~Alisa~

_ Your words hurt, still you don't even care. Your lies leave burns on my skin, yet no one cares _
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Closing time felt like Judgement Day, for me. School seemed to be hell, and home - that was if I could still call it that - seemed to be an even bigger hell. I dreaded going home, and yet I equally dreaded staying at school. I felt so sad, I couldn't explain why. It was obvious that I was hurting, but I couldn't explain why I felt so sad. I'd met worse conditions, and yet I felt numb about everything and refused crying. But now? Now I felt everything. Raw emotions scattered everywhere. I didn't want to feel anything, I wanted the numbness I was familiar with. Feeling the pain, the mistreatment, the pain... The everything! It just simply weakened me. I couldn't even believe just how down it all brought me.

I was just so sad, that even after closing hours, I stayed back in class. I didn't want to go home, and I chose an empty classroom over being in a house where I felt unwanted, misunderstood and hated by almost everyone in it. I couldn't bare the look Kambili kept giving me. And I couldn't bare the accusations put against Mrs. Ekwegh. I couldn't bare the guilt I felt either.

I felt like a monster living amongst men. It was a terrible feeling. One which I couldn't get rid of.

Slowly, most of my classmates began to exit the class, and yet I stayed behind. The chattering and screams immediately died down the second they left, and although I knew the designated driver whom was appointed to pick me up from school would've been waiting for me, I still chose to sit on my chair - refusing to head home.

My eyes were shut the entire time, and I simply crossed my arms and sulked. If only I had friends I could talk to, to just forget about everything, things would've felt a lot better. But I didn't. At first, I thought I could confide in Dabere, but she wasn't at school today. And then Christian's words kept bugging me. I knew I was at fault in some kind of way, I prolly shouldn't have approached him; having noticed how angry he looked. Yet, I wasn't expecting such an outburst from him. I rather felt he was a chill kinda person, and wouldn't blow up in my face like a maniac. But it happened anyways.

Now that I'd calmed down a bit, I finally understood that I couldn't blame him, entirely. I mean, he was bound to get angry cause it was - in fact - his mom which was being dissed in his presence. And it must suck that he also felt they weren't wrong about dissing her. I would've been mad too. Perhaps his mom had hurt him in someway... I couldn't entirely blame him cause I knew that even the sweetest, and nicest people on Earth must've experience some sh*tty challenges too. It was natural for Christian to feel bad, and I suddenly didn't feel so angry towards him like I was a few hours ago.

Although, his words hurt really bad. I couldn't fathom why I couldn't quit replaying the scene in my head. The way he yelled at me like I meant nothing. Ouch! It stung more than I had expected it would.

Sigh after sigh, and my head began to hurt badly. A migraine had finally found its way to my system and my entire body was pleading, and screaming, that I head home and rest. I'd had enough crap for one day. This day turned way sour than I'd expected.

"A-Alisa?" A stuttery, yet familiar voice, said to me. Realising whose it was, I took in a sharp breath and shut my eyes, not wanting to have to face any of this. Not willing to face him at all. For crying out loud! I'd had enough heartaches for one day. Couldn't the universe just leave me alone just this once?

Reluctantly, I turned towards him and finally peeled my eyes open to stare at that familiar face of his. "What?" My voice sounded cold. It sounded way harsher than I'd intended it to be. Yet, a part of me felt he deserved it.

"I just wanted to talk" he said, looking anywhere else but my face.

"Last time I checked, you said talking to me would ruin your - pardon me for the sarcasm - "social life". What changed?" I put air quotes, for emphasis, at 'social life'. Seriously, he was the last person I wanted to see right now. He made his point clear, and I got it. He seriously didn't have to come here. I had absolutely no problem with the silent treatment he was giving me. None at all.

"I didn't have a choice!" He half-yelled.

"Whose fault is that? Mine?!" I raised my voice, wanting to make sure he understood my rage. How dare he come here and try to claim right?

"I'm sorry" he murmured, the remorse was evident in his face, yet I ignored it.

"Sorry for what? I don't get it - what the hell are you sorry for? For making me seem stupid for thinking we were friends? Or... For making it seem like I were a plague or something of the sort? Which of the two?" My eyes spat fire and pure, hot rage, and I was aware of that.

"All of them" he muttered.

Silence lingered, and I took deep breaths to calm my nerves.

I took a second to gather my words. I needed to digest all he was saying properly. What was he doing here in the first place? Didn't I say I understood his point?

Dude, leave!

"What? What're you still doing here? You except a hug or a kiss for saying 'sorry'?" I scoffed, shaking my head in disappointment. "Sorry, my brother, but I don't need it. I'm not some charity case that you come running to whenever you feel sympathetic. I don't need it. I might be a nobody to you, but I do have high-class self-esteem which you cannot and will not bring down. So, if you're don't with what you have to say, then please leave or I will" I said to him. My words came out raw and unrefined. I said them exactly the way I felt them.

