~i should have just stopped~

⊱𝙹𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚊⊰

"Paragon practice starts in 5!" I announced to the entire class. One of my duties as the sports prefect. Besides, my assistant was busy being an asshole to help me out.

"Umar, are you just going to keep sitting there?"

"Do your job sports prefect, and fucking leave me alone." Came his hostile reply, without him looking up from the book on his desk.

What is he even reading?

I left where I stood and walked to stand in front of his desk. From the few words I could pick from the open book, it was his government note, which reminded me about the government test we have the next day.

"Wow. Still bitter after a year. But we don't always get what we want right?" I taunted.

Umar still didn't look up from his note, and I began to wonder what was up with the attitude. Normally, he would have been glaring daggers at me already. But he seemed so...unaffected.

"Your face will get my fist Jidenna. Get the fuck out of my face." His tone came out as casual as ever, but I didn't miss the tiniest bit of hostility in it.

So maybe he's not so unaffected.

"Yo Jide! Let's move!" Ethan yelled from the class entrance.

"See you on the field," I closed his note. "Assistant." And with a smirk, I left his table to join Ethan and then we left the class.

Our next stop was supposed to be the boys locker room, but they didn't need anyone chasing them out every time for practice. Besides, I wasn't in the mood to chase silly ss2 boys. Umar could take up that responsibility.

A few teachers were heading back to their staff rooms while stopping at intervals, trying to control the chaos paragon practice time had created. Mr Abu, the agric teacher, tripping and almost falling over a couple of times while running after the Jss 1 boys was the most hilarious thing I'd seen all day.

On getting to the football field, we met only IK and Asher conversing. The rest of the team was nowhere to be seen.

Where the fuck are these boys?

"Where is Sunny?" I asked no one in particular.

This boy was supposed to have gathered the team on the field already, doing some warm up before the main training and I couldn't see a single soul.

"Maybe they're having classes or something." Ethan behind me said.

What were they having classes for? The field was filled up on Monday even before the siren for paragon practice was heard. So what fucking classes were they having today?

Turning back to face Ethan, I took a step closer to him.

"Today is Wednesday. A lecture free day-"

"A half lecture free day." He dared to correct and that even made me boil more.

"Shut the fuck up Ethan!"

"Hey!" He snapped, slightly taking me aback. "Don't yell at me guy."

Exasperated, I sighed and raked my hands through my hair. I didn't get why. Why my mind went straight to Umar Bello. He acted so nonchalant about going for training when I approached him a few minutes ago. I couldn't even get the reaction I wanted out of him.

Yes. He definitely had something to do with this.

Umar has never been worth my time, so why did I feel the urge to just slam his head against a wall all of a sudden?

Just as I was about to storm out to confront Umar in class, Sunday Abbey came running into the field.

"Where the fuck are you guys?" I was livid. If Sunday didn't give me a reasonable answer, his face was going to kiss the grass.

"They didn't want to train without Umar."

The fucking motherfucking bastard!

I knew it.

With long strides, I approached Sunny and roughly grabbed his shirt. His eyes went wide and I felt his hands gripping mine to release himself. So I tightened my hold on him.

"Go back and tell those ingrates, to get their stupid asses to the field right now."

"But you're not the captain, Senior Jidenna." Sunny had the guts to say.

The second my name left his mouth, I raised my fist in the air and aimed for his nose, but Ethan dragged him away before I could reach my target.

"Dude!" Ethan exclaimed with wide eyes, glanced at Kareem, then fixed his eyes on me. "What the hell?"

I glared hard at Sunday. Fear clouded his gaze as he stood behind Ethan, slightly shaking. Heaven knows I would have battered his face if Ethan hadn't pulled him out of my grasp.

"Get those boys here, now." That was all I was going to tell the boy. It's either he comes back here with them, or he doesn't come back at all, because his nose was going to get that punch.

Just as he was about to leave, they began to troop into the field in their sports gear, carrying faces for their village people and murmuring greetings to I and Ethan. The team has more of Ss2 boys in it, so you can imagine the kind of assholes I have to deal with everytime.

My eyes caught Umar walking in and the rage which flashed through me was so strong. Imagine those fools saying they wouldn't train if Umar didn't. Bunch of clowns.

