Good Morning🌝
~Ew, people~
⊱𝙾𝙼𝙰𝚂𝙸𝚁𝙸𝙲𝙷𝙸 𝚃𝙷𝙰𝙻𝙸𝙰 𝙳𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚂𝚃𝙰⊰
~~•~~
"I didn't notice what I lost
Until all the lights were off
And not knowing what you're up to tortured me
Now this might be-"
"Oma." My brother's voice, followed by a loud knock on my door interrupted my singing session. It was something I always did to relieve stress or get rid of building anxiety.
This one was for the latter.
I tapped the pause icon on my phone, stopping the instrumentals crooning from my Bluetooth speaker.
"What?" I answered, slightly annoyed by his interruption.
"Dad is calling you."
Those words were all it took for that anxiety to now hit me.
He's not going to kill you. He's your father. My subconscious said to me.
But his anger isn't one to be ignored.
Don't get me wrong. My father can hold the title of the world's best father, and friendliest man. But once it got to his business, he was nothing but ruthless.
This summoning was due to yesterday's incident at the alley. So putting two and two together, one would get why I was scared shit. I and brother dearest were in deep trouble.
And I could bet my last dime that it was going to be me at the receiving end of Dad's anger, and not Kanye.
Yet, he would still defend me.
"Oma, did you hear me?" He knocked again.
"I'm coming." I got up, grabbed my joggers from my bed, and put them on over my shorts, then slipped on my slippers and stepped out of my room.
None of us said a word to each other as we made our way downstairs, to the living room. The only thing I could hear was my hammering heart. Thinking about how much trouble I was in, made me feel nauseous. For the third time today.
"Are you okay?" Kanye asked. He must have noticed my uneasiness earlier but chose to speak up now.
No, I feel like puking my guts out.
"Yes." I nodded to assure him.
"Sure?" He asked again, and I hummed in response this time.
The closer I got to the living room, the more fear engulfed me. I stopped walking, and just stood, contemplating running back into my room and locking myself up.
I don't know how Kanye was doing it, but I couldn't face that man.
"I can't." I pulled my brother back. "Kanye, I can't." My tone was fear itself.
Kanye placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed lightly. With so much assurance in his eyes, he said to me,
"It'll be fine."
This was my twin brother telling me to trust him, and I did.
"You'll be fine." He said again, and I nodded at his words, took in a deep breath, and walked into the living room together.
The salivating aroma from one of Mum's favorite native soups didn't scent so salivating anymore. It turned my stomach instead.
Our father's usual anger was one that anyone could bear, and it wouldn't even take up to a minute for Mum to have him calm. But there's a difference between our father and Mr. Antonio Nelson-DaCosta, and we were standing before the latter.
"I heard what happened at the alley yesterday."
Silence.
No one dared to utter a word.
The air was tense and suffocating, and I'm sure my mum sensed it because I heard her mutter words in the Igbo dialect, all the way from the kitchen.
She wasn't happy with the way her husband was handling this.
"Do any of you care to explain?"
"It was just a misunderstanding between my friends," Kanye voiced out, but I could see beyond that brave boy façade.
"A misunderstanding that caused damage!" Dad roared and slammed his fist on the armrest, causing me to flinch.
"Baby, calm down! You know you shouldn't be yelling, and you're scaring these children." My mum complained as she came out and stood by the kitchen door.
From the tone of her voice, she was very much annoyed.
"We're sorry, Dad." I decided to say because I had been quiet the whole time. But I instantly regretted it, because I felt his angry eyes on me.
I almost couldn't breathe.
"Do you know how much money I have to spend now to fix those things?"
We kept mute.
My eyes had been glued to my feet from the moment I stood before Dad. Only Kanye was brave enough to look him in the eye.
Fucking Jidenna and that stupid Jude.
"Me responda!" (Answer me!) He yelled again, and I took a step back this time. Kanye didn't even moved a muscle.
I'm guessing that was all my mother could take because she stormed into the living room with her apron still very much tied to her body.
"Antonio, stop this for Christ's sake! This anger of yours is too much, biko. Some of your properties got damaged, ehen? And so what? Is that why you want to scare these children to death??"
"My properties, Uju. Properties that cost me money, and even much more money to replace!"