His actions had made me feel really bad. He made it seem like I was a stupid plague or some psycho patient, or, perhaps, a curse. His words stated that being around me would ruin his social life. And I was cool with that and let our mistaken friendship die a natural death.

"I understand that you're mad at me. You probably hate me, and I—"

"Nigga! What's your point, please? What do you want?!" I eyed him. I felt a sharp pain to my head, yet I didn't let that stop me from giving him the look he deserved. A murderous glare from the depths of my hurt soul.

"I just felt so guilty. I wanted to clear things up—"

"For what reason?"

"If you could just let me finish, I'll—"

"I'm tired of listening. You have nothing reasonable to say. There's absolutely no explanation that you can give to justify your actions. None at all" with that being said, I hurriedly got up to get my stuff. My migraine had already increased due to all the talking and occasional yelling.

"Please, Lisa. I—"

"Never call me 'Lisa'! Only my friends do that!" I warned. I shot daggers at him, and he seized his movement at the intensity of my glare.

Dummy, you have no friends.

The bitter reminder, was also true. I didn't have friends - sure - but that didn't mean two-faced puppets, like him, got to act like they're friends with me. Absolutely not!

"I'm sorry" a sad look wrapped around his face. Still, I refused to feel concerned. I had a lot on my plate, and I wasn't ready to add anymore to it.

"You done? Cause I wanna leave so bad" I told him, and waited for him to spit the rest of the crap he had to say.

"I just wanted to say that the real reason why I'd told you all that, was because Yewande told me to. And, please don't say I'm stupid for listening to him. Okay - I know I am, but just don't say it" he ran a frustrated hand across his hair, and then his face, before he continued.

"Look, Yewande is a pretty big deal around here and everyone kinda worships him cause his family's super rich and his mom owns the school. And I've been trying to hard to fit into his little group for far too long, and now I've managed to do that. I just don't want to blow it by making him upset with me.

"That day, he asked that I quit talking to you, and I had told him that if I was to do it then he had to apologise to you for what he did and said at the table. I practically had to beg him to do that, before he finally agreed. And... I- I had to keep my word, Alisa. I'd be a social outcast if I didn't so as he said" at the end of his entire crap story, I shook my head like I'd been wounded. "But I swear, I have no problem with us being friends. Yewande does, not me. Left for me, I find you really—"

"Wow!" I continued to shake my head. "Just, wow!" And then I finally stared at him and heaved a frustrated sigh. "So you're basically his puppet. You do as he says without asking any questions. Pathetic!" I scoffed, ready to exit the class. I'd heard enough. "If you really were my friend, then you would've never treated me like you had done. Friends don't treat each other like mere objects, they respect you. They're true to you, and they value you. And you, Mr. Social Life, are not my friend. Don't ever say that again!" I warned, disgusted at the nerve-wracking amount of goop he'd yapped.

"You don't know what it's like to be me!" He yelled for me to hear.

"I bet it's better than what it's like to be me!" I yelled. What did he know? Calling fitting into high social ladders or groups, life? Brother, the minute you step outta this school those idiots are literally history to you. Jeez! The level of stupidity from this boy was just so irk-worthy!

"You don't know anything about what I've been through!" He yelled at me again. I was just about fully walking out of class, when he said that. I stopped dead in my tracks, and slowly turned to look at him. That did it!

He's not seen anything! Highschool inferiority isn't the real world! Grow up, bonehead!

"What do you know about anything! Boy, don't say such nonsense to me cause I'll slap you so hard that your entire generation will feel it" I scoffed at his speechless state.

"You haven't seen hell, that's why you have the guts to say all you've just said. I've seen just about enough hell, to know what it's like and how suffocating it feels. So please, when next you think of nonsense like that; remember this day. Being popular and chasing all those things y'all do to impress the cool kids is just a complete waste of time.

"I mean, take a good look at yourself. It hurts me that such a good-looking guy like yourself lacks this cool organ called a brain. It's so annoying cause the amount of stupidity you're showing off wasn't something I expected. For Pete's sake! This boy is simply using you as his pawn. You have no idea how foolish you're being by listening to all the crap he's told you to do.

"I don't want to know if your family's going through sh*t, Jonathan, that doesn't mean you have to try to ruin your life by doing what a cow dung like Yewande says. Be wise. Make your own decisions and quit letting him tell you what to do..." I huffed and took deep breaths, and exhaled. "...stupid" I murmured and finally turned and left the class. Leaving him there, standing speechless and utterly stupefied.

