Dedicated tocute_oyin I see youu💕✨💕✨💕✨

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But then, it must have just been my overactive mind feeding things into my brain again.

❦︎

~[JASON]~

"She will kill someone's child ooo."

"Omoh, social prefect dey para."

"Isn't that Esther fighting for her life?"

"This Charles should leave them nau."

Students were being their usual selves, commenting on the latest drama they were speculating. Indistinct chatters erupted from every corner of the cafeteria, everyone had something to say about what was going on.

Me? I was coaching myself to believe that that was not my friend on the table.

Yes, Tracy was on the table.

It had happened so fast, I tell you. The speed at which she dashed across the table left me speechless. I mean, I still had chewed food in my mouth, the cupcake I had stolen was still in my grip.

I was too shock ridden to move.

All I could do was take in the sight with gaped lips as Tracy scratched, slapped and punched Esther.

Charles and Victoria, they were desperately trying to get Tracy off Esther, but my best friend didn't budge.

And Chris, my guy was observing the scene with folded arms, looking as calm as ever. Occasionally, he'd check his wristwatch, like he had set a timer for them or something.

"Chimo! Look at blood on her head oo!"

[Chimo: My God.]

B—blood?

My eyes moved sharply to Tracy again.

God...

Now, she was pulling at Esther's braids, forcefully yanking them off her scalp. The girl yelped in sheer pain as her scalp bled.

And those her supposed friends, they were just staring with wide eyes and slacked jaws. Perhaps, they were also waiting for her permission on this one.

"Ewo, year supervisor don show oo!"

"Mr. Goyit sef follow oo!"

That was all it took for more chaos to ensue. Students were running helterskelter, pushing and tumbling over one another.

"Abeg, shift. I must not be caught here."

"I fi match person head oo."

"You are mad for pushing me like that."

That sense of urgency finally compelled me to get up. If they found them like that, they risked suspension. So, for the sake of my friend, I joined Victoria and Charles in trying to pull Tracy away.

She finally gave in, but this girl was still holding on to what was left of Esther's braids as we dragged her.

"For goodness sake, Tracy, let the girl go!" Charles pleaded in frustration, pulling her torso harder.

I busied myself with disentangling her fingers from Esther's hair, while Victoria pulled at Tracy's leg with all her might.

"Tracy, you'll get in trouble!" I heard Charles warn. "Let her go!"

But it was too late. Miss B and Mr. Goyit had arrived at the scene already. And from the way there were taking in the whole thing, their faces spelling nothing but anger, it was obvious that Tracy and Esther were in deep shit.

"ADENUGA, BOLARINWA, WHAT IS THIS RUBBISH!?" Mr. Goyit roared his question.

I swear, I felt the floor beneath me shake. Even Tracy just had to relax and finally let go of the girl's hair.

I imagined what we looked like to them at that very moment; Me holding on to Tracy's hands, Charles gripping her torso, and her legs in Victoria's hands.

Goodness...

Surely, it wasn't a regular fight scene to walk into.

"To the principal's office. Now." Miss B was rather calm, but her voice was firm, it communicated her authority straight away.

She didn't utter another word as she was already well on her way out of the cafeteria. Mr. Goyit followed suit. And nobody had to tell us that we were to follow too.

So, we put Tracy down and slowly began to trail behind them. That was when Chris finally moved. Still, he looked calm as ever.

Then he looked at Esther as we walked, her minions were trying to nurse her scalp with a handkerchief.

"You know you will bear the consequences for all these, right?" It was a question, but it sounded like he was telling her. "You know, abi?"

[Abi?: Right?]

"Wh—what do y—" she had to swallow her words.

Chris was already walking ahead of us. And from the distance, I saw him turn towards the administrative block.

She looked at us, Esther I mean. And no matter how much she tried to push back that fear showing itself in her eyes, it was still very much obvious.

She knew it within herself that she was approaching doom.

And I was left to wonder what it was that Chris had up his sleeves.

°°°°°

If Mr. Goyit and Miss B were angry, then the principal was livid. It was obvious with the way her brows were srunched, forehead creased and nostrils flared.

