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CHAPTER FOUR
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2025-03-17 09:07:31Carolyn’s POV
I should have expected this. The moment I stepped into the school hallway, I could feel the stares. The whispers. The judgmental looks. Something had changed. Tina, walking beside me, froze mid-step as she pulled out her phone. Her face turned pale. “Carolyn…” she whispered. I frowned. “What is it?” She hesitated before turning her phone toward me. My heart dropped. On the school’s W******p group chat, a single message from J.J. sat at the top, pinned for everyone to see: > “We hate Carolyn, the scholarship girl.” Below it, hundreds of messages had flooded in overnight. SS2 Cynthia: LMAO, she really thought she belonged here? SS1 Malik: J.J. says we hate her, so we hate her. SS3 Sandra: Maybe if she begs, we’ll let her stay. SS2 Tayo: Who does she think she is? SS1 Emmanuel: Scholarship kids shouldn’t even be in Covent High. SS3 Raymond: She slapped J.J.? She must be crazy. My breath hitched as I scrolled through the comments. It wasn’t just a few students—the entire school was against me. I clenched my fists. My throat burned, but I refused to cry. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. Tina bit her lip. “Carolyn, what do we do? This is bad… really bad.” I exhaled slowly, forcing my emotions down. “We go to class.” Tina looked at me like I had lost my mind. “Are you serious? People are literally waiting to humiliate you.” I straightened my shoulders. “If I run now, I’ll never stop running.” Tina hesitated but finally nodded. “Okay… but stick close to me.” Together, we pushed through the hallway, but the second we entered, the whispering turned to open insults. “Look, it’s the charity case.” “She actually came to school? I thought she’d hide.” “J.J. must be so mad at her.” “I hope she knows what she just started.” I ignored them, kept my head up, and walked straight to my locker. Then—something wet splashed onto me. Ice-cold water. A gasp escaped my lips as I shivered, my uniform drenched. Laughter erupted around me. I turned slowly to see Cynthia, a rich girl from SS2, holding an empty water bottle, smirking. “Oops,” she said with fake innocence. “My hand slipped.” More laughter. My fingers trembled, but I forced myself to stay calm. “Move.” Cynthia raised an eyebrow. “Or what?” I clenched my fists. I wanted to slap her so badly. But I knew what would happen if I did. This was what they wanted—to push me until I snapped. I took a deep breath and stepped around her. Cynthia’s smirk widened. “Not so tough now, huh?” Tina grabbed my wrist. “Carolyn, let’s just go to class.” I nodded, swallowing my anger. --- J.J’s POV I leaned back in my chair, watching the chaos unfold. From my seat near the back of the classroom, I could see everything. Carolyn—soaking wet, humiliated, but still refusing to cry. Interesting. Most people would have run home in tears by now. But she? She still walked with her head high, pretending the insults didn’t bother her. Julius sat next to me, looking guilty. George, who had also just walked in, sat across from me and shook his head. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” I smirked. “She asked for it.” George scoffed. “J.J., you started this because she slapped you after you kissed her without her consent. You do realize that, right?” I ignored him. Julius finally spoke. “J.J., I think it’s enough.” I turned to him, my expression darkening. “Enough?” Julius hesitated. “I—I mean, maybe we should stop before my mom finds out.” I chuckled, shaking my head. “Julius, you need to decide which side you’re on.” Julius fell silent. George sighed. “I swear, you act like a king punishing a peasant.” I raised an eyebrow. “That’s exactly what I am.” George rolled his eyes. “One day, you’ll meet someone who won’t bow to you.” I glanced back at Carolyn. Maybe I already have. --- Carolyn’s POV Tina and I sat in the classroom, but I could feel the eyes on me. The whispers. The glares. The hatred. Every time the teacher turned his back, students threw small pieces of paper at me. Some hit my desk, some hit my back, but I ignored them all. Tina nudged me. “We should tell the teacher.” I shook my head. “That won’t help.” I had seen how things worked in this school. Teachers favored the rich kids. J.J.’s family practically owned this place. No one would stand up for me. I was alone. Except for Tina. J.J. sat at the back, watching me. His arms were crossed, his expression unreadable. I hated him. Hated how he smirked, like he was amused by my suffering. Hated how everyone obeyed him like he was a god. But most of all, I hated how, even now, part of me found him fascinating. No. I wasn’t going to let him win. The teacher kept talking, but I wasn’t listening. I was planning. If J.J. wanted to make me public enemy number one, then I had no choice. I had to fight back. Not with violence—that’s what he wanted. Not by crying—that’s what they expected. I had to be smarter. I had to show them that I belonged here. And I would start today.
