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

The SS3 students were finally done with their external exams.

Which meant one thing.

They were DONE.

Like done-done.

No more school. No more waking up at 5am. No more timetables, uniforms, or assembly ground stress.

School was officially a thing of the past-till further notice.

The feeling was surreal.

After six long years of notes, noise, and near-nervous breakdowns, they were finally free.

Free.

And honestly? It hadn't even sunk in yet.

"Finally, we're done! We don sign out like this o," Dexter declared, arms flung open like a prophet.

He had a dead-serious expression on his face as he added, "Now I can finally focus on starting Yahoo-my dream career."

Silence.

If anyone else had said that, maybe they'd laugh. But this was Dexter.

The boy was capable of anything.

"Last last na wheelbarrow you go still push," Desmond fired back, causing the entire group to explode with laughter.

They were currently at Jabi Lake Mall, shopping for graduation outfits and accessories.

While the boys argued over something, Flora suddenly cut in, "Won't you guys drop something for the girls?"

The group froze.

The guys blinked at them like confused NPC's in a video game.

Sonia rolled her eyes dramatically and strolled over to Derrick. "Your credit card. Sharp sharp."

She stretched out her hand like a Lagos bus conductor collecting change.

Derrick sighed, realization dawning. He reached into his wallet and brought out his credit card and handed it over like a soldier surrendering.

"Which kind daylight robbery be this?" Dexter said, scandalized. "After una suggest say make we come here, una still no bring money? Forget o, men dey suffer in this generation."

"Abeg shift," Flora snapped, snatching the card. "You wan be Yahoo boy but 10k dey hard you. Nonsense Yahoo aspirant."

"Omo. I pray that card gets stolen," Dexter muttered with fake venom.

Desmond chuckled and turned to Kelechi. "You can use my card too, in case you need anything."

"Thank you!" Kelechi squealed, leaping into his arms and hugging him like he just handed over the world for her.

Dexter stared at them both, eyes wide with betrayal. "Brotherhood is disappointed in both of you."

"No talk too much joor, just hand it over," Flora said, stretching her hand out to Dexter like the queen she believed she was.

Dexter gave her a long, pained look. "You girls are just terrorists in pretty faces abeg."

Still, he handed the card over like a man handing over his last will.

"Just know," he said slowly, "this card has a 20k limit. If you spend more than that, it'll officially self-destruct. Boom. Gone. Useless."

Flora rolled her eyes so hard they almost touched her brain. "Eww. You're so cheap. Can't even flex small."

Dexter gasped like someone slapped him. "This is how men run mad in Lagos, o."

The girls ignored his drama and headed off toward the boutique section, leaving the guys behind like leftovers.

Since the colour theme for their graduation was purple, it was mission time: Find the perfect purple dresses.

And trust-Operation Slay Graduation had begun.

As soon as they walked into the boutique, the first thing they noticed was the salesgirl - chewing gum like it was her only chance of survival and her eyes glued to her phone.

Sonia stepped forward, voice polite but firm. "Excuse me, we're looking for dresses in the colour purple."

"Graduation is the occasion," Flora added, flashing a quick smile.

But the girl didn't even blink. She rolled her eyes so hard they almost disappeared into her skull and kept tapping on her phone like they were air.

"Come, wetin dey work this one?" Kelechi muttered under her breath, clearly done with the nonsense.

The girl finally looked up, her expression blank and unbothered. "Can't you people see I'm busy chatting with my boyfriend? Please, abeg, let me be."

She waved them off like mosquitoes.

Kelechi stepped forward, eyes squinted, voice loud enough to cut glass. "Boyfriend wey don lodge another girl for hotel? Ah. So na cheating updates you dey refresh there?"

The other girls howled instantly.

Flora nearly fell over from laughter.

Sonia covered her mouth in shock. Even one mannequin in the corner looked like it was about to giggle.

The salesgirl blinked rapidly, clearly stunned. "You-you don't know anything!"

"But you sef know say I no dey lie," Kelechi said, leaning in with a petty grin. "Your man dey chop shawarma with Sandra at Abuja Continental while you dey here dey form assistant for boutique."

The silence was LOUD.

Flora chimed in, "Please o, before she faints from heartbreak, someone should show us the dresses."

Another worker-an older, more responsible woman-came rushing in. "Sorry for that, my dears. Please come this way. We have a whole section for purple gowns."

As the girls walked off-heads held high and laughter bubbling-Kelechi turned and gave the salesgirl one last pity look. "Next time, respect yourself. Especially when your relationship is hanging by WhatsApp."

With that they walked away.

══✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿══

"You can imagine the girl sef," Kelechi ranted for the hundredth time, pacing by the sunglasses rack. "She leave her work dey chat with man. Very disgusting attitude."

"Kelechi, calm down na," Flora said from the heels section, holding up a silver stiletto. "You've already washed the babe clean."

"I should've done more, sef," Kelechi huffed. "In fact, when we're done here, I'm reporting her to the manager. If she no like her job, she should just go stay with her boyfriend and be doing understanding girlfriend there. Onye nzuzu."

Flora and Sonia burst into laughter.

Just then, Sonia paused by a rack of dresses. Her eyes lit up.

"Guys," she said, voice dropping slightly. "I think I just found the dress."

Like birds of the same feather, Flora and Kelechi flocked over to her side. She pulled the hanger out fully.

It was a deep royal purple gown-sleek, elegant, and dramatic, with just the right amount of shimmer. The neckline dangerous. The slit was dangerous. And the back was practically illegal.

They all gasped in sync.

