76k reads!!!! Let's goooo!!!!✨✨

Guys, I am 100% sure this chapter will blow your minds sha!😂😂✨

Oh and someone said I should be recommending plenty songs like I did in TLT so yeah fine, I'll do that in every chapter from now on😌♥️

Song for this chapter is "If the world is ending" by Julia Michaels and JP Saxe. (Media above)

Enjoy your read!!!!!🌝♥️

~DABI~

The last time that I had been taking to the School's disciplinary building on the offence of fighting and assault was in Jss3.

They said that I stabbed Jelanie Jarah with a math set compass after a 'trivial altercation' and as a result, she bled till unconsciousness, and eventually, left Castron High a few weeks after.

And boy, classmates were they not happy about it. I was a walking target of all sorts of bullying and enmity for so many days. Weeks even. Well, until Chika Chioma saved me.

And now, in Ss3, here I was, with a potential attempted murder case on my back.

Classmates said Miranda Archibong was dead.

They were already at it, spreading stupid rumours and cooking up all sorts of rubbish. And meanwhile, Miranda, the girl they were talking about who had allegedly 'lost her life after my assault', I saw her walking herself to the School clinic after teachers had pulled me off her.

She deserved much worse.

Because of the bitch, Somadina Best was trending all over every social media that had a connection to Castron High.

Infact, the entire Igbo Sisters were all over the Media. Not just Soma, but each and every other one of us too. Even me.

My name was also at the tip of every classmate's tongue. What made me shudder was the fact that it was not just the name 'Dabeluchi' that everyone rolled off the tips of their tongue with wild abandon.

Aurora too.

They were talking about Aurora too.

And that, by far, was the most disturbing part of the entire thing for me. Nothing horrified me more than that. I could only imagine all the terrible things out classmates had to say about me. I was horrified to even step foot back in that Ss3 Block.

Needless to say, just like in Jss3, Chika Chioma was by my side.

And, on a new note, Marcus Acha whom I could have vouched for did not even know my name in Jss3 was here with me in Ss3, siding with me just as well.

Together, we all sat in the broad hallway of the reception of the building and with me right in the middle of Chika and Marcus, on the lined waiting benches, I awaited my potentially doomed fate with the School Authorities.

We stayed quiet too. Not a word left our mouths as we sat and waited for what seemed like an damn eternity. And all the way, I felt a lot of mixed emotions. Fear, I supposed, but I was unsure of where my fear was in. Was it the consequences I knew I, we all as Sisters were going to face as a result of what happened? Or was it the fact that I was in trouble with School? Or the fact that the whole set was talking about Aurora? Or was it everything as a whole? I was just afraid of so many.

I didn't even realize I was shaking until I felt Marc's hands softly grabbing mine at my side, and there came that breath of fresh air all around me that took off a large sum of the burden that felt like it was pressing down on my shoulders and suffocating me.

Turning to look at big brown eyes that knew how to turn all my misery to light, I felt a moment of complete and total peace.

"It's okay," Marcus told me. "Everything will be okay."

Gently, I nodded. Fingers crossed, I hoped he was right.

Footsteps were suddenly heard from the entrance of the hallway as someone was walking promptly from the inside of the main building to meet us. Subconsciously, I sat up straight in slight anxiety as I watched the School's head girl, in my set walk her way towards me, Chika, and Marcus on the bench.

With a straight face on, one that hinted just about a tinsy tiny bit of interest to be standing here before us, Giwa Falade, the set's Queen bee, paused when she got to us, adjusted the Head Girl badge that pinned to the chest area of her Sports wear and stared down at all of us with her head held high up in her pride.

"Chika Chioma," She called out one of us just after regarding the rest of us with about a second or two, her tone was firm and prompt, no delay or stuttering, "I want to have a word with you."

She didn't wait for Chika to give a response or even nod. After relaying her information, she started to walk towards the other end of the hallway, clearly expecting Chika to be promptly walking behind her, no questions asked.

