Friday January 18, 2019

                  "I can't believe you told the principal on me!"

                As if choreographed, Tokunbo, Vicky and Betty turned towards the duo as they exited the principal's office.

              "You gave me no choice!" Anna defended throwing her shoulders nonchalantly.

                 "My grades, My freaking business!" Eli snapped. "I don't understand how it affects you."

                     Anna shook her head, her agitated expression had settled into a pitiful one. "Do you even know what you're saying? If you fail the external exams, how will you get into a good Uni?"

                  "What do you mean fail?" Betty inquired moving closer to them. The secretary sat quietly at her desk a few meters behind them, a displeased look on her face.

                  Eli held up a hand. "Stay out of this." He turned to the annoying Igbo girl beside him and grabbed her hand. "You. You're coming with me. You will pay for this."

                 Anna's eyes widened in fright. "W...what?"

                  "Eli." Vicky intervened. "What exactly is going on? What happened in there. One minute we were all terrified you'll go to-"

                 Tokunbo coughed awkwardly giving Vicky a pointed look. The latter pressed her lips shut in respite. Tokunbo then diverted her eyes to the girl beside Eli. The girl who's hands Eli held. She furrowed her brows.

                  "So who's she?" Betty asked after a bout of silence tell on them.

                 "No one. She's no one. Can you guys leave me alone now? I've had enough stress for one day." Eli scowled and tugged at the shivering female beside him.

                  "Of course your highness." Betty hissed. "Do call on us when you need us."

                    Her words burned him. He growled and dragged reluctant Anna fiercely. "I don't need you." He whispered angrily as he rushed past her. "I don't."

                 The three girls watched Eli disappear out the door with a squirming girl trailing behind him.  A sudden hush fell on them.

               "She's bad news." Tokunbo muttered softly.

                "Ohh, and the dumb speaks." Betty taunted bitterly.

                 Vicky sighed. "Betty-"

                The latter turned to her with a withering look. "And I am still mad at you!"

                 "You can be angry at everyone." Tokunbo stated. "That's not the issue here. That Anna girl is suspicious. Does anyone know her?"

                   "She was a former classmate. She must've transferred to another class." Vicky explained frowning in confusion.

                  Tokunbo stilled. "When?"

                    "Don't know. Why do you think she's suspicious?"

                   A scoff escaped Betty. "You're actually having a conversation with her? She abandoned us all. She shut us out-"

                  "And you abandoned me. Stop with your silly self righteousness and have sense!" Vicky stated with a pointed look.

                   Betty thin eyes widened. "I abandoned you? You're the one who refused to be happy for me! And then I see you with my scum bag of a brother and you call me self righteous?! You're unbelievable."

                  "Oya!" The Secretary yelled suddenly. The three girls glanced behind then to see the fuming woman fumbling to stand up behind the receptionist desk. "Get out! Go outside and do your family meeting!"

                  They couldn't resist giggling as they ran out of the principal's ante room. When they were a good distance away, the three girls burst into full throated laughter. Their angst forgotten for a while.

                 But not forever.

                "Why?" Betty murmured, eyes fixed on Tokunbo after silence settled on them like rain on a hot night. The question was well understood.

                "Why?" Vicky echoed and watched as the gaunt looking girl shifted underneath their gazes.

                 "None of that matters now." She whispered.

                The bell rung announcing the end of the lunch break. Three girls turned away from each other, lost, angry and sad.

                Why?
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                  "Tha... That's the bell. We... We need to go to class." Anna squeaked. Her back was flat against the wall and in the past five minutes she had watched him rant and pace to and fro.

                 Eli halted mid step, eyes narrowed in a nasty glare. He stalked towards her slowly and would've smirked at how she wanted to enter the wall if he wasn't so angry.

                And confused.

              She had scared him to death! He would've bailed. He'd have been running for no good reason. All because of some crazy girl who was hell bent on teaching him. She had to have a reason. She definitely did.  He stopped right before her. Her breath fanned his face and he stared her down.

              "What do you want?" His voice was low, menacing.

