"Together we can face any challenges as deep as the ocean and as high as the sky." -Sonia Gandhi.

  <°•°•°>

Dedicated to Ini_oluwa26

  •AYO•

The morning assembly was over and as usual, because it was the first day of a new term in the New Year, we stayed longer than normal and that's saying a lot. It was better for me because I'm a prefect and I didn't get to stay in the Assembly.

As the male health prefect, I had to punish those boys who came to school untidy— and there were a lot of them. Nina dealt with the girls. It was stressful and almost hard to control the ones in SSS2. 

I had a little help from Ore Jumai. That boy had a way of maintaining control no matter how playful or unserious he was. He had that charisma of a leader. The other students who were being rebellious when I punished them, behaved when Ore showed up.

On a normal day, for a normal person, one would have been jealous...'cause it looked like you couldn't handle your job and that another person came to steal your shine.

But I didn't see it that way. Ore was hard not to like and I think I see the reason he was loved by everyone here at school. Besides, he was my friend now. We were never close before, and he only waved at me occasionally when we met together for track practice.

It was the day of that small get together — my birthday — organised by my girlfriend that we kinda formed a bond. Suffice it to say that, that day was a very different day for me because I was able to socialize more even though I didn't go all out with it.

And honestly, it was kind of a relief to have other male friends apart from loud - and- always - cussing MJ. I really loved MJ and all but my guy still didn't understand what 'quiet' meant. Plus, having others male friends keeps me from feeling the pressure I feel each time. Being with them was just real fun.

I found out that Ore had a stupid sense of humor. Much like me. But apart from all his smiles and play and stuffs, something about him did not connect. Even though, he tried to hide it, I saw through him. I could tell he had something he wanted no one to know.

Again, much like me.

We both had something to hide.

Didn't know what his was but mine...

Hmmm

I wasn't sure if any other person noticed but I did. Anyway, Jeremy was a total vibe, always teamed up with MJ to shout sometimes and hype me.

Fred was okay too. Insecure but just okay. He'd laugh and say stupid things, constantly annoying things too but he was a good person. As to why he was insecure...well, probably because among all of us, he was girly.

And to me, it wasn't bad. He was also very funny.

And it's all thanks to my awesome girlfriend, Nina, without whom I won't have even known I could have other friends.

In the short time that we became friends, then started dating, she's shown me a lot, changed me a lot, taught me a lot. One, being the reason I actually talk to other people without being paranoid.

She carried this aura, so that anywhere she went, she spread love all around and made people smile and happy.

She helped me come out of my shy shell and even faked being ill so I could speak on the Assembly. I thought I was going to pass out that day. Thought I was going to embarrass myself and all...but she made me discover I was actually a good speaker, when I was meant to be.

And for a while — most of the time — she helped me forget what happened that day...

Even with all these going, Nina was behaving weirdly. I noticed it when she returned to school after Ashley's party.

I remember our kiss...our first kiss. I remember when I actually and finally voiced out my feelings to her when I couldn't do it the other day on the bleachers after the basketball game because my dad had called and interrupted.

When she told me she felt the same way and then kissed me...I felt like flying forever, just flying. Resisting and insulting the laws of gravity. But in reality, that could never happen except I wanted to be flattened like Tom And Jerry.

Anyway, we kissed for I didn't know how long and got interrupted by a call
— calls just loved to interrupt us — on her phone.

I was still high up on cloud nine when she picked the call so I didn't pay much attention to what went on, not that it was my business anyway.

When she was done with the call, she was nervous. I mean, she tried to hide - she hid it well - but I still saw her nervousness. She told me she had to leave and then after that night, she disappeared.

Then, when she showed up on Monday, she was all smiles, like her usual self. But I sensed something was wrong when she gave Bolu the excuse she did.

I chose to believe her but still...

After the Assembly was over, the prefects stayed back for their own meeting to be addressed by the Principal and Vice Principal on how to continue law and order in the school — same old story, if you know what I'm talking about.

When that was over, Ore, his girlfriend; Childera, Ninuola, Nina and I walked together to our block. On getting there, I found the place rowdy and full of my noisemaking classmates.

Giggles, squealing, yelling, hyping, laughter and stuffs like that, were going on. Probably because it was the first day of the school term in a New Year and there was exchange of pleasantries. I could hear the excited voice of Kathy Alero, female sports prefect, from the Arts Class yell excitedly; "Happy New Year!"

