<Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving>

|12|

--19 hours ago--

"ARE YOU looking for this?" Katharina, a wicked smile playing on her lips, dangled my skirt at the tip of her fingers. She held it far away from her like it was an abomination and couldn't endure bringing it any closer.

"And perhaps that too?" she said further, cocking her head towards the back end of the cafeteria.

I strained my eyes, to get a better look at the material which had been somehow suspended on the light switch, and gasped. It was my patterned knickers on display for everyone to see.

The white shirt I was holding dropped to the ground. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. I was so close to either melting into a puddle or hyperventilating. Shit had totally hit the fan.

"Well what are you waiting for? Go get it or do you really want us to continue looking at that sorry excuse of underwear?" Katharina sneered, pointing a black manicured fingernail forward.

"Yeah, like who still wears old granny pants? Boring!" Aliyah twisted her mouth in disdain.

You know the pretty funny thing, Aliyah was black like me too, even darker than me and yet she acted like I wasn't part of her race. Sad, I know.

Katharina stood up while her friends; Maude, Aliyah, Ryan, Noah and Josh all sat silently, as if they were in a meeting and the board of directors, watching me watch them back. The only difference in our gazes was that theirs were filled with venom while mine was filled with humiliation. And I repeat those haunting questions again, what on earth did I do to deserve all these?

There was a thing wrong in their sitting arrangement though because someone was missing. Their leader. Kian.

"Dumb bitch, get your filthy stuff off that switch soon enough or it might just dissolve under all those heebie jeebies crawling in your pants," Noah said, disgust written plainly all over his face.

Flushing as red as my skin would permit, I did as they demanded. I passed them by, faltering between the rows of tables which students who were surprisingly tight-lipped occupied, stares drilling a hole on my almost naked body. It was like I was treading on fiery hot coals and walking the walk of doom.

Finally, after that terrifying trudge that seemed like a snail's pace, I reached the back end of the cafeteria.

The switch was situated a little bit higher than me so it was an effort getting my knickers. And not only that, holding tightly onto the towel was a matter of life and death now because if that towel slipped. . . No, I can't bear to envisage a horrifying scenario such as that.

I could already imagine the newspaper's headline.

Breaking News!!!
High School Female Student Dies.
Cause: Death by Embarrassment.
Venue: The School Cafeteria.

Shutting out those unhelpful thoughts I focused on the task at hand, all the while praying. God help me because I earnestly needed divine intervention.

After jumping and stretching out my fingers for what seemed like the hundredth time, my knickers finally came free. And luckily enough the towel still stayed glued on me.

Holding my underwear which had been called more names than an undergarment was used to, I walked back face down. Scorching tears swam in my eyes.

The only thing stopping me from letting those tears fall was that it really wouldn't do, letting them see me cry. Not after they had already witnessed my towel wrapped body. Bawling now would be more than pathetic.

I was almost making it out of the cafeteria until unbeknownst to me, someone knowingly spilled a drink my way. I did not notice that earlier on time because my vision was getting blurry by the seconds.

Like an ignorant fool, I stepped into the trap awaiting me and slipped down. Mocking laughter echoed throughout the room and the awkward silence vanished. They must have been probably waiting for me to make a mistake which I did to their delight.

I raised my hands trying to hold on to something but no one was willing to save me from falling.

Except for one person.

Kian. He caught me in the nick of time, just before my towel or me could tumble to the ground in a heap. The laughter ceased.

His hands spanned my waist and to an unknown watcher, one would think that it was a romantic scene in all those movies.

With how close we were, our lips almost touched. He gazed at me, ocean eyes glinting with an emotion that I couldn't decipher and didn't want to. And I gazed back at him in shock, a feeling I could totally understand surging through me.

That feeling wasn't happiness or any other sentimental emotions. It was total and ultimate degradation.

My towel had slithered down a little, practically exposing the tops of my cleavage and Kian was here, cradling me in his arms. Not only that, I still had my underwear gripped in my hand. Someone should better get a knife or something and fracking murder me now!

