Phobia 3

Please make sure to read part 1 and 2 of the phobia series on my profile to understand this part.

Maybe I once believed in love

Maybe I even loved

Maybe it was just my imagination

________________Grace.

Grace's POV:

I stormed into my room, making sure I slammed my door...hard. I was fuming throughout the car ride, and I couldn't decide what was more upsetting. Was it the self-satisfied smile Mr. Gbenga the driver, was wearing or was it the infuriating new kid, Aaron?

Ugh! Even his name enrages me.

I hastily pulled off my uniform and headed to the bathroom. A cold shower would hopefully help me let out some steam. "How dare he touch me?" I asked myself as I scrubbed the spot furiously until it hurt. Why are people so insensitive?... I mean, you don't just go touching others without their consent. That's just...rude. And the rubbish he was spewing? That cursed article was just as worthless as its title.

My skin was red and tender when I finally made it out of the bathroom. I had bruised almost every part of my body in a fury, and yet I wasn't satiated. My phone vibrated loudly, snapping me out of my feelings and causing me to hit my toe on the edge of the bed. "Shitty bed, shitty day, shitty life...can't I just get a freaking break? Ugh!" At this point, I'm done with this day. "Hey, babes!" She yelled the moment I picked up my phone. Idara Star Aniekan, my friend and celebrity model/actress, popularly known as 'Starr' in the entertainment industry, did not appreciate the concept of 'inside voice,' and her 'phone voice' was way worse. "One of these days, you are going to burst my eardrums with your yelling," I hissed into my phone.

"Who messed with your cubs, Mrs lioness? I was going to ask how your day in school was, but I can already guess. Hang on, let's make it a group video call. Beauty needs to be here for this tea," she said in a rush. Beauty, my other friend, was just your average teen if you exclude the fact that she was an academic genius. The girl could solve mathematical equations in seconds without using a calculator! She had been offered a full scholarship throughout her secondary education, and the girl was murdering every competition. Her nickname should be 'goldy' because she only wins gold medals, but she says it sounds like a fish's name. "Yo bitches! How's it going?" Sitting on my bed, I rub my forehead, hoping it will dull my headache. "Grace is having a bad day...again!" Idara laughed. "Does it have anything to do with salty Ameenah?" Beauty asked.

"Uh, I wish Ameenah was the problem but sadly, no. You heard about the new students, yeah?" When they affirmed, I went on, "well, the boy is the devil's spawn, he's so irritating, but his sister is an angel. And let's not disregard the fact that Mr. Gbenga's presence is simply disgusting" "Mr. Gbenga is a creep; I have to resist the urge to whack him on the head with your tennis racket whenever I'm at your place. What has the new boy done?" I can see the disgust on beauty's face when she mentions the driver.

"Girl, you can hit Mr.Gbenga all you want; you have my permission...and the new boy is..how can I say this nicely? Pain in the ass? Yup that'll do. He completely ignored my presence, only to ask me about some stupid article at the end of the day. Like, who even does that?" Beauty looked at me like I was crazy, and I could see the wheels turning in Idara's head..."What? He was rude. Can you believe he held my hand without my consent too?" Beauty sighs, and Idara shakes her head. "I know Aaron, and he is a sweetheart, a beautiful one at that. I'm sure he didn't mean to be rude...I thought you'll have a problem with Avery's sweet nature... color me surprised." Idara tended to become annoying at very odd times, especially when I was in no mood for her foolishness. This was one of those times.

"Idara is in her 'I'll spew whatever rubbish comes to my mind' phase again; what's your excuse?." I focus on Beauty, but I don't miss the hurt that crosses Idara's face. Good, she deserves it for taking the fool's side! "Nothing! He was rude to touch you without your consent, but Idara is vouching for him, so we should give him another chance". Another chance? Until he does something worse like harass me!? " Beauty is right, I've known Aaron for a while, and he is a nice guy. First impressions are not always the best, you know?." Idara chimes in.

I guess it won't hurt to give him another chance; he'll obviously mess up and showcase his bad character to these two. I'll just lean back and let the drama unfold. "Fine, I'll give him another chance, but one wrong move from him and we are ruining him," I drawl, and they cheer like I had done something great. Maybe I deserve the cheers; I had just set the stone rolling for a nice drama.

"My party is in a few hours bitches, and I expect both of you to get your lazy asses here on time...no exceptions, Ice-queen... I'm the host, and I need my girls around me." Idara always threw the best ' back-to-school parties, and it helped that our school always resumed on Fridays. It was like they had contacted her and said, 'Starr, from henceforth, our resumption will be on Fridays, so you can throw the best-goddamned parties on resumption nights.'

"Girl, I need my beauty sleep....and you know I'm always fashionably late. Beauty will you come by my place, so we can pick out our outfits?" Beauty's family didn't have a lot of money, so she couldn't afford to get any luxurious clothes, and since I had more than I could wear, I shared my wardrobe with her. It's like doing charity work, you see. "I'll be there in an hour," She squealed. "That's not fair! I'm the host...I can't be late. I hate you girls," Idara whined. "Love you too bitch!" Beauty and I chorused before we ended the call. I'm so tired, but I'm also famished, so food first and sleep later. Throwing on the first comfy clothing I found, I made my way to the kitchen. Only God knows what delicacy Aunty Ruth has prepared today.

"Madam Grace, you are welcome. I made a special dish for you, all the way from the southern part of the country......Ekpang Nkukwo. It is made with grated cocoyam wrapped in cocoyam leaves and periwinkle. It is a delicacy for the natives of Cross River and the Akwa-Ibom States," Aunty Ruth recited. "Oh, come on, Aunt Ruthie, serve me the meal and keep the monologue to yourself... I'm very hungry, and I just need to have this delicious meal that you are talking about." If I let her, she'll talk about the food forever. "Fine naughty girl, I'll serve you a plate now" She piles my plate with the food that smells like heaven.

"Oh wow! This is delicious, Aunty Ruthie; you have to teach me this recipe. Make sure you keep some for Beauty; I'm sure she'll be blown away" I wonder If I should request some for Idara too, but she'll probably be too busy to remember to eat it. Delicious meals help me forget all my problems, but when these problems rudely appear right in front of me, the food becomes bland which is what happens when the witch appears in front of me. "Oh dear, how was school today? I didn't hear you come in," she says, acting all friendly, but she can't fool me. I slammed my door when I came in; I bet the entire neighborhood heard it, and she didn't. I know the truth, and it is that she is a lying, disgusting, manipulative, evil witch. A perfect example of a 'wolf in sheep's clothing.'

"Just when I was relishing my meal, she had to waltz in and ruin everything." Ignoring her, I stride back to my room and flop on the bed. In a few hours, I'll have to face the devil's spawn again, and I am not looking forward to it.

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