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Alea iacta est-
The dice has been cast.
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007: No End To The Start.

Her shoulders dropped, an act of resigning to fate. The good thing about being a twelfth grader in BSH was that you could sit alone. Every other class had their seating arrangement in a pair of two, except SS3. But due to the new students arriving for each department, a massive number than ever witnessed in the history of BSH(they were surely going to make more money), the seats were returned back to normal.

Simply put, she was going to have a seat partner.

This decision was only beneficial to the ones who had friends. The ones who always had someone tag along everywhere they went or in whatever they did. Like a support system. Bukunmi didn't have that.

"Good thing is, you can sit with whoever you like. I know some of you have always waited for this day, so here you go. Seize the opportunity," the teacher said. Realizing the class paid only half attention to whatever she was saying, she waved a goodbye quietly and exited the classroom.

Bukunmi stared at the empty seat next to hers before resting her head on her table. No one was going to come and sit with her. She was fine with it either way, it was nice not to have someone to disturb her serenity.

"Where are you going?" She knew who was speaking. Even in her sleep, she could recognize the voice.

"To sit with her. I think that fair girl is coming to meet you. Have fun!"

"Marcellus-" George was interrupted by a loud hiss coming from Marcel to caution him. Before Marcel could retaliate, Jina appeared in front of both boys.

"Let's pair up, Head boy."

"Bold, that's nice," Marcel remarked to himself. Obviously reaching George's ears, the latter shot him a glare to which Marcel chuckled in response. "Have a great time with your seat partner, Amari."

Bukunmi could feel her heart sink into her chest. Of course he would sit with Jina. The most admired couple in BSH, even if they weren't actually a couple. But one couldn't lie, they gave real couple goals. And Jina happened to be the only female George acted friendly to in the whole of the school. She used to think he had no choice because they were both senior prefects but things looked different whenever he talked to her.

"Hey, reading partner."

She turned her head slowly and couldn't help but feel angered by the sight of the mixed race boy sitting next to her. This wasn't who she wanted. She wanted George Amari, the Head boy. "What do you want?" she snapped.

Marcel backed up in defense. "I don't bite, chill. I'm your seat partner."

"And who told you that?"

"I'm guessing you don't want me to sit with you." Bukunmi nodded as she absentmindedly listened to him talk. Her eyes were trained on the duo beside them, watching as George continued to smile to whatever it was saying Jina was saying. "Ouch, that hurt."

Marcel followed her gaze, and then realized what she had been staring at. "Really?" he deadpanned.

"What?"

"It's so, so obvious you like him. Make it less obvious?"

It was Bukunmi's turn to back up. "Who said that?!" she exclaimed, causing a few of their classmates to turn to her. A lot of loud hisses were dragged out as they returned to whatever it was they were doing.

"With all the gawking, drooling–"

"I don't do that," Bukunmi defended herself.

Marcel ignored and continued with what he was saying, "Anyone... anyone can tell you have a crush on him. That's so cute." His tone was sarcastic. "A crush."

"Well, Mr Know-it-all, how relevant is this piece of information to you that it bothers you so much?"

"First of all, it's the most irrelevant thing I've gained knowledge of. Second of all, I can not be bothered by your little princess crush. He seems to like her not you." Not so subtle, he pointed a finger to Jina behind him.

Bukunmi rolled her eyes as she spoke. "He doesn't like her."

"He doesn't like you."

"Why are you being so bitter about it?" Bukunmi let out a sound of exasperation. "Seriously, go away."

"No. It's better to sit with you."

Stupid little pest, she hissed to herself.

"Why?"

"It's easier to teach you that way. And you can focus on me, not him." He received a weird look as he said that and only gave a smile to Bukunmi who shook her head in return. "Do you want to read?"

No, but I have to.

"You don't have to read all the time. That's equal to mental suicide, to be honest."

"What a tutor you are!" Bukunmi chirped, her voice dripping with more sarcasm. "I have to read. If you won't help, go and disturb George."

That caught George's attention. He looked at them, confused. Bukunmi stared, equally confused as to why he turned until she realized. "Sorry," she mouthed and sheepishly smiled as she turned away.

"Let's work on Physics, why don't we? I love Physics."