"Give me a sec," Chika said to me and Marc, before going ahead to try and catch up with Giwa Falade whose steps were prompt and inpatient.

I didn't stop watching until Giwa had stopped there, far ahead from all of us, at the exit of the Hallway, Chika had met up, and the two were exchanging a conversation that I could not hear. All I could see between the two was hand gestures and two mouths moving in turns.

I got worried for a reason that I wasn't even sure of.

Turning to Marc with that fear in me, I asked him, "Do you think I'm going to get expelled?"

My question looked like it amused him for a moment, and I didn't even know how I knew that because he didn't laugh. But I knew he found my question absolutely ridiculous.

"I'm certain not," He said to me, assured me with his hope filled eyes, "Aurora, I have been in over one hundred fights since my stay in Castron High and I made it to Ss3. I'm sure you'll be just fine."

I swallowed. Tried to believe that.

"Okay," I only nodded.

His hands clasped on mine and stayed, entwined around it, wrapped perfectly to keep me calm in all our silence.

For a moment, I smiled down on it and only one word came to mind as I stared at how perfect both our hands looked together; Art.

Chika was back soon anyway.

"Giwa Falade says that Harry would try to scare us into thinking that the matter is going to be taken up to the Disciplinary Committee, but Charlie Ba is the main connection to the committee and he insists that he will make sure nothing gets to the School Authorities," She told me and Marc.

"So, they won't know about Soma's case?" I asked her.

"Hopefully," Chika nodded. "Let's just hope our classmates are able to keep their mouths shut and not spread it until it gets to them."

I really hoped so.

"It shouldn't," Marc gave his opinion.

Chika looked to him, and for a moment, she looked at him like she trusted he wasn't talking bull crap.

"Our classmates may be talkative, but I believe they know their boundaries," He said. "It's like a set code of some sort. Things like that never go out that far to the School Authorities."

There was sense in what he was saying and Chika looked like she hinted that too.

I mean, there are sooo many rumours that have spread in CH. Some of them were even dangerous enough to get people expelled, or imprisoned even, and these kind of things had been spread even round the entire school and somehow, the School Authorities never got to know about them.

Hopefully, Soma's case would be the same. One could only hope.

"Let's get out out of here, abeg," Chika said to me and Marc. "Before we'll end up being the reasons why the members of the School Authorities start getting suspicious of us hanging around their little territory."

Marc laughed softly at Chika's not-so-jokey joke, and patiently waiting for me to take his hand on which he had extended to me like a gentleman, he smiled warningly.

For a moment, Chika stopped to actually look back at the both of us and I could have sworn I saw the littlest smile forming on her face.

I felt she would have taken her time to muse about me and Marc if her head was not already preoccupied with so many things, all thanks to the mess today.

And boy, I had no literal idea how long we had been sitting there in the reception of that building until we had stepped outside and turns out the school was already rowdy with so many students who were already scattered everywhere on the fields, the courts, the roadsides, and practically, every space that should have been free if it was not time for Sports already.

But it was apparently. And that's how long we had been in there. Long enough from before the Morning Assembly to sometime after Break period that was simultaneously Sports period on days like this.

Castron High had a different school schedule on days like Tuesdays and Thursdays. Those were the chosen days for Sports so when the bell rang for break time, it was just a cue that in a few minutes more, it would be time for Sports. Sports lasted for about an hour or two and if you wanted to stay for it, you stay. If you wanted to go right home instead, you were free.

In a nutshell, it only meant that the bell for Sports was equivalent to the closing bell for people who were not interested in doing sports.

Was I interested? Unlikely ever.

Half of the population of CH was not that interested either, but a lot of them still chose to hang around for some reason.

I don't know if it was a part of some sorta flex for them, if there was some kind of hang for staying back to gist with their respective classmates, or flirt with their little crushes, or like some girls from Ss1 or Ss2 who knew nada in Sports activities, they'd just want to stay back and watch the ballers and jocks on the fields and courts, being their personal cheerleaders and trying to get themselves noticed. I don't know what the motive was, but people, a lot of them who didn't do sports, stayed back.

