Chapter 7: Chapter 7

Joanna's POV

School went on with vast drama as it always did. Before I knew it we were in our senior year or should I say the final year of secondary school (high school).

That depended on if we excelled in our final exams. If we didn't, we would have had to stay back another year to retake the exams.

In my country the final year students don't write the usual school exams, instead, we write the West African Examination Council general exams or as we like to call it 'WAEC'.

Final year students like us then didn't learn, hence the whole year was occupied with notes, practicals, together with enough free time to read for the exams.

Special well behaved students have bestowed authorities at this level to control other students or as we preferred to call it, 'Rule the School'.

Most idiots struggled to obtain those positions by all means but a girl like me who hated attention didn't give a shit about that.

*******

SENIOR YEAR...

"Hey baby," Tony called, as he lent me a kiss on the cheek. If you thought we would be dating, I'm sorry to disappoint you because we were not. He'd had eyes for someone else *can you guess?*

"Get your hands off my cuddle bunny this instant or I castrate you." Aaah that was her voice. You guessed right, he was in love with my best girl,' Tenda.'

"Hy babyboo," I mumbled into her neck as she pulled me in for a soft, comfy hug *unlike some people I know* I thought, conveying to Harmony who was strolling towards us, a glare.

"Are you ready to kick butts this year?" She questioned, and released me, though she still held onto my hand.

"Sure I got you by my side," I smiled, thankful for really having her by me to keep me sane.

"What's that supposed to mean partner, you got us too," Ifeanyi said and gestured to himself, Tony, Blake, and Harmony who were yet to reach us as they were walking really slow.

"Yeah, what's that supposed to mean." Tony glared, to which Tenda and I rolled our eyes in response.

Give way for the Bestfriend!" Harmony screeched when he finally got to us. He pushed Tenda out of the way so he could crush my ribs in a tight hug.

"Ouch," I squeaked when I felt my ribs get mushed. *how on earth would I get used to this pain* I thought, as I struggled to rationalize my breathing.

"Hy there hun." I sighed the instant he released me.

"Hey sis," Blake spoke and ruffled the short braids that I was able to pull out of my face in a ponytail earlier in the day.

"Hey, there bro." I glared while I arranged the loose braids back in the hairband it was initially in.

Blake and I had got close in the past year which led to us act more like siblings, as he was mostly around my house due to his newfound friendship with Elvis my brother.

Please don't ask me how that came about because I sure as hell didn't know.

I still marvel at how they fitted with each other, to the point of being best friends.

If there was one thing I could tell you though, that would be that they met each other at my house sometime when Blake came to borrow a note from me, and then boom, they clicked.

"So are we ready for senior year!" Harmony shouted.

"Yeah," we muttered in reply.

"Come on guys, put more life into it," He whined with a pout, which had us nodding.

"Are We All Ready For Senior Year!" He yelled louder this time, emphasizing each word.

"Yes, We Are!" We all chanted in loud voices matching his enthusiasm. This ended up disrupting other students who were also busy having their own conversations.

"Let's go make history!" Ifeanyi howled, whacking Blake accidentally as he aimed to fist pump the air.

"Sure." We all retorted and laughed at his failed attempt before we gave each other a high five.

"Let's get started on that plan then, " I smiled, and felt confident as we all strolled to class.

"Yeah baby," Tony acknowledged, while he sent a strange look my way that had me blushing and left me feeling soft inside.

*Uh oh* I thought, what was happening to me. *Oh Lord no, please no*

*******

Classes went by quickly that day, hence the bell rang sooner than I had expected, signaling the end of lessons.

Students began rushing out of their classes and headed for the exit doors as if their lives depended on it.

Well I being Joanna didn't rush out with them thus I hated joining the crowd as I could get lost in it and that was literally true.

Reflecting on it now, I wish I did because it let me be easy prey as I crashed into the female version of the devil, *I hope you know whom that is*

"Watch where you going bitch," The raccoon spoke, as she spat in my face.

I had thought her attitude would change after the holidays but I guess it got worse. If it didn't, I don't think she would be spitting in my face while she talked.

"Hello Stephanie," I forced a smile, attempting to act civil while I assumed that perhaps she was having a bad day.

I gave her a once over and noticed she had weaved her hair in an updo with lemon-green attachments which looked horrible on her, seeing as it clashed badly with her fair skin.

"Well, well if it isn't little Jo," She scoffed and flipped her shining green hair.

*I wonder why she called me little. I am a few inches taller than her, so if anyone is to be called little, it's her* I speculated with an eye roll.

