Cheers to Natmelda05 Ibukunoluwashinayomi and euchariaezeanyika ❣️❣️❣️

"What subjects do you think I should write in jamb?" Rachel asked, Ifechi's mind was elsewhere.

Damien had won the race.

Not that it surprised her.

But he was wrong to think that she was still naive. She left the field immediately the race was over, Damien couldn't possibly think that she was going to forget everything over a stupid race did he?

"Hey, are you even listening to me?" Rachel's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"What?" Ifechi replied slightly irritated, Rachel sighed involuntarily.

"Have you filled your jamb form?"

Ifechi stared at the blank form in her hand. "Not yet, I need to ask my parents some things when I get home"

Rachel nodded in understanding and was about to speak when something or rather someone, two people caught her attention.

"Urgh!" She said in disgust causing Ifechi to look up. Aliyah was with a tall dark guy, a classmate from class B, the two were standing unusually close while they chatted with Aliyah occasionally touching him whenever she laughed. Ifechi didn't see anything wrong with the interaction even though they seemed to be flirting, but Rachel had another ideas.

"She's such a slut, barely one week since she got dumped and she's already found a new fling..." she spat. Ifechi recalled someone.

"Who's Deji?"

Rachel stopped talking.

"What?" She asked feigning ignorance.

"Who's Deji?" Ifechi repeated.

"Wh....who...where did you hear about him?"

"I heard..."

"...It wasn't me!" Rachel blurted taking Ifechi by surprise.
"I mean... He was just a friend?" She lied

"Just a friend?"

"Yes. We used to talk before... Before he started asking me out..."

"Then..."

She dropped her pen suddenly "I don't know Ifechi, maybe try asking the gossip who told you I did something to tell you what I did!" She said and stormed off.

"Geez"

The next day she asked Dami.

"He's a former classmate, he used to go to this school until he left" she replied while they jogged round the field as part of the new compulsory 'fitness routine' that was imposed as inter-house sports was near.

"Only?" Ifechi asked feeling dissatisfied. Of course she knew he used to go to the school, what she needed was what happened to him and why Grace used him as an example of what may happen to her.

Dami turned to her. "Why are you so concerned?"

"You mentioned him once"

Dami raised a brow. "Did I?"

"Yeah you did...when Anita started hanging out with Rachel and co, you said something about what they did to him"

"Oh.." Dami said in realization, what followed was a scoff. "Well now you're worried about Rachel huh? I told you this friendship she started forming with you will only bring trouble"

"She didn't do anything"

"Okay so why are you worried then?"

"I'm not..." Ifechi paused to catch her breath "just tell me what happened to him please"

Dami stopped jogging as well. "Well okay since you must know...he was in our class then, SS2A, a bit smart, quite handsome too. He used to brag a lot, said his dad owned lots of stuff, said he was a big deal and oh... he also had this big crush on Rachel, that's when the trouble with the trio started."

"Trio?"

Dami hissed softly. "Grace, Rachel and Aliyah"

"Ohhh"

Dami rolled her eyes and continued. "They found out he wasn't so rich as he claimed and gave him the worst embarrassment of his life. The guy was really broke, and as if exposing his father's real occupation as a mechanic wasn't enough, they even went on to spread the video of him dancing at a strip club for money"

"Wow, that's terrible...how did they even get the video."

"No one knows... but the guy was so embarrassed that he missed school for days and then he didn't resume the next term, we haven't heard from him since then, wherever he is, I sha hope he's okay"

"Me too"

"So now that you know, can you tell me what's up?" Dami asked when they resumed jogging, Ifechi shrugged while shaking her head.

"Nothing" she lied, her mind going to what Grace had told her the previous week.

"You think you have friends, just wait till they find out who you are, then you'll know that no one wants to relate with the poor scholarship kid"

"Maybe the people you call your friends care, but my friends don't" Ifechi retorted.

"Really?" Grace laughed derisively. "Damilola Bamilade, last child of Mr and Mrs Bamilade, owners of the Bamilade's law firm, one of the best law firms in Rivers state. And Anita, the only daughter of one of the leading managers in Crimson enterprise and you think they don't care, you're so clueless. Oh and what about Damien, you really thought you two were hitting it off didn't you, so sad the guy saw you're too classless and cheap for his taste."

Ifechi felt a sour taste in her mouth.

"I see my cousin has been disturbing you" her friend said snapping her out of her thoughts, her reply was a raised brow.

