˗ˏˋ༻ʚDelphine's Pov ɞ༺ˎˊ˗

I was sitting on the field, cross-legged on the track when Coach asked Ore and Daniela to run a lap. Daniela was fast, but Ore was in a different zone today; focused, sharp, and aggressive.

“Great job, Ore,” Coach said, loud enough for all of us to hear. “Run like this tomorrow and you’re good to go.”

For once, I didn’t feel any resentment. Maybe yesterday’s confrontation had done some good.

Yesterday. . . .

Thinking about yesterday made my stomach turn. Ore’s cryptic warning still echoed in my head, and Krystian felt it was too serious to talk over the phone. Ore had asked me to stay away from him. That wasn’t normal.

“Take five, girls,” Coach Akpan dismissed us as he left the field.

I exhaled and sat lower into the track, as I tried to stop thinking, but that silence didn’t last. Daniela and Chika soon plopped beside me, disrupting my momentary retreat.

“What did Ore take today?” Chika wondered as she moved her gaze in Ore’s direction. “Is it just me, or has she become, like, twice as good?”

“Guy, not just you,” Daniela said, already halfway through her water bottle. “I was running with her, then suddenly—puum!—like jet fuel.”

I chuckled a bit at Daniela’s description, but then the mood shifted. A group of girls were walking toward us with way too much confidence.

Ivana.

She was dressed in her Blossom High sportswear, flanked by four of her teammates.

“What do they want?” Chika mumbled under her breath, but all I could do was watch. Ivana stood at the front, tall and self-assured, leading the Blossom High School girls towards our side of the field like she was walking a runway. The sun hung high in the sky, burning hot against my skin, and sweat trickled down my back like it had a mission. I was already irritated from the heat and the noise; the last thing I needed was Ivana and whatever drama she was dragging along with her.

Ivana approached like the sun wasn’t burning holes through our skin. Ore noticed her instantly and stalked forward from our corner, jaw tight, eyes sharp. She planted herself like a wall in Ivana’s path, hands on hips.

“What do you want?”

Ivana smiled. But it wasn’t sweet; it was glassy, cold. “It’s nice to see you again, Ore.”

The way Ore folded her arms said she’d had enough of her fakeness.

“Say whatever brought you here. We’ve got five minutes, and I’m not wasting them on you.”

Ivana chuckled, her gaze dropping dismissively to the track. “What a coincidence. We’re on break too.”

“This Blossom High School student is really getting under my skin,” Chika mumbled while glaring at Ivana.

“If Ore fall my hand this time I need her the most, eh,” Daniela swore halfway, as I moved my gaze back to the drama before us.

“Why don’t we have a friendly match?” Her voice had that smug edge, taunting and smooth.

“You and who?” Ore asked, eyes narrowing.

“Don’t be a coward, Ore,” Ivana purred. “Let’s give our teams a preview. You choose your best. I choose mine.”

Ore’s jaw ticked. She glanced back at us, then at Ivana. The Blossom High School captain looked too smug like she already knew how this would end.

“This is bad,” Chika whispered, just as I turned toward her. She must’ve felt the weight of my stare because she leaned in, lowering her voice even more. “Ivana’s sneaky. Like, real sneaky. She plays dirty when she knows she can’t win fair and square.” Chika paused, her eyes fixed on the field. “That’s how she beat Danielle last year—wasn’t the skill. It was sabotage, plain and simple.”

“She won my . . . I mean Danielle?” Chika nodded.

“Omo, if Ore chooses you, then you fit no run tomorrow o,” Daniela shook her head.

I tensed, watching Ore. She hated me. If there was ever a chance to push me out, this was it.

“Never knew you were dying to race with me,” Ore scoffed, placing both hands on her waist as she gave Ivana a degrading look.

“I heard you’ve got a new talent in your team.”

“Point me to whoever thought it was smart to question my place and my skill,” Ore shot back, her voice sharp and commanding, every word laced with fire.

“What is she doing?” a voice questioned. I turned slightly and saw it was Nerit. One could tell she was close to Ore; the unease in her voice made it clear she was panicking.

