Ungainly.

Oops! She's missing

3.

Oops! She's missing.

The alarm on my phone rang, pulling me out of

"Dreamland" into reality. It was 5am on Monday morning. I'd have shut off the alarm but it required me to solve a puzzle before I could turn it off and I was not in the mood to task my brain that early morning. So I jumped out of bed and headed downstairs, leaving the alarm to snooze every five minutes.

I poured myself a glass of water and let my mind wander. Yesterday passed in a blur. I went to Dammy's house and after lots of kisses and cuddles and discussions, all the guilt I had felt earlier left me completely.

I had succeeded in pretending that nothing happened between Brian and I.

I had succeeded in putting all of that behind me. I even almost forgot about it.

I placed a new band-aid on my forehead and this time,he noticed and asked about it. I was more than happy to explain what happened to him. How I almost got hit by a car and how Pamela's cousin pushed me out of the way and saved my life.

At this point,I already thought it was cliché to keep saying "he's my hero. He saved my life".

Dammy pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head saying; "I'm really sorry babe. I had no idea". And just like that, I'd forgiven him for not paying attention to me at the party. I was vulnerable when it came to Dammy. Halima and Jadesola always complained that I showed more love to him than he did to me but I just ignored them. They were right though. I obviously loved Dammy more than he loved me and I didn't mind. I had done lots of ridiculous things because of him.

And I didn't mind.

After rinsing my glass and placing it on a tray, I headed upstairs to prepare myself for the first day of the second term of Ss3(senior secondary school three. Also means 12th grade in high school). I picked my phone from the dresser and texted Halima (@Leemagirl) and Jade(@preciousJade) on messenger.

@Camcam: Sup, bitches. Ready to grace the halls of Gold academy??

@Leemagirl: ?What are you doing up at 5:11?

@Camcam: never met anyone as lazy as you?.

@Leemagirl: can't find my school uniform.?

@preciousjade: You must be joking ??. Morning babes. Pleeeease slay your headbands like never before. Some guys have to trip on the stairs today. And some girls? We need them feeling insecure.

@Camcam: Wicked ??. Hal, get up and find your school uniform, you're going to be late.

Bye ladies.

@Leemagirl: yes ma'am. Kiss kiss?.

We had an unwritten rule of avoiding unnecessary abbreviations while texting.

I alighted the tricycle after a 20 minutes ride from home. I smoothed my purple pleated skirt which stopped above my knees with my left hand,using my right hand to give the driver a five hundred naira note. I turned around and headed towards the school gate before he could give me change. I was feeling generous. My mom preferred me taking an Uber to school but I preferred to take a tricycle because it's sides were opened, allowing fresh air get in. So everyday, I paid for all four seats in a tricycle including mine so I wouldn't have to sit with other people in it.

I walked into the reception office -which was just by the gate- to sign in and show my ID card. Then I walked through the glass doors of the school. All eyes on me.

Gold academy was a school for the rich and the brilliant. The ones who were not rich enough to afford the fees were brilliant enough to get a scholarship and vice versa. So at Gold, you were either rich or brilliant. The rich ones were called "the Rich" and the brilliant ones were called "the Brills". As shocking as it may sound, I belonged to "the Brills". It was just a matter of how you got in, using your brain or using your money. Not that we weren't rich enough. My mom just thought I should give the scholarship program a shot and I got in. Mom was so glad when I got in. She didn't know I could do it. That was one thing I was proud of.

Really proud of. Apart from my beauty.

I looked at my watch,the time was 7:06 and so many people were already in school. Typical first days.

I headed for the girls' bathroom to check that my hair and makeup were intact. Junior girls were huddled together in front the mirror, checking that their lipsticks were not too obvious, that their hair was perfect and their cheekbones were prominent enough. I watched them in their "too white" shirts and purple pleated skirts, putting so much effort in trying to look good.

I snickered.

Junior girls were not allowed to walk around with heavy makeup.

I wasn't a junior girl but I hated looking artificial. I loved 'perfect', 'flawless' but I hated 'too artificial', 'too plastic', 'fake'. So I wore very little makeup. Hal and Jade always marvelled at how I managed to look hot with very little makeup.

I wasn't flattered.

I unearthed my hand mirror from the bottom of my school backpack. I inspected my makeup and my hair. I added another layer of transparent lip gloss, causing my lips to glimmer,shine and sparkle. Two of the girls were watching me, jaw dropped.

I adjusted my purple headband so that it wouldn't mess up my hair. Most Gold girls preferred to braid their hair but I preferred to take my time to restyle and adorn my hair each morning. All I had to do was bundle it and adorn it with hair clips and hair pins of different colours and varieties. My hair was long enough.

