STONEBWOY- EVERLASTING
SOME OF YOU MIGHT NEED TO CATCH UP WITH THE PREQUEL TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE BOOK 2.
HERE'S THE LINK-
https://www.wattpad.com/story/233701553?utm_source=android&utm_medium=link&utm_content=share_writing&wp_page=create&wp_uname=chancelar&wp_originator=qfLrUCuiJHjPS2mmAqMrlWMbpE2OC472%2BUb4Yes00xynh%2BRDPmjF%2FQF%2BUdXDz%2BM%2FT5X8cbQWKS0cjASmjsXGbX92yU%2Bz45ftE8wETsoncf8wBiTL6LFXtYF737nIPACp
OoO
The meeting with the police investigators was pretty intense while their parents convened in the assembly hall for the PTA meeting. The place which on the previous night had been a dancehall, had been magnificently transformed into an official meeting place, all traces of drinks, strimmers and trash, gone thanks to the compound prefects.
The DSP let Ciarra know her attempted rape wasn't a coincidence or an accident, Genevieve had orchestrated it after realizing Ciarra was heading the right direction in her investigation. They asked if she had met her in any setting outside of school, Genevieve wasn't her friend so that was hardly. Wait... Veronica's wedding. Roland drove her there. She probably met him the moment Ciarra entered Shuttle. Genevieve told him Ciarra really liked him but to get her to like him back, he might have to force it. Roland suddenly breaking out of jail was also orchestrated.
Also the brick that had broken the window on their first day of school was a sort of warning from the gang, to instill fear in them so they won't go poking around.
Ciarra suddenly broke into hives, this was shuddering news that gave her the chills. They've been following her all this while?
The girls were told Efua would like to see them. They didn't want to go but they were curious about her so they obliged. After all the questioning was over they stepped out of the chapel only to meet Efua in her Sunday attire and sandals just like every other student and she blended in perfectly. She smiled at them and Kweiba rolled her eyes turning to leave but Ashanti pulled her back.
" I understand guys. It must have been really strange to hear that I wasn't who you thought I was."
" Yeah Efua, you had all of us fooled." Ciarra says.
" Not all of you." Efua snickered and points at Ashanti,
" You new she was a cop?" Kweiba asked Ashanti and she disagreed.
" I always had the feeling that girl was going to figure me out soon enough." Efua smiled.
" I don't know I just wondered how she could act so matured sometimes, even some of the things she says sound like Mrs Asare speaking to us. " Ashanti shrugged.
" So what do you want from us now?" Ciarra asked.
" Yes I did lie to you all. I had to lose a couple of pounds to go undercover for this case. Melanie's parents were distraught after their daughter disappeared because according to them it was unlike her. The only way to get the full story was to be a Manhattan house girl, an unsuspecting one at that, that's why I joined the freshmen class."
" So no one would be paranoid." Ashanti comprehends.
" Exactly, and though it was for official detective purposes, I still met you girls and you girls made me feel what it is like to be a teenager. Unlike you girls I was rushed through school. I was in college by age thirteen and graduated soon enough. Believe it or not, I am only eighteen. That was why I was given the case at the Accra Regional Police Department.
" ARPD." Ashanti recollects.
" I had just graduated my police academy training and hadn't even worked on my first case but I was recruited for this case because I could easily blend in with you girls and I enjoyed every moment of being a normal teenager, gossiping about boys, complaining about teachers out to get you, trying to play smart during house inspection and generally hanging out with you girls. You might think it was all a charade but I was genuinely interested in all your shenanigans like Veronica getting married, Faye's karma cycle with her past relationships, Healenore's beef with her twin sister, Ashanti's lonely life, Mae's sheer innocence, Ciarra's overprotective parents, even Heather's positive outlook on life taught me something. Even being yelled at by Lartifa and Sabina during my chores, I hated it but soon I got used to those self entitled seniors. And I hope someway somehow I still have a place in your hearts because I will never forget you girls." Efua beams, a tear slipping out of her eyes.
