A friend to remember

21: Terrible Day, a new form of betrayal.

****

News travelled around quickly, that Denise had been caned by the infamous Mr Olayiwola, a teacher famously known for his violence with students.

Denise could not rest her back all day and willed herself not to cry. It was a miracle that she didn't cry even with the taunting she faced. Her eyes were red and she wanted to strangle someone. Who did she offend?! She did nothing but still they hated her. She wondered why they would all band together to try and bully her.

When the bell for last period rang, Mr Olayiwola walked in, he looked over at her cresten fallen face, and started teaching. He didn't care if she was sad, she was just another student to him.

"What is the circumference of a circle Denise?" He called out but Denise was not quickly enough to answer. She looked around, wondering what the question was. "I asked you a question Denise!" he screamed. "I didn't..."

"Shut up! Shut up you this foolish fool! Stand up! Stand up right now! You are very stupid!" Denise Could hear snickering coming from her classmates. She stood to her feet, and groaned In pain. No matter how much she moved, her back would pain her.

"What is your problem? Are you the only one?" he yelled at her. To be honest, Mr Olayiwola was frustrated, his sporty bet game had cut and he jusy needed someone to vent it out on, someone unlucky. The unlucky person there was Denise. "How old are you?"

"S-sixteen." She stuttered. "Sixtten and an imbecile! Who out you in this class? Ehn? You should have gone to science class if you are a dullard now? Why are you making walk difficult for me?" he berated.

She blinked back her tears. Why had never been like that before in her life, she wiped her tears away and sniffed.

"And now you are crying! Get out of my class! Get out!" he screamed. She slowly walked from sit out of the door, toward the entry way. He suddenly walked toward her and roughly pushed her bruised and bleeding back out of the class, so much for her first day of school.

****

When the end of the day finally arrived, Denise hadn't eaten a thing, she was exhausted, hungry and in so much pain, she could feel radiate through her body. Thankfully she remembered the way to the Arabowale estate. She walked out like her fellow school mates to the bus stop. She carried a cab toward the island with small change she had left from two days before. The money was enough to reach their estate but it was nothing more.

When Denise got to the front of the estate gate, the security on duty frowned, the girl looked sick, her eyes looked ready to roll back and she dragged herself toward them. This was the first time she was walking back To the estare but she had no choice. The air was cold and thunder clapped, indicating it was going to rain, heavily.

"Go... God evening sir," Denise greeted. The security looked her over and frowned. "Good evening," he answered.

"I am... I am Denise, please I need to get in." she explained. The security eyes narrowed. "Denise? Okay o," he answered skeptically. "Who are looking for here?"

"My... my parents live here, the... the Arabowale's," The security looked up and his frown turned into a sneer. His superiors had told him about how important his job was, he had been working as one of the estate security and he knew the Arabowale only had one daughter and she attended a very rich school, not Queens College.

"Okay," he decided to play along. "What's your security code?" he inquired, looking at her suspiciously. Denise opened her mouth, her parents didn't tell her about any security code. How would she get it?

"I... I don't have it," she answered. "You don't have it?" he scoffed at her answer. "You expect me to believe that you stay in this neighbourhood, you? You that you look like a beggar?" she shook her head.