Some people believe that it's not the action that matters but the intentions behind it. This same belief is used to justify theft, lies, betrayal… murder.

Boy meets girl. Boy is obsessed. Boy would do anything for girl. Boy wants to protect girl. Boy ends up killing for girl. Girl hates boy.

Maybe that's what really happened, I'm just saying.

But the question is, would you kill for the one you love? And is it really worth it?

◈ ━━━━━━━ ⸙ - ⸙ ━━━━━━━ ◈

Sola needed to find that Castron High girl.

After coming back to her senses and thinking things through, she realized that randomly ranting to a complete stranger about all her secrets was a very stupid thing to do. The thought of these things getting out sickened Sola very much. It would be the end for her if that weird girl went ahead to tell people what she'd told her.

The stadium tracks were looking even more busier than ever since the one hour break was almost over and the races would continue any minute. The whole place was packed and it was almost impossible to find that girl.

Luckily, the girl in question stuck out like a sore thumb so when Sola looked towards the area of bleachers where the Castron High students were positioned, there she was, awkwardly sitting next to those twins who were runners. Sola was already halfway there before she began wondering how she'd approach her.

Sola got to them, taking the seat on Dabi's left, the twins were on the other side and they didn't seem interested in what Sola was doing there as they were both busy with their phones. Dabi on the other hand moved further away from Sola, refusing to meet her eye.

"Hey," said Sola, "I need to talk to you about what happened in the bathroom…" Sola trailed, looking confused as to why Dabi was moving further away, crashing into the twin next to her. That definitely got her attention.

"Dabi doesn't want to talk to you," the twin on the far end said firmly, leaning out to look Sola in the eye.

Sola stood to her feet but she wasn't giving up yet. "I just need to talk—"

"And I said she doesn't want to talk," the same twin repeated. From her tone, it seemed she was starting to get annoyed. And that glare…

"She doesn't need to say anything, I just need her to listen to me. It's important," said Sola, looking from the twins to Dabi who was looking down at her hands, not saying anything. Were they Dabi's bodyguards or mouthpiece?

"Babes, I won't repeat myself," the twin said dismissively. Sola couldn't differentiate the twins, they looked identical but one thing was for sure: one liked talking, the other one just nodded along.

On a normal day, Sola would've disregarded the twins and forced Dabi to listen to her but that would start a fight. And the last thing her school needed was another fight.

Sola turned around and began walking away but she immediately stopped in her tracks when one of the twins spoke.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with Dabi," she said, her eyes on her phone before she looked up to see the look of terror on Sola's face. The twin smirked. "As you can see, she doesn't talk much."

"Seconded," the other twin chorused.

Sola's head was splitting in pieces at that moment and her heart was racing. She swallowed and comported herself. "What are you talking about?"

"You told her something, right?" the talking twin asked, "she won't tell anybody."

If Sola wasn't mistaken, it looked like the twins were taunting her and they enjoyed doing it. They probably didn't know what Sola had told Dabi or how serious it was but they knew she was trying to keep the whole thing under wraps.

Sola simply walked away, there was no need. She didn't blame them for wanting to have a food laugh at her, their schools were at war anyway.

Enock seemed to be waiting for her as she descended the bleachers. She got to him and continued walking.

"I thought you wanted to talk," he said, chasing after her and wondering why she didn't even spare him much of an eye contact. Maybe she was angry with him?

Sola wasn't angry with Enock but she had a strong urge to tell him to fuck off. Yes, she wanted to talk with him. She wanted to make him see things from her perspective but he chose the wrong time to finally give a rat's ass about her. She just wasn't in the mood at that moment. Everything felt so fragile. Everything felt like it would collapse any second—if it hadn't already.

"Now I've come and you won't talk?" Enock snapped, still trying to keep up with her pace. She hadn't meant to snob Enock, she was just lost in her head. She had no idea where she was even walking to. But before she could respond, Enock said again, "I called you yesterday, you didn't answer." He sighed. "It's this about how I reacted earlier? I'm sorry… I was frustrated because of my missing phone… We still haven't found— Sola, Sola, stop." He grabbed her arm, spinning her around.

