FIVE

IBIM 

Mrs. Yakubu asked us to stay back, I knew that the lawyers where coming but I thought they would at least let us settle down in school first. These Abereyes were not having it anymore.

"I don't care who goes to jail, I must get to the bottom of this", she said so loud, it was literally booming off the wall of the assembly hall.

"Lola's Mom is looking at us like she's gonna kill every last one of us", Mofe said. 

"Are you serious?", I signed. 

"Deadass". 

I wrapped my arms around myself, I remember Lola vaguely, she was the drama girl as Mofe called her, her voice during drama shows was firm and you could tell she was a good actress because she was always in the lead. I could count our encounters on one hand. 

"Are you okay?', a voice asked. It was Lola. 

I wiped the tears from my face with the back of my palms, sniffing . I stood to my feet and flushed the toilet, I stalled in the toilet hoping that when I come out she'll be gone but she was there when I came out. 

"OMG! Ibims, are you okay?". Why act like you care?

"Yes, I'm fine".

"Then, why you crying? You can talk to me y'know". Her voice was so nice, for a second I almost told her why I was crying. 

"Fucking cramps! ". I force a laugh from my lips. 

"Shit, I know, right?. Mine is such a bitch sometimes, I wish I was born a boy". She said a bit convinced now. 

"Well, see you around". I said and walked out of the  bathroom. 

"Ibim? Yo!", Tochi's voice brings me back to the hall. 

"I'm sorry.... what?".

Mofe held my hand and gave it a squeeze, a blur figure of someone was in front of Mofe. 

"I'm going with her", Mofe's voice was firm. 

"She's not a child, Ms. Adele. I'm sure she'll be perfectly fine on her own", Mr. Ekejuiba, the head of the school's disciplinary's team says. I feel a bead of sweat rolling down my back and thigh simultaneously. 

"Mofy, it's fine", I sighed to her. A small smile on my lips to make her relax. "I'm not scared", I signed.  With one last squeeze she lets go of my hand. 

Mr. Ekejuiba's fingers grazed mine in his failed attempt to hold my hand, I move away. 

"I can find my way, Sir. Thank you."

His footsteps start to walk away and with my head bent I followed him behind me. I didn't know if people were staring at me but I still felt so uncomfortable walking between the queues. There were so many blurred figures were I stood because. I went back to hugging myself, my breast always gets into the of my self hugs. 

"Why would they call me, I have nothing to do with Lola", someone whispered behind me, their breath is hot on my neck. I move a bit to prevent the mouth heat from touching me and they move aswell, so close their knees were pressing into the back of mine. I turn so fast I give myself a whiplash. 

"Chill, Ben-Harry". Daniel Jegede. His voice why didn't I recognise it at first. 

"Daniel, why are you there? You weren't called".  Ms. Angeline's nasal voice rang. 

"I came to return Ibim's pencil". 

"See you around."

The air in Principal Yakubu's office is spicy, my nostrils are literally on fire, the fire was getting to my eyes and they were tearing up. 

"Are you okay, Miss Ben-Harry?", The lawyer who introduced herself as Ijeoma Alfajiri asks. I wipe my eyes with the back of my palm while muttering something to assure her I'm fine. 

   "So why weren't you in the hall for socials?". 

"I needed to sleep".

"Who were you with during the socials?"

"I was alone for most of it"

"Most?"

"Yes, my best friend, she was with a boy so I left them alone. 

"He said he wanted to talk to me".

I sipped from the plastic cup and stared in her general direction, the air was stuffy, I was almost suffocating.

"What does he want to talk about?", I signed to her.

"The star wars franchise, I'm joking, he said he wanted to hang out", she said.  

"It's fine you can go", I sighed . And I heard her footsteps retreating till the music over shadowed it. 

"What's the name of this boy?".

"Manny. Emmanuel  Esenwa", I reply. "And who saw them together?". 

"I don't know, she left to go meet him". 

I could hear her scribbling on a piece of paper. What was she writing?

"And who saw you leaving to the hostel". 

"I'm blind Ma, I have no idea who saw me". I stabled my voice, trying not to sound rude.  

"My..a-apologies" 

"When you got to the hostel, was there a sign of everyone being there with you?"

"NO", came my reply. "It was perfectly silent except the wind".

"Are you sure?".

I nod. 

"It's either a yes or a no, Miss Ben-Harry".

"Yes". 

I heard tapping sounds, it had to be someone typing on a laptop. 

"so what did you do next?"

"I had a bath and then went to sleep". 

"Is that all you did, Miss. Ben-Harry". More tapping sounds, this one was quite different, her nails drumming against the table. 

"Yes, I went to my bed and I don't remember anything till....", My voice trailed. 

"Wake up!". A voice said pulling me back from the frenzy, I had entered as I heard Lola gasp for air. 

"Who are you?". I said. 

"I.... Who did this to her?", his voice was cracking, he was crying. 

"Rhema, she was asleep", Malik said. "Brother, she's not gonna be much of a help". 

Rhema's voice was vague and soon was overshadowed by sobbing. 

"That's all that happened, Ma".

"Are you sure you didn't hear or do anything?".

"I'm I being accused of something?", I whispered more to myself than to the lady. 

"No, you may leave". 

"Please call Mr. Okoronkwo in". 

I walked out of the office. "Rhema".

I heard him noisily stand up, I moved for him to pass not before getting a whiff of his perfume. 

A/N

hello my lovelies, 

thank you all for all your votes. Please let me know what you think of my two main characters. 

Let me know what you think so far? If it's good or not?

What you like and what you hate?