8. Arabella. Ara of Pristine.

I walked into the hallway of Pristine high while I  watched as other students walked passed me. Some stopped to stare at me while others whispered but most paid me no mind.

The realization that i was different from all of them hit me hard and fast. The students in Pristine high were no  ordinary people. They were students whose parent had the power to change things with a snap of their fingers and who probably didn't know  what it was to be hungry.

I looked so different from them and it was in a bad way. I wanted to run away.

Was it a good thing coming to Pristine high? I asked myself for the umpteenth time while trying my best to control my racing heart.

Since the inception of Pristine high commoners like me were never found worthy of even stepping foot into the school until the rumors became wild. The rumors of the segregation of the poor by the rich.

To tame the rumors the principal had to organize a competition where the winner would be given a scholarship to pristine high. The competition was restricted to all government schools where each junior year class was made to present their very best candidate. The rule was left subject to the candidates wishes. That is, a student could not be forced to go if they didn't want to 

As expected i was the best in my class and unlike what everyone expected of me i agreed to partake in the competition. A decision i am not sure i made very well. But i believe strongly in fate. This must all be God's plan for me.

It was an attempt to make a commoner one with the aristocrats. A failed attempt. Merely attending the school for the rich doesn't mean you would start to be seen as one of them. If anything I've learnt from watching boys over flowers that it would only mean that you would be picked on consistently. But at least there lied the hope of finding love amongst the aristocrats and being taken round the world.

Hope.

Hope was the only thing keeping me strong.

I was scared of them, of the students. The more they passed and stared the more i became anxious with each stare and each murmur.  But i walked with my head high even though in me i felt like a volcano of emotions was about to erupt.

I was a ticking time bomb.

I was scared of myself more than I was scared of them because I knew that trouble followed me like a baby strapped to my back.

I couldn't obey rules. I didn't know how to deal with bullying. I was the Queen of my school, the spitfire, the defender but here, here with these people I was nothing. This was the truth and although it be sad to accept, it still was the truth.

The thought that any one of them could crush me with a single breathe almost made me run away. Almost.

But then I had a plan. I was going to mind my business and graduate in peace. They can't harm me if they don't know me. They can't crush me if i don'r stand in their way. Can they? If only it was that easy.

Was there a chance that I could be one of them? I wondered. Of course not. I have no idea what it meant to be comfortable or to even eat a balanced meal.

No idea whatsoever. So it was stupid of me to hope to be one of them. Plain stupid of me.

I didn't like feeling stupid.

The school fees here was in millions. Even if my family was sold with all our properties we would never have been able to pay for a term. Thinking of this made me chuckle.

Here I was holding the ugliest back pack I have seen since i walked through those doors, but since I had no other choice I carried it with pride. It was not as if i had a better alternative at home. It was the most beautiful back pack i had yet standing here i couldn't be so proud of it.

But, i have to learn to somehow be content with the things that I had.

My uniform of pure white was well ironed and washed and my shoe was nothing to care about. It was bad, torn and peeling but, I didn't care.

I felt more empty as I walked into the hallway. Nothing but a vessel of books.

I was beautiful I knew that for a fact, tall, dark and slender. I have received maybe  a thousand comments on the beauty of my chocolate skin. I was even nicknamed The real african queen by some naughty boys in my street because of my shape and skin colour.

But my heart and my soul felt empty and it was all his fault. He destroyed me in more ways than i could admit

He's the reason I am Here today, one day, my revenge will be served and it would be served with fire. He would pay for the pain. I was so sure.

"Watch where you are going to, Jesus!" A girl hissed pushing my shoulders.

That's why i preferred not to think while walking. I always end up bumping into someone.

I looked up to catch her watching me with disgust.

I wanted to explain to her that i was so carried away in thought that I bumped into her but i doubted if she would care by the look on her face so i just preferred to keep my mouth shut about it. She didn't have to know.

Her perfume was the first to hit my nose. They were definitely designers perfume. She smelt so nice.

She looked like a princess. Her hair was neatly packed into a ponytail, her eyes made up. Her Lips glossy. Her fair skin glowed, literally

"Sorry." I murmured under my breathe, trying to walk past her. "I wasn't looking." I added.

She gave me a sharp look and walked away. I was grateful that she did walk away. So grateful! I let out a deep breath i didn't know i was holding.

I wanted my life here to be simple without complications.

The drama I had at home was good enough. From the experience i had in my former school i can categorically say that i don't enjoy drama.

I could not contain my happiness when i finally found my locker with my name written boldly on it.

Arabella of Pristine high.