Chapter 3- True colours unfold..

I was on my way to school, my brother bought me fast food since we were already forbidden to eat in the main house. My 17th birthday is fast approaching and I'm not really so excited about it, I'm now in my second to the last year in highschool, that is sss2. I wept so hard when I remembered my 16th birthday, it's clearly the opposite of what I'm having now but at least I still have my brother tony.

"Don't worry baby girl, everything will be fine and I will make sure I bring justice to everything that's on ground just wait till we are old enough to take over dad's companies, I will show that uncle Jude and Helen pepper! he won't be spending our hard-earned money lavishly anymore." I smiled as my brother's words comforted me. I embraced my brother so tightly and quickly got dressed and left for school, I guess he's on his free day today because he hasn't gone to work since yesterday..

My brother smiled at me but I could see glints of pain in them and stress so I was glad he could take a few days off that strenuous work, he's grown leaner from what I knew him to be and I'm very sure he was not used to this kind of life style and he's only trying to be strong because of me, I'm studying really hard now because there's possiblity I write my exams in ss2 not so sure yet but I heard from a senior. Tony and I thought of leaving the mansion for somewhere else but it will only give uncle jude more access to our properties and probably sell them off..

Uncle Jude didn't pay for anything in my school he didn't bother and if I hadn't been given a full scholarship I would not have been able to get this far in school.. I was getting depressed and lost and just putting on a bold face in school, I was walking down the hallway in school with my friends Cathy and precious, they were busy talking about the new hot senior in school and how rich he is, but I wasn't interested in anything they said, I wasn't listening at all, I was later hushed out of my deep thoughts by precious.

"Girl, what's up with you? you've not been yourself lately and seriously it's showing In your academic performance, I was going through miss Tricia's work and I saw you get a *c* that's not good enough babe!" I looked up with sad eyes and bursted into tears "really!?" I cried and Cathy consoled me, "we came to visit you at your house the other day and your uncle said you weren't around, is there anything you are hiding from us, are they maltreating you?" I felt like speaking up but it would just complicate things for me.

Then a guy walked up to me and asked "Are you miss Gilbert? the principal needs your attention in her office, please follow me" the girls squealed like they saw a Greek god, I nodded and stood up on my feet and followed him to the office. As we were walking to the office he introduced himself as Kelvin Christopher. so I called him Kelvin. Truly he was handsome and kind. He tried to lighten my mood before I get to the office and he assured me that everything was fine.

We walked into the office and I saw the principal and miss Tricia sitting looking worried so I just cleared my throat and they looked up at me. "I've noticed my smart and bright Jessica has began to change, what's wrong my dear, you know I'm a mother to you in this school, please talk to me" I looked up at her and looked at kelvin then I bursted into tears and explained to them.

I could swear I saw kelvin shed a tear! The principal gave me her card and it was for me to get anything I want during break in the school cafeteria, and then she told me senior kelvin will be my tutor whenever I am less busy so that I can catch up on my studies. I was so happy, they held my hands and assured me everything will be fine and if I did well in my external exams I might be awarded a scholarship.

I left the office with kelvin feeling better and strong, kelvin held my hands and assured me I will be okay, I just nodded and left for the cafeteria, I was so hungry that all I could think of was filling my stomach and pack some takeaway for dinner with my brother.. I felt happy at least at the moment, Helen was passing by me with her minions she saw me holding hands with kelvin and she felt like killing me, I never knew she had eyes for him, so I quickly tried to take off my hands but he held them firmly.

"Look at who we have here, my maid and boyfriend holding hands and floricking! seriously??" Helen screamed attracting attention, I looked at kelvin for an explanation I mean why would the principal team me up with Helen's boyfriend, but he just smiled, and faced Helen, "do you even have any dignity at all, why are you stalking me, haven't I blocked you enough online, oh you want me to file a restraining order against you right! I don't want you and stop begging me to pretend to be your boyfriend and sleep with you I'm not that cheap" kelvin said and left the embarrassed Helen with me..

Now I was sure trouble would be waiting for me at home, so I just hasten my footsteps behind him, Kelvin started with mathematics and I am still surprised at how he's good at explaining it to me, and I was really getting it, later I realized that miss Tricia intentionally chose kelvin for me as my perfect distraction. We played and joked around and time with him made my life less difficult. I felt so happy for the first time in a year.

