time," I told Vincent while scribbling something down as soon as the chemistry teacher was done explaining the procedures for the practical.

"That's not happening," Vincent said defiantly.

I sighed and dropped my pen and looked at him. "I know very well you need help in chemistry. So for your sake and my sake I'm doing it," I told him and started measuring reagents.

He pulled me by my chin to look up at him, "I'm not dumb okay? Incase that's what you think. I think I've told you I won't hesitate to hit you–"

I shoved his hand away from my face feeling my rage surface. I wasn't mad at him but it didn't change the fact that I was mad. "Keep your hand to yourself. You're not the only one with anger issues okay? I have it too. In fact I have lots of issues."

I noticed that some of my mates had started looking in our direction. Jude said something funny making the class laugh. I was beginning to learn he was the class clown.

"See you can't just tell me what to do. I'm doing the practical while you take readings," he said dragging the retort stand towards himself.

"You weren't even concentrating during the class!" He didn't answer me but went ahead to put an indicator in one of the reagents.

"Dopemu you were meant to put just two drops!"

Vincent turned swiftly to make a comeback but ended up knocking down some glass apparatus. We stared at the broken shards of glass on the floor while most if not all of the class attention was on us.

"This is all your fault!" We accused in unison.

"My fault?! If you had let me do the practical, this wouldn't have happened!"

"And if you weren't being so annoying and stupid, I wouldn't have knocked them over!" he said his voice rising.

Mr. Palmer who was speaking with someone outside the class came in. "What's the commotion?"

"Kenya is being a pain in the ass again," Olamide answered. That girl was always getting on my nerves. I managed to ignore her.

I was in deep trouble, I just knew it.

"The rest of you can leave. Submit your lab manuals by Tuesday next week," Mr. Palmer said to the class when the bell for break rang. "Naomi and Adebayo stay back," he said staring straight at us that I literally gulped. I dared not correct him about my name. Jessica and Amanda gave me an apologetic look before leaving with the others

"I told you not to mind him," I heard Stephen say. Honestly, I knew that I was the one at fault. A student came into the lab and whispered something to Mr. Palmer before leaving.

"Give me some minutes," he said to us before leaving the lab. I folded my arms and leaned on the work table.

"What really is wrong with you?"

I didn't answer him. I didn't want to. I might end up stabbing him with the broken shards of glass.

He continued nevertheless. "Because of you, we'd have to buy a dozen of beakers and conical flasks and pippettes–".

I gave a tired sigh as he listed. I didn't sign up for this shit. I didn't have money for anything that wasn't me.

Money.

I didn't know why the thought of it brought emotions crashing like the tides, threatening to break me down. Maybe It was because it made me think back to the incident of last night. Bolaji said it was okay to cry, I needed to but I couldn't not in front of. . .

"–why are you so. . .I don't even know, you act like a girl with a life like shit, so annoying and bitter?"

Bitter.

I was bitter and sad. I don't know how or why but the dam I managed to build cracked and the whole emotions that were supposed to be hidden tumbled out. I still can't believe it but I cried in front of Vincent freaking fraking Adebayo.

෴

She broke down in front of him ToT. I wonder what he's going to do.

What do you guys think about Vincent, is he also a trouble maker or is it just our Missy initiating the whole thing?

Don't forget to vote and leave comments.

Gracias,

Ann✿