Eager to leave his arms and this God forsaken place, I refused to acknowledge his good deeds and bounced back away from him carefully. I re-knotted my towel very tightly this time around thanking God for saving me.

I was done here! Turning my face the other way, I was about to step out of the cafeteria until a voice made me stop.

"Jamila, wait! I want to make something clear to people while you're here!" Kian yelled. I paused, still not turning back or replying.

"I am shocked that you guys had to put Jamila through all these. I mean, didn't you get my warnings last time? I told you to leave her the fuck alone but no! You didn't get that into your thick skulls!" he shouted, pure anger distinctly heard in his voice. I was sure that if I looked back, his jaw would be ticking and eyes blazing fire.

He continued his rant, "That's enough all of you. No pranks, no insults and no one should ever think of laying a fucking slimy finger on her or you're done for. You guys hear me?"

There was no reply.

"You guys fucking hearing me?!" he bellowed.

"Yes!" A chorus of feeble yes rang out through the hall. That didn't placate Kian because he wasn't done yet.

"Noah, Josh, Katharina, Aliyah, Ryan and Maude fucking apologize to Jamila right now or face my wrath."

I was tempted to glance back but I decided not to. Tears were already coursing down my face. Tears that were a mixture of sadness, joy and relief.

"But. . ." I heard Noah and Katharina begin at the same time.

"Do it!" His voice rose an octave.

One by one, they all apologized. Their apology wasn't sincere of course and even if it was, it wouldn't take away what they had already done.

"Very good. I really hope you guys don't ever disturb her again and always be on your good behavior when you come 10 feets away from her," he said once more. Case closed.

I took off again, this time running till I heard my name. Kian again. What now? Frantically cleaning off my tears so he wouldn't see them, I spun around.

"Yeah?" Despite my cracked tone, red eyes, and body wrapped in towel I mustered some dignity to face him.

"Sorry."

It was funny how one word that was meant to stop one from crying made me feel like sobbing my heart out.

Those backstabbing tears returned to my eyes afresh. I hastily wiped them off and pretended I hadn't done so.

Kian sighed and brought out a satchel I wasn't aware that he had.

"Take that." He pushed it into my hands.

"Wear those clothes in the bag, I know you have no spare and please don't feel bad anymore. You didn't deserve what they put you through in any way." He made a move to hug me, thought better of it and instead patted my bare shoulder. I stopped myself from flinching.

After standing there staring at me for some minutes, he left. It was like he knew I didn't want him being in my presence dressed or rather undressed as I was. So thoughtful of him.

I grasped the parcel and stood for what seemed like a long time, gazing at nothing.

Wiping out any rambling thoughts from my mind, I went to the girl's toilet and changed into the new clothes Kian brought me.

It fit like a glove.

--Present Day--

"Good morning students," Mr. Bentley greeted the class, bringing me out of my reverie.

It was Tuesday and English classes as usual. I was bodily present but my mind kept on thinking about what had happened yesterday.

"We have a new student. He will be joining us from today and you can clearly see him standing next to me," he announced.

My face was towards the window sill, letting the sunlight stream over my body so I didn't catch sight of the new boy yet.

A new boy? Arriving in the second week? I wasn't curious to see this new boy. He would probably be all these cocky, egotistical kind of guy. Penfield High was full of those.

"So, tell us a few things about you. We'll like to know your name for starters," Mr. Bentley said.

Someone blew hot air on the nape of my neck and I shivered.

"Hey!" I began, swiveling around to see who had done that, until I caught a glimpse of the new guy.

He was absolutely breathtaking.

A/N: Finally after the long wait, my fingers decided to type chapter 12. So how's this chappie? Okay? And btw Jayden is finally here!!! If you didn't see my announcement earlier, lemme say it once more. Chase's name is now Kian, yh I changed it. What dyu think about his new name? Also sweet thanks to miss_onyinye_ for giving me ideas on where to put Olay's undies *laughs wickedly*

Nita.