{COMPLETED} "This is the sequel to The Wrong Crowd."
"I have not broken your heart - you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine." - Emily Bronte.
Following the acceptance to Dami's proposal, Ore begins to slowly realize that not a...
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"You know why you are here right?" Mr Adebayi asked clasping his hand on his cluttered desk.
Ore gulped hanging her head low. She knew all too well why she was called in. Mr Adebayi had a look of pity on his face for Ore. He saw from the first day he seized her phone and the relentless way she knocked on his door even after he bluntly stated that she stay away that she was a determined young lady.
She had the intellectual and capability that was lacking in most students but she hadn't put it to good use. She let herself be derailed from her main focus. He strongly believed that Ore was a lady of morals because she'd refused him sleeping with her for grades.
"Yes sir," Ore managed, her voice breaking as tears gathered her eyes. "I have been called in because I failed woefully in my results."
"And you know what that means abi?" Mr Adebayi questioned calmly.
"I do. I have to be placed on probation." The tears she had been fighting hard to hold in, streamed down her cheeks.
Mr Adebayi nodded. "I may not know what you've been through that made you bang so many courses. But I am willing to help you though, if you promise to be focused on school work."
Ore couldn't speak. She kept on crying, letting out all the frustration and anguish she'd been trying to keep in check. This time, there was no one to put the blame on, except her.
"Sir, I am sorry for putting you in a tough situation and not treating my first semester importantly. I promise to change and be a better student." Ore's body racked with sobs.
Mr Adebayi gave her time. He allowed her to pour her heart out while he shuffled through a few papers on his desk.
"If you need any help, my doors are always open," Mr Adebayi said when Ore had finally recollected herself. She heaved herself up, thanking the lecturer before taking her result sheet he held outstretched.
She wiped her dried tears with the back of her hand and perused her result. Mr Adebayi had helped in giving her a C in his course. For Chemistry, Maths and English she had the same score while the rest were marked red. Ore heaved a deep sigh and tucked the paper in her bag.
As she made her way out of the school building, she wondered what she was going to tell her parents. There was no excuse for failure in her dad's dictionary. He believed in the principle of give and take. The measure you put in, you received.
He wasn't going to take a single piece of paper lightly, she would have to find a way to edit so they wouldn't know. Ore shielded her eyes from the burning sun as she made her way to the park. She stalled waiting for people who were mourning their course mate in black to pass so she could cross the road.
They were singing the anthem, 'No more'. Ore squinted at the framed picture they held up for all to see. It was Mark in his matriculation gown and a proud smile on his face. If only he was still around to continue his education, Ore sighed heavily and muttered a silent prayer for him.
The unfortunate incident of his death flashed in her mind's eye leaving her questioning why life was so frail. A person could be alive one minute and then the next, he was gurgling out blood and being rushed to a hospital. Most ended up dying in their sleep, what really was existence?
Martha was the only one in the room when Ore got back to the hostel.
"Why is your face so gloomy?" Martha asked inspecting Ore's outfit. "Wait, are coming from school? I thought we are on vacation starting today."
"Yeah, we are." Ore handed over her report card as she plopped tiredly on her bed.
"Oooh my gosh." Martha couldn't hold the gasp that escaped her lips. She took a good look at the result and went over to where Ore was seated to enfold her in a warm hug.
"I know you have been passing through something you don't want me to know about. I totally understand but Ore, don't let this dull your mood. See it as a wake up call for you to pursue your studies relentlessly."
"Me, I don't read that much oo but when exam comes like this, I get to work studying. I am not saying you should but maybe you can consider that method if the scheduled reading Mercy does everyday doesn't appeal to you. Don't give up hope my dear, probation isn't forever."
Mercy rubbed Ore's arms as she sobbed into her shirt. Ore kept on shaking her head in regret. More tears cascaded down her cheeks and she felt her heart squeeze with guilt.
"Have you taken your medications?" Martha suddenly realized. Ore replied in the negative and Martha pulled away from her.
"Do you want to kill yourself? You heard what the doctor said that anytime you stop taking the drugs, you should consider going back to the hospital for admission!" Martha fumbled for the medicine bottle and popped some pills on her palm based on the prescription.
"Now take," she said in a commanding tone. Ore swallowed the drugs with a glass of water and shuddered at the bitter taste. Her head was pounding as a resultant of her constant sobs. She sniffed feeling the effect of the drug slowly seep into her system.
Martha laid her to rest and tucked the covers around her.
Ore woke up feeling a bit relieved. She knew what she had to do. Edit her semester result and call her parents to inform them of the day she was to go home. They would have known that the school was on vacation as they had eyes and ears around.
Martha was set to travel to Anambra state where she lived with her elder brother. Mercy was going three days after Martha. She had already packed her bags and placed them at a corner as she waited excitedly for the D-day. She stayed back that long because she had a few stuffs to settle in school.
Mercy, Martha and Ore embraced themselves, shedding tears of joy and sadness on how far they've come. Parting ways was inevitable. Ore was going to fight to stay off campus, Martha was thinking of renting in lecturer's quarters while Mercy wanted to continue staying in the hostel.
Ore didn't want to let go. They shared such sweet friendship in the brief period they spent together. Even though they each had different personalities, they managed to stick unitedly and in tune with each other's moments.
Although, theirs was a rocky bond that majored mostly on the downs, they were still going to stay true friends. Forever.