"Don't raise your voice at me! I'm not the one who spoilt your properties, neither are they!-
-It's right that you want to scold them for at least not being a bit watchful, but I will not have you sit here and yell at them like culprits. You should go down to that bowling alley, and yell at the staff you employed because they are the ones responsible for that place."
It was then I decided to look up. Mum was fuming with anger as she glared at her husband. Dad, on the other hand, was red with fury, but it seemed like that red was slowly fading away with every second his eyes were on Mum.
She tore her angry eyes away from him and faced us. "Both of you go to your rooms." She ordered.
I didn't spend another second in their presence, I hurried out of the living room, up the stairs, and into my room, leaving the open because I knew Kanye would come in.
I plopped down on my bed, leaned back into the headboard, and wrapped my arms around my legs, pulling them close to me.
"Kainyechukwu leave this place!" Mum's loud and angry voice echoed throughout the house, and it only meant one thing. Kanye was trying to defend me and apologize further.
This boy get mind sha.
If anything, I was grateful for Mum's intervention, because I was going to take the blame for what wasn't my fault.
For crying out loud, those disastrous boys aren't even my friends.
My head went up as I heard the sound of my for close. Kanye had come in, and I watched as he strolled towards my bed, but didn't sit immediately.
With a sigh and one hand massaging the back of his neck, he stared out of the window for a while, before meeting my gaze.
Then he sat.
"Well thanks to you, we're banned from going anywhere," I muttered and looked away from him.
Dad didn't need to tell us, we already knew what our punishment was. Although, Mum was sure to counter that.
"Então isso é minha culpa?" (So this is my fault?) He questioned in Portuguese. I would have replied to him the same way, but that would lead to a full-blown argument.
The last thing I needed was Kanye rapping senseless Portuguese into my ears.
"Well if you hadn't invited that Jude boy there, this wouldn't have happened."
"And how was I supposed to know he and Jidenna aren't on good terms?"
I didn't reply to him because he was right. I couldn't have possibly guessed that they knew each other. But at least, they could have just taken their stupid fight elsewhere.
"Besides if you had alerted me immediately they started arguing, I would have stopped them."
And he just had to do that.
I sat upright. "Oh, so now you're blaming me?"
This was one of the moments when I couldn't believe the words coming out of my brother's mouth.
"So I should have told you, then you get hit trying to resolve their stupid conflict, and when your crisis starts you will blame me for that too abi?"
Kanye got up from the bed angrily, glaring down at me.
"Oma, the fact that I'm a sickler doesn't mean I'm weak! Stop treating me like I am!"
Did this boy even know the gravity of what was wrong with him? That even the slightest damage done to him was a threat to his life? Did he see this all as a joke?
I got up angrily too.
"Nobody is treating you like you're weak! We just don't want you to end up 6 feet underneath the earth! But if that's what you want, then fine, because I won't have to be blamed for everything all because my brother is a sickler!"
One, two, three seconds, was all it took for my words to sink in, and I stood there in shock, as I realized that I just said the worse things I could ever say to my brother.
Hurt, guilt, anger, and disappointment were the only emotions his eyes held.
What have you done?
"It's not my fault you know. I didn't ask to be this way."
With those words, he turned his back on me and made his way toward my door.
"Kanye..." I followed, but before I could reach him, the door was slammed in my face, and I stood there, staring at it.
I had just labeled Kanye a burden to our family, to me. If anyone were to say those words to him, it wasn't supposed to be me. I was to support and stand by him, not criticize and blame him.
What have I done?
(Cue sad Nollywood music)
~•~•~
"Omasirichi."
My eyes fluttered open to the darkness that engulfed my room.
"Omasirichi."
Mum.
I slowly sat up on my bed, my eyes catching the little ray of light which was coming from the reflection of a half fullmoon on my mirror.
Wait, the moon?
I looked outside my window to be sure my mind wasn't playing tricks on me. And truly, it wasn't. It was night.
How long was I asleep? And why weren't the security lights on yet?
"Omasirichi Chimamanda." Mum called again, deciding to go with my full name and knocking heavily on the door this time.