Bukunmi sighed. "I can't relate."

-

"Someone is here to see you, senior. A woman in the parking lot." The frail looking junior scurried away immediately after giving his report, clothed in uniform which looked like a sack he had been dumped in.

Dare snorted at the sight of the junior, somehow relishing in the fear that oozed off his thin frame as he spoke to Niel and also amused by his appearance.

"Your mum?" Moyo asked.

"I don't have one," Niel responded as he walked by. The only thing that could be heard after was the sound of the door slamming shut.

In the parking lot, Niel could easily spot the G-wagon vehicle he'd seen one too many times. One of Madam Zuha's multiple cars. What was she doing here? He'd never intended for her to show up on school grounds, especially when his sister was slowly catching on to his secret.

He increased his pace and with hooded eyes, observed his surrounding before he stopped at the door of the vehicle. He waited as the window slid down, an all too familiar face coming into his view, stirring up several emotions like anger and fear in one.

"Abara, my son."

"I am not your son," Niel sneered. Madam Zuha was quite the delusional type. How she managed to convince herself but not everyone else that the twins were more of children to her than strangers was something Niel still couldn't come to terms with. If it had been a situation, Madam Zuha would have probably been the cliché evil mother, just like the infamous enchanted Ella's stepmother.

She was delusional to the extent of naming a club after his sister, Niella. It was her second name, Evrin, and one could believe she did it purely out of love and admiration for the twins.

However, Evrin came as a perfect name for her business and Madam Zuha was definitely not the type to miss out on opportunities, down to the smallest ones.

"You might want to calm down and listen to the news I have for you. Good or bad, which first?"

Niel paused. "Drop the bad news first."

Madam Zuha nodded. "That person you're running away from... he's found out where you are," she told him, not a hint of concern or alarm in her tone. "Don't let your guard down, he'll be coming to visit soon."

He exploded. "How does he know where I am?!" Niel exclaimed.

Madam Zuha stared at her nails, blowing off invisible specks of dirt from the new black polish she had used. "I told him."

"You told him? He wasn't supposed to know!" Niel yelled. It seemed like he could combust any time from rage and disappointment. "That's the whole point of dealing drugs for you, Madam Zuha! To protect Daniella!"

"Are you scared for yourself or for your sister?"

Niel said nothing, seething. "I heard you killed your best friend. That's what you're running away from? I couldn't get that information out of you. But he told me, with a heavy briefcase beside." Madam Zuha shot a wink.

He didn't need a wise man to interpret what Madam Zuha had said. She gained money.

"Now, I can see the look of doubt in your eyes. So just a little reassurance will help; I won't sell you out to him as long as you keep on with the usual."

"You can take your drugs and die for all I care," Niel spat as he turned around, walking away.

"You do not want to do that, Daniel!" Madam Zuha bellowed. "I know I can do way worse than what Ila is planning to do to you. He's a dangerous enemy, but what's even worse than a dangerous enemy is another dangerous enemy. Let's not double it, shall we?"

Niel stopped walking, staying frozen in his track. "I want to see Daniella," Madam Zuha said.

"No. The deal between us is and will always be secret from her. I'll sell your drugs, but back off. Stay away! And if I have to face Omar Elah on my own, then best believe I will and I will stop selling your drugs, Madam Zuha."

With that, he walked off.

Madam Zuha smiled a sinister smile to herself. "He doesn't know," she said to her driver. "The only end to what I have started for him is death."

-

Everyone busied themselves with one thing or the other. Bukunmi was reading as usual, Kamari and Jina deeply engrossed in a conversation with each other, with Kamari doing most of the talking, Daniella was listening to music from her laptop, headphones on her ears to block noise from the world outside the one she had created for herself through this music, while Lisa sat still. She looked lost in thought, and indeed she was. The only thing she could think of was her interaction with the boy from earlier, whose name she had come to learn was Inioluwa.

They ended up as seat partners which would not have been possible until he walked up to her, requesting permission to take the seat next to her. Of course, she had a problem with it. A seat partner was no less than a bother. But thank goodness they both had their own table to each other.