" What about the investigation?" Kweiba asked.
" Now that Soraya has been found, it's only clear that Melanie's parents were right, their daughter hasn't run away and Velar, Genevieve, Regina and Ruth are going to help us find out where she is."
" What if they don't comply, they are still underage so you can't force them." Ashanti reminds her.
" We're the cops, we'll handle it. If it becomes impossible, I know a group of young detectives who can spearhead the case." She says with a suggestive wink.
Ciarra hugged her and they all joined in the group hug.
" We're going to miss you Efua." Ciarra sniffed back a tear.
" Same here." She tried to hold back her tears, " I'm not going to be like the other adults and tell you girls to study hard and stuff because I have been with you all and I know you're the smartest teenagers I know of and please don't let that change. Tell the others too, I really feel bad it had to tur out that way.."
A police patrol car honked down the chapel on the street.
" I've gotta get going, you've got my contact right? Call me if you need anything. Even food for visiting. And let Faye know she's a very unique girl so she doesn't have to eat herself up." They laughed at that holding back their tears.
" Hey, I guess the seniors were right about the disappearance of one of us by the end of the semester if we don't quit being inquisitive." Kweiba reminds them.
" I guess they were right. So now there is going to be nine of us." Ashanti says.
" I guess they were right." Efua agrees as the car honks again, " See you all, and spend your holidays wisely."
She retreated and they all couldn't help but stand and watch her get in the car before it sped off.
" I'm going to miss that crazy addition to the group." Kweiba smiled.
Beullah walks up to them from the eastside of the chapel. The moment they noticed her, they all turned to leave.
" Wait guys, please wait!" She called after them running up to them.
" I know you guys kind of hate me after everything with Faye but I just wanted to apologize." She says in between breaths.
" Well, Faye's not here." Kweiba states the obvious.
" I know, I just needed you guys to pass the information on. Here." She handed them the crampled piece of paper, " That's Soraya's handwriting, Anita says I should help out and I know this because Soraya was the only girl in Manhattan who never dots her I's. She probably wrote this to Melanie because she was the only other senior who worked around the Wall of Fame. Soraya's portrait was taken down by Pamela, she was the leader but I swear after Melanie and Soraya's disappearance, there hasn't been a formidable group."
" What has that got to do with the Ms Manhattan pageant?" Ashanti asked.
" Melanie won the last one ever held and things got chaotic afterwards in the gang because though she wasn't the leader, she wielded a lot of power in the house, Ms Manhattan had the power to single handedly eject any girl out of the house and to vet into a prefect position any student on campus without the need for a student election."
" Wow, that must have been a big deal." Ciarra observed.
" It was, so it kind of overshadowed Pamela's overall power which led to a lot of fights in the house until Melanie disappeared, Flora was convicted then Soraya went missing, then Krasdar was outed to the entire school. I don't know into details what exactly occurred since I was new in the group but Velar and Genevieve sure knew a lot going on since they were very close to Pamela. That's all I know and I thought you girls should know."
" Oh my, we should have probably gone to you first, then we wouldn't have gone through all this mess." Ciarra sighs.
" I guess so." Beullah agrees her very bright eyes lighting up, " See you guys next year."
She walked away at that.
" I don't think Beullah is that bad." Ashanti comments.
" She's still gay, that baffles me." Ciarra tells them as they descended the stairs down to the road.
" Hey let's go check up on the girls at the school clinic." Kweiba suggests and they all headed that direction.
The sanctions prefect called Ashanti back and handed her a punishment card. Kobby who had just walked out of the store room in the chapel walked up to her while the others continue to the clinic.
" What did they give you?" Kobby asked curiously and Ashanti turned.
" A two-week suspension after the first week of school next semester."
" Harsh!... I actually wish I got this punishment for next semester. An official permits to ditch school for 2 weeks? How can I hate something like that?"
