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I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth in me shall never thirst.

        – The Bible. Jesus: John 6:35

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Dear Mum and Dad,

Hello, my beloved parents. I know you are above watching me. But I'm not sure. It's still a mystery to me. I don't know what happens to a dead person. I don't know where they go or what they do. Just rest in peace wherever you are, my beloved parents. I love you!

I have something to share. I know I should get a friend or someone to share my thoughts with but I don't have such a person now so I will just write this letter. Maybe I will search for a friend later. Today, I went to a tutorial. It's my first time there. I think my experience there is going to be lonely. I hate gossip and the students look immature. I am twenty years old and I need to act my age. The truth is that I didn't really have a fun childhood experience. My evil Aunty and her wicked husband ruined my life. They will surely pay for this. I will not spare them.

So....I just want to tell you that I am going to set the confident me out. I need to be bold in that tutorial. I will never allow myself to be oppressed. I definitely will not take any rubbish from anyone.

Sadly, this letter will end here. I'm just gonna take life seriously. There is no time to play. I have steps to climb towards my success.

I smile at the letter that I had written and go to tuck the book into my bag. I spread one of my material on the floor and lay on it. It's time to sleep. I have a busy day tomorrow. It is 9 in the night and I want to rest for awhile because I will have to wake up early. I would like to stop at my shop to work a little before I head to the tutorial. Rita is not around though. She just left for a night party. I don't understand how she lives her life. Her work is something I can never learn to understand. I shut my eyes and sleep overcomes me.

The early morning sun permeate into my room and its ray settles on my eye. The moment I open my eyes, it's sends a sharp pain. I use my hand to shield myself from it and rise. I was hoping to wake up five but rather I woke up six. I spring to my feet and mentally prepare to fight for an opportunity to bath downstairs. I pick my toiletries and head down the stairs. It takes an hour before I can finally bath. My breakfast today will be simple: bread and coke. This is what I can afford. I won't say I'm broke. No way! I just started saving for my tuition fee. There is no way I will take advantage of Aaron's assistance. He has helped me a lot. The least I can do for myself is to save my money. I eat my breakfast and hiked to my shop.

With an unwaveringly serene smile on my face, I open the windows in my shop and dust the place. I won't have to deal with Baba Lolade anymore. I have changed my shop. It is spacious and it's well-equipped. I spot my radio on my wooden table. Mrs Yemi had bought it for me. The woman is so different from my aunt. I don't know why but I just keep comparing her to my aunt. The difference is so huge. The woman is generous, tolerant and an amiable person. I wish she was my aunt and not the other one. I'm sure my life would have been better. I need to visit Ms. Sara's bakery. I miss Mrs Yemi already. Though my business has been going well, I work at the bakery once in awhile.

I switch on the radio and tune in to a musical station. A sweet melody blast out of it and my body swirled to it. Left to right, up and down, my body moves to its mellifluous rhythm. Good music has a way of lifting the mood of a person. I didn't even know when I started singing along.

My hands adroitly work on the design of a customer's dress. I throw some shapes to the music as I work.  My ringtone shrieks and I purse my lips before proceeding to switch off the radio. My living atmosphere becomes dull in a second. I pick my phone and I see the number of my recent customer being displayed.

"Good morning," I say when I accepted the call.

"Good morning. How are you?" She replies in a haste.

"I'm good," I respond.

"My dress," she snaps and quickly clears her throat. "The occasion is next tomorrow. Please, is my dress ready? Abeg! No fail me".

My lips quirk up into a smile. "Fail you? Nah! That's not happening".

"Really? Is it ready?"

"Yes! I am just adding some beads and designs to it. Give me ten minutes and I will be done. You can come to my shop at three to pick it"

"What? My dress is ready?" She exclaims and hops around. My customer is just in her early twenties and she has a family occasion she wants to attend. According to her, she must be the finest in the party. As her fashion designer, I have to make that dream come true.

"Yeah!"

"Thanks! You are the best. Don't worry. I will market your company well. Thanks"

"No! Thank you for trusting Dora's clothing".

"Okay! I'm glad I did. Bye! I will stop by later," she squeals and terminate the call.

I smile and sigh in satisfaction. I love to see my customers confident in their dresses. My joy has no boundaries when I see that cheerful smile.