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Carolyn’s POVI had never felt this alone before.Even in the slums, where people whispered about my strange blue eyes and light skin, I had never been treated like this.Like I was a disease.Like I was nothing.The classroom felt smaller, suffocating. Every pair of eyes was on me, waiting for me to snap, to cry, to break.But I wouldn’t.I couldn’t.Tina sat beside me, gripping her pen so tightly that her knuckles were white. She was angry. Probably angrier than I was.But she wasn’t the target.I was.Another paper ball hit my shoulder. I ignored it.Laughter.I heard someone whisper, “She thinks she’s better than us just because she’s smart.”Another voice. “No, she thinks she’s special because she has blue eyes. Maybe she’s wearing contact lenses.”I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.They were waiting for me to react.I wouldn’t give them what they wanted.Instead, I picked up my pen and continued writing down my notes.---J.J.’s POVShe was stronger than I thought.I had expec
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J.J’s POVI thought ignoring her would help.I thought maybe if I gave her space, she’d come back. Crawl back. Whisper another apology like before. Offer her silence as some kind of surrender.But she didn’t.She walked past me in the hallway this morning like I didn’t exist.No glance. No hesitation.Just… walked.And I hated it.I hated the way it burned.It was the same fire that came after a challenge, except this time, it wasn’t about pride or power—it was about control I had lost. And the fact that Carolyn, of all people, had taken it from me?Unforgivable.I sat in the lounge for most of the day, jaw clenched, heart pounding with that sick, tight rhythm that came whenever something slipped through my fingers.I couldn’t think straight.After school, I messaged George."Let’s go out. Tonight. I need to blow off steam."He replied almost immediately.You thinking the usual spot?Yes. Bring Julius. I don’t want to think. Just drink.We met up around 6PM. Julius had to sneak out o
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Carolyn’s POVThe day dragged on like heavy chains tied to my ankles.Even though I was physically present, my mind was far away—stuck in that cafeteria, reliving the sound of food slapping Tina’s face, the gasps, the laughter, the eyes watching like it was entertainment.Tina didn’t deserve that.The rest of the day blurred past me in a fog of silent fury.I sat in class, eyes forward, but my mind wasn’t on the whiteboard or Mr. Ayoola’s notes. My thoughts kept drifting to Tina—my best friend, the one person who made this entire nightmare bearable.She wasn’t just absent.She was hurt.At home.Sick.The rumor in class was that her mother had called the school to report that Tina was experiencing “high fever and emotional fatigue.” I didn’t need anyone to explain further. I knew what that meant.Tina hadn’t just been embarrassed.She’d been shaken.By J.J.By Emma and her minions.Because of me.I pressed my palm hard against my thigh, trying to ground myself. I hated how powerless I
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Carolyn’s POVI didn’t sleep.Not really.All I could see when I closed my eyes was Tina’s face—her stunned silence, the way the food clung to her braids, the way her mouth opened in confusion and pain as everyone laughed.And J.J.Standing there.Watching.Doing nothing to stop it.Because he had ordered it.Because I had refused to serve him.I kept tossing in bed, twisting the bedsheet in my hands like it was the only thing keeping me grounded. I was furious. Not just at J.J—but at myself. For trusting him. For liking being around him. For confusing cruelty with something else. Something softer.Something I hoped was real.But what he did to Tina?That was a line.And he crossed it.The next morning, I didn’t wait for him to come to me. I wasn’t going to be the girl who stayed silent anymore.I stood at his usual parking spot, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the gate as the morning sun climbed over the buildings. I didn’t care if people stared. Let them. Let them whisper about the scho
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J.J’s POV The cafeteria held its breath for a moment.Then it happened.Oge reached Tina’s table first. Carolyn looked up from her tray, confused. She probably thought they were just walking past. They weren’t.With no warning, Oge raised her tray and smashed it onto Tina’s head—right in front of half the cafeteria.Jollof rice, fried plantain, stew—everything exploded across Tina’s braids and blouse.Gasps filled the air.Tina froze for a second, the food dripping down her face like some horror movie scene. She looked like she didn’t even know what had happened. And Carolyn? She shot up like lightning. “What the hell is wrong with you?!” she screamed, grabbing napkins, trying to help Tina wipe her eyes. Bola stepped in next. Her tray hit the table, splashing juice everywhere, narrowly missing Carolyn’s skirt. Emma clapped slowly, theatrically. “Well, well, well… looks like your friend’s lunch got an upgrade.” My heart thumped once. Carolyn’s eyes shot toward the back of the
