Chapter 4

“How are you both doing?” she asked.

“We are good” I answered for us and she nod her head then turned to Daniel before whispering something in his ear which erupted a chuckle from him.

I could see my twin look around as some students pass by while waiting for the bell to ring for assembly and wondered what or who she seeks for.

I was about to ask her what it was and who she was looking for when she spoke out to Becca.

“Becca, I sent Rachael the designs already. Please let her know and ask when she wants us to start, I have been trying to reach her since yesterday but wasn’t able to” she told her and looked behind Becca before looking behind her.

I followed her gaze to someone who turn to the home economics lab area before the person entered the building. Didn’t look familiar to me so I looked at her with a small frown.

“Okay, I will let her know” Becca replied and she nod before walking past Becca in a rush while she said she needed to go.

Weird but I will find out who is that person.

“Will you come to my house today?” Becca turned to me and I focused my gaze on her with a smile on my face.

“There is a shoot happening this evening and the location is our garden… I wanted it to be there so it will be more convenient” she told me.

“Your parents are aware?” I asked just to be sure.

I know that she wouldn't take such decisions without the consent of her parents but I just need to ask.

“Yeah, they are. I dare not bring in people to the house all in the name of 'i want to do a shoot' without informing my parents beforehand… so. are you coming?” she asked and I thought for a while.

I wasn’t doing anything today and since we model together, I could actually use the time to be occupied.

“Yeah, sure. I will just let mum know then I will come over” I told her and she grinned.

“You can bring an overnight bag too, I would love for you and your twin to stay over at my place for the night,” she said.

“Can't promise anything but I will ask mum first and let you know” I told her.

“No problem, the assembly would start soon, go put your bag in your class so you can join in,” she told me and walked to the assembly hall with my brother.

Such a great couple.

i would have been a runway model but my inability to be stable on heels won't let me so I stuck with being a face model, and modeling for the clothing brand I and Becca presently model for.

She would have been if she wanted to but she rejected most of them, saying that she wants something better than modeling and this was just a side hustle for her so that she can have something she does aside from being a senator’s daughter.

I really admire her and hope for the best for her and my brother.

Just as I turned to head to my class, I bumped into someone but was glad I got my stance immediately so I moved back by a step then tried to pass by as I muttered ‘sorry’ but that wasn’t possible because I was held back.

By the way, the person held me, I already knew who it was and was really hoping that I wouldn't meet with her or any of her clowns like I call them.

Letting out a sigh, I let them pull me back and just stood there with my head bowed and a frown on my face.

“Clumsy,” her voice said and I brushed it away.

‘They can't get to me’ I said to myself.

I can't let them get to my head and mess it up like they use to do. It has to stop but I really need the strength to actually put them in their place and let them know that enough is enough.

I couldn’t understand how you would make it a routine to torture and make life miserable for someone all in the name of what?

What could I have ever done to deserve such treatment from them? I just couldn’t find a reason why they choose me to attack whenever they see fit.

No one deserves this, no matter what they might have done… no one deserves to feel less of themselves and be reminded that they will be bullied for the rest of their lives.

Reporting these girls would mean a whole new level of bullying from them.

I didn’t have the mind and energy to do so but when my brother and sister noticed the bruise I was trying so hard to hide and coupled with how I walked and how distant I made myself from them, they knew something was up.

They tried to ask what the problem was and how I got the bruise but instead of letting my mouth tell them what I had been suffering in those girls' hands, I let the fear that they put in me overtake me so I lied.

I lied to them and they weren't convinced but didn’t tell me that so they started watching and monitoring me to know what was up.

Then one day, Angela pushed me roughly to the floor and I scraped my knee in the process which irked my brother he proceeded to confront them and took me to the school clinic then he reported their behavior to the authorities which got them suspended.

I remembered asking my brother how he knew there was something up and he explained that they and mum took note of my behavior and after they found out about the bruise I had which I lied to them, they knew they needed to watch and know what really happened.

They asked why I didn’t tell them and I said I was scared of what they would do if I did report them and they told me to confide in them and they would help me out because that’s what family does for each other.

Help each other out of situations that hurt us.

Mum was on a business trip and when words went to her, she canceled and came back home in a rush with tears in her eyes. She couldn’t believe that such could happen to me and from a fellow classmate.

She wasn’t cool about dad and his stupid comments about me then in school I faced bullies and I didn’t tell anyone because I was scared so it hurt her and my siblings… not dad though.

When dad heard about what happened to me, he just shrugged it off and said that and I quote ‘If she wasn’t weird then it wouldn't have happened to her’ and it hurt me so much.

I really love my parents and hearing that from my dad was so heartbreaking and devastating for me. It made me question my existence and what I was really doing here on earth.

Then I started falling back in everything. My academics, my health, my bubbly self… all of it went down the drain.

I couldn’t go to school because I got sick and refused to eat hence I started to get lean.

The doctors did advise me that I see a therapist because it was something of the mind and since there was no talking that seem to have settled in my mind at that time, my mum had no choice but to comply.

She even had Leo talk to me but I couldn’t voice out what was going on in my head.