"Come in." I finally answered her, not looking away from the window or getting up from my bed. I heard the door open, and then close, and after a while, I felt my bed sink, followed by a gentle touch on my leg.
"Oma, are you alright?"
My words from earlier today replayed themselves in my head, followed by the look on Kanye's face. A continuous recap of my mess up.
The tears weren't coming, because I had shed them all. My eyes felt puffy and they hurt so much.
"I said something very bad to Kanye, Mummy."
She didn't say anything. Not like I wanted her to. I continued.
"I blamed him for being a sickler. I made him feel like a burden to all of us."
Her hands slid up my legs till they met my hands that rested on my thighs, and then she held them and squeezed lightly. I could feel her gentle gaze on me.
"I've told you, Oma, speaking when angry is a no-no. You say a lot of things you end up regretting later on."
I let out a deep breath and looked at my mum with a small sad smile.
"I'm very sure he hates me now."
"Your brother doesn't hate you. He'll only be hurt and disappointed with you for a while, but I'm sure he'll come around. You, on the other hand, have to show him how sorry you are."
If only hurtful words were that easy to get rid of.
"Now come down and eat. Or should I bring your food up here?"
"I'll eat here."
"Okay, my baby." She pulled me into a hug, and it gave me a little bit of assurance that it was going to be fine.
𝙰 𝙵𝙴𝚆 𝙷𝚘𝚄𝚁𝚂 𝙻𝙰𝚃𝙴𝚁
(In that SpongeBob narrator's voice🙃)
Sitting in the backseat of the car with Mr London, my Dad's driver taking me to school, I couldn't help but think about how badly I messed up yesterday.
I was half expecting things to be cleared up a bit this morning, but I was so wrong.
Kanye didn't wake me up like he usually did, because I am so not a morning person. He wasn't there to hurry me down for breakfast. In fact, by the time I had finished getting dressed, I got downstairs only to be told that he had already left for school.
He freaking left me at home!
7:50, and I was still on my way to school.
What a great way to start the school week as a prefect.
"Small madam. We don reach your school."
Mr London announced, and I opened my eyes and looked out the tinted window at my school's large and grand black gate.
I opened the door, got down from the car, and closed it. Mr London drove off immediately, and knowing how late I was, I didn't bother rushing through the school gates.
The vast compound of the school was practically empty. All cars were parked in the school's parking lot situated close to the school gate.
I was relieved that I didn't meet any school staff on my way to the senior's building because I would get loaded with a lot of questions as to why I was late to school.
Trust me, that's the most annoying thing to experience on a school morning.
8:00 am was displayed boldly in red on the large digital clock on the wall at the end of the large hallway of the seniors building.
I had to take the stairs up to the Ss3 series and got to the second class after sciences. Ss3 arts, my class, but I didn't walk in. My eyes quickly roamed the class and found Idera who had her head on her desk. I'm sure she was waiting for me to show up at school.
Well, she's going to wait a little longer.
I retraced my steps back and took a detour to the music building.
~•~•~
"Kanye, can we please talk?" I begged, hoping that he would at least hear me out. I only spent the first period in the music building, before going back to class for the second period.
My physical form was in class, but my mind wasn't. Guilt was eating me up, making it hard for me to concentrate on all that the teachers had been teaching.
All I could think of was to apologize to my brother, and I seized the chance to do so once everyone had left the class for the cafeteria for the break.
"No." He answered, not even sparing me a glance as he sorted out his books, and packed them into his bag.
"Look, I'm really sorry for what I said."
He looked up at me. Kanye was still hurt, and I caused it.
"Sorry doesn't wipe away the fact that I'm a burden to our family. To you."
"I was angry, I wasn't thinking." He just chuckled and didn't reply, which I took as a good sign. Or was it? He placed the last book in and zipped the bag shut.
"You know what they say, the truth comes out in anger. What you said yesterday is the truth. It's normal for one to get tired of a problem after a long time of dealing with it."
He made his move to leave the class, but I stood in his way.
"Kanye stop this. Stop blaming yourself."
"Oma please," He snapped, the annoyance in his eyes taking me aback. "I don't want to do this with you, so just leave me alone." And he walked past me, and out of the class.
I felt a great pang grip my chest. My mother's words now seem like a broken promise. There was no hope that he was going to come around soon.