Putting our win at stake all because of him.

The longer my eyes remained on him, the more I wanted to bruise him so bad that he wouldn't be able to play next week.
My lips tilted into a smirk as that created a splendid idea for me. I could just get rid of Umar, bring the paragon victory to LIC, and all will be right with the world.

"In as much as I'm quite a crazy guy, don't even think of it." Ethan's voice came from behind me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Think of what?"

"Doing something to Umar." He stood beside me. "It's not going to make any sense."

Right. I should have guessed my maniac of a friend can figure me out just by taking a glance at me.

"I wasn't going to do anything, Ethan."

"Sure, you weren't." He chuckled with a hint of sarcasm in his words.

I watched him leaving my side to approach Umar, and I quickly turned away to avoid getting angry again.

"Everyone, gather around!" Sunny's voice resounded throughout the field and all boys moved in sluggish steps towards him.

Who even made Sunday Abbey team captain in the first place? As the sports prefect, I automatically get the spot. If only Umar hadn't tried to get all up in my business, I would have been the team captain.

Just thinking of it made me want to go ahead with getting him out of my way.

"We have a big game next week," The boy began. "And we can't afford to lose."

A boy raised his hand. Probably to ask a question.

"Why can't we afford to lose?"

His question caused a mini noise among the boys. This one must be a new student, because every old Laureate knows how much of a big deal this is. This team lost to Crestview last year and it was a big blow to all of us. Our coach, C.C Newton didn't let us have rest of mind ever since then. He used every opportunity he got to torment us, and every practice we had was like serving punishment in hell.

Good thing he had to leave the country for some important family stuff, or whatever he said. We got a substitute coach, but that doesn't mean C.C Newton wouldn't skin us alive if we lose again.

"Our school's reputation. LIC's reputation is going to be rotting in the mud if we lose."

"Ah ahn, Sunny!" Someone exclaimed.

"Okay, okay. I might have exaggerated a bit. But you all need to know how important this is so you would all take it seriously..."

"Senior Jidenna." Came a small feminine voice from behind me and I turned back to see a junior girl. I'm guessing Jss1 from how little she is.

"Yes?"

"Senior Sienna said I should give this to you." She stretched out a piece of paper to me. Hesitating, I eyed her suspiciously then took the paper and unfolded it.

ID's old office. Now!

What the heck?

"She sent you to give me this?"

"Yes."

Sometimes Sienna did things that had me wondering if she was struggling mentally. How would she send just any junior student to give me this?

"Did you open it?"

She shook her head vigorously. "No senior."

"Now get out." With those little legs of hers, she ran out of the field. I on the other hand, set out to find Sienna and figure out what the fuck had gone wrong in her brain.

Old ID's office as the name implies, was once the office of our school's ID, Information director. So it was just there with no use. It was located on the seniors block, but a good distance away from all senior classes.

Before entering, I casually looked around for anyone who might be around. Seeing no one, I opened the door and walked in.

"Sienna, seriously?"

She jumped down from the table she was seated on and began to walk towards me as I did the same. She didn't seem pleased, and so did I.

"Don't even start Jide."

"You sent a junior, Sienna. A fucking Jss1 student, to give me this." I waved the paper vigorously in her face. What was she fucking thinking?

"What if she had read it? What if she had opened the paper and fucking read it?"

"Can you stop, yelling at me?"

"I'm not fucking with you Sienna."

"And I'm not too." She fired back. "What is up with you Jide? You ditched, again."

Damn it.

I knew I was so going to regret this one day. And the day had come. We made a deal when we started this thing between us. She suggested it after we hooked up at Ethan's birthday party last year. I agreed because she was that good, and I'm not going into details. And what guy would resist a girl as hot as her?

A lot of crazy things went into that agreement and we were to keep to it, or whatever she said. Now, it all seems so absurd. And like I said earlier, I regret it.

"Why are you making this like a damn relationship thing? Are we dating?"

"Oh, so we need to be dating before you can give me an answer to why you ditched?"

You brought this upon yourself Jidenna.