"Are you crying?"

No, she wasn't crying but she wanted to. Her eyes only stung but the tears never really came falling.

"I'm not crying," Sola said immediately, firmly.

"Okay…" Enock trailed. She didn't sound like someone who was crying. "Can we go somewhere private and talk?"

"Okay," Sola agreed after a while.

• • •

Sola sighed. She had calmed down a little after they got into the empty gymnasium where they both sat on the floor.

"If you didn't want to do it with me then why would you ask me to do it with someone else?" Enock asked. "To get revenge? What kind of revenge is that? She's even a good person."

"So now you have a crush on her?" Sola asked, raising accusatory eyebrows.

"I don't," Enock replied, "I'm just stating facts. Tamara is a good person, just… misunderstood."

"So am I!" Sola snapped. "I don't want to have sex with you… or anybody. Ever! That's what I've been trying to say, okay? I'm just… tired!"

Enock sat there, staring at Sola in disbelief. They remained in silence for more than twenty seconds before Enock opened his mouth to speak. Sola stared down at the ground like she had something against it.

"Sola, I don't even know what to tell you," Enock sighed, frustrated.

"Don't say anything, just go and fuck who you want to fuck, that's what I'm saying," she replied. "I know…" she trailed, struggling to get the words out, "I know… that… I was the one who persuaded you the first time…"

"Yes, you did," Enock said firmly. He sounded angry. "JS 3."

JSS 3. That was when her uncle had first taken her virginity and began using her as a pimp. She had already done it a few times with different men before she decided to try it with Enock. Enock was very much a virgin then.

"I've never…" Enock trailed in a whisper, "I've never slept with anyone… except you, Sola." He looked up at her. He shrugged. "Besides, if i wanted to bang any other person, my uncle's wife has been offering for a long time now."

Sola sighed on remembering that Enock had told her about his perverted aunt. Predators everywhere.

"I'm very sorry," Sola finally said. "I'm very very sorry. I'm just…" she wanted to tell him about her uncle. She wanted to tell him about all the things he made her do. She'd been wanting to tell him for years, but she just couldn't. Besides, it's not like Enock could change anything, he didn't even have proper guardians himself.

And Sola would die before people pegged her a prostitute. Because there was no way she'd escape with a clean slate.

Besides, the men Sola had been with… Powerful men. Men that could snap their fingers and she and everyone who got involved would be gone.

She couldn't risk it. There was no way out.

"You're just what?" Enock asked, looking worried. "Sola, you can tell me anything, you know that by now. We don't hide anything from each other." Or at least, he didn't hide anything about himself to her.

Enock didn't want to think about his stolen phone and what was in there. Enock kept his friends' secrets but Dele and Ahmed had no idea he had that video… something that could ruin lives. That was why he was worried about his phone going missing. Though he had a password and the video and of course, nudes Sola occasionally sent and some porn were hidden in a secret app, if it were to fall into the wrong hands…

Maybe he was just overthinking it. There was no way a stupid thief would bother going through the phone. They'd just wipe it and sell it, right? They didn't know his password. Enock was supposed to feel safe but he didn't.

If someone managed to hack everything, surely, Dele and Ahmed were done for. And they didn't even know. They didn't know he made a video.

"Enock," Sola shouted his name this time for him to snap out of his thoughts. He turned to her, startled. "What are you thinking about? You just zoned out."

"Nothing," he said. He got to his feet and reached out to pull Sola up. "We better go, races will soon start again."

Sola was physically and mentally tired but she took his hand anyway. She didn't know what Enock was thinking about but then, she didn't want him knowing what ate her up either. She knew everyone had secrets to keep and she didn't bother knowing what they were. It was better that way.

To each man his own.

• • •

People turned heads as Adam Somoye walked past them. His eye was bloodshot and he had a little bruise on his neck. Generally, he looked a mess and though the break was already over and people were making their way back to the stadium, Adam went the opposite way, towards Kasy's room.

The plan? To tell her everything.