Helen avoided me like a plague for a while ever since then, even at home, I had less bruises, and sincerely I liked the new development, kelvin and I got closer and we were best of friends In no time, my girlfriends gave me space with him knowing I was actually happy around him and they will squeal like squirrels from afar blowing kisses at me, they were sincerely happy for me and I was glad none of them was jealous of me and kelvin, other students thought I was Kelvin's girlfriend and they respected me.

He actually lived his whole life in New York City and studied their and was only on transfer because of his dad.. Everyone wants to be around him and for this reason I had some friends too, my car was given to Helen, I couldn't even get to drive it just once and I have to trek home all alone and I must get home before Helen or I'll be in fresh trouble, so I figured out a lonely and crooked short cut to get home before Helen. Today I got delayed because rain was pouring and I had left school as fast as possible before kelvin will see me and drive me home, I was too embarrassed the first time he dropped me at home and was even beaten by uncle Jude for following boys up and down.

I got home drenched like a soaked puppy and saw a strange car outside, Helen rushed to me with a towel, she began to nag me like I was the one that insisted on walking home, uncle Jude ordered fried rice and turkey and told me my Aunt Gina sent someone to check on me, they promised to change if I just act normal and say I was fine and just fell Ill, I thought it was a good idea! I should have known better, so I told the man I was fine and we all at together at the dinner table, I missed this sincerely, uncle Jude was sitting at my dad's space and the man kept looking at me searchingly to know if I was truly okay.

I wanted to clear the table after eating but Helen insisted on doing the dishes and told me to go to my room and sleep, I was about going outside to the boy's quarters when she said I should go to my room upstairs, I was glad they were going to change afterall we were family and should look out for eachother right, so I just thanked her and went up the stairs, if I had known I would have screamed my head off and told the man I was suffering and maltreated but I thought my prayers were answered and they already changed, if I had told the truth I could have been taken away with my brother to live with Aunt Gina..

She wanted to be our legal representative but because she's got a family of her own and from my maternal side that was why we were placed under uncle Jude's care. My phone's were seized away and my brother couldn't risk all dad worked for by calling the family against uncle Jude because he saw everything as a conspiracy and money has been entering their accounts for weeks tens of millions and none of them has come to visit or check on us, but they were angels when my parents alive.

Later in the evening while I was in the comfort of my bed, Helen came in and slapped me hard from my sleep and chased me to go and wash the dishes before she does something she wont regret. I cried and hated myself for my mistake, I thought they truly changed, so I just went to work and went back to my back quarters and saw my brother, he has been at home all these while, he was feeling sick and shivering, I didn't know what to do so I just quickly got some drugs and gave to him and he took them, I quickly went to the kitchen to get some leftovers for him to eat but was caught by Helen, she snatched it from me and shoved it in my face and poured the rest in the dust bin, I had to use my savings to get some foodstuffs and made them in the small kitchen at the mini quarters.

The principal's card can only work at the schools cafeteria that's what it was designed for, I gave my brother some food to eat but he kept vomiting, then I knew my brother was seriously Ill, I prayed for him to get better and slept on a sofa by his side to watch over him, the next day, my brother was back on his feet and told me he was going to work, I begged him to stay at home and rest but he Insisted and I just let him be, I got dressed for school and got the news that I was enrolled for waec and neco, for a try with the ss3 and I was happy about it.

I studied harder with kelvin and the news reached Helen, she also begged her dad to enroll for exam just to be on the same level with me, inferiority complex is a deadly disease, I wasn't bothered about her because it didn't seem like she was going to write any exam.

The exams are fast approaching and I was feeling nervous, but kelvin would assure me everything, I would go home and study very hard for the whole night, even though Helens loud music disturbs me all the time but I try to concentrate, my brother keeps breaking down every now and then, he falls sick Everytime and I wasn't ready to lose him so I begged him to stop work for now, his bosses refused to pay him because he keeps breaking material whenever he gets dizzy, I told him about my exams and how hardim trying to get a scholarship, and he should just focus on his healing.

