Dedicated to the one who published a captivating book clara_ibi

~ 𝐂𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐞 ~

"Wow nice hairdo Chloe, I didn't think you were ever going to make a new one".

"Mollyyyy!"

"What? It's true. I'm sure it's all thanks to Antonio who savaged you about it. If not you won't decide to change."

" Gawd I officially hate you guys."

And they both laughed at me and I just rolled my eyes at them. These two have been on my matter all day long. We are currently in my class having a combined math class but the Mathematics teacher for the first time in history, was running late. Naturally, we should be worried sick since this is the first time it's ever happening but then again we couldn't care less as we were living the moment.

"Omo did you guys hear the transfer students we are having is from Mexico. And I heard he is so hotttt!"

I cleared my throat and looked at Antonio. He looked very uncomfortable with the way his girlfriend Molly, was gushing about a new guy that would be resuming in our school next week. She apparently didn't take the hint, giving me a clueless look as to why I was interrupting her. I gave her the "do you realize you have a boyfriend?" face and it was then she understood and said,

"Oh, but who cares if he is hot as hell, I don't. Besides I have my own hotty here who looks breathtaking even in a simple school uniform."

"Hmm it's now you realized right? Goat. If anyone should be gushing about a guy, it should be Chloe, the single one."

"Ouch words hurt you know." I said responding to what Antonio said and he just gave me a half-smile before muttering an apology. I just smiled back at them not knowing what else to say. Molly was looking at me closely knowing something was bothering me but I was having a bad time spilling it out and just like a mind reader she spoke what was on my mind.

"You're still not okay with us being a couple are you?"

"Sighs, you always know what I am thinking Molly. And yea, I am not. But I will eventually. I mean rules are meant to be broken right?"

"Chloe it's gonna be okay, and if you are worried about being the third wheel because of my relationship with Molly then you can be rest assured. It's not gonna happen." Antonio said assuring me, giving my hand which was on the table a light squeeze. Molly also places her hand on Antonio's hand which was still on mine and said,

"It's the three of us against the world and no relationship is coming between that, we have been BFFS for as long as I can remember and we would continue to be that way."

I smiled at them and they gave me theirs too. And I really couldn't be more proud to call them my friends. I closed my eye momentarily with the huge smile still on my face as I savored this moment. I had to snap it back open when the siring interrupted our moment. Everyone started filling out in an orderly manner because one of the teachers was passing at that moment. It was time for the morning assembly and I was still a tad bit worried.

Our mathematics teacher is the most disciplined, uptight and principled person we have ever know. Moreover, he never comes late for anything in this life especially his classes. So why was he running late? Why was he not here yet? Something was definitely up because it was very unlike him to be late for our usual 6:30 classes which by the way was to prepare us for our NECO that was fast approaching.

"Chloeee I've to stop..."

"Hey, do you guys know why Mr Abdusami didn't come in today? I mean it's a little bit odd even for him. He never misses an opportunity to teach us." I asked Molly who interrupted my thoughts and she looked away deep in thoughts but shrugged it off.

Seconds, later we filled the assembly hall taking our usual position and we joined the rest of the students. I took my position behind the students as a perfect and so did Samuel Dawson, my partner. It was 7:30 am already and the assembly started immediately the Principal was in sight. We all started singing one of the songs titled...Blessed Assurance from our S.O.P. And once we were done, we said the morning prayers, took the national anthem as well as the schools anthem. After a moment of silence, the principal came to the podium to address us, finalists.

"Good morning to you all, Students of Wesley Academy. I am glad to hear good reports from your teacher about you all, keep up the good work and I can assure you, you will be rewarded in due time. Now to the senior and junior finalist, that is our SS3 student and JSS3 student I want to commend you all for your hard work and dedication. Both classes are almost at the finishing line. Do not celebrate yet for there is still much to be done. I am sure you all are aware that your NECO exams start April 21 and your WAEC exams follow immediately after beginning July 21. Please, I urge you all to face your studies squarely and read like there is no tomorrow. Thank you."

With that, we all filled out in an orderly manner, reducing the chit-chat amongst ourselves to the bearers minimum. While I was on my way back to class I noticed Zoe was just entering the school compound and I was immediately curious. Why was she coming late? It was already 8:12 and our first class was going to start any minute from now. I noticed she looked pale, way paler than usual. And I deduced that something was definitely wrong with her. Just as I was about to find out what was up with here, Molly and Antonio linked their hands with mine dragging me further away from Zoe.

"Hey Chloe have you finally found the messages behind those riddles you were getting?"

"No Antonio but my brother did interpret them for m..."

"Oh that's true your elder brother came home this weekend. No wonder you didn't pay any attention to us. But it's fine, we forgive you anyway."

I laughed at Antonio as we all began ascending the stairs that led to our various classes. Molly just rolled her eyes at him saying.

"Can you quit being a baby about it, we have bigger fish to fry like who exactly is sending these riddles? It's not enough to know what it means. We need to know who exactly is sending them."

"True and since Jayson already said he isn't the one sending it, I guess we can take his advice by comparing the handwriting in the riddle paper to the handwriting of the rest of the class." Antonio said. I
And I had to agree with him, but the only problem was how was I going to do that? Just because I haven't been bullied and ridiculed in front of the whole school in a while doesn't change the fact that I am still the underdog of this school. I sighed, feeling defeated already when I haven't even started the search. Molly noticed my sigh of defeat and decided to cheer me up by saying,

"Hey, we got you, okay? And we are willing to help you search and compare every note in this school with those riddles to make sure we find the culprit."

I smiled thankfully at her. We were now in front of my class and it was time to go our separate ways before our teachers entered our classrooms. I hugged each of them tightly before letting them go. And just as I was about to set foot into my class, Antonio called out to be saying,

"Hey, you're coming down to the cafeteria for lunch right?"

