Chapter 1: Something happened to Jayceline

BARBARA'S POV

I kept quiet as the tension in the house swallowed I and Kirsten whole.

Kirsten was mad but I was furious. She had used the toilet and not flushed her poo. I mean how can someone be comfortable with others looking at their poo in the WC and even inhaling the horrible pungent odor of urine and faeces.

I'm at least thankful that she didn't seem to have left a blooded pad in there today although there's no guarantee she won't do something like that another day.

That's the height of wickedness and stupidity but the former is her name so she won't bulge neither would she feel bad that someone called her wicked. As for the latter, it's who she is so it doesn't matter.

I'd confronted her about it and she had insulted me, which I don't mind, but she went ahead and also insulted my parents which was a great turn-off for me.

I had told her to repeat the nonsense she said previously.

"I said," she started counting her words like a ticking time bomb ready to explode soon. Her eyes sparkled brightly with a glint expressing that she was very much enjoying herself. "Your shit of parents" she continued with an evil smirk on her face which I wished to oh so wipe off her face. "Can't even train their teenage daughter into doing the right thing." She's insinuating that my parents can't bring up a child properly. I slapped her without any hesitation. She returned with two slaps of her own. As usual, she doesn't back down.

Before I could regain my stance she threw her fist at my abdomen and I hunched over. I use one of my hands to protect my hair since I knew it was quite vulnerable to her next attack which I already knew due to several scuffles with Kirsten.

I used my other hand to hold my stomach as the blow left quite an impact. Even with the supposed partial protection, I offered my hair, Kirsten still saw some strands of my hair which she held in a fist. She kept dragging my hair and raining curses.

I kept quiet and as still as possible because I knew any attempt of me to free my hair from her tight grip will lead to my hair pulling off from their scalp.

No matter how I yawned to cry, I always kept it in. The thought of shedding tears before my tormentors is unacceptable. I won't cry because of my past mistake. Neither would I cry because the bane of my existence is out to torment me. I certainly won't cry because of something as petty as my hair, ok, it's not really that petty to me. Since I've lived through the torture before I can redo it. Even if I ever would shed tears, not in front of my tormentors, can't give them the impression that the torture is getting through my hide.

Finally, after Kirsten was satisfied with dragging and swearing profanities, she made the mistake of pulling me up so she could look me in the eye, from eyeball to eyeball. 'This my chance' I whispered to myself as I kicked Kirsten in the stomach making her hunch over and hiss in pain.

"You! You!! You miserable..." She screamed as she tried to stand up straight. I kicked her in the knee making her knee down because I know the cuss word that would accompany the word miserable just as always. She screamed and tried to stand up straight again but I know better than to allow her to come wound me again, I kicked her numerous times at her stomach, so much so she vomited blood.

I stopped as realization dawned on me and I immediately ran to my room locking the door. I was scared, what if I had damaged something in her stomach or worst still killed her? I could care less if she died but I don't think I want that...well not yet.

Remembering how Kirsten and Dylan have wronged me is enough for me to wish them dead but yet here I am afraid that I might have gone too far with the little scuffle I had with Kirsten, I must be sick or something!

Dylan was my boyfriend...yes was...he hasn't said anything about breaking up with me but it's obvious it's over between us, it's all a long story to start with.

*Flashback begins*

I can still remember the day Dylan helped me fight off some gangsters that attacked me when I was going to school from home.

I had offended Dad and he had punished me by stopping my chauffeur from driving me to school. He even seized the car keys but that wasn't a major problem since I couldn't drive a car yet because I was underage and hadn't learned the act of driving.

He'd been caring enough to have given me extra pocket money so I could take a cab to and from school. I'd decided to walk to school since my school was a trekkable distance from my home.

Halfway into my journey some gangsters attacked me and started bullying me. They wanted to take my money and other valuables with me- yes valuables, I go to school with my gold necklace and anklet although I hide them from the school authorities since they aren't allowed in school.

I had refused to let the gangsters take my properties which earned me a stinging slap. The slap made my vision hazy and I could no longer see clearly.

After the first slap, numerous punches and hits had come from all directions. They'd me cornered.

Someone shouted out something I can't seem to hear. Soon I was carried to somewhere secluded. Lord Jesus...I need help.

What if these people want to rape me to teach me a lesson of better giving up my things than fighting?

'Call for help.' My conscience surmised but I shook the idea off my head. It was a quiet road and people barely noticed this road not to talk of passing through it.

'why did I even pass here in the first place?' I lamented

'yes, you wanted to play stingy so you decided to walk to school, passing a shorter road.' I berated myself as if I wasn't me but someone else. Simply put, the beating was affecting my brain already. Aiye!

More hits came, and when I feel one on my cheeks before I can get over the pain another would land somewhere else in my body.

I was hopeless but... suddenly the hits I was receiving significantly reduced. Finally, a savior has come to save me. It felt like my breathing wasn't normal, not as if am expecting it to be. I tried hard to open my eyes and saw red thick water everywhere. Red thick water?

It later occurred to me that the red thick water was my blood.

My uniform probably would be a mess now. So I decided to go home rather than go to school. It's funny how school is what was on my mind now other than the physical pain I am feeling.

My whole body felt hot inside and out. I tried to stand but my feet felt like jelly and gave up on my weight. I started to fall, I looked for a wall or anything for support so I could avoid falling but it was too late...or was it?

Someone, probably my savior, caught me before I hit the floor.

"You are safe." Was the only thing I heard from the person carrying me before my eyelids flutter closed into a dark abyss.

*Flashback ends*

I jolted from my memories as my mobile phone rang. I answered the call without checking the ID of the caller.

"Hello"

"Hello, am I speaking with Barbara Darren?" The caller asked quickly which unsettled me because apart from Jackie's school where I filled my name with Barbara Darren all my official documents still carry Barbara Williams.

"Yes, you are" I answered hastened, feeling a little bit anxious about what the stranger had to say.

"Ma, Jayceline suddenly started shaking chills while also sweating profusely here at school, we've called an ambulance and we've administered first aid treatment..."

"I'm on my way." I interrupted his long talk and quickly walk to my wardrobe to pick an easy-to-wear dress and walked out of the house.

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So this is the first chapter, please comment on what you think about the story and our female protagonist (Barbara), and our female antagonist (Kirsten). And why is Jayceline shaking chills and sweating profusely?