Copyright(c)SammyO2015

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Title: BELLA BENSON

[b]Chapter One
BELLA FAILED AGAIN

The atmosphere was tense for little Bella as she stepped forward to take her turn in the EBIAG SPELLING GENIUS COMPETITION. She turned her neck around and felt as though she was facing a million people. She tightened her face as though she would burst in tears. Her head fell as she tapped the tiled floor with her tattered shoe. Once, she was feeling like a celebrity, but now, she felt as though hell had been let loose. It was the school hall of Morning Bell College (MBC), Magodo, Ikeja. The preliminary stage of the yearly SPELLING GENIUS COMPETITION was not a new thing to MBC which had produced two winners so far in the competition over five years of its inception.

It would be a nationwide thing. Bella had dreamt of going as far as the National stage of the competition to represent her state, Lagos and to win the trophy. The dream came to her vividly like a vision and she believed it.

"Bella!" a voice broke up her wandering heart. "Your time is ticking, won't you spell the word?"

"The...w..word?" Bella stammered. "What?"

A loud overwhelming laughter broke through from the back of the hall. It was Blossom's voice. Soon, the hall had joined her in it. Everyone went frenzied.

"Em...I didn't here the word. Please, can you...em...at least repeat the word?"

"Okay, listen up Bella, your word is ALIGN," the teacher said.

"A line?" Bella replied with her eyes bulged out in fright. She didn't want to miss the spelling. If she missed it, then it would be her fourth failures in three weeks. She had earlier tried her hands on Volleyball, but she did badly and was dropped by the school volleyball coach. She opted for Table Tennis and lost out, just at the preliminary stage. She put in for the Chess Competition in her school. She was nothing near good in it. Now, she felt this would be her last chance; the Spelling Genius Competition organised by EBIAG.

"No, Bella, I didn't say 'a line' but ALIGN. Listen well please."

"Well..." Bella paused as she looked to her right. Almost all the contestants were still seated. It was just the first round of the competition, just as the placard ahead of her had pointed out. Bella looked straight ahead and saw the whispering mouth of her sister, BLOSSOM. She would just follow her whispers right away.

"Okay, ALIGN is spelt A-L-I-N-E," Bella braced up and tried putting up a smile on her mug. She expected a round of applause, but instead, it was a round of laughter she heard.

"Bella, you are wrong! You mixed it up. ALIGN is spelt A-L-I-G-N. That was too simple for you to..."

Bella was already out of earshot. She was having her head bowed as she shed tears. Bella was in J.S.S 3. She has passion for competition but she hasn't found anything she was good at. Naturally, she has done badly in all the things she had put her hands into previously, including the debate competitions she tried to take part in while she was in the Primary School.

The class was empty where Bella had gone to ensconce herself in. Her tears ran down her face, greased her hands and fell on the top of the desk on which her head laid. She was only two minutes into her tears when she felt an arm round her neck. She raised her head and discovered it was Blossom, her sister.

"Bella, what are you doing here alone? Weeping?"

"Bella hissed and placed her head back on the desk."

"Bella, brace up. That tears is uncalled for!"

"It was all your fault!" Bella burst out eventually.

"My fault?"

"Yes your fault Blossom. You whispered the wrong spelling."

"No Bella, you're wrong. I gave you the right spelling. You mixed it up!" Blossom denied.

"I read your lips so well; of course you know I can read lips well."

"Bella, I swear I spelt ALIGN correctly for you. I swear!" Blossom made a very serious face. "Is that how you'll blame your fault on people? I was even trying to help Bella. Oh! If I had known, I wouldn't have helped you at all Bella. Okay...then...bye cos I have no time for fussing over a spilt milk here. Got to do my music practice because of the competition ahead. Bye!" Blossom flaired up and was out of the class in a jiff.

Bella felt guilty for making Blossom angry. She began to doubt herself.

"Oh, maybe I didn't read her lips well after all," Bella thought aloud.

"Bella!" a startling voice broke into her ears. It was her class teacher, Miss Fiona.
"Bella, what are you hear alone doing? Ain't you going to watch the competition? It's getting more interesting!"

"I don't want to see any boring competition. I'm out of it, so I have no business with the damn thing anymore!"

Mrs Fiona sighed and stepped well into the empty classroom as she made for Bella's seat. She sat beside her and prodded her.

"Little Bella, you can always do something," said Mrs Fiona as she was won't doing.

"Thanks, I've heard that tons of time," Bella replied. "You needn't tell me that one more time. I know I can do things--irony I guess," she dakd and dropped her head again.

"Bella..." the teacher said. "Listen..." Miss Fiona stood and went on ttiptoed as though she would do a ballet dance. Then she made a display and broke into a song:

You can get it if you really want...
You can get it if you really want...
You've gotta try...try and try...try and try...
You'll succeed at last...

She shut her eyes and sang the song passionately, thinking that would make the song sink deep into Bella's brain. Her voice echoed in the empty room as she sang.

"Ooooouuuu!" she screamed in excitement and flashed her eyes opened. To her surprise, she was the only one left in the class. "Gush! Where is this Bella girl!" She screamed as she made for the door.[/b]]

[b]

CHAPTER TWO
Bella Discovered

Bella was looking radiant in her favourite pink dress and her gorgeous hat whose top was decorated in the Queen-of-England fashion. Her high heeled shoes gifted her the appearance of a giant. Bella had carefully set her eyelashes earlier that morning, tinting them with a little cosmetic. Her braided hair sat just on her shoulders like the manes of a horse. She carried her steps elegantly as she headed for the pulpit along with four others.

The church was constructed in the modern fashion, with fanlights and golden architraves at the doors and windows. The lights glistened like the stars in the firmament as the air-conditioners set the large church hall up with refreshing ambience.

The Bishop introduced the new set of choir who had just mounted the stage. Bella was certainly one of them.

Miss Fiona was glad at the sight of Bella. She had encouraged her betimes to join the choir in the church but the girl had turned deaf ears on the ground of stage-fright, as well as her inability.

As the culture of the church demanded, each of the to-be-inducted members would have to present a song they had carefully prepared for, as this would be used to rate them in skills. Two boys and three girls were in line to present their songs, with Bella standing back to present hers last.

Rounds of applause set the hall in vibration after each member had presented his or her song. They had all done very well. Now it was four down and one left--Bella.

"Now, brothers and sisters in the Lord, we present to you our radiant damsel, Bella Benson!" the pastor announced and there was a standing ovation. Bella was confused. The song she had prepared for suddenly jumped out through the window of her brain and she was left puzzled. Her forehead squeezed up to form a wheezy set of wrinkles. The message was clear--she had nothing to present.

"Bella Benson, you can present your song right now," the Bishop announced as he signalled to the instrumentalists to get ready, since they already had the music each member would present.

A minute of dead silence followed as Bella looked down frustratingly. Her lips trembled and her body quivered. She didn't even remember how to start the song she had practiced very hard for. The instrumentalists set there iinstruments on fire as they expected Bella to join them in it.