Ashanti put a hand to her head frustrated.
" Sorry Kobby, but this kind of punishment is internal, meaning I'll have to come to school, have only prep and dining throughout the entire day." Ashanti clarified.
" This is real injustice especially for people like Zaron, we need defined laws to protect people like him." Kobby scrutinizes, " I've got this, for the meantime try to get Anita to have the suspension time reduced."
He took the slip and run after the girls crossing Ciarra's path.
" Kobby! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Ciarra panicked. After a night of being snuck up on and running, this was the last thing she wanted to experience, " Kweiba go on ahead, I'll join you later."
Kweiba nodded and walked away.
" I'm so sorry, here." He handed her the sheet.
" Who's this for?" Ciarra asked until she read Ashanti's name, " Poor thing, I wish I could do something."
" Actually you can, you're on the Junior Jury." Kobby reminds her.
" Yes Ky, but no freshman has ever brought up a case because we are mostly ignored. They claim our ideas are irrelevant."
" Look Ciarra, this is a much sought-after scandal it has a high-profile and so much deception that everyone has his or her own story to tell, so why don't we just gather all the information and pronounce the truth?"
" I don't know, I don't know really but I'll try." Ciarra rants, " If I have to create a case of my own I'll need a lot of evidence to support me and a couple of witnesses, and help from someone on a higher hierarchy in the school."
" I've got all that covered the photography club did a great job during the dance they have shots of virtually everything from every angle, so I am sure if we hook up with one of the executives we will be able to locate a few smudged images of who went into the chapel after Ashanti and Zaron, then we'll need to get a few people who were on that street at that time. We have all vacation to prepare for this!" Kobby explained excitedly as Ciarra looked at him with uncertainty, " Look, it's something you've always wanted to do so here's your shot let's help our friends."
" I'll talk to Sister Anita to speak to Ekow so he gives us a head start to compile our findings and if it is good, then fine I'll do it."
" Anyway who's coming for your parent-teacher meeting?" He asked.
" My older sister, my parents are out for the week as usual what about you?"
" Hasn't Jasmine had a baby yet I was expecting one."
" No you moron they got married barely a few months ago." Ciarra says with an eye roll,
" I still have a problem right now... Ashanti's family is going to know about it and she'll be toast so we probably need someone to redirect all messages to be sent to her family at the moment."
" I'll have to convince Rebecca to do that, why are you so involved?"
" Because Zaron is involved and the last thing that boy needs is drama."
OoO
Rebecca was with Zuriah and Amanda as they walked towards Miami house when a senior winked at her- A girl!
" Did you two see that?" She gestures with her head.
" Are you referring to that girl? That's Krasdar, the school's ultimate slut. I hear she's bisexual and quite clingy to anyone she admires." Amanda enunciates, " Why do you ask?"
" You mean she's gay?" Zuriah tries to clarify and Amanda nodded.
" She winked at me! ." Rebecca deadpans and Amanda and Zuriah halted.
" I just hope it's a wrong signal because it will mean she likes you." Amanda gasps.
" Eeeew, I thought homosexuality wasn't a thing in this country." Rebecca grimaced.
" It isn't but watching too many western TV shows and movies has started affecting some people." Zuriah states.
" Where I was raised in the Arabs, it was not just wrong but punishable by law." Rebecca says as they resume walking.
" Exactly, but that doesn't stop people from doing it in secret." Zuriah says.
" This world keeps getting worse each day." Rebecca face palms in frustration as a voice called her from behind.
They all turned. It was Ciarra.
" Hey Becca." She greeted cheerfully, " Hey guys!"
" You don't just say hi to me on any day for no reason." Rebecca responds bluntly.
" Can we...talk?"
" Now that's what I'm talking about, what?!" Rebecca asked.
" Like in private?" Ciarra whispered. Rebecca gives her a stare down and finally complies.
" You guys can go ahead without me I'll be back in a bit." Rebecca tells Amanda and Zuriah. They nod and walk away.