I did not even have words to utter. I just stared at her glaring at me. Why was she making a fuss out of this? I could have been busy and forgotten to call her. And when did we even agree to meet up?

Shaking my head, I positioned both hands on either sides of my waist. "Sometimes I can't believe you Si."

"Me too Jidenna. I can't believe you right now. You know how this thing works Jide. You don't ditch plans just cause you feel like it. You sure as hell don't fuck with other girls."

"We're not dating, it's damn obvious. But you don't do that to someone without a reason at least. You wouldn't be happy if someone stood you up, would you? You would probably make them kiss your feet."

"Fucking shut it, Sienna!" I roared.

"I'm not going to stand here and let you talk trash to my face, okay?"

Slowly shaking her head, she let out a bitter laugh.

"I just don't know why I keep doing this." Was all she said before walking past me and brushing my arm roughly in the process. I heard the door open, then slam close.

I could only laugh. I knew Sienna, and she was going to be back.

I left the office and went back to the field. They had already began training, so I got my head gear and joined them.

~•~•~

The text from my brother informed me of the driver's arrival, and distracted me from the rubbish Ethan had been blabbing about for the past 10 minutes.

School was over an hour ago, and the meeting with the sports committee had been over 20 minutes ago. As usual, some of us didn't want to leave school so soon, so we stayed behind for a while.

My driver being here didn't mean I had to go home immediately, and I could have texted Nonso to tell the driver to go back home. But I was exhausted after the day's training and I needed to comfort of my bed.

"I need to leave now." I said to Ethan, but got a response from Victory Victor.

"Ah ahn. You no go chill small?"

You have to give it to Nigerian parents and their talent for giving their children weird and wrong name combinations. There's already a Victor, so why the Victory?

"Guy, I'm fucking tired. I gats crash abeg."

I got up from my chair and picked up my bag from where it laid on the floor beside my desk. Ethan didn't say a word, but nodded and hummed at my reply.

"Okay na. E go be."

"Sure."

I hung my bag over my shoulder, walked past the few gossip girls and out of the class. The voice of a teacher teaching the Jss3 students echoed throughout the hallway. We seniors were excluded from WAEC coaching due to paragon training. School would be empty, if not for the Jss3s and those back in class.

I sighted the black Mercedes-Benz G Class parked outside the school's vast compound. One of Dad's benz cars collection.

"Good afternoon." The driver greeted once I got in.

"Yeah." Was my reply. Once he started the car, I shut my eyes and drifted off. But it felt as though my eyes weren't shut for up to a minute, because I woke up to the driver calling my name.

I said nothing, but got down from the car with my school bag and entered my father's large mansion. All the house staffs I walked past greeted me, but I didn't mind any of them. All I wanted was a meeting with my bed.

Climbing up the stairs and getting to my room felt like a herculean task. I literally dragged myself down the corridor, past my siblings's rooms and finally got to my destination.

I opened the door and got a quite surprising surprise.

"Fucking hell Vee." My bag dropped to the ground.

Vanessa?

Live and direct, seated on my bed with her legs folded and a plate of cake in front of her. On my clean sheets!

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

"What the fuck am I not doing here?"

After the incident with Ethan, we hadn't seen each other. My constant calls and apology texts got me a stern warning not to bother her again. It's almost like she didn't want me around her anymore.

I doubt she even went ahead with her part of the plan. But a part of me desperately hoped she was here because she had found out who the girl is.

"I'm still really sorry Vee."

Vanessa let out a groan before putting the cake aside, which was still on my clean sheets by the way. "Shut up and save your sappy apology for later. Come and sit down." She patted the space beside her.

I closed the door behind me then walked in further and sat.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

She gave me an eye roll. "I do not have to tell you when I'm coming over, Ty. Except when your Dad is in cause I don't want his wahala."

Yeah. My Dad could be a handful most times. Nearly all my friends avoid coming around knowing he would be home.

"So...what's up?"

"I found out who the girl is."

She did it!

Whatever fatigue in me flew out of the window immediately I heard that.

"Seriously?" I adjusted my sitting position on the bed so I could move close to her.

"Yes, and it not good. I was extremely shocked when I found out."

"And what's not going to be good about it?"

