5 Years ago.....

              Christabel's joy knew no bound as she woke up and realized that it was finally Monday.  Valentine was today and she wasn't going to miss it for anything in the world. Not after the boring lockdown in Port Harcourt due to the pandemic.

                 Christabel searched for her phone and soon found it under her comfy pillow. She smiled as she remembered that she was texting Stanley- her boyfriend, before the out stretched arm of sleep drew her near. During their chats last night, Stanley reminded her how he promised to always keep loving against all odds

              She rushed her bathe and brushed her teeth before coming out of her bathroom in a purple towel. She stood before her huge, long mirror as she checked out her self. Christabel was excited when she saw how her breasts has increased during the lockdown. She has always been tall at least Five feet and eight inches. Her lengthy hair was plaited all back and it was her bra length. 

             After dressing up in her red off shouldered top and a white rugged trouser, she wore her silver slippers. She didn't forget putting on the new earrings her mother purchased last week from the market.

               The family driver- Dayo took her to school just before the assembly bell was rung. Bills Academy is really a big popular school there in Port Harcourt. It is owned by a Russian Jew who resides in in Israel. There were tall, big buildings which were all painted white and brown. From afar, Christabel could sight other students walking around the school premises in their various red dresses. While her fellow SS3 classmates were happy the lockdown was over so that they would take their WAEC and NECO, Christabel was happy that she could finally see Stanley after the three boring quarantine months. 

              After the assembly, the students were told to bring their chairs to the assembly arena that some speakers would talk to the on Love and Lust. However, some obstinate students including Christabel and her boyfriend were all having what they thought as fun in the class. The principal wouldn't take that as he wasted no time in ordering the teachers to fish out those that deferred his order.

               All this was unknown to the SS3 students as most of them were in class exchanging Valentine gifts and getting themselves Val's. Christabel happily walked up to Stanley who was talking with Christian- his best friend. She tried to seem oblivious of the cold look that was on her boyfriend's face when she approached him. 

"Stanley...God! It's been forever seeing you and having a sane discussion with you." Christabel hugged Stanley who chuckled. "Here.. My gift to you." She gave him her best smile. She was proud of the two piece necklace she gave him and expected a gift from him as well.

Stanley exchanged glances with Christian as if asking for permission to do something and the  later shrugged his shoulders. Just as Stanley cleared his throat to speak up, Pearl and Melanie- Christabel's best friends entered the class.

              Christabel rushed to the door to hug her best friends in the world. The trio kept on squealing and muttering silly talks before Christabel excused her self after rembering she was talking with Stanley. This time around Stanley was alone, sitting on top of his desk staring into space.

"Stanley...is there anything bothering you?" Christabel asked him with concern etched all over her face.

"Nothing i can't handle." Stanley reverted as he stood up, grabbed his school bag and moved to the front of the class. This alone, heightened Christabel's curiosity as she wanted to know what was going on.

"Oh please! I know that you are bothered. Don't you think you can share whatever it is with me?" Christabel pressed on, she wouldn't leave Stanley alone. 

"Alright...Bella when were you going to tell me that you have dystonia, an extrapyramidal tract disorder? You succeeded in deceiving me and other members of the class that your unusual eye blinking is just a bad mannerism that you are working on. Can this be explained?" Stanley was hurt.

                     Christabel was beyond perplexed. How on earth did he get to know this? Melanie and Pearl were the only ones who knew of this. What could have happened! The last thing Bella wanted was pity, that was why she lied about her tract disorder. 

"It's not true! Where did you gather all this lies from?" Christabel questioned him. 

"Oh! Now you are acting like you have no idea of what i am saying right?" Stanley Lashed out rudely as he raised his voice at her. This time most of their class mates were staring at them. 

Christabel was now quiet. She couldn't find her voice again. 

"You're driving me crazy with your silence! Talk to me! Why have you lied to me?" Stanley raged.

"I'm sorry." 

"It's over!" Stanley stated and walked out on her.

           Melanie stood up from her chair angrily and marched to the back to the back of the class to confront Stanley and soothe her wounded best friend. Pearl had long disappeared into the toilet when the matter was getting heated.

                     All this while, the only thing going on on Christabel's was who let the cat out of the bag. She could no longer hold back the hot tears that clouded her eyes. The hurting words some of her classmates started dropping was extremely unbearable. She wondered Pearl or Melanie...who betrayed her.

She turned around and saw their form teacher-  Mrs Treasure at the door glaring angrily at her while shaking her head.

"What is happening here?" Mrs Treasure asked no one in particular in an authoritative tone, getting the attention of other teachers that were nearby.

                There was deafening silence in the classroom. Some of the students bent their head on their lockers pretending to be resting while the rest was looking for a way to run out of the class. 

"Didn't the principal instruct everyone to be in the assembly arena. So you think those of the students there are foolish to have obeyed his instruction. What legacy are you people setting for the junior ones?" Mrs Treasure boiled .