Dami shrugged "I've been observing, see he's even looking at you now" she said and motioned to a direction with her head. Ifechi turned slowly and saw Damien staring at her like his life depended on it. She couldn't read the expression on his face because he was a bit far and even when their eyes met, he didn't look away but kept staring at her intensely.

Haba!

Ifechi turned back and hissed. "Well can you tell him to please leave me alone, I'm not interested in any wahala!"

"Ah ah what's the issue?" She replied clearly surprised at her outburst.

"Can you believe that your cousin is expecting me to talk to him after he had the guts to tell me to stop talking to him in public for the sake of his relationship"

Dami was stupefied. "He did that?"

"You didn't know?" Ifechi replied sarcastically. Dami shook her head amused when they heard her name.

"Ifechi"

Ifechi groaned upon sensing the owner of the voice. They turned to see Grace walking towards them with her usual pompous look. Her entourage of friends stood a few feet away watching with judgemental eyes. The two girls were surprised when they saw who one of the members was.

Anita.

The dark girl avoided their questioning gaze and pretended to be picking something in between her nails.

Dami hissed. "Please I'm not in the mood for any drama" she said and walked off, leaving her to face the dreaded visitor alone.

Ifechi exhaled briefly when her friend left. "What is it?"

"I'm thirsty" Grace held an empty water bottle in front of her. Ifechi looked at it in anger.

"So what do you want me to do?" She bit back, Grace seemed taken aback at for a second, but her condescending look came back immediately.

"Is that a question for me or for your ancestors, take this bottle and get me water joorh"

If Ifechi wasn't exasperated, she would have laughed at how pidgin English didn't fit Grace, but instead she hissed and turned to go. "You're not serious"

Big mistake.

Grace dragged her back using a force that Ifechi didn't think she was capable of.

"You must think I'm joking with you" the caramel beauty snapped, now agitated. She shoved the bottle at her with mild force,

Feeling the little rush of pain and the seemingly growing group of spectators, Ifechi took the bottle unwilling to cause any trouble. "You could have just asked nicely, where's your money?" She questioned, Grace scoffed.

"I don't have any"

It was Ifechi's turn to scoff. "So where am I supposed to get from, or do I fetch? I don't suppose someone of your persona would drink tap water" she said sarcastically.

"Don't be silly. Surely you can't be that poor to afford bottled water, are you?" Grace smirked and walked off, her posse strolled casually behind her, each throwing Ifechi a mocking look as they passed.

She felt a sting in her eyes as she walked to the canteen, thankfully, she had spare change.

'You're better than this'

She heard a voice. Upon looking up and seeing noone, she dismissed it as her subconscious when the voice spoke again.

"You're better than this" it repeated louder this time and when Ifechi turned, she saw the person she least expected to see.

"Pedro, what are you doing here?"

He laughed. "Do I need special permission to come to the canteen?"

"Oh"

"Did you kill someone?"

"What?"

"Did you steal something?"

"What no, why are even asking me that"

"Because I don't see why a smart and beautiful girl like you would be letting someone walk over you like that, a spoilt brat for that matter. I saw what she did on the field."

She sighed. "You don't understand.

"Maybe I don't, but do you? Do you really understand that you're being blackmailed, do you even know why you're scared, how bad can this secret be?"

"Like I said, you don't understand"

"Okay, but think about what I told you, you're better than this" he said and left.

And she stopped to think. But why was she scared?

Who cared if she was on scholarship? Who cared if she wasn't as rich or as pretty as Grace and her likes. And even if anyone cared, why did she care that they cared?

'What are you doing Ifechi?'

Pedro was right, she was better than this.

It was like a huge weight lifted off her shoulders while she walked to class prepared to give Grace a piece of her mind and to end this nonsense.

"Here" she said dropping the empty bottle on the desk in front with a proud look. Grace was gisting with some friends when she arrived and seeing the empty bottle stood up furious.

"Excuse you?"

"No excuse you Grace..." Ifechi started, anger seeping through her veins. "...If you think that I am that stupid to keep letting you use me as your slave, you are wrong. I don't care if you tell everyone that I'm on scholarship. Did you hear that everyone, I'm on scholarship, just like Rachel. My parents are not rich, I'm not fancy..." Ifechi said facing her classmates who stared at her in confusion.

She turned back to Grace. "All this while I've been letting you treat me badly and saying nonsense because you think you're all that. I didn't come to school to serve you Grace Okigbae so here is your empty water bottle, you can get your water yourself!"