“Okay.” Ivana lifted both hands in a surrendering manner. “Let’s do this.”

It didn’t take long before both teams huddled together, forming a rough circle like spectators. At the centre, Ore and Ivana stood at the starting point, tense and ready, waiting for someone to give the instruction.

“Who sabi whistle?!” Daniela yelled, and a hand was raised, followed by a familiar face.

“That fine head boy again,” Chika breathed, her gaze fixed dreamily on Life as if he’d just stepped out of a romance novel. “Abeg, tell me you know his name.”

“Praise,” I said plainly. He stepped to the front, and as expected, a cluster of Blossom High School boys trailed behind him. The moment they took position, a wave of complaints rose from the girls at the back—clearly irritated that the guys, being a bit taller, had just blocked their view.

“At the sound of this pretty boy’s mouth whistle,” Daniela instructed, as both Ore and Ivana readied themselves. “On your mark, get set . . .”

Pheeeew!

At the sharp blast of Life’s whistle, both girls launched forward like fired bullets. The tension crackled in the air as all eyes locked on the two captains tearing down the track. Ore matched Ivanaʼs stride for stride, her movements more controlled and focused than ever before. It was clear; the practice I had with her yesterday was paying off.

Ivana wasn’t making it easy. Her pace was fierce, her form sharp, but Ore clung to her side, relentless. The gap between them was nonexistent; like shadows racing the sun. Then, gradually, Ore started pulling ahead. Inch by inch, she gained ground, her posture straight, her speed unwavering. Our girls erupted with cheers, voices rising above the pounding of feet on the track.

Her confidence showed; the smallest lift of a hand mid-stride. A signal. She could win this. But Ivana wasn’t letting go without a fight.

“Let’s go, Ore!”

The cheers started to falter, a ripple of uncertainty spreading through the crowd as Ore’s pace began to waver. Her strides lost a fraction of their power, and that was all Ivana needed. With sharp precision, Ivana surged forward, her eyes locked on the finish line, determination burning in every step.

The gap closed fast—too fast. Just meters from the end, Ivana overtook Ore with a burst of speed that felt almost too sudden, too strategic. There was something about the way she moved past; elbow grazing too close, footfall just a little too wide, that made it feel less like a clean overtake.

Gasps and murmurs swept through the sidelines. Whether fair or not, Ivana had taken the lead.

Daniela tapped Life once Ivana had crossed the finish line, and the latter made a round shape with his lips and blew out yet another loud whistle.

The Blossom High School students erupted in cheers, some jumping with excitement as Ivana placed both hands on her waist, striking a pose like sheʼd just completed the simplest task in the world. She wore a smug look, soaking in the applause like she’d expected to win. Ore didn’t even bother to cross the finish line. The sound of the whistle was enough; Ivana had won. She slowed to a stop, breathing heavily, her eyes fixed ahead.

“Nice race,” Ivana smiled at her, but it wasn’t a friendly one. “I wonder what your team is going to do without you.”

Ivana turned after that, her teammates and classmates trailing behind her, throwing words like "epic" and "unbeatable" as they crowded around her. I looked over at Ore, and to my surprise, she wasn’t fuming.

“You threw the race on purpose, didn’t you?” I accused, my voice low but sharp enough to slice through the air. A few heads from my team turned in confusion, eyes narrowing. Thankfully, our rivals were far enough not to catch a word.

“Did it look like I lost on purpose?” She snarled before marching over to her gym bag to get herself a bottle of water.

“You really think she lost on purpose?” Chika asked, her eyes still trailing after Ore.

I watched Ore’s movements a moment longer—too calm, too collected for someone who’d just been outpaced—then exhaled and gave a small shake of my head. “I don’t think,” I said quietly. “I know she did.”

˗ˏˋ༻ʚ♡︎ɞ༺ˎˊ˗

It was a little past five, and the school was so quiet. Most of us were tucked away in the dormitory, letting the day’s chaos fade into the silence.

I lay sprawled on my bunk, phone held above my face as I hit "send" on an email to Seidi. I’d given her the full rundown: the competition, the heat, the drama, all of it. She probably wouldn’t reply right away, but I knew she’d get back to me by tomorrow.