He had to tell her what a devil Zehan was and how he was behind everything.

Without knocking, he swung the door and rushed to Kasy who was tying her shoelace. He embraced her and before he knew it, he was crying again.

"Adam?" Kasy spoke after a while, the confusion evident in her voice. He didn't say anything and he didn't let her go either. Before she knew it, she was crying not so silently. "Adam, what's the problem? What happened?"

"Kasy, I'm sorry," he croaked.

"Sorry for what?"

"Sorry… I'm so so sorry," he was starting to sound like a broken record. He finally let go of her and looked her in the eyes, his mouth was suddenly difficult to open up. "I… I need to tell you…"

"Tell me what?" Kasy asked. "What happened? You can tell me anything. Did Ahmed do something again? What's up with you?"

Adam opened his mouth to speak but the words just weren't forming. Suddenly, he found himself thinking about what this would mean for Zehan. Expulsion? Prison?

Zehan was too young for prison, right?

But what about his parents? They already hated him as it is. If they found out about this. What if they disowned him?

Did he really kill his brother? Adam still didn't think so. Or maybe he was being biased. Zehan had just been such a good friend to Adam.

But what he did to Kasy was horrible and he deserved to face consequences. But… Zehan had already been through hell. What if he attempted suicide again?

Adam needed to make a decision.

Give everyone Zehan's head on a silver platter? Or give him another chance.

But Zehan didn't want another chance. He was probably planning something worse for Dele. Adam hated feeling this way. It's true that Kasy and Dele hadn't been good friends at all to him but…

"Adam," Kasy called his name, "you wanted to tell me something?"

"Y-yes…" he stammered, "Zehan…" Adam paused and then opened his mouth to speak again but then a knock came at the open door. Their classmate, Kemi, was standing there.

"I was sent to tell you that the English teacher wants to meet you both in Room 113, now," Kemi said.

Adam and Kasy shared a look before she replied, "Now? Okay, thank you."

Kemi left. Adam wiped his face and realized. "Why Room 113? Isn't that a Castrol High room?"

Kasy shrugged, getting off the bed. "Maybe she wants to show us something." She turned to Adam, "let's just go."

• • •

Just as Dele was making his way out, Kasy and Adam appeared at the door, walking into the room. He retraced his steps, looking very confused.

"What are you doing here? Where is Ms. Isong?" Kasy asked Dele.

"That's what I was about to ask you," replied Dele, looking tired. "I came here and saw nobody. I don't even know what we're doing here, this room should be—" Dele stopped talking looking behind Kasy and Adam.

They turned around and saw Zehan of all people. They all glared at him.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Dele was first to speak.

"They said… someone said Uncle Ken was…" Zehan trailed. He couldn't form a complete sentence because he was busy glancing at Adam and Kasy wondering if Adam had already told them everything. Did they call him here to beat him up?

Out of instinct, Zehan quickly turned around to run away but the door was closed. Not just closed, the door was locked. "What the…"

"Get out of my way," Dele shoved Zehan to the side and began pulling the handle. The door didn't budge, it was indeed locked. Dele angrily turned to Zehan just as Kasy and Adam rushed to the door too, trying their luck. "Why the hell did you lock the door?" Dele yelled at Zehan.

"Did you see me with any fucking key?" Zehan deadpanned.

"So who locked it?"

"It's locked from outside, genius."

"Who and why did they lock us in?" Kasy asked, looking accusatory at Zehan. "Did you plan this?"

Zehan laughed. "I have better things to do with my time."

"Like ruining people's lives?" Adam mumbled, engaging Zehan in a glaring contest afterwards. Kasy and Dele were confused.

"Who has their phone? I didn't come with mine," Kasy said, proceeding to go and sit on one of the beds.

"Mine was stolen," Dele replied. Adam and Zehan exchanged knowing looks.

Adam also didn't come with his phone so Zehan pulled him out and paused, thinking of the best person to call and how he would explain the situation to them.

"The 800m race will start soon, we don't have all the time in the world," Dele snapped at Zehan when he was hesitant.

