I finally did it! 😭🎉

The devil fought hard against this update but my God is GREATER! AMEN???

Abeg, you guys, no vex. The last month was torture, but out babies are back. What was the first thing you felt when you saw this update? 

Anyways, let's dive into this  chapter. Btw, read the chapter very carefully sha.🌝❤️

~ACHA~

"Man like Acha! Acha, my mannnn! Niggaaaa! This my sharp guy!"

That loud voice of hype could have been heard all the way from downstairs where all the racket of floor pounding music and noisy partying classmates dwelled and dominated.

I had just thrown the grey coat jacket over my shoulders and barely had time to stick my arms in when JJ Jarah, who had completely 'refuted' my existence for the past forever weeks, barged into my bedroom unannounced, shouting like the heavens had come down crashing onto earth.

My eyes had reverted its gaze back to the Vanity Mirror almost the same moment it landed on the boy, but the short time I had subconsciously acknowledged his presence was enough time for me to get a good view of his broadly grinning face that showcased a clean white set of 32 and large eyes of incompressible thrill.

In simpler words, JJ Jarah was on fire. His features stood out like so bright and clear, excitement rolling off him and ever evident in every hop in his large steps and careless swing of his arms in wild abandon. He was like a two year old on their first child on their first day in Wonder Coast.

Whatever reason this was so, I couldn't decipher for the life of me.

And, you know what? I wasn't even bother asking him why he suddenly all 'gucci' and 'bromance' with me, after weeks of ghosting me to shege. I didn't even bother. Who had that strength?

I simply made up my mind that it couldn't be me he was talking to.

Even if it was just the two of us in the entire space of my bedroom.

So, with a quick skim over my shoulder and a little disregarding scoff, I dismissed the excited kid. And like he wasn't even there, I started a debate within me to try to settle more pressing issues.

Like for one, was this white long sleeve turtle neck l was wearing better tucked into the matching white cameo trousers or would it look nicer if freed out? 

Either JJ didn't notice the standoffishness from me or he was pretending not to. Because he waltzed in further into my room, added in teenage boy swag into it too. Were his intentions to make me raise a brow at him, God knows. Because the way he bounced in here, oozing off such top level confidence with that ridiculously bogus bodega shirt of his, those khaki three quarters, and that hooded black cap on his head that would make any Nigerian mother instantly profile him as a professional kidnapper...

It was clear that he couldn't even care less even if my face was like rumpled paper.

As far as he was concerned, tonight, I was his bro again.

"You sef. You're still here dressing up and you don't even know the kind of crazy catastrophe that is happening downstairs!" He shouted, right before throwing himself onto my bed like a vagabond.

As much as I tried to ignore him, he did two things that gave me PTSD on the spot;

The first one was to alert me to 'something' going on downstairs, and with that, my mind went several fucking places, all of them hovering around something or anything that could have been in connection with my Aurora. And most definitely, the 'something' or 'anything' being far from good.

The second one was the way JJ threw himself on my bed like that, rolling and convulsing with excitement against every nook and cranny of the bed, not missing a single spot on the sheets. 

Bed that I took my time to make.

I simply couldn't believe this guy. After he had ignored me solidly for weeks upon weeks, he really believed that he could just barge in here and misbehave anyhow, picking up from where he left off, just like that.

And then, on top of everything, he was now scattering my bed?

"So, like, the party just started na. Everywhere don already scatter! Everybody is just mind blown because, guy, if you see the big solid car that Yure Adediji used to come and drop classmates off at the venue. It mad die! Everybody was just snapping him inside the car because bro, the guy and his drip madddd! Neat ride like this! Head boy was just there cruising inside Benz that is like twenty people's school fees!—"

"Tch." I sucked in my teeth as the annoyance washed over me briefly and I swear the action was a reflex.

Was that why he wanted to give me a heart attack just now? What nonsense.

"—So, now, it's like the thing vexed Ortega na. Sampson Ortega in your Class!" He didn't even care that I expressed such displeasure, snapping his fingers actively as though he wanted to remind me who he was talking about. As if I had amnesia and would suddenly forget one of the most prominent and loud Art boys of my class. "You know what Ortega now did?"

"I don't want to know." I made it clear to him.

"Ortega now came and gathered all of us na, come dey yarn us say he fresh pass Adediji!" JJ continued nonetheless, whether I liked it or not. "He was bragging and bragging that he had more than seven cars at home. That it's just because his parents don't allow him to bring them to school that we've not seen it."

What is all these?

"That the shoe he was even wearing sef at the party was not the original shoe he wanted to wear o. It's just his father did not allow him again," He was relentless. "My guy talk say 'im already order new shoe wey go arrive at your door step this night. Balenciaga o. The latest model. Not even any type of shoe. He said that he already ordered it to come directly to your house tonight, and that he would show us."

"JJ." I called his name warningly, my voice laced with a stern tone that came on its own.

"We think say na joke. We actually thought it was a joke!" The boy continued gisting, "The guy even flashed receipt of payment in our eyes, we said its fake debit alert because the figures were crazy! He said we will see na. The he already ordered it. That it was coming. Ortega wan baff up for the night na, he wanted to look neat and dire and prove he was bigger than Yure Adediji. He was just carrying his shoulders around and we were just waiting to see the Balenciaga na..."

At this point, I let JJ continue talking. One look at the mirror, and I came to the conclusion that the white turtleneck looked better freed out than tucked in. 

After that, I was going to wear my shoes and that would round up my dressing up. And, if JJ was still here, telling his little story by that time, I would just quietly leave him in this room to continue gisting with himself.

"Finally, the Balenciaga came na," He continued talking, "All man now gathered to see Ortega's new kicks. Everywhere was hot eh! Some guys followed him outside to inspect the thing, everyone was already hailing this guy. All of a sudden, Ortega said he wanted to be humble. That he didn't want to show himself too much by wearing such an expensive shoe. That he didn't even want to open the delivery and that he 'dashes' the shoes to the delivery man to take as his own. He called it 'a gesture of my generosity'—"

JJ threw himself onto my bed, laughing and rolling again, unable to even finish the story properly.

As pissed as I was, a corner of my lips twitched and I hated that I low-key found this story funny. 

If I wasn't so pissed with JJ, I'd have probably been laughing too.

"Guy, Nomso ran from where the Ballers were and said it's a lie! That everybody must see what is inside that delivery box this night or else he will bend, reverse, coil, and rumple!" He continued, and against my wish, a stifled chuckle left my mouth. "Acha, you will not even believe what was inside that box!"

I didn't act like it, but my ears were piqued to hear it. 

"White Canvas shoe!" He shouted and practically collapsed into a seizure on my bed, laughing and convulsing and belting out the loudest ringing and resounding laughter.

