chapter 7

Janet was frozen in the spot.

Scared?

Shocked?

She didn't know which. Kareem had her against the wall, his hands gripped on her wrist so hard that she had to squeal. Why did he suddenly get so pissed off at her? Kareem grimaced, narrowing his eyes at how pathetically scared she looked, with Adebola at his back, Janet's eyes wide; but Adebola did nothing, she just put her head down.

"Listen up."

Kareem muttered in annoyance.

"Stay out of my way, or you'll regret it."

Kilodé? What was this guys own? So Adebola was now his 'way' or what. This guy was a joker. They stayed that way, Janet putting up her best tough face even though she almost pissed her pants. 

"Guy, leave my hand oh." Janet spat at him, ignoring how much her mind told her not to put up a fight. She knew Kareem wasn't one to be messed with, but she wasn't going to let that stop her.

"Which one is I'll regret it sef?" Janet continued, hissing at him as she looked towards Adebola who just stayed quiet.

Janet had heard rumors of how Kareem hated her existence, of how he'd badmouth her in his class, but she just took him like any other person. She didn't care about what anybody thought.

But you care about what Derek thought? Her conscience mocked her, cackling away in her mind.

Not the time.

"You're hurting my hand, if I bite you now they'll say I'm biting somebody." Janet continued to talk, even if his gaze was rather intimidating. Kareem smirked.

"Who's stopping you?" 

Oh, was that a kink of his? Yuck.

Why on earth would she bite him? Or maybe he was just calling out her bluff. Janet knew she could let out one scream and it'll all be over but she didn't want to.

She didn't want to be seen as a snitch or something worse, a weakling.

So, she kneed him.

That was her first time kneeing someone in between their legs. Her knees had touched his crotch! No one ever told her that kneeing someone would feel so weird against her leg, she could literally feel it squash against her knee! Janet shuddered at the feeling as Kareem backed away, groaning in pain. This time, Adebola gasped.

"Janet it's enough nah, let's just go."

Oh!

Now it was enough for her? When he had her pinned like a toy on the wall, it wasn't enough? There was something going on and Janet was determined to find out.

Thankfully, after her little action, Kareem stayed down, glaring at something behind her, but she paid no mind to it. 

"Next time I'll bite it,  nonsense and rubbish." 

Janet hissed, grabbing Adebola's hands and they began making their way to class.

Then she saw what Kareem had been glaring at, Derek.

 He just stood in the hallway, leaning against the wall in such an enticing way. His arms crossed against what she believed was a hard chest underneath. 

He and Kareem just stared at each other, Derek radiated anger whilst Kareem just looked scared, like a realization had hit him.

"So he's really back. Talk about a plan fail."

His last sentence was low, but Janet still heard it, what did he mean by a plan fail? Derek didn't seem to take his words lightly, but he just closed his eyes, then opened them in her direction.

"They're calling you." He just said, his voice tense, then her walked back to class. To be honest, he looked like he was about to explode and knock the life out of Kareem. But maybe she was just seeing things.

Yeah, that was probably it. 

"Where was she?" The teacher asked, she didn't seem angry because this was the first time Adebola had come to class late, she was more or less the teacher's pet.

Janet sighed, knowing Adebola wasn't going to talk and Derek was to angry to speak.

"She was in the toilet."

-

"Is that how you run?! I should bring out the stick abi!" 

Mr Wesley yelled, his voice echoing through out the field, which earned groans from everyone running behind Janet. Since she was the head girl, her and the sport prefect girl along with Ada had to run side by side and the others running at their back.

To make it all worse? Dotun was the sport prefect girl.

Yes.

The Dotun that liked Derek. 

Annoying right? Good thing Ada was there to save the day.

"And then, she didn't even say anything!" Janet huffed and puffed as they continued to run round the field, sweat trailing inside her shirt. Janet was telling Ada her encounters, as promised.

"I bet they're knacking." Ada laughed.

"Haba! All the way?" It was Janet that spoke, or rather tried to. "Why not? Or maybe he wants something from her." 

Now Ada was speaking her language.

It wasn't like Adebola was unattractive.

She had decent curves and nice legs. Although she was slim, the freckles on her face made her quite unique. Janet didn't know if she was albino or just fair; okay she was rather to the orange side.

The point was, the likes of Kareem didn't hang out with her.

"Run faster, talk talk." Dotun called out.

Wait oh, who was the girl bossing around? After penetrating her was into Derek's circle, like that didn't already piss off Janet.

She just sucked on her teeth, not trusting her mouth at the moment. "Sorry oh, madam stamina." Ada spat back, which just earned an eye roll from Dotun.

The whistle blew, which indicated that the resting time had come. Finally! People practically dropped on the grass like dead flies. Including her and Ada.

"Ugh, my legs!" Janet groaned, stretching them out. With her head bent, she spotted Dotun, making her way up to Obinna.

Of course, wherever Obinna was, Derek was.

Ignore her, ignore her, ignore her...

Janet chanted in her head, trying to get her mind off them, which failed because Dotun just had to bring Derek into an embrace.