Nina stopped and waved occasionally at people. She greeted almost everyone. Behind me, I heard Ore and Childera doing the same. Ninuola typed away on her phone and at the same time, snubbed the girls who were famzing her just because she was already a teen star.

Ninu probably knew those girls were fake.

Funny how no one recognizes you when you're just a normal and ordinary human. Just blow a little and everyone wants your phone number, they follow you on social media and expect you to follow them back.

This world is twisted.

Girls and boys surrounded Ore and greeted him. We had to wait for him. I smiled at how he was able to match their enthusiasm. I also wondered how Childera didn't get jealous with all the girls that surrounded Ore. Some kissed his cheek.

Either she was pretty confident about their relationship or she was really dumb. Only God knows what I'd do if another guy kissed my girlfriend on her cheek.

I took my time to study her — Childera, I mean. She was all smiles but I saw something else as she held on to Ore's arm as he continued exchanging pleasantries.

The expression on her face, I couldn't exactly place until I looked and saw it was full of uncertainty. She kept on laughing and greeting everyone Ore was greeting, trying to get attention to herself.

And I noticed something else which was odd: Ashley wasn't with her.

She wasn't here.

On a normal day, even though I'd never in my life spoken to them, I never saw Ashley and Childera separated. They were always together. Ashley followed Childera like a side kick. That was the normal routine...or whatever.

But today... Ashley wasn't here.

The crowd around got cleared and we were finally able to move to our classes. Normally, you had to get to the science class before the arts or commercial.

Just before we got to the first Science class, Bolu and Jeremy met us close to the door.

"Ah ahn! Here comes the squad!" Bolu hyped.

"Your majesties! I greet oh, your boy remains loyal," Jeremy said and prostrated. Literally.

I shook my head and was already laughing. "You both need to stop this hyping combo of a thing," I said.

"Yeah," Nina agreed. "It's so annoying how you two make a great team at it."

"I know, right," Bolu replied and flicked imaginary hair because her braided hair was pulled back in a french plait.

Jeremy stood up, dusted his hands and trousers, then smiled goofily at us. "I should always respect my bosses when I see them."

"Anyway, I know I deserve to be called that because I'm a spec!" Ore said and winked at Bolu.

"Yes you are," Childera agreed and kissed his cheek.

"Pele oh, your boyfriend is a speck of dust!" Bolu replied and got all of us laughing.

Childera didn't seem to mind what Bolu said because she laughed along with us.

"Welcome back Childera," Bolu said.

"Yeah, thanks Bolu!" Childera chirped, happy to get the attention she'd been looking for. Then she started yapping about the whole journey to wherever she went and how she spent the Christmas with Ashley.

She had actually dragged Ashley with her.

And something told me Ashley wouldn't have been too pleased with that.

"Ah, our physics project," Ninuola said, causing a diversion like she was tired of Childera's Yammer.

"Yeah, that's true," Childera said. "Didn't even have time to do anything...oh God! Ashley...Jesus! Ash! Ash!"

And with that, she was gone. Ran so fast into the class yelling 'Ashley'. I looked at Ore and we shared eye contact for a while. He did the same with Jeremy and it was like an understanding passed between the three of us.

He was relieved that Childera left him alone.

He even exhaled a little.

But the look Jeremy gave him was something that felt like a warning.

"I almost forgot about that, too," Nina said with a facepalm. "Geez, I can't lose so much marks. I have to talk to Fikayo and the others asap."

I was almost confused but then I remembered I heard the science students had some physics project to do that would add to their scores and blah blah blah.

"I'll make Jire and the others do all the work," Ninu said and shrugged. "He'll do anything I say."

"Babe, you sound so evil right now," Nina commented and we laughed.

"It's true na. I can't be stressing myself abeg. When I have people who'd do it for me." Ninu said again.

"See, that's what I call Spec-i-cious-ness," Ore said and put his arm around Ninu who paused and looked at him. He wiggled his brows and we started laughing.

"Ore, you're sick!" Bolu said.

"Yeah, I'm Sick!" He said, changing the meaning of what Bolu meant.

"Guy, seriously?" I asked still laughing.

"Heck, yeah!" He said.