I mean, some were serious. For example, my set boys and a few Ss2 boys that were busy on the football field, the younger juniors who formed their own football team on an isolated part of the field, the boys and girls on the bball courts, and the other students that made themselves busy with other stuff like track or relay, badminton or tennis, or even something simpler, like a ludo game, scrabble, chess, or even whot cards, but a majority of Castron High students were not.

I wondered why CH students would rather stand here under this kind of hot sun than just go home if they had nothing serious to do.

"I'll have to stop here," Chika announced to me and Marc out of the blue.

"Huh," I blinked at her as she made a move to leave us both alone.

"Call me when you're ready to go so I can bring you home, okay, Dabz?" She said to me, and I would have been surprised as to how she knew that I would have wanted to go home with her again if I wasn't too concerned as to where exactly she was going.

"Soma," She told me.

Overwhelmed, I asked her, "Can I come?"

There was a look in her eyes that made me know that my request, if granted, would not be such a bliss idea.

"They all hate me, don't they?" I asked Chika. "Soma and the Twins hate me, abi?"

With a soft hand, Chika massaged my arm softly and looked at me and I could see the tiniest bit of hope in her eyes.

"I will make sure this does not blow over, Dabi, I promise." She said to me.

It seemed surreal to, but I trusted her. I mean, so far I have known the girl, there was nothing Chika Stephanie Chioma could not do.

So, fingers crossed.

"Thank you," She took a moment to say to Marc.

He looked a bit flattered, somewhat bewildered at her gratitude.

"For what?" He asked softly.

"I don't know, for being here for Dabi," Chika shrugged with an awkward laugh, "I mean, you really didn't have to. You missed the entire day of class."

"I'd do anything for Aurora," Marc said and I couldn't help, but blush so embarrassingly hard.

Chika found it adorable. I could see it in her face. She actually smiled at the both of us and I saw the approval in her eyes.

"You were right, Dabi," She said to me, "Marcus Acha is a good guy."

Chika bade us both farewell with a wave of her hands and started to make her way on her heels.

"Well, I didn't know you talked about me to your friends," Marc teased me as soon as Chika left.

"Well," I sighed wistfully, "Most of them are not my friends anymore."

I didn't look to him, but I could tell somehow that his face had dropped on hearing me say that.

The silence that ensues after was proof that I was right about his reaction.

"I'm sorry," I finally heard him say. His voice was soft and low.

I didn't know how much Marcus knew. I couldn't tell. But if news had spread as wide and far as I suspect, then he should know everything that went down with us and all that Miranda Archibong had falsely accused me of.

"I didn't do anything." I told him.

"And if you say so, then I completely believe you, Aurora," He assured me.

I looked up to him, drowned myself in those big brown eyes of his as he walked gently by my side, making sure to be slow enough according my pace.

"You do?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Of course."

"Thank you." I said.

"Welcome, Aurora, but there's no need to thank me for believing in you." He said to me.

Are you sure?

"And besides, Miranda Archibong is quick to grab the dirtiest details about people. If you didn't tell her anything like you said, then she probably dug it right up herself. Somehow."

Yes.... That was what Miranda did.

Right? That was what Miranda did. I envisioned it and came to that conclusion.

After all, she also found out about me and Marc on her own. That day we thought we were alone in the Hallway. She found out about it, but promised to not say a word about it to the set.

In some way I hated to remind myself....

She actually kept that promise though.

"Miranda dug Soma's secret up," I told Marc. "That was how she found out about it. That was how she knew."

Marc laughed softly like he found me adorable.

"I know, Aurora, that's what I just said may have happened," He said to me.

"Not may," I shook my head. Looked up at him. "It did happen, Marc."

That smile lingered on his face as he shrugged. "Whatever you say, love."

The Bell for the ending of Sports came, loud and clear, and I knew the School was about to get twice as rowdy.

I only wondered who was even ringing the bell when I was certain that Soma has disappeared from sight for the day and most probably, duty.