It was two minutes already with no sign that Bella would come in. Miss Fiona felt uncomfortable on her chair. She couldn't sit up anymore. So she got up and screamed, "Bella Benson! Come on, you can do it! Come on!"

Bella heard her shrilled voice and a surge of courage overtook her.

"Em...em..." Bella sounded over the microphone and everyone guffawed. "Sir, can you tell them to stop?" Bella demanded that the instrumentalists should stop.

"Alright, alright, stop! Stop the accompaniment please!" the Bishop ordered. "Now Bella Benson, what do you have to tell us?" the man said with a smile on his face.

"Em...can I...em...can I come up with another song?" Bella said with a frightful look.

"Yes, if you wish...provided the instrumentalists know the tune already."

"Yes! That's my girl!" Miss Fiona screamed and all eyes were fixed on her. She wasn't aware of it.

A sonorous voice filtered the air, setting the atmosphere into a cooler haven:

You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
You've got to try, try and try...try and try...
You'll succeed at last!

The accompaniment came in boisterously like a thunder percolating the sky. The hall was set aflame when Bella increased the pitch and the tempo of the music. Her voice seemed charming to the ears. A standing ovation took over with some rhythmic claps. It was a sight to behold. People screamed like never before and Bella hid in her cocoon of shyness once again as she humbly dropped the mic and hasted to join the rest of the to-be-inducted members.

The joyful noise continued until the Bishop had ordered them to take their seats. However, a stubborn member kept screaming.

"It's enough sister Fiona!" the Bishop spoke from the stage and Miss Fiona was shocked.

"How come? He knows my name?" Fiona whispered as she looked right and left in shame and went low into her seat.

The Bishop inducted the new members and the congregation offered their prayers and wishes. Then the Bishop announced the best two performers as supported by the tradition of the church:

"Dear members of the body of Christ, I present to you the best two performers in the name Benjamin and Bella!"

A standing ovation and a round of applause greeted the announcement. Bella felt humbled. She had never been so lionized in her entire life. The pastor offered them some handshakes and instructed them to wait after the service for further instruction. He ordered them to go back to their seats.

Bella hurried off the stage and sat beside Blossom where she was having her seat earlier.

"Congrats Bella!" Blossom said.

"Thanks," Bella whispered in reply and kept a straight face.

"But you only got lucky, Bella. It may not be the same all the time."
Bella turned her neck in awe to face her sister and kept mute. She had easily given in to her sister's talk just now.

"You're right," she said at last and sulked.

Immediately after the service, Miss Fiona adjourned to Bella's seat but was surprised when she didn't find her.

"Where is Bella?" she demanded.

"I don't know," Blossom said. "She left for the toilet ten minutes ago and she isn't back."

"She isn't back?" Miss Fiona wondered. "I'll go search for her...right away!"

As Fiona stepped into the aisle, she halted when she heard her name called from the pulpit:

"Miss Fiona Felix, please your attention is needed right now. Come over to see the Bishop."

Her eyes got inflated.

"For what?" she spoke to herself as she vaccilated.

Surprisingly, the search for Bella was not a one-man affair. Benjamin was also looking for her.

"Did you see Bella?" Benjamin kept asking, but no one had seen her.[/b]

[b]CHAPTER THREE
FIONA'S FAIRYTALES
Fiona was an angelic-looking lady in her late twenties. She always wore her hair in dreadlocks of two colours. She had a charming smile. Her almond eyes had been her beauty spot. She wasn't too athletic but she had durable limbs. Her long nose had endeared him to countless admirers who had taken her for a British lady in black skin. Her neck had faint traceries lining it up. The beauty of Fiona had caught the eyes of many suitors, but she had rejected them all in a humble manner. She believed her future partner was still not in sight.

Fiona was only a new teacher in Morning Bell College, having taught for only twelve months. She taught Phonetics. Fiona had interest in grooming pupils for something special. At the sight of Bella, she had put up great interest in her. She wanted to be around her all the time, such that she gave up attending her own Church denomination to Bella’s own, with the interest of getting familiar with her.

However, Fiona knew very little of Bella’s background. She hadn’t been to her home, despite asking Bella to take her there all the time. She hadn’t seen anybody coming to the school to pick up Bella after school or anyone who showed care for her, yet the school was only attended by rich kids.

How come Bella goes home all alone? She pondered, yet she claimed that Blossom was her sister. What kind of sisters are they?

As for Blossom, she always had two guys coming to pick her up after school hour. They seemed too young to be her father or uncle, so Miss Fiona concluded that they were his friends.

Fiona stepped to the door of the office of Bishop Daniel. She blinked her eyes over the wordy instructions glommed to the door:

THE OFFICE OF BISHOP DANIEL OGHENE
KEEP OFF IF YOU ARE COMING TO HURT
BECAUSE THE MAN OF GOD IS ANOINTED
FROM HEAD TO TOE
BUT COME IN IF YOU NEED HELP
ONLY MAKE SURE YOU PUT OFF YOUR PHONE
AND KNOCK! KNOCK!! KNOCK!!! THE DOOR SOFTLY.
JESUS IS LORD!

Fiona smiled. The inscription was amusing to her. They should have put all in one sentence, she thought.

She knocked softly and the voice of the middle-aged man came up:

"Come in, come in," the Bishop said as he adjusted his spectacles. He had a little moustache, which curved down over his upper lip like a walrus in the sea. His teeth had a tint of chocolate stain, probably from the kolanut he had spent his time chewing many years back. Bishop Daniel had an oval-shaped head, like the egg of a peacock. His smile seemed lopsided, affecting only the right cheek, while the left one remained still. Bishop Daniel had scanty hairs on his brows. His ears seemed like the handles of an ancient cup.

The door made a crinking sound as Fiona walked in slowly.

"Good day sir," she greeted in her phonetically-inclined accent.

"Good day young lady. How may I help you please?"

"Sir, you said you wanted to see me...and I'm here."

"Oh! Who are you please, because I asked to see some other people too?"

Fiona was amazed. Seemed the man had short-term memory for forgetting her so soon. Wasn't he the one who mentioned her name earlier on the pulpit?

"Sir, but you cautioned me on the pulpit earlier. You said it is enough Sister Fiona, have your seat please!" Fiona said, mimicking the Bishop's voice.

The clergyman grinned.

"Oh! It's you Miss Fiona. I'm sorry I couldn't recognise you. You know something? I must confess that's my cross; I've got long-sightedness," the Bishop confessed humorously.
"Oh! I see!" Fiona said and kept quiet.

"You're welcome Fiona."

"But sir...how did you know my name in the first place?"

"Someone described you to me two weeks back."

"Described me?"

"Yes Sister Fiona and that's why I'm inviting you here today," the Bishop said. “Please you may have your seat.”

Fiona looked around and sat gently on the succulent seat. She fixed her gaze at the wall-clock which had just clocked 2pm. She widened her eyes as though she was amazed at it. Her body language felt like she wanted to leave immediately.

