Chapter 1

"Bye old man." I bidded, planting a peck on my dad's right cheek.

"Be a good girl, like you've always been." He repeated for the umpteenth, smiling.

I assured my dad I was gonna be 'his good girl' before dashing out of the house, leaving him to continue with the project he had been working on since last night.

Once I got outside the compound I sighted the black Lexus SUV, sparkling clean, waiting for me to come sit on its comfy leather seats.

I strolled over to where it was parked, pulled the back door open and hopped into it. "Good morning, Mr Patrick." I greeted the chauffeur.

"Good morning, omoge." He warmly responded, his face crinkling up in a smile as I viewed him from the car's rear view mirror.

"Oya, let's go." I politely ordered.

He started the car's engine, beeped the car horn and the gatekeeper ran out of his mini house that was close to the gate, he saluted Mr Patrick, like a military man would do when they see their boss, then he opened the gate and Mr Patrick drove out from the huge 5 bedroom duplex that my dad just acquired in Lekki phase 1.

New state.

New school.

New friends.

New everything.

My dad and I recently just moved to Lagos, because he launched his company in one of Nigeria's finest state, and since I just graduated into a new class—SS2—, it was easier for us to move.

-

After a not too long ride, we arrived at my new school. I took a long look at the humongous structure staring at me and for some weird reason, I quivered with fear.

"Is this it?" I stupidly questioned.

"Yes madam. This is it." Mr Patrick answered, "No worry, you go like am." [Don't worry, you'll like it.]

"Okay." I murmured.

Slowly, I pushed the door open and stepped out of the car, I bided Mr Patrick farewell, and he drove off.

I stared at the school gate, and swiftly my stomach knotted, giving me social anxiety of a life time. If I could overcome this anxiety, then I could overcome everything.

Students who were elegantly dressed in their school uniforms, strolled into school. Some discussed as they walked into the compound, while others just had headphones over their ears.

I was all excited for school yesterday, but this morning, it was just too different. My anxiety was overflowing. I managed to walk close to the adorned school entrance, and right there, I halted, contemplating if I should call in sick and allow the chauffeur turn the SUV around and come get my nervous aśs. Or run.

Run?

Go inside?

Run?

Go inside?

Run?

"Why don't you go in?" I heard someone say.

Startled, I snapped out of my contemplation and looked up; towering above me was the beautifullest face I'd ever seen. There's no word like beautifullest but heck, I had to use it for this guy.

"Oh hey, I...I...I was just stretching, early morning exercise!" I cackled, awkwardly.

He chuckled, "Really? Who execrises infornt of a school when they are clearly a student."

He was probably a prefect because he had a black blazer on, making him different from the students who were making their way into school.

Feeling stupid, I just stood there and watched him. He was as dark as the night, but the way his light brown orbs shone as he smiled at me, was special. He was a carefully made melanin god.

"You're new, right?"

I nodded.

"Class?"

"SS2."

"I'll guide you to classroom after the assembly, just come over there," He pointed his index finger at a direction and I nodded, "and I'll take you there, so you don't get lost." He assured.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. The name's Bamidele by the way, but everybody sha calls me Dele, so just call me Dele."

"Okay. My name's Olivia."

"Great, so I'll--"

"There you are, let's go." A female appeared from behind him and she allowed her fingers tangle with his, not before sending a scornful look my way.

"Bye." He mouthed, allowing the girl to pull him away.

-

The assembly was not one that involved praise and worship songs like my previous school, it was just a place where all the students gathered for information. 

After assembly, I followed the students who were identified as the SS2s to my new classroom, I couldn't find Dele who promised to guide me to my class, so I tried to help myself.

After him, I hadn't spoken to anybody, so once I entered the classroom I scouted for an empty seat and I settled there.

I was nervous, students kept on trooping into the huge classroom that had five rows of chairs, each rows contained 6 two-in-one chairs, so the class had thirty piece of chairs in total.

As I sat quietly, I sighted four girls walking towards me with heads and shoulders held high. Uh oh, I wouldn't want to stir trouble on my first day of school. 

"On your feet now!" The one in front furiously ordered, stomping her fist on the desk.

"Izzy, that's fine. I'll handle this." Another one spoke, and immediately, I recognized her, she was the one who took Dele away.

"First of all you try to steal my boyfriend, and then the next minute you are sitting on my chair!" She spat, eyeing me wickedly.

"If I'm not wrong, your name isn't written on this chair," I blurted.

Girl, please!

The last thing I wanna do is fight over a boy and a chair on the first day of school.

"and I wasn't stealing your charcoal of a boyfriend, you just have your own insecurities." I snapped, starting to seethe.

"So you have mouth?!" Another one, tall and lanky, barked.

"Bella, allow me slap this thing." The shortest of them said, raising her hand in the air and threatening to connect it to my cheek.

If there was something I hated, then it was BULLYING. 

"If I were you, I wouldn't be standing among giants when I know fully well that I'm nothing different from a dwarf, so if you would kindly shut up and spend the rest of your life growing some height, it would really help you." I angrily shot at her.

The whole class burst into a fit of laughter, I heard comments like:

"Bella has met her match."

"This one is savage o!"