I held my breath. It was both a deliberate and reflex action, on God. I felt my whole body become rigid in all my attempts to hold that little ticking sensation that was building up at the back of my throat that was itching for release, a 'sensation' that I knew was going to come out an explosive laughter if I dared to make the mistake to 'lose guard'.

And the way JJ was laughing was not helping matters. He sounded like a dying pig.

"Do and come down, sha. You are missing a whole lot, my guy!" JJ dived into Part 2, jutting from the bed to rest his elbows on his knees, droopy eyes that filled with laughter in them as though he was drunk with it, steadied itself at me as he talked. "Man, classmates are turning the fuck up! You should see what's going on downstairs, my guy. You sef, you should step in there with your Man Like Acha sauce and shut down the entire place na!"

I chuckled under my breath, flattered.

"For real, you'd be no match for them o," He continued, as if he noticed what he said made me happy, "I ain't joking, bruv. And it would be so eventful and fun for me and you to rate classmates together. But it will be hard o, I won't lie. Guys are coming with mad drip, it's as of everybody is just doing competition. And our girls? Nah, they are giving times two! Acha, forget o, our set girls fine like mad!"

Aurora.

Aurora was the only person I wanted to see.

She had sent two pictures —not very generous of her —but I knew that nothing would and could even compare to seeing her in the flesh.

So, when JJ started to talk about random class girls, I guess it was safe to say that I was hardly interested. To be honest, not even in the slightest.

"Guy, if you see Neche and Kamnele! Even Vanessa, that fine girl in Class B! In fact forget all those ones, Winnie Ezra mad pass! That girl is hot like two million people!" He was really into this, probably forgetting that only one girl was always on my mind. "That girl rolled guy's heads when she walked in, guy! See breast everywhere! I can just put my head inside there and sleep inside forever! E no go bad to die for breast!"

I glanced at JJ and scoffed lightly. It seemed to me like it still had not occurred to him that I was not much interested in those kind of talks anymore.

He was still talking when I walked to the edge of my room where the game equipment's were to get the new shoes that I had specifically prepared for the night.

"... Giwa Falade and her clique have not even arrived and everywhere is already so hot like Venus!" I shook my head at a rambling JJ as I sat on my desk seat and started on my laces. "Guys are waiting to see how Hassana, specifically, is going to turn up. You know the secret admirers has in this set, dem plenty. Her and that princess chic, Kelechi Uwa.—"

I froze.

For two whole seconds, I was sure that I was static in freeze mode.

It was like, on the mention of that name, an invisible charger cord wiped me at the back of my neck, probably tearing invisible marks from its brunt and sending a shock wave round my body.

A kind of shock wave that temporarily paralysed me.

It felt somewhat unfair, but every time I saw Kelechi Uwa, or even heard her name, or simply got reminded of her in any way or form, I felt so, so uncomfortable and dreadfully confused.

I couldn't stop thinking about everything that Kelechi confided in me about the other day.

I couldn't stop recalling all those words that I read from the computer screen. I hated that Kelechi felt I was the best person she could open light to about this to. All those truths and 'secrets' she showed me from that damn diary could not leave my head, no matter how much I tried. The contents of that diary...

We had a combined Social Studies Class with Jss1 D today. I saw a girl today for the first time. She had dreads and her uniforms were a bit bogus. But, she had the prettiest eyes...

Her name is Dabeluchi. But, we didn't speak. Or, at least, I said hi. But she did not respond to me...

There is something off about that Dabeluchi girl. I can't place it. There is a vibe about her that makes me a bit uncomfortable. But curious. Is it wrong that I want to get to the bottom of this?

All the contents of that damn diary. I couldn't stop thinking about everything. For days now, all that was on my head was how badly Aurora was going to take this. How this revelation was going to throw my Aurora off balance and how it was going to completely destabilize her if she ever found out about this.

That word 'Mental' seemed like a trigger. I have a trigger too. Dabeluchi and I are similar...

I hate seeing her. I really, really hate seeing that girl.......

I found out something today. It has to do with Dabeluchi's family. —

I felt like the worst person, keeping such a thing from her. She had the right to know. She had every right to know.  But come on, I was not in the right place to tell Aurora such a thing. 

And, especially after Kelechi had aggressively begged me not to.

"Acha!"

I had even forgotten that JJ was in the same room with me, until I heard his sharp voice call my name so loudly, snapping me back to earth with the urgency that was laced in it.

Large eyes of worry stared at me as I turned back to meet his face.

I heaved a short sigh. "What?"

My hands were already busy with the other lace of my other shoes, tying them quickly.

 "Ah. What happened?" He asked me, carefully.

There was no better adjective to describe it asides 'carefully'.

His tone was careful. There was less laughter in it and every excitement that shook his voice previously was dramatically reduced. He sounded calmer. More 'careful'.

Shoot me to even say, worried.

He sounded worried.

That surprised me a bit. JJ could be worried about something? Or Someone?

"Are you good, bro?" He asked me.

"Yeah." I answered.

"So, what was that?" He asked again.

"What was what?" I asked back.

He stared at me as I played dumb and I knew that he knew I knew what he was talking about.

"Nothing," I said with another sigh. "I just zoned out, J. It's nothing mega."

"Oh.." He didn't look like he was much convinced, but he didn't push it. Maybe he didn't even know how to. So, he added, "Okay."

I stood up, done with dressing, and went straight to the mirror, touching up strands of my hair twists to look netter and dusting imaginary dust off my shoulders to finish up properly. I had just grabbed the cologne bottle when JJ decided to 'entertain' me again.

"So, should I continue what I was saying?" He asked first

I turned to the question to look at JJ who was a few feet away from the Vanity Mirror where I stood in front of, sitting on my bed and looking at me like he needed approval or something.

It was clear that the atmosphere had dropped into more awkward cooling temperatures to the point that he did not even know if he should continue talking to me or get the fuck out of my sight. I guess, for the first time since he came here, he actually felt intimidated by my quietness. 

"Sh-Should I?" He asked me again. 

He really didn't need to be. He didn't need to feel so intimidated or uncomfortable all of a sudden. The boy just sat there, clearly nervous about something, rubbing the back of his neck, or the back of his palm, or playing with his foot, rubbing one against the other.

But wait...

It occurred to me only now that those side habits were more glaring and in my face that there had been there, but very subtly and barely unnoticeable, from the very moment that JJ had walked into this room.

I faintly remembered JJ massaging the bill of his cap more than necessary as he bounced in here. That was actually what had even made me notice it in the first place. And knowing JJ, he was the kind of person to jitter and touch things or tap his feet or hands against something when he was nervous about something.

And I mean, he laughed a bit too hard. Way too hard. It was absolutely ridiculous. Like a desperate act to mask an underlying feeling of tension within.

It was also clear that he did not have a specific story to tell when he came in here. He was jumping from Ortega to Classmates drip and to Winnie's breasts, probably hoping that one of it was going to get my attention and make be some conversation starter. 