Bishop Daniel rose to his feet and came close to her. She was suspicious.

“What is it sir?” she asked edgily.

“Nothing really, Sister Fiona, but permit me to ask you this; you are beautiful, I hope you know.”

Fiona raised her brows and stared into the Bishop’s face.

“S…Sir, I—I don’t get y-you,” she said.

“Of course you know what I’m saying,” the Bishop said.

“What?” Fiona asked shakily.

“I love you, please can you marry me?” the Bishop said, smiling.

Fiona was punch-drunk; a bishop in his fifties, already married with grown up kids asking for her hands in marriage? How is that possible? She thought. Her lips couldn’t make up a word; they just trembled.

“My darling Fiona, please let’s get married,” the Bishop spoke confidently once again as he demanded a response.

“Y-you must be m-mad, sir,” Fiona managed to voice out, then she realized the gravity of her rash statement and apologized. “I’m sorry for saying that sir…but sir it is weird, can’t you see?”

“Weird you say, Fiona?” the Bishop said. “What is weird?”

“Ain’t you following the bible anymore? One man, one wife I think is the doctrine. Also, a Bishop is said to be a husband of one wife, isn’t it? Beside sir, I can’t get married to a Bishop even if he is in his early or late twenties.”

The Bishop laughed and adjourned to his seat as he plunged into a weird laughter. Fiona was left in the cloud. She had no clue. It was a bizarre scene to her.

“Fiona, did I sound serious at all?” the Bishop kept laughing. “Maybe I’ll be very good at acting,” he added. “I don’t believe I acted that script so well…”

Fiona felt embarrassed when she discovered that the Bishop was only playing pranks on her. He didn’t mean what he was saying at all.

“Bishop you scared me,” she said as she sighed.

“Yes I do and I knew it from the onset; those eyes of yours got some wrinkles around them. You were like, Oh My Gush!”

Fiona gawked into her wrist-watch. She was somehow eager to leave. The Bishop discovered it.

“I perceive you want to leave, sister Fiona, but you don’t need to be in a hurry because today is Sunday, so give it all to the Lord because it is the Lord’s day, isn’t it?” Fiona nodded in agreement.

“Sir, you haven’t told me why I’m here yet,” she said.

“Yes, actually that script I acted out for you is a kind of revelation I received last week after a fervent prayer. Soon, old men like myself, already married with kids, will be the one asking for your hands in marriage after the young ones have tried several times without success lady Fiona!”

“God forbid!” Fiona screamed.

“But that’s the revelation. You’re in your late twenties and you aren’t giving in to any suitor, yet you want to get married, or don’t you?”

“Of course I want sir,” she replied.

“Then listen to at least one of them,” he said.

“Sir…but I have not seen the type of man I want in any of them,” she confessed.

“How many?”

“Like five of them have come after me since I joined this Parish in January. I think they’re all after my beauty,” she added.

“January to May is around four months, Sister Fiona, so you mean you’ve been in this church for so long.”

“Yes sir,” she said.

“And why didn’t we have your name in the Church Register Book? Or you didn’t stand up to indicate that you were a first-timer the very first day you came to the church?”

“Yes sir.”

“Why?”

“Just because I didn’t want to be noticed, yet these guys found me out.”

“Ssh!” the Bishop sounded. “Say brothers in the Lord, not guys.”

“Funny,” Fiona said. “That’s why I don’t want to give in to any of them.”

“How?” the Bishop demanded.

“When brothers in the Lord start marrying their sisters in the Lord, isn’t that incest?” Fiona said without blinking an eye. It elicited laughter from the Bishop’s mouth. He sat up eventually and broke up the purpose for inviting her to his office.

“Miss Fiona, I actually called you here because already as I speak, another ‘guy’ in quote is dying to speak to you, but he is scared.”

“Scared of me?” she spoke in her usual accent laced with phonetics.

“Of course people are already getting scared of speaking with you one on one because you have been shooing them all off!”

Fiona gazed at the ceiling and touched her chest. Her breath ceased as the door began to open for a young man to come in.

“Here’s the guy,” the Bishop said, pointing towards the door which was ajar. Fiona placed her palms over her face and stood as she walked past the man and left the office immediately.[/b]

[b] CHAPTER FOUR

Bothered Bella

Bella felt lonely. She left for home all alone from the church because she didn’t want anyone to discover her. Her father had travelled on an official assignment to Italy for the past eleven months. When he was around, Bella had always remained her favourite, but Blossom seemed to be their mother’s favourite.

Bella was the second child in the family of five, all females. She was fourteen while Blossom was sixteen; Binta thirteen, Betty eleven and Baby seven. Only Bella and Blossom were attending the same school, Morning Bell College, Magodo.

Bella had only discovered her sister’s reactions to her lately, after her father’s departure. Earlier the two sisters had been very close friends, but things began to take another shape just within few weeks of Mr. Benson’s departure for Italy.

Bella opened her door with a key and sat at the edge of her bed. She was partially facing an elliptically-structured mirror within a red plastic frame. Her face was a little bit pimply. She punched out the pus lying beneath and wrinkled her face. She seemed pretty though. Her teacher, Miss Fiona had told her not to worry about the development, since it was only a sign of maturity.

Bella sighed and hissed.

“So Blossom thinks my performance was a fluke,” she whispered to herself. “Well…I don’t doubt that at all because I haven’t done any good all my life.”

Bella was already having the feeling that she was a bastard not long after her father left for Italy. Mr. Benson wouldn’t be returning to Nigeria soon, so she was not sure of knowing what was going on in a time not far away. She couldn’t bring up the issue over the telephone whenever her father called, because the whole family would be present to listen.

Bella’s pocket money had been slashed by her mother, but Blossom’s own was intact. Mrs Lucia had been showing some deliberate feelings of hate towards her lately. Her calculative attempt to make Bella suffer was what made her to stop dropping them in their school with her car or going to their school to pick them after the school hours. She knew that Blossom had a male friend called Murray who often picked Blossom up in his car to drop her at school every day. Murray also spared his time to take her back home too. If Mr. Benson was around, he wouldn’t have allowed such thing.

As for Bella, she had to board a shuttle bus or pick a taxi to and fro every day, since she had no one to pick her up. If only Miss Fiona had had a car, she would have offered to do that for her. Bella had once taken up the courage to face Lucia, her mother, to ask why she couldn’t offer to pick her up from school anymore since their father departed.

“You know my dear Bella, it isn’t that easy picking your younger ones up and then driving a long distance to your school to pick you up too. That ain’t feasible.”

“But you were doing that when dad was around, why did you stop now?” Bella challenged further.

“It isn’t easy on me, Bella,” her mother said. “Come to think of it, why are you complaining about that? Don’t you have enough transport fare to board taxis every day?”

“But you slashed my allowance mummy, why?”

