Saint Patrick's College

Chapter Twenty- Four

Adaeze wasn't ready for what they had to do next, but she didn't have a choice.

The moment they pulled into the school campus, her heartbeat doubled in speed and her blood boiled in her veins.

Segun instructed the driver to stop them in front of Veritas Hall, hardly caring who saw them pile out of the car. It was late in the evening, they weren't going to get punished for coming back into school. The most they were going to get was a scolding and an instruction not to leave school again. If they were caught by a really nosy teacher, he or she would delve into the dangers of them leaving school and successfully bore the trio in the process.

But again, that wasn't likely.

The car drew to a stop by the stone steps.

Segun paid the driver and opened the passenger door.

Both back doors opened and Adaeze and Ayomide crawled out.

"Think he's going to be in there?" Adaeze rolled up her sleeve.

"It's 5:15 pm, he always has practice at five." Segun sounded sure of himself as he walked ahead, up the stone steps taking them two at a time.

Adaeze followed behind and she could only hope they were correct with their timing. She already knew what activities were his favorite. She didn't need the leather-bound book to tell her. He was the athlete, the basketballer, tallest in the class and voted most likely to get a sports scholarship. She knew exactly where to find him. They all did.

The basketball court in the school gym was packed when Adaeze and her friends got there. There were kids on the court practicing their trick shots and layups. The sounds of their shoes squeaking against the floors. There were a few more kids on the bleachers in groups of twos and threes reading and talking, clearly just there to pass the time. There was a coach in the middle of the room with a whistle around his neck.

Looking around, Adaeze did her best to pick him out. She didn't want to see him. She didn't want to have to talk to him, but she knew she was doing this for Ogechi. She was doing what she knew the police wouldn't do. Is what she told herself, however, her actions told a completely different story. It was like she lost herself when her eyes landed on him in a pair of blue basketball shorts and a black sweat stained vest. It was like nothing else mattered. Not the case, not her friends trying and failing to hold her back. All she could see was red, her anger bubbling beneath the surface. She didn't know what she was going to tell him and if she was going to bring up Khadija or the leather-bound book. At this point, she didn't care. She wanted to make him pay for hurting Khadija. Adaeze wanted him to pay for each time he flirted with her, probably planning to do the same thing to her.

Her hands trembled.

She marched up to him.

"Hey!" The coach called out to her. "This is private practice, either grab a ball or leave, right now." But Adaeze wasn't listening. If there was one thing, she was good at it was ignoring authorities and paying the consequences later.

"Hey, you." Femi grinned down at her and once upon a time that would have made her stomach flutter, but not this time. Now she felt sick to her stomach.

She shoved him. He didn't even stumble backwards. "Monster." She whispered. "Sick, twisted monster!" She shoved him again and this time he reached out and grabbed her by the hand. His touch burned.

"What's going on?" He sounded genuinely confused.

She wasn't buying it.

She jerked her hand away. It didn't budge, his grip tightened.