Kanye is not one to keep things in mind for that long. Yes, he would be offended and would let you know you offended him, but he would let it go.
But this? What I said to him?
He wasn't going to forget the brutal words his twin said to him so easily.
My appetite has been nowhere to be found since last night. The hunger pangs were there, but I ignored them. Food doesn't just appeal to me in distress, and I'm sure it wouldn't take the girls that long to figure out something was wrong.
I gathered myself and left the empty class to the unused storage room on our block, just after the male restroom. I needed to be alone, and in a place where I wouldn't be found easily.
With a strong feeling that I was being followed, I turned back to lock the door shut, but I wasn't successful because someone poked their foot in, just in time, to stop the door from closing.
That footwear, or rather, sneaker. I could recognize it anywhere because there's only one person who wears that type in the entire school.
Could this day get any much worse?
I whirled around, my eyes darting to his tall frame. A frown automatically made its way to my face and I didn't fail to make any attempt to hide my displeasure.
"What's your problem?" I demanded, my frown hardening. He didn't seem fazed. The only thing that question earned me was a smirk as he shut the door to the storage room with his legs.
His lazy, dark green eyes swept over my frame like he had all the time in the world and then, he tucked his lips between his teeth, biting down on it. It earned a smile from him, revealing his dimples.
I swallowed. Hard.
"Damn, girl," He tucked his hands into his pockets, his voice barely audible but asides from my thumping heartbeat, it was the only thing I could pick up on.
"Ikechukwu!" I raised my voice, frustrated at his antics.
He chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. The way his eyes roamed every inch of my body made me so conscious and made my mouth run dry.
How can someone be the devil's incarnate and look this good?
His looks and disgusting personality were two contrasting things. I willed myself not to but my eyes wandered off on their own, taking in his appearance. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled to his elbows, his tie thrown carelessly around his neck, and the bastard didn't have his shirt tucked into his trousers.
"What do you want?"
"What do you mean what do I want?" The smile on his face wiped off and he arched a brow at me. He took a step forward and my breath quickened. I tried to mask my nervousness by putting on my best-unaffected look.
"You know what I want, Oma..." His voice trailed off, dropping an octave lower.
"I am not doing this with you anymore, IK," I shook my head to emphasize my words.
Yes, you will. It's your cycle. Rinse and repeat.
"Oma-"
"Stop it!" I snapped at him and the voice in my head. "Do you think this is funny? This is taking a huge toll on me and you know it!" I yelled at him, throwing my hands up in the air.
He kissed his teeth, brushing his fingers over his hair before muttering "Oh, well" under his breath.
"Will you have me ranting out your little sec__" I cut him off by shoving him hard, causing him to chuckle. He smirked.
"Feisty, a big turn-on,"
"Shut the fuck up!" I narrowed my eyes on him, taking a step forward. "What do you think you are trying to do?"
I couldn't blame him. This was all my fault. All these wouldn't be happening if it weren't for my careless ass. I wouldn't be at his damn mercy if I had my shit together.
He only watched me with fascination without uttering a word.
"You are fucking pathetic, IK," I spat. "Well, go ahead," I called his bluff. "Go ahead and run your big mouth!" I fumed.
But I knew those were mere words. I was just trying to put on my big girl pants and act like I didn't care. I couldn't afford him running his mouth.
He saw it too. He saw how the look on my face faltered and that gave him an edge over me. He closed in on me, his cologne invading my nostrils, causing me to suck in a breath sharply.
"Face it, Oma. You are stuck with me." He whispered, his breath brushing my face. I shuddered and before I could seize control of the situation, his firm hand found a way to the small of my back, yanking me to himself.
I crashed against his chest, his dizzying fragrance consuming my senses. My hands were splayed on his chest and whatever words I wanted to say died in my throat. All that confidence I had earlier was completely washed down the drain.
Our eyes were locked in a heated gaze, compelling me to swallow. His eyes bore into mine, shedding off every layer and reaching out to what was beneath. His fingers caressed the small of my back as he leaned in, nuzzling his head against my jaw.
My eyes snapped shut, instinctively. He was so swift. I didn't even see it coming. He had my blazer off my body in seconds, tossing it somewhere in the room. One of his hands left my waist and traveled below, grabbing a fistful of my ass and he gave it a soft squeeze.