                Her throat moved as she swallowed fearfully. She looked around the basement for escape but there only seems to be the stairs they had climbed down.  "I... I just want to help you- Ah!"

              Eli's hands wrapped around her arms suddenly, squeezing angrily. "Tell me the truth. No one helps me without wanting something in return. What is your price?!" He bellowed.

              Anna winced and shook her head vigorously. "Nothing. I swear it. Please you're hurting me."

               "You'll hurt less if you just tell me the truth!" He barked.

                Anna squirmed underneath his vice grip, trying to shove him aside. "Eli... Listen to me. I don't want anything."

                 "Liar." He bit out bitterly.

                 "No... Listen. I know how it feels okay? To be used. I do. I've been used all my life like you."

                   Eli shoved her aside with an angry shout and stomped towards the stair wall. "You don't know me. Now please, leave me alone." He sniped and made to leave.

                   "You're Elijah Adebayo. You were bullied in Junior school. You have a best friend and over a year ago, you were accused of beating him up. The Skylars used you as a means to cover up their secret." Anna lisped.

               Eli whipped around so fast, he heard a crick in his neck.

                  Anna continued. "Your father uses you as a prop against his friends. You're a boy after all. And all men are strong. And you're not happy. You think failing school is the best way to get revenge on him."

                "How... How do you know all this?" Eli spluttered.

                 "Because the first thing I do before coaching anyone, is know them first." Anna explained, her breathing evened out with every inch Eli's shoulder dropped. "Let's start over shall we?"

              She stretched a hand out in the empty space between them. "Hi. I'm Anna with the A. And I can help you get the best revenge on your father."
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            Tokunbo walked a few steps and stopped. Her eyes trained on a figure meters away from her. Students swarmed by her, shoving and pushing their way beside her. Not even Citadel's murderer could stop the euphoric  freedom that came with the last bell on a Friday. Many had plans for the weekend. Those who didn't formulated theirs on the go. Tokunbo had a plan. And that was to find out who Anna with the 'A' was and why she had approached her in the library.

            There was no way it was coincidence that she was acquainted with Eli.  What had happened in the principal's office? Who was she to Eli? How did Eli know her? And when the fish balls, had they gotten so close that he held her hands in the principal's office?!

                   You haven't spoken to him in almost a year. You literally have no idea what goes on in his life.

                She hated the voice of reason a lot. But she had a niggling feeling. And even though her gut was always wrong, her gut said this wasn't.

                 Maybe she's a stalker.

                She sighed and looked up to find the girl she had been tailing.

              "Where's she?" She whispered, eyes darting around. Why had she gotten distracted?! The girl was gone. She put a fist on her mouth so she wouldn't groan in anger at herself. How could she have lost sight of what was important? There was no way she would survive the weekend pondering who Anna was and why she was so worried about the girl.

                 "Looking for me?" Anna hollered behind her. Tokunbo slowly turned around guiltily. There was no use denying.

                 She's definitely up to something.

                Anna took measured steps towards her until they stood eye to eye. A pregnant silence ensued until she broke it. "I know you can speak. So ask your questions. I don't like being followed like some criminal."

                  The jab was there and Tokunbo felt it deep.

                  Some criminal. I'll show you criminal.

                 Pasting a small smile on her face, she jutted her chin up. "You really don't want to get me angry. Trust me, the court will pity this monster but you'll be the one using tubes to breathe."

                   Anger and something close to panic flashed in those black upturned eyes. "I know that alright. Now what do you want?"

                   "Why are you following Eli?"

                   Anna laughed a short one. "Well since you're not doing it, someone should. He is pretty handsome."

                  Pftt. He's a pig and a ninny.

                  "I know you're up to something. I don't know what it is. But I will find out." Tokunbo muttered determinedly.

                   "Well rest dear Tokunbo. I won't chow him all up, I promise." The girl drawled thickly and sauntered away.

                    Tokunbo watched her walk away wishing the floor would open and swallow the stupid girl. Why wasn't she blessed with psychic powers too? That way she could become the monster everyone thought her to be.
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What do you people think about Anna? Who else thinks Tokun is just jelly?🤣🤣