Anyone who came into the room at this point would think Vanessa was about to drop a terrible news.

She sighed. "I don't even know how I'm going to say this to you. I wish we had come up with something else."

Whatever she found out couldn't be that bad. And even if it was, we could just find a way to avert the crisis or something.

"Ty, this is going to be so fucking hard to take in."

I groaned. "Can you stop this already?" I was beginning to get really anxious. So many scenarios running through my mind. What could make Vanessa say such? What could be the problem?

"Okay, okay. I'll tell you." She took in a deep breath, then turned away from me to pick up her cake from the bed.

What?

"Right after I finish this cake KC gave me." She stabbed the cake with a plastic fork, cut out a large piece and stuffed it into her mouth. Vanessa was eating chocolate cake on my bed, while this mini suspense she had created was doing a terrific job in finishing me.

"Oh my God," I murmured in utter disbelief at the girl I call best friend.

"What? I'm hungry." She said with her mouth full, and I flipped both my middle fingers right in her cake stuffed face in annoyance.

"Fuck you."

She burst out into laughter as she put the cake down. On my sheets. I almost picked up the cake to throw it in the bin when my eyes caught cake particles on my bed.

I should have fucking sold you off a long time ago.

"Okay. I'll be serious now." And thankfully, she stayed true to her words.

"So Ty, are you sure you want to hear this?"

"Fuck yes!" I threw my hand into the air, tired of being kept in her freaking bubble of suspense. For pete's sake, this is not a freaking movie or a stupid novel.

"Okay. I did my investigations. It wasn't easy though, but I was successful."

"And?"

"I found the girl. Jude's girlfriend. I know who she is."

"And who is she?"

"Jidenna-"

"Just fucking say it!" I yelled.

My heart was beating wildly in my chest. If this girl pulls off another stupid suspense shit, I was going to pick up that plastic fork and pluck out her eyes.

Of course, I wouldn't be able to do that, but you get my drift.

"The girl you hate more than anything else in the world."

She couldn't be...

"She's Idera."

I heard loud, maniac laughter, and I took me a few seconds to realize that it came from me.

"Are you messing with me Vee?"

"I'm not. I'm dead serious."

She looked it too, but I wasn't having any of it. This had to be a big joke. A very big one. Of all the girls in this entire universe, it was her? Hell no. No way in bloody hell.

"Stop this expensive joke Vanessa. There's no fucking way Idera can land a guy like Jude."

"But it's happening. They are dating, and have been for the past 2 years."

Hell no.

I stopped pacing and turned to her.

"Where's your proof? Where's evidence?"

Deep down, I hoped she didn't have any sort of evidence. No pictures, no videos, no nothing. Just her saying, "I don't have any Ty."

"Here."

Damn it!

Vanessa handed me her phone, and I saw pictures. There were pictures taken of them. Pictures of them together. I blinked twice just to be sure I was seeing properly, but the picture still remained the same. I swiped to the next, and in that one, they were in a car. Kissing.

Idera and Jude were in a lip lock.

And why do I fucking sound like a guy who just saw picture evidence of his girlfriend cheating?

I dropped Vanessa's phone on the bed as the whole thing slowly sank in. I didn't even know what else to feel asides shock. That was legit the only thing coarsing through me.

"Fuck. I am so fucked."

More than fucked. How in this world was this even possible? I sure I needed more than an entire day to comprehend this revelation.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm not going ahead with that plan Vee. I can't do it."

She gave me an incredulous look. "What?"

"I can't Vanessa. I won't. Do you even know how much I hate that girl?" I continued my frantic pacing around the room.

"I know Ty. You tell me every fucking day. But you can't back down just because of one minor setback."

A what?

With eyes as wide as saucers, I did a 180 degree turn to Vanessa. Did she not understand what was going on and the gravity of it?

"A minor setback is what you call this Vee? This is a catastrophe!" I flung my arms in the air.

God. My head could explode from this whole bullshit.

"So you're just going to chicken out? Just like that?"

"How do you expect me to try to get a girl I can't even stand, to fall for me?" Even the thought was damn repulsive.

"That means you let Jude get away with his bullshit then."

