< You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anyone>

- Maya Angelou.

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Ivan
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The civic teacher walked out of the classroom, and the next period was a free period. Segun and Raymond walk over to my seat, bombarding me with unnecessary gist.

I sighed, giving them the "now's not the right time" look, but they just feigned ignorance and started talking to me anyway.

"Bruh, what happened? How much did I miss on Wednesday? Why didn't anyone bother telling me?" Raymond moved his mouth like a parrot, as he bombarded me with questions.

"But I just told you everything," Raymond hissed at Segun, then he faced me.

"Tell me everything in detail!"

"We're boys, we don't gist," I said to Raymond tiredly. "I don't have gist."

"Stop acting like a deadman Ivan, Segun told me you had an argument with Zion."

"If Segun already told you, what more do you want to hear from me?"

"How it happened, in details.." he dragged the word details

Exhaling, I looked up at the ceiling in frustration. I needed some peace and quiet moment, and Raymond wasn't letting me have it. "Fine."

"Yay!" He chirped.

"Listen attentively, cause I'm only going to say this once."

"Aye aye captain," Raymond saluted like he was in the military- he's the silly one, but gets serious sometimes. I believe he just acts like this to distract himself from things going on in his life.

Just like me. Except for the silly part, I don't act silly!

"School closed, and I headed out of the class. Unfortunately, I bumped into Zion outside the classroom."

"Geez Louise!" Raymond exclaimed, interrupting my narration. "Then what happened?"

I rolled my eyes at him and carried on with my story. "I apologized like every other sane person, but he escalated it like a mad person."

Raymond released a loud guffaw at my statement, and I didn't get what was so damn funny. Again, he interrupted me, but I let it slide.

"I can't-" His laughter slowly faded as he wiped a tear from his eye due to excessive laughter. "Then what happened?"

"Well," I dragged, rolling my eyes at him again, "He said somethings about me not deserving Megan's love, while I gave him some reasonable comebacks. My responses aggrievated him and he grabbed me by my collar-"

"No way!" Raymond exclaimed interrupting me for the third time- I couldn't help but groan this time.

"Then what happ-"

"I'm already telling you what happened! Just keep quiet and let me finish already!" I growled at him.

"Sorry."

I let out a satisfying sigh, "As I was saying, he grabbed me by my collar- and spat words to my face. I stared at him dryly, which got him angrier. His useless friends held him back, and Segun arrived at the scene, urging me to go along with him."

"And then Ivan called him an unambitious monkey," Segun said, and that got Raymond laughing his ass out in front of everyone.

"Now can I have some peace?" Both friends scrunched their noses at me like I said a forbidden word.

"You've got to learn the word FUN. Not just learn it, but impact on it as well," I grabbed my phone and scrolled through it, ignoring Segun's statement.

"For real man, you should listen to Segun. Life's short so make the-"

"I don't need all these advices. I'm fine." They both shrugged and sat beside me, playing Roblox on their devices.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
"Ugh!" Both Raymond and I turned to Segun after his loud groan. "I hate this physics of a thing."

"Dangers of being a science student," Raymond teased, receiving an eye roll from the latter. "Thank God I'm a commercial student, I no fit for science wahala."

"It dosen't matter the course, all subjects are equally challenging." Segun waved his hand at my statement.

"This physics is the worst of the worstest. The most annoying thing is that, my dad promised to get me the latest playstation, if I get a good grade in all my course subjects, but this physics is going to ruin everything!" He angrily threw his physics notebook to the floor.

I stared at the notebook that laid on the floor, then diverted my gaze to Segun. "Who's gonna pick that up?"

He shot me a dirty look, and sluggishly stood up to pick his book.

Thud!

My attention averted to that girl, Joy, who dropped a ton of books on a desk not far from mine.

"If you hear your name, come and collect your book," she announced to the class. I almost forgot she's the assistant class captain now since Daniella Huggins, our class rep, has been absent.

"Who does she think she is? Our teacher?" Megan questioned aloud. I don't know why she has a problem with almost everybody.

"If you like, don't come and collect your book. It'll be right here on the desk waiting for you!"

Segun laughed at the statement Joy made, "I like this girl eh."

I arched my brow, staring at him. "What?" he shrugged, "Just because I'm dating your sister, dosen't mean I can't admire other girls."

I didn't bother replying to his statement- I'm aware he's a playboy, but he wouldn't dare hurt Makayla.

"Favor Udeh?" A thick girl stood up and walked to the front to grab her book from Joy.

"Sharon Okafor?" Joy just tossed Sharon's book aside and continued calling names.

"All these girls in this class sef, always keeping malice with one another," Raymond stated the obvious fact.

