They say not everyone you meet in life will make it worthwhile. Some come to make your world bitter.

But are those people really the problem? The ones that make it bitter.

The ones you should really watch out for are those who set your world ablaze.

It's always easier to chew bitter leaves than to escape a fire.

◈ ━━━━━━━ ⸙ - ⸙ ━━━━━━━ ◈

Everyone stood a good ten feet away from Kendrick Kanayo that afternoon. The Computer Studies teacher was fuming and no one had ever seen the young teacher so angry before. He looked like he would beat the hell out of them any minute.

The room remained drop pin silent. No one could speak, no one could explain, no one could justify their actions.

Annika sat like a statue, staring into nothingness. Dele had cupped his forehead as he equally stared down at the tiles. Ahmed and Enock sat next to him, looking down at their hands. Everyone else stood behind them, silently thanking the heavens they hadn't equally jumped into the fight with the way Uncle was nearly shooting out bullets with his eyes.

Zehan was leaning against the wall, facing his classmates like Uncle Ken was doing. But he still kept his distance from the fuming teacher. Anything could happen.

"SOMEONE ANSWER ME THIS INSTANT!"

Everyone flinched as the whole building shook.

Kendrick wasn't just angry. He was a dragon ready to spit fire.

Timi stepped forward, adjusting his glasses, ready to salvage the situation. "Sir, I-it… w-wa-s just… a… a mis-un.. derstanding af…ter—" the head boy was stammering like he had a vibrator in his throat. His classmates would have found it funny under normal circumstances but these weren't normal circumstances. Uncle Ken wanted someone's head on a platter and that was probably what terried Timi and triggered his stammer.

"A misunderstanding?!" Kendrick cut the stuttering boy off. "What sort of useless, dirty misunderstanding was that?!"

Dele glanced up at the teacher, a look of pity marrying his face. Kendrick didn't know about Kasy's leaked nudes. Not yet.

And no one in that room had summoned the courage to break the news to him.

"SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING!" He yelled at them but no one flinched this time. The veins on his forehead had popped out and suddenly, he wasn't looking twenty three anymore.

Kendrick sighed, looking tired and frustrated. "As I speak to you now, Ms. Isong is trying to reason with the sports officials. Why?" He asked rhetorically, "Well, because they want to disqualify us."

For the first time since they assembled in the empty hotel hall, murmurs filled the air. Obviously, they didn't want to be sent home over a stupid fight.

"But that's not fair! Castron High—" Tari started but was immediately cut off..

"Castron High, what?!" Kendrick yelled at her and Tari knew all the familiarity and fondness they had was gone. "You attacked them! It almost looked like a gang up! For what reason?! Because they won the basketball game?!"

The room went silent again again as everyone exchanged knowing looks, contemplating on if they should and who would tell him about the pictures a Castron High student had leaked on their Facebook page.

It was surprising that Kendrick hadn't found out about it yet. Coupled with being the Computer Studies teacher, he was also in charge of the school's social media.

"The four of you," he pointed to Dele, Enock, Ahmed and Annika who were seated, "are the ones who headed this. So you better give me an explanation and it better be good because you not only stand being disqualified from this Olympics but you will be suspended and you'll lose your prefect positions."

If any of that had gotten to them, they didn't show it.

Annika was still stoic and motionless with her arms folded across her chest until Kendrick turned to her. "Head girl, you have nothing to say?"

Annika looked up at him briefly before turning to the boys seated next her. They were all looking back at her. She locked eyes with Dele, silently asking if it was a good idea to tell him the truth.

Dele nodded and she turned back to Uncle Ken.

Annika stood to her feet, composed and bold unlike the rest. She opened her mouth to speak but the teacher's phone began ringing. Kendrick didn't look like he wanted to pick the call at first but he thought against it and fished the phone out his pockets.

"It's the principal," he informed the students after glancing down at the caller ID. He swiped answer.

Oh no, Dele thought.

"Ma—" Kendrick began but looked like he was cut off by Mrs. Elias. His eyebrows furrowed at whatever she was telling him. "No— I don't know of any— On the… Facebook page?"

Oh no.

Kendrick quickly removed the phone from his ear and began tapping and swiping against the screen. Everyone watched him, feeling sorry for what he was about to see.

Dele shut his eyes and sighed.

Kendrick suddenly froze. He held the phone in his hands for a few seconds, staring down at it.

He looked up at the quiet students, his eyes a little glassy and more bloodshot than before. His eyes quickly scanned the crowd.

He was looking for his sister.

Ms. Isong walked into the room at that moment, looking equally downcast.