She didn’t want me to stay that way because she knew I needed help so that I don’t have to keep all my burdens. She had tried telling me to talk to GOD about it but I didn’t believe he would hear me so I didn’t bother.

When she talked to me about what the doctors advised, I became alert and my thinking went so fast.

I started to reason all the embarrassment it would bring for me if I did see the therapist, I rejected and told her I would try to be okay but I didn’t want to talk to a therapist.

She understood and talked to then encouraged me to talk to GOD if I didn’t want to say anything to her. She told him that my secrets are safe with him because he is a good keeper.

I tried to believe because I wanted to.

After that talk, I started getting better and would sometimes start to talk to GOD but because I couldn’t see him, I thought it wouldn't make sense to talk to him so I didn’t bother after a trial.

I thought I was indeed getting okay and those words they would tell me or how they would physically hurt me would fade away that quick… that didn’t happen.

That didn’t happen because something triggered those and all of those memories flashed through my mind, coupled with the constant nightmares I did have so I went back to square one.

It got so bad that one day when mum went to get me some of my medications that had finished, on my way to my room I collapsed and the next thing I knew was that I woke up in the hospital.

When I asked how come, mum explained that she couldn’t find me where she left me before going out and thought I was in my room so she decided to get me juice to take the medications when she saw me on the floor and in front of my bedroom door.

She told me that I was out for two days straight and would have no choice but to get me a therapist because she is hurting that I am this way and that I am hurting.

Then I promised that I will try more than ever to be better if she didn’t get me a therapist but she was still contemplating and after convincing and promising Leo and my siblings that I would be better, they helped me talk to mum and promised that they also help me to be better.

Mum agreed and I started getting better slowly. I was between the age of eleven to twelve then. Becca and Daniel were still more good friends at that time before he asked her out when they were in the senior final class.

Everyone except for dad kept me happy, we went on trips, I went to Becca shoots and would sometimes participate and with time I was able to be better and be more confident in myself.

What made her hate for me to intensify was the fact that she has a serious crush on my brother and Daniel seeing his sister being bullied by her made his dislike for her to go overboard hence her hatred for me escalated.

I was just glad that he didn’t choose her or any of her clowns.

I haven't said ‘Angela and her clowns’ to her face before because I still feel scared of them and what they could do to me.

A small smile formed on my lips and I felt someone shove me which made me to stumble back but I was able to gain composure.

“What is making this one smile sef?”

“I don’t know oo, look at her stupid face,” another said.

I could feel one of them walk close to me and when she spoke I knew it was Angela speaking.

“Because say you dey run with one of the loaded girl's wey dey this school, no mean say you dey her class. You be trash, you hear wetin I talk? Trash!” I could feel her spit on my forehead and wished I was a bit taller than her so I could put all these clowns in their place.

It now was then, I would have felt hurt by what they were saying but I don’t feel it at all. Now, their words feel like brushing against my skin, they cant penetrate.

I looked up at her and her clowns as they giggled at her stupid words till they stopped and I think she got threatened that I was looking at her deep into her eyes so she stepped closer but that didn’t intimidate me to step back.

“Who you dey look at like that?” one of them asked from behind her and I in return gave them a boring look.

I was feeling a bit scared though but I wasn’t going to let them see that. It might be now that I would be able to get them off me forever so I better take my stand and take their nonsense no more.

“Can I go? Assembly will start soon an-” Angela cuts off.

“Ehn, so you still get the mind to dey talk, abi? Wo if a-” she was now interrupted by Mrs. Aliyah’s voice from behind them.

“What is going on here?” she asked as she looked from them to me waiting for an explanation.

“No-nothing ma” Angela stuttered when she turned to her along with her clowns.

Not believing her, Mrs. Aliyah looked from me to them again before a frown etched her face.

“Arent you supposed to be at the assembly hall now? Go there now” she said with irritation.

Just as Angela and her clowns were about to scurry away, I interjected because it would be good to see them get punished for trying to scare me and bully me again.

“Ma, I was about to go to my class so I could drop my bag when they double-crossed me all because Angela the queen messed the bed and is looking for someone to victimize,” I told her.

It was a half-truth since they wanted to actually victimize me but the messing of bed was not true… or I could be right, who knows.

Mrs. Aliyah’s eyes went wide open and so did her clowns as they looked at an embarrassed-looking Angela before she let out a burst of unbelievable curt laughter.

“Ehn, so you wet yourself and still have the mind to bully? You have a problem. Oya” she gestured to the principal’s office  “to the principal’s office and that includes you three,” she told them all and I felt a bit okay and a bit bad for lying.

At least they would be off my tail for a while.

“Just ignore them, okay? Now, go and drop your bag so you can get to the assembly hall” she told me and followed them.

“Thank you ma,” I said and smiled at their retracting figures till they reached the office and entered.

Maybe they would quit this bullying act and learn to be more mature by not showing their weakness by taking advantage of smaller people.

***

Because say you dey run with one of the loaded girl's wey dey this school, no mean say you dey her class. You be trash, you hear wetin I talk? Trash! - Just because you are friends with one of the richest girls in school doesn't mean that you are in her class. You are trash, you heard me? Trash!

Who you dey look at like that? - Who are you looking at like that?

Ehn, you still have the guts to talk? See if i-