Miss Fiona was literally ranting before us, expressing her distaste and disappointment.

"I did not expect this from you, Adenuga." She went on. "Maybe Bolarinwa, but not you. Not at all."

Esther bowed her head in shame at that indirect shade.

Such a fool. I scoffed.

On a normal day, I'd have been rolling on the ground, laughing at what she looked like. I mean, at that moment, you could liken her to a shaved rabid, and I'm not even exaggerating. Her head was nothing short of a disaster.

But in that situation, it felt like the muscles on my face were paralyzed, I could not even laugh no matter how hilarious I thought she looked.

The principal breathed, leaned back in her chair. "You may speak."

"SHE CALLED MY MOTHER A LUNATIC!"

"SHE CALLED ME A LUNATIC FIRST!"

Tracy and Esther screamed out respectively.

"One at a time." The principal looked at them sternly, they nodded. "Bolarinwa, let's hear you."

"Ma—" Esther choked on a sob, pretended to actually. "M—ma, just look at my head. She d—did this to me because I just wanted to befriend her."

I saw Tracy, she clenched and unclenched her fists. Perhaps, to tame the wrath brewing in her.

The principal's eyes flickered to Tracy, she tipped her head to the side and inquired, "Adenuga, is that true?"

"No, ma."

"AH! SHE'S LY—"

The principal's sharp glare cut Esther short. She hugged herself and sobbed quietly, her lips quivering. The girl was throwing a huge pity party, and nobody was going the attend.

"Go on." The principal said to Tracy.

"She joined our lunch table uninvited, said she wanted to be our friend." Tracy began. "But I know that she knows damn well that that would never happen, we have never and would never be in good terms.-

She had an ulterior motive with her little visit, I'm very sure, ma. But she didn't want to leave, so I slipped and called her a lunatic."

Well, she's most likely one, I thought to myself.

"And then she told me that I'm also a lunatic, like my—" Tracy paused, sucked in a deep breath and let out, "like my mother."

That shake in her voice, the way she slammed her hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs, the way she shut her eyes tight, the way her light skin had gone red from crying; It broke my heart a thousand times.

And I wanted to reach out to my friend, hold her, comfort her.

"Tee..." Charles breathed, helplessly watching the girl he had fallen for cry. My guy looked like he could feel her pain, just like Victoria and I.

But Chris? He was still calm. He watched the whole thing with a blank expression. And I just could not figure out what the boy had in mind, because I knew he was planning something alright.

"Do you guys have anything to say?" I heard the principal ask. I looked at her again. She was staring at Esther's minions, clustered beside her.

They just stared at her like the fools they were.

Couldn't they freaking talk?

"Am I talking to bricks?" The principal narrowed her eyes at them. "Respond, will you?"

"She has not given us permission to sp—"

Esther's not so subtle pinch made Preye hiss in pain. She massaged the spot on her arm as she looked back at the principal.

"Ye— I mean, no. We have nothing to say, ma."

And then the principal looked at us, asked, "And you guys?"

"Yes, we do." Chris promptly replied, still maintaining his calm demeanor.

"Go ahead."

"I'm very sure we all clearly understand what Preye was going to say, that Esther had not given her permission to speak." Chris cleared his throat, most likely for effect. "And we also saw that pinch that Esther thought nobody had seen."

The principal nodded, chuckled to herself.

"Ma, what I'm trying to say is that Esther bullies people into joining her little clique." Chris then hit the nail on the head.

Esther immediately let out a dramatic gasp, placed her hand on her chest. "Me? Esther Bolarinwa?" She turned to the principal, burst out crying out of nowhere. "Ma, these people hate me so much, they're lying! I swear to God, I don't do such!"

"You should be grateful that God is merciful enough not to strike you with thunder this instant." Chris spat, eyed her from head to toe, and then focused back on the principal. "May I go on?"

"By all means."

"You can ask her latest additions too, that's if Jemima and Preye will say the truth anyway." Chris glanced at them briefly, shook his head.

"There's no truth! You have no proof!" Esther was wailing like a new born child in lack of breast milk.