My stomach churn and I feel a pang in my chest. It's sad that I am scared to try some of my designs on myself. I feel my ugliness will destroy it. My lean body will make the design look odd. I will just stick with long sleeves top and any jeans or skirt I can find. Presently, I am clad in a peach long sleeve shirt and a blue jeans skirt. This outfit could have look more stylish if I had mend the dress to my size but I didn't. I allow the huge shirt and skirt to swallow me.

Besides, who am I impressing? Let me be comfortable in my big clothes. They hide me. I'm insecure. I know that. But I don't know the solution to it.

At eight, I arrive at the tutorial. The receptionist receives me with a smile and I stroll to the science class. My eyes goes wide as I draw nearer to the room. The chairs are mostly vacant. Not because the students chose to stand but for the reason that they were little to no student in the room. I give a lopsided smile. This clearly means that I'm early. My shoulder squares and I lift my head high. I strut to take a front row seat and smirk. I pull my books out and I am ready for my English class. My mouth set in a hard line when a girl occupies the chair at my left-hand side.

"Good morning," she says to me and places her bag on her thigh. "Sorry! This seat is for someone".

I raise a brow at her. "Excuse me?"

"I saved this seat for someone," she divulged.

I tilt my head and take in her serious look. "But you just got here".

"No! My bag has always been here," she points at it.

I pause and then, recall seeing a bag on the chair. I glance at her red leather bag and nod in agreement. "But there was no bag on this chair".

"I saved it for someone. Please stand up and find another chair. There are so many vacant chairs for you," she Hector's towards me.

I frown. "And there are so many vacant chairs for your friend. Why can't she come early to class? First come, first served," I snap and cross my legs as I sit confidently on the white plastic chair.

"That one concerns you oo. This chair is for someone. In fact," she points five chairs in the row, mine included. "They are all taken".

"By ghosts abi or is it spirits?"

"Haha! So funny," she hisses and rolls her eyes.

"Sorry oo. Is it me you are giving attitude? Well done. Let me see how you will carry me out of this chair. Nonsense. I resemble your mate abi? I no blame you, na my size dey deceive you na"

"Let the owner come. She will chase you herself," she claps her hand in the air and eyes me with disdain.

"Did she buy the chair? Is her name on it? No stress me oo"

"Okay! I will not talk"

"Yes! Don't talk. I'm not a fan of mouth odour, you know?" I scoff and hum to the beat I heard earlier from my radio.

"Ah! Is it....is it me— ," she stutters.

I cut in, "Yes, the stench from your mouth is not pleasing".

She gasps, rises and stomps away.

Is her mouth smelling? Nope. I just wanted her to feel bad. Hehe!

Thirty minutes later, the noisy group of students arrive. We are having English and it's a complusory subject in jamb so I'm not surprised when the large class became full. Some students were forced to stand. You remember the noisy, rude girls and boys of yesterday? They came today and it turns out that Precious and I will be at loggerheads. She eyes me and says. "Thank you for keeping my chair warm. Now, leave".

The girl sitting beside me jogs to us and smirks. "This is the owner of the chair. Stand up".

My glassy eyes moves between them and then, settles on the white board in front. 

"Are you deaf?" Precious sneers.

"Are you blind?" I bark.

"See this one oo"

"See this chicken oo," I spill out and eye her.

She gasps and her made-up face contorts.

"Or should I call you the gaping fish since your mouth is open," I say with a careless shrug.

Her blazing eyes drill into me. "This is my seat," she growls.

"Show me your name on it," I exclaim and gesture for her to do it.

"I don't like to create scene so stand up," she replies lowly and folds her arms across her chest. This makes her crop top roll up and her black bra is exposed. She stands, leaning her weight on one leg. Her legs are glowing. She must have applied much cream since she knew she would be wearing shorts.

"Pele!"

"You are mad! Stand up jor. Who do you think you are? Everyone in this tutorial knows I like to sit down here during English classes. Stand up," she bursts out and points her artificial nail at me.

"The chair doesn't have your name. Quit being immature and find a seat for yourself before it is too late," I hiss.

"Stand up," she slams her bag at my arm. I grip it and toss it to the front of the class. The students exclaims and their attention fall on me. "Jesus! My phone is inside. You are truly mad. I will teach you a lesson," Precious screams and runs to get her bag. I nod with my michievous smirk plastered on my face.

Like I said earlier, I am not going to take rubbish. But how can a small girl like this bully me? It's not possible na. She needs to know who the real boss is.