"Jesus," Kelechi whispered. "Sonia, if you wear this on graduation day, just know you're not walking-you're gliding. Even the devil will have to influence Derrick."

Flora was already fanning herself. "My girl's gonna shut it down."

Sonia held the dress against her chest and smiled at her reflection. "Oh, they're not ready for what's about to go down."

Sonia was still admiring herself in the mirror, holding the dress like she was on a runway, when a sharp voice cut through the boutique.

"Excuse me! That's my dress."

The girls turned slowly.

Standing there, arms folded, lashes too long, and audacity on full display, was Jessica-Sonia's old classmate from Bluestone College. The last person she expected to see again.

Flora raised a brow. "Your what? And wait-what are you even doing here? I thought you were a Lagos babe."

Jessica smirked. "My dress. I told the salesgirl to keep it for me. And I'm in Abuja because I can be. Ever heard of freedom of movement?"

Sonia didn't flinch. "Sweetheart, if it's not on you, it's not yours."

Jessica scoffed. "I already paid for it."

That's when the older sales attendant stepped forward. "Actually... no, you didn't. You asked us to hold it, but store policy doesn't allow that without payment."

Flora gasped dramatically and clutched her chest. "Not the lie detector test catching you in 4K!"

Kelechi clapped once. "Oya now. No pay, no claim. You snooze, you lose."

Jessica's face twisted, but she forced a smile. "It's fine. I'll pick something else."

As she turned to leave, she muttered, "It won't even fit you properly."

Sonia grinned, holding the gown against herself. "Funny. The dress didn't say that when it hugged me like it was made for me."

Kelechi and Flora burst into laughter.

Jessica hissed and stormed off toward the jumpsuit rack, her heels stabbing the floor with every angry step.

Sonia turned back to the mirror, smile brighter than ever.

Flora leaned in. "Omo... this dress chose you."

Sonia smirked. "And just like that, I found the most beautiful dress ever."

She was still grinning at it-until she saw the price tag. "₦345K keh?"

"O chim," Flora muttered under her breath, looking over Sonia's shoulders.

"It's fine. Derrick gave you his credit card," Zainab reassured her.

"But I can't just spend that kind of money on a dress I'll only wear once," Sonia whined.

As if on cue, the boys walked into the boutique.

"We just saw that Jessica girl storm out. Is everything okay?" Derrick asked, concern written all over his face.

"Everything's fine o," Kelechi replied. "But Sonia doesn't want to spend your precious money on the dress she wants. All these understanding girlfriends sef."

"You can buy the dress-there's no problem. How much is it?"

Sonia silently held up the price tag. Derrick's expression dropped for a second, but he quickly recovered.

"Well, if you're going to spend that much, use my dad's credit card. He doesn't have access to it anymore." He handed her a gleaming diamond platinum card.

"So you even carry your papa credit card join body and still watch me donate my own like Father Christmas?" Dexter side-eyed him dramatically.

"Abeg chop the card na," Flora hissed, flinging it at Dexter. Of course, he didn't catch it. "Stingy somebody."

Before Derrick could respond, Flora already had Sonia and Kelechi hooked by the arms, eyes sparkling like they just won the fashion lottery.

"Now that Derrick has officially given us his royal blessing," she announced like a host at an event, "Let's scatter this boutique like a hurricane."

They skipped into the mall like chaos in cute heels, ready to make every mannequin in that boutique sweat.

◦◦,'°.✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽.°',◦◦

They had just finished shopping. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, golden hue over the parking lot as the group made their way toward the car.

Laughter and light chatter filled the air, mingling with the sound of shopping bags rustling. The boys helped carry the bags, which were overflowing with dresses, accessories, and other fashion items the girls had picked out with excitement.

As they reached the car, Derrick walked to the back and began arranging the bags neatly in the boot. Just as he was about to close it, his phone buzzed sharply in his pocket.

He paused, glanced at the screen, and then answered it with a hesitant swipe.

His face remained unreadable-no smile, no frown-but there was a subtle tension in his jaw. Something was off. The atmosphere, once lighthearted, shifted slightly as the rest of the group exchanged glances.

The call didn't last long. When it ended, Derrick let out a slow breath and put his phone back in his pocket.

Sonia, noticing the change in his demeanor, leaned gently against him, her brows furrowed with concern. "What was that about?" she asked softly.

Derrick hesitated for a moment before replying with a sigh. "It's my dad. He wants to talk."

"Because wetin happen?" Dexter asked, his tone half-joking but laced with curiosity.

Derrick shrugged, clearly irritated. "Because I spent the money in his account," he said flatly. "Now he wants me to come down to the station and have some big talk about the business-about me running it, managing it, taking responsibility or whatever." He waved his hand dismissively. "Honestly, I don't care. Let him talk. I'm tired his existence."

Silence followed for a moment. Nobody really knew what to say. They understood, even if they didn't fully agree. The weight of expectations-especially from family-could be suffocating.

Without another word, they all climbed into the car. The engine started, and Derrick pulled out of the parking lot, merging onto the road with calm precision.

They drove in silence for a while, each person lost in their own thoughts. The shopping trip had been a temporary escape, a moment of joy. Now, reality was creeping back in. They would soon graduate and face more challenges.

But none of them spoke about the past. None of them wanted to drag it forward.

Whatever had happened, whatever was waiting back home or looming on the horizon, they chose-for now-to leave it behind.

Let the past stay where it belongs.

Good riddance.

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A/N

Hi guysss

I don't know what to say sha...

But this chapter took me the whole day to write, and it will be appreciated if you voted and comment.

Bye....