Monday, January 7 2019
                Elizabeth Adebayo swiped a piece of spaghetti from her fork, sipped a glass of water, stared at the red nail polish that coated her fingers then took another forkful. Her father stood at the door fuming as he watched her impassive actions. Betty knew what would happen.
                 The same thing has happened for months.
                      "Come on Elijah." Her father hissed as his precious son emerged from his room. "Your sister apparently will take years before she finishes her food."
                       She knew Eli's eyes were on her as he walked past the dining toward the front door. Her thin lips curled slightly and she reached for the glass of water to hide it. Her eyes caught her mother standing beside the kitchen door.
                      "Meet us in thirty seconds or find your way to school." Her father threatened but she remained motionless. Her eyes fixed on her plate unblinking.
                      "How long will you keep doing this one?" Her mother asked the moment the front door closed behind her father and brother. A tear rolled down Betty's cheek but she shrugged and wiped it off. A deep sigh of relief escaped her when she heard her father's car start downstairs and drive out of the gate.
                       "Eliza?"
                        Betty glanced up at the woman she had vowed to never end up like. Her mother was way too round and all her curves seemed to be lost and buried in a sea of fat. Her face was round as well, but it held the softest pair of round clear brown eyes and full lips. Betty envied them a lot. 
                         "I'll be fine Mommy." She smiled weakly.
                         Her mother was not buying it. "Don't smile at me. How will you get to school?!"
                         "Same way I have been in the past three months."
                         Her mother sighed frustrated and turned to go into the kitchen. "Will you eat some more-"
                       "No," Betty replied quickly standing up from the table.
                       "I don't even have to turn around to know you're lying." She scoffed.
                      "I'm full. When I'm hungry, I'll get a snack in school." The clock in the living room ticked Eight'o' clock. A smirk made its way to her slightly round face.
                       Perfect.
                        "Bye Mommy." She announced and walked out of the house. Her mother only stared as she left.
                      The weather was cold. A black cardigan covered her blue and yellow uniform. As she walked toward the stairs, she tried to not look at the flat opposite theirs. Key word tried. Her feet stayed rooted on the balcony where she had waved eagerly at the tall new kid dragging a heavy pink bag.
                '...        "I'm Elizabeth."
                       "Tokunbo."
                      "Nice! I'm calling you Toks."'
                         Betty sniffed and trudged down the stairs ignoring the hurt that festered in her chest. Her feet pitter-pattered out of the compound's black gate onto the main street. She smiled; a real one; when she saw a familiar red Honda a few meters away.
                         "You coming?!" A light-skinned girl grinned and waved from the driver's seat.
                          "You know I am!"
__________________________________
                     "When will you be done with classes today?"
                      Victoria Martins allowed her eyes to roll in their sockets and focus on the blurry shapes out the window as the car drove down her school's street. The interior smelled sugary like the tall bony woman who sat beside her and handled the steering wheel.
                         "Same time as always." She grunted irritably. The time was well past eight. She was late. Something she hated because it meant walking alone through the arena filled with loitering students and curious eyes. She wondered if she should call Betty.
                      "What time is that?" Stephanie, her mother murmured, her pretty face pulled in a frown.
                      "Just drive," Vicky said through clenched teeth. The tall building of Citadel High caught her eyes from a short distance and she heaved a sigh of relief.
                     Freedom awaits. At last.
                      "So when should I pick-" Stephanie quietened after seeing the sour look on her daughter's caramel-coloured face. Her bow-shaped lips pulled into an angry line.
                      Vicky heard the woman huff and make a U-turn when they got to the wide-open black gates. Like an acquitted prisoner she flew out of the vehicle, ignored Stephanie's 'I love you's and darted for the one place she could feel normal.
                      Citadel High looked the way it had two weeks before. Tall, huge and swarming with way too many students, they blended in a blur of blue and yellow. She weaved her way across the arena and headed for the East wing trying to stay focused amidst the noise and loud chatter.
                  It's been ly two weeks you buffoons. What big thing could've possibly happened within two weeks?!
                     The corridor of the science section was less noisy. Only a few students hung around and they didn't talk much. They glanced at her curiously as if they knew she didn't belong there and she rolled her eyes and sneered at them in response.
                   I'll just do this and leave idiots.
                     She stopped in front of a class that held the words "SS TWO SCIENCE" on its door post and peered inside.
                 There, at the farthest corner, a slim figure sat staring into nothing. A huge round spectacle sat on her nose casting a shadow on her high cheekbones. Her hair pulled into braids and her hands clasped tight around each other. Vicky thought she looked sad.
                 Well, things are about to change.
                  "Hi, Tokunbo."
_________________________________
                   Tokunbo made sure not to make a sound. She stared into space harder trying to block out the intruder. The unwanted intruder.
                   I'm pretty sure no intruder is wanted.
                    "I know you can hear me," Vicky stated defiantly and walked into her line of vision.
                   She pursed her lips to remain silent and focused her eyes on the black belt that held Vicky's skirt.
                    "We're seriously doing this again? It's been over a year kid."
                      She felt her eyes water from staring so hard and blinked. As long as she kept silent, they would tire and go away. It was that simple.
                        "I can't believe you right now. You weren't the only ones affected. All of us were! I still have nightmares Tokunbo." Vicky stooped lower and stared straight into her glasses.
 
                   She held those dark eyes fiercely.
                   Leave. Leave me alone.
                   "Everything else has fallen apart. Everyone's just... Different. And it's all your fault you know? All your fault."
                  My fault?!
                    The bell for the first lesson rang preventing Tokunbo from breaking her self-made promise. She watched as the fair girl sighed and run her hands through her soft black hair. 
                    "So much for stupid friendship," Vicky whispered and marched out of class.
                       So much.