I felt a pang of guilt in my chest. One that followed me around, hovered like some evil entity.

I turned to say something to Marc, but everything left my mind when I noticed him staring afar off into the somewhere in that moment.

I traced his glare until it led me to the Senior school basketball field where I saw a few boys and girls from our set and some Ss2 students there, some of them staying back to throw a few more hoops and other packing their bags to leave. Marc just stared.

"Problem?" I asked him.

He snapped out of it quickly and laughed softly, shook his head.

"No, nothing," He said. "It's just that we spent the entire school day in the Disciplinary Building and I didn't even get to see the guys today." He pointed towards the court to emphasize.

"Sorry," I had none else to say.

"It's nothing serious," He told me. "I had to spend the rest of the day with you-" He playfully, gently, nudged my side a little, "-So, that's a huge compensation. I'd pick you over Sports, any day any time."

I laughed. Or rather blushed into a laugh. I couldn't believe I could be happy after all that happened today, but cheers to shockers.

And also, cheers to Marcus Bruno Acha too. He was simply the best.

"Although....." I heard him say and I looked back to him again.

"Huh?" I raised a brow.

"It feels like I'm forgetting something today; I can't shake off the feeling." He told me.

"Hmm," I thought for myself but nothing was forthcoming.

Instinctively, my eyes, and Marc's eyes moved simultaneously to the basketball court.

For some reason.

But before I could have much thought on it, I heard a distracting sound that pulled both me and Marc's attention away from the court.

We were at the T-junction that had it's left of it leading to the Ss2 and Ss3 senior blocks, and at the right was a road path that led to the School clinic.

There, some random group of students, girls, they looked like they should have been in say, Ss1, and together, they were all surrounding some girl in the middle, a girl I supposed was coming from the clinic, considering that she had a bandage around her head and the girls around her looked like they were trying to get her to walk and she was groaning in slight pain, causing a few heads to turn and look their way.

"What on earth happened to her?" I asked Marc with a frown on my face, like somehow, he would be able to know.

"We missed the entire school together, love. I wouldn't know," He joked and I playfully rolled my eyes, realizing he was right.

I was going to look away. After all, it wasn't my business. But before I had a chance to, the girls had moved a bit to the right and I caught sight of something that instantly riled me up and boiled my blood all over again.

That stupid girl.

Behind the group of friends supporting their hurt bandaged friend was Miranda Archibong, whom I supposed was also coming from the clinic and she walked slowly behind them, almost embarrassingly, limping slightly behind the girls like she was using them as a cover and I wondered why she was doing that.

I didn't care.

I didn't even want to know.

Seeing that girl infuriated me.

She was there, walking all by herself from the clinic, limping, and all I could think about was causing more damage and I felt like a horrible person for it. I just hated her.

"Aurora," Marc called me. I felt him take my hand in his and for a moment, we both stopped walking.

Like Miranda knew that there were eyes lingering around her, she instantly looked up to lock eyes with me and froze for a moment.

She actually missed a step and staggered too.

Stupid bitch.

"Let's just go," Marc took me along to walk with him, and even if he could control where my body went, he couldn't control where my eyes were fixed on or the brutal and dangerous thoughts that ran through my mind.

Miranda, knowing that my eyes were fixed on her, brought her head down, eyes downcast and staring onto the group a something I supposed was shame.

Well, I hoped the shame killed her.

Alone, with no one by her side, Miranda Archibong limped quietly down the path.

And I absolutely hated myself for doing so...

But, I felt kind of bad for her.

*****

Marc and I were walking together.

No. Go back and go through that again.

Marcus Acha and Dabeluchi Orji were walking together.

It didn't slap me as hard until I had gotten to the Ss3 Block and I had all eyes hovering all over us, staring us down like we were aliens from a different dimension, an unspoken species of creatures that they had never seen before. That's how everyone stared at us.

You know why the funny thing? I always did feel it. I felt it so strong and hard, even down from when we were walking from the Disciplinary