Read And Enjoy!

It was hectic. Last days at Standard High was nearly blood sucking as it entailed more activities and devotion to our books. The stress placed on our shoulders could be compared to the weight of an anvil, as we toiled tirelessly and ceaselessly.

They were those days when we would laugh and have the best of fun. And then those days when we would indulge in one or two practises wasn't cool at all.

The vibe was positive and contagious. Everyone was busy with their individual stresses as while most of us burned our midnight candles, others whiled away their time with frivolities. Exams was almost coming to an end. It was just few subjects that held us back in the cage we call school.

You know, last days are always the sweetest. That was why we made our last moments in Standard High Count.

There were breakups and makeups. Along the line, we discovered that we didn't just finish our senior years in the school just to get our certificate and proceed into the tertiary institution. But we got more equipped socially and otherwise. We learnt how to interact and reunite. You know, castles are built up from ashes.

Time flew. It didn't wait for any person. And it was up to us to leave our footprints behind and make a path for others who are yet to travel that way.

Today was our 'Before Graduation' party. It was an idea borne, all thanks to Mrs Beauty. We were meant to savour and celebrate the years behind, plus the few weeks we have left to graduate and leave.

"Naomi I'm not going to be the person that will call you for the hundredth time before you know that you are meant to answer Mrs Albert." Sarah sighed as she tossed her purse aside and worked on her heels that was hell bent on disgracing her and her ancestors.

"What's that woman calling me for? Or doesn't she know her students again?" Naomi hissed and then turned to Obinna who she was telling to give her back her phone.

"I've told you o." Sarah retorted and then let out a spine chilling hiss when the buckle of her heels scandals finally snapped off. Her face got gloomy and her eyes moistened. She had no idea whether to cry or just find another alternative.

"You see what you have caused?" Sarah turned to Naomi. If she wasn't arguing with her or rather trying to drive in an instruction through her thick skull, her buckle wouldn't have spoilt.

"What? Please don't pour out your frustrations on me. Besides, I wasn't the one that told you to buy fake scandals and wear them for the party."

I was almost choking myself with laughter. This was quite a funny scene that I would like to end with blows and bruises.

"What's funny? Why are you laughing?" Dindu who as well observed the ongoing drama, couldn't help but ask.

I furrowed my brows as I tilted my head to face him. Was he really asking me that question? "What's not funny? They are making a fool of themselves here and you are telling me not to laugh and catch fun?"

"No one told you that. But its not so good if you catch fun when another person is sorrowing. Sarah's buckle spoilt and..."

"Spare me that, abeg. What is the foundation of their friendship if common buckle can cause problem between them. That shouldn't have made Sarah react that way. Talk more of Naomi who went to the extent of calling her scandals fake." I interrupted him and aired out my mind.

"Let's just not argue again." Dindu muttered and I couldn't help but roll my eyes severally.

With same enthusiasm as before, I turned back my attention to the scene. It seemed to get more heated as many of our classmates dropped one or more comments.

"Are you not the President of Life Club are you just in the mood of insulting yourself? The literature teacher and Mrs Albert wants to see you!" Sarah eyed her friend.

"That's what you could have told me before!" Naomi stated and then harshly spat out to Obinna. "Will you give me my phone before I slap you into oblivion?! Who do you think you want to flirt with? So that after, you will call me a friend with benefit. Idiot."

I shuddered in laughter. This was top notch. I mean, the out turn of their relationship. My predictions were accurate. After throwing herself around him, she wasn't even acknowledged as a girlfriend. Rather, he made her known as a friend with benefit. And the most hilarious aspect of this all, was that Obinna had the guts to tell his clique that he had sex with her just after two or more hangouts. Like a wide fire, his clique went around spreading the news.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Men say, that we are created for them. That we are a subset of them and that without them we cannot exist. They think that they are superior sexually, physically and menially. But guess what I think?" A little sob and much more was what the light skinned girl that I never viewed from that perspective muttered.

This was totally different. It wasn't the party we all sought for. You know, blaring songs, hardcore rocking and make out sessions. But no, we were really disconcerted when we were made to squeeze into a dark empty class beside the hall and locked there.

Mrs Beauty told us to that we would be staying there for the next hour. And the only thing that made us see a dim reflection of ourselves was just a non charged rechargeable lantern that looked like it would off anytime soon. The two windows were shut tight and there was cross ventilation. I guess we only survived through the aid of the outdated air conditioner that was hung on the wall.

We thought we were a complete mess. But no, we weren't. We turned this to moments of rebounding with each other. And right now, it was Naomi Ike that was recounting to us why she would forever detest men.

"Men are scum." She continued.

My back was rested against the wall with peeling paints. I just listened and listened to her ramblings. Had I not forgotten my phone in the class, I would have been typing away by now.