“Oh! Bella, you are bothering me,” Lucia said. “I slashed it because your father isn’t sending money home anymore and as you can see, I am a full time housewife, so where should I get the money if Benson isn’t sending any?”

Bella reasoned along with her, but after a second thought, she challenged her again;

“Mum, but you didn’t slash Blossom’s own, why?”

“Who told you that?” she demanded.

“Blossom herself,” Bella said.

“She’s only telling you a lie my daughter,” said Lucia as she held Bella tight and rubbed her head passionately. “Don’t mind Blossom; she’s only trying to deceive you.”

Bella wasn’t satisfied. She wriggled her way off her mother’s grip and stood straight before her as she said, “Mum, I can’t go to school in the shuttle buses anymore. I am the only person in the entire school taking a shuttle bus to such a huge school like ours. Mum, I’m shy!”

“You don’t need to be, Bella my daughter,” Lucia grinned. “By the way, why are you shy about that?”

“Because everyone in the school comes to school or leaves the school in their parents or guardians’ cars; only the bastard children and the housemaids take shuttle buses. How come I’m doing that now? Mummy, just tell me if I’m a bastard, so I can know what to do.”

Lucia laughed and said, “Funny little Bella. Of course you don’t look like a bastard, do you?”

“But my mates now take me for a housemaid.”

“Tell them you are not,” Lucia said. “I AM YOUR MOTHER! PERIOD!” she screamed. Bella wept. She didn’t mean to get her mother angry.

“Okay…I…I have heard. I will tell Blossom if she could tell Murray to be picking me up too, in his car…every day.”

“Nice idea!” Lucia said. “Better still you can get your own boyfriend too, cos you aren’t getting younger. You’re fourteen already,” she said and laughed.

“Boyfriend my foot!” Bella said. “I won’t have one until I’m out of High School.”

When Bella met Blossom to demand if Murray could be picking them both to school in his car, she replied, “Go get your own boyfriend, little sister, cos I ain’t sharing mine with any lady.”

Bella discovered she was already feeling sleepy. She soon placed her back on the bed and dozed off.

Bella had only slept for twenty minutes when a hard knock began to thump her door. She reluctantly got up from bed and made for the door. She grabbed the door knob and turned it anticlockwise. Blossom peeped.

“Bella, you are here?”

“Oh, yeah!” she replied casually.

“Can I come in?”

“Yes of course, Blossom,” she said, yawning.

“You left the church early, why?”

“Cos I don’t wanna join the choir anymore, because you told me I only got lucky on stage today.”

“Hmm,” Blossom sounded. “Is that why you left?”

“Yes, Blossom,” Bella said. “I gave it a thought and I reason with you, Blossom. What if people begin to expect too much from me and I disappointed? Wouldn’t they call my voice a fluke?”

“Yes, so true Bella,” Blossom said. “Indeed, your voice was somehow shaky on stage, only that the musical instruments covered up your flaws and no one noticed them.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really, Bella.”

“But how come you alone noticed it?”

Blossom laughed.

“Don’t you know I have special inner ears for music?” Blossom lied. “Or you aren’t aware I was in the church choir?”

“Yes, it’s true!” Bella remembered. “Three years back. But why are you no more in the choir? I haven’t asked you this for once.”

Blossom smiled out her dimples as her lying tongue protruded.

“I left because my voice is too beautiful to be used in the church without being paid a million dollar for it.”

Actually, Blossom pulled out of the choir because of her pride. She wanted to be the one to lead the team; she wanted to be the one to dole out the tone each person would play. She was just too proud to be contained by the team, so she decided to leave.

“Are you also the head of the Student Youth Choir of our school?” Bella demanded further.

“Yes I am,” she replied without giving the question a second thought.

Bella sighed.

“Okay, Blossom, what do you think? Should I join the church choir or not?”

“Of course a big NO!” Blossom said. “Because you can’t make any impact, Bella. Just keep searching for your talent, maybe someday you might just stumble upon it,” Blossom said as if she cared as she patted her sister in the back.

“I’ll do just that, Blossom, my dear sister,” she said. Blossom smiled. She was satisfied at Bella’s resolution without being aware of the pranks she was playing on her.
[/b]

[b]

CHAPTER FIVE
DOUBLE THOUGHTS

Benjamin wanted to keep in touch with Bella. Her voice had endeared her to him such that he was fast losing sleep as he awaited the day he would meet Bella again. To his ears, Bella's voice had sounded just like his late sister's.

Benjamin had seen Bella several times in the past, but he never knew she could sing so well. Benjamin was worried that Bella didn't wait after the church service according to the announcement on the podium.

Benjamin was a young boy of sixteen. He had a punk on his head. He was the last child of his family, staying with his elder brother, who was the only one he had.

Benjamin lost his father and mother and his two female siblings all in a day. They all died in a plane crash few years back. He was then left with his elder brother who had been catering for him ever since.

Benjamin was fortunate enough that his father left enough wealth for himself and his elder brother to inherit. He was quite fortunate that his elder brother wasn't a spendthrift.

Benjamin had setbacks in his education. He became a shadow of himself after his parents and sisters' death. His academic performance was badly affected, making him to pull out of school for a session to cater for his mentality.

Benjamin and Frank were like 'five and six'. Although Frank was thirteen years older than Benjamin, yet they related with each other as mates.

Benjamin was in a pensive mood as he placed his head on the dining table. His food was just on the table, stonecold. Benjamin didn't notice when Frank came in. Unusually, he sank into the chair without saying 'hi' to his brother Benjamin who was absent-minded himself.

Frank shut his eyes tight and placed a palm over his forehead as he tilted his neck to one side of his body.

A lady came in. She was the housemaid.

"Sir, your water is don set. Please go take your bath," she said, but Frank waved her off without opening his eyes. The housemaid set her eyes at the dining table and noticed Benjamin dozing off without touching his meal.

"Wetin dey happen here?" the housemaid suddenly burst out. No one gave a reply.

Few minutes later, Benjamin opened his eyes and found his brother in such bad mood. He hadn't seen him in such mood for years.

What could have possibly gone wrong with him? Benjamin thought. He tapped his elder brother. Frank thumped up and faced his brother with sleepy eyes.

"Ben, what is it?" Frank asked.

"Em...so sorry I didn't wait for you. I was looking out for Bella Benson, that girl who sang well today?"

"Looking for her for what, Ben?" Frank demanded. "Don't tell me you are falling in love."

"Not really big brother," Benjamin said, forcing a smile. "Just that her voice reminds me of Cynthia."

"Cynthia? Who is she?" Frank demanded critically.

"My elder sister of course! Our second born."

"Oh! Never again, Benjamin! Don't go there again, okay. Please don't..." Frank was worried.

"Not what you think, big brother," Benjamin said. "I am not running mental, brother. But honestly, Bella's voice is just like late sister Cynthia's own. Didn't you hear it yourself?"

Frank kept staring at his brother's face. He was scared that Benjamin was developing mental complications again. Few years ago, when Benjamin heard the news of his sisters and parents' death, he almost lost his brain. The death of Cynthia was the most painful of all, because it was she who helped train up his voice.

