Dear Jesus,

I must have been really tired from yesterday, or maybe the cool post-rainfall wind had a calming effect on me.
I woke up unexpectedly late.

When I opened my eyes, the sun was already up, lighting up the morning sky. Birds were chirping and an aroma that made me salivate involuntarily wafted into my nostrils.

Mom was baking vanilla cookies with her special recipe.

I wondered why she didn't bother to wake me up this time.

Well, I was so grateful that I didn't have an exam paper to tackle again today that I didn't pout or sulk at that thought.

I knew I had a dream, but I couldn't remember it at all. In my haste to make it early to school for the photoshoot, I made a brief prayer to you, darted into the bathroom and hurriedly put on my uniform, almost forgetting to tie my shoe laces.

I got downstairs into the kitchen and shut my eye tight at what I saw.

Dad was kissing Mom full on her lips. So that's why she couldn't come to wake me up. Hmph!

"Ewww!" I made a funny face doing that, eyes still tightly shut. I peeked after a few seconds of my eye-shutting scandal.

I must have startled them because they abruptly pulled back, turning in my direction. Mom turned crimson red and Dad had a sly smile stuck on his face. Sigh... What two lovey-dovey parents have you given me, Lord?

"Radiance, you're awake already!" Mom and Dad said simultaneously. Two have indeed become one.

"I guess I am. Thank God I have Angels to wake me up. It seems like you guys have even forgotten that I exist in this house," I said as I made my way to the plate where Mom's special vanilla cookies were stacked. Only then did I realise I was hungry.

"Good morning Dad," I said when he came to peck me on my forehead.

"Good morning princess," Mom said, coming closer to straighten my hair. I guess a strand or two fell out of place, defying my rushed combing

"Morning, Mom," I replied, voice muffled by the delicious cookies I was now munching. They tasted divine.

"Great stuff, Mom." She smiled at my compliment.

"Did you have a great night Ray?" Dad asked, looking at me.

"Yeah, I sure did. Only that I can't remember my dream and I have a feeling it was really important stuff."

"Have you prayed about it, sweetie?" Dad inquired, his voice a tad bit deeper and his body terse. I wondered why.

"No. But I will." I should have known better. Procrastination and I aren't compatible.

"I'll be headed for school now," I said, springing out of my chair like a Jack-in-the-box when I glanced at the microwave time and saw 9:02am.

Thank God I'm a senior student writing my final exams.
If not, the punctuality teacher would have had a wonderful time torturing me with any punishment he felt like dishing out, depending on the degree of his sour mood that morning.

I didn't take lunch. I told Mom that I wouldn't take long at school. And off I went.

I got on the late bus after waiting for a long time, praying that there was still hope for me to get to school.

The strange thing was that when I got on the bus, it was as if I suddenly became the center of attraction.

There were all kinds of people on board: old, young, male, female, touchy looking, jovial looking, you name it.

The majority of them glared at me as if I was a criminal who had just been sentenced to death by hanging.

Some, though scantily few, looked pitifully at me, like I was a day old baby who had just lost its mother.

There were even silent whispers and snickerings.

At first I dismissed it, thinking they were probably wondering why a student in uniform, that'd be me, was doing outside of school at this hour of the day. But then, when the glares and glances became to unbearable to go unnoticed, I started to pray in my spirit, right where I was seated near the bus's window.

I successfully got out of the bus at Charios High School gate.

I was still confused about what happened on the bus but I managed to walk to the school hall.

Since we weren't having an exam paper, most of the students brought their phones. They were clustered in groups over their phones. They would take a look at their phone and look at me dangerously.

I was beginning to get scared.

I saw Pris and Kathy seated together at a corner of the hall.I walked to them and sat on a spare seat. Even they had sad looks on their faces.

"Hey guys! What's going on?" I breathed, trying hard to make sense of what was unfolding before me.

Just as Kathy was about to open her mouth and talk, Genevie burst into our midst.

"Radiance, is it true?"
There was a brief flash of disbelief and shock in the faces of both Pris and Kathy.
I hadn't really told them about Genevie's conversion. I quickly signalled to them that it was ok.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, still really confused.

"Haven't you seen the news?"

"What news?"

Genevie brought out her iPhone. There boldly sprawled on the screen was an headline that I wouldn't have dreamed of in the next thousand years to come. And it was circulated by a very prestigious news channel, Twilight News.

GENERAL OVERSEER OF REDEEMER'S LOVE CHURCH RAPES 17 YEAR OLD GIRL!

When I saw that, I don't think I could breathe for the next one minute.

"So that's why I was receiving those glares this morning from virtually everyone," I said to myself.

"You guys have to believe me. That news is absolutely a lie. My Dad would never do such a disgusting thing as that."

"We believe you. I'm just shocked. As in, who had the effontery to tell this lie?" Kathy said, putting her hands on my shoulder, probably to calm me down.

"The damage has been done , but we have to find out what exactly is going on," Priscilla said.

"I'll help," Genevie said. I smiled to myself. Genevie's parents are rich and highly influential in the society. She'll be of great help in uncovering this mystery.

You must have forseen this storm will arise. That's why you saved Genevie and remade her my friend at the exact time we needed help.

I remembered your words to me when I saw you in my first encounter dream. "You'll need the Holy Spirit to weather the storms to come." This must be part of the storms you were talking about.

Sighing, I wondered what must be going on at home by now. Surely Mom and Dad would have found out.

I turned to my friends and told them all that happened starting from John's mom's healing to Genevie's salvation.

They were happy but the thick melancholy about the news still hung in the air, stifling whatever happy expression they would have freely shown.

They all took the news as if they were my blood sisters.

Right there and then, added Genevie to our WeChat group.

As we were about to start taking the pictures for our year book, Genevie's crew came up at me and started tormenting me with cruel words.
Unfortunately for me, my other friends went to get their name tag from the teacher in charge.

"Hey jerk! You're a kleptomaniac. Going about stealing friends," one heavily made-up girl was practically spitting on me. She gave me a shove.

Nobody around even tried to help me. No teacher was in sight.

"Yeah right. She's a true daughter of that rapist," another girl said venomously, not trying one bit to diguise the pure hatred and evil that was evidently etched on her face.

I was stunned to silence. Inside of me, I was boiling with anger, not at what they said about me but about what they said concerning Dad.

One of those girls pushed me
and I hit my head on a pillar in the hall.

A splitting pain travelled from that spot to the rest of my body. I blacked out just as I heard Genevie yelling at them from a far distance...

**********
How are you doing? I hope you've been enjoying this festive season as much as I have.🎇🎉🎊

I'm sorry for the late update. Christmas celebrations have really had me tightly grasped in its clutches.🥺

I hope you like this chapter.😁
Anticipate. More action coming up. More mysteries to be revealed.
And please, don't forget to vote, comment and share.
God bless you 💖.