Naomi herself is scum.

"They prove to be strong and everything but that's just a facade to their littleness. My dad fucking ran away from home when our family had financial issues which was partially his fault as he lived ostentatiously. Then my mother was pregnant for me and he couldn't bear the extra burden of one more child. That was how a particular night broke into day and he was gone." Naomi sucked in her breathe. "Like...wasn't he the one that got my mom pregnant? Weren't six children enough already?"

"That's definitely not an excuse to your whoredom and insolent attitude." I stated, breaking the silence that followed her narration.

"Babe," Dindu muttered and I shushed him to keep quiet.

"All those actions of mine (flirting and proving tough) was just me trying to ruin the life of those guys that I got entangled with. And trust me..." Naomi's tilted her head to face Obinna. "I would have been your demise. You should be thankful that you broke up our situationship on time."

"I never really liked you, Naomi, and you know that. I already told you that I was in a serious relationship with another girl in a different school. But you still went ahead to offer me your body. I fucked you...I didn't make love to you. Either ways, I wouldn't have fallen for your hideous pranks."

There were mutterings...audible mutterings, since we were all squeezed in, in one classroom.

Then a dead silence followed suit. Perplexingly, Naomi had nothing to retort.

"It was dehumanising...the attitude I was being given. You know, nobody wants to be ignored and insulted just like that. Hating someone without a solid reason in the greatest height of foolishness." I chuckled darkly and paused.

"Everyone made their friends and formed their cliques when we began our journey from JSS1. But just because I wasn't your typical trendy girl, I was just left out. The most annoying aspect was that everything Zimuzor Igwe told you guys was accepted as the truth..."

"I had a crush on you then." I overheard the voice of the guy I was talking about.

"But you weren't sensible enough to let me know. Rather you attacked me and made me a total object of mockery. That was hurting. Even after you fucking left, they continued...your friends continued to bully me and make life here difficult for me."

Then I turned to face Dindu. "But this guy here came into my story and changed it for good. I can remember how disconcerted and perplexed, you all were." He took my hand into his and squeezed it, earning a smile from me.

"I still remember when our lips met, it was a complete fight of dominance. We didn't know if we did it the right way...but I knew that we couldn't get enough of each other. And we kissed and kissed till we made an art out of it and perfected it." My smile was thin and my eyes were moistened. My eyes were fixated directly at Dindu's. I had no idea why I was saying this out loud for everyone to hear, but I loved the feeling.

"Alright, I accept that I was jealous of you, Kaima. You just skyrocketed to the top, all of a sudden. You have a dope boyfriend, plus you began getting most of the attention I was having. It was unfair. And maybe dumb of me to have taken the matter to the market. That day...you disgraced the shit out of me and my sister. But that's not all...I want to make a request. Can we be friends?" Amarachi Eke stood from where she sat and walked to where I was resting on Dindu's shoulder.

She had her right hand outstretched for a handshake but I just stared and stared till my eyes felt strained. Then she withdrew her hands and smiled pettily before going back to her seat.

"What's your own defintion of beauty?" Olamma cleared her throat and began. I could barely see her cause she was at the back. "Because my own definition of beauty is having the perfect charisma and being able to impact something tangible in the life of someone anywhere you find yourself. I was shocked when I went through the Hall Of Fame book and found myself as the most beautiful girl in SS3."

She laughed a bit. "Do you guys really mean it? like...I'm sure no one here is aware of how dirty and ragged my mind is. I'm a filthy creature. I might look like a jewel but inside, I'm...I'm filled with mud. I stabbed my step father when I was fifteen cause I thought he was taking all the attention, love and care my mother usually showered on me. I was the only child and I loved it, until the man moved in with his daughter that was same age with me."

"You guys may look at me as though I'm insane. But...I'm just getting the burden off my chest. A lot of you guys here asked me out at different times but I turned every single one of you down because...I know I have jealousy issues. I might end up killing any girl I find extremely close with you. I don't know how I began falling for this particular guy. At times, I wonder what a guy as good as him is doing in a mind as dirty as mine."

I dared to smile a bit. Not as though I would be seen, the room was dark. I knew who that guy was. And I felt really special to know that I was the only one that knew of him.

"What else can I say? After hearing all this, I feel like I've been staying with different people for six years of my life in this school. With this, I've come to know that I'm not the only imperfect person here." Chelsea voiced out.

Me too. I really understood that, now, more than ever. I believe that all perfectly imperfect youths like me has been raised up from their grave of frustration and despair and given a new mission to accomplish.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi guys, I have a new book that's ongoing. The name is BITCHES, HITCHES AND STITCHES.

And trust me, it's beautiful. I wouldn't mind if you guys check it out and make me smile with your votes.

Rewriting this particular chapter of SAVAGE was fun and not so fun. I hope you like it.