"Izzy sef no fit find clap back!" [Izzy can't even find a clapback]

"They should use shame to go and sit down joor." [Let them sit shamefully]

I laughed inwardly.

Before any of them could speak, a male teacher walked into the class.

"To your seats, I'll be reshuffling you guys again. All of you bring your bags outside and stand in front of the class." He instructed with a stern look on his face

After the hustle and bustle, everyone going back to sit in their original seats, we all brought our bags outside and stood in front of the class like primary school pupils. He reshuffled us and I got the same seat and right next to me was a figure of black beauty, she was getting prepared for Mr Jacobs class by bringing out her necessary writing materials.

"New students on your feet." He ordered, I got on my feet, I was waiting for at least two more students to stand with me but there were no other new students except me.

"Yes my dear, introduce yourself." He had the most welcoming smile I had ever seen and that made me a little comfortable

My hands were sweaty and I was nervous, all eyes were on me, and my heart, that bitch raced faster.

"Hi guys, my name is Olivia Peters, I just moved...from Calabar to Lagos and I hope to have a good time here." I introduced with my voice almost inaudible.

"Okay, Miss Peters, have a seat, I hope you like it here, if you need anything at all, let me know." Mr Jacobs instructed.

"Hey," The girl sitting beside me nudged at my arm, "My name's Miranda, but I prefer being called Mimi, welcome to our school. I'll show you around during lunch, I hope you like it." She whispered, grinning.

"Thank you." I replied, whispering too.

"Bring out your maths textbook and let's revise on last semester's work."

-

Ding ding ding ding.

It was already lunch time and Mimi was giving me a school tour after we had already finished eating. We were walking on a pavement leading to a stoned flight of stairs when my eyes caught an angel.

As he walked closer to us, I examined him. He had a carefully carved jawline, his pointy nose sat well on his face, his golden brown complexion radiated under the sun rays and for a moment it felt like he was walking on a runway. 

"Here comes this douche." Miranda cursed, rolling her eyes.

Soon, he got closer and damn, my day has never been blessed. Two hot guys in one day? If the boys in my previous school were this good-looking maybe I wouldn't be a virgin by now.

He towered above Miranda and I, and quickly I did a mental calculation regarding his height and I felt he was nothing more than 6'2.

His uniform fitted perfectly, and the way he grinned when his eyes landed on Miranda made my stomach flutter.

"Hey bookworm." He joked.

"Hey douche." She responded, making the both of them erupt into a moment of laughter.

"Who do we have here?" He asked as soon as they stopped laughing.

"Oh," Mimi let out, as if remembering something important, "Jayden, Olivia. Olivia, Jayden." She introduced, smiling.

"Hey." He acknowledged.

"Hey." I replied, drooling over his neatly rolled up sleeves which revealed his forearm, and the Rolex on his wrist.

This guy was a fine wine.

"I'll see you later, okay?" He said, refferring to Miranda.

"Okay." Mimi nodded, allowing him pull her into  a hug.

"Bye, baby face." He said, walking away without looking in my direction. Did he just call me babyface? Or he was referring to Miranda?

"That's my partner in crime." She declared, letting out a small laugh.

"Your boyfriend?"

"Nope, my brother. When we start our madness ehn, my parents don't talk o, because they are tired of us fighting like cats and dogs."

I laughed.

"We've been like this since he was four and I was two, It's only in school that we compose ourselves, but once we get home, we'll pick up from were we left off."

We both laughed lightly.

"He's cute." I confessed, and her face immediately fell.

"Cute ko, cute ni." She scoffed. [Cute indeed]

"It's true." I shrugged.

"Be admiring there, until you date him and find out that you're his fifteenth girlfriend." She blurted.

Ding ding ding ding ding.

Lunch was over.

"Let's go to class now." I urged.

"Are you scared?"

"Yes."

"Oh please! Don't be. I'm asthmatic, so I can't run, the teachers wouldn't want their boss's daughter dead."

"It's your dad's school?" I asked in surprise.

"Yea." She nodded positively.

We walked while other students hurried. 

I don hit jackpot. [I hit a jackpot.]

"How old are you?" She asked, interested.

"I'll be sixteen next month." I answered, as calm as possible.

I was so excited to turn 16.

"When?" She questioned.

"February 12th." I answered, and before I could blink, she squealed in excitement and embrace me.

Weird.

"We share the same birthday and the same year," She announced.

"That's so unique and weird, I've never had a birthday partner before." I revealed. 

"I knew there was something special about you, the instant that I saw you standing in front of the class."

-

We finally got to class and a teacher was already in class, Mimi walked in whilst I followed behind, without making eye contact with the chubby woman in front of the class.

"Miss Coker and co, where are you coming from?"

"Bathroom, any problem?" Mimi dished out, quite rudely.

"You're five minutes late, I won't tolerate that rubbish next time." She warned.

"Ma, you know I'm asthmatic so I can't run, even if I want to."

"So your friend too is asthmatic?" She inquired, as the entire class watched with silence.

"No, ma she--" 

"Let her talk herself." The chubby woman snapped.

"I'm not asthmatic. We were running, and  she had an asthma attack. I had to help her." I lied.

"Let this be the first and last time. Now go to your seats." She finally dismissed us, probably realizing her teaching time was running by, and we both walked to our seats.

__