Grace was taken aback by her boldness, so were the some of their classmates who started to pay attention, everywhere went quiet until someone started clapping.

"Wow Ifechi, what a show. I see you have guts now, you seem to forget that the only reason you're here in the first place is because my generous father thought it was a good idea to do charity, awwn my sweet kind dad, always liked to help the poor" she mocked. A few of her friends roared with laughter but Ifechi was determined not to feel bad, she rolled her eyes.

"Get over it Grace, nobody gives a damn, except you apparently. And if I were you, I'll be worried about facing my studies because as "poor" as I am, I still managed to beat you last term and I will do it again, if you don't mind your business and start studying even harder." Ifechi smirked and folded her arms.

Grace frowned, obviously speechless and Ifechi smiled satisfactorily and was about to go her seat when Grace finally spoke.

"Says the daughter of a wretched man and his stupid wife"

"Haba!"

"Maddo!"

"Ahh!"

Their classmates exclaimed and she turned immediately.

"What did you say?"

Grace smiled wickedly, she'd hit the right spot.

"Call me anything you want Grace, but don't you...everr insult my parents." Ifechi warned.

"Or what?" Grace challenged, the class was silent now as everyone waited to watch the drama unfold. Someone even started singing 'problem e no dey finish'

"I dare you, say it again" Ifechi said through gritted teeth, she was standing less than three feet away.

Grace laughed and took two steps to meet her right in the face.

"I said you are the daughter of a wret..."

The rest was unheard as a slap took away the remaining words from Grace's mouth.

Ifechi stared at her hand in shock.

She'd just slapped Grace.

She freaking slapped Grace Okigbae.

D.C.A's royal highness, daughter of a renowned politician, someone whose entire trust fund can properly buy her family house.

But for some reason, Ifechi didn't feel scared, infact she felt something more intense, a new surge of confidence, an eerie boldness.

She felt powerful.

"You witttchh!!!!" Grace screamed and before Ifechi knew it, she was tackled to the ground.

The whole members of SS3A gathered at the front to watch the fight between the two girls. Ifechi struggled to free herself from Grace's grip which was dangerously close to her neck. She finally hit her side and Grace tripped over giving her tempo. She slapped, scratched and punched, pouring all her anger over the past few weeks that Grace had tortured her.

"Don't seperate them o!"

"Someone should go and call a teacher"

"Taarh, leave them let them fight"

"Grace had it coming since"

"Omo this fight sweet die!"

Her classmates' surrounded them hailing and cheering, making noise all over the place, some people from other classes had even come to watch. She was still hitting and punching when two boys came and broke the fight, Jimmy held her two hands behind while Tolu held Grace, but it was Ifechi that needed to be held. Anyone could tell from their look whom the real victim was. Grace had a busted lip, two scratch marks and a couple of other bruises, Ifechi barely had a scratch save for the redness of the skin around her collar.

"I'll kill you, I'll bloody kill you!!" Grace spat at her.

"Come at me again and see what I'll do!" Ifechi fired back still breathing heavily. The mad look on her face didn't match how she felt inside though. She felt good inside, hitting Grace seemed to supply her with fresh dopamine, she didn't even know she had such strength.

Why the hell did she let Grace bully her again?

"Let me go, let me go!" Grace yelled struggling against the person who held her "...let me deal with this bloody fool, this wretched girl and her poverty stricken family ..."

Another fight broke out.

Ifechi was back on top, slapping and hitting, adrenaline rushing in and out as she unleashed more blows on Grace's delicate skin when a teacher suddenly walked in.

"What the heck is going on here?!!"

The crowd immediately dissipated, everyone returning to their seats as quickly as possible except the two who were still struggling against each other on the floor. Ifechi looked up to see their maths teacher, a huge wave of dissapointment washed over his face once he recognised whom the culprits were and he shook his head furiously.

"OKEREKE AND OKIGBAE, TO THE PRINCIPALS OFFICE NOW!!!!"

And Ifechi knew she was doomed.

A/n
Dun dun dunnnnnn

Ifechi's in trouble.😂💔 Kasala don burst o.
At least I'm glad she stood up for herself, who else is🙋

I sha hope she doesn't get expelled because of this fight. It would be a shame to get expelled and have your scholarship withdrawn for something as silly as a teenage beef. Let's wait and see in the next chapter shall we?

As usual, don't forget to vote, comment and share.

God bless you ❣️