I bit down on my lower lip as a wave of blinding pain hit me again. It felt like my lower abdomen was on fire. Like layers upon layers of skin were being torn off the main organ leaving me in excruciating pain.

If i were a boy....

Now i understand what Beyonce meant by that song.

This thing hurts like a bitch. No... Two bitches!

I felt calmness as the pain receded, a sort of serenity as if what i experienced a while ago was all in my imagination but i know it was all a lie.

The calm before the storm...

I grimaced at the feeling when another wave of pain hit me again, i spasm, the pain paralyzing me from my waist down to the sole of my feet.

I felt tears invade my vision as i close my eyes, sweat broke out from my forehead, the coldness left on the skin of my arm which was supporting my head on my table.

I had long discarded my blazer due to the discomfort it was causing my already irritated skin. I lick my parched lips hoping and praying the pain will go away.

My back arched causing me to squirm when i felt a large warm hand on my back. The cologne of the person invaded my sense of smell and i welcomed it like fresh air.

"Shetemi..."

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay?" he asked rather quietly, sounding worried.

"I am okay... " I whimpered out. He removed his hand from my back and i almost cried out because i missed his touch.

"Omotolani, look at me" I shook my head, i felt so weak and i think i will use up all my energy if i perform that simple task. "please?... "

His voice came out soft, so unlike him...

I slowly raise my head to meet his worried face, he grew more worried when he saw the unshed tears clouding my vision.

He was leaning towards me, his two hands balanced on the back of my chair and table, caging me in. I would have loved to admire the vein running up his strong arms but i whimpered when i felt that pain again.

He also noticed...

Although it was a slight movement, his sharp eyes still caught on to it.

"You said you are okay" he frowned eyeing my sweaty forehead "You are clearly not" he said with a frown.

"What are you doing here?" i asked, avoiding his question. How can i tell him my cause of discomfort as to do with my normal monthly flow which choose to act like a bitch this month.

"It is recess"

I look at him then turn around to find the class empty. I must have slept off during the free period we had before break time.

"I was told you refused to leave your seat even after everyone had left" my eyes met with that of Evans who was leaning against the entrance of the classroom staring at the both of us intensely.

He must have told him i was acting weird because i was not paying attention to him when he tried striking up a conversation with me this morning and the whimpers that kept falling from my lips whenever i make a slight move.

I sigh when Akorede blocked him from my view with his body which made me look at him. I close my eyes in reflex when he pressed his hand on my forehead.

"It is nothing to worry about"

"Don't tell me that. You don't look too good. Where exactly are you feeling the pain? Oya tell me" he pressured.

After my throwing up episode from two days ago, he had been fawning and doting on me like a mother hen. I am not even his girlfriend and he is acting this way...

This is embarrassing but he is getting persistent and i know he won't leave me unless i say something. Something tangible and reasonable.

"I... " I bit my lower lip thinking of what to say or how to put this out. I groan in pain closing my eyes in reflex as the pain came again, in double folds. I let out shaky breath making crazy sounds in my throat as it felt like knives and daggers were been dug into my lower abdomen.

"Tolani?! What is wrong?" his voice rose in panic as his eyes ran through my form trying to discern what could have caused the pain.

"It is nothing, this is normal" i said through gritted teeth.

"This is normal? This is not normal. Tell me what is happening"

I felt a growing headache and a bit of annoyance at his persistence, this boy should leave me alone o but instead of that, he grabbed me by my shoulders shaking me slightly.

"I'm on my period" i deadpanned and it was almost comical watching his hand grow still on my shoulders.

"What?"

"I am bleeding through my vagina. I'm on my period. Therefore the cramps" i gave him a vivid description since he seem not to understand my previous statement.

His face grows still almost pale before it flits into a form of confusion and embarrassment. He looked uncomfortable at the same time calm.

"Hmm.. Uhn" clearing his throat awkwardly, a smile graced my face as he removed his hands from my shoulders scratching the back of his head in a cute manner.

Wait... Was he blushing?

"What? You have never heard of a girl been on her period before?" he shook his head, his eyes widens as he nods in confusion. He looked cute all the same.

"No... I mean yes!" i smirked due to the flustered look on his face and i can hear Evans chuckling, probably listening to our conversation.

He pursed his lips with a determined look on his face before asking me another question.

"Do you need anything? Or do you want to go to the clinic?"

I cringed at the thought of going to the clinic because the last time i was there, it was not a good experience for me.

I can't believe she is dead...

"No" i shook my head "I will appreciate some pain killers though"

He nodded as if making a mental note on what i was saying.

"Are you not going to eat anything?" i shook my head "it is breakfast Tolani, the most important meal of the day"

"I will be fine. I am actually okay and i don't think i can stomach any meal right now"

After so much pestering from Akorede,  i shooed him away because he was persistent in staying with me while he sends someone to get what i needed.

Who would have thought he could be that caring?

Minutes after he left, he promised to be back with what i told him, i settle my head on my locker using my arms as a cushion.

Our little interaction almost made me forgot about the pain i was experiencing. My head had been so filled up with a lot of thoughts after what happened two days ago.