The last thing I would ever do, is to let him off the hook. He has to get a taste of his own medicine.

"I can't. He's done way to much."

"Then do it. See this as killing two birds with one stone."

"What do you mean?"

"You're having your revenge on Jude, and at the same time, making Idera suffer. Once word or evidence gets to her dear boyfriend that she's cheating, he's most definitely going to break up with her."

"And if that isn't enough, because of how closely knitted they are, I'll still snoop around to find some dirt on him which we would tell her and would make her very distraught."

A brilliant idea, but no. There had to be another way around this thing. Another way to get to Jude.

"You don't necessarily have to do the whole touching and kissing thing."

"I would rather cut off my dick, than do all that."

"What the heck?" She half screamed with a look of horror. "Please no. I would love to see my godchildren."

This, I've told her countless time. She isn't going to be getting any godchildren in the nearest future, not even by mistake. Babies and children are not just my thing. If my sister finally decides to have children, fine. But I'm not going anywhere near them.

"But really, look at you. Master planner, King of revenge."

Yeah. She's mocking me. And I really don't know what pleasure she gains from doing it.

"What happened to your brain? I'm the one always coming up with solutions for you, dumbo." She threw her phone pouch at me, which I caught then sat beside her on my bed.

"Enough of my unfortunate fate, and time for my sappy apology. I'm sorry Vee."

Vanessa had every right to be angry at me. Drink responsibly and not trust Ethan at any party were the two things she always told me. The first has never been a problem because I'm not much of a liquor guy. And the second? Let's say I underestimated Ethan's abilities. I watched him get drinks for I, Hugo and himself, so I didn't suspect or think he would put stuff in mine.

Why mine and not Hugo's or even the both of us, was the question I always asked him after the incident, but he kept on giving me his stupid classic Ethan replies.

"Fortunately for you, I do not know how to keep grudges like you do,"

If there was ever a world record holder for the most grudges kept, Vanessa would be the one. She didn't speak to me for 2 weeks just because I didn't agree with her on a petty issue just last year.

"You are forgiven. But never do something as stupid as that ever again. You can't go around breaking promises and sleeping with people's cousins. What if you had gotten her pregnant or contracted an STD?"

Thank you so much Ethan.

"I was drunk to stupor. I didn't know what I was doing." My reply had Vanessa looking like she wanted to rip out her hair, or stick the plastic fork in my eye.

I don't know why, because there was absolutely nothing wrong in trying to defend my actions. Even though I knew I shouldn't have listened to Ethan.

"Why am I even stressing myself? See, you can do whatever you want. It's your life." She drew out a long hiss, then picked up her phone.

I stared at Vanessa as she tapped away on her phone with slight aggression. Muttering some cuss words and insults at whoever it was on her screen. My lips stretched into a small smile. She really was something else.

"Do you like me?"

Immediately, she whipped her head towards me. I almost burst out laughing at the look on her face.

"Are you crazy?"

"I'm starting to think you do. Why are you so worried about me sleeping with other girls and getting a girl pregnant or contracting an STD?"

"You could get really sick and probably die from the latter, and your father will skin you alive if you ever got a girl pregnant. Your entire family will, and you know that."

"True." I scooted close to her and twirled a strand of her curly hair. "But I still think you like me though." I smirked. Vanessa attacked my hand and got it off her hair, then held her throat and pretended to gag.

I got up from the bed laughing to pick up my bag from the ground and threw it on the single sofa in the room.

"Sometimes I wonder why you put so much effort into hating Idera, when you can just ignore her."

A scoff left my lips. I decided not to reply her.

Does she think I haven't tried doing that? It doesn't even help matters that we're in the same class. And it's kind hard not to make fun of her when she that dumb. Her grades are nothing but a joke. They're straight up terrible. I wonder how she's even going to graduate.

But what I wonder more, is how this is going to work out.

Vanessa left not long after, and I spent the rest of the day thinking about how I was going to execute this hell of a plan.

───────•••───────

We are getting there😌

This is the buckle up chapter, so I suggest you do so now. I cannot wait for chapter sixteen you guys😂😂

Don't mess with the Super Eagles. Don't mess with Naija😎🇳🇬

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