DULL PAIN

Jeremy literally bounced his way back to the classroom.

His nemesis had been utterly humiliated. He'd never felt so good in a long time.

He walked to his seat and found Lisa sitting beside it already as though she owned the damn thing.

The damn girl was really starting to piss him off.

He put on his best poker face and sat down, completely ignoring her but apparently, the girl just either couldn't get a hint or she did and decided to ignore it.

Lisa eyed him. "are you seriously going to act like you didn't see me?" she asked lightly, feigning a smile.

Jeremy didn't reply, instead, he produced his phone and found something to do with it.

"Are you seriously not going to talk to your new seat mate?" she asked again.

Wait what? his new what? oh great.... now he was really done for.

He could swear there was another person sitting beside him before he went home the previous day.

How in the world did she end up sitting here and who was even responsible for the seating arrangement? He needed to have a word.

He thought.

'Oh Lord...' he prayed inwardly.

'let this be a joke. Anybody but her'

Lisa just mistook the way he was staring at her for an interest.

She continued...." you know, handsome guys aren't supposed to be snubs... you're too cute to be like that" she said, attempting to stroke his ego. Jeremy didn't lift his head he'd returned to his phone as she spoke.

Well if she could maneuver her way to the seat, he sure as hell would ensure he helped her maneuver herself out.

He fully intended to make it a terrible mistake on her part.

He covered his nose with his handkerchief suddenly.

"are you alright? what's the matter?" she inquired.

"isn't it obvious? asked Jeremy frowning

"there's something stinking coming from your direction and it stops whenever you close your mouth"he snorted.

Lisa's face flushed with embarrassment, shock registering all over her face.

Did he just do what she thought he just did?

The idiot had insulted her twice today already and it was no longer funny but she was helpless. She was hitting on him really hard.

She bottled her anger and stormed out of the class without even sparing him a glance it uttering a reply.

"Ah finally some peace and quiet" Jeremy said and dropped his phone to bring out the novel he'd been reading since last night.

In a short time, the school bell announced recess.

He gathered his bag and went on his way, heading towards the school library.

He'd been walking through the corridor leading to the library when a girl ran past him and brushed his shoulder forcefully.

He felt a dull pain and turned to the person responsible. She hadn't even stopped to apologize and she'd kept on with her pace.

"hey bitch!" Jeremy yelled, running after her angrily.

As he got close to her, he stretched his arm and grabbed hold of her elbow, pulling her back forcefully.

The girl stumbled backwards into Jeremy as she lost her balance.

Jeremy couldn't explain it, but he felt an odd sensation course through his body the moment their bodies came in contact.

He suddenly wanted to cuddle.

The girl turned her face to gaze at him and his eyes widened in surprise.

He quickly disentangled himself from her.

It was the crying hawker.

"you" he said, pointing at her.

how was this even possible? he thought, his mouth opening in shock.

"are you stalking me?" he asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

She rolled her eyes.

"dummy... i'm not stalking you" she said and turned to pick up the bucket and mop she had dropped when she fell.

Jeremy just stared at her as she stood glaring at him after she'd picked up the bucket and mop.

god! she was beautiful! and those lips.... he thought, his eyes lingering on her pouty lips

He was tempted to just take her in his arms and smother her with kisses.

He quickly shook his head free of the thought.

No way would he kiss her.

She'd probably hit him with anything she could lay her hands on before he came inches to her.

Nancy noticed his stare hadn't shifted one bit since she turned.

She snapped her fingers in his face rapidly.

"hello, I'm still standing in front of you you know....stop looking at me like I'm some tasty morsel you have plans of consuming" she said, her left hand on her hip.

Oh if only she knew how close to the truth that statement was.

She rolled her eyes and turned her back to him to resume her rush to wherever she was headed.

"hey cry baby....you never told me your name" Jeremy said suddenly, snapping out of his crazy imagination.

"why you ...." she began, then she exhaled harshly and simply said "Nancy"

"I'm Jeremy"

Nancy didn't reply or even bother to indicate she'd heard him.

She turned and continued her rush, being more cautious this time. Nope, she didn't want anymore shoulder brushes, one was enough.

Especially with such an annoying jerk.

Jeremy watched her as she went, a stupid grin plastered on his face.

Well at least now he did know her name.

**********

Nancy was in a hurry to get to the principal's office if she couldn't get to her on time, the entire royal hill would be history.

She'd been hawking her fruits when she'd spotted a man in a hoodie hide something under the principal's car.

After he'd done it, he'd scurried off and she'd followed secretly, knowing it was risky but she still followed him anyway.

She'd never have known what he had done, if

it wasn't for the phone call she overheard.

Apparently, the offender was relaying a report of his deed to whoever commissioned the job.

No one he'd seen him. It was a bomb.

A damn bomb right under the hood of the woman's car.

She'd ran back to the car the moment she'd overheard him, not knowing why the person had done that in the first instance.

Maybe the car owner had enemies, she didn't know.

She waited for the occupant of the car, but no one showed up.

After sometime, the car owner showed up but she'd been attending to a customer.

By the time she'd looked up, the car had driven off, leaving dust in it's wake.

She'd grown restless and the thought that the woman was just going to end up dead like that, troubled her so much she began to ask questions.

When finally got the information the woman was the principal of royal hill high, she'd immediately dropped her tray at a neighbour's store and practically flew in the direction of the school.

Getting to the school was easy, gaining access was a different matter.

They just wouldn't let her go through the gate.

Christ! she'd thought at that very moment. The school was secured like a prison.

All efforts to get in proved abortive even after she'd told them about the bomb, they'd just laughed at her.

They probably thought she'd gone crazy.

Just then, her eyes caught sight of a janitor coming towards the gate.

Nancy waited for the girl to come out first, then she stopped her.

After explaining the situation, the girl agreed to help and provided a uniform and a badge for her and they walked round the first school entrance to the second one.

Nancy wondered just how many entrances the school had.

They passed the second entrance without any difficulty and when they were in the building, the girl handed her a mop and broom.

Nancy had looked at her puzzled until the girl explained.

"looks less suspicious. Every staff knows each other around here and they'll spot you the second you run into any. The mop and broom makes you appear new.... no one will ask questions if they're not familiar with you"

the girl pointed Nancy's up in the direction of the principal's office office and went on her way.

The girl's plan worked, no one bothered her.

She'd gotten lost at some point and was on her way to retrace her steps when she bumped into someone and surprise surprise,

it was Mr rude.

Typical him, being the jerk he was, delayed her even more.

If only the arrogant idiot knew she'd come to save his life.

When she got to the office, she knocked on the door like a crazy bat on a flat surface.

The door suddenly flew open and a woman appeared.

The first few seconds, Nancy struggled to catch her breath.

"are you lost?" the woman asked, slightly cocking her head to the side.

"I need you to follow me outside ma'am there's something you need to see" Nancy said, still struggling to catch her breath, her chest heaving.

"are you alright? what do you...." the principal started, but Nancy was in no mood for long talks or dilly dallying.

There was no time.