The long mirror shot back the image of a beautiful brown skin girl, beaming with smiles and looking drop dead gorgeous in her lavender thigh length gown and six inched glittery silver sandals that made her height even more intimidating.

That girl was me, on the D- day, looking all angelic and surreal.

I twirled around, beholding my goodness for the last time and then dashing out of my room. I felt really hyper. The feeling was just so euphoric. I wondered if any body was even feeling as happy and expectant as I was.

Today came really fast, like drum rolls. This was just me, by this time, some days ago, standing in the corridor and counting down. And boom! I woke up and my calendar made me know that it was already come. I'm talking of my graduation day.

"Honey, your breakfast is already ready. Maybe you should call Zimuzor, so that you both will eat together." Mom flashed me a charming smile as I joined her in the kitchen.

"You look beautiful, by the way." She finally complimented and I felt glad. I thought she was never going to spare my looks a glance and tell me something I already know.

"Thanks mom," I replied and left the kitchen, going up the stairs with Zimuzor's room in mind.

Honestly, It's been long since we had a sane discussion. After the Tweet issues and then his revelation on the Before Graduation Party, we have been giving each other the needed space.

I never knew he ever crushed on me. How would I have known when he was stupid and not courageous to have talked to me about it. Not as if I would accepted to date his sorry ass.

Rubbish.

"Hey," Just on being face to face with the door of his room, it opened and I beheld him in all his handsomeness.

"Hey." I smiled back, checking him out. He wore a white tuxedo and shiny black Italian shoes. Not looking bad.

"Breakfast is ready." I told him.

"I have no appetite." He responded, letting out a sigh. Me too, I had no appetite. Like I was already energetic and ready to get to school which was the graduation ceremony avenue.

I reported back to my mom, his response. She insisted that we both eat before leaving but after some persuasions, she gave in.

I'm in love with that woman.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Baby, mad for your body o,
craze for your body o, sing for your body o,

Baby, mad for your body o,
craze for your body, anything for your body o
Girl I wanna take you personal,
fight for your body like a wrestler,
crave for your body like a painkiller...'

It was too real to be true. I mean, seeing everywhere being decorated and chairs being set under the mounted canopies. It wasn't a hall thing but...it wasn't bad. At all.

As though I was already infected with the vibe, I began nodding my head to the beat of the song. It was blaring through the fucking loud speakers that were placed strategically at certain corners.

Some students in different classy dresses walked up and down. Their butts seemed to never rest as they wobbled around. Parents that arrived early were seated under the canopy reserved for them with various mouth watering snacks placed before them. Many of those parents were gossiping among themselves. And just before I could walk past their canopy, I caught the sight of the woman that came some months ago to speak to us on teen life, with a girl of about twenty years who she was talking to.

That was Naomi's mother.

Upon reaching the SS3 block, it was a whole different affair. My class seemed to be the liveliest. It was randomly filled with the females on differently styled lavender dresses and the guys on white tuxedo.

"Pass me your contour, please." Sarah pleaded with Naomi who did just that.

"Ah, Kaima when did you arrive? I thought you would miss today's ceremony." Adanna rushed and threw herself at me.

I scrunched up my nose. The perfume she sprayed on her body was excess and too toxic for the nose. "Chill joor," I pushed her away. "Why will you think that?"

She ignored my misbehaviour and beamed at me. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Why was I being so...so harsh to this smashingly innocent girl?

"Thanks...for thinking of me, by the way." Her eyes widened and her smile grew. "I can't hear you, you said?" She must be joking. I was never going to repeat that. Saying that was already more than enough.

"What you heard...I said exactly what you heard." I rolled my eyes and she laughed.

"Hey, can you borrow me your friend for...ten minutes." It was more like a statement than a request. It was Amarachi, talking to Adanna.

"And what will I be doing with you, for as much as ten minutes?" I shot back at her. She was dripping in the lavender body hug gown that she was clad in. Her waist was incredulously tiny and it made her curves extremely obvious. Her style, was a traditional approach to fashion.

"Just ten minutes, Kaima." Amarachi sighed and after some considerations, I heeded to her plea.

We left the class and sauntered to the stair case where we decided to stay. There was no one there, maybe because teachers had already ensured that the students weren't anywhere near the school block.

"What is it?" I spat out, curiously. I wanted to know why she would want to speak to me in private. Or was she up to something stupid as usual?

"Concerning what I talked to you about, some days ago. I know...I know that you might not want to have anything to do with me. But I want to hear you declare with your mouth that you have nothing against me...that you have forgiven me. I don't want to keep having that kind of guilt weighing me down." She blurted out.

I should have known better. "Is this why you called me out? Amarachi, I have nothing against you. What's even going on in that tiny mind of yours?"

She sighed out. "Better now," and then stared at me for some seconds before swirling and walking back to the class, leaving me all to myself to just wonder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This was really urgent. I didn't even have any idea of the happenings till last night when my dad appeared from the blues and took me with him."

I removed the phone from my ear and stared at the dark screen once again. This was definitely my boyfriend's number that I dialed, but what I was hearing couldn't possibly be true.