We went to a chemist and we were given drugs, he used them but nothing was working, we have no money to go to the hospital, so I went to my uncle to beg him to take my brother to the hospital. I knelt in front of him to beg for money, Helen was sitting close by chatting with my phone, chewing bubble gum so loudly like a whore, she stared me and pointed at me, "hey you go get me some popcorn, my favourite show is coming on" I quickly got up to do what she asked me to do and went back on my knees, he should just help me take him to the hospital, but they both laughed at me and mimicked me, I was sent out of the house.

My wicked uncle said he didn't care if he died and he would give him a befitting burial, I rejected those words instantly and left, I didn't know who to go to, I have no phone and we have no money, I resulted to stealing, I sneaked in through the back door to uncle Jude's room, I took some money and turned around, my heart almost jumped out of my throat, I was beating till I started coughing blood and uncle Jude went to my sick brothers room and began to beat him up as well, so I snapped and told him to get out of our quarters, my brother couldn't defend himself.

I just gave him part of the drugs we bought earlier and slept, there's no food to eat. On a Saturday morning, I was asked to sweep the entire compound and mop the entire house, after working, I was pushed to the garden and cut the grass, I worked till I fell and slept off, I dreamt and saw my dad's ghost, he wasn't smiling at all, he was frowning seriously at uncle Jude at the balcony, and held the knife stuck at his back, it was in his hands dripping fresh blood, then I called him, he looked at me and his face softened, he was looking at me with pity, and I looked in the mirror window and realized I was looking lean and so malnourished.

He looked back at him with so much hatred, and held the knife like he was about to throw it at him, I woke up and looked at the balcony and uncle Jude was exactly in the position he was in my dream, sipping wine and reading newspaper.. Then I shouted daddy "where are you" to see his reaction and I could swear that I saw the wine he was sipping come out of his nose as he coughed miserably.. He looked terrified and quickly acted normal and went inside.

Something is not right but I don't know what it is so I shrugged it off, my brother was more important and my exams, speaking of my exams, Its in a weeks time and kelvin and I are even seat partners.. All my pets were killed a long time ago and I don't have anyone to play with, I only go to school for exams and come home to take care of my sick brother, uncle Jude and Helen never for once asked of my brother's health and it really hurts.

After my waec exams, the results were out and I passed with flying colours, I only had B in Further Mathematics the rest were A's likewise kelvin and sincerely I felt glad I wouldn't have to finish ss3, I would just look for a job now, because of my brother, he sacrificed his last year in the university where he was studying Chemical Engineering for me, I'll give up being a highschool graduate for him afterall I already have a good result.. I showed my results to uncle Jude and he just tore it into pieces and said I should not bother to think of going to any university.. Helen failed as usual, fantastic nine's all through..

My pain is now switching into hatred for them and no one can blame me, I don't see anything good in them, the ticket to the BTS concert in Korea uncle Jude bought for me was even fake, I tore it and threw it out, now the only family I have is my brother and he needs to get back on his feet. I attended school to get another copy of my result when kelvin walked up to me with a bouquet of flowers and cards, he asked me out, "Please be my girlfriend!" I was shocked, ofcourse I liked kelvin buy I never thought he would like me more than just a friend, I cried and nodded, Helen watched with a look of hate on her face at a corner and left.

I became Kelvin's girlfriend and I was really happy about it, we were going on a date later after school that day, I got my duplicate results and on my way to meet kelvin outside school, Helen and her friends poured cow's dung at me and sped off in her car, people started taking pictures and no one wanted to come near me, I was stuck where I was and began to cry, kelvin ran to me and hugged me.

He kissed me despite the dung on me, it was my first kiss and I hid my face in his chest, people kept snapping and some girls saw what happened and volunteered to clean up, Helen thought that would make kelvin leave me but it was a turn of table and I knew kelvin wasn't embarrassed of me. The date was cancelled by me and left for my house, he dropped me off even though he didn't want to let me go, too many events in a day, his proposal, my first kiss, my embarrassment.

I walked in the house, Helen was waiting for me and laughing like a maniac, I just ignored her, so I went to bed, tony was asleep as well and I'm glad he looked much better than yesterday.