The only thing that confused me was... Why?

Why would he be so nervous and scared? Am I a lion?

And, he had gone off weeks acting like he knew nothing of my existence, so why was he suddenly so interested in engaging me? For weeks, JJ had been tagging along with Sean to ghost me everywhere and practically doing everything that Sean was doing: blocking me on every Social Media and muting all my calls and texts. Completely shutting me out.

It was a norm for Sean. He shut people out and blocked them from reaching him every way and form when he was upset. And he had a reason to want to cut me have, but if JJ gave a shit, he'd have been bothered about the bridge built between his friends, instead of demarcating it even more.

This wasn't a 'I am also angry with you' thing, because I was certain more than ever that JJ cared little to nothing about what had transpired with me and Sean.

He just sensed a division between me and Sean and decided to simply pick sides with whom his loyalty belonged to more. 

The fact that people who were not even directly in my friends group, like Nana and Chido, and even Kelechi, were more concerned about my dying friendship than JJ himself.

That bit was clear. So, what was he now here for?

"You're annoying." I told JJ bluntly.

The boy cast a gaze onto the ground, a downcast look in his eyes. I hated that I felt some empathy watching him in my silence, especially when he felt absolutely nothing all these weeks.

I believe I heard him swallow, but I couldn't have been too sure, until his big head nodded slowly and two quiet words came out of his mouth in response. "I know."

I searched for what to say to reprimand, but instead of showing I was angry, all I wanted to so was talk with him and ask why he did that. And with the way he acted, clearly fidgeting with his fingers, practically starting a whole sequence on his khaki shorts as he fondled them between his fingers, in, out, and twist, I could tell he was remorseful.

So, why would I hold something against someone who seemed sorry?

I had no reason to. It felt cruel.

Wouldn't lie that I was annoyed with myself for giving in so easily, but, with a sigh, I found myself dragging the seat I was on, towards JJ. 

"Tell me the truth," I said. Shifted an inch closer. "Is that why you came here?"

I sat in front of him, with a space as small as a foot demarcating the both of us, and even with such close distance, he still didn't seem to find the courage to look up yet. His eyes were down, staring at whatever the hell it was he was staring at, around his shoes and my shoes.

"Yes..." He admitted.

"You know there's actually a good number of justified reasons for me to ask you to get the fuck out of my room right now and never come back," I said, my tone in question.

I needed him to answer. I wanted to be sure, to confirm that he was aware of this at least.

"Yes..." He answered.

"And you know I still remember how much you upset Aurora the other day..." I said to him.

He kept mute. I knew he was surprised. It hit. But, he said not a word.

"Till today, Aurora hasn't told me what you did," I said to him, "But, bro, I know Aurora the way not many people do, and I know there is a whole lot she can swallow, but I am also aware that there is one thing she can't tolerate and I can bet my money on it that you of all people know that too."

One thing was clear to me, in all that could have possibly happened that day that I saw Aurora with a knife, living and raging with anger towards JJ.

"Aurora doesn't get that way unless her trigger is pulled. I know you did that deliberately, JJ," I said matter of factly. With my head tilted to the side, I challenged JJ to debunk my theory.

The younger boy's silence said it all. I was right.

I scoffed, a small sound of laughter rolling off my tongue as I thought of the concept of someone not just trying to harm my Aurora, but even thinking about it. The maddening rush of electricity prickling down every vein in my body and tickling the nerves responsible for raising goosebumps on my skin was charged, and along with the riling up anger came a dark sick feeling of amusement.

Amusement, that was what it was. Because it made me want to laugh.

I was angry, but I wanted to laugh.

The strain on one side of my mouth and that subtle twitch in my left eyes was what made me realize that within me was brewing anger and on my face was a sick, dark dark smile.

"Play safe, JJ," I told him. "If you do anything to harm Dabeluchi Aurora Orji, I'd never forgive you."

JJ looked overwhelmed.

So, so overwhelmed.

For the first time since our conversation got serious, he somehow found the balls to look me in the eyes. His eyes had heaviness in them, his irises thick with trepidation. It was clear to me that he saw the warning in my tone, my eyes, and my entire being. He felt the weight in them too, enough to know I meant every damn word. Enough for him to not even think of being daring. 

I was glad I made myself clear. Enough for him to not even debate or argue. When he did open his mouth to speak, he closed it right back when he found it impossible to find his words.

It sounded, again, like he swallowed. Only this time, a rock.

"Do I make myself clear though?" I asked him to ensure that he was not just responding with body language, but also, his voice.

He nodded without much argument. "Sure, man... You're my guy, so..."

I stood up with an involuntary hiss and shook my head at JJ, pulling my seat to its original position.

"See, we are cool, J, but stop calling me your guy if you don't act like you are," I told him as I meant it so. The entire events of the past few weeks and how he joined Sean to ignore the shit out of me was enough for an eye opener. "No hard feelings sha, but if I say I like what you did, I'd be a terrible liar." I adjusted my jacket in front of the mirror for the umpteenth time, feigning an attitude.

"Oya sorry na!" JJ grumbled like a whiney child. "I'm sorry. Is that what you want to hear? Sorry!"

"Sorry for yourself." I fired back to him immediately, holding back the smile that was trying to break out of my face.

What I was even forming, I didn't even know. Because I had no hard feelings, but I guess it was the petty and stubborn side of me that hated to let it all slide so easily, so it took over and forced the rest of me to stay in character.

But, no matter how hard I tried to stay in character, I couldn't take myself seriously anymore.

So, how was JJ even supposed to?

Well, it took him no time to decide not to.

After thee short silence that persisted between us for about a few seconds, all it took was a look at my squeezed serious face in the mirror and we were absolutely sent.

I, and JJ, broke into scattered, uncontrollable laughter, holding our ribs and doubling over, nearly even falling over each other in the process.

I looked like a fucking dog.

"Take," I aggressively threw the bag on my desk to JJ, he caught it in the nick of time, grabbing the large backpack with both his large hands. "If you like, dump it elsewhere."

"Ah, why?" He asked me with a look of confusion married on his face.

"Idiot. I was being sarcastic," I fired at him, shook my head with a laugh. "Your inhaler is in there. Nana had to get a couple from your sister, in case anything goes wrong. Since it's never part of the things you remember to bring along with you."

"Oh..." He laughed, adjusting the bill of his cap embarrassingly, a sheepish smile on his face. "Thank you..."

I wanted to roll my eyes, but I just ended up shaking my head at the kid.

This all-round careless and reckless kid who had a knack for annoying the shit out of me.

"We should do and leave this place though," I told him. "We can stay up here and talk about Ortega and his shoe mishaps all we want, but this party is not going to wait for us, abi?"

I heard him laugh softly behind me, a humming sound followed his snigger.