" I hear you'll be going home tomorrow and not today." Ciarra tried starting some small talk.
" My aunt's hates attending parent-teacher meetings like these because she has a delinquent like me as her protegé she's already aware of the reports teachers will give so why venture?" Rebecca slurs exhausted.
" Has it always been like this?"
" Well you see, ever since my grandparents left their fortune into the hands of their youngest daughter who squandered it carelessly with a drunk boyfriend who knocked her up. My aunt who was the firstborn had expected all of those things to happen because according to her my mom was immature. After the decision of my grandparents she just began to hate my parents naturally. To top it all off, they both died leaving me as a parting gift to my aunt."
" Do you sometimes wish you had parents?" Ciarra asked, Rebecca stops walking and takes a good look at the surrounding. Parents were arriving in their various vehicles, parents who had no cars and had to walk were stuck behind the gate until it was time for the gates to be opened up. One word- INJUSTICE. Some students were already being embraced by their parents and loved ones. Other parents were helping their kids to pack up into their vehicles.
" I do wish for a childhood sometimes you know...to have really had one. You know what I'm talking about don't you? I don't really wish for parents because even if they were alive, they would still be doing a terrible job at raising me like my aunt is doing." She stopped next to the garden fences at the durbar grounds. She was quite exhausted walking short distances since it was the last days of her pregnancy.
" Some of us do have parents but as you said we never had a childhood. To be free, to just be a child, a little girl like your peers, we never got it and it's not because you don't have parents. I envy you, I mean you are able to let the world know who you are without having to fear an objection. I started lying to my parents since I was twelve." Ciarra discloses and Rebecca chuckled.
" Many don't believe me either, I lie to them about Kobby."
" As expected, anyway what did you want to talk to me about?"
" It's about Ashanti...we need to help her." Ciarra cuts to the chase.
" Oh yeah, the news is spreading around. I wonder what Mrs Asare is going to say?"
" Ms Bella already convinced her not to believe it, if not, Ashanti would have been ejected this morning." Ciarra relates," Kobby wants me to deal with it at the Junior Jury next semester but I don't have enough evidence. I need to contact the photography club."
" Did you just say photography club? I know just the person!" Rebecca lights up, " Actually he's stalking me right now because the almond tree just shook without a wind."
" Huh?" Ciarra turned to check out the tree but there was nothing there then a camera light flashed at them.
" Egypt! get out of the tree your girlfriend is not here so stop hiding." Rebecca says in a singsong tone but no one answered.
" Come on Egypt, I saw you since we stepped out of the chapel so stop playing games with me."
This time, a light-skinned boy in his short sleeves Sunday attire and black pants jumps off the bough of the tree to the ground with one of the school's Canon cameras still in hand.
" I'm so sorry Becca." He says with an apologetic grin.
" Apology accepted. I need to ask you for a favour and after that leave before your annoying girlfriend comes to accuse me of trying to steal you from her."
" Hi." He greets Ciarra.
" Okay so where are you doing the same thing last night?" Rebecca asked.
" Of course why do you ask?"
" Did you by any chance take a few shots around the chapel?"
" I was on duty outside so maybe I did, but it depends on the timing because I was here a little before midnight." Egypt says.
" Sounds like the time Ashanti and Zaron walked in, we might have clues on who went in next." Ciarra adds.
" Wow, this sounds like a crime invetigation movie. I love detective stuff!" Egypt beams.
" Do you know Clique's? It's a famous Café in the city." Ciarra asked.
" Zaron's mom's Café." He mentioned.
" Give me your contact. I'll call you during the holidays so we meet there and go through the images." He went through his wallet and handed her a business card.
" Dude, you have a business card?" Rebecca laughed, " You're so cliche."
" When I said I meant business did you think I was joking?" He asked rhetorically, " But Becca, my offer still stands."