Cynthia was like a mother to Benjamin while she was alive. She was the second child in the family, after Frank. She was studying Music in the tertiary institution in the US when she came across death during a summer holiday.

Cynthia and Ruth were the two daughters of the family. They were both in the Tertiary institution in the US. Their parents had only gone to pick them back home during the summer holiday when there was a plane crash which claimed their lives. Then, Frank had already started working in an oil company paying exorbitant salary.

Benjamin didn't want his brother to be worried about him, so he quickly changed the topic and said, "So, big brother, how did it go?"

"What?" Frank demanded.

"The meeting with your bride-to-be of course!" Benjamin replied.

"Oh! It was a failure as I thought earlier. A total failure for that matter."

"How?" Benjamin wanted to hear it all. "Are you not charming enough for her?"

"Did she even spare a second to look into my face? As soon as the door got opened, she covered her eyes with her face and made for the exit."

"In the presence of the Bishop?"

"Yes of course!"

"I think she is too proud!" Benjamin said vindictively. "Why don't you look for another lady? Of course she isn't the most beautiful woman on earth."

"I don't think she is proud, Ben. Perhaps she's just too shy," Frank said. "And to be frank with you, I am not after her beauty but her attitudes; she looks humble to me."

"Humble? Someone who walked out on the pastor and you? I don't think you should give him a chance?"

"Hmm," Frank hummed. "The same way I don't think Bella Benson is worth being a friend of yours too."

"Why?" Benjamin was stunned.

"Because she boycotted the announcement that all the to-be-inducted choir member should wait to see the choir master after the service."

"She must have her reasons for absconding," Benjamin defended her.

"Just like I believe Fiona must have her reasons for bursting out of the counselling room too," Frank said.

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

"I have my reasons for leaving the church before the end of the service," Bella told Miss Fiona when she asked her during break period on Monday.

"Your reasons please," she demanded.

"I don't want to be in the choir," she said. "Just because I am not fit to be in the choir."

"And who told you that you aren't fit to be in there?"

"My elder sister, Blossom," she said.

"She must be crazy!" Fiona screamed in annoyance.

"Stop!" Bella shouted at her. She didn't like anyone speaking ill of any of her siblings.

"Is she blind and deaf? Didn't she see you are the one who won the short music competition yesterday? Didn't she hear how angelic your voice sounded?"

"She is neither blind nor deaf Miss Fiona; and that was exactly how she was able to detect that I had some flaws in my voice. She even testified that the performance was a fluke!"

"SHE IS A BIG, FAT LIAR!" Miss Fiona screamed. "Anyway Bella, you are joining the Student Choir in school, even if you aren't going to join that of the church. Your voice is too good to be left unused," Miss Fiona concluded.

"I don't want to join!" Bella replied pungently.

"I don't wanna care for how you feel or what you think, but all I know is YOU ARE GOING TO SING IN THE SCHOOL CHOIR! PERIOD!" Miss Fiona banged the table.

[/b]

Nice story,i luv it.

Its good to have an oldie back here. Weldone sammy, definately following.

Yea, gud to have Sammy back. Pls try update frequently

U ar all welcome

This is going to a very interesting ride
am on oya continu

#Following

Damn it! This is so interesting.
Come and continue please.
And I think you are intentionally summarising the whole thing

[b] CHAPTER SIX

BELLA AND MR TONY

Miss Fiona did not hesitate to report Bella to Mr. Tony the talent hunter of MBC. In MBC, it was part of the agreements signed by the parents that they must allow their children or wards perform in any extracurricular activities that the school authority had found out they had talents for.

Mr Tony was the the man mostly feared by students of the school. Many of them were always unwilling to explore their talents due to laziness, but they had no choice once Mr. Tony had discovered them.

Mr. Tony was in his early forties. He had neither beards nor teddy--always clean shaved, with a crew cut to fit. Mr Tony had a special green suit and a pair of shiny green shoes to match. He was of the opinion that everybody had something green in himself or herself, which was supposed to be the God-given talent of such person.

Despite the fact that the man in green always made himself look as simple as possible, so as to create a friendly atmosphere with the students, yet he was the most feared in the school. Many times, he did got into trouble with some spoilt students who told him to his face that they were not interested in any 'darn' talent. One of them was Christie, the tomboy who was dreaded by all teachers in the school. Christie was a shrew, spoilt by her parents, being the only child.

Mr Tony had helped many of the students to discover and develop their talents over the years. Many award-winning students had passed through him and they had forever remain grateful for passing through him.

Mr Tony had an inner perception for talents. Taking one or two looks at someone, the man would suggest the potentials such person was likely to be possessing.

Bella was busy solving a problematic arithmetic problem when Mr Tony stormed the class. The students rose to their feet to pay homage. Bella reluctantly rose too. Conspicuously, everyone was scared of the man, knowing he was their to fetch one or two persons.

Mr Tony looked round without uttering a speech. He raised a finger slowly as if to point to someone. The students froze. Being picked by Mr. Tony would mean skipping one's break periods for a space of one month to develop a talent the man had purportedly discovered.

Mr. Tony suddenly pointed at a boy standing to the right of Bella.

"John, follow me," he said.

"Myself?" the chubby boy replied with a scary face; everyone laughed.

"Yes you," Mr Tony replied. The boy in question burst into tears.

John had been known for one thing; sleeping almost all the time. He always cherished using his break periods to have a sound sleep. John wouldn't want anything to tamper with his break periods.

"Mr Tony, I don't have a talent! I don't need one!" John sobbed.

Mr Tony held his right hand and develop pulled him along. As he turned his back at the class, the students all sighed in relief. They had been holding their breaths all the while in fright.

Bella smiled.

"I thought Miss Fiona told him about me," Bella whispered. "I'm glad he hasn't come for me."

"Bella, come along too," Mr. Tony said, without turning back. "Miss Fiona told me about you."

Bella's eyes widened in shock.

"What the hell!" she mused.

Bella trembled as she knocked at the office door of Mr. Tony.

"Come in, come in," the man replied. Bella budged. She was scared out of life.

"Em...sir...you want to see me?" Bella said slowly.

"Of course Bella!" Mr. Tony said. "Could you remind me your surname once again?"

"Benson, I'm Bella Benson."

"Oh Bella Benson, please do have your seat."

Bella sat down reluctantly. A sound of someone snoring began to permeate the atmosphere.

"Not again!" Mr. Tony said as he got up from his seat and went to the inner corner of the large office. Bella needed no one to tell him that it was John sleeping in there.

Why does he always sleep? Bella pondered.

Mr. Tony returned to Bella.

"Bella Benson, so tell me something; what is your hobby?"

"My hobby, sir?"

"Yes you heard me," the man said.

"I don't have one," Bella said. "She didn't want to play along.

"Alright then Bella, I'll help you discover that, okay!"

"No!" Bella screamed. "I thought you are only here to discover talents, not hobby."