That was enough to communicated that he agreed with me. 

Besides, I was literally itching to see Aurora.

Like, the thought of it was making me so excited that my stomach started to hurt.

"But, um, Acha..."

I stopped to turn back to JJ behind me, who had a nervous smile on his face. With a raised brow, I asked what the problem was.

"Um, well, I don't know, I just... Are we actually really cool?"

I nodded. Easily. Wondering if that was all he wanted to ask or if there was more.

JJ's face was a mix of surprise and relief. As though he was still adjusting himself to the reality.

"Any problem?" I had to ask him.

"No, no..." He said to me, "It's just that I had been so nervous for days and wasn't sure how to reach out or if I should. If you'd let me. And, it... It ended up being this easy."

"So, what has that thought you about Life?" I asked him, answered my own question, "You should always grow some balls when you have to and do the right thing."

I felt like I was the last person to be giving JJ this kind of advice.

Especially when I was the Master of hiding thing from people I loved and cared about 'for their own good'.

I felt like a hypocrite.

"Just be careful," I changed topic as I addressed JJ, referring to the bag of inhaler I just gave him. "And, stop forgetting things as vital to your health as that. Nana won't be there to always pick up after you. Neither would me or Sean..."

His name even sounded like Vinegar in my mouth.

How sour it all had become...

For a nano second, all the reminders of everything that had gone wrong with me and Sean started flashing back into my head, from all the bits and pieces that built it up slowly.

From how I unintentionally discarded him initially, forgetting simple meeting arrangements and minute details. Little things like that which I knew were things that could easily rile a person like him up. But somehow, somehow I didn't know, he grew the kind of tolerance I didn't even know he had in him, tolerance to withstand all of that and take it all, until he couldn't anymore...

To the final straw that was his big game and big day.

And to make matters worse, just when I thought I had some hope to salvage what was left, such luck for me was too good to be true, or reached.

All thanks to the devil, herself — Ada.

I couldn't bring myself to imagine what it was like for Sean, hearing such a thing from Ada. Worse still, seeing it live for himself. Watching the person he would have last expected, the person he could tolerate the most, do such a thing to him. With his girl. A girl he had never truly gotten over...

Sean must have boiled over, beyond returning point. Knowing the kind of person he was, imagining how hard this must have hit him made me wince. Almost like I felt his pain.

Like I did feel his pain. The multiple whiplashes from invisible chains. Ringing in his ears, all of them loud and screeching. The chills that racked through him every half second, making his skin crawl and his back bend in in reflex, disgust, shock and disbelief as dozens of goosebumps came onto his skin like an attack he couldn't withstand.

I could only imagine, but I was certain that my imagination was nothing close to the original. To what was truly happening with him. In fact, it would be much better to get crushed into smothering on the rails of an aggressively speedy freight train than to feel the pain from such a betrayal.

Overall, he wouldn't hate anyone the way he hated me right now.

That was indisputable.

And the least I could do was try to reach out and see if he was okay. If he was even alive, for God's sake. But, Sean could never give anyone he loathed that satisfaction. If that guy wanted to block you out for good, you could not reach out to him even if you were the Wizard of Oz. 

When you were dead to Sean Ayomide, officially, he turned himself into a ghost.

Having JJ here was an advantage, in a way. He tagged along with Sean for the past few weeks, so he would know something I didn't...

Right?

I turned to him, a thousand questions lingering at the tip of my tongue.

He stared back at me, his eyes telling that he was waiting for me to speak. I knew that  all I needed to do was ask JJ, and he would tell me everything I needed to hear.

And I mean, everything.

Even down to Sean's reaction to what Ada had told him.

"JJ..."

"Yeah..?"

Everything.

With a sigh, I shook my head and waved my hands to the younger boy.

"Let's get out of here, abeg."

He was more than delighted and the way he quickly jumped to his feet with that large agreeing grin on his face and a body language full of vibrancy, that bit was clear.

"I've been waiting for you to say that, bro!" JJ was shouting, so much excitement in him.

I nodded listlessly and let him walk ahead of me as he jumped and jeered, closing the door of the room behind me gently. He was already steps ahead of me when I was locking the mahogany door of my room and I took a moment to watch him bounce in his steps from afar off, hoping from one foot to the other as he played 'Don't step on the cracks' with the tiles on the floor.

An overgrown baby, that's what he looked like.

JJ had the body and size of a man in his twenties, despite being way younger, and with such a build on him, he jumped around and had the mannerisms of a toddler. 

He did look harmless.

Maybe he really was...

Even if this may be about the one thousandth time I was giving him another chance...

Trusting Jeffery Jarah again couldn't be such a bad idea.

~DABI~

Chika Chioma...

Just as she had pledged to.

...Heavily and thoroughly making out with Aaron Godson.

"God forbid."

My voice was in strangled whispers and my shaky hands latched onto the railing of the stairs to stop myself from tripping over myself in shock as I watched the both of them.

"God forbid."

Never, and I mean never had I imagined what it looked like to see any of my friends be this intimate with anyone. And even if I did, I most definitely would not have imagined it in this scenario. This twisted, mind manipulative scenario. 

Chika had said that she was not going to see Aaron again.

But here was the very boy she said she was going to stay away from, with his hands wrapped in style around the small of her back.

She had made the decision to tell him the truth even if it was for better or for worse.

Or so I thought.

Because as I watched her right now, I didn't know what to think anymore. She seemed so battered and broken, telling us that she could not stand to 'use' someone like that. There was no way she would decide to risk her friendship with Aaron over a 'dare'.

Or so I fucking thought.

Here was the same girl who had that mini-breakdown and friendship existential crisis before us, on her tiptoes, with arms around his neck and her head tilted with flair, moving in perfect sync as both their lips were on each other and Christ, I couldn't even bring myself to even comprehend the details.

This was more disturbing than it should have been 'romantic'.

Too disturbing.

So many thoughts ran through my head and with each second that passed, I found myself questioning every one Chika Chioma's motives and intentions, along with every single thing that I ever thought I knew about her. Chika was so many things, but a manipulative scheming liar was not part of it.

I don't understand. I can't understand. What the fuck is going on?

"Jesus!"

Chika had jumped slightly, reflexively tearing herself away from Aaron on the instant that she had caught me through the corner of her eyes, standing there and stationed as a pole, staring at her with zombie-dead eyes.

"Dabeluchi, fuck!" She looked like she was practically holding her thundering heart in her hands,  a sigh of relief overwhelming me thoroughly as she recognized that it was just me. "You scared the life out of me, Dabz. What the actual fuck."

Aaron smoothly turned my direction, a little smile lifting the corner of his lips as he tugged onto the strings of the bucket hat on his head, leaning his head back against the wall and smirking playfully between me and Chika.

