Chapter 2 I wake up as soon as the knife sinks into my chest.

*I'm a witch*

Chapter 2

( *Rock and a hard place)*

It took almost an hour of staring before I bounce back to reality. In a blink, the rosary disappears, causing my heart to jump to my mouth. Hurriedly, I rush out of my room, ignoring my mom calls. My eyes are wide open with and heart race like someone who's being chased by a mad bull. With millions of thoughts roaming my head, I bolt past the busy road, narrowly escape being hit by a mad driver. "Oni ku reh" the driver curse, but I have a lot in my mind to clear off. Suddenly, a strong fist warp around my arm, causing me to almost fall. "Where are you running to?" A familiar voice says. My heart drops in relief as I sight the person I want to see. "Amara, where are you heading to?" Bright asks again. "School," I blurt with my heavy breath. "That's the wrong way and why are you running so fast" Bright looks around like he's trying to spot something. "...are you being chased?" "No, why?" I ask, trying to keep calm but my breath rate betrays me. Bright scoffs showing off his charming dimples. Slowly, he pulls out a white handkerchief fom his pocket. The feeling of his body close to mine seems soothing. In no time, we start talking. Our walk to school seem shorter than usual as he makes a lot of funny jokes.

All eyes are on me as we step into the school premises. To be honest, I felt shy walking with him, especially when every guy in school shakes hands with him, unlike other student, he doesn't gets punished for arriving late to school. Narrowly, that's how I escape being punished for late coming.

Nnkechi's eyes pin to me as Bright holds my hand when we step into the classroom. Luckily, there's no teacher in class. Bright let go of me after he escort me to my seat. Gracefully, I sit and watch him from behind.

A sudden tap on my shoulder jolts me from my exciting feeling. "You did it," Aisha says with a big smile on her face. "Come on we're just acquaintances." "Na lie, I saw it, your yellow skin face turned red." "Whatever," I scoff.

******* Shortly after the first lesson, I sight Peter but he looks away as soon as he sees me. Pity is not my thing, I suggest he already got used to being joked at.

Luckily, math teacher is absent, but that's so unusual. I grab a note from my bag to jot down some point from the last topic, immediately Aisha stands up, Bright sits beside me.

"Why haven't you accepted my request yet?" he asks. I try to shy away from his sight, in as much as I love where this is going to, I can't look him in the eye without feeling weird. "Well ..." I pause as he grabs my pen and write something on my left palm.

I close my hand as he drops the pen. My eyes follows him till he sits.

"I'LL LOVE TO SPEND ALL EVENING CHATTING WITH YOU." I read out slowly and smile like it's something new. Bright isn't the first guy to show interest in me but after my last failed childish relationship, I've decided to focus more on my priority first.

After a while, the next teacher comes in, then we all settled down. . . (Break time) Peter face is buried in books by the time I get to meet him at the library. He seem not to notice my presence until I speak.

"I'm sorry," I say.

He flips the page once more, filling some words on the book in front of him.

"It's ok, I'm good. As you can see, I'm busy, go get busy with your boyfriend."

I pretend to smile, as much as I like being Bright's friend, I hate being assumed to be his girlfriend. "Bright is just a friend .. honestly." Peter exhales. "It's none of my business." "Then why do everyone thinks we are dating already?" I ask.

Peter pause and shook his head. "they were together for two years." "And what does that have to do with me?" "If he breaks up with her in a snap. You should also get ready," he sighs and flips his page again. "If you may excuse me, I have important things to do." he says.

***************

I walk out of the library with Peters words banging in my head. What if he's right? What if I'm heading the wrong way?

"Bright girlfriend," some junior girls giggles as they pass by me.

I noticed everyone whispering with all eyes are on me. Quickly, I rush into the school bathroom, shut the door and gasp for fresh air.

Footstep echoes behind me and I turn to see the last person I want to see. "So? you are the lucky girl, Hun?" Nnkechi grab my hand as I try to get out of the bathroom. She pulls me and I feel the pain wave on my chest as my back hits the wall. "I don't want any trouble," I say to her, fearfully.

I've heard stories of girls who gets battered by jealous ex lovers, and Nnkechi is an exact example "Bright doesn't love you," she says as she moves closer to me, I can smell her perfume and anger written on her face. "He's just a friend," I say with my eyes widening.

Nnkechi is way bigger than me, and being the most richest girl in school, she has loads of mean friends. My heart race as she taunts me, but things comes to an halt when someone shows up.

"Let her go." Aisha warns as she steps in.

My heart drops in relief knowing that I have backup.

