< Heartbreak is the universe's way of telling you that something better is coming >

- Unknown.

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                       Damilola
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I feel like I've been punched in the gut, like my whole world just shattered into pieces.

I'm lost, hollow and empty.

Every breath hurt, I never saw this coming. Honestly, the greatest pain is to love and not be loved in return; it hurts so much.

I winced and rolled on my bed continuously, holding my stomach. My heart hurt, so did my stomach, the universe was just ruining me slowly. I stood up from my bed and bam! Something dripped down my PJ pant. I groaned and dragged myself into the bathroom, knowing what the problem is.

That time of the month.

Did my period really have to start today? After having a sleepless night and a mental breakdown, the last thing I wanted was to face menstrual cramps at school today. On the first days, I get the worst of the worstest cramp in the whole universe of cramps!

It's unbearable!

I cleaned myself up and wore my uniform. I sluggishly descended the stairs with my backpack, while hugging my stomach. I missed a step and was at the verge of falling and breaking my teeth, but thankfully someone held my arm.

Dad?

"Be careful, do you want to break your head?" For the first time ever, dad said something funny, so I laughed. I regretted doing that, because the cramp worsened.

"Owww," I yelped, sitting on a stair. My dad seemed baffled by my gesture. I was surprised he came to sit next to me on the staircase.

Was it really dad?

"That time of the month huh," he said, staring straight at nothing in particular.

I gulped and nodded, "Y-yes sir."

"Wait here." He stood up and went back upstairs. He came back down with a tablet in his hand, and he handed it to me with a glass of water. "Take this, it'll ease the pain."

I took it and muttered, "Thank y -" But he walked away before I could thank him.

He's back!

                ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Joy came to sit with me immediately I arrived in class. Daniella wasn't present. I didn't want to face Joy this morning, especially with the cramps I was feeling at the moment. It wouldn't be nice to blame her for everything that happened yesterday, but it was partly her fault.

All her love antics backfired and ruined everything. I knew I should've just done things my own way from the start, but it dosen't matter anymore.

I'm done crushing on Ivan Kingsley!

My online friend, Anonymous Tee, was right. Why waste my time on someone who clearly has no interest in me?

"Dami, I'm sorry," Joy apologized softly, peering into my eyes. "I take responsibility for everything that happened to you yesterday, it's all my fault." She lowered her head and I saw a bit of tears in her eyes. This was the first time Joy actually cried. I've never seen her feel so bad about something, because she's always jolly.

I sighed and pulled her in a hug. It took a while before she hugged me back. "It's not your fault boo," I said, pulling out of the embrace.

"I'm to blame for messing things up. Let's just forget everything and go back to being us. Let's just focus on us, please."

"What about Ivan? Are you going to -"

"I have better things to think of than crushing on Ivan. For how long, Joy? How long should I lie to myself?" Joy silently nodded, pressing her lips together.

"I totally understand if you want to end your crush on Ivan, I'll support your decision."

"Besides, bigger problems are on my neck. For example, my dad. I need to impress him with something, but I don't know what to do."

"You told me about this, and remember what I told you?" I rolled my eyes at Joy and folded my arms.

"I don't want to have anything to do with Ivan. Remember he asked me to stay away from him?"

"I know, but I think it's the best way to impress your dad. Let Ivan tutor you in math, he's really good at it. There's no need for any feelings to be attached -"

"I'll find someone else, he isn't the smartest at this school. Worst case scenario, I'll take extra lessons from Mr Akin, after school hours." Joy sighed, supporting my decision.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

I walked out of the library with my Harry Potter novel, headed for the class. Suddenly, I received a sharp slap on my back. At first, I thought it was Joy, but my perception changed because Joy would never hit me so hard.

The pain was as excruciating as the cramp I was going through.

Turning, my gaze fell on...Megan!

She was with her entourages and they were glaring at me evily. My heart sank in fear, dreading what Megan was going to do this time. The pain she put me through last time is still traumatizing.

"You bastard," she cussed, taking a step closer to me. I gulped in fear, backing away slowly. I tried running, but Sharon held me and slapped me across my face.

I fell on the ground, holding my cheek and stomach tightly. Megan bent down to my level and pulled my hair.