He had on a very bright smirk that was morphing into the cheekiest smile I had ever seen. A handsome and genuine smile that made the lids of his big brown eyes to crinkle hard. It was such an innocent smile that made it clear to me that he had no single clue what was happening.

No single clue.

Aaron Godson had never looked so stupid before in my eyes.

Guilt slashed through me for even thinking of him in that lane, but, damn it, I couldn't look at him any other way. Seeing how much he was being deceived changed the way he looked in my eyes. One look at him was enough to gloss over all that 'sauce' and 'drip' that shined all over him in fact.

All of it.

And I mean, all of it.

From the fancy men's' pendants and necklaces that adorned his neck and added a flair to the fancy pink linen button down shirt he wore, to those dark brown three quarters that matched his fancy bucket hat with strings. Strings that proved that Aaron Godson was the king of 'play' and 'unseriousness'. All of it was wiped away before my eyes and all I could see as I looked at Aaron was white face, coloured hair, and red nose.

"Well, err, Dabi..."

Chika's stuttering had dragged my attention back to her.

To say I was surprised that a girl as strong as Chika could even stutter was saying the least. It was like the reality had just dawned on her, that I had walked in on her misdeeds — her, kissing the same boy that she had sworn to never see again.

The same boy we had dared her to kiss.

And the same boy who was blindly and madly in love with her, nonetheless.

And gulp, the same boy she felt nothing for, other than a means to massage her own ego.

Truthfully, I could not even hide the low-key disappointment I felt as I just looked at her. It was evident as day to her; the contending sight that left her on observing the look in my eyes made me know.

"I..." She stuttered yet again the colour on her face flushing down slowly as he tugged a bit of her weaves behind her left ear, in a bid to find the words to start off with. "I didn't see you back there."

I stared right back at her, my face void of any emotions.

"Yeah, it didn't look like you did."

Aaron watched between me and Chika and I was certain he was not dumb to not catch the oddness of our conversation. His back still rested against the wall and with folded arms and a raised brow, he looked between me and Chika, acknowledged the off vibe for a short moment of confusion, before breaking into a brief awkward laughter.

"Must be awkward, ba?" His voice had some laughter in it as though he was trying to lift some tension off the air as he observed the both of us. "Having one of your friends walk in on us on our first kiss?" He nudged Chika playfully to get the stiffness out of her, and the girl only laughed the most uncomfortable laugh ever.

"First kiss, huh." I repeated under my breath, a blank face on. 

More silence ensued between all of us and my eyes were fixed on Chika.

"I guess I will just leave you girls alone, yeah?" Aaron spoke up, his eyes wide in suggestion. He seemed to sense the 'tension' as a queue for him to leave the both of us alone. "Yure Adediji is bringing more of our 'mates into the house and I'm actually supposed to be downstairs making sure that nobody is breaking anybody's heads out of excitement because nothing CH finals dey do dey shock me again. If those people had sense, e for fresh."

Chika giggled. She actually giggled. How dare she even laugh at a time like this?

"Totally off point though," He helped himself up from the wall as he talked, "But, Somadina has been going around bragging to everyone that she sprinkled all her pixie dust on the Igbo Sisters and seeing all her big talk live, I gotta say, e make."

"So, other days Soma doesn't go 'bibbidi-bobbidi-boo on me, I no make abi?" Chika sassed.

I couldn't believe what was happening before me. Chika was completely acting so normal, shocking me with how easily it was for her to even throw in jokes with Aaron like she was not just caught making out with him over a baseless dare. 

I watched Chika Chioma as if she were a ghost.

"Oh, come on, babe —" 

Babe....

 "— You look great all the time and trust me to always tell you," Aaron had his arms sliding back around her waist and the most genuinely sweet smile on his face. "But if I talk too much now, you will say I'm whining you, shey?"

"Eh, I've heard. Oya be going," Chika looked him up and down in the most teasing gaze, biting down softly on her lip. "Go, abeg. You've overstayed." 

They looked so good together. Two of them were two beautiful people, and they looked like the most exotic pair standing so close together. Like a fine silhouette painting of a perfectly shaped man and woman. Or, a couple of class and elegance pulled right out of a vintage show. Like two precious stones that looked even better placed together.

Aaron, with his hands wrapped around the part of her back that arched to get closer to him, and her posture, dainty and elegant in her long gold dress as her hands lazily dropped to the sides and let him hold her.

Her eyes, studying and following his' with the most sensual gaze. Even if she 'shoo'd' him away, he didn't look like he wanted to go just yet. So, he stayed and held her a bit more, his tall height hovering over the 5'8 that Chika was claiming in those high heels.

 They looked so good together.

This shit gave me Ulcer.

It would have been easier to 'ship' if it wasn't so fake. Even though, from Chika's side.

How could I stand here and watch someone get deceived like this?

"See you later, babe," He pecked her lightly at the side of the neck.

"Yeah," Chika responded with a one worded answer.

Aaron's smile was painful-sweet to behold. I held my breath and felt my heart break as he looked at her like that, with the most heart melting and almost pitiful delicateness in his stare.

Christ. He really liked Chika. 

As he reluctantly let go of her fingers, slowly, and started to leave, his eyes had a terrifying softness to them, lingering behind and watching Chika as he seemed to hesitantly walk away.

Like it was too difficult to un-attach himself.

I closed my eyes until he was gone. I couldn't bear to keep watching any of this. 

When I opened my eyes, it was only Chika before me. 

And every smile and flirtiness in her in her face and body language, respectively, dissipated and a cloud of darkness, guilt, and possible self -hate came over her. She legit looked like she wanted to cry on the spot.

"What is this, Chika?" I had to ask her.

"Dabi, I don't even know, I—"

"He calls you babe," I caught her off. 

"He always did." She responded.

"What about the Kiss?" I interrogated further. "Your 'first kiss' with him, Chi."

She was quiet for a while.

"Chi, this is getting out of control."

"He asked me out yesterday."

An invisible uppercut gutted me.

Hard.

"Excuse me?"

Chika dropped yet another bombshell.

"I agreed to be his girlfriend, Dabz."

Jesus.

"Pity?" I asked her. "Was this out of pity?"

"I don't even know what I was thinking, Dabeluchi," She told me truthfully.

"Who kissed who first?" I asked.

"Me." She answered.

I face palmed. 

"But, he initiated it," She tried to explain.

I frowned in subtle confusion. "But, you kissed him first? How does that even work?" 

"Dabi, please, I have to go," Chika dismissed.

The girl just resolved to end our conversation on her own accord. Without a second word from me or her, she turned around to start walking away. Discomfort was written all over body language, it was clear as day that she wanted the ground to open and swallow her up.

I'd have been more sympathetic if I understood what she was really up to.

 But, in all honesty...

"Chika, I don't have a clue what's going on in your head—" I voiced out.

She stopped on her tracks, but didn't turn back.