An ambrosial fragrant fans my nostrils and I draw in a refreshing breath. I turn to my side and almost choke. Simon lowers onto the chair beside me, his dominating aura still in place. His friends take the empty chairs kept for them and Precious is left standing. 

"This chair is for Precious. Can you peacefully stand up? We don't like trouble," Simon orders and stares icily at me.

"Shut up!" I say to his face. His face was still grim but I see the corner of his lips twitch.

"Hm..." he clamps his mouth shut. "I don't have your time," he adds at once.

"Better!"

Teacher walks in and I could tell that I won this round. As the teacher sternly orders everyone to sit, Precious look daggers at me.

"Okay na. Sit down well. You will see what I will do to you," she threatens. "Hey, guys! Let's change seat".

They all rise but the Simon doesn't move.

"Aren't you coming?" Precious queries.

"No," he shrugs.

"Why?"

"I am already comfortable here," he replies.

"Me too!" Other girls and boys join and take their seats.

"Sorry..... This girl here just took your seat. Find a new one," one of them say to her.

She narrows her eyes at Simon and bobs her head. "Nice one guys! You will see what I will do to you all".

"Empty threats," I cough out. Some of them laugh but most glare at me. Simon chuckles and shakes his head at me.

"Stop being naughty," he tells Precious. "We'll talk later. Go and find a chair for yourself".

She lets out a long hiss and flounced away.

"What's your name?" his deep husky voice directs to me.

I force my eyes on the teacher in an attempt to ignore him.

"Hey," he wiggles his pen close to me.

My eyes stays locked on the white board.

He taps his pen on my book.

"Ask Google," I hiss.

"Wow! I blame myself for asking," he scoffs.

"Good!"

"Impromptu test everyone. Oya! Let's start," the male English teacher announces. Students let out a loud growl and he laughs at that. We pull our books out and he adds, "It's a spelling test".

This makes me to roll my eyes while the students growl. He begins to call out words that leaves my brain smoking.

"Exchange your notes. Don't let me prophesy on your jamb exam oo. You know teachers have powers to change your lives oo. If you don't exchange your notes, your computer will stop working during your jamb exam," he jokes.

He points at a boy. "Do you want to pass your jamb? Oya! Exchange your book".

We all laugh at his words.

"I know some stubborn ones won't. That's why I shall prophesy now," he exclaims.

"No oo!" The students begs and burst into a boisterous laughter. The girl at my left eyes me and exchange her note with someone else. I take a glimpse of Simon and see he hasn't exchange his notes. I don't ask for his permission but just take his note from his hand. He arches his brow in disapproval. I shrug and say, "We have to exchange our notes".

He snarls and taps his pen impatiently on my book, his eyes on the teacher. I assume he has agreed and proceed to make the first question. I got it right but he didn't. I fail his. Mistakingly, I make the 'x' mark legible. He takes note of that and when I fail, he did the same.

We aren't speaking to each other but we are having a war on our notebooks. In the end, I exchange our notes back. I got ten questions correct out of twenty. I'm not impressed with my score but I tell myself that I must improve that. As for Simon, he got five questions right. 

Fine boy, no brain! How sad!

"I wasn't prepared for this exam," he mumbles to a friend, his intention– for me to hear.

"Me too" the guy replies.

"Hmm..." I say aloud. "I wasn't prepared for this test but my result looks okay".

I am also shock with my outburst. You can't blame me. The x marks on my note are too obvious. Someone might even think I didn't get any answers right. Simon literally drew on my book. Does he think my note is for playing x and o?

He tears the test page out of his note. I chuckle and he glares at me. He snarls as his eyes scan his test score and then he squeeze the paper. As if it were a ball, he tosses it to the bin across him. I scoff and write above my test score: "Must learn from my mistakes. Success is mine".

He literally picks my book from my hands and reads it. He shakes his head and tosses to my thigh.

"You are annoying," he exclaims.

"It's nice to meet you too" I say and rise from my seat. I don't bother to glance back as I leave. I get to Precious and say, "English class is over. The chair awaits you".

I also don't wait for her reply and leave for my next class.

A/N: Thanks for reading. What do you think of this chapter?

What do you think of the story in general? Do you like it? Is there anything off about it?

Thanks again. Don't forget to vote and comment. ❤️❤️❤️😚😚😚

I'm still finding it hard to stick to my schedule. I hope you can bear with me. I will still try to publish my book on Tuesday and Friday
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