"Where is Kasy?" Kendrick managed to ask. No one could say.

He rushed past Ms. Isong and out of the room.

The English teacher looked confused as she watched Kendrick's retreating figure but it looked like she had news of her own.

The students all stared at her expectantly. Obviously, she had something to say about the Nero Sports Olympics and their fate.

"I spoke to the officials," she told them.

"What did they say?" Zehan asked, speaking up for the first time and sounding concerned. Dele couldn't care less, he equally wanted to know what the officials had decided.

Ms. Isong wasn't looking relieved like she would if they had been pardoned. They all saw it coming.

"It's over. We're going home."

• • •

Within the past hour, Kasy had received a total of fifty six missed calls. Seven from Tari, one from Annika, sixteen from Dele, three from Adam, eighteen from her brother. The rest had been from unknown numbers.

And now, her father and Ms. Isong were calling as well.

No one would guess she was in the bathroom in the gym and that was what made it the perfect hiding spot. And also a perfect place to wheeze and cry.

At some point, Kasy couldn't even find it in herself to cry. She just sat there on the floor, asking questions, contemplating suicide.

It wasn't like the idea of taking her own life hadn't crossed her mind so many times but today, it was more than an idea. Today, she had every reason and every right to do it.

There was no point in breathing anymore. Oxygen hurt to take in.

How would she ever face anybody? The thought of even leaving that bathroom felt like a nightmare.

Her father. Kendrick. What was she supposed to tell them? What if her mother heard of this?

School authorities would also find out. She'd probably be expelled.

Her classmates. Now they had every reason to make fun of her. She had committed social suicide already, what was left?

What was left to live for?

There was no way she would ever bring herself to leave that bathroom. Dying there would be the best solution. The only solution.

Casper had ruined her life. No, she had ruined her life by herself. She should never have trusted him.

All that time, he had just been making mockery of her. Telling her she was beautiful, all those sweet words, the flirting.

He was laughing at her all the while. She was pathetic.

And thinking about that did the trick, she began balling her eyes out again. She didn't even care why Casper had done what he did, hell, she didn't even blame him anymore.

She was a joke. And Casper felt the whole world should have a good laugh.

Even when she died, they would laugh and they would have those pictures as a reminder of how stupid and foolish she was.

Those pictures would define her forever and she couldn't do anything about it.

Kasy listened to the sound of her own ringtone as Kendrick called again while she sat there, thinking of the best way to die.

• • •

Dele sat on his bed, his fully packed bag next to him. It was nearly 4 PM already and it looked like everyone was ready to go. He couldn't believe it was all over already. And he couldn't believe no one had seen Kasy for the past five hours.

They had been disqualified and it was all his fault. He had attacked Casper first and even though Dele would never say it out loud, he didn't regret it. In fact, he was almost sure he would charge at him again if he saw him.

Why would anyone be that heartless? Why would Casper take advantage of Kasy's trust like that? And the fool hadn't even fought back because he knew he was guilty.

At the end of the day, none of the Castron High students they had attacked sustained any serious injuries. Dele had only managed to punch Casper once before tackling him to the floor and after that, he was being pulled away from the boy who had refused to retaliate. Dele would've been much more satisfied if he left him with a black eye.

Someone knocked on the door, bringing Dele out of his thoughts at once.

Annika walked in before he could say anything.

"What are you still doing here?" She asked him, looking confused as to why he was alone in the room, sitting on his bed. "The game is about to start."

Dele furrowed his eyebrows. "What game?"

"The girl's basketball game. They still insisted on doing it today—even after everything—to remain on schedule."

"What are you talking about? We were disqualified."

Annika looked a little confused before looking surprised. "They didn't tell you? We were pardoned. I had to call my dad to put in a word—"

"Your father? You called him?"

Annika nodded before waving her hands dismissively. "He knows some people, it wasn't difficult. Come, let's go." She was about to turn and leave when she remembered something. "Has anyone heard from Kasy yet?"

Dele shook his head. "No."

Annika sighed softly. "It's been—"

"More than five hours," Dele completed, standing to his feet and walking to the door. "The last time I called, her phone was switched off."

"If she's not back after the game then we'll go look for her, if she's still here that is."

Dele had not for once thought that there was a possibility of Kasy leaving the hotel. But he didn't think she could leave without anyone noticing. And besides, her leaving meant going home. They would've heard from her brother or father if she had gone home.

• • •

The officials had given a long speech on codes of conduct and how they wouldn't tolerate the unruly behavior displayed earlier that day before the girls basketball commenced.