"—But, what I do know is that you are making some really bad decisions."

I heard her sigh.

But that was just right about it. She barely looked at me over her shoulder and continued on her steps, walking away without a word.

"Too much drama and the night has barely even started," I soliloquised, right before turning back to leave this place that Chika left me in.

I turned around only to get startled by Soma's big eyes, widening at me in shock and a hint of curiosity. Nearly, I would have had a heart attack. If my brain was able to bring to my recognition that flay pretty fairy dress, messy bun, and unconventionally pretty make up style, I would have been diving into a stroke, thinking that someone walked in on me and Chika's conversation.

Jeez, we needed to be more careful if we weren't intending on doing some premature damage.

"You scared me, Soma," I told her. "And I am guessing you heard everything."

"No," She said. Blinked long lashes at me cutely. "But, I'm kinda smart enough to know what it's all about, Lulu."

In the most adorable conspiring manner, she latched onto the ends of her short dress and started to hop like a little child towards me, in a bid to get close and avoid being heard.

"I noticed the closeness between Chi Ma and Aaron too," She said to me in whispers. "And, come closer?" Her eyes widened even more as she leaned in to whisper into my ears, "I strongly think Casper knows something is off!"

I fought the urge to roll my eyes for letting her tell me something I darn already knew. See when Somadina Best is getting her own gist.

"Weeks ahead of you on that discovery," I told her. "And update? I witnessed their first kiss."

Soma nearly fell off the protector railing.

"And she agreed to be his girlfriend yesterday."

"You're joking."

"I swear I am not."

Her hands were on her mouth and it only took the grace of God for those huge popping eyes to stay in its sockets.

If I wasn't so uncomfortable by all of these, I would have laughed at Soma's dramatic behaviour.

"Soma, this makes me so uncomfortable," I confided in her. "And its not even my business."

"I don't understand," Soma said, she rested her back against the railing and the crease on her forehead told her confusion. "Should we call the Twins? I can't find Ebube anywhere, but Ebere is with some girls in Class B. We could all try to talk to Chi as a group and find out what's going on, right?"

"Don't bother. I already tried. She's as rigid as a brick." I told Soma.

"Aaron and Casper could hate all of us because of this," She said.

"Should we tell him?" I posed the question.

Soma looked at me like she was struck with something that caused her physical pain.

"I saw the way Aaron looked at her today, Soma," I explained. "I barely am close to him the way you and the other Sisters are, but if I found out that someone I cared about was using me all along, I could actually commit suicide."

Something akin to fear thickened in her eyes. 

"I am serious," I said, "That boy is going to beyond heart broken." Looked away and folded my arms. "I won't be able to watch someone break like that, Soma."

"I understand," I heard her voice, agreeing with me.

"So, are we telling Aaron?" I asked her to be sure.

Soma stayed quiet for a bit.

"No."

I frowned. "No?"

"No," She repeated. "As much as I am an anchor for telling Aaron the truth, it is not in our place, Lulu. It's wrong."

"It's also wrong to keep it," I said.

"Either way, he is going to get hurt." Soma said.

That shut me up.

She was right.

There was no fucking point. Telling him now or telling him later, there was no difference.

"And Lulu," Soma said. "You shouldn't go around telling other people's business. You understand that, don't you?" Her voice was so gentle a d soft, but the pinch of passive aggression I picked up from it...

I understood that it was all in my head. It was just the guilt and shame washing over me, making me hear tones that did not exist off Soma.

I suddenly remembered how she had strongly believed that I was the one who exposed her secret, because of what Miranda said. Remembered the look of disappointment in her eyes and how she had looked like the ground should swallow her whole. How she didn't respond to my DMs or messages for days and how the rest of the Sisters refused to tell me how she was doing and what she was thinking, concerning me.

Only for the hyper 'princess' to jump back into my life, happy and bubbling, supporting me, like nothing happened.

Looking at Somadina Best...

I wondered how she even forgave me for everything.

So quickly. So suddenly. 

It actually seemed too good to be true.

Did Soma truly actually forgive me?

Or could it be possible that that passive aggressive tone was not just existing in my mind's eye?

I scrapped off ridiculous thoughts as they came into my head and tried to confuse me to shits. We were talking about Aaron Godson...

And truthfully, through everything I just thought concerning the issue, one major decision was prevailing over my anxiety filled thoughts.

Maybe we should just stick with never telling him the truth.

However, that would be easier if Chika would stay away from Aaron for a start.

I fell into a short moment of depression as quietness enveloped me and Soma.

"Soma, I don't know..." I broke it softly. "I came in here earlier, feeling like I was going to have the time of my night..."

I trailed off for a moment to look at her. Continued.

"...B-but, the party has barely even started and I feel like its going to do a whole 360 for all of us."

She sighed deeply, lips pursed for a few minutes. Almost like she felt the same thing too.

"Nah," She started saying much to the contrary, "Don't be pessimistic, Lulu."

It isn't that easy...

"You came in here happy and confident," She was saying.

I couldn't help but feel a bit flattered. "You noticed?"

"Are you kidding me?" She raised a brow in amusement. "You were glowing, and you still are."

Her hands found mine and squeezed playfully and a soft giggle like a little child escaped my lips.

"All I am saying is that nothing should ruin that anticipation," She said to me. "We will figure out Chika and Aaron in due time, but don't let that paranoia ruin the whole night."

"I will try," I muttered.

"Let's go, Lulu Bear," She grabbed my hands without warning, holding it like a primary school child as she swung it playfully and hopped with me towards the stairs that led downstairs to the Living Room. "Let's go. Let's go!"

She was taking me to the main party zone and like the wind, I let her take me. With Soma's hands in mine, playing with my fingers as she walked with an excited hop in her steps, jumping on those stilettos and dragging me along with her, I couldn't help but smile.

Sweet vintage-afro vibes filled the air as Organize by Asake blasted around the entire party room, but the place was far, and I mean FAR from being 'organized'.  The last I was here was after that 'encounter of irritation' featuring Kelechi Uwa and I was walking away upstairs to find one of the Sisters when I bumped into Chika and Aaron. Truth be told, I should have expected to walk in here and find a crowd of classmates in the Living room.

Well, I did expect.

But, what I walked into was a damn multitude.

"CH FINALS!" Aaron and Casper were screaming at the top of their lungs and firing up the place.

I watched the boy who literally just called out classmates 'senseless', roaming around the ends of the room with his blonde haired bestie, Casper, making sure to pull in as much people into their video camera, and everyone was giving back the same energy, screaming back while cheering to their drinks and running around the place just to show how crazy they were.

The entire place was bastardized with teenage madness and youthful never-finishing energy, filled with classmates at every section of the room.

"Hi, Dabi!"

"Hi, Soma!"

"Oh my God, Dabi, I saw you on Acha's status!"