"Who do I call?" Zehan asked, looking at the three pairs of eyes shooting daggers at him. He couldn't wait to get out of there.

"Uncle Ken, Ms. Isong, anybody!" Adam snapped.

"I don't have their—" Kasy snatched the phone from Zehan before he could finish speaking. She began typing her brother's number.

Kasy already had the phone on her ear when a piece of paper was slipped under the door. Dele began banging on the door, raining threats and insults at whoever was playing a stupid 'prank' on them. Adam picked up the paper.

Kendrick wasn't picking the phone.

"The door will be unlocked only when you've settled your differences," Adam read out loud.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Zehan mumbled under his breath.

"I swear to God, if I lay my hands on you, I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget!" Dele was still shouting at the door.

Zehan took a seat on the floor in the corner. He might've looked not bothered  but he had two races left to run and if they continued like this, they would miss it.

"Call someone else," Zehan told Kasy, who was still calling her brother.

"You think I have the whole school's number off head?" Kasy retorted. "Besides, what sort of person are you? How do you not have anybody's number?"

"And what kind of person doesn't move around with their phone?" Zehan fired back. "You can blab all you want but alas, I'm the only one here with a phone, don't give me any bullshit."

Kasy threw the phone at him and went back to sitting on the bed. "Maybe we should just… let's just do what they want us to do," Kasy said after a while, making the boys turn to her.

"We have no differences to settle," said Dele, kicking the door out of frustration one last time.

"We can just hug and get out of here," Zehan sarcastically suggested.

Dele turned to him and eyed him down. "I'd rather die."

Zehan  smiled. "And you say we have no differences to settle."

"You only settle differences by pushing people off the roof."

Adam wanted to tell Kasy and Dele everything he knew. But that would be a bloodbath, especially since there was no way they could get out of the room. Dele and Zehan would kill each other. It would be best if he remained quiet, for now.

"What exactly do they want us to do here?" Kasy asked, sounding frustrated. She sighed, "Okay…" she trailed, "let's just tell them what they want to hear."

"Or you can try calling someone else?" Dele counted.

"What do you want us to do?!" Kasy yelled on top of her voice.

Dele snatched Zehan's phone and kept dialing Uncle Ken's number.

Another note slipped through the door and Kasy rushed to it. "You used to be friends but now, one of you hates the rest and they want to draw blood…"

"Draw blood, seriously?" Zehan interrupted, looking amused. Kasy only glanced at him before she continued reading.

"Find the root of your problem, and come to an understanding. Only then will the door be unlocked."

"The only understanding here is that Zehan offed his brother!" Dele yelled for the person on the other side of the door to hear.

Zehan clenched his teeth. "The only way we're leaving this room in one piece is if you keep my name out of your fucking mouth, Akindele."

Dele turned to him, laughing. "See this one oo," he pointed at Zehan, still cackling in laughter. "And what will you do? If you're so strong and mighty, why did you run out of the gym earlier?" he raised an eyebrow, "Zehan Essien, you can't do shit, you hear me? You only hide behind a scary face, a shitty attitude and framing people. People only avoid you and are scared of you because you're a psycho.

Everybody knows you pushed Ismael. Nobody is believing that cock and bull story that it was an accident. That's why your mum had to pay off Principal Elias to say it was an accident, because even she didn't believe it."

"Wait...his mum bribed Principal Elias?" Kasy asked Dele.

"Yeah," he replied, "they must've thought nobody knew. But I know."

Zehan only sat there, glaring at them. He had nothing to say to them. They were nothing to him and whatever they wanted to say or believe was their business.

Kasy turned to Zehan. "You're not going to say anything?"

Dele scoffed. "What do you want him to say? He knows it's true. That's the only reason Principal Elias let him come back to school. She didn't want anyone knowing about the money they gave her last year. You can ask Charles if you want, he knows."

Adam was looking out the window that had a good view of the swimming pool but he listened to everything they said. He heard Zehan release a sigh. He was about to speak.