" See Egypt, I am not a sidepiece, if you want me then choose between me and Jordyn. I don't want you to leave her too because I'll be a relationship wrecker and what she said about me will be true."
" So you prefer my brother to me? Because I saw you two last night and you seem to enjoy his company." He says like a wounded puppy,
" I am really getting dizzy with you two. Berkeley is not with anybody he doesn't stalk me and he's not you. I don't want to create a rift between any of you so I am not seeing either of you. Berkeley and I are on a platonic level. I won't date any of you especially with that vicious viper you have for a sister. I can't bear all these issues so I am just going to stick to my studies and graduate got it?" Rebecca explains whiles Ciarra looked on.
Egypt nodded, disappointed. Rebecca took his hand.
" Why do I feel like I just slapped a white bunny in the face?"She jokes and he smiles briefly, " See you next semester. We're still friends."
He grinned and walked away.
" What was that all about?" Ciarra wondered.
" I have so many problems in this school and Egypt is one of them. He doesn't know the difference between lust and infatuation. The boy has issues."
" They're all like that, he thinks he can date both you and Jordyn simultaneously. More like Kobby getting involved with Leila." Ciarra scoffs.
" That's a wrong decision Kobby made, those Queen B's are worse than you think, just watch." Rebecca says, " I watch things from afar and I noticed one of the three is getting involved with the other's father."
" Lucy, Leanne or Leila, which one?"
" I have to be certain before I start disclosing names but during visiting the man pretends to leave after visiting his daughter and later meet up with the other one who has perfectly disguised herself and they leave in his car probably to a hotel. Later in the evening he brings her back lying to Mr Seidu the security man that he left something behind."
" Now that's some serious accusations, but why would she do that to her friend?"
" To those girls, biting each other is something to be expected, they are like hyenas." Rebecca sighs.
" Rebecca, can you like hack into the mail system of the school and changed the email and phone numbers for Ashanti's family so all messages sent to her parents get to another contact? Her parents will kill her if they see the complaints."
" You've got a thumb drive?" Rebecca asked and Ciarra fetched for one in her wallet, " Come with me, I want you to see how it's done so you stop asking me to do things like this."
She led the way up the stairs of the laboratory block and they moved towards the computer lab. She hacked into only one particular computer and began to run the school's data until she found the messages being sent to first-year science students' parents. She found Ashanti's name easily since she was the only one with that name and swapped her contact with hers before formatting the page to hide any traces of the swap.
Later Ms Bella hands Ashanti their holiday assignments and asked her to distribute it to the entire class, she was assigned Miami house- the most ultramodern house in the entire feminine house complex and for that matter the entire school. They had a study room, proper lighting system, consistently running water so they never have to go to Jerusalem for borehole water when the taps seize to run, most cubicles of bathrooms and toilets, fans in every dorm, larger rooms and bed bunks, lockers, a mini library and best painting since it was built only two years ago.
Manhattan's still competed with it with its own charming spotless colossal buildings. Because of how neat and tidy Manhattan house was, it was very hard to notice how old the paintings or woodworks were and it therefore could compete easily with a house like Miami for the neatest house awards.
One thing was unfortunate for students in Miami they had the most aggravating house mistress who had no filter for her words. She could say just anything like she was doing when Ashanti got there.
" Dorm 3 girls stop being asses and turn off the fans your father doesn't own the house!!" She yelled out from the mango tree in the middle of the house, " And the girls still at the taps get the f*** out of there this instance!!"
Ashanti felt slightly intimidated as she walked in through the gate stealthily trying not to be noticed.
" The Manhattan girl going, get over here!" She totallyt forgot the color of her house dress would expose her as a Manhattan girl.
Ashanti stopped in her tracks and mentally slapped herself when she realised she was in the Manhattan house dress compared to the branded wax print Miami girls had for their house dress. Of course she would notice.
She confidently walked up to Mrs Phateemat, Miami's house mistress.
" Good day Madam." She greeted.
" Good day, I'll let you off on this one because today is the last day of school... what do you want?" She asked sternly.