"And all this rubbish is you implying?" I put the phone back to my ears and shouted. Was he suddenly mad?

I was looking for Dindu and when I could see that he wasn't around for the graduation, I left the canopy which we the graduands were seated in and excused myself to call him and know what was up.

Thankfully, he even picked his calls but at the fourth ring. When I asked him the reason he was yet to come, he began telling me of his current trip to Zaria. How he felt bad for not having to be here, beside me. And the most hilarious aspect of this all was that the dude never even called me to inform me of this!

"Babe, I've told you to calm down. Nothing is happening...eh...you know after our prayers last night I felt the touch of the lord on my soul. In fact, we will host another vigil tonight....Really? Thanks Sir."

I almost laughed maniacally. "Dindu are you alright?" My facial expression was something else.

"Send my greetings to your family, Sir. Bye!" And that was how the phone call between the both of us ended.

I suddenly began feeling hot and all I did was repeatedly try the inhaling and exhaling process till I no longer felt like I was breathing on pins.

This was really embarrassing and weird at the same time. Like, was this going to the way we were going to end. And what stupid prank is that 'Sir' shit for?

I cracked my knuckles, drew in another deep breathe and then stomped all the way back to where my set mates were.

It was time for fashion parade and it took everything in me not to stand up and walk out. My heart was pounding against my ribcage as it was swelled with anger.

"Are you glass?" I used the tip of my finger to tap on the long male structure that foolishly obstructed my view by standing in front of me and taking some videos. He turned and stared at me which pissed me off cause I thought it rude. When he shook his head sideways, I told him "Then please shift."

He cocked his brow and shot me a look that was meant to make me look stupid but I was good at making things like this backfire.

The guy that still had the nerves to stand before me was in no way, a student of this school. He looked like one of the guests. He was wearing black all through as though he was just back from a burial.

"Checking me out, huh?" He smirked, riling me up the more.

"Excuse you, you are obstructing some peoples view!" The voice of Chelsea who was seating behind me filled the air.

The guy chuckled as though we were toys amusing him and left, not without a bounce or two in his step.

Empty vessel, I hissed.

"I've not seen Dindu. Have you called him?" Chelsea asked and I suppressed a groan.

"NO!"

"Ah ahn, chill. I was just asking." She muttered and I couldn't help but roll my eyes multiple times.

I was just not in the mood again. My day was spoilt. All thanks to the Zaria traveler.

When I took my attention back to the stage, I realized that the fashion parade was still ongoing. Last year, it was SS1 and SS2 students that participated. But it was just the SS2 students for this year.

In all her feigned majesty, was the SS2 brat that I had earlier caught trying to rape my boyfriend. That is, if you include forceful make out session, as a rape case.

She was cat walking in her sea green dinner gown that spilled her breasts and exposed her dark thighs. Her hair was French braided and her make up was just too much. I didn't like her smoky eye shadow.

My shoulders shook as I stared at her with utter disgust and acridity. She then cat walked once more and then twirled before striking two, three poses. Her eyes met mine when she tilted her head. Her painted lips broke into a sly smile and surreptitiously, she did the middle finger with the hand that she placed on her waist.

I smiled too.

She would Pay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beads of perspiration rolled down my face and rested on my bosom. I was having a trance. And it was just too realistic to be neglected. I stood and shook my head, walking fast and half running to the rest room.

I heard my name called behind but I just ran till I pushed open the restroom reserved for the females and then panted. My lungs were having a hard time, in making me respire. And I had to breathe with my mouth now open.

I turned on the tap and it rushed with such a great speed. With both hands brought together, I took some water and washed my face. Thankfully, I didn't apply make up today. I would have ruined my baked up face.

Looking up and staring a the wide mirror that was fixated at the wall opposite the sink, the image of a mad woman stared back at me.

Huh?

I rubbed my cheeks to be sure I was the one. And the mad woman staring back at me rubbed her cheeks too.

That was when it dawned on me, that I was that mad woman.

The door of the restroom creaked open. I nearly flinched as I drew in a breathe and took two steps back. A minute passed but no one had entered, causing a shiver to run down my spine.

"Aw, are you sick?" I heard a voice behind me and I shivered again, eyes widening like saucers.

The person with that voice took some steps and with the clicks, I could make out that the person was on heels.

Face to face, was I with...with that brat! I could have known better.

I raised my finger to point at her but it went down as soon as it was raised. A weak sigh escaped my lips. "Wh...what the fuck are you doing here?" I tried raising my voice to not only instil fear in her, but to be very intimidating.

"Oh, shut up!" Her laugh was uproariously as she brought her hand to my cheeks and pinched it.

I slapped her hand away with disgust. "Don't be a moron, sweetheart. You will not only leave here bruised but battered." She told me.

"That boy...that hot guy you kiss and do miss, is not yours to own. He's mine. I'm in graved in his brain." She dusted an imaginary dust from her sea green dinner gown.

"Whoever you are, you are lucky that I'm in this state, I would have dealt with you." I couldn't contain my anger.