"Megan Uwaifo, mitchew," Joy hissed , tossing Megan's book on the same desk where she tossed Sharon's.

"What insolence? Are you okay Joy?" Joy feigned ignorance and carried on with her duty.

"Just because they've made you assistant class rep, nobody will hear word again, mitchewwwww." Megan sounded jealous. She's jealous of the littlest achievement someone acquires, that's what I've noticed about her.

"Take your own," Joy shoved Betty's note in her hand as Betty picked up Megan and Sharon's books.

"Ehen, umm, Damilola," Joy directed her gaze to Damilola, I couldn't help but look behind too. "Your note isn't here because Mr Akin said you should meet him in his office."

The look on her face read fear and dread. I saw how she nervously stood up, shyly looking down at her feet to avoid eye contact with other students that stared at her.

"Why dis girl dey always shame?" Raymond laughed at Segun's remark.

"Ivan Kingsley." Joy stretched my book to me, but I couldn't reach it and was lazy to stand up. Suddenly, Damilola took my book from Joy and handed it over to me.

I avoided looking at her, I didn't want to start any familiarity with her because I believe it'll only worsen Megan's beef with her.

I don't want to be in the middle of their conflict.

I took my book from her, and flipped the pages until I got to where the assessment was. I scored a ten over ten, nothing new. I closed the book and noticed Damilola was still standing in front of me.

Why does she act so weird? Is she doing it for attention or is this her personality?

"What?" I questioned her rather harshly.

She seemed nervous. She scratched her elbow and sputtered some unheard words before dashing out of the classroom.

"What was that?" Segun asked a question, no one had an answer to.

"I think you scared her away. Ivan you sef, be calming down," I ignored what Raymond said and started scrolling through Instagram.

Though I was still logged into my fake account, alot of messages popped in. Which is surprising because I just signed up for the account.

I just scrolled through the unimportant ones, before coming across a foreign message. It was a message from Damilola.

@Dami_Bby

September 15

Hi there!
Thank you for being my 2000th follower, I dropped you a follow in return.

10:15 AM

I stared at the message, not sure what to say. Is there anything else to say? Should I say thanks for the follow, or just ignore- that'll be rude though.

I typed on my keyboard.

Today

Me

You're welcome,
thanks for the follow.

11:55 AM

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

It was closing hour, and I stood outside the school's parking lot, waiting for my driver to come pick me up. Soon after, Makayla strode to my direction, waving her friend goodbye.

"Hey buddy!" She gave me a light punch on my chest. Of course I didn't react, instead I scrolled through my phone. "What's taking the driver so long?"

"Ivan!" I directed my gaze behind me, seeing Megan stroll toward me with her girls. I held a straight face and mumbled under my breath, "Here we go again."

"Ivan-"

"Megan I'm sorry," I cut her off. I sighed and continued, "I should have paid more attention to you, considering the fact that you're my girlfriend, so I'm sorry. It won't happen-"

I trailed off the moment Megan pressed her lips on mine. I broke the kiss, spotting Damilola staring at me with her sister, while Megan smiled at me. Damilola held a straight face and pretended not to see what just happened between Megan and I. I rolled my eyes at her and directed my gaze to Megan.

"That's all I've ever wanted to hear," She said softly. "Let's not fight anymore." I nodded, spreading my arms in the air and she embraced me.

"Senior Megan, hi!" Makayla waved frantically, smiling widely- too wide.
Megan smiled at her and waved back.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Makayla and I walked into the living room, surprised to see a commotion going on.

"Is th-that?" Makayla stammered in fear, hiding behind me. "Why is she here? What does she want?"

"I have every right to all these things, you don't deserve a single penny from the inheritance!" A classy middle-aged lady had her back directed to us, speaking to my mom rudely, while my mom just chuckled at every word the latter said.

"Do you really think-" Mom stopped the moment she saw Makayla and I standing at the entrance of the mansion. The lady also turned her neck to see what my mom was looking at.

This lady happens to be my stepmother. She is my father's legal wife, but my dad cheated on her with my mom and hid us- his second family- from his actual wife. It wasn't fun living life as a second family to my father. We were restricted from doing a lot of things and we never went anywhere close to his actual family. It was like, he was ashamed of us.

Unfortunately, his actual wife found out about us the day she followed him without his knowledge. All hell broke loose that day! My mom was insulted, slapped and disgraced by this lady standing in front of me.

Eleven year old me stood there, hugging Makayla, defenseless as I watched my mom get assaulted by this witch. I still remember every single tear my mother shed that very night. My father died of heart attack that very night as well, leaving two women and three children behind in this cruel world.

My stepmom has a son my age, so she wanted him to inherit the family's business and everything that belonged to her husband. But, my father shared his properties equally, in his will, leaving the business in my hands.