He was just as reserved as she was, and focused on drawing some random scenarios or characters. Lisa found his drawings quite intriguing. One of his works which she was able to see left her quite confused and yet piqued her interest. It was a sketch of a lady who seemed to be stuck halfway coming out of a mirror. The mirror probably served as a portal and it looked like through it, she was peeking out of the mirror to see the world. Like a soul being set free to witness a new realm.

Talent, Lisa thought.

Kiishi studied the heavy black book set on her outstretched laps with the words Holy Bible in gold print encrusted unto it in capital letters. With her marker pens of several colors, she highlighted little bits as her eyes scrutinized the pages in front of her.

It came to her like a devilish whisper, the words; Close it. It was all she seemed to be hearing since this term had started. Her mind strayed off to the little USB flash drive she'd tucked away in the deepest corner of her box.

It's your chance to do it now, everyone's busy. Just do it, no one will notice, the voice whispered again. Satisfy yourself, do it. You know you want it.

"Go away!"

The girls looked up. Each with different expressions plastered on their faces. Lisa looked irritated. Jina, Bukunmi and Kamari were confused while Niella seemed to be amused.

Kiishi raised her head, and her chest tightened in pain as she stared at the pointed fingers in her direction. The five girls stood in front of her, Jina, Lisa, Bukunmi, Niella and Kamari, their mocking laughter being the only sound that filled her head. The look in their eyes was a look of scorn, and their laughter taunted her to the extent of making her want to tear her hair out.

"She can't do it."

Jina.

"Child of God, child of God."

Lisa.

"You're deceiving yourself."

Kamari.

Bukunmi and Niella only laughed the more. Kiishi clasped her hands over her head to drown out the sound of their laughter and closed her eyes to shut them out from her view.

One, two, three. God be with me, God be with me, God be with me–

"Hey, are you okay?" A hand was placed on her shoulder.

She could have jumped off her bed. She was this close to doing so.

A look of horror marred her face as she gawked at Jina, surprised she was standing by her bed and talking to her.

"I– Yes, I am fine."

Kiishi was anything but fine. She was far from fine.

"Sure, okay."

Jina was surely unconvinced, and Kiishi could see that. She didn't care about assuring that she was fine, when in all actuality, she wasn't.

She was going to throw it away. Keeping it with her only led to further temptation. She wasn't making this easy for herself.

-

"Has it been two weeks already?"

Beads of sweat formed along his forehead, the terrible feeling of discomfort making him want to tear off his white shirt from his skin.

BSH runs a drug test every two weeks.

"My guy." The strangely familiar voice had caused Niel to jump, startled. He turned around, his face immediately full of recognition as he stared wide eyed at the person in front of him. "Why do you look so scared?"

Niel struggled to answer. Revealing his burden seemed like letting loose a big secret. He dropped the plastic bottle of soda in his hand onto the tray and looked up, waiting for Dare to take his seat in front of him. "Go on, speak," Dare urged him.

"Is it... is it-" Aggressive clearing of throat followed. "Is it true that BSH conducts a drug test every two weeks?"

Cue the suspense, Niel thought.

He waited patiently for Dare's response. Then he became confused as he watched the brown skinned boy burst into laughter. "They got you real quick. Quicker than I expected."

Niel furrowed his eyebrows in further confusion. "Don't fret," Dare assured. "It's just this thing they tell new students who deal drugs. It's to make you scared and deal your drugs more cautiously. That way, chances of being caught dealing stuff are lowered."

Oh.

So that was it. He'd been acting this way all over nothing. Over nothing exactly.

It was just a prank. A sick, definitely not funny prank.

"However, there's a chance a drug test is run here in BSH. Last time they did it, I was in Grade 7, and the seniors who tested positive got expelled. Crazy stuff. Do you do drugs? Why are you scared?"

Niel shook his head instantly. "I don't do drugs. I just... I just deal them."

Dare kept quiet for a moment, staring at the scared stiff teenager in front of him. Slowly, the corner of his lips were curved in a smile. "You too dey fear. No one's out to get you for dealing drugs. Just be careful." He made to walk away but then turned back for a second. "Do you know it's very easy to use drugs when you deal it? It's okay to loose guard."

Angry eyes flew up in an irritated glare at Dare's taunting ones. They both knew exactly what he was trying to do.

Never, Niel bit on his lip hard. He'd never take drugs. That was the last thing on his to-do list of delinquency. If there was one, that is.