A moan slipped out of my mouth and he groaned, burying his head into my neck to muffle the sound that was filled with satisfaction.
"So responsive, as always..." He chuckled against my neck, swiping his tongue against it.
I let out another moan, this one louder than the former, and grasped onto his shirt for support. He must not have been comfortable with our position because I felt my feet leave the surface of the ground in no time. He carried me like I weighed nothing and I clasped my legs around him.
It gave him the room to grab my ass as he wished, squeezing it to his heart's content. It left me breathless, melting my senses into a pit of goo. I tried not to give in to the pleasure, but the more I tried to hold on to my restraint, the harder it became. Every one of his touches set my skin on fire, leaving an insatiable desire in its wake.
My back connected with the wall in no time and our lips brushed in the process, causing me to sigh in anticipation. He sensed my eagerness and that gave him more of the upper hand, causing him to chuckle.
"You love this, don't you?" He demanded huskily, dropping a kiss to my neck and I tilted my head to the side, granting him more access. I couldn't bring myself to form a coherent speech. The pleasure was very overwhelming.
My legs which were still wrapped around his waist, tightened against it when he sucked on the skin of my neck.
"Oh, fuck..." I rasped, breathlessly.
He pressed himself against me and I could feel him. I could feel all of him. It sent a surge of heat rushing through my veins, leaving goosebumps all over my skin. He dragged his hands up my thigh, trailing them breezily across my skin until they disappeared beneath my skirt.
His mouth showered feathery kisses on my neck while his hands worked their way into my skirt. I was a moaning, breathless mess beneath and he relished in the fact that he had me right where he wanted me.
Fucking sexy bastard.
Each graze of his fingers intensified my arousal and left a sizzling sensation in its wake. He grabbed my thigh, possessively and I couldn't stop the breathy sound that flew out of my mouth.
"IK!" I moaned, loudly, totally forgetting the fact that people could pass by and overhear us.
"God, Oma!" He growled into my neck, muffling the husky, breathless sound, which sounded so erotic to my ears.
"You drive me crazy. You know that, right?" He breathed, pressing a kiss to my jaw, and then, I felt his fingers brush the hem of my panties, tugging at them and snapping the band against my skin.
Fuck!
My palm met the back of his head, brushing my fingers against his scalp and pressing his head against my neck, to aid his kisses, which blurred my vision and had my eyes rolling back in their sockets.
"THE SELECTED COMPETITORS FOR THE PARAGON SHOULD MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE SCHOOL GYMNASIUM. THE PRINCIPAL WILL MEET WITH YOU THERE."
I was immediately snapped out of my lustful haze, expecting Ik to do the same and stop his sweet assaults on my neck, but he didn't.
"Ik." I tapped him, trying to bring him back to order while fighting the urge to give in to the sweet pleasure again.
"Ikechukwu!" I whispered harshly and smacked him this time and that seemed to do the trick.
"Fuck." He groaned, lifting his head up from my neck.
The intercom beeped, causing both of us to look up at the small speaker fixed on the wall as the announcement was made once more.
"I didn't hear that."
"How would you? When you were busy trying to take yourself to cloud 9." I retorted as I unclasped my legs from his waist and got down.
"No. I was trying to take you to cloud 9." He smirked and I shot him a glare.
We were lucky it was the intercom, and not an actual person barging in on us because that would be disastrous.
Omasirichi DaCosta, the school's beloved sanitary prefect and the black sheep of LIC, Ikechukwu Duru, caught almost shagging each other in the school's old storage room.
It made me shudder as goosebumps sprouted all over my skin.
"See you after school, chica?"
"No." I shot back, putting on my blazer, and adjusting my uniform, smoothening any visible crease. And without another word, I walked out of the storage room leaving him in there.
I cussed myself mentally for giving in again. After all the promises to myself to stick it out and end it for good. Only the heavens know what that boy was using on me that every single time he touched me, I couldn't resist.
Every damn time.
It's a freaking cycle, Oma and you're never going to stop.
Fuck you Ikechukwu Duru.
I walked down the quiet hallway and empty classes, out of the senior's block and to the sports complex.