𝐊𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧

The moment his name flashed at the top of my screen, I shot upright without thinking; an instinctive reaction that turned out to be my biggest mistake.

“Blood of Chineke!” Chika exclaimed in a loud voice.

“Hope say your head no crack?” Daniela asked in shock.

I closed my eyes as my head throbbed repeatedly in agonising pain.

“I'm fine,” I muttered, rubbing the centre of my head as if that would undo the damage. With a slow, almost dramatic drop, I eased myself back onto the bed and finally opened his message, bracing for whatever words he had written down.

𝙸ʼ𝚖 𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚍𝚘𝚛𝚖.

Crack!

“Dem no dey buy head for market o!” Daniela turned to me, as it felt like I was about to cry. Why was Krystian causing me literal pain today?

“I should go look for a bandage or something,” I muttered, dragging myself up. As I made my way forward, I could feel the stares burning holes into my back. I didn’t have to guess what was on their minds—What fool hits her head twice in less than five seconds? Well, apparently, I did.

With my eyes barely open, I stepped out of the building, squinting against the light. It felt too surreal to be real, but there he was. Krystian stood right in front of the dormitory, his back to the building, holding a sleek bag with his right hand. The sound of my footsteps must’ve given me away, because he turned around, brows creased in concern.

“Whatʼs wrong with you?”

“I think I’ve cracked open my head . . . twice,” I groaned, wincing as I brought a hand to the middle of my skull. “And it’s all your fault.”

Krystian blinked, taken aback. “My fault? How?”

“Because—” I started, but the words tangled in my throat. What was I even about to say? That his name on my screen startled me into self-destruction? That would sound ridiculous. I sighed, stepping closer instead. “Let’s go somewhere private. I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

Krystian didn’t object, of course, as I led the way. We rounded several corners in silence until we got to a quiet area surrounded by tall trees and neatly trimmed carpet grass.

“What’s this place?” Krystian asked as we both sat under a large tree.

“I don’t know,” I replied. “I heard some of the students calling it the love garden . . . or something like that.”

He set the fancy bag beside his feet, and I let my gaze trail up to his face. “How are you here?”

“Apparently my cousin is allergic to so many foods, and my mother wonʼt stop worrying until she gets her prescribed dinner.” Krystian pushed the fancy bag my way, and I couldnʼt help the small smile that appeared on my face.

“A Nigerian, allergic to food, ke? In this economy?” I opened the bag anyway and stared at the packaged meal in it. “And the security men bought it?”

“Either they are worse at their jobs than the ones at our school, or they believe I posed no threat after seeing my uniform.” Krystian gave a slight shrug. “Had to stop at Groovy Lit to get you that.”

I zipped the bag shut and set it beside me, mentally noting to share it with Daniela and Chika . . . maybe even Ore, if I was feeling generous.

“I officially can’t stand Ivana,” I sighed, letting the words slip out. Krystian gave me a confused look, and I figured I needed to clarify. “You know . . . the model wannabe girl.”

Krystian gave a small nod. “What happened?”

“All she ever wants is drama, and I swear she only did what she did to get under my skin.” My voice was tight with frustration—and honestly, I had every right to feel that way.

“What exactly did she do?”

I looked over at him. At first, I didn’t want to dump everything on him, but the way he was watching me, it was clear he actually wanted to hear it.

“So, we were all on break, chilling, when she randomly showed up and challenged us. Iʼm guessing she must’ve heard I was good or saw me run, and decided she wanted a race; only sheʼd disguised it like some friendly competition.”

Krystian smirked. “Let me guess. You put her in her place?”

“I didn’t.” His brows shot up like I’d said something wild.

“Ore stepped in . . . and lost. On purpose!”

“Why would she do that?”

“I honestly don’t know. But according to Chika and Daniela, Ivana has a pattern. If she thinks someone’s better than her, she’ll find a way to mess them up.”

Krystian scoffed, shaking his head. “Those two? You know better than to believe everything they say.”

I shrugged. “Every rumour starts from somewhere.” Then I paused, thinking aloud. “I think Ore was protecting me . . . and maybe even herself too.”