"Oh, I do, dear bully." Chris laughed to himself, finally breaking his blank expression. He dipped his hand in his right pocket, whipped out his phone. "I was there last week Friday, when you cornered Preye at the indoor pool."

Esther actually staggered, her fools of friends had to catch her and steady her back on her feet. Her lips gaped, eyes wide in terror. "I—"

"I know what you're doing with Kenneth." That voice was coming from Chris's phone, Esther's voice. "Kenneth in SS1, I know you fucked him. You fucked your juniour right here in this pool."

Jesus...

"I didn't do anything like that." It was Preye now, trying to deny the whole thing.

Then Esther's manic laughter came next, followed by a tsk. "Just look at this."

There was a pause for a while. Vaguely, we heard their breaths.

"Esther, pl—"

"You're Tracy's sister, you must be in on some family secrets, abi?" Esther's sly voice irked me, made my skin crawl. "You will tell me everything you know."

She sounded so arrogant, so stu—

Wait oo...

Had I just heard sister? Preye? Tracy's sister? Since when?

I looked at Charles, we shared the same confused expression. I expected Tracy to look as confused when I fixed my gaze on her, but she didn't. Heck, she didn't even look surprised.

Wow...

Chris recorded the whole shit, he must have had time to digest it but Victoria? She didn't look the least bit fazed. It seemed like just Charles and I had been kept in the dark. Or maybe she had seen it coming?

And then I recalled it, how Tracy had talked to the girl with so much familiarity, the way she asked the girl what she was doing with Esther.

"I ca—"

"That or I leak these images." I became aware of Esther's voice again.

Another pause, and then we heard Preye's weak voice, "Fine."

It had ended, Chris was already putting his phone away in his pocket.

"Wow." The principal breathed, blinked in what I assumed was shock. I couldn't blame her, we all could not believe our ears.

I mean, Tracy seemed to have forgotten that she was crying. Now, she was staring at her supposed sister like seven horns had randomly sprouted from her head.

"This case... whatever it is," the principal spoke, "it's beyond my power. I'd have to hand you both," she  gestured at Preye and Esther, "over to the disciplinary executives."

"Ma, please!" Esther was on her knees already, tears and mucus had spread all over her face. "We can sort it out here. Not the—"

"You've been blackmailing students!" The principal snapped at the wailing child. "And this one has been indulging in sexual intercourse on school grounds." She glanced briefly at Preye who had her head facing the floor. "It has to get to the disciplinary executives, it's beyond me at this point."

"Adenuga," Tracy perked up at the mention of her surname, "considering your record of good conduct, I'll let you off with a week's daycare duty."

Tracy tried to smile, but failed. So, she nodded. "Thank you."

"Bolarinwa, nurse your wounds. And your parents would be contacted concerning the fixed date for the meeting with the executives. You too, Preye." She adjusted on her chair, exhaled. "You all can leave now."

°°°°°

~[VICTORIA]~

We all listened to the flow of the water in silence, there was unusual calmness amongst us. We all breathed in peace.

Chris had forced us here, to the river at the secluded part of the sports centre.

So, we were all seated on the carpet grass, silently basking in the freshness of nature. Save for Tracy, she laid on her side, head on Charles's lap. But she was at peace all the same.

"For people that didn't want to come, y'all look too calm." Chris broke the silence, chuckled and added, "I'm right, aren't I?"

"We should be in class." Jason told his friend with a flat tone, his eyes did not leave the river though.

"I cannot can, my guy." Chris said in all honesty. "If you ask me, I don't even want to be there."

"Me too." We heard Tracy mutter. Her voice was still gruff from crying, it lacked the life we were used to hearing in it.

Charles stroked her hair, put two braids behind her ear. And with his voice soft, he asked her, "Do you want to go home?"

"I want to see my mother." She told him.

Silence, it fell on us again. This time, it came thicker than before. I could even hear the chirp of birds now.

But our eyes were all concentrated on Tracy. She looked lost... uninterested in everything.

"I want to see my mother." She told Charles again, a stray tear escaped her left eye, fell across her nose and disappeared into Charles's trouser.

"We don't know where your mother is, Tee." Chris said to her with a gentle tone. "And please, I have a question for you."

