¶¶And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome,but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth...~ 2 Timothy 2 vs 24 - 25¶¶Last night, Isabelle and Joel had gone from plotting Loveth's road to freedom to small talks on the most trivial things. Their conversation had at first been light, till he blurted out how he had lost his mom in a car crash. From the way he brushed it aside, it was obvious he hadn't meant to let it out and she didn't want to push it any further. But, later that night, her curious mind wouldn't let it be.When he had stated his reason for not believing in God, it had hit deep. She wondered if it was the experience of losing his mom that caused him to feel that much anger or w

These days, Isabelle had been feeling too weak to want to do anything. Sometimes she wished time would just go back to a month ago, when she was still at home, on vacation, deciding if Badmus High was a good option. She wished she could even go back in time and change it all."Are you sure you don't want to come with me to the airport?" Her mom invaded her thoughts as she finished braiding her hair. Feeling too lazy and tired to visit the salon, she had opted for her mom to remake the pigtail she had done for her the week before.Isabelle stared at her mother through the mirror. "Yeah. I told you I have to meet a friend this afternoon."Her dad was should have come home the day before as planned (that is, on Sunday), but due to it being Nigeria's independence day and business had been suspended, he was to arrive Monday afternoon and would be landing soon at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, where her mom wanted to go get him."Yeah." Her mom appeared to want to say more but then backed aw

 ¶¶In out-of-the-way places of the heart,Where your thoughts never think to wander,This beginning has been quietly forming,Waiting until you were ready to emerge.For a long time it has watched your desire,Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,Noticing how you willed yourself on,Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.It watched you play with the seduction of safetyAnd the gray promises that sameness whispered,Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,Wondered would you always live like this.Then the delight, when your courage kindled,And out you stepped onto new ground,Your eyes young again with energy and dream,A path of plenitude opening before you.Though your destination is not yet clearYou can trust the promise of this opening;Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginningThat is at one w

¶¶Before seeking revenge, first dig two graves.Because when you seek vengeance, you hurt yourself as well, if not more.~ a famous saying (by unknown)¶¶ Martin was finally in school.Emily had been trying to contact him to no avail. She couldn't go to his house, because she didn't know where he lived; and although she had his number, it had been directing her to voicemail.She had started to get worried and even wanted to go and ask Jessica or Grace if anything was wrong, but that was a bad idea. Ever since she started speaking to Jessica's older brother, Jide, those two had somehow gotten off her back. Though she sometimes looked over her shoulder with worry, it was clear they weren't unto her anymore. Isabelle appeared to be the new target. Bankole asking her best friend out was karma coming to bite Jessica's

The signs were there and they had been clear, but priorities had been shifted. Diverse goals had been involuntarily put in place.If Isabelle could go back to this very moment, she would have made different choices. She wished she had taken a different step. If she had paid just a little more attention, things wouldn't have turned out as they did. For coming late, Mr Edward had asked Emily to run laps around the track. It was unlike Emily to not have argued as she dropped her bag among the many others on the field and did as she had been told.Watching her best friend move with her mood as solid as a rock, Isabelle wondered what might have happened. Emily had come out a few minutes after Martin joined them. Martin hadn't been punished and had even been asked to sit at the bleachers or the bench set aside under the canopy on the field. He had chosen to sit under the canopy and watch. It was unfair he hadn't been punished, but then again he looked unwell. She didn't know him well and