Chapter one.

Simone.

"Please you guys should just leave me alone"The girl begged us pitifully.

I looked away so none of my so called friends could see the tears on my face.

Caitlin,the nasty dark skinned South African laughed and said"I don't even know what this girl is doing in our school. You are not worthy to be here. Get that in your head."

The girl whimpered and started crying. 

"Let's just leave her alone."I suggested"Assembly will start soon and if the head girl is late,it won't be nice."

Ada scoffed. Ada and I were in the same clique of friends but we hated each other. She was always in some sort of unspoken competition with me from the post of the head girl to our literature result. I pitied her,because I never lost.

"What happened? Do you want to say something?"I challenged her.

Caitlin looked at both of us while rolling her eyes"You guys should stop fighting or else I will put you on timeout for three days."

Timeout was when Caitlin stops talking to someone from her clique for a calculated period of time. If you were given a timeout, you became vulnerable and the laughing stock of the school. Caitlin  threatened us time and again with her "time out".

I was the queen of Richview college, but it was like Caitlin owned me. She told me what to do. She gathered the most popular students into her clique. If she decided that you were an outcast or you were kicked out from her clique,your social life was practically over. We consisted of fifteen girls, including Caitlin herself.

Elena,Sinachi,Ada and Bimpe were Caitlin's right hand "men". The ones that carried news to her.

Jane,Tolani,Pascaline,Diamond and Testimony were the new recruits so they were Caitlin's "slaves". They had to prove that they were worthy of the group. They were given beginners test to join and absurd tasks. There was a time that Jane acted as a stool for Caitlin. It was horrible to watch.

Damilola,Arabella,Stacia,Lydia and I were the ones that didn't want to be in the group. The unhappy ones. I got along with some of the girls from my group well and some of them I couldn't stand.

"You are nothing. Do you even have a boyfriend?"Caitlin said to the poor girl"I even saw her staring at Damini like a love sick puppy."

I  rolled my eyes," internally" though. According to Caitlin,to be in the group every single member must get a boyfriend from the footballers group. Caitlin had an unhealthy obsession with Damini even though she had a  boyfriend. Any girl that even spared Damini a glance, except members from the group were immediately dealt with. The last time he asked a girl out,Caitlin shaved her head and she was withdrawn from the school. When she was asked what had transpired she didn't say anything but I think everyone knew what happened. The girl that Caitlin was currently bullying has been her victim for six years. I didn't recall her name but we were in the same class in jss2. Some people in the group have warned her several times to get rid of the little crush she had on Damini but let me just say that the girl had her own little obsession with him.

A shrill sound rang through the deserted hall. The bell signified the start of the very compulsory morning Assembly. 

"The bell has been rung."I announced "Let's just leave her alone."

Caitlin looked around for a while before she barked an order at the girl"Go!"

The girl hurried up and scrambled out of our sights.

"Let's go for assembly ladies."I said again.

Everyone murmured in consent except Ada. She inspected her nails and she remained rooted on one spot and I said again"Ada,I said let's go."

She hissed and looked harder at her nails. It was like she wanted me to pounce on her this morning. I walked closer to her and I said"If I count up to five and you are not downstairs,I will make sure you get suspended and I am not sure that will look nice on your university application. I am pretty sure that your dad wouldn't like that either."

Her eyes widened in fear and I knew I had hit a sore spot. Ada's father was the Principal of Richview college. He wasn't one of those type of people that were easily corrupted,  by power or otherwise. He was very strict, even to his own children. He was a no nonsense sort of man but at the same time,he could be really annoying and insensitive. Ada's twin brother,Nonso was my boyfriend. He was very sweet and the twins were nothing alike.

But these days he was changing gradually,so I wasn't so sure anymore.

"I am going downstairs," Ada took a pause for dramatic effect"only because I want to go."

I chuckled softly"No,you are going downstairs because I told you to."

I gave her a fake smile and headed to the assembly.

**

"I have warned you seniors about bullying."Principal John's voice boomed through the room and I could see that everyone was scared. The topic of discussion on the assembly today was about bullying and principal John was taking it very personal. His skin was a little bit fair,so his face was red and puffy from all the shouting.

"The victim goes through mental stress and it brings down their self esteem. When I see that bullying is still rampant in the school,I am very sad. It shouldn't be so. I won't stand for it and because of that I have come to a conclusion. If by any chance I catch any of you seniors bullying your Juniors or anyone in particular,such a  person will be expelled!" he said, matter of factly.

A collective gasp could be heard among the students and principal John shouted again"Yes. Expelled. I don't care what class you are and I don't care who your parents are. I will not stand bullying. If you see anyone who is a victim or you are a victim yourself,don't hesitate to tell me."

As a prefect,I was standing in the ss1 row so that they would listen and they wouldn't be rowdy. Just then,Ejiro,the tout of the whole school whispered to one of her goons"I bet that it will be Senior Simone and her clique that will be caught first."

They all cackled in laughter and I turned out my frustration to her.

"Ejiro!!"I shouted and her body became tense. She knew that I had heard her somehow.

She turned and she tried to smile"Senior Simone,how are you?"

I smiled back at her and said"Keep your greetings to yourself and go to the front of the assembly and go on your knees."

"But-" I cut her off with the raise of my hand.

"I am not finished yet. When the assembly is over,you will kneel for ten more minutes then you will buy a 40 leaves notebook and write"Senior Simone,I am sorry."on every single page.

She burst into tears and said"I won't do it again Senior. I promise. I don't have the time. I have to retake my maths test."

I was not sure about the punishment again because the look in her eyes were sincere.

Every part of me wanted to release her but this was Caitlin's number one rule:Once caught,never let them go.

Her minions were watching me and I could feel it. If I released Ejiro,they would run to Caitlin and that would be it for me. My life would be over with just a snap of her fingers.

"Ejiro,if I open my eyes and I still see you sitting there,you'll have yourself to blame. I expect the book by lunch break tomorrow."

Ejiro cried a little bit more and moved slowly to the front of the whole school.

Her older sister,Esse looked at me with hatred and scorn from her ss2 line and I tried to look anywhere but there.

During the course of averting my eyes,I locked eyes with the girl I had bullied earlier and she shook her head a little before looking away. Her eyes conveying something between disappointment and hate.

This was the part I hated the most.