He's lucky I didn't dish him the part of me that spat raw rage. At least the words I chose to use were refined in my head. He'd be dead if I'd said the raw, unrefined ones I'd had in mind.

Seriously! The boy was being stupid! Too stupid even.

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The minute I got home, I raced to my room and locked myself in. I didn't want anyone telling me crap of any sort. I needed my sanity intact for the rest of the day. And I was determined that neither Kambili, nor her family of too many problems, would deprive me of that. It was a simple request, wasn't it?

After taking a much deserved bath, I changed into my home clothes and finally retired to my bed. I lay, sprawled, on my bed - thinking. I didn't want to think about anything, but my entire body didn't seem to agree with and my brain was the most inconsiderate one.

I thought about Kamsi, for a change. I wondered how he was doing over at his grandparents' place, and I wondered how he must feel about being there. If only I could see him again, then I'd be able to explain my true intentions and plead for his forgiveness. I never intended for him being there, and according to Kambili; I had caused it. She had said that Mrs. Ekwegh had convinced her father into leaving him with their grandparents. I was sure she'd hate me for the rest of her life. I couldn't blame her if she did anyway.

My eyes travelled to my window, and I noticed how slowly darkness began to drawer closer. That reminded me of my life. Still, I chose to pacify myself by remembering that there were people who had met worse situations. People who didn't have a roof over their heads and neither did they have anyone to even talk to, nor did they have food to eat nor water to drink. But I was fortunate enough to have all these things. There were enough reasons for me to be grateful to God.

I finally got on my knees, and said my prayers. I wasn't praying to ask for anything, but rather; I was praying just because I wanted to thank Him for everything. Because I knew everything happened for a reason. That my life seems so messed up, was for a good cause. If He let it happen, then who was I to question Him? I was nothing but a mere human. Mere dust. And He was God.

After my prayer, I heard a knock on the door and I grudgingly went to open the door. Couldn't I at least have some peace in this house?

"Lisa! Missed me?" The shock on my face was priceless. My jaw dropped and I felt a warmth in my chest, as I stared at Dub.

"You monkey! It's so good to see you!" Without warning, he hugged me. I couldn't get rid of the smile that fast stretched across my face.

Seriously, I really missed his monkey face. That was what I'd call him from now on. Monkey.

He behaves like one. Duh!

"I know you missed me, don't gush too much. And hey! You called me 'monkey'!" He feigned hurt, and I slowly disentangled myself from him and chuckled.

"Yeah, so? You sure act like one" I rolled my eyes.

With mock hurt, he hissed. "You wound me, Lisa. Seriously!" Did I forget how much of an idiot he was? No. I didn't. I just couldn't.

We kept grinning at each other, and soon my smile faltered. I remembered that we'd also have a horrible fight too. Just like I did with Christian, Jonathan, and soon... Him. I was cursed!

Why were boys such annoying pigs at times?

"What's wrong? And where the heck is Bili? She skipped school, she's not answering her calls and she's not even replying my messages. MY texts. I don't get it" he said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Yeah. We're all in shock that's she's not replying YOUR texts.
Sarcasm? Noted!

I looked away, biting on my lower lip in frustration. I didn't even know he wasn't aware of all the drama that had been going on in this house.

"Come in. This might take long" I said, stepping aside for him to get in.

He offered me a look. One that showed concern, and seemed to be asking if everything was okay. I nodded, to subside his worries, and he finally walked into my room and I shut the door.

Honestly, this would take long.

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See me see trouble oh! These kiddies are trying to kill me. Christian is currently IGNORING me, and Jonathan's currently giving me the finger for making him seem like a doff. Alisa's giving me the silent treatment as well, for making her life so messed up. Kamsi's currently cussing at me for making him invisible in the last few chapters, and for sending him to go live with his grandparents, and Kambili has been giving me murderous threats; for sending her brother away and making her have a fight with Lisa. Jeezus!! I'm in trouble.
Ohmy- Alisa is trying to murder me with a cricket bat! HELP!!!💔
Ahhhh!!! Jonathan just picked a gun. I'm dead!!💔💔

LOL😂😂😂
Remember when I said I was weird - did I? - well, I AM! Not so proud about it, but yeah 😂💔

Please, what are you thinking? Wanna murder me too? Then please let me know in the comment section. That way you can give me a heads-up so I can run for dear life😂💔

Also, please don't forget to vote and share too. I really appreciate them. And a very big thank you to all those who have been voting, commenting and maybe shared💜💜💜
Iffa say I love you, then I'm not well, I more than love you guys❤️❤️❤️❤️ thank you guys so much❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️. You guys ROCK! Knowing how depressing it was to start this book ALL OVER again, really made me want to dump the story at some point, but I'm grateful for all the support y'all have been showing. Thank you so much.

Next update: Saturday ❤️
Me out!✌🏼