"You wretch, you ruined my Ivan's game yesterday. How dare you go close to him with your badluck!" I shut my eyes in anguish, tolerating the pain I felt in my stomach and on my head.

"I've never come across anyone as useless as you! You keep ruining everything for people because your a fat black sheep." She released my hair and slapped me on my other cheek.

"I hate you so much Damilola Oladele. I wish you could just die, just end your life because you have no reason to live -"

"Megan, Megan," Betty ran into the scene, chanting Megan's name.

"What is it?" Sharon asked Betty angrily, while Megan glared at her in anger.

"The principal is coming!"

"What?" Megan yelled, standing up quickly. She looked at me and helped me up, before wiping my tears and face with her handkerchief. She fixed my hair and uniform, then she placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Smile," she ordered me with clenched teeth. I forced a smile, but it wasn't satisfying enough for Megan. She pinched my neck and I winced in pain. "I said you should smile! Smile, shine your teeth!"

I blinked back tears and smiled. Principal Jonathan's footsteps became louder and he appeared in front of us. Megan started laughing and holding me, along with her entourages.

"You guys are funny eh," she pretended.

"What are you four doing here?" Principal Jonathan asked, staring at us suspiciously. "Shouldn't you girls be in class?"

"Yes sir, we're just coming back from the library. We went there to read, right girls?" She glared at me with a fake smile, and I nodded to her question. While Betty and Sharon answered with a 'yes.'

"Hmm," he dragged, staring at me. "Damilola, are you okay? Your face looks puffy, were you crying?"

"No, no, sir, not at all," Megan answered. Principal Jonathan looked at her with a frown, "Are you Damilola?"

Megan's mouth opened but no words came out of it. Principal Jonathan eyed Megan and faced me. "Are you okay, Damilola?" Megan glared at me stealthily, making some moves with her eyes and nodding her head slowly.

I wouldn't want to risk reporting Megan, so I answered principal Johnathan with a yes. He didn't shift his gaze from me for a speculated time, and I feared that I might burst out tears in front of him. I controlled myself, forcing the biggest smile.

"Go back to class now," he ordered us strictly, finally shifting his attention from me.

"Yes sir," Megan said. "Come on girls, let's go back to class and study, study, study, inorder to make our parents proud." She pulled me out of principal Johnathan's presence and we headed to class.

"You're lucky you kept your mouth shut, you monkey," she said to me as we walked down to class. "Better let it remain this way, because the day you dare to rant me out, I'll tell everyone about your scholarship. Understood?"

I nodded at her question, lowering my head. "Nasty girl," she hissed. Her eyes met my Harry Potter novel, "What's this thing you're always reading sef?" She asked, pulling it out of my grasp.

After examining it, she hissed. "What a boring book," she said, tearing it in half.

"No!" I exclaimed impulsively. She eyed me from head to toe like I was vomit.

"Is there a problem?" She asked, shredding the book further. She threw every page she ripped, to me like confetti. "You don't need the book naw, abi?" She smirked, squeezing the book cover and tossed it to my forehead. I shut my eyes the moment the book cover impacted with my forehead.

"I was just getting rid of trash, I hope it's not a problem," she smirked deviously, before sashaying away with Betty and Sharon behind her.

Warm tears streamed down my cheek as I stared at my shredded book. It was my best book series of Harry Potter -Harry Potter and the deathly hallows- and I haven't even finished reading it. I sighed and packed the shredded pieces from the floor, then I tossed them in the waste bin.

"Hey, are you okay?" I turned to see Ramson standing behind me. I groaned and started walking away. He held my hand, but I threw his hand away.

"What is it?" I yelled at him as tears streamed down my cheeks. I was pained because of what Megan put me through. My throat hurt as I swallowed saliva, wiping my tears.

Ramson stared at me with a perplexed expression on his face. He was probably wondering why I reacted the way I did. "Dami, who did this to you?"

"Just mind your freaking business and leave me alone!" I yapped, turning to leave, but he held my hand tightly, pulling me to his chest in a hug. I resisted, hitting his chest as I cried, but he hugged me tightly, not letting me go.