The first quarter began and it didn't look like either schools were in the mood to cheer until Sola scored the first point for Newland Secondary in three minutes.

Dele only watched the game with half interest. Unlike the first game, he didn't really care if they were losing or winning. But Sola seemed like she knew what she was doing, carrying the whole game on her shoulder. Tari seemed like she was trying to get out of the way of the Castron High girls' way.

Annika stood and cheered once in a while. Ahmed and Enock seemed to be watching with a lot of interest.

Dele only wanted to know where Kasy was.

• • •

It was starting to get dark and all the lights in the hotel were turned on. The whole place looked even fancier than it did during the day and even scantier now that everyone was in the stadium for the girls basketball game. It was the perfect time for Kasy to grab her bag and go home.

She should never have come in the first place.

She knew she should've been walking fast, hurrying, so she could leave before anyone got back but she was tired and depressed. She was starting to not care about anything anymore.

From the gym on the first floor, Kasy thought it would be a good idea to just take the elevator since she could never walk fast enough to make up those fleet of stairs.

What she didn't expect was to see CJ Ikem equally heading for the elevator from the opposite direction which was where the dunning hall was located if Kasy wasn't wrong. He was carrying that old, gray bag of his and it looked full to brim, stuffed with something.

For a second, Kasy became scared. Had they returned from the game already?

But with the way CJ kept turning back towards the area he was coming from like he was expecting someone to chase after him, he was probably the only one not in the stadium.

CJ barely spared her a glance as he pushed the button on the elevator. He hurried in when it came open and she did the same.

He didn't say anything and Kasy was thankful for that. She didn't needn't worry. This was CJ Ikem, he never really cared about anyone's bullshit and he would probably be the last person to judge anyone.

Before they could get to their destination, the smell of fried chicken had filled the elevator. That was when Kasy's stomach had remembered that nothing had entered it since morning. Her stomach made that stupid noise and it was loud. Too loud because CJ turned to her.

"Why am I smelling… KFC?" It wasn't supposed to come out as a question but it did. CJ turned away like she hadn't just spoken to him.

The elevator door opened when it got to the floor where the boys were staying. The girls stayed just above them.

Kasy held her stomach as it growled again, very loudly and CJ paused just before he could walk out.

"Are you hungry?" He asked Kasy after turning to her. He didn't even look the least bit concerned. In fact, Kasy was sure he would shrug and walk out if she said no.

So she nodded.

"Come," said CJ before walking out and Kasy immediately followed him without hesitating.

• • •

Three minutes later, Kasy and CJ are on the floor of one the rooms which Kasy assumed was where CJ stayed. She watched him set down the gray bag before them as he went ahead to open it.

Kasy refrained herself from asking any questions as she watched him pull out a white outfit which she could swear was the same one the chefs in the hotel's restaurant wore.

Within seconds, the room reeked of chicken, kebab, fried rice, jollof rice, moi moi, salad and even ice cream. And yes, Kasy watched as CJ set all those things—and even more—on the floor after carefully retrieving them from his bag.

CJ motioned to the plastic takeaways and snacks on the floor. "Eat."

Kasy looked at all the food and looked back at him. She couldn't believe her eyes. What had he done?

Nevertheless, she reached for the fried rice but CJ immediately grabbed it. "No, Andy likes fried rice. That's for him."

Kasy got confused. "Who's Andy?"

"My brother," CJ replied while putting the fried rice back into his bag.

Kasy was going to ask how and why he'd stolen food for his brother and how he was going to get it to him but that was a conversation for a not-hungry person. So she reached for the jollof rice and CJ snatched it as well.

"No, that's for my mom."

"Then why did you bring it out?!" Kasy snapped but CJ didn't even look her way. "Can I have KFC then?"

CJ hesitated before picking the KFC box and handing it to her.

Twenty minutes later, they had both devoured two boxes of chicken, fries and ketchup. They went on to the shawarma which they split in two.

"So," Kasy started, smearing mayonnaise on her face, "you stole a chef's uniform, got into the kitchen and took all this… how?"

"The chefs were on break. I saw some of them while they were leaving, they thought I was new," CJ relied in between slow chewing.

Kasy chuckled. The story was unbelievable at most but her stomach was a living witness so she wasn't complaining.

"Why are you taking food to your mom and siblings?"

CJ didn't respond, he only ate his shawarma slowly. Too slow for Kasy to watch. She realized she probably shouldn't have asked.

"No one is there to cook," he finally replied after Kasy had almost forgotten she asked a question.

"But your mum— Wait, you're the one cooking?"

CJ didn't respond.

