Happy new month gaizzz🤭❤

𝐓 𝐇 𝐈 𝐑 𝐃 • 𝐏 𝐄 𝐑 𝐒 𝐎 𝐍 • 𝐏 𝐎 𝐕
✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒

The SS3 students of KIHS were in a state of collective panic.

Beads of sweat rolled down their foreheads as they flipped through pages, scribbled rough calculations, and crammed last-minute formulas in a frenzy.

For some, it was beginning to make sense. They managed to find clarity amidst the chaos. But for others, it felt like their brains had simply shut down—no matter how hard they tried, nothing seemed to stick. The information bounced off their minds like raindrops on a tin roof.

Some had already given up hope and resorted to relying on “dubs”—a desperate attempt at survival. They didn’t have the energy, motivation, or willpower left to keep studying.

And the cause of all this tension? One subject. Not just any subject — but the subject.

The undisputed king of academic torment.

The originator of confusion.

The heartbreak that keeps finding new ways to haunt you.

The boss level in the game of schooling.

The one and only...

MATHEMATICS.

Sonia, on the other hand, glanced around at her classmates and shook her head with a mix of pity and disbelief.

They were taking things far too seriously — especially the science students. Those ones were the champions of dubbing, copying like their lives depended on it.

Sonia wasn’t particularly good at mathematics, but she wasn’t terrible either.

She understood enough to get by, but she had no intention of stressing herself over it. A solid C+ was all she was aiming for. That was good enough for her.

In her mind, math was hardly relevant to the course she intended to pursue at the university, so why waste energy chasing after a subject that wouldn’t matter in the long run? She had decided long ago that she wouldn’t lose sleep over something she didn’t even need. After all, she wasn’t trying to prove anything to anyone.

Like, what was the point?

She couldn't come and die.

Besides, no employer was going to ask her to calculate the angle between two ladders leaning on a wall. What is her business with trigonometry?

None. Absolutely none.

So while others were battling for A’s and praying for calculator miracles, Sonia just crossed her legs, opened her phone, and started scrolling through Pinterest.

Flora stormed over like a woman on a mission and snatched Sonia’s phone straight from her hand.

Sonia blinked, slow and unbothered, giving her the signature “what’s your problem?” look.

“Everyone is struggling, and you’re here creating moodboards??” Flora snapped. “Give me three reasons why thunder shouldn’t fire you.”

Her tone was fake-angry, but the little chuckle under her breath gave her away.

Sonia stretched, unfazed. “Omo... relax o. In fact, all of you should relax. Y’all are doing the most.”

Flora looked like she’d just heard the blasphemy of the decade. Her jaw dropped slightly. The math-induced stress was already frying her circuits.

“Ontop WAEC MATHS?” she shrieked. “Shey you know if you fail this subject your whole result go dey smell??”

Sonia nodded coolly. “I’m aware, madam.”

Flora narrowed her eyes. “So you’re not scared? Not even a little? Even Victor the Brain dey panic.”

Sonia leaned back, arms crossed. “I’m scared, but not enough to lose my mind over simultaneous equations. My course no even need maths. Why I go dey solve like say I wan become rocket scientist?”

“Because rocket scientists pass WAEC, mumu,” Flora hissed, but she was already grinning.

Sonia rolled her eyes. “Go and collect your stress back abeg. My mental health is premium right now. I’ll solve maths when I finish this Pinterest board.”

Flora handed her phone back and muttered under her breath, “If you get D7, no cry for my shoulder oh.”

“I won’t cry,” Sonia said, smirking. “I’ll open a business and be collecting your salary.”

“THE INVIGILATOR IS HERE OH!!!”
Someone shouted from the corridor like it was a matter of life and immediate death.

And remember when I said they were all panicking before?

Scratch that...

Because those five cursed words didn’t just cause panic — they disconnected people’s souls from their bodies.

Even Sonia — the unbothered queen herself — paused mid-scroll on her phone and checked the time on her phone like. “Wait, what?? Already??”

The classroom? One word.

CHAOTIC.

People were moving mad. Hair flying, chairs screeching, bags falling, everything upside down. It was giving last bus to Ikorodu energy.

“Who has two pen?!” someone screamed, literally on the verge of tears.

“My paper oh! I left all my answers inside — this thing is not even funny, please!”

“Where’s my calculator na?? God abeg, I wrote all my formula inside that one.”

The noise level could’ve raised the dead. And just when you thought it couldn’t get louder —

“ALL OF YOU SHOULD GO TO THE HALL AND SETTLE DOWN NOW!!!”
Mrs. Chinaza’s voice thundered through the building like a divine warning.

People froze.

Mrs. Chinaza didn’t even need a mic. Her voice alone could shut the whole of KIHS down.

One boy tripped over a desk trying to zip his trousers, another was still trying to print expo in his brain.

Sonia stood up slowly, grabbed her writing materials and turned to Flora, and muttered, “Let’s go and face our destiny.”

＊┈┈┈┈＊┈┈┈┈＊┈┈┈┈

Three hours.

Three whole good hours.

That’s how long it took to write that Maths paper — but to the students of KIHS, it felt like they had just survived a civil war.