The man grinned and said, "Well...knowing your hobby is the foundation to knowing what talent you possess."

"Alright then, my hobby is eating," Bella said with a frowny face. The man laughed.

"But it isn't a laughing matter, Mr Tony," Bella said, feigning seriousness.

"Of course it's not," the man said. "Someone in there's got a worse hobby..."

"But sleeping isn't as worse as you think sir!" a voice from the inner corner interrupted the man's speech. It was John.

"Yes, Jonah. You'll be better off in a sleeping competition," Mr Tony made fun.

"Point of correction sir! My name is John, not Jonah!" John's voice came up.

"What's the difference? John, Jonah, they sound almost alike."

"But Jonah is a worse sleeper than myself, John!"

Mr. Tony was silent. He was always that way all the time he was having a chat with someone. Obviously, he was in a thoughtful mood, putting his brain to use.

"Sir...I don't know why I'm here?" Bella broke the silence.

"Of course I told you," the man said. "Miss Fiona reported your talent to me. You're joining the Music Club right away!"

"What!" Bella yelled. "I thought one can only be in a club, not two."

"Of course we are changing yours. You did terribly in your spellings, didn't you?"

"I'm going to get better...sir."

"No, little lady," Mr Tony said. "It isn't simply your talent...I mean spelling words. Mrs Fiona told of how you did very well in a music rendition in your church."

"I only got lucky!"

"Says who?"

"Blossom my sister," Bella said. "I could do worse sooner than later. I'm afraid of embarrassing myself on stage with my voice."

Mr Tony smiled and shut his eyes. He flashed it open suddenly and screamed, "Bella! Congratulation! Your talent has been discovered! You are naturally a talented singer!"

Bella laughed uneasily. Is he a magician? she thought.

"Bella, our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light,
not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who
are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others,” Mr Tony said without blinking an eye.

"Awesome!" Bella remarked. "Where did you get that from?"

"A book by Marianne Williamson," said Mr Tony. "Do you read books?"

"No," Bella replied immediately.

"Bella Benson, you said you are scared of singing on stage isn't it?"

"I'm not scared of singing on stage sir, but I'm actually scared of not performing to the optimum while on stage."

"Just how you are scared of missing the spellings in the EBIAG SPELLING GENIUS COMPETITION, isnt it?"

"No sir," Bella replied. "I wasn't too scared of losing out in the Spelling Genius Competition because I am certain tons of people could spell better than I do; Abdul is a genius in that. He can spell anything, everything. So I knew I wouldn't go past the first round of the competition which was actually the case eventually."

"Eureka!" Mr Tony exclaimed. "Come with me Bella! You are joining the music club right away! You will become a great singer, soon!"

"I'm scared!" Bella whispered.

"That confirms it," Mr Tony smiled as he held Bella by the wrist and led her to the door.

Bella found it crazy. Just because she was scared of singing on stage, Mr Tony opined that she would do great in it? That's really weird! she thought.

Mr Tony brought Bella to the Music Theatre of MBC.

"Here's somebody to try out, Mrs Dorcas," the man said.

"Bella Benson?" the music mistress exclaimed when she saw her.

Blossom raised her head when she heard the name of her younger sister. She frowned at her sight.

"Yeah, try her out," Mr Tony said. "She'll do fine."

"Alright then Mr Tony, I believe you," she said. "I'll do just that."

Blossom rose to her feet and cane close to Bella, hissing.

"What the hell are you doing here, Bella?" she asked in an angry whisper.

"Miss Fiona told Mr Tony I could sing. I don't want to be here! I'm sorry!"

"Impossible!" she whispered to her ears. "Better you tell her you don't wanna sing! Now!" Blossom gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as if to squeeze life out of Miss Fiona.

"Okay, okay big sister, I'll do that," Bella said shakily as she hurriedly made for the exit. She was going to locate Miss Fiona and get dirty with her for telling Mr Tony about him.[/b]

[b] CHAPTER SEVEN

FIONA HAS FALLEN

Bella began to make for Miss Fiona's office. She wanted to pick a great offence with her for recommending her to Mr Tony to join the music club.

It is crazy of her! she thought. Joining a club should be out of one's volition; not one ordinary teacher choosing one's destiny for one. I am sick and tired of all these. Blossom doesn't want me to disgrace myself, so she is warning me not to join the music club. I love BLOSSOM! She thought aloud.

Bella kept moving towards Miss Fiona's office. She was sure going to display how crazy she was. She hated being taken for granted, even though she was only fourteen.

The school premises had CCTV cameras all over. The consciousness of these had always made people be on their feet to do only the right things.

Bella discovered that she had been talking alone to herself the while.

"Bon Apres-midi, Madame Courtois," Bella halted to greet her French teacher, Mrs Courtois.

"Bon Apres-midi, Mademosseille, ou vas tu comme ca?"

"La Bureau de Miss Fiona," Bella replied in her English accented French.

"Salut," Mrs Courtois said.

"Salut Madame," Bella replied as she walked away from her.

Bella turned her neck to glance at the French woman again. She was such a smiling beauty. Bella wondered why she always smiled all the time.

"Maybe that's how they smile in Ivory Coast always," she thought. "I'll like to travel their someday," she thought sillily.

When Bella turned her face around again, she saw the school ambulance speeding past. Someone must be in danger right now, she thought.

Bella took her mind off the happenings around her as she continued to move towards Miss Fiona's office.

Christie approached Bella in her bold style, pocketing her hands as she walked like a gangster towards her. She was having her hair fashioned like a male's own.

"Bella, come here," Christie called. She was in S.S.S 1.

Bella melted like ice.

"I am here," she said in a scared voice.

"Like how much do you have in your pocket?"

"I swear I have no money," Bella said.

"Liar," Christie said and searched her pocket. She found #500 in it. "What is this?"

"That's my transport fare," Bella spoke in fright. Christie's eyes glowed like a splinter. "But you can take it anyway...I'll find my way home," Bella spoke with her heart in her mouth. Christie smiled.

"I heard you speaking French with Mrs Courtois."

"Y-yes," Bella stammered.

"How come you understand that nonsense language? Do you have a home lesson teacher for it?"

"N-no, I don't," Bella replied. "I don't understand French that much anyway, only a little."

"A little?" she smiled. "Maybe you could teach me that little you know, okay?"

"Okay senior Christie, I will."

"Good," Christie patted her back. "Then you can have your money back, since you'll be teaching me French," she said excitedly.

Bella was shocked. She didn't believe her eyes. She didn't believe that Christie could return the money to her. Bella had heard of how Christie had exploited many junior students, including the males in the school. She had even bullied on some of her seniors, both males and females.

"Urgh! She isn't that bad after all," Bella whispered, sighing as she was leaving.

"And who told you tthat I was ever bad?" Christie shouted. Bella was shocked that she heard her.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Bella quickly apologized in doubt of what Christie would do next. She did nothing, but only smiled and waved her right hand to say goodbye.