"Right. with you two on my side, I don't think I have anything to worry about"

"That the spirit bestie"

Molly responded to my statement before blowing me a kiss. She linked her arms with Antonio and headed to their class while I entered mine. Everyone was at their sit already paying close attention to our geography teacher that had already entered my class a while ago and begun her teaching. I bowed apologetically and headed for my seat but she just ignored me. After all, I always come out top of the class in her subjects so she needs not to bother with me. Classes went by so fast and before I knew it lunch came rolling in.

"So you guys have any update on our friend's story? You know, Michael Jordan?" I asked, whispering his name so only Molly and Antonio could hear. I was having lunch with them in the cafeteria as promised and since Zoe was looking and feeling sick, she didn't quite have the time to hijack my lunch. Matilda on the other hand was too busy making Zoe look bad on Instagram as payback for whatever she did to her at her party. I made a mental note to check up on Zoe later. She might be a horrible person to me but she is still my twin sister.

"Can you stop whispering his name? Everyone in school knows he is missing and it's been 3 days now" Molly said, stopping my train of thoughts. And it made me wonder back to what my brother said. The video he showed me came to mind so I voiced out my thoughts.

"Maybe he wasn't kidnapped or missing. Maybe he decided to disappear for a while or something."

"Chloe can you even hear yourself? Of course, he is missing. He is all over the news. Even channels still repeated it yesterday that the government is willing to pay for his release."

I sighed in defense. I cannot believe I let my brother foolishly let me think that MJ wasn't kidnapped. Holding the side of my temple, I looked away and my eyes landed on Jayson's table, I caught him staring at me, and not in a friendly way. I looked away from him till my eyes met Joel and his group of friends. They were also looking at me and with anger blazing from their eyes.

I quickly roamed my eyes around the cafeteria and sure enough, half of the people were looking at me and whispering at the same time. Not wanting to cause any trouble or attract humiliation to myself, I quickly rushed to finish what was left of my food before dashing out of the cafeteria. Molly and Antonio who were oblivious to what I was running from followed me as well, leaving the remnant of their food behind. This is because we all bought food at the cafeteria so we didn't need to pack our lunch box with us.

"Whoa slow down. Why the rush? Break time isn't even over yet" Antonio said holding my wrist before I got the chance to leave the cafeteria completely. I just looked at him with a fake smile and said...

"Umm ... I just remembered I have to ...to umm do this stuff with.... the Biology teacher."

"Really? right now?"

"Yes, guys I'll see you after school. Bye" I responded to Molly. This time they looked at me with a raised eyebrow not believing what I said to be true. But they let me go either way.

Once I got to the safety of my class, I heaved a sigh as I began pondering on why Jayson was glaring at me. It's not like I did him any wrong in any way so why was he looking at me like that? Why was half of the whole school staring at me and whispering at the same time too? It was obvious they were talking about me but why? My train of thoughts was interrupted when I heard someone silently weeping.

I turned to notice my classmates had already formed a huge circle around whoever was weeping. Curiosity got the best of me so I stood up to check out who it was. I noticed Jodee was in their midst so I called out to her since I haven't seen her or heard from her since the day we went to the club together.

"Hey Jodee it's been a while. I hardly see you these days. Where have you...my goodnesses what happened to you? Why... why are you crying? Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

"Of course you did something wrong! How could you do this to me? You knew I love him dearly yet you choose to take him away, to snatch him away! How could you??"

She was crying profusely and it broke me. What was wrong with her? Why was she accusing me? And then it clicked, whatever it was she was accusing me of was the reason why everyone was glaring at me in the cafeteria

. If only she would stop crying for a split second and tell you why she hates you.

I know right, if only...I said but not out loud in response to my subconsciousness. I was still confused about what she was talking about so I spoke up again in my best calming tone.

"Look Jodee, I don't know why you are crying and I don't know what you are talking about. Can you please just stop crying and tell me what's wrong."

"Oh shut up Chloe! Stop trying to play dumb you horrible beast! You know I thought you were genuinely happy when Michael and I started dating. I guess all that was just for show, you couldn't stand to see him happy, to see us happy that is why you had to pay off some guys to do your dirty work. You murderer! Out of my sight! Get out!!" She said yelling and throwing her things at me to get me out of the class. I had no choice but to leave because she would not stop yelling at me to get out. I just had to leave the class for her before she ended up giving me severe injuries from the items she was throwing at me.

I got outside safe and sound so I decided to hang around the corridor. Not knowing what to do with myself, I wiped out my phone from the side pocket on my skit to check what was going on online. Low and behold the first things that popped up on my phone immediately I turned on my data was the most heartbreaking news I hard ever received all year long.

Just now...

"Michael Jordan of Westley Academy found dead at an abandoned factory." Lanre Lasisi Channels Television News.

A/N

And the dreadful news we have all least expected is out. Michael Jordan, Jodee's boyfriend, Chloe's junior secondary school sit partner is ... Dead 💀

I don't know if  I should laugh or cry and the death of my own character 💀🌚💀
It's funny how this is the first time I am actually killing a character in my book and I must confess, I feel like a murderer right now 💀

But on a More serious note am I supposed to cry or laugh because I am having some seriously mixed feelings right now. 😩😩

Oh well, am sure you, no we all because I am also wondering as well. I am sure we all must be wondering.

What happened?

Where did it all go wrong?

And of all time why is it happening now?

Well, stay tuned to This story and in due time. We all will find out the answer to the question we keep asking our self.

Before you attack me, Don't forget to vote comment and share. Thanks 🙏🏽 arigato!