"Sick in the head," Ninu said nodding. "Definitely sick in the head."

"Thank you, Ninu! Exactly what I was trying to say!" Bolu announced.

"Which means Ore is a confirmed werey!" Jeremy added.

Ore gave him the middle finger and we all laughed again.

"But seriously though, I think my group is prepared for our presentation," Ore said. Looked.at Bolu with a very soft expression as he placed an arm around her. "Right, mama?"

She shrugged his arm off her shoulders and said, "Yeah...sure. Sure!"

Well, she didn't sound so sure.

"You guys are lucky oh, my group has not even gone half way of what we're gonna present," Jeremy said.

"Lazy idiot." Ore said.

"Screw you!" Jeremy replied.

"Hey, hey guys! Language please!" Nina cautioned. I chuckled. Was she really one to talk?

Ninu snorted.

"Yes ma'am!" Jeremy and Ore obeyed.

Bolu opened her mouth to talk but just then, Childera rang the bell like a mad woman yelling:

"FIRST PERIOD! FIRST PERIOD! PERIODTTTTT!!!"

Her voice rang more than the bell itself in my ears.

Ninuola groaned. "RBA never gives us enough time to catch morning cruise."

"Pele my dear," Ore said smirking.

She eyed him, sighed and walked into the class.

"We'll catch you later," Jeremy said distracted as he looked at someone in the class — his girlfriend. He almost hit his head on the wall as he walked into his very familiar classroom.

With that, Ore and Bolu walked into the class too. Nina wanted to follow but I pulled her back and stared as she began saying something 

I leaned on the door frame, pocketed my hands and stared at my girlfriend. Inhaled her too familiar strawberry scent. Admired her honey brown eyes and moistened lips. Had the urge to play with her thick, dark, hair right then.

She was beautiful...so beautiful and everyday I just keep falling for her.

"Did you hear what I just said?" She asked, jolting me from my trance.

"Uh...?"

She pinched my cheeks and my face went hot. "You weren't listening, were you?"

"I'm sorry babe, you're just too beautiful."

She smiled. The same smile that threw me off balance. "I know, right."

"Don't bask in the glory, okay?" I said, smiling.

She shook her head and smiled. Zipped up her sweater jacket and I looked at her, studied her. Her hands were shaking as zipped up.

"Babe, are you okay?" I asked and took her small hands in mine, they were cold.

"Of course I am," She smiled.

"Your hands are shaking so much." I noticed.

"It's probably just the cold. It's freezing. I get like that every time, you know, since I was little."

"Okay." That was convincing enough. The cold was so intense this time around so I believed her even though the hand shaking was just abnormal.

She tucked her hands in the pocket of her sweater jacket after I let go.

"I'll see you later. Let's meet up and just be together, yeah?" I winked at her. "We need to talk about stuff..."

Like why she just disappeared without telling anyone anything and got me seriously worried sick.

"Sure, boo. Now we need to go! I'm sure my class teacher would arrive soon."

I pouted. She laughed and reached up to kiss me briefly.

"Bye." Then she winked at me before going into the class.

I turned around, feeling on cloud nine again but just before I stepped into my class, I saw him.

At the far end of the corridor.

He held a sinister smirk on his face.

Just looking at him brought back bad memories. Reminding me that no matter what, I still had a scar that could never be removed.

Reminding me of that day in the bleachers, when I'd picked my dad's call. When the three of them threatened me

And worst of all, reminding me of that dreadful day, a day I would never forget...

Hey peeps!

What's popping!

TGIF!!!

How are y'all doing?

Anyway, I decided to update before Sunday oh! Isn't that great???💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃

Finally found a way to bring up Ayo again, after all these years😩😩😩😩. Trust me, it wasn't easy at all and tbh, I'm not very satisfied with this chapter because I feel it needs more and something is still missing 😩😩😩😩😩😩

But whatever it is, I'll edit and let you know if I did any changes so for now, enjoy!!

So, tell me...what do you think about Ayo and what's that thing you noticed about him?🤔

What do you think about Childera and Ashley, too?

Tell me oh!!!

Plus, follow my IG page if you haven't oh😩😩😩😩😩😩

It's @ i.f.e_b.writes.

Follow up ohhh😩😩😩😩

Thanks for reading my book!

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I love you guys so much ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

~Ife😎✌️💪