Bella walked into Miss Fiona's office and found it void of souls. The office was fairly large, to occupy three teachers. Miss Fiona's seat was the one right beside the door. Bella was surprised to see the office door left wide opened when nobody was in. She traipsed to Miss Fiona's seat and waited for her to come in.

She shouldn't be far away, Bella thought. It was break period, so it was certain that she wouldn't be in class at the moment.

Bella noticed a sheet of paper on the floor just beside the foot of a stool behind the table. She picked it up and glanced into it. Bella began to read the content of the paper:

Be my Romeo and let me be your Juliet.
Oh my Hero! When will your heart say To Let?
With my soul filled with Ero, I don't think I will ever regret
But how can I tell you that I LOVE YOU, FRANK.

When I fall, it is only for love
Yet I can't but stay so naive
If only I could fly into your heart like an ave
Then I won't hesitate to whisper LOVE INTO YOUR HEART, DEAR FRANK.

Bella was fascinated with the piece which was in a poetic fashion. She read it out to herself one more time and tucked the note into her pocket, smiling. She was finding it very funny.

Certainly, the handwriting was that of Miss Fiona.

"Hmm! She is in love," Bella whispered in smiles. "But to whom? Frank? Frankly speaking I know no frank."

Bella sat comfortably on Miss Fiona's seat as she expected her to come in. It was Mrs Fatima who came in five minutes later.

"Here you are young girl, waiting for your teacher I guess."

"Yes ma, where is she?" Bella asked excitedly.

"She collapsed and passed on few minutes ago. Didn't you see the ambulance whirring so loudly?"

Bella felt like a strange bullet had hit her skull when she heard the news. She almost collapsed too.[/b]

Just bring it on, sir. This is enthralling. But I think the 'a accented French' should be 'an accented French.' You say?

Following... More power to your elbow.

OluwabuqqyYOLO:
Just bring it on, sir. This is enthralling. But I think the 'a accented French' should be 'an accented French.' You say?

There shouldn't be 'a' or 'an' there at all. It was a typographic error. It should be English accented French. I will correct it now. Thanks.

[i][/i][b][/b]Because Every Body Is A Genius I will be following all the way. Can you tell where to read the complete version of EBIAG and We are able

[b]
CHAPTER EIGHT
STRANDED


The whole school was thrown into confusion as they awaited the report from the teaching staff who went to the hospital with the medical staff of the school.

Bella was punchy. She couldn't just figure it out that Miss Fiona was gone so suddenly. How possible?

Mr Tony was in Miss Fiona's office when she collapsed. He also went with the ambulance to the hospital.

Miss Fiona should not be dead, Bella thought. How come she could be dead like that? She is too nice to die prematurely.

Bella's initial thought of going to wage war of words with Miss Fiona had disappeared. Now she wished with all her heart to see her and give her a tight hug.

News later came to the school that Miss Fiona had been confirmed dead. Everyone shed tears for her. They would miss her so much. Bella had iimmediately begun to miss her.

"She couldn't be dead!" Bella kept saying to herself.

During the closing hour, Bella searched her pocket but couldn't find the #500 note Christie returned to her. She was shocked.

So, Christie still has the money, she thought. Bella was confused. That Christie of a thing is a big cheat. How did she take the money from me again after returning it? Bella pondered on. She was stuck.

Bella sat in the empty class. She was certainly not going to have someone to lend her some money since the class was already empty. Eventually, Bella thought of seeing Blossom, perhaps she could allow Murray to pick her up this time around.

Luckily, Bella met Blossom standing before Murray's car. She hurried towards them with her eyes filled with tears.

"Bella! What is the matter?" Blossom asked in shock.

"Miss Fiona is dead!" Bella said.

"Oh! I heard that too, Bella," Blossom said. "The whole school will surely miss her."

Bella kept quiet and sobbed.

"Bella, don't tell me that is the reason why you are sobbing, is that?" Blossom asked heartlessly. "Anyway, I hope you have met her to remove you from the school music club before she died."

Bella couldn't believe her ears. She just gaped and looked right inside her sisters eyes.

"Why are you staring at me that way Bella? Miss Fiona must take you out of the music club, else..."

Blossom got into the car and made to shut the door, but Bella held on to it.

"What Bella?" she asked

"I'm going home with you," Bella said.

"Why?" Blossom shouted. "Don't you have your transport fare?

"Christie took it," Bella said as she quickly told her the story of her meeting with the tomboy.

"Well...I insist you can't go with us, little sister, okay!"

"Okay could you just lend me #500? I'll return it to you..."

"No way!" Blossom shouted. "Not until you have gotten your butt off the music club."

"Please!"

Murray heard their conversation and came into the matter. He was willing to let Bella come into the car, but Blossom rejected as she forcefully yanked the door closed. Bella stood like an idiot as the car zoomed up, leaving a trail of dust behind.

Bella began to return to her classroom after staying five minutes on the same spot. She was perplexed. Blossom's attitude was totally bizarre to her.

Bella stood at the door of her classroom and looked on. She had given up. Just then, a man began to approach the class with a security officer. The man was screaming:

"What the hell is going on here? You must find my son, else I will show everyone in this school who I am! Where is my son!"

The man was bulky. A large fold of flesh rested just beneath his chin. He was a little bit bald. He was sweating.

When they saw Bella, they came close to her and grabbed her shoulders.

"Hello young girl, have you seen my son?" the confused my asked as though Bella was her last hope.

"Your son? Who is he?"

"My son, John," the man replied hastily. Bella began to think.

"Hasn't he shown up?"

"Yes, he hasn't," he said. "Of course we wouldn't be looking for him if he had."

"I think I know," Bella said eventually.

"Where?" the man asked in excitement. Bella began to lead them towards Mr Tony's office. She was certain that John would still be right there, dozing, since Mr Tony hadn't returned to the school to wake him up.

They began to hear some heavy snores as soon as they got to the door.

"Here is he," Bella said, but the fat man had already pulled the door opened fiercely. He saw John comfortably sleeping at the corner of the office, just where he had been during the break period when Mr Tony was in there with Bella.

John's father pulled at the collar of his son and pulled him up.

"Wake up you sleeping pig," the man said as he pulled him along. He opened his eyes halfway into the office and smiled, "Dad, you are here!"

"Shut up you sleeping pig."

John's father was grateful to Bella.

"Thanks young girl for saving me of trouble today," he said.

"It's my pleasure sir," Bella replied.

John's father entered the car and his son sat at the back seat as he got ready to zoom off. He was winding up when Bella suddenly peeped in. The man wasn't aware that she followed them to the car park.

"Hey, young lady, any problem?"

"Yes sir, please can you give me #500 please?"

"#500? Is anything the matter?" he asked politely.

"I lost my transport fare," Bella replied. When John heard that, he grinned and said, "Bella Benson, are you a housemaid or something? I thought someone should have come to pick you up instead if you aren't a housemaid?"