                     The students started making excuses and some even lied that they were sick and thereby was placed on medication. Mrs Treasure didn't buy those lies as she made sure to write down all the names of the students present in the class.

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

                    The Ss3A students were returning the from the field where they served their punishment of kneeling down under the sun. Christabel was their topic of discussion as everyone was discussing her. Meanwhile, Pearl was still no where to be found. 

"Melanie what do we have as first period today?" Christabel asked her best friend. 

"Have you forgotten it's Chemistry? And Pearl is with my note." Melanie retorted. 

"Can you escort me to the b class, let me know if she went there? She asked Bella who yeided positive. 

                   They had to walk to the Admin block where the b class was in. The setting of the classes were a bit awkward. As they were walking they saw their form teacher talking with Mr Kola- the maths teacher. At first they were both tempted to walk pass the duo without greeting but that would result to them spending their first period kneeling down or sweeping the Art room as their school didn't flog students. 

"And where are you two heading to by this time? Are you not meant to be having class now?" The one and only Mrs Treasure of Bills Academy quizzed, just before the girls could greet. 

"Melanie wants to take her note from someone." Christabel rolled her eyes as she replied her.

"So that person doesn't have a name? Besides i think i am having you guys, so better be fast with what ever you are doing." Mr Kola chipped in. 

"Sir we have Chemistry. Maths is in the fourth period." Melanie said as she walked away, dragging Bella alongside, leaving the two teachers to gossip them. 

                    When the got to the b class they were excited that a teacher wasn't yet in class. If not, they would start taking excuse and giving reasons while they were there. Immediately they entered the class, everyone stopped talking and all eyes was on Christabel who immediately felt shy. She wondered if the b class have also heard of her extrapyramidal tract disorder. 

"Excuse me i want to pass before you infect me with your dystonia." Trinity voiced nonchalantly and her twin sister 'Temple' laughed foolishly. 

The identical twin sisters wanted to go out from the class but when they saw the best friends in the door post,  they decided to taunt Bella with the latest discovery they heard of earlier in the morning. 

"Ignorant idiots! Dystonia isn't contagious for your information." Melanie snapped angrily. 

"That is certainly not our business. We are not holding your so called best friend from deceiving her ex- boyfriend and everyone as well. Please shift let us pass jare." Temple spoke with much acridness.

 "Identical demons!" Melanie hissed as she made way for them to pass. 

"Why are you insulting my class girls? are you here to cause trouble as always?" Victor, the set Head boy shouted from where he sat.

Melanie ignored him and used her eyes to search for Pearl in the class but she wasn't there. 

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

                    Christabel left for the toilet while Melanie returned back to the class. She was going to confront Stanley. To her, what he did was irrational and stupid. Even if he found out that Bella was having a disorder,  he should have called her aside to sort things out with her not trumpeting it in front of the class.

                     Stanley was playing card with his friends and that made it pretty hard for Melanie to talk with him. She decided to talk to him when school dismisses.

                      Meanwhile, Christabel was sobbing profusely in the toilet. Just as she was about to wash her face and get out of the toilet, one of the toilet doors opened. She immediately wiped her tears away and turned to know who it was.

"Bella..what are you doing here?" Pearl asked with a dazed expression.

With suspicion, Bella eyed her before replying "Is that a question? Am I restricted from using the toilet? Besides where have you been since? Melanie is looking for you."

Pearl bit her lower lips as if she was contemplating on her next move. She tucked a stray hair at the back of her ears before speaking calmly to her best friend.

"Bella..."

She was cut off the hook.

"Did you tell Stanley anything about my disorder?" 

"C'mon. I decided it is only going to be fair if the person you have been dating for the past six months knows what you're going through. He might help...that is if he truly loves you." Without a care in the world, Pearl retorted.

"I didn't know he will go to the extent of announcing it to the whole class..like who does that? But... sooner or later...the truth would unfold." She added as she blew her chewing gum.

The world literally came to an end right before Christabel. Who is this person and where went her best friend?, She thought.

Tears ran down her cheeks. It was as if a knife was thrusted on her belly. Her lips began vibrating as she closed her eyes, repeatedly shaking her head.

Bella reigned a thunderous slap on Pearl's cheek, such that the latter's chewing gum fell out from her mouth.

"You're a bitch...." Bella trailed off as her eyes twinkled.

Pearl reciprocated the slap.

"You still.." Bella smashed Pearl's head on the tiled wall. ".. have the guts..." A slap followed suite. "... to open that dirty mouth of yours." She said hotly as angry tears kept running down her cheeks.

Just as Bella retreated from further attack, Pearl still managed to give her a 'get back to you' smile.

For Pearl, that was just the beginning. She would teach Bella a lesson that wouldn't be easily forgotten on a Christmas Eve.

"Bet me..." Bella fell to the ground and kept crying. She knew her social life wouldn't remain the same. Could she bear all the taunts that she would get from both peers and Juniors.

"...Karma is a bitch and it must surely flirt with you. You have ruined me in this school right? But i will let you know that pay back is a bastard."

Not until Pearl would be done with her....