"You are so pretty, Dabeluchi!"

"Oh my God, I am loving the hair, Dabi!"

"Soma, I LOVE the dress, and OMG, your make up? Divine!"

"Where did you get the jacket from Dabi? Killing it!"

"Oh my God, you look so much like Willow Smith!"

"Are you wearing contacts, Somadina?! I LOVE your eyes!"

I had never gotten this much attention before from Classmates.

I couldn't take one step without having compliments thrown in my face from all angles, it was like walking through a red carpet of struggling, excited fans around you. Soma did most of the talking for all of us, smiling and jumping and squealing with everyone else, and I could only bush until I felt my cheeks heating up red and respond 'thank you' over and over and over again.

Showing off had always been the number one talent of Castron High students and while everyone was flashing their expensive things in the air: from their costly outfits to their top-notch jewellery to their new hair dos', new piercings and tattoos, and even their plenty Tiktok followers, some crazy set boys were showing off how much alcohol they could finish up in two seconds.

People like Ziba Gagare were already throwing themselves into the middle of the party floor, busting out the sickest leg work I had ever seen as others threw wads of cash at the dancing mad machine.

Like my dance class, a bunch of ballers and popular girls surrounded her, screaming and shouting and nearly breaking their heads each time she pretended as if she wanted to fall down as she danced, only to jump back up and leg work harder than before. 

"This is crazy!" Soma screamed to me over the music, as she started to pull me towards the scene.

I tried to protest, because the last thing I wanted was for anyone to try to talk me into joining Ziba in a dance off. I could not emulate that kind of social confidence to do that kind of thing she was doing. I would rather chop grass.

"Ah ah," I muttered with a frown as another classmates, nearly hit me back.

I barely glanced back at her to see her breaking her back to Asake, hands on her thighs as she bent down, twirking for no one in particular.  The set's Miss Skinny was giving her all into that shit.

"Okay na, Mena Kafe! Suffocate them with your bum bum!" Someone, somewhere, had shouted, but I shook my head and walked past because I knew that was all the attention she was going to get. 

The entire party was not going to give up a vibe like Ziba to focus on Mena Kafe twirking her back, bending and 'un-bending' it like she was possessed by an Annabelle doll. 

"The place is so busy!" I shouted back to Soma who nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Oh, see Ebere!" She shouted again over the music, pulling my attention to the twin who was at the other side of the room, talking to a bunch of class boys and girls who were surrounding her, all of them talking, laughing, and drinking from their filled fancy paper cups.

Like Ebere could tell that she had been spotted, she whipped her head towards us and her blue and white winged cat eyeliner glowed brighter when her eyes widened in excitement at us. Waving brightly, she gestured in anticipation for us to come over and join her social gathering of Zobo and Punch drinkers.

Soma and I were gliding through bodies of sweaty and screaming classmates, and she never left my hand for even the iota of a second. It was like she knew that this crowd had the capability of swallowing me to my doom if she even accidentally left my hands. 

"MAN LIKE ACHA O! WE HAIL THEE O!—"

I stopped right on my tracks, a surge of pleasant electricity shooting right through me.

Soma stopped too, like she felt it sip into her hands through mine. It was evident with the way she paused on cue, blushing for me and grinning excitedly. There had been so many distractions all over the place since we walked in here and together, me and Soma stopped to peak, along side everyone else, to observe the newest one yet. 

My boyfriend.

Truth be told, Marc was a celebrity tonight. Initially, it terrified me how much attention our set showered on him; his name was a revolving name in the lips of many and whether he liked it or not, he was always a trending topic of discussion. This party just put a step up in his name, and since we wouldn't even have been here if not for him, classmates put him on a pedestal.

I could barely see him, but I knew he was walking down the stairs. At an angle, I could only catch a glimpse of his back as he slapped hands with the guys who welcomed him, and at another, his fine twists  — the same ones I had done for him a month or so ago— glinted a fine shade of charcoal, black and greasy, from my view. As he whipped his head from side to side to acknowledge everyone who acknowledged him first, his long twists swayed at the back of his neck.

Even if I wished I could catch a glimpse of his handsome smile, I could barely see his entire frame really. But from the little, he looked so, so pretty. Like rubies. As always.

"Here comes the Bride..." Soma said in a sing-song voice.

I laughed. The attention on me — because of him — made it difficult to even see much, as everywhere around me were classmates, whom already swore their lives to idolize my relationship with Acha, started to awe all around me, making sure to make me incredibly uncomfortable and embarrassed with their dramatic behavior.

"Oh! I go love o!"

"See how she is shy, she can't even look at him!"

"God when o!"

Shy, I looked away and covered my face, blushing hard into it and laughing like the harder I did, the more likeliness of my varnishing.

It was all showers of love and fun.

Until that one hater...

"Oh, please. Give me a fucking break. I am getting incredibly sick and tired of all these disgusting attention everyone puts on this Acha and Dabeluchi, as if they are gods or something. It's not even as if that Dabeluchi girl is all that sef. Such weird luck for some wannabe 'worthy'!"

I hated that the voice was loud and clear for everyone who was around me and Soma to hear it vividly.

Enough to be silenced.

There weren't very many and I was relieved that whoever said that did not get as much attention as they hoped for. The entire party was still bubbling on behalf of me and Marc, and only but a few heads around me and Soma turned to look at the girls, who had a different opinion they were not afraid to voice out.

The little attention did not deter them.

Winnie and her stuck up friends gathered conspiringly together, all of them choking on bitterness and flaunting their feathery eye lashes, demon contacts, dracula make up, and nakedness, as they unashamedly hated on me.

"She doesn't even look that good and everyone just wants to make her feel good about herself because she is the high and mighty Acha's little miss whore," Winnie said, glanced back at the girls behind her and that was their cue to laugh at her little shade.

She had said clearly for me to hear.

And they all laughed for me to hear.

These girls knew exactly what they were doing. Standing few feet away from me and Soma and talking so openly, saying awful things.

They needed us to hear this.

They needed me to hear their shit.

For some sick reason I couldn't understand, they needed me to feel horrible about myself.

And it was working...

"And what the fuck is that nonsense on her head?" The big breasted Sanitary Prefect said to her cackling friends. "Who deceived her that it was fine? What are the glasses for, abeg? Does she even know she looks like a fucking clown case? Chim o. I'd rather drink sniper than be caught dead in her skin! Miss me with that ugliness."

Funmi and the rest of the clique cackled laughter louder than ever, the kind that resounded through me and around me, battered the last bit of confidence I had left in me. I started to feel naked standing before them.

Like I had been deceiving myself all night that I was the shit.

Winnie knew exactly what she was doing. She loved it too.

The moment my eyes set on her and she sensed the shift of emotions in them, the sickest, most manic smile crept unto her face, brightening her features even more. How someone could derive joy of someone else's misery. The wicked witch just stood there with open breast, smiling at my misfortune, with hands on akibo.