The sound of Dare's mocking laughter drowned out his thought. He brought the burger to his mouth, taking a hesitant bite and then immediately scrunching his face in disgust. "What is this?"

Whenever Niel got into a sour mood, his appetite and taste buds would equally match his condition.

"How long do I have to keep up with this?"

-

A thirteen-year old standing in front of her mother, as an exact replica. Except, the only thing they shared in common was identical faces.

"Mum, will you take me to Grandma's birthday party? I haven't seen Grandma in a long time! I'll do all my assignments early. Mum?"

Haliyah Adetale stared down at her daughter, eyes void of any sort of affection. Putting on a tight-lipped smile, she crouched down to her daughter's height and dropped her hand bag on the floor. "Who is your grandma?"

A clueless Bukunmi frowned. "Grandma. I only have one grandma. Dad's mother–"

"You do not have a grandmother, Bukunmi. Your real grandmother is long dead. She's just your father's mother, nothing more than that? Understand?"

With sudden teary eyes at her mother's stern voice, thirteen-year old Bukunmi nodded. "Are we still going? I want to see her at least–"

"What is your problem?!" Haliyah exclaimed. "You never speak about your books so eagerly! Always so ready to get to one thing or the other when it's not your academics! Get serious, Bukunmi. They're all distractions. And they don't care about you. Your beloved grandmother has no care in the world to give to you. Live with it."

It was just her standing in the middle of the living room after her mother's outburst. And then, clutching her teddy tightly unto her chest, the tears poured out in heavy torrents. "I just want to see my grandmother. You never let me see anyone!"

"Every new student will have to write down their names in this list. Your first name, middle name of your choice, and surname."

Bukunmi looked up at the assistant class president who dropped a sheet of paper on Marcel's desk next to hers.

Marcellus Kierian Hayes, she read to herself. Not one Nigerian name in sight, she realized.

"Thank you, Marcellus," the assistant class president, petite yet poised so confidently, said.

"It's Marcel to you, thank you too."

Both Marcel and Bukunmi remained in silence after the assistant class president had gone to the other seats. For some reason, Bukunmi was quiet than usual, and Marcel had a feeling disturbing her wouldn't exactly be the right thing to do. He brought the laminated paper from his backpack and his eyes skimmed the timetable now in his hands.

Photography, next.

His shoulders slumped in his seat. He thought he'd gotten away from this subject. In his old school, he used to offer it and even if good memories came along with it, there was an overwhelming past related to photography which haunted him.

Soon enough, he found himself standing amidst other Photography students. Luckily for him, Bukunmi was in this class too.

The petite girl took a seat next to him, focused on setting her camera in position. "You should get your own camera quickly. These ones are just a pastime. There are perks to having your own camera," she said without sparing him a glance.

"I will give you five minutes to settle down, everyone!" the teacher informed.

"I have a camera. I don't use it anymore. I wasn't aware I would still need it."

Bukunmi finally spared him a glance. "Why wouldn't you need it?"

Marcel took a moment before answering. "I was hoping Photography wouldn't be a subject here."

"It is. But it's also an elective. You should know what that means."

An elective?

His timetable didn't indicate that for Photography.

"I thought it was compulsory." He watched in surprise as Bukunmi helped with his set-up.

She shook her head. "It's optional, and your timetable should have stated that. You can always drop it if you want to, even now. No one's forcing you to take it."

Seeing as the camera had been set-up, Marcel braced himself and held the camera in position, and then removed it from the tripod, focusing on Bukunmi.

The way her eyelashes fluttered in concentration as she tried to capture a moment. The way a smile rose to her face when she could finally take a photograph but was wiped off her face instantly, almost like she was unworthy of getting to smile.

He liked the view; seeing someone as ethereal as her through his lenses, and he was sure she didn't realize just how captivating she was.

"No," his voice was barely above a whisper, "I'll take the subject."

a/n: *inputs sad emoji* lover boy like Marcellus, when?

there might be an update on the 13th, as it's a very special day to me. readers of COG will probably understand why, and if you can't remember, you can always go back to COG and check the special updates there.♡

thank you all for coming this far with me. bear with me, it only gets better from here on.♡