Who was responsible for that pregnancy?

Who gave her those pills?

How did she come about it?

There had been a lot of questions flowing through my mind since two nights ago. The school authorities were trying there best to crack down who could have been responsible for this but i feel like they are not doing enough.

The girl is gone....

Never to be seen or heard again and no one knows her story even her friend who cried for help that night. She was being thoroughly investigated and interrogated but she has been unable to bring up something tangible.

The parents of the dead girl had brought in the police according to what Theresa told me but the school refused to allow an investigation to be conducted in the school claiming it is a learning environment and it won't have anything mess with the mental health of its students.

As if they care about our mental health...

I am not comfortable with the school decision though, one of the students died due to nasty and suspicious circumstance, the least they could do was allow the police conduct the investigation.

The school kept emphasizing on the fact that she took the pill from home because we just came back from mid term break.

Absolutely ridiculous..

What made me more furious was that she was just like me. A child with no background, a child of a nobody!

A scholarship student...

I am sure if she was one of the daughters of all this influential people, they would have turned the school upside down.

I hissed shaking my head until i felt it again.

Oh. No!

Akorede better hurry up or i might pass out from this chronic pain!

-----
"For a guy who you see as just a friend, he really went all the way for you to be comfortable" Theresa sassed wiggling her eyebrows at me with a conniving smile gracing her face .

"He was just being nice" i replied almost sounding shy.

"Ah... Nice. Interesting. He is very nice... Do you know how long we have been friends?" she asked out of the blue with a smirk decorating her face.

"No"

"We have been friends for more than eight years and Akorede-Nice-Wellignton had never given such gift to me whenever i am not feeling well"

I shrugged.

"I don't really know what you are driving at" she scoffed throwing me one of her nasty looks from her other side of the room.

"Be deceiving yourself thinking you are deceiving me... Sha hurry up with the waiting process"

I frown at her words but thought less of it. I stood up from my bed taking my towel along. I left her in the room not before catching her in the act of snatching one of the chocolates from the package.

I don't know how he did it but Akorede had managed to get me every thing that will make me develop sweet tooth overnight.

It happened during after school as i was settling down in my hostel when i heard a timid knock on the door. Only for Theresa to open it to find a equally timid girl she was familiar with.

Bankole's little sister.

I never knew he had a younger sister who was in Jss3, they had the same dark skin, eyes and nose. She was very pretty even with her glasses on and also shy.

In her arms was a wrapped up package that she claimed belonged to me. She said Brother KK sent her to personally deliver it to me.

I was stunned.

No... I was flabbergasted.

The teasing that was coming from Theresa when Bamike left our room almost made me go crazy.

After much pestering and teasing i open the package to meet everything that will make a girl who was on her period inwardly cringe yet beam in happiness.

Dairy Milk, Snickers bars, Oreos, Maryland cookies, Pure Bliss, Bounty, Vita Milk, Chivita, Freshyo etc...

He really went out of his way and i really don't know what to make of it.

I walk towards the bathroom making a mental note to thank him once i see him this evening.

I think it is way overboard but i am enjoying this too much to care. As soon as i got to the less crowded bathroom, i quickly took off my cloth, had my bath before changing.

My stomach pain had gone down a bit. I rarely get menstrual cramps but when it comes, it hits me hard.

I sniffed coming out the bathroom only to bump into one of the last person i am expecting to see.

Zara Ahmad....

The slender, gorgeous Hausa Fulani model who has the sole capability of snatching your heart. Cat eyes, pointed nose, plump lips ,smooth and soft looking melanin skin.

I gulped down some saliva when her eyes sized me up at a go. She stood right in front of me blocking me from passing.

"So... This is the infamous Omotolani Peters... " she said sounding really coy but there was something about her voice that made my skin crawl.

"Hmmm... Hi?" 

They were supposed to be three but i don't see her two friends anywhere so i guess she decided to approach me on her own. I am not up for one of her mean girl talks.

"What is it about you that drives him insane?" she mused but am sure she wanted me to hear. Her face gave nothing away but i can still see the contempt and disgust in her exquisite eyes.

Zara Ahmad doesn't approach people below her standards anyhow so i guess this confrontation has to do with Akorede sudden likeness of me.

When will i rest bayii nitori olorun? The guy won't leave me alone, his fan girls are also on my neck.

"I don't know what you are talking about"  she scoffed before letting out a cynical laugh.

"Don't play dumb with me, you and i know you are far from that" she said a smile on her pretty face before it gets wipe off as she gave me a serious look.

"Be careful scholarship girl. Your new friendship with them is something i don't appreciate" she said giving me a glare.

I flinched when her hand reach out to touch my face but i guess she had other thoughts as she placed it on my shoulder, her long nails digging into my skin due to me wearing a tank top. I winced at the pain and she must have also noticed this because she gave me a sickly sweet smile.

"What are you doing?" i asked shrugging her hand off but it refused to budge as it held me at a place.

"Just wanted to give you a piece of simple advice... I am not going to tell you to stay away from him, i know you are not stupid to know what it entails to be his friend but his girl?" she lets out a degrading laugh.