Funmi, the closest one to her, stood by her right and daintily took a dragging sip from the wine cup that her  witch-like nails latched over as she observed me and the hurt in my eyes — the product of their wickedness— with venom in her eyes and a devious smirk on her light skin, painfully pretty face.

She was so pretty, yet so evil. In one motion, she eyed me up and down, disgust evident on her face. After glancing behind at the other girls behind she and Winnie Ezra, they laughed evilly.

I just felt like the ground should open and swallow me whole. The more I stood there, the more I felt like my skin was crawling even harder. Embarrassment gave me chills and humiliation dragged goosebumps onto my skin.

My legs were shaking and I wondered why everyone else who was witnessing this was not saying anything. I looked around me and got an immediate answer. Asides me and Soma, the rest of the boys and girls who stuck around were no match for Winnie Ezra, Funmi Balewa and their stuck up mean friends in the hierarchy.

This was a case of the Invisible Rule.

One, at least one of it.

The one where everyone knew their place and knew well who to cross and who not to cross. No one here had the guts to talk back to these girls, none of them had enough influence and repute to do that and win.

Winnie and her friends were even crossing boundaries by messing with the Igbo Sisters. But, who could blame them? Chika wasn't here to scare them off and the twins weren't here to snatch off their fake wigs and stuff it down their throats. All they saw was pathetic Dabeluchi Orji and peaceful, bubbly Somadina Best.

Neither of us was willing to put on a fight.—

"Stop it, Winnie Ezra."

Soma?

I turned to her, surprised to say the least. Taking a bold step and stepping up in front of me, she looked Winnie and her friends dead in the eyes and every bit of seriousness was in her eyes.

"Leave Dabeluchi alone," She said to them. Her baby voice was firm and solid enough to communicate that she was not playing around. "Don't you know bullying is wrong? Stop bullying, you bullies!"

It was the most adorable and almost cringe worthy thing I had ever seen. If I was not so disturbed by the scene we were starting to create, I'd have giggled at how cute Soma looked, calling people out with her fairy princess dress and cuter bun.

Unfortunately, Winnie and her friends did not hide their amusement.

The girls broke into uncontrollable laughter. They were nearly falling over each other, doubling over and holding their ribs.

Soma was caught off guard. Embarrassed, to say. And so was I. This was so humiliating.

"Mad o. So, the drug addict is lecturing us about morals?" Funmi cackled, mocking Soma to shits. "Pele o. Rue Bennett!"

Soma looked like she had been thrown broken pieces of glass. She stepped back, shoved by nothing, and I literally saw the light in her eyes, break in half.

Cold water splashed my back.

"Soma..."

Whether she heard me or not, I couldn't tell. She was too hit to react. I felt massive chills wash over me. I couldn't believe that these people use Soma's weakness against her.

And this was all my fault...

"Ignore them, Lulu." Soma retreated as she quietly stepped back, turned to me and looked at me with the most heart breaking gaze in her eyes. She looked like she was holding back serious tears, her eyes moistening with liquid. "Winnie and her friends are just bullies."

She took my hand softly to walk away with her. The girls were laughing behind us, at us, mocking us with the most humiliating laughs and cackles. Their laughter was a whiplash onto my back as Soma gently tried to take me away from the scene.

I stared behind Winnie and her friends, as they laughed and laughed and laughed....

Looked at Soma who sadly was walking away in defeat, trying to take me along with her.

To myself, as I was yet again, letting them win.

"Stop."

That was me, to Soma.

She turned to me, a look of confusion registering on her face.

Winnie and her friends were still posing, with hands on akimbo, and smiles of victory and jubilation on their stupid, idiotic, fucked faces.

"Leave me, Soma." I said to her, eyes back on the girls, heavily glaring.

"Dabeluchi, what are you—"

I pulled my hands out from Soma's grip and whipped my head towards Winnie and her friends, sharp death look in my eyes.

"Can you repeat what you just said?"

The girls looked bastardized.

Confusion assaulted the absolute shit out of them as I walked towards them, getting closer with each thundering and powerful step. Winnie, particularly, looked like she was solving quantum physics equations, her confusion was unmatched.

"Is it us she's talking to?"

"She's walking here for what?"

"It can't be us she's talking to?"

"She's talking to someone else, abeg."

"She's behaving as if she's mad. Should we stay here?"

"Remember what she did to Jelanie Jarah o."

"Relax, it can't be up she's coming for, them no born am well! We'll just beat her the fuck up!"

My steps towards them were like thunder and lightening.

Whatever came over me, I didn't know. But one thing was certain, I could not stand these girls anymore.

I could not stand any hater anymore.

"It's not me, Winnie Ezra, you're walking up to like some Rhondah Rousey, you must be out of your damn mind, Dabeluchi!—"

"REPEAT YOURSELF, WINNIE EZRA!" I shouted, my voice carried more attention than intended, cutting the stupid bitch off and causing her minions to flinch.

If one third of the party was attentive on us before, I could bet that nearly a half of them had their attention on me now. I didn't care. If I had to stab one of these girls with one of the pins Soma had put in my hair tonight, I would fucking do it.

"Continue making a fool out of yourself," Winnie spoke for her friends. "None of us are even going to answer you. Keep shouting at yourself, since you're so mad."

I felt lightening in my brain.

"Mad," I repeated what she said. A humorless laugh left my lips, rolled off my tongue with more forced amusement that neccesary. "Me? Mad? Eh ehn? Really?"

"Win Win, please let's just go.—"

I was already storming off towards another destination as Funmi tried to urge Winnie. Soma was screaming at this point, more eyes were diverting towards us. Ignoring all her shouts to hold me back, I headed towards my goal.

Whoever was watching me, I couldn't care less. My mind was already set. Nothing and no one, not even Soma, was going to stop me now. As I brushed past bodies, more and more eyes were diverting my way.

"What's she doing?"

"Where's she going?"

"What's happening, abeg?"

"Somebody should tell Acha to hold his babe o."

I grabbed the wire of the loud speakers and pulled as hard as I could,  unplugging it from its source and causing all the loud music playing and blasting all around the room to seize.

The entire room had their eyes on me.

Perfect.

With eyes set dead on a now horrified Winnie Ezra and her demon possessed friends, I held the wire in my hands, and addressed them with a tone of challenge in my hard voice.

"Repeat what you said to Soma again."

Guys, I'm sorry, I can't stop laughing 😂😂😂😭😭 How are y'all feeling abeg o!!! How did Dabi standing up for something for once in her life make you feel??

Abeg, I'll go now. I have soooo much to do rn. I had to cut this chapter because it was getting way too long. But nonetheless, how did it make you feel???

Anyways, bye for now!❤️✨