She didn't grace him with a glance, but she said, "I'm listening."

"Is Preye really your sister? Or Esther is actually mad. Please, I need clarification on that shit."

Jason and Charles perked up, obviously they wanted to know too.

Slowly, she lifted herself from Charles's thighs, sat on her own. His eyes followed her just like the rest of us.

"I have something to tell you guys." She sniffed, looked down on her fingers that she was now fiddling with.

"We're listening, Tee." It was Charles.

"I don't know how she found out, but what Esther said is true," she exhaled, licked her lips, "Preye is my sister... step sister. Tega too, y'know, they're twins."

I already knew that. But the boys didn't. And I'd be blatantly lying if I said they weren't shocked.

Chris, for one, looked like he could not believe his ears. And as usual, he did not control his tone when he asked, "Are you being for real?"

"I'm serious, Chris." Tracy let out a low sigh, her head was still bowed. Then she continued, "I've decided I want to let it all out today... right now."

"How long?" Chris asked her. "How long have they been part of your family?"

"Six years... my father married their mother when I was in the sixth grade." She was actually keeping to letting it all out. "He loved my mom, I know that. It's just—" she ran her hand over her face, breathed, "my mother suddenly became too aggressive, when I was in grade four. She'd destroy things at home, screaming her lungs out. And the next moment, she'd be calm, like she didn't just wreck the whole house. My dad could no longer take it, so he took her away."

She paused, taking in quick, deep breaths. We patiently waited for her to gather herself enough to continue.

But Chris, he apparently couldn't. "Do you know where he took her, Tee? Do you know how she's doing now?"

"Well," she spoke with a crack in her voice, sniffed, "all I know is that she's in an asylum at a secluded part of the Valleys, I don't even know anything about her condition."

"Ikoyi Valleys, yeah?" I asked her. The estate I lived in was situated there.

"Yes." She nodded. "Dad refused to let her stay at the one in the Hills, closer to us. And the distance..."

I got her point. Ikoyi was vast, so it was divided into two phases, the Hills and the Valleys. While the main parts of the Hills and Valleys were easier to access, the outskirts of the Hills and secluded areas of the Valleys were more difficult to.

But I lived there, in the secluded area of the Valleys, and Tracy was a child yearning for her mother, so I offered my friend, "Maybe you could see your mother if you tell your dad you're coming to my place 'for a visit.'"

She raised her head, frowned at me in confusion, and then her eyes went wide, lit up too, when she got the gist. But almost immediately, she deflated again, exhaled, "My dad always knows when I'm lying."

Well, there goes all our hope.

"I'll find a way, Tee." It was Chris speaking, there was this determination and certainty in his voice. "I promise."

For the first time in hours, Tracy smiled, it was a slight one but it still lit up her face a little. Her eyes glinted as she told Chris, "Thank you."

"Tee?" Jason called out to her. He had on a gentle smile when I looked at him. "We'll always be here, okay?"

"I know that." Her smile gradually got wider, it was now reaching her eyes. "The same thing stands for you too, Jay."

He breathed, looked back at the river and let out a low, "Okay."

But the way he said it. Why did he say it like that?

His 'okay' sounded less like he believed Tracy and more like he was trying to believe her; Like he was trying to believe that his friends would actually remain by his side.

But then, it must have just been my overactive mind feeding things into my brain again.

So, I shifted by focus back to the river too, let the calming chirps of the birds sooth me.

And that's how we were, all of us, watching the river flow, listening to the unknown songs of birds, and the soft howl of the wind.

All in all, at that very moment, we were simply at peace.

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A/N

🙂

How are you?😗

So, we've seen a glimpse of Tracy's life, just a glimpse. And from the little you know, what have you concluded???

And you know what? It's her POV in the next chapter 😌. Get ready to be shooketh.

We're almost at 1k votes, y'all. Please, keep recommending, keep sharing 😗✨.

This is the longest chapter I've written in a while, I don't have the strength for A/N.

So, see you in Tracy's head next time!😗💕

Stay safe,
Love ya! 💞✨

IG: _vickyraee (just one underscore and a double E.)