She let go of my shoulder causing my airflow to come back to normal, air rushed into my windpipe and lungs. It was like she suppressed my air passage when she placed that hand on my shoulder.

My hand unconsciously went to my shoulder and i winced when i felt a slight pain surge through the nail marks on it.

She walked away from my presence with an air of pride and arrogance in her steps. I gaped at her not knowing what to make of the confrontation.

She stopped, giving me a glance over her shoulder.

"You have been warned.. "

I felt a sudden coldness hit my skin after she left. Those four words messing greatly with my head. Her nail marks leaving souvenirs on my skin to mark her presence no matter how much i tried to forget.

You have been warned...

This is getting out of hand and i think i need to tell someone before they carry out their threat but who can i tell?

                       🛁❌🔈

"She said that?" Ejiro asked. I nodded. His face scrunched over in confusion of what i just told him.

"She literally threatened me"

"But why? Is she also interested in Akorede?"

"I wonder! Why are all this crazy girls after my blood!" i bemoaned "I am not even dating the guy!" i muttered holding my head in my hands.

"But you like the guy" i hear him tease causing me to look up as i throw him an annoyed look.

"What has it gotten to do with what is on ground?"

He only chuckled before going back to his book. It was prep time and i had to tell Ejiro my encounter with Zara cause it was eating me up. I didn't tell Theresa.

Something told me not to.. 

"I don't get her deal. I thought it was her friend who was interested in Korede. I would have guessed that maybe he was doing the two girls but he is not like that"

I stared at him curiously.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Akorede does not like Celine. It is something everyone knows. She is just forcing herself on him."

"Ehn en?"

"Apart from Theresa, you are the only girl i had seen him getting close and cozy with...why is Zara-" he stops talking, shaking his head in disbelief.

"You don't believe me?" i asked getting angry all of a sudden, my hand reached for the zip of my dress. Maybe if he sees the red marks he would believe me.

"What are you doing?" his voice grew tense as he gave me a wary look while i zip down a bit, just for my shoulder to show.

I shrugged the sleeve of my house wear down a little, he quickly looks away when my blue bra strap came on display.

"See?" i pointed at the distinct mark on my shoulder. He turned to look at where i was pointing at. He frown at the bruises her sharp nails caused.

"Gracious goodness-"

We both jump at the sound of the ominous clap which cut him off from saying anything. Anxiety slipped in at who walked in on us, i quickly pull up my sleeve before zipping up.

Why did i do that?!

Curse my stupidity.

"Well done well done" Akeju continued clapping grinning at the two of us with a wicked smile on his face. I felt a brewing headache as he was in the company of his goons.

This is bad...

"I never thought i would see this day... Flat chest and boy girl together in a quiet classroom" he taunted, his words suggesting a totally different thing entirely.

"It is not what it looks like" Ejiro counteracted while i sat there like a wet cat. He only exchanged some looks with his friends before they let out annoying sounds from their mouths.

"Okay then " Akeju said crossing his arms against his broad chest before holding his right hand to his chin acting like he was deep in thought. "Enlighten me on what is going on, i would love to know" he said smugly with a visible smirk on his lips.

Ejiro and i exchanged looks.

We are in hot soup....

I return my stare to my textbook as my head pounds in pain.

Zara, you see what you have caused now?

"You want to be sucking booby inside the school premises" Akeju accused.

"No am-"

"Shut up. Omo ale!" JJ roared causing me to shrink further down into my seat as the headache intensifies.

"Leave him... It is not his fault. It is the fault of this one" Akeju said pointing in a not so discreet way at me "it is her fault. Shebi we tell her to come and eat something thick and fresh, but she prefers eja elegun"

I frown looking up at him as he stared me dead in the eyes. His friends hooted as if what he said was funny.

What does he mean by that?

I look away shaking my head at the look he gave me.

"Anyways... Carry on. Don't let me ruin the fun. Konji don catch you abi?"

Ejiro frowned at the word while i blushed in embarrassment.

"Konji ke? Why will Konji catch this one? She is not all that... You know..." Bobola makes a sign with his hands causing them to hoot in their annoying laughter, as they give each other slaps on the back all in the name of making fun of someone.

"No o, no o... You know Ejiro na, you know his spec. Of course... He would go for a girl that has no assest just like a man." Kelechi finish off.

I cover my face with my hands in utter shame and i could feel Ejiro practically boiling on his seat.

Don't cry

Don't cry

Don't cry...

After throwing insulting words at our faces, they finally left us alone when he ushered his band of village idiots into the night to probably taunt another innocent students to death.

Filled with shame, i didn't turn to look at my friend because i caused this, i hurriedly pack my books into my bag before standing up in a rush.

"Where are you -"

"I am sorry" i bolted out of the classroom clutching my bag tightly.

"Wait! -"

But i was far too gone to listen.

Another chapter down....

Omo, i am so tired 😴 ... This country can really drain your energy.

Just want to check up on you lovely people... Hope you are all good.

What do you think of this chapter?

I basically face palmed myself when Akeju walked in on Ejiro and Omotolani...

What are your thoughts on Zara? 💄👠...

Akorede is so caring 😄😄😄