Femi's POV.

"You see this?! You see the rage in this girl?! You see all these crap I'm reading, huh?!" Damola yelled, as he put his phone in my face, the text from Kunmi displayed on his phone screen.

Kunmi's text was clear, blunt, hurtful and extremely brutal. She shouldn't have gone through the lengths of sending such a despicable text to someone who'd she'd considered a friend. A person who cared for her way too much, as much as he would care for himself or a sister.

Her text read thus:

I hope you're happy, Damola. I hope you're feeling great, after ruining the relationship between Femi and I. To think that I ACTUALLY considered you MY friend, I never expected you'd do this to me, you selfish and heartless creep! You know? You're even worse than the devil. And you know why? I'll tell you: THAT'S  'CAUSE YOU'RE HEARTLESS, MEAN AND INCREDIBLY WICKED! Even the devil makes known the fact that he's wicked, but you? You take refuge in the pretence of being a "perfect" friend. Perfect, my arse! You say one thing and you mean another. You're a sly snake, a deceitful human being, and a disgusting person. I HATE YOU, DAMOLA! I HATE YOU!!!

Shocked at all I'd read, I tried to calm Damola down... But he was way too upset and enraged, to be pacified.
"She has made her feelings about me clear. Na me do myself, I was only trying to look out for that large-sized idiot and this is what I received instead" Damola huffed as he plunged his fist into the wall behind him. I tried calming him down, surprised at the level of anger that continued brewing within him. Never in my life, have I seen him this way.
["I did this to myself"].

"You know what?! I'm going to give her a piece of my mind! Femi, she thinks she can craze... Well, two can play at that game oh! And eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. Kunmi should just wait for me first!" he yelled, anger tearing it's way through his face, and making its presence known. Damola walked towards the door, and I hurriedly went after him and stopped him. Angry Damola certainly wasn't my favorite Damola.

"Guy na! Chill! You can't go talking to her, looking and feeling like a psychopath. Please... Chill" I pleaded with him and he exhaled, and shut his eyes, in an attempt to calm himself down.
"Please?" I pleaded again, and he finally calmed down.

"I should chill?" he asked, disbelief evident in his voice. "After she spat such vile words about me, I should just chill?" he chuckled sarcastically. "Femi, can you even hear yourself?" he asked, gritting his teeth in anger.

"I know you're angry —"

"You can bet on your life, I am! I freaking am!" he yelled, cutting me off.

"—but please try and understand what I'm trying to say and calm down. Two wrongs doesn't make a right. You might end up saying something you'll regret in the end" I said, hoping he'd see reason with me.

He let out a frustrated grunt, pulling his hair in frustration and finally letting go of it. "Why did she have to go and say all that?! Femi, you know I was only looking out for you both, right? You know that, right?" he asked and I nodded my head reassuringly.

"Yes, I do. And that's why you don't have to remind me or try to explain to me. This time, Kunmi is completely at fault and I'll certainly have a word with her" I replied and her warnings flooded into my head.

Just don't call me, don't text me, don't even come to see me. And please... Please, don't... Don't try to touch me again.

At this point, I seriously didn't care about her stupid warnings. It's me she has a problem with, and not Damola. Why she'd drag Damola into this, is what I do not understand. Her text just proved just how immature she is. And to be honest, I seriously think it's good she asked for a break. Her behavior is quite abnormal and that's totally unlike her. So yes, maybe our friendship does need a break. She really needs sometime to recollect her thoughts on just how much she has changed.

"You? Talk to her?" he scoffed. "Kunmi?" he scoffed again, giving me a light pat on my shoulder.

"Femi, we both know you can't do that. She sheds a few tears and you're already dancing to her tunes. Seeing her hurt, makes you hurt too. So, my dear friend, you can't do anything" he said and I stared at him blankly. In a way, he was right... I couldn't even deny that fact.

"Trust me, I'll handle it" I said to him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

He looked at me queerly before giving off a shrug.

"Whatever..." he murmured, his hands clenched into fists. "Just make sure she doesn't cross paths with me or else, I'll show her just how wicked I can be" and with that being said, he shoved his hands into his pockets, and left.

I sat down on my bed, staring at the wall right before me, and wondering how things got this far.  I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that she has become so bitter all of a sudden. And merely because of a one-sided infatuation? That was really sickening. Just thinking about it, made me sick to my stomach.

And once again, my heart became so heavy; at the fact that our friendship was slowly falling apart.

* * *
Chioma's POV.