She cracked a dull smile. "I never knew, you crack jokes too. Keep cracking them until you hear of me in Zaria with my soulmate."

I stared at her straight in the eye for two minutes. All I could see was determination and wickedness. The bitch never knew I was already done with him.

"You know," I gulped down the bile that threatened to escape my throat and spoil my taste. "I don't mind sharing my old rags to the less privileged."

With that said, I stared at her for like a second and breezed past her. Outside the restroom was wholely different. I could feel the fresh air.

I tried to comprehend what the fuck that just happened. What had happened to me? And then, it dawned on me that...that it all began with a glass of London gin.

Adanna had switched sitting position with the person that sat beside me and then offered me a glass of a drink which I demanded to know its name.

"It's gin...London gin. My dad brought lots of it during his last trip to the UK. Are you in for some?" I vividly remembered her response to me.

"I don't drink." I had to resist that temptation.

She laughed for like three seconds. "Seriously? Kaima Okpala do not drink?" She paused for a while and then continued, "Well, it's just a glass."

"Just a glass o." I repeated, taking the glass from her and then watching her take a sip from hers before venturing to foolishly gulping mine, at a go.

I face palmed myself.

I was so stupid and foolish. But...but was it drink that sapped me of my energy and....wasn't it meant to make one high?

My phone rang, bringing me back to reality. I stared at my left hand for some time. I never even knew that I had been holding my phone with me all this while, till now.

I stared at the caller ID. It brought out the name Boo Thang. All the anger that I had tried suppressing rushed back in, making me swipe the green icon and bring the phone to my ear.

"Why are you calling me?" I spat out, ignoring his greeting. "You have called me again to disgrace me, abi?"

"I don't understand what you are saying!" The voice of Dindu could be heard on the other line.

"What is there to understand? You fucking left to Zaria without telling me but that stupid brat that is in SS2! And now you are calling for what? To exchange hugs and kisses via phone, abi?" Even though I couldn't see him I was already eyeing him.

"Which SS2 brat? You are the first person that I've talked to today about my travelling to Zaria, babe. Last night, I put my phone in airplane mode cause I was so busy and tired. The first person I called this morning is you! I can even screenshot my call log and send to you." He tried explaining but I chuckled. I knew better than to listen to him.

"Keep your screenshots to yourself, you hear? I will not allow myself to be deceived one more time. Once bitten, twice shy. I've learnt a lesson, the bitter way. So how did she know that you are in Zaria?" I was yelling. Those who passed me as they walked to their individual destination stared awkwardly at me.

I didn't care.

At all.

"Who is this person that you are even talking about? Whoever that told you that is just making noise. Maybe the person viewed my status because I mentioned about my travelling there. I even chatted you up but you haven't been online for the past five hours."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever you want to say is your business not mine. It's good that you called. Either ways, you would have still come to the knowledge that we are over."

"Sorry?"

"You heard me before. I'm done dating your whipped ass." I said and hanged up on him, denying myself the chance of asking him why he suddenly began calling me Sir, earlier, in the morning.

I quickened my steps and soon reached the arena where the ceremony was going on. Everyone was already eating. Some were eating white rice and sauce with peppered fried chicken laps while the others went for other available foods in the menu.

My set mates stared at me as though I was a nine tailed fox. I walked past those that were using their selfie sticks to talk selfies.

"Adanna what did you put in that gin?" I tried but in vain to sound collected. Once my butt hit my chair, I turned to her and inquired.

"In your gin? Nothing." She shrugged.

That pissed me off like mad. "Don't just get on my nerves, alright? Do I look like an idiot that will believe what ever rubbish that you vomit. Don't...I repeat, don't let me loose my temper here."

This attracted the attention of others. "I insist that I put nothing inside your drink. That's just how the drink is...whatever stupidity you made of yourself after taking it, is part of the effect of taking the gin. And thanks a whole lot for trusting me in this situation." Adanna replied, rolling her eyes at me.

"I thought...."

She interrupted me. "You thought?....you will never think! That's just the way you are wired, jumping into conclusions that you have made. That's how you have missed half the events of today. Where were you when the graduands were called to the stage for presentation?"

I gulped down my saliva. "That's not your business."

She chuckled. "I know, I know that..."

"I don't care what you know or not but you better learn how to speak to me. You...are not in the same level with me!"

A great thud shifted my attention to the shattered phone of mine that laid helplessly and uselessly on the interlocked ground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The main drama is still yet to come! But the preludes is happening hot hot.

You will all agree with me that Kaima is melodramatic in nature. I don't know where that girl is even from...

Those that have read SAVAGE before will know that I'm seriously rewriting this book. This chapter previously had the word count of 1120 words. And the chapter was still not giving the expected vibe. But I took my time in clearing everything in this chapter and writing it afresh.

I hope it worth's the stress.

And also, remember to check my new book that's titled BITCHES, HITCHES AND STITCHES. Remember to read and drop a vote!

For those that have already started to check it out and add it to their reading lists, THANKS A LOT.