" Mrs Asare gave me topics for the holidays for us to study and she sent me to your house to tell the house prefect." She replied as politely as she could.
" Well, our house prefect and deputy are at the library studying for their finals but we have the third in command around the house. She is not really the official third in command but she gets things done faster here." She tells her and turned to a girl packing up, " Juliet, call me Tigrinna."
" Yes ma'am." The girl drops her folded mattress and ran back inside the halls as Ashanti tried to comprehend the name Tigrinna.
After five minutes the girl returns.
" She says she doesn't want anyone bothering her today, she doesn't look too good anyway ma'am." The girl says.
Ashanti was shocked, how could a third in command be able to tell off her own house mistress who seemed to be feared by everyone?
" Please tell her it is my last favor for the semester." The woman whispered to Juliet.
She went back and three minutes later walked out with the girl in an unprescribed baggy black Adidas hoodie over her house dress. When she finally made eye contact with Ashanti she smiled and Ashanti recognised her- Rebecca! Of course she should have expected her here this was her house after all.
" Hey Goodman." She greeted cheerfully.
" Oh so you know her? You actually have friends apart from the Florida girl and Amanda?" Mrs Phateemat asked referring to Zuriah.
" Come on...I am not that introverted." She defends with her arms akimbo and her house mistress only chuckles to Ashanti's amazement. If she had dared said a sentence close to that or tried rolling her eyes at Mrs Asare, she would have gotten two weeks of scrubbing the stairs. Rebecca was obviously being treated differently from the others it was obvious from how she behaved around them.
" So what brings you here?"
"Mrs Asare asked me to give out this message to all 1st year and 2nd years." She showed the sheet to her. Rebecca glanced through it and after, took it with one hand with the other hand still in the front pocket of a hoodie.
" Why do they call you Tigrinna?" Ashanti asked curiously.
" Oh...that, I didn't give myself that name you should ask Phateemat. Phateemat... please tell her." She refers to her house mistress by her first name without taking her out of the sheet she was reading and she left into her house to let them know the information.
" It's a swedish word for Tigress. I thought that name suited her so well. She is different from most stubborn and naughty girls that went through my hands in this very house. She's not a stubborn girl she just had an unsteady childhood so I try as much as I can to make her feel safer here with me." Mrs Phateemat replied.
Suddenly there was a shout to seize the moment and all those busily packing stuff to listen. Rebecca was standing in the middle of the compound with a darker and taller girl who seemed to have been the one who shouted, she had such a masculine voice.
" Okay everyone, listen up! This is from your dearest Mrs Asare." Rebecca mocks and majority of a housemates chuckled at that as she dramatically flips the paper to read it out.
" To all first years topics for the holidays are...."She read out the entire list and dismissed everyone.
Mrs Phateemat turned to Ashanti, " See what I told you, she can easily do just anything the others will be doing in secret."
Rebecca returns with the list.
" Thank you, and see you next semester- Hey are you going in the afternoon or in the evening?" Ashanti cut in.
" Well, fortunately for me I'll be living an extra day with my little Tigrinna here." Mrs Phateemat answers.
" My aunt couldn't make it today so I will leave tomorrow." Rebecca explains.
" Oh... okay. I better get going. See you." Ashanti attempts to hug her but she beat her to it and shook hands with her, at this point hugs could reveal everything about Rebecca.
" Bye Ashanti Goodman." Rebecca smiled as Ashanti walked towards the gates.
OoO
Ivy felt so bad for the freshmen and headed towards the clinic to check up on them. As she walked she auspiciously felt like she was being followed which was odd since it was a public high school, people were constantly walking around. But today was unlike most days because almost everyone was busily packing up for home except for final year students, all parents were also at the PTA meeting.
She turned once again and the bushes nearby rustled.
She stared placing both hands in the pockets of her sweater, it was getting pretty chilly on campus since the wet season was prolonged.