I made my way into the first building in the complex, which is the gymnasium, and I was welcomed by the loud chattering and laughter and yelling as soon as I stepped in.
Boys and unnecessary noise.
My eyes immediately scanned everywhere for Dami, but she found me before I did. She waved to me over to the back where she was seated, and I began making my way to her.
Before I could make it halfway, someone called out my name. It's surprising how I could even hear my name with all the noise around.
I stopped in my track and looked around to see who called me, and when I couldn't see anyone, I turned back and continued where I was heading.
"Oma!"
This person called out again, a bit louder this time for me to be able to recognize the voice.
"Omasirichi!"
Ethan Banjo let my name fall out of his dirty mouth again.
He wasn't supposed to be in school. Not until next week because he was given a three weeks suspension for sneaking into the principal's office and altering his test grades.
The issue wasn't about the grades. Partially the grade, but mostly the morale, the mind, the guts, and the audacity Ethan had to sneak into the principal's office.
Every Laureate referred to that office as sacred. Like a holy ground. You dare not get in without an appointment from the principal.
So Ethan Banjo committed a huge sin.
Normally, expulsion would be the verdict given to students who committed this crime, because it was a serious offense. Altering test results and breaking into the principal's office?
That's huge.
But in this case, it wasn't an option, because Ethan's parents are one of the school's major sponsors. There's no way he could ever be expelled.
And that gave him an avenue to break whatever rule he wanted. It isn't a surprise that him and Jidenna are besties. Hugo being part of their trio was the surprising thing.
I stopped walking and turned to see him already approaching me. He finally did, and as usual, he was sporting a smirk on his face.
If only boys could stop doing that, the world would be a much better place.
"Happy to see me?" He gestured to himself.
I folded my arms with a blank look. The look I had always given him to ward him off. But it seemed like Ethan was immune to it because he kept coming back.
"I'm not sure happy is quite the word."
"But at least you feel something about my return."
"Yes. Disappointment. It's an unfortunate fate for this school that you returned."
Sporting a look of mock hurt, he held a hand to his chest and let out a gasp.
"You didn't have to be that harsh, baby."
"Call me that one more time-"
"Ethan!" My eyes moved to the sound of the voice which belonged to Jidenna, and I felt a flash of anger. If only he and that stupid Jude hadn't been so keen on acting like children, yesterday wouldn't have happened.
I noticed that he hated it anytime Ethan spoke to me, and if I didn't know better, I would have thought he was jealous or something related to that.
Just that thought was gag-worthy.
"I've told you, man, she's not worth it."
Thank God for self-control. No, really. Thank heavens for this thing called self-control.
I grabbed Ethan by his tie, pulled him to me, and then brought my face close to his. My eyes intently fixed on his surprise-filled ones.
His Cologne invaded my nostrils, and I almost paused for a second to inhale, but I couldn't let him have the satisfaction of knowing that I acknowledge how good he smells.
"Tell your friend I said, fuck him." I tugged harder on the tie, possibly almost strangling him. But I guess he was too busy staring at my lips to even notice.
Certified idiot.
"And you too." I finally let go of his tie and made my way to the back of the hall.
"You know Ethan isn't going to deliver your message?" Dami stated as I sat beside her.
I turned to her surprised, and it was like she got my question before I could ask it.
"I read lips." She said with a grin.
Good for you.
"I don't care if he does, or doesn't," I told her.
"You're scared of him too. Aren't you?"
Scared of him? Not one bit. I might not be as brave as Idera to confront him, and I don't even have the luxury of time to do so. But I wasn't scared.
"I am not scared of Jidenna."
I looked away from her, but I still felt her eyes on me like she was trying to figure out something.
Well, good luck on that one.
Looking around the gymnasium, I realized that I and Dami were the only female in the entire hall. We were the only females among more than a dozen boys. A combination of the American football team, and basketball team. A.K.A, Hugo's boys.
That's what happens when only boy sports are included in the Paragon.
Well, basketball is a unisex sport, but the female team wasn't going to be participating.
Coach walked in, with the principal following behind, and immediately, the whole place went quiet. Only the sound of his shoes meeting the hardwood floor echoed in the hall.
