FACADE

Chapter Fourteen

Laila POV

    The three weeks holiday went by so quickly and the second term resume. Everyone seem happy to be back in school. Even I am glad. I just hope that Jason had gotten tired of me.

"Hello pup." Saheed said loudly. I look at him with a frown. And walk away. He said something I didn't hear and he laughed but I don't give a s**t about him.

"Hi Sofela." Jason said behind me. I look up at him as he walk past me. His headphone is on his ears and I saw him smirk.

    I shake my head. He never said hi to me (despite he just said it in his usual stone cold tone) and he doesn't call me by my first name. I don't know why but I kind of like it when he calls my surname. It sound crazy but that's how I feel. I wish he was a different person when we met.

    Sometimes I am mad at him but I never hate him. I want to sometimes whenever I see what he do to some poor kids or when he hurt me but I can't. Honestly I hate his friends. Maybe because they do most of the bullying for him since they are his puppet or because I hate the way they laugh. Nevertheless, I hate them. But not Jason. I don't hate him.

"Lai. Welcome back to school." Mathias said cheerfully waking me from my cloud of thought. He walk up to me smiling. He had his bag on one of his shoulder. And I grin at him.

   He pulled me into a bear hug earning me some look from the students but I don't care. He is the only good friend I have here since Florence had gone and he makes me happy. The guy is so cute and nice. 

"You too. How was your holiday?" I asked.

"Normal. Too short to do anything than study mathematics." He said grinning.

"You and mathematics. I wish i could love maths like you do." I told him. I really don't know maths. It's not my favorite subject.

"You can."

"Don't start with your lecture." I warn and he laugh.

    And we walk to the class together discussing other things.

****

     I felt something hit me on my legs and I fell to the ground. Someone just threw a football at me on my leg. I watch the ball roll to my side. The spot where it touch hurt.

    It really hurt. I flinch as I tried to touch my leg. I heard some girls laughing. It was Jessica and some other girls. And my blood boil.

    Without looking at who did it, I know it's Jason minions.

    They've been giving me hell of a time since we've resume back to school.

  . Students had begin to gather around looking at me. I am not embarrassed or ashame that they are staring at me on the floor. But I am angry.

    I'm not just angry, I am mad. I am mad for what they just did to me. It's not the first but this is among the worst and it hurts.

   I huffed and pick the ball. As I try to get on my feet, I felt someone hand on my arms. I look up to see Isabella. She looks uncomfortable but was also concern.

"Sorry. Don't mind them." She said helping me to my feet.

"Thanks bella. I will be right back." I said dusting my skirt.

"Where are you going?" She look behind me. I know she is looking at Favour and the others because I could see fear in her eyes. "Don't tell me you are going to meet them."

"I'm tired of all their bullshit." I said. I am clearly angry.

"Just let it go." She said in her small voice.

"Not anymore. I've had enough. They got to know when to stop."

     Her eyes were filled with fear and i smile at her reassuringly. And she nod taking her hands off me. "Okay." She muttered. "Those boys are mean, be careful."

  . I nodded. I hold the ball tightly in my hand and I stride toward Jason's friends. Just like most of the time, Jason is not with them. He is either in the old music room or god-knows-where. He just order his minions to do the job for him. 

      Last night I had received an hour lecture from my aunt. She had noticed my attitude and some bruises on me. She had asked me about them but as always I refuse to tell her anything.

    She sat me down and begins to say some things I never knew she had noticed. I was quiet as she gave me some advice. She had not talk to me like that in a long time. Her words gave me strength and confidence. And I realized how much she care about me even if she never act like she do.

    I had promise myself not to be look down upon again. Rich or poor, tall or short, I don't give a damn.

    Those guys will get it from me today. They stare at me as I approach them. They keep laughing at me like I was some crazy b***h. But that will be their last.

"I see you slipped." Favour said. My blood boils hearing his ugly voice and seeing the smirk on their faces. "It look like you've return our ball."

     I threw the ball on his face and he fell from his seat. They look shocked. And now it's my time to smirk.

"Yeah. I have return it."

"Are you crazy?" George said getting up on his feet and he move toward me with his hand fisted beside him.

     I dare to move closer to him. Saheed and Obinna helped Favour to get on his feet. His nose was bleeding and his lips are busted. I heard gasps from the students watching. I didn't feel guilty or pity for him. In fact I am glad. That's serve him right for what they did to me and all the other students.

"Do you see what you've cause?" Obinna yelled.

"Of course. I can also do the same for  each of you." I said hoarsely.

     Saheed left his friend and walk up to me angrily. He hold my arms tightly and he try to twist it. But I slapped him on the face and he let go with surprise. His friends were speechless.

"Listen very carefully to me. This is the first and the last time you'll ever try anything stupid with me. I'm not going to watch and let you bully me any longer. If you do so much as lay a hand on me and other students, I swear to God you will hate me more. You are born with a f*****g silver spoon but I was born in ghetto and I'm going to show you what I'm made of. " I warned. They keep staring at me with their eyes wide open.

"The next time you call me filthy names or throw something at me or laugh at me, I'm going to show all of you what I'm capable of doing. You are not the only crazy ones. I am too. And I'm going to show it to you. I am going to let you know i was born in the streets. So go tell that monster of a friend that is your puppeteer that I'm not going to watch any more. And for the four of you DON'T YOU EVER COME NEAR ME OR YOU WILL REGRET IT. Do I make myself clear? " I asked. They remain quiet. " DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" I asked again yelling at them. They quivered.

 .. I smiled with great satisfaction. They got to know who they are dealing with. I'm done letting them have their way with me. Someone need to teach them a lesson.

 .. I looked at the student staring at us. Some of them have a smile on their face - glad I stood up to them, some are scared and some had suprise on their faces - Jessica and Sandra included. They look away when my eyes meet theirs.

   I smirked. They should know I'm not so cool. I had just been holding my self from doing something crazy. I grew up with a crazy aunty and you don't expect me to be normal. Now they know me.

    It's just the beginning. I said to myself walking away.