" Sylvester...stop following me, I know it's you." She groans in frustration. There was no reply, " You either tell me what you want or I won't ever speak to you ever again."
That got to him as he stepped out from behind the coleus bushes brushing off the weeds.
" Hey." He greeted with a warm smile.
" I have so much on my mind, what do you want?" Ivy asked.
" Can we...talk?"
" I thought I made it clear that we had nothing to talk about." She complained.
" I know, but it's different this time, please." He pleads.
" Morning Café." She says and turned heading towards that direction.
The Café was quiet yet very warm as they sat at the booth far off into the Café. Fred stepped out and asked for their orders. He ordered a decaf and she ordered a latté.
" I heard about everything that happened last night." He said.
" It's tragic, several freshmen got hurt in the process. " Ivy said.
" The boys put a few things together and you'll be surprised what we figured out."
Ivy arched a perfect brow at him.
" You were just like those freshmen Ivy, I recall you were so curious about some things happening in Manhattan house." He remembers with a smile.
" I know right."
" Yeah, unfortunately you didn't have enough friends with the same mindset. These girls did and that was the reason why they attained their goal. Pamela dated Johnny Walker, you remember that right?" He asked.
" Yeah, it was strange since he was her junior."
" Exactly, that was the reason why she dated him. She knew he was into her and that he felt it a privilege to be noticed by someone like her so she made good use of it. She and her friends were in a cult, I heard."
" Yeah, one like a sorority."
" They were engaged in a whole lot of sophisticated sleights on campus and you were practically the fly in their ointment."
Ivy was now very interested.
" She wanted to get rid of you, so she had Johnny make up a rumor about me in the house, it got to me at a point and I wanted to prove all the boys wrong, I don't know why I allowed it to get to me."
" What kind of rumor?"
" You wouldn't understand but boys tend to have a bruised ego when you hit the right nerve. I wanted to prove them wrong so badly that after he hinted to me that even a girl like Flora wouldn't be phased by me, I made it a goal to get Flora to like me." He sighed as Fred served them their coffee and left, he hadn't seen those two at the same table since forever.
" That must have been tough because Flora isn't like that."
Ivy listened.
" You're right, but I was so blinded by my diabolical chauvinistic traits I didn't realized I was being used. And I understand why Flora would want to kill me after that. " He says before taking a sip from his cup, " You got mad at the both of us and redirected your attention to Flora and I so Pamela and her friends were able to tighten all loose ends. Funny enough, after that situation, you weren't interested in pursuing them anymore."
" So their plan worked." Ivy nods, " Wow, we must have all felt like pawns on a chessboard to them. They were playing everyone."
" Exactly. And now you hate me and I still can't forgive myself for allowing myself to stoop so low."
" I have forgiven you." Ivy smiles taking his hand from across the table.
" But you wouldn't want us together." He whispered.
" Those freshmen actually taught me a lot, I asked Heather if Lejandro was nice and she said yes, then I asked why she wouldn't give him a chance. Guess what she told me." Ivy beamed, " She told him to ask her in a few years when she was more mature so she could give a rational reply. I want to be like her."
" She's so smart. But what about your Dad. My Dad still thinks we're still together."
" Same." Ivy agrees, " But I'm starting to realize I don't have to live my life for my parents, believe me or not, one of the freshmen taught me that. I mean I couldn't even step up for my best friend when she needed me most."
" I understand."
" I'll tell them after our finals." She says, " Watched your last performance at Ink It on the school's blog."
" Oh yeah, it was amazing." He recollects fondly. They continued their conversation till lunch.
By 5pm, everyone had exited campus including stay-in students like Nesrina. Only the seniors were on campus and one more freshman, Rebecca.
Ms Bella was also about moving towards the computer lab to finalize her student's reports when she recalled someone who would still be on campus at 6:30 p.m. The school grounds where so silent as cricket's whistled through the dark environs, lighted by the filament bulb street lights.