My legs felt like they weighed a ton and my eyes felt heavy as well. By now, I had already given up on running. Now, all I could do was walk aimlessly around the stranded parts of the city. I couldn't walk any further and decided to sit down for a while, 'cause I was just too tired to even move. And I was so hungry, I've never felt this hungry ever before and I really needed something to eat. Unfortunately, there was nothing here I could even nibble on.

"Ow!" I groaned as my tummy rumbled once again.

I leaned against the brick wall behind me and groaned as I nestled my head into my palms and cried. It was already night fall, the mosquitoes were already feasting on my skin, and I barely even knew where I was, or where I was headed. The feeling of uncertainty made me so scared and I feared what would become of me. At this point, my main prayer points: were to leave this place unharmed and get rescued from this entire madness of a situation.

"Search that other side! No vex me oh!" I heard a very deep baritone echo from a distance, piercing through the silent and eerily quiet atmosphere of the night.
["Don't make me angry!"].

It was them. The ones who'd kidnapped me. I didn't expect them to find me so quickly. Now, they were right here, looking for me.

Could this day get any worse?

My heart began to race, as I secretly rose from the dirty ground and tried looking for a place to hide. The entire streets were deserted and the only source of light was that which was coming from the moon. The moonlight lit up the place in a soft, tender glow.

As I thought on what to do and where to hide, tears gathered in my eyes and I heard their voices getting closer. One thing came to my mind, and that was the only sensible thing my brain could process in the fearsome state I was in. And that was: run! Even if it meant dying in the process, I just had to keep running.

With tears streaming down my cheeks, I ran. I didn't want to stop, and I knew I didn't have the strength to continue. Still, I ran either ways.

"Who be that?!" I heard another loud voice say, echoing through the distance behind me.
["Who is that?!"].

They must've heard my footsteps... And with that possibility registered in my mind, I kept running: trying so hard to ignore the pressing urge to stop and the weakness I felt.

I noticed a flashlight was shone my way, and in a matter of seconds, they were already chasing after me. I wondered how long I'd be able to outrun them, there was absolutely no one in sight. They were getting closer, and I was slowing down. My forthcoming doom, made its sudden presence known to me and I felt my limbs slowly giving up and my pace; reducing.

I was just about giving up, when a bright light was blared at my face and a loud car honk followed. The car raced towards my direction and I had no time to avoid the impact from the vehicle, so I braced myself for impact, hoping I'd die once and finally rest. I've suffered enough.

Screeching of tyres and a final honk - were heard, and I slowly peeled my eyes open in realization that I hadn't been hit by the car.

Why not? What happened?

"Are you mad?!" the driver roared as he got down from the car, eyes reading pure rage.

"I could've just hit you right now, and you — Chioma?" he choked out, and for the first time in a long while, an excitement - which I never thought I'd have towards seeing him again - filled me.

"Ebuka" I said, trying so hard to suppress my smile.

I was about saying something else when I heard gunshots behind me, I immediately became so scared and aware of my frightening fate.

"Please... Help me!" I pleaded and he immediately understood the situation at hand.

"Get in!" he yelled and we both ran to his car and got in. With urgency, he rode the car out of there and I slowly slumped in my seat, taking in all that had just happened.

The realization of all that'd just happened slowly slipped into my mind and I tried understanding everything.

Now fully resting on the chair, my mind went back to all the times they'd hurt me. My entire body, was filled with bruises, cuts - old and news ones, that'd purple over time - and scratches too. I couldn't even imagine the torture I would've gone through if Ebuka hadn't come to my rescue. But then... What was he even doing there in the first place? At such a deserted area... And at this time?

Not that I wasn't happy of his appearance, I was, but I was also basically curious.

"You okay?" he suddenly asked, as he took a right, to a much more civilized part of the city... A route that led straight to the island. I weakly nodded my head at his question.

"Um... Not to sound rude, but what were you doing there? At that street?" I was aware of my bluntness... I just wasn't sure how else to put the question. I'd already had a long week, and basically had no strength to worry about how blunt I'd sound or not.

"I was returning from a friend's house" he simply replied and I nodded my head in understanding.

"He lives in such a deserted place?" I pressed on.

"Yes" he replied and I immediately nodded my head again.

He tore his eyes away from the road for a moment and looked at me solemnly.

"They really hurt you. Those guys re monsters" he muttered as he took a right.

I didn't say anything else. All I could think about, was the reaction of my family if they get to know I've been found.

Did they even miss me?

I wasn't sure, but I hoped they did. And the ones I worried the most were basically Amanda, my dad, and Amara. As for my mom? I wasn't exactly sure about her.

As the car drove down the quiet streets heading to the Aniobi mansion, sleep immediately engulfed me, wrapping its warm hands around me. Sleep, which had eluded me, a few days back.