Kasy was trying to get over the shock that CJ Ikem could cook while she could barely lift a frying pan. "How are you getting the food to them?"

"I'm going home. Be back tomorrow morning."

"I'm going home too. Won't be coming back."

CJ looked up at her after she'd said that and there was understanding in his eyes. Kasy forced a smile.

The whole dine and wine with CJ had helped her forget she had thought so much about suicide that day  than she'd done in the last sixteen years.

Then he shocked her by saying, "I'll tidy up and we'll go together."

• • •

It was almost 7 PM when Kasy and CJ found themselves both carrying heavy bags and making their way past the reception in so much haste like fugitives being tracked down by the FBI.

They both wanted to leave before anyone got back from the basketball game for different reasons.

But they were too late.

Just as they approached the large gates, a crowd of their classmates and some Castron High students were noisily making their way in from across the street. It was too late for either of them to hide and besides, there was nowhere to hide.

Dele and Annika were leading the crowd and were the first to spot Kasy and CJ together, standing there like the police had just zeroed in on them.

Kasy wanted to vanish into thin air.

"Kasy," Kendrick called out to her, running to her immediately. "I've been looking for you," he said, sounding relieved. He looked down at the overnight bag she was carrying. "Where are you going?"

"H-home," she croaked out, tears threatening to fall from her eyes again. Kendrick had seen the nudes, why was he being so caring and looking concerned? Why didn't he slap her?

That's what her mother would've done.

"I want to go home," she repeated, the tears rolling down her cheeks. People walked by slowly, whispering amongst themselves and never taking their eyes off her.

She felt like she was suffocating.

"You can't go home," Annika said, now standing next to her brother with Dele behind her. She turned to the side to a bunch of SS 1 girls lingering to get wind of what was happening. "You better be gone before I blink!" Annika yelled at them and they scurried away.

She turned back to Kasy. "We can handle this. You don't have to run away. We've already told the officials what happened and the school is looking into it as well. You were wronged and we will rectify this."

By the time Annika had finished speaking, Annika's entire squad—Ahmed and Enock included—, Ms. Isong, Tari, Timi and Amira were all there, silently confirming their support. Not to mention CJ who still stood there, looking uncomfortable.

Kendrick didn't say anything, he only squeezed her hand and smiled.

Maybe dying wasn't the only option after all.

• • •

W E D N E S D A Y

Kasy opened her eyes only to see Annika standing in akimbo over her bed. Her hair was braided in two cornrows.

"Get up, get up," the head girl chanted, clapping her hands. Kasy didn't know what time it was but she was sure it wasn't 7 AM yet. The sun was barely out. "The other girls are already outside, we're going for an early morning jog. Do whatever you have to do, put on some sneakers and let's go."

Annika was very serious. The fact that Tari wasn't even in the room anymore was saying a lot. Tari had probably not wanted to disturb her sleep after everything that had happened the previous day but Annika Malan couldn't give a damn.

Kasy groggily got up and did as she was told.

• • •

Kasy had her ear pods on as they did laps on the tracks. She wouldn't want to hear the snarky comments her classmates were making about her. She also made sure she was up front next to Annika and Ms. Isong. She didn't want to see their faces either.

They decided to take a break when most of them were already starting to run out of breath.

It seemed they weren't the only ones who had the jogging idea since a bunch of Castron High boys were doing theirs on the football pitch.

Kasy's heart nearly jumped into her mouth when she spotted Casper Bassey looking her way.

Before she could say Jack Robinson, Casper had left his group and was jogging into the tracks towards where she was seated on the floor. That seemed to get not only his friends' attention but also the girls who were taking a break. People were turning heads.

And Kasy's chest tightened. What was he doing? Hadn't he done enough damage.

It was only when Casper was towering over her, his hands on his waist, that she realized that her ear pods were still in. She could only hear Sam Smith while Casper's mouth opened and closed.

Casper turned to his side when Tari had said something. Kasy couldn't hear her either but it looked like Tari was ready to burn him alive.

Kasy finally pulled out the ear pods and took in a deep breath.

"...I just want to talk with her," Casper was saying to Tari who was taking threatening steps towards him like she could beat him up. Casper stepped back.

"She doesn't want to speak to you, so run away." Tari playing the role of mother hen was nice and all but Kasy didn't want to draw any more attention. Dele might appear out of nowhere again.

She would just hear the bastard out, even if she really didn't want to be in the same continent with him at that moment.

"Tari, don't worry… I'll… I'll hear what he has to say," she managed to say the words.

Tari gave her a quizzical look and gave Casper a skeptical one before sighing and going back to the spot where she had been seated.