“I told you she’s not that bad,” Krystian said.

I rolled my eyes, but weirdly, I didn’t feel as irritated as I did the last time heʼd said that.

“I just don’t get girls and their ridiculous drama over some guy,” I muttered, fully aware that I was dragging myself in that statement; especially after how I’d reacted after knowing Davidson had confessed to my best friend.

“Speaking of some guy . . . ” I turned to face him. “Let’s talk about Life.”

“As in . . . what I see myself doing ten years from now?” he said with a playful look.

I nudged him with my elbow, and he burst out laughing.

“I’m serious! Let’s talk about Praise. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Krystian’s laughter faded, replaced by a casual shrug. “Because it’s not that deep. Praise is just . . . a regular guy who minds his business. I honestly don’t know why Ore feels the need to warn you. Maybe talk to her? Clear the air?”

Talk to Ore? Was he joking? “So, no big drama?”

He shook his head. “None that I know of. They might be half-brothers, but it’s not like they’re beefing or anything. They barely talk, but I’ve never seen any tension.”

I leaned back against the tree, letting the bark press gently into my shoulders as Krystian’s words settled in my mind. “If it wasn’t that deep, why couldn’t you just tell me over the phone?”

He didn’t respond right away, and when I turned to look at him, I found his eyes already on me—calm, steady, and just a little unreadable.

“I was . . . kind of occupied,” he responded. “I was already meeting up with Damian.”

“Oh my God, I forgot about that!” I jerked upright, turning fully to face Krystian. “How did it go?”

“His mum’s stepping in to help,” he said, and just like that, a wave of relief washed over me. I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly.

“That’s amazing. Now we just have to keep this away from Romeo and—”

“Romeo is probably the smartest person I know,” Krystian cut in, his tone carrying a quiet warning. “Too smart, honestly. He’s going to figure things out eventually. And when he does . . . it might not end well.”

I blinked at him, unsure where he was going with that. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying . . .” Krystian’s voice softened as he leaned a little closer, eyes steady on mine. “Talk to him. Try to fix whatever thing you want to fix. Because if you don’t; well you know how Romeo acts when heʼs mad.”

I hated how right he was. As much as I didn’t want Romeo to reveal my secret, I couldn’t deny it; I missed his vibe.

“There’s something else.” My eyes flicked to Krystian, catching the subtle shift in his expression. I waited. “Toyosi.”

Her name dropped like a stone between us, and I felt my mood shift instantly and my face tightened with a frown.

“I tried easing into it, hoping she’d be honest with me,” he said quietly. “But she didn’t give me anything.”

“You should’ve let me talk to her that day!” I snapped, frustration bleeding into my voice.

“I wanted her to open up on her own terms,” Krystian shot back, his voice rising before he caught himself. He closed his eyes, inhaling sharply. “I even told her I’d gone to her place Friday night. It was a lie, still, she couldn’t tell me the truth.”

I shook my head, the bitterness bubbling up. “Have you seen the kind of friends you’re defending?”

His glare met mine, sharp and tired. He didn’t say anything, but the air between us felt like it could crack.

“You know what this means, right?” I said, voice low.

“That Iʼm giving you a free pass to deal with her however you want.”

I shook my head slowly, firmly. “Of course, I’m going to confront her; there’s no escaping that. What I meant . . .” my voice dropped, heavier now, “is the possibility that she killed my sister.”

“Delphine—”

“What?!” I snapped, turning to face him fully. I could already see it: the sympathy, the excuses, the soft defence of Toyosi forming on his lips. And I wasn’t having any of it. Not this time.

Krystian hesitated, then exhaled like he’d been holding something in for too long.

“There’s something I need to tell you.”

˗ˏˋ༻ʚ♡︎ɞ༺ˎˊ˗

I tried abi?

So I wasn't expecting I'd update today since I couldn't complete this chapter yesterday, but here we are with a new update✨

What do you think about this chapter?

What do you think Krystian is about to say to Delphine?

Vote, comment and share, and let's see if there'd be a new update this weekend🤐

Adios!