Ella ✔️

CHAPTER 24

I stayed where Soma had left me for a while, and cried to myself. It was then I realized that, sometimes, it was probably best not to fight fire with fire. I felt so bad, but at the same time felt so good. It was like I wanted to go to the school general public address system and shout out all the secrets John had told me, and make him feel like a fool. But, Soma's words had sunk in and I had found a better idea.

I stood up abruptly from where I was seating and crying, and dusted the back of my dress as I began to rush to class. Seniors could be seen here and there in the school compound, but mostly in study groups. I walked sharply and enter the class shouting, "Who has a phone?"

The class immediately became alert as everyone turned to face the front of the class. "Who has a phone here?" I repeated my question.

"I do," Emeka a light skinned boy in my class replied, after a few seconds of silence.

I nodded. "Okay, video me, I have something to say," I said as I pulled a chair from the table at the front of the class and sat in front, as I cleared my throat. Emeka pulled out his phone and nodded at me, signifying that he was ready.

I cleared my throat again, then began, "First, John and I relationship was a faux from my end. I don't know about John's end." I shrugged. "After Art's death, I went to a lot of emotional pain and had to witness that of her brother also. And, Zara there," I said as I pointed to her with a frown. "Was one of the causes of her death. She had made her see reason to take her own life. And that piece of insignificance didn't feel sober at all, or even feel like she had done anything wrong and so did every single person in this school." Other students had begun to bring out their phone as John walked in. He gave me the 'what is going on' look as he walked in. But, I looked away like I hadn't seen him and continued what I was saying. "Few weeks after, the news had subsided and everyone had gone back to their everyday life. You guys decided to have 'fun'." I air quoted it. "But instead use it as an avenue to laugh and mock people. Zara saw it as a means to show how mean and heartless she was, how she tend to use zero percent of her god given brain. She proved how so much of a damn fool, she is. Because she thought she was 'it'." I paused, then continued. "I was then asked me my deepest fear, I then answer faithfully. But you all thought I was a bloody liar and my deepest fear is useless and not worth it. You all made me feel so stupid and worthless. After a long time and survival, I considered suicide again and almost took my own life. I pretty sure that news also did spread, but you all still didn't act like something had happened at all when I resumed. But then, John felt it was the right time to get close to me and tell me about how he had always liked me." I chuckled and looked at him with a smirk. "Really?" he had a sad expression on, like he was pleading with me to stop it. But, I was tired of it all and wanted to desperately bring it to an end. "You know like they say, keep your friends close and your enemy closer. So, I decided since John wanted to become 'Friends', why don't I use it as an avenue to get closer to him. And lo and behold, he was more of fool that I presumed him. He feel so much in 'love' quicker than I even thought, and told me all his secrets without any form of resistance. So funny. So guys." I clapped. "I have John's secret right in my hands right now, I have the authority to make him feel like he had made me feel weeks ago."

"Please, don't do this Ella." John was speedily beside me already, trying to calm me down as his face spelt fear.

I chuckled at his expression, moving back from his touch. "Abeg, Abeg, don't touch me jare. Abi you think I'm like you and your silly group of friends who have no human compassion?" His face fell at my words. "I have no plans of revealing his secrets oh, but I just want you all to realize no one is perfect and a person belief or situation isn't a joke or something worthless or of lesser value, simply because you think yours is better or you simply want to front. Don't treat your fellow human like they aren't on the same level as you, we are all equal. Forget levels oh." I gave him a disgusting look as I stood up, cleaned the back of my skirt like there was dirt there and clapped. "Also, I wanted Zara to know what it felt like to be rejected and treated like you weren't needed. I didn't even have to stress for that one, John gave me that on a platter of gold." I turned to her. "How'd it feel Senseless?"

She scoffed.

I smirked.

"It was an exciting ride guys. And this is a message to John." I paused and turned to him. "I," I said as I beat my chest. "I Emmanuella Toyosi Akomolafe, would make you feel your deepest fear." With that I walked out of the class, as the class scatter into commotion. I smiled faintly to myself as I walked out, but I bumped into Soma at the door of the class. My body quickly tense, but my inside mellowed. It was like I was scared and yet relaxed that he had come to me. I smiled faintly.

He smiled back. "You came back to your sense ehn," he said with his hands in his pocket, making me smile and nod. And, I didn't know if it was the sunlight, but I began to see him in another light and he looked more attractive than I had been seeing him. My heart went badum badum badum.

"About your feelings for me," I started.

He chuckled. "Don't worry about that, I've been fine. Your happiness is all tha..."

I didn't let him finish as I quickly said, "No, I want us to give it a chance." I shy began to play with the floor, with the tip of my shoe, making him smile.

"Alright, let's do that."

I smiled and nodded. He spread his arms with a smile, making me crash into his arm with a wide smile, but at the same time my eyes itched with tears of joy. But, I was happy. And that was all that mattered.

When I got home that day, I had messaged Miss Stessi and told her I had gotten my revenge. She told me she wanted to hear all about it, and I promised to tell her.

From that day onward, people I didn't know smiled at me and waved. And a lot of people had become way nice. John became super quiet and didn't really walk with his squad again, except Terry. But, Zara was still the mean girl she had always been.