The principal, Mr Johnson, stood before us, with coach beside him and his hands behind him. Unlike the principal who always had on corporate wear, Coach seldom wore anything formal, or corporate like the teachers. From Mondays to Fridays, it was tracksuits and sneakers.
"Good morning, Eagles." Mr. Johnson's authoritative tone echoed throughout the gymnasium, and everyone responded to him.
I kept my mouth shut and rolled my eyes at the word Eagles.
Eagles, and we have never been able to win at least two games out of three since we began competing in this so-called paragon.
"I have to join the board of directors in an hour, so please make it brief." He said to coach who nodded and began.
"There are three sports that the-"
"I'm sure I said make it brief."
Okay?
"What is doing this one?" Dami muttered beside me, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
Coach cleared his throat, and proceeded.
"Bello and Pedro are representing the male swimmers." Umar and Leo stood up to identify themselves.
"Ayodeji and DaCosta are representing the females." It was our cue to stand up.
"Hugo Dike is the captain of the basketball team, and Abbey is captain of the American football team." Hugo and Sunny did the same.
The principal took what I would call a glance, at all of us once more, and nodded.
"Good luck to you all in the paragon."
"Thank you, sir."
We hadn't even finished replying to him, and he was already walking out at a brisk pace, while Coach was trying to catch up with him to see him out.
That man needs a daily reminder that he's nothing more, than a principal. He needed to stop acting like the damn owner of the school.
Coach got back.
"Good morning Eagles." He greeted us.
Again, that name, Eagles. It needed to be changed for real. Especially when we were going to be competing in the paragon. I didn't participate last year, but the coach had urged me to tag along because I will be competing the following year, which is this year.
I wasn't pleased one bit with how they performed. American Football was the worst. The guys flopped. We only won the basketball game and the male swimming category.
Then there was this girl, who represented the Crestview female swim team. All my four years on the swim team, I thought Senior Marion was the best and unbeatable in swimming, until that day. That girl swam past Senior Marion like it was nothing.
I was in shock.
Although she took second place, I still couldn't believe it. She had never taken second place in any swimming competition LIC competed in. First, and only first. The trophies and gold medals in the Sports Hall of Fame were proof.
Now thinking about competing with that same girl this year made me feel nervous as hell. I just prayed something would come up, and she wouldn't be competing this year.
My hand went up.
"Coach."
"Yes, Oma?"
I wanted to ask if he knew the competitors from Crestview, but feeling a certain pair of eyes amidst the many on me, I changed my mind.
"I don't think I'll be able to stay for today's practice. I don't feel too well."
"What are you doing?" I heard Dami ask.
"I'm ditching, but in a polite way."
"And what exactly is the problem?" Coach questioned, and I came up with the classic girl excuse.
"Period cramps." I placed a hand on my lower abdomen. "And they hurt so bad, so ignore the brave face I'm putting on sir."
"Okay, you are excused. But be aware that next practice, you're going to swim today and next practice laps altogether."
I nodded. "That is not a problem sir."
I was willing to do anything not to be in the same space with a certain somebody at the moment. And let's not forget the guilt weighing me down seriously. God knows I wouldn't function properly if I stayed.
"But period cramps shouldn't stop you." The coacharly disappointed, but I had no choice.
"I can't swim in a pool when I have a sanitary pad on, sir. Plus my period lasts for 5 days, so I'm not sure I'll be able to make it to the next practice. " I deadpanned, generating murmurs from the boys in the gym.
"Oma!" Dami whisper-yelled and smacked my thigh. But I ignored her, and the weird and stupid looks some of the boys were giving me. Especially those American football idiots.
Sanitary pads and menstrual cycle. Haven't they heard of those before?
Coach cleared his throat loudly, effectively halting the snickering and murmuring.
"Good point. You can go."
I bowed my head in appreciation. "Thank you, sir."
And that was how I ditched practice, politely, and stayed in the ICT room till school was over.
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Who wants to see IK hot stuff?🤭
I'll upload his aesthetic and faceclaim in an upcoming chapter.✨
Aaand, we finally get to meet Jidenna once again in the next chapter. His POV will be kind of frequent after this chapter, because he's the MC, duh.
Have a good night's rest.✨