The look on Aisha face seem familiar. That's the look she gives before; snapping someone arms, punching someone in the face, pulling off peoples hair with her fist and breaking a knee.

"We are just playing," Nnkechi says as she lets go of me slowly.

I hurriedly stand behind my friend who's way shorter but deadlier. 'Small but mighty' that's what most people call Aisha, instead of being bullied for her height, Aisha bullies everyone, including boys.

Last week she breaks Yemi hand in a fight, the first day we became friends was the first time she defended me. Aisha grab the class bully in the collar and yank him to the ground, I felt pity for the boy after she pounce on him and rained blows to his face.

Towards the end of last term, Aisha beat four senior girls because they called her short. Of course she's short but she hate being reminded.

Nnkechi steps back when Aisha moves closer to her, pointing her little finger at the tall girl in front of her. "If I ever see you six feet near my friend, I'll break your nose and you'll breathe nothing but blood"

Nnkechi nods and rush out of the bathroom. Aisha turns to me and sigh "Are you ok?" she asks. I feel safe knowing that I have Aisha.

************

After school, I run into Bright on my way home. As much as I try to ignore him, it's not his fault either.

"Ok, I want to make this clear," I say as we walk home. "What?" he asks. "Why did you break up with her." Bright scoffs. "ok, I didn't see that coming," he pause as we get closer to his house which is just few miles away from mine. "Amara, you shouldn't be hard on yourself. I just need a friend, that's all." "Ok," I sigh. "This shouldn't go beyond that." Bright looks at me and nods. "Ok," he stretch forth his hand "Friends?" I shake hands with him. "Friends."

********* "How did it go with your boyfriend?" my mom asks as I step into the kitchen. My sister burst into laughter, not hiding it at all. They must have saw the both of us outside.

"He's just a friend," I say. "Everyone started off as friends," Chiamaka says. "What's that supposed to mean?" "Nothing," she burst into laughter, then she clears her throat. "Food is almost ready, sorry, I mean breakfast." "it's three PM." I sigh. Mom taps my sister on her shoulder. "Have you added salt to the rice?" Chiamaka nods and my mom return to stirring the soup. I grab a yogurt in the fridge and a pack of biscuits before heading out of the kitchen. "I'll be in the parlor."

*********

I sit on the couch, shoving the biscuits into my mouth and sipping the yogurt. My phone beeps and an unknown number texted me. "HAVEN'T ADDED ME YET?" It's Bright.

I save his number to my phone, then I add it to my WhatsApp contacts. Though, he's offline but I'm able to view some of his statues which seem very cool. I save several of his photos, most especially his shirtless ones.

Bright chest tattoo seem clean and nicely done, I never knew he had one, it's a bleeding heart which has different meanings but I guess he just had it drawn.

📱Bright: Finally, you accepted. Me: Nice pix though. 📱Bright: Really? 😏. Me: I was just joking, those pictures looks dull, get an iphone. 📱Bright: 😏😏 and you viewed all the dull pictures I took with my Redmi. Me: Mistakenly. 📱Bright: I hope you aren't mistakenly tapping your text buttons right now. Me: 😄😄😄😄.

"Food is ready," my mom calls.

I get up with my eyes glued to my phone screen, I carry my food away from the dinning table and head straight to my room. I shut the door behind me and place my phone in a corner while I switch to video call.

Bright is shirtless, causing me to stare at the screen. Apparently he was sketching a picture of me, but he's not done yet. We stayed on video call till dark. Bright and I talked until I run out of data.

My heart drops as the message pops in, unfortunately, I can't recharge from my bank and it's already late in the night.

Slowly, I plug my phone and view his photos once again before drifting off to sleep.

************

I open my eyes and I wake up inside a semi-dark church room. The bells ring as I stand up, wondering how I got here.

"Where am I?" My voice echoes like the room is empty.

I walk to the altar and I notice the statue and drawings on the wall. Immediately, I recognize the church. The light suddenly brighten and a man in red hood appears in front of me. Before I take a step, two other people in red gown grab my hands. "Bring her to me," the man says, holding a knife which is also tainted with blood.

I try to scream but another man gagged me. Forcefully, they chain me to the altar and the whole room suddenly gets filled with people watching. Like an horror movie, the man raises his knife.

"In the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit!"

I wake up as soon as the knife sinks into my chest. Luckily it's a dream but things gets worse when I feel a burning sensation on my chest. I lower my nightie and a black rosary tattoo appears on chest. At once I realize what's going on, millions of thoughts roam my head but all I can do is to shout.

"Mummyyyyyy!" I scream

. . TO BE CONTINUED