"Do you know what I did before coming for this competition?" Zehan asked— rhetorical question of course. He spoke calmly and slowly, looking down at the floor. "I went to see my father in his new flat in Godson Estate with a… package from my mother."

He looked up at Dele and Kasy. "Do you know what the package was?"

Adam breathed out. He knew what Zehan was talking about. He'd mentioned it to him before their fallout. The more reason why Adam couldn't pick sides. As much as Zehan had done a lot of damage, a lot of damage had not only been done to him, but his family.

"Divorce papers," Zehan answered, forcing a smile.

Kasy and Dele had nothing to say. There was no response or anything to say to that. Kasy looked down at her feet, Dele tried to maintain his glare but it was hard. Adam still had his back to them.

"I'm not saying this for you to pity me. I don't need your fucking pity," his tone was much more stronger now, "but I'm probably like… a month away from having no parents and have no home. Me being in the house makes my mum very uncomfortable, I want to leave it for her. But my father doesn't want me staying with him either. And my grandma… I can't even face her."

Zehan hadn't told anyone he'd attempted suicide twice and he wasn't planning to ever go so. Maybe they'd find out when he finally succeeded. Third time's the charm after all.

"I'm telling you this so you'll know the gravity of what you did—"

"We didn't—"

"Let me fucking finish!" Zehan snapped at Kasy, his voice oozing so much venom. He breathed out. "You have two children. Just two," he illustrated, "one dies in the most gruesome way possible… and you're still trying to comprehend that when you're told that the only surviving child you have left is… the murderer." Zehan shook his head.

"I use that instance whenever I want to understand what my parents are feeling or… justify their actions."

The room fell into a thick silence.

"My father called to tell me that he mistakenly," Zehan emphasized on the last word, "spilled coffee on the divorce papers. But we both know that's a lie. Maybe he doesn't want the divorce? Maybe he's having second thoughts? I don't know.

But my mum will give him a new copy. All it needs is his signature… and it's… done."

"You know," Dele finally started talking, "what annoys me here is that you're blaming us for all this. We only told the truth of what we saw, Zehan. And frankly speaking, this is all you. Don't try to pin it on someone else."

"I didn't push Ismael."

Dele clapped  his hands together, feigning surprise and shock. "Wow! Do you guys hear that? Zehan didn't push Ismael! That's such a surprise, I'm shocked!" He dropped the act. "So, tell us what happened, Zehan."

Zehan only glared at Dele without saying anything. Dele scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief.

Dele turned to Adam who still had his back to them. "Adam, you weren't on the roof but you were there when… Ismael fell. He fell right in front of you…"

"Right at my feet," Adam thought, remembering how Ismael looked, lying there, a pool of red forming.

Dele continued, "Tell us, did he look like someone who fell by accident? Or did he look like he was pushed?"

"Dele, you're being ridiculous," Kasy said, "how's he supposed to answer that?"

Adam was trying to get the image out of his head but Dele was adamant.

"No, let Adam talk. I want to hear him. We're putting an end to this, here and now," said Dele.

Adam sighed, turning around to face them. He glanced at Dele before turning to Zehan. He swallowed and said, "What I actually want to know is why they were there in the first place. All I know is that Zehan and Ismael went up there and you both ran after them. What was happening?"

"You want the truth?" Zehan asked them as all eyes were on him.

"Oh so, you want to lie about it?" Dele asked, annoyed.

Zehan turned to Kasy, locking eyes with her. It was obviously making her uncomfortable so she asked, "What?"

"Ismael… knew your father's secret."

Okay, first of all, shoutout to the reader who slipped into my email, begging for an update. I don't know who you are but I was moved when I saw it. Thank you so much.

Another shoutout to one of my best friends Chinonxo15 who has also been pestering me for an update. This one's for you.

And to everyone who's waited patiently for months, I'm really grateful ♥

Another chapter might come later today but in the meantime...

Who do you think locked them in?

Do you think Zehan's parents should divorce?

And will Adam still expose Zehan?

And the twins, did Dabi tell them or are they just messing with Sola?

What was your favorite part of the chapter?