Few girls rocked low cut.

Like Halima.

Just then, the bell rang and we all stopped short, straining our ears to make sure that we had heard correctly. It was just 7:20. Assembly wasn't supposed to start until 7:40. Just then,Jade walked in looking impeccable in her purple braids, starched shirt and long purple socks. "There you are". She said, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the bathroom and into the hallway. "I've been looking everywhere for you",she said ,panting heavily.

She looked agitated and her eyebrows were furrowed.

I immediately became worried.

"What happened?". She didn't reply. She just kept walking,her grip tight around my wrist.

The bell went off a second time.

"Did someone die?" I said breezily, trying to make her laugh.

"Maybe."

Okaaay.

Different thoughts started running through my mind. What could have happened?

"Is Hal okay. Where's she?"

"She's outside".

We got to the assembly ground. Lots of students were already seated. Some of them were looking puzzled,some were looking excited,some seemed oblivious to the tension in the air.

I rolled my eyes.

Some people never ceased to amaze me.

The principal, Mrs Omotola Armstrong, was already on the podium waiting for the noise to subside.

"Hey", I gave a four-finger wave to Hal who looked worried too. She smiled,the smile not reaching her eyes.

"Good morning , prestigious students of Gold academy", Mrs Omotola's voice rang out.

"It has been brought to the attention of the school's management that there was a party on Saturday,the 14th of January and a certain girl, Ronke Hassan who attended the party alongside with many other students,did not return home that night and is still missing till today". Everyone gasped. There was a low murmur as the students began to whisper to one another. I turned to look at Jade, eyes widened. "This is what I was talking about",she said.

"Ronke Hassan has not yet been reported missing since it's not up to 48 hours since she was last seen and her parents are hoping she'll be found",Mrs omotola continued, ignoring the hubbub she had just stirred.

"But in case of eventuality, she'll be reported missing once 48 hours elapses and the police will commence investigation as soon as possible. Furthermore, you all know how the school doesn't condone unauthorized partying within and without the school premises. As long as the party is thrown by a Gold student for Gold students,it is counted as an offence". Everyone began to shift uncomfortably in their seats.

"Is she being serious right now?" I whispered to Jade whose palm was ensconced in my right hand.

"This can't be true", Jade replied,fear written all over her face. Dammy plopped into a chair by my left hand side.

"Hey babe". I whispered.

"I'm getting suspended, aren't I?" He asked. His voice shaking.

I gave a tentative shrug and turned to pay attention to the principal who seemed like she was enjoying the reactions and the looks on our faces.

"The punishment of the offence will be severe because of the Ss 1 student who didn't return home after the party. Therefore, students who attended the party will be suspended with immediate effect. However,we do not know what students attended the party but we do know whose party it was. Damilola ogunleye. You are hereby suspended for two weeks". My heart sunk. Tears welled in my eyes. I let them flow. Then I dabbed my cheeks with a purple handkerchief. A wave of stunned silence fell over the assembly. One could hear a needle drop. I turned to look at Dammy whose jaw was hardened as he fixed his gaze on Mrs Omotola. His fists balled and his eyes reddened. I took right hand in mine, trying to calm him. "I'm sorry baby. Hopefully, she'll be found", I said, hoping I sounded reassuring enough. "Your punishment could be lifted if the girl is found and her parents agree to letting you go", The principal continued. "The school is welcoming lists of names of the students who attended the party and they'll all be suspended. Do not withhold information which could aid the investigation and also help the school to identify and reprimand the potential bad eggs in our midst". Dammy stood up and walked out of the assembly hall. All heads turned and all eyes were on him. I shifted my gaze to my purple stone -studded flats.

Hal, who was sitting next to Jade, tapped me. "What do you think happened?" I shrugged and nudged Jade.

"We were the last people to see her and now she's missing". Jade nodded ,her throat bobbing up and down.

"We attended the party and now we're going to be suspended ". I nodded.

"Ronke is missing. She could be dead. She could have been kidn*pped ". Jade nodded.

Hal leaned forward in her chair.

"You guys are in trouble "

"No", Jade said. "We all are in trouble. The moment the police starts investigating ,they might uncover our secrets and the circumstances surrounding Ronke's disappearance will not be the only dirt they'll be digging up".

Halima started to cry. "My parents will disown me".

There and then,I started to think of what led us into this. How we all found ourselves in this mess. How we got ourselves entangled in Ronke's maze of deception, falsehood and treachery.

And more.