* * *
Femi's POV.

"I have nothing to say to you" Kunmi muttered, as she tried to send me away. I was standing right before her, in her house, and I was angry that she even had the audacity to say that.

What has gotten into this girl?!

"You sent such a rude text to Damola and here you are, claiming you have nothing to say to me. Mind you, that you crossed the line!" I warned. I was getting tired of this entire thing.

"Get out of my house!" she yelled at me.

"Why?! Since when did all this one start? Until you decide to apologize I _"

"I warned you not to come here, didn't I?! I warned you!" she yelled as she hissed at me, cutting me off in the process.

"Why are you behaving like this? I don't understand you anymore" my voice was solemn, weighed down by hurt. I wondered how liking a person could turn them into... This. Was that how love worked nowadays?

"I'm behaving this way because I want nothing to do with you two, don't you get it?! I'm tired of this whole thing... Give me a break!" she yelled, with crossed arms.

"You've changed. This isn't you, you're behaving so... So weirdly. What happened to you, Kunmi?" I said to her, the rage in my eyes, becoming more visible.

"Get out, Femi! Get out! I do not want to see your face! Get out! I said, get out!" she yelled, like a crazy person, walking away in anger.

"And never come back here again!" she further yelled, as she walked up the stairs.

I was flabbergasted at her outburst. This girl... She, she just isn't the Kunmi I used to know. This girl - who'd just walked out on me, like I meant absolutely nothing to her - isn't my best friend. The girl who'd I'd considered my sister.

Indeed, change is the only constant thing in life. You think you know someone, and yet you're proven wrong the minute you see their true colors.

And never come back again!

Her words rang in my ears.

Then... So be it.

With slumped shoulders and a troubled mind, I walked out of her house, vowing never to return.

After all, she'd asked for it.

* * *
Chioma's POV.

I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder and I slowly muttered words unintelligently and tried opening my eyes. The minute I tore my eyes open, the Aniobi mansion was right before my eyes. I couldn't even believe it. I was finally home!

With urgency, I sprang out of the car, leaving Ebuka to continue with whatever it was he was saying. I was just about walking into the house, when Ebuka got out of the car and placed a hand on my shoulder and grinned. To me, it felt like a dream... And I seriously hoped I wouldn't wake up any time soon. I just wanted this, all this, to be real.

With his help, we both walked towards the door and he rang the doorbell. It took a few minutes, before the door finally came open. Gina, the oldest maid at the mansion, opened the door first. The minute her eyes landed on me, she screamed.

"Madam Chioma! Madam Chioma don come back oh!" she exclaimed and I smiled, already getting teary eyed. I didn't even expect to be happy to see her.
["Madam Chioma has returned"].

"My... My parents... Where are they?" I asked, trying so hard to keep it together.

"Make I go call them" she said as she stepped aside to let us in and hurried upstairs to go call my parents.
["Let me go and call them"].

I was so nervous, happy and excited, all at the same time. And the minute I heard their approaching footsteps, coming from the stairs area, I sprang out of my seat and ran over to meet them in tears. I was aware that I stank like a skunk, but did that matter now?

All the tears I'd been trying so hard to keep at bay, came rushing out of my eyes.

"Chio... Chioma" my mom said, disbelief evident in her eyes.

"How...? How did you—?" dad tried saying, but the tears in his eyes didn't let him continue.

The minute Amara finally got down, she screamed and ran towards me, hugging me like her life depended on it.

"I... You... You're... " she kept saying unintelligent things and I couldn't wait to tell them everything.

"I'll explain. But first..." I turned to Ebuka, with a big smile on my face. "I owe you one, Ebuka" I said, the gratitude in my eyes glimmered as I spoke.
"Thank you" I immediately added.

_______________________________

Hello guys!!!

So... Um, I know some of you are getting bored of the story already. I'm really trying my best to bring it to an end, and not give y'all a flimsy ending.

Please, I need your support more than ever, to finally finish this book, it's not easy joggling schoolwork and other things... Including Wattpad. I try my best each time to update and I hope you'll be patient with me.

To be honest, I was hurt when I got those feedbacks... Like, who wouldn't? But I'm not angry about them either... I just felt kinda bad. Still, your honesty was appreciated. I'm not mad anyone, please don't get me wrong 😘

I'll try my best to speed things up and not try ruining the story in the process. It's not taking forever 😂 it'll be done soon.

Okay, please vote if you enjoyed the story, and also leave a comment.

Thank you❤️❤️❤️❤️

Till my next update,
Bye...