"It's okay to cry Dami, just let it all out," he said softly, while I continued trying to pull out of the hug. I eventually broke down and cried my eyes out on his chest.

                 ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Anita had gone home, leaving me in school because I had extra lessons with Mr Akin. I could see the frustration in Mr Akin's eyes as he tried to explain the Pythagoras theorem to me, but I kept failing to understand.

"So from everything I just explained, what is Pythagoras theorem?"

What did he just explain?

I wasn't listening because I wasn't understanding the topic. "Sir?"

I could see the rage in his eyes as he groaned loudly. "I'm supposed to be at home now, chilling, but I stayed back just to teach you and you aren't listening!"

"I-I'm..sorry....sir."

"Abeg save your sorry," he shouted and hissed before standing up from his chair hastily. I also stood up, "Sir, where are you going?"

"Home!" He packed up his books and put them on his shelf. "I can't frustrate myself by teaching you."

What kind of teacher is he? Isn't it is job to withstand any type of student?

"I advice you find a tutor amongst your peers, someone like Ivan who is smart in mathematics. Because me, I can't be going back to old topics because of you." He grabbed his bag and walked out of the staff room. I sighed in defeat and picked up my backpack from the floor. After putting my notebook inside it, I carried it on one shoulder and sauntered out of the staffroom.

I'm impossible to teach mathematics.

Again, someone suggested Ivan Kingsley to be my tutor, but how can that happen when he dosen't want to be around me?

I stood at the parking lot, waiting for the driver to come pick me up. The weather became foggy as thunder stroke. I shivered, hugging myself due to cold. The rain poured down immediately without a heads up, and it drenched me. Under the rain, I scanned for a place around the parking lot, to shield myself. Before I could find one, I felt something shield me already.

I looked up to see Ramson holding an umbrella over my head, standing next to me. "You? What are you still doing in school?"

"Well, I had to take care of something," he replied nonchalantly.

"Are you sure? Or are you following me?" I asked him with a bit of humour.

He laughed and shook his head, "Maybe." He winked at me, licking his lower lip. I just smiled and playfully rolled my eyes at him.

"My driver will be here soon, maybe I can drop you off," he offered. Since I've forgiven him, why not?

"Sure. My driver has been wasting my time."

"Dami, I'm sorry-"

"Don't be. Let's just leave everything behind us and start over...as friends." I stretched my hand to him for a friendly handshake.

A bit of disappointment appeared on his features, but he smiled through it. "Friends," he said, shaking my hand.

Peep! Peep!

A Maybach Benz pulled over in front of us, and I assumed it was Ramson's driver. But Ramson also looked at the car strangely. The glass at the backseat wound down, revealing Ivan Kingsley.

"Get in," he said without looking at anyone. I looked around wondering who he was talking to, probably not me. He suddenly turned to me and repeated the same thing, "Get in."

My mouth formed an 'O' shape as I blinked persistently in utter turmoil. Ivan asked me to get in? It was really mind-blowing.

"Why should she?" Ramson questioned Ivan, as he eyed him in disgust. "I'm going to drop her off already, so get going."

Ivan chuckled humourlessly, facing Ramson. "I didn't ask whether she was going with you and whatnot, all I said was get in. Also, I don't see your driver anywhere."

"He's on his way, so-"

"But he's not here," Ivan retorted cooly, cutting Ramson off. "The rain is getting heavy, Damilola, please get in."

I looked at Ivan, then at Ramson. I was stuck in a dilemma. Ramson's phone rang and he answered it.

"What?" He yelled out. "I can't take transport, it's raining!" He talked on the phone for a few minutes before hanging up. He sighed and then faced me, "I'm sorry Damilola, but my driver got stuck on the express because of a flat tyre."

"Oh, I'm-"

"It's fine, I'll drop her off," Ivan cut me while scrolling on his phone. Ramson glared at him for a while and I could tell he was angry.

"You should go with Ivan, I don't want you to get drenched in the rain." I smiled at Ramson and bid him goodbye, then I got into Ivan's car.

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A/N

Hmmm🌚

Me I'm not going to say anything, I want to hear from you guys. What do you think about this chapter?

Thank you for reading, please don't forget to vote and comment ♥️

CiCi 🌹