Rich Love Chapter Twenty-Eight
J.J’s POVMonday morning came too quickly.The same white walls, the same polished floors, the same students pretending to care about grades while scheming behind their designer backpacks. The school looked the same, but something had changed.Me.Or maybe not.Maybe I was just realizing that Carolyn Okoli—yes, Carolyn, the charity-case girl with the odd blue eyes—was still stuck in my head long after that final debate round ended.It made no sense.She defied me, embarrassed me, won... and then ignored me like I was irrelevant. She hadn’t even looked at me since we got off the plane from Lagos. And for someone who used to practically shake in my presence, that silence was louder than anything she could’ve said.I hated how much that bothered me.I hated that I noticed her absence in the lounge this morning.George did too. He looked at me over the rim of his smoothie, one brow raised.“She’s not coming today?” he asked casually.“Why wouldn't she?” I snapped.George gave me a look. “
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Carolyn’s POVI don’t know how long I sat there.At some point, George passed by. He slowed when he saw me, then thought better of it and kept walking. Maybe he knew. Maybe J.J. had told him what happened. Or maybe George had seen the way J.J. looked at me lately like he wasn’t sure if he wanted to ruin me or rescue me.Not that it mattered.I needed silence.And the stairwell gave me that.There, in the echo of my breathing and the hum of the building, I allowed myself to feel it all. The shame. The confusion. The self-disgust. The subtle flicker of pain that came from knowing that despite everything—despite the cruelty, the games, the manipulation—a piece of me still wanted J.J. to see me.And not just see me—but understand me. Respect me.But maybe that was my problem. Hoping for empathy from someone who had made it his life’s mission to keep people beneath him.I stood up slowly and walked to the nearby mirror in the hallway. My reflection stared back—messy braids, faded lip balm,
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Carolyn’s POV We were leaving Lagos in a few hours, but I had already packed. I didn’t have many things, and truth be told, I wanted to be done with this place. The hotel, the debate venue, the heavy applause I never asked for, the quiet side-eyes from students who didn’t believe I deserved the win—it all clung to my skin like smoke from a fire I didn’t set. I stood by the window in the lobby, watching the morning traffic move like a slow dance of chaos. Cars honked, vendors shouted, and buses groaned as they swerved in and out of lines. It reminded me of home—chaotic but familiar, safe in a weird way. My hand rubbed my arm absently, still feeling the bruise from where I slammed into the locked hotel room door yesterday. I could still see the cleaner’s shocked face as she opened the door, and I could see the dust floating in the light behind her. I’d smiled then, politely, hiding the mess inside me. I hadn’t said anything to the teachers. No one. Because what was the point? I knew
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J.J’s POVThe crowd was still cheering. The trophy gleamed on the stage like it had been waiting its whole life to land in Carolyn’s hands.Ours.But let’s not kid ourselves—it was hers. She was the one who gave the closing argument, the one who turned the judges around, the one who brought the crowd to its feet. I should have been proud. I should have stood beside her and lifted the damn thing with her. But instead I sat there, still in my chair, jaw clenched, heart thudding with something far uglier than pride.Jealousy.God, it was eating me alive.She walked off the stage with her usual cautious grace, like she still didn’t quite believe the world had given her a win. Her eyes scanned the crowd as if unsure whether she deserved the applause. And when they landed on me—when she saw me still seated, arms crossed, not smiling—I saw it.Doubt. Hurt. Confusion.I looked away.She deserved better than that look from me.But that didn’t stop me from feeling it.The entire school team gat
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Carolyn’s POVI took my seat between J.J. and George.The air around us was ice.George muttered a low “Glad you made it,” without looking at me. I wasn’t sure if it was genuine or just for show. But J.J. didn’t say anything at all. He just leaned back in his chair, eyes on the panel of judges as they prepared their notes.I could feel his tension. Not the kind that came from nerves before a big competition—no, this was different. This was frustration. Spite. Bruised ego.And yet, I was too exhausted to let his silence shake me.Instead, I focused on the stage, where the final round was about to begin. Our school, Convent High, was facing two of the most competitive debate teams from Lagos and Port Harcourt. Both schools were infamous for grooming debate champions. Some of the best speakers in the country were sitting just meters away, sharpening their minds like blades.And here I was.A girl who had almost been locked away and forgotten.Our principal sat near the judges, smiling ne