"Sorry Steph," I uttered, and prepared to walk past her as I was in no mood for her trouble. I just wanted to go home and have some sleep.

"Come here bitch," She hissed and yanked me back by the hair. *Why the hell is everyone messing with my hair today* I wondered as I willed myself to calm down and took deep breathes.

"What's the matter green, someone pissed on your pretty pink shoes today?" I sneered.

"What is the matter? She challenged me as she provided me a hard glare. "How dare you ask me a question."

*Why the hell is she saying all this* I wondered to myself as I got worried that maybe she was raving mad.

I wouldn't have been surprised if she was by the way, because who uses lemon green attachments on their hair if they aren't going kookoo.

"Look here bitch." She glared. "I ain't your class, just because we are in the same senior year doesn't mean you should disrespect me, I mean take a look at yourself." She scoffed.

"I wonder what those guys see in you anyway, you are just a piece of stick," she blabbered on.

I just stared at her in disbelief and queried my subconscious. "Why does she even hate me?"

<Wham>

My body went rigid in shock the second I felt my left cheek sting.

*wait did she just, did she just slap me* I speculated detecting the taste of blood on my tongue.

"Listen here hoe," I gritted through clenched teeth and lifted her with my right arm till she was at my face level.

I was a bit strong, also the fact that she was a lightweight, I doubted she'd ever tasted solid food in her life.

"Because I keep quiet doesn't mean you can trample on me and insult me like a dog," I hissed.

"I believe GOD gave us strength for reasonable things not wasting it on nincompoops like you and for that, I won't fight you but let me tell you this." I scowled.

"You want to know what they see in me?" I polled. "They see humanity, they see a realist, they see someone with brains and a heart not someone with an open vagina and no heart who is technically is a sex doll."

"So next time before you let any dirt come out of that filthy mouth of yours as words to insult others, reason a little with your GOD given brain." I spat bestowing on her a fierce stare.

"Oh wait sex dolls don't have that either," I laughed as I caught on at my joke before I released her from my hold.

"Have a nice day green." I offered her a devilish smile and walked off.

*Wow where did all that come from* I thought, shocked by my actions.

"Awwwn would you look at that, my baby has grown." A voice said, a second later, I got squashed into a bear hug.

For once I didn't feel the pain of my crying ribs instead I laughed as I glanced up to see Harmony flick a tear off his face in a dramatic manner.

*Did he actually cry?* I asked myself, confused.

"My hard work is finally paying off." He grinned. "I'm so glad you stood up to her on your own".

"Shut up idiot." I chuckled and hit him playfully on the arm.

"Am so happy for you." He spoke, with a smile on his face. "The Joanna I knew wouldn't have done that."

"I guess that's what happens when you have self-love and beautiful, amazing friends around you," I replied, as I hooked my hand in his before we both walked out of the school together.

We spotted Tenda and Tony laughing about something when we exited the building, while Ifeanyi and Blake were arguing.

This was nothing new to me hence it happened daily. I paused after Harmony stopped short and perked up at him to observe he was busy ogling a girl who had on a tight mini skirt.

"Come on dude." I yanked his arm as he got lost in that silly head of his, that I was sure was filled with dirty imaginative thoughts.

"Noooo," He whined dramatically as I succeeded in pulling him away from her direction.

"Drama Queen," I muttered with an eye roll at his behavior.

"What did you say?" He quizzed, looking lost.

"Nothing," I replied as we reached them. "Hey people," I greeted.

"What took you so long," Tenda asked, a worrisome expression on her face.

"This girl here," Harmony sighed for effect. "Stood up to little miss green in the hallway, topping it off, she called her a sex doll to her face," He said and beamed like a parent who was proud of their child for taking their first step.

Ifeanyi coughed, Blake's hand stopped midway on its journey to hit Ifeanyi, while Tony's mouth hung open and Tenda broke into a wide grin.

"What!" I exclaimed shyly at their weird reactions.

"Wow," They all said at once, apart from Harmony who was still grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"I knew you had it in you." Blake smiled and gave me a pat on the back.

"That's my partner," Ifeanyi grinned as handed out his palms for a high five which I took.

"I love her." Tony winked at me, a full-blown smile on his lips that had my heart doing a backflip.

"Okay, this guy is giving me mixed signals here," I mumbled lowly as I felt a need to blush.

"My baby is really growing," Harmony beamed, and tugged me into his side.

"Yeah," Tenda spoke as she squeezed my arm affectionately. "I'm proud of her."

I couldn't comprehend anything at that moment as I discreetly stared at Tony still worried about the game he was playing at.

.....