Literally digging her head into his beck, probably melting at how good he scented.

Look away!

"Hey girls!" Shalom jogged over to them, her boobs doing more running than she was. 

"How far you guys now?" Shalom grinned, she was practically glowing. They didn't fail to notice the diamond earring flashing from her ears. Fake or not, the jewelry was sure pretty.

"Mad oh, see as you dey shine."  See? Even Ada had noticed.

"On a norms now, trust me." Shalom grinned, which made them laugh. 

All three of them began to talk, but Janet kept looking around, she just liked to observe people. She liked to see how they acted around the people they liked, and scorned.

It was one of the things she did. Observe.

Oh look! Jackpot!

She saw Adebola walking off into a corner of the field, which was the tree area, there was a big tree that obstructed people from seeing things. Which of course everyone knew was an ideal spot for fondling.

Not that Janet had used that place before!

So, imagine how her interest piqued when she saw Adebola walk towards the tree and disappear from her sight. Not literally though, the tree was just that big.

"Guys, I'll be right back."

She needed to investigate.

"Adebola?" Ada asked with smirk. This girl was fast with catching on to things.

"Yep." 

Call Janet a stalker or whatever, but who wouldn't want to witness potential gist? 

Getting on her feet, her legs still feeling like jelly, she jogged towards the tree. Sparing Dotun and Derek one more look, but unfortunately, it didn't go unnoticed. Derek's eyes met hers as he arched his brows, looking over to the tree then at her.

He smirked.

No! It's not what you think!

Was what she wanted to yell to him, but she had her plate full, once she reached the tree, she peaked her head in.

Oh.

It was indeed Kareem and Adebola, again.

It was like Janet was watching a scene out of a cliché movie or something. Kareem had Adebola pinned against the tree, his knee between her legs, since she didn't wear a tracksuit, their bare legs touched.

Adebola had her hands on his chest and the other around his neck. Their position was quite, well...personal.

He whispered something into her ear, which earned a gasp from her before she nodded her head. Then they kissed. Well, she tried to meet up with his pace, Kareem kissed Adebola like he wanted to suck every last breath from her.

The sight.

This wasn't what Janet expected to see. 

After what felt like minutes, the two broke the kiss, Kareem still feasting on her neck, Adebola looked to the side as her and Janet's eyes met.

"Stop, stop, stop." Adebola whispered hastily while tapping on Kareem's back desperately. 

"What now?" He groaned, then looked in her direction, his nose scrunched up as he saw why she was so shaken up. 

"You." Kareem spat, grimacing at her. Pushing against the tree, he stood straight, folding his arms in annoyance. Everything in Janet's mind told her to flee, to just apologize and go back to Ada and Shalom.

But obviously, she didn't.

Janet hardly listened to her guts.

"Go, I'll take care of this-" Kareem started, rubbing Adebola's shoulder, she just nodded, scrabbling off.

"-thing." 

Wait.

Hold up, hold up, hold up. Let him take care of this thing? Thing? He did not just call her that.

Janet scoffed at him, storming further towards the angry boy, harshly shoving his shoulders as she glared at him.

"Who the heck are you calling a thing?" 

Janet seethed through her teeth, this made Kareem chuckle, holding the tree as he stumbled back at her push. Janet was no weakling when she was pissed off.

"She dey vex abi?" Kareem teased, this made her fume even more. This boy was getting on her nerves. "Shut up." She spat at him, about to walk off.

"Have I finish talking to you?" Kareem gripped her shoulders as he slammed them on the tree, this made her squeal. They began to throb, her shoulders were hurting so much.

"I let you get away with kneeing me and you come back. You're just asking for it."

Kareem whispered into her ear, this made her shudder. He stank; of sweat and musk. His hands slowly went up her hands, before clutching both sides of her jaw, which made it hard for her to talk.

She was forced to breathe in his smell, unfortunately, this time she couldn't knee him because he had one hand held down on her action knee.

"Leave me!" She squealed, that was the most she could do with his hands gripping her jaw, Janet wiggled her shoulders with her eyes closed, trying to free herself from his grasp.

"Kareem." A gruff voice called, this gave her the chance to break away from his grasp, she quickly shoved him and backed away, her eyes still wide in fear. This had never happened to her before, Kareem and her never really saw toe to toe.

Until now.

"Damilayo, better free me." 

Of course, it just had to be him, she couldn't even face him right now. He must have seen how pathetic she looked. How weak. Janet was embarrassed, so she put her head down.

"Are you okay?" Derek asked, walking towards her, but she just coward back,  nodding her head.

"Ahan wetin be this?" Kareem cackled, looking from Janet to Derek whose eyes were filled with concern for the girl.

With a finger, he rose her chin up, making her look up at him. Janet didn't know if it was just her mind playing tricks on her, but his touch felt rather affectionate.

"I stayed out of your business oh, na you spoil am by yourself, abi is she your new bitc-"

That was where he drew the line.

With a swift move, Derek flew towards Kareem whose eyes widened in realization. His hands arched back and folded into a fist before descending down on Kareem's jaw.

Hard.