Seven Ways To The Abyss

JASDEP.

The next few days blurred into the same tedious routine for Sofia.

School sucked.

The thought echoed bitterly in her mind as she trudged through the drab, crowded halls of Olowoma High. Everything about this place felt painfully monotonous-the same boring classes with lifeless teachers who taught as though the job was punishment, the same dreary classmates, and worst of all... them.

Sofia's gaze flicked toward Sarah, Aaliya, and Dajo, three students who had taken an almost obsessive interest in her since she first arrived. She couldn't understand why.

Today was Saturday, and yet here she was. Olowoma High, being a gifted school, seemed to never rest, its doors open 24/7 for programs, events, and weekend lectures. Attendance wasn't mandatory, but Amaline had insisted she show up. Some NGO was visiting, and apparently, it was a "great opportunity."

Sofia had barely cared enough to dress. She threw on a simple checkered white-and-sea-green dress that hung modestly below her shins, paired with white-and-teal sneakers. A tiny backpack dangled over one shoulder, just big enough to carry her worn paperback novel. She hadn't bothered with jewellery-no earrings, no necklace. Only a dab of Vaseline on her lips hinted at any effort.

As she walked toward the main school hall, unease crept in. The silence was unsettling. Too quiet.

"I'm late," she muttered, quickening her pace.

By the time she reached the hall, her suspicions were confirmed. The door was already open, and the murmur of voices reached her before she stepped inside.

All eyes snapped to her as she entered.
Her chest tightened. This had been happening ever since she joined Olowoma High-people staring, whispering. It didn't matter what she wore, what she did, or how hard she tried to stay in the shadows. Why was everyone always looking at her?

From the corner of her eye, she spotted Sarah's hand shooting into the air, waving frantically. She sat with Aaliya and Dajo, their little trio apparently inseparable. Sofia hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. Despite her obvious disinterest, they were relentless, always saving her a seat, always pulling her into their orbit.

She scanned the hall for other options, but every seat was taken.

With a resigned sigh, she made her way over.

"Hi!" Sarah greeted her, all too enthusiastically.

"Hello," Sofia murmured, her voice barely audible as she slid into the seat beside Dajo.

Dajo stiffened slightly, keeping his gaze fixed on the stage. Sofia noticed. People always seemed uneasy around her, and she wasn't sure if it was her guarded demeanour, her striking features, or something else entirely.

Aaliya, however, was undeterred. Sofia caught her staring, her eyes almost reverent as they roamed over her skin and hair.

"Why do they always act like this?" Sofia wondered, her fingers brushing absentmindedly over the cover of her book.

The disciplinary master's sharp claps echoed through the hall, snapping her out of her thoughts. The students fell silent instantly, as if on cue.

"Good day, students," a cheery voice rang out, cutting through the hush. Sofia looked up to see a middle-aged woman striding onto the stage. She had a bright, toothy smile and short, wavy hair.

"My name is Mrs Cherry," she began, her voice carrying easily across the room. "I work with the James Adams Self-Defense Education Program-JASDEP for short."

The room rippled with muffled laughter and mischievous grins. Even Sofia's lips twitched, though she quickly hid it.

Mrs Cherry didn't seem bothered. Dressed in grey trainers and a black zip-up jacket, she exuded an energy that clashed with the dreary hall.