Makayla inherited some lands of his, while my half-brother- Jacob Kingsley- inherited some money, jets and lands.

Apart from the business, I inherited all of his sport cars and his mansion in Abuja.

That got my stepmom angry and envious, which is why she wouldn't rest until she ruins us and gives her son the right he owns. Or should I say, the right he already owns. He inherited a lot of things, so I don't see any reason why this witch should be jealous.

"Ivan, Makayla, go up to your rooms for now," Mom ordered us. I didn't want to leave mom to fight this woman alone, I'm not that helpless eleven year old anymore. As weird as this might sound, I'm the man of the house. Which means mom and Makayla are my responsibilities.

"Why are you driving them away? Let them know the slut their mother is!" My stepmom- I mean, Mrs Elena Kingsley- insulted my mom. That got me balling my fist in rage.

"Do not use such words in the presence of my children, tell that to your son instead since he's already a disappointment," Mom retorted, eyeing Mrs Elena up and down like dirt.

"Oh please, shut up your mouth!" She yelled at mom, "You husband snatcher."

"Says the woman who couldn't satisfy her husband and couldn't stop her only son from becoming an addict at the age of seventeen! Wow," Mom clapped her hands sarcastically with a smirk, "You really did a great job as a mother and a wife!"

"Will you shut up!" She threw her hands at mom's face. Mom wasn't having it, so she gave Mrs Elena a resounding slap on her face. Mrs Elena held her cheek, staring at mother in disbelief.

"Surprised?" Mom questioned her with an arched brow, "I'm no longer the woman that used to tolerate your bullying and curses. So if I were you, I'd leave before I get slapped again." Mom raised her palm in the air, threatening to slap Mrs Elena.

"You will rue this!" Mrs Elena uttered with clenched teeth. "I swear, I will ruin you and your pathetic little bastards! Mark my words."

"Security!" Mom called out.

"Yes ma?" One of our security men came in running.

"Please escort this mad woman out of my house, tell her the address to the community's mental asylum."

"How dare-" Mrs Elena breathed heavily. The security man politely asked her to leave, attempting to drag her out. "Don't lay a finger on me!" She snapped at the security man and stormed out of our house after giving Makayla and I a dirty look.

"M-Mom," Makayla cried like a baby and ran to mother. "I'm scared." Mom embraced her warmly in her arms.

"Don't be, everything will be fine," Mom said, kissing Makayla's forehead.

"How?" I asked, surprising mom. "When?"

"Soon, everything will fall in place, I promise." I sighed in disappointment and pain, ascending up the stairs to my room.

Arriving in my room, I shut the door and flung my backpack to- who knows where. I sat at the edge of my bed, my mind clouded with never ending thoughts.

"I swear, I will ruin you and your pathetic little bastards! Mark my words."

I needed a distraction to clear my mind, so I tried calling Megan.

It rang for some few minutes with no answer, then I sent her a text but she was offline. Wow, just when I needed her she was offline, that too for the first time.

I scrolled through my phone to call Segun, but his line was switched off. While Raymond picked up my call immediately.

"Hello, who's this?" I heard a lady say over Raymond's phone. Since it wasn't Raymond I decided not to reply, I just hung up.

Ding!

I stared at my screen, hoping it was Megan replying to my text, but unfortunately she wasn't the one. It was a message from Instagram- Damilola, to be precise.

@Dami_bby

You're welcome gummy bear<3

5:16 PM

I was going to ignore the message, but I just found myself texting back. Mainly because I needed a distraction.

Me

I'm sorry, gummy bear?

5:17 PM

I cringed at the term used. She's really weird.

@Dami_bby

Yh, it's what I kinda want to call my followers.
Lol, It's weird, I know. But I can't help it, y'all are just gummy bears. Plus I'm feeling very happy and sad but mostly happy, so I'm just spilling out any word that comes to my mind.

7:19 PM

I read her long message again, she's really talkative over the phone than in person. All she does in person is lower her head, staring at her feet.

Me

Umm...okay.
Why are you happy tho?

7:21 PM

I asked inorder to prolong the discussion. She disappeared for a while which got me scared. Maybe she didn't like sharing her personal life with strangers online, and I might have gone too far. I sighed, putting my phone aside, but quickly grabbed it back when I heard a ding.

@Dami_bby

Well, I aced my mathematics homework! It's still surprising me sef, the fact that I finally got a decent score for the first time in math. And it's all thanks to one fine boy in my school oo. Gosh, I'm going to show my dad when he comes back. I've already finished rubbing it in my sister's face, lol...

7:25 PM

I let out a very very small smile after reading her message. Just a small smile!