She was going to leave at dawn the next day so she thought it better to give the other girl the gift she's been saving her since she found out her secret.
Ms Phateemat heard a knock on her door and smiled when she noticed it was one of her favourite teachers, the prettiest chemistry teacher on campus and in fact the prettiest teacher in the department of science itself.
" Ms Bella, what a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe this visit?" Ms Phateemat beamed .
" Nothing much really, just wanted to say goodbye for the semester." She says with her left hand clutching the paperbag she was trying to hide behind her.
" It's been a nice semester with a few usual bumps but with all of you young teachers around you help us deal with the kids according to the new developments available."
" Oh well, we try..." She trails returning her smile, " Um...Mrs Phateemat, I was hoping to see one of my students here. She goes by the name Rebecca Asante."
" Tigrinna? Wow today's the first time she's received visitors in this house. She's in bed, dorm 6."
" Thank you very much." Ms Bella appreciated.
" You are welcome and please don't take her rudeness to heart, she is still learning to control that." She says.
" I'll remember that."
" Well goodnight."
" Goodnight to you too."
Ms Bella waits until she closes the door to her bungalow before proceeding towards the dorms.
She knocked lightly and heard a reluctant 'come in'. When she opened the door she found her in bed crouched in a corner reading a book on organic chemistry. Wow, who would read that when crisis was ahead? Ms Bella wondered.
After a brief silence Rebecca decides to turn to see the new intruder.
" Ms Bella?" She asked.
" Hey there, I thought you'd be asleep by now but I guess I was wrong."
" Pardon me to ask, please did I do something wrong again... cause I think we'll have to postpone my punishment, I'm swamped for today and tomorrow." Rebecca tells her and Ms Bella chuckled.
" You are not in trouble. Mrs Phateemat has been doing a great job helping you settle in huh? That's sweet of her."
" I guess so."
" I brought you a baby shower present. It's all I could get." She revealed the bright silver bag with pink bows printed on it. At those words , Rebecca's eyes widen a fraction.
" I know okay, nobody told me and I have to give you that, you've been really great at concealing it. Mrs Phateemat wouldn't notice because she has never been pregnant before and Mrs Asare wouldn't notice because she's outdated now. But I do." Ms Bella explained, " I think you're very brave. I've been there before and I wish I wasn't so scared."
" You have a baby?" Rebecca helps herself up and asked.
" I wish I did. There are many mistakes we make as young people coming-of-age you don't realise them at the moment. In 10 years you would look back and regret a lot." She sighs."
" I don't understand him please don't tell me I will understand when I grow up. No I am tired of listening to that nonsense from all adults."
" You want to know?... There are disheartening expectations in life that kick you off your life ladder and in the long run you have to start climbing up again but this time with less vigor. Why do you think I am here as a chemistry teacher was my mates are graduating med school or our activity actively in their dream job?"
" You messed up your life Ms Bella?" Rebecca inquired.
" You can say that, if I hadn't been so irrational I am sure It will be like 10 years old now. He didn't want to take responsibility and my parents got mad and kicked me out of the house. How I continued High School and graduated is still a mystery. It ruined my golden grades and I had to offer chemistry in college but I picked up in college. I couldn't continue because it was getting so expensive so I opted for a teacher's training and here I am." She narrated solemnly, " So you do realise that just one mistake could ruin your life. At least you didn't try it twice."
" You tried it twice?"
" Premarital sex is wrong in the first place but the worst was getting rid of it, didn't yours also want it out?" She asked referring to Rebecca's boyfriend.
" Actually he thinks it's a good idea. I allowed the pregnancy because I wanted to test his loyalty so I had the implant removed."
" Wait you use protection? As in this isn't your first time?"
" Yup, but I was always careful. I had an implant in my arm."
Ms Bella couldn't believe her ears, and here she thought her own rendezvous were terrible. Still, she couldn't forgive herself for committing one of the greatest sins- murder especially of an innocent unborn child.
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