Kasy got up and began walking away from her classmates. Casper followed.

"Okay, look," he started, trying to keep up with her pace, "after what happened yesterday… I was trying to make sense of everything and I think… No, actually, I know for sure that my Facebook account was hacked."

Of course it was.

Kasy didn't say anything, she just kept walking. She wasn't even sure she could make out the right words to put the lying bastard in his place. For now, she would just let him spill all the lies he'd rehearsed.

"Believe me, I would never ever do what you're accusing me of." He sounded sincere but Kasy didn't expect him not to. "The person you've been chatting with is not me."

That got to Kasy. What exactly was he trying to say?

"Whoever it was must've been deleting the chat, I never saw any of it. I'm very sorry this happened, I'm really really sorry—"

"You sent pictures," she interrupted, turning to him. "I have at least a hundred of your pictures in my phone. How do you explain that?"

"I— I don't know. Anyone could get my pictures—"

"And how many people know your grandparents live here in Abuja?" asked Kasy.

Casper seemed confused for a second. "A few people, I guess."

Kasy scoffed. "You know what? I've heard you."

"But you don't believe me."

"Do I have a reason to?" she yelled a little.

Casper sighed, nodding a little. "Well, I just want you to know I'm very sorry."

"Whatever," Kasy mumbled before turning around walking back to the girls.

• • •

The participants in the Olympics had the option of going down to the restaurant and ordering food worth a particular amount instead of going with room service. And that morning, it seemed most Castron High students and Newland students alike chose the restaurant.

Dele was just coming from the gym and they (he, Ahmed, Enock, Annika and Sola) had decided to eat breakfast quickly before they'd be going to the stadium for the day's competition.

Dele has decided he would add extra money and get extra food. He was famished.

"...No, no, fashi the doughnut. Gimme dah moi moi. I hope say the moi moi sweet oh."

The lady behind the counter gave Ahmed a death glare  but he didn't notice it because he was too busy looking at the different meals in the glass showcase.

"Madam, leave the moi moi. E be like say na this chicken I go chop, drink water," he said to the lady who hissed but went ahead to put the chicken. "No, no, dah one na the yansh you wan give me. I no de eat chicken yansh. Gimme drumstick."

Dele and Enock were trying and failing to hold their laughter and that only infuriated the lady behind the counter even more.

Annika and Sola were too busy talking about how they had won the girls' basketball game the previous day. It was a narrow win but a win nonetheless.

They stopped talking and laughing when the Igbo sisters—as everyone called them—approached the counter as well.

Dele could see Chika turning to Annika with a smile and no, it wasn't the type of forced, mocking or sarcastic smile, but a genuine smile. The twins were ordering their food, the other girl with long hair and soft voice was pointing at the doughnuts with sprinkles on it like she'd just met the love of her life. Then there was the other weird girl who was always quiet and stared at people like she could see something they didn't.

Dele had picked interest in the clique, the only thing left was to learn their names.

"Hey, Annika, right?" That was Chika.

Annika looked speechless, probably not expecting Chika or any of them to talk to her. She forced a tight-lipped smile, not saying anything.

"The whole thing that happened yesterday was…intense. It was all just a misunderstanding. I don't think it's something we should hold against each other or dwell on," Chika said.

Oh wow.

Annika was quiet for a while. "I…guess you're right."

"Yeah," Chika's smile widened. "We're not really violent people."

One of the twins—probably Ebere—scoffed. "Speak for yourself," she mumbled, not really looking their way.

Luckily, Annika ignored her or probably didn't hear her.

Chika initiated a handshake and Annika took her hand.

"See you around," said Chika after Annika got her order and was leaving the counter.

Zehan and Adam walked up to the counter just as Dele and his friends left to find a seat.

Adam was saying something about how he was craving ice cream that morning but Zehan wasn't listening.

Zehan was staring at the Igbo sisters who were still making their order next to them.

And then he was staring at a particular one. An intense stare.

She must've felt his eyes on her because she turned to meet his eyes. She visibly tensed up but managed to send him a glare.

She turned away right after.

Zehan smirked.

This chapter was a little drama-free but I still enjoyed it. You nko?

What was your favorite scene?

And what can you say about CJ's character so far?

For those asking who the Igbo sister is, it's lovetori_xo that will tell you that one, not me 😂 Just keep reading TMBT.

This should be the last update for the year and WOW!!! FORTY CHAPTERS Y'ALL!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

Thank you for sticking with me throughout 2021. It's been one hell of a year, honestly ♥

See you on New year's day, hopefully ♥