Some left the hall walking like zombies. Others? They fainted. Literally. Right there in the exam hall, head on desk, brain on low battery. Only the few brave ones who carried dubs with military precision had the guts to smile — and even those ones were sweating, because Maths had a way of disrespecting expo too.

As for Sonia?

She wasn’t complaining.

She answered 4 out of 5 theory questions. Not bad. Not amazing.

Just... manageable.

She’d done her best and left the rest for divine intervention.

The objectives? She confidently tackled 30 out of 50. The rest?

Inshallah.

She randomly ticked them.

She was good to go.

Tired but not dead, she walked back into the classroom, expecting chaos, crying, gist, maybe even celebrations from those who did well in the exam.

But the classroom was...

Empty.

Everyone had probably gone home to cry, rethink their life choices, or plan their next move if WAEC decided to disgrace them.

Except...

The class wasn’t completely empty.

Because Zainab was there.

Sitting in the last row.

Eyes wide open.

Bag untouched.

Just staring into space like she saw something written across the ceiling.

Sonia blinked. “Zainab?”

No response.

She walked closer. “Zainab?”

Zainab turned slowly, eyes glossy, voice weak. “I'm tired Sonia, I just don't know what I always do wrong.”

Sonia sat down beside her, worry etched on her face. “What happened? Is it Victor?”

Zainab nodded positively.

Sonia sighed, already bracing herself.
“What’s the problem?”

“Our parents have called the wedding off.” She says.

Sonia blinked. “Wait… isn’t that a good thing? So you and Victor can be together properly now, without all that arranged marriage tension?”

“Nope I don't think that's going to happen. Victor was... a nice distraction. He made me forget about everything else. The pressure. The chaos at home. I thought I loved him. But looking back now...” She paused, lips tugging into a small, almost sad smile. “I think I was just lost. And he was the closest exit.”

Sonia didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. She remembered now — all those hushed conversations between them, the days she’d eavesdrop from the hallway, catching pieces of their words like puzzle pieces she didn’t know how to arrange.

There was one day in particular — Zainab had whispered something about refusing to eat her stepmother’s food.

(Read chapter 20 if you don't recall).

“What of your step mum?” I found myself asking.

Zainab looked at her obviously shocked she knew about that, but still answered anyway. “My dad divorced her since, so that he can marry Victor's mum so his business will flourish.

“What about those times the junior students used to talk down on you?” Sonia asked, her voice softer now. “Saying your dad got you the position as Head Girl.”

Zainab blinked, a little surprised. “Wow. You really notice these things.”

Sonia shrugged, giving her a small smile. “I notice more than people think.”

Zainab leaned back, staring at the ceiling like it held all her answers. “Well, my dad didn’t get me the Head Girl position. I earned it. Fair and square.” Her voice was calm — not defensive, just tired. “I don’t care what they say anymore. Let them talk.”

She paused, then added, “Honestly, I’m glad that I've handed over to the next set. I’m exhausted. I’ve been holding this school together with masking tape.”

Sonia chuckled, shaking her head. “Who isn’t tired? Me that I’ve suffered in this school more than anyone, they should be giving me an award.”

She stood up dramatically, brushing imaginary dust off her skirt. “Let me just be going abeg.”

Zainab giggled, a real one this time — not forced, not broken. Just two girls laughing at the madness they’d somehow survived.

“Let’s go,” she said, standing beside Sonia. “We’ve done enough. Let the next set carry their own wahala.”

On their way out, they spotted Victor — hands stuffed in his pockets, leaning casually against the stair rail like he’d been waiting for hours.

When he saw them, he straightened immediately, eyes locking on Zainab.

“Zainab, we need to talk,” he said, then glanced at Sonia. “Privately.”

Sonia took a small step to excuse herself, but Zainab didn’t budge. Instead, she reached out and grabbed Sonia’s hand.

“Anything you want to say,” Zainab said calmly, “you can say it here.”

Victor hesitated. For once, he looked unsure. Like the usual charm he hid behind wasn’t enough this time.

“I just wanted to say—”

“That you’re really sorry?” Zainab cut in, her voice light, almost amused. “Yeah. I figured.”

There was a short silence, then she smiled — not bitter, not sad. Just... done.

“I’m sorry too. For everything. I really am.”

She adjusted her bag strap, still holding Sonia’s hand.

“I hope you have a great life, Victor.”

And with that, she turned and walked away, Sonia beside her leaving him behind.

They were halfway down the hallway when they both burst into giggles — the kind that comes from relief, not mockery.

Zainab felt something inside her shift.
Lighter. Freer.

Like the chains had finally fallen off.

No more forced love.

Just her — unbothered, unburdened, and finally, done.

•┈┈┈••✦ ♡ ✦••┈┈┈•

A/N

H

eadache wan injure me... If you see the way I was struggling to write this chapter eh. Mostly because Zainab and Victor moments were long ago.

So if you don't understand read chapter 10 and 20.

So since this whole Zainab and Victor kini is sorted out...

The next 3 or 4 chapters will just be fun and enjoyment 🤭

I can't wait to finish this book🤭

Also vote and comment ❤