"Shut up!" John's father kept his son shut. Bella felt shy. "Sorry for that, young girl. Where do you live maybe I can give you a lift?"

"Allen sir," Bella replied.

"You can come in," the man said. "Backseat, please."

"Thank you sir," Bella replied humbly. She was full of emotion.

Bella got into the backseat and laid her back on the backrest. John shifted away from her, probably because he didn't want to have anything doing with a house girl.

"I hate house girls," John whispered to the hearing of Bella alone. She sobbed.[/b]

RegalD:
[i][/i][b][/b]Because Every Body Is A Genius I will be following all the way.
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great EBIAG...bros pls make una help us complete this meal....

[b]CHAPTER NINE
DESPERATION

It was no more news that Miss Fiona was gone. Frank sobbed as he told Benjamin about it.

"Bishop Daniel called me over the phone to share this news."

"This is serious!" Benjamin exclaimed. "When did this happen?"

"Just yesterday," Frank said, sobbing.

"So sorry about this big brother," Benjamin sympathized with him.

Frank was so pained that he didn't get to speak with her until she died.

"I don't think I will ever get married to anyone else."

"Why, brother? Why?" Benjamin was awed.

"She is my missing bone, don't you understand?" Frank said, weeping as he set his eyes on his brother.

"The Lord will provide you another," said Benjamin.

"Another? Exactly like Fiona?"

Benjamin was speechless. He just couldn't stop the tears flowing from his eyes too.

"God, why do you always take away my loved ones?" Frank began to murmur. "First it was my uncle, then my parents and and siblings; now my future partner! Why? Why?"

Benjamin quickly held his brother who was pointing upwards.

"Please sir, don't blame God, please. You have told me not to blame anything on anyone before. Why you now, brother?"

"Leave me alone!" Frank got mad.

While Frank was lamenting, his phone rang. He wasn't ready to pick it up. Benjamin stared into it and discovered it was Bishop Daniel's call.

"Sir, the bishop is calling," Benjamin said.

"Ben, don't disturb me, okay?" Frank yelled.

"But it is the bishop calling?" Ben argued.

"Bishop? Bishop indeed! Bishop, yet he didn't foresee the death of my beloved Fiona to avert it. What sort of Bishop is that?"

"Stop!" Benjamin screamed and Frank kept quiet. Benjamin began to regret his action immediately.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you big brother," he apologized. "But you don't know what the bishop may want to say. It could be good news."

"Good news?" Frank whispered in ambivalence. "Good news what?"

Frank listened to his brother and picked up the phone after the third attempt by the dialler.

"Hello...sir..."

"Hello brother Frank," the voice said from the other end. "Late Miss Fiona would be transfered to the mortuary today and your presence is highly required by the doctor before the transfer."

"My presence? For what?"

"I don't know myself," the bishop said. "All I know is that the doctor called me on phone that you must be there, that's all. Please do go there right now. Ebenezer Hospital, Allen junction."

"But...but...it isn't possible! How can...? Bishop! Bishop!!" the line was dead. "Dang!" Frank threw the handset at the chair.

"Sir...what are you going to do now? Are you going there right away?"

"Are you joking with me Ben? What on earth am I going there to do?"

"Maybe to foot the bill, I think."

"Foot the bill?" Frank yelled. "That's crazy! Since when does the church start pushing people's corpses on someone to cater for it? Of course I won't move a finger to do anything to the corpse of someone who hated my sight while she was alive."

"Sir, I thought you told me maybe she was shy that day or something."

"I don't think so anymore," Frank replied. "Fiona didn't return to the bishop to apologize for walking out on him. If she did, then I would have believed she was shy or something. I think she was only too proud and...and...wicked!" Frank burst out and began to weep.

"Anyway, let that be put behind you. Just show up in the hospital as the bishop says."

"Impossible! I am not budging a bit!" Frank insisted.

"If you indeed loved her while she was alive, then prove it to her in death by visiting the..."

"Shut up!" Frank screamed at his brother, banging the table concurrently. "Are you crazy?"

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

Bella was restive as she sat in the reception room of the hospital, awaiting the arrival of Frank. She was the one who engendered the whole idea of bringing Frank to see Fiona.

Earlier, Bella had tucked her hands in her pockets and had discovered Miss Fiona's love poem in it. When she unwrapped the paper, she discovered her missing #500 gently lying inside it.

"Ah!" she screamed inside the taxi on her way to the Ebenezer Hospital. "So here's where I kept the money," she whispered.

Bella quickly went through the poem again, taking her time this time around to ponder on every word in it. Bella spend time thinking on one line in particular:

'Be my Romeo and let me be your Juliet.
Oh my Hero! When will your heart say To Let?

'When I fall, it is only for love'

Bella began to relate the line with Miss Fiona's death.

"She said if she falls, it is only for love; she was in love with Frank, the choir leader according to the poem. I don't think she has told him about her feelings for him. Then in reality, she fell; she collapsed in her office and died. She must have died for love," Bella was talking to herself in the bus without being conscious of her surroundings.

"Wait, can love lead to death?" she pondered. "I know love could lead to sickness, being lovesick, but never heard it could lead to death too; I've got to check it out."

Bella quickly tapped on her sophisticated Android device which her father gave to her as her birthday present a day before he took his flight to Italy. She typed in Wikipedia and then demanded to know more about love. Bella found a lot on that word, 'lovesickness' and 'being love struck'.

"Yes! Miss Fiona died of lovesickness!" Bella banged her fist against the seat in front of her and the woman sitting on it turned her head at her and said, "You want to die in love too, don't you?"

All eyes were on Bella. The passengers were all laughing at her.

"Lover-girl," they chanted. Now she knew she had been speaking out all that was going on in her mind all the while.

Bella quickly ordered the driver to a halt at the next bus stop and jumped down hurriedly. She began to trek the rest of the journey to the hospital.

When Bella got to the hospital, Miss Fiona's remains had already been wrapped in a white cloth and placed on a trolley, ready to be transfered to the mortuary. A van was already waiting outside to convey it there.

After making some enquiries, Bella was told that the corpse was that of Fiona. She demanded to see her face, but the nurses shunned her.

Few minutes later, they began to push the trolley towards the exit door to transfer the corpse into the van in a stretcher. Just then, she rushed towards the door and hindered them.

"Miss Fiona cannot be dead!" Bella cried. "She cannot be dead!"

"Hey, leave the road, little girl. Your class teacher is dead!" they declared.

"She can't be dead! You won't take her anywhere! I must see the doctor!" Bella made herself rigid at the exit door. Two nurses grabbed her and pulled her off their path, but she anchored her right leg at the edge of the exit door.

"Young girl, get off!" they shouted on her but she didn't listen. When they managed to wheel off the corpse through the exit, Bella held tight to Miss Fiona's right leg which was already partially uncovered. At that juncture, the doctor appeared.

"What's happening here?" the doctor demanded. He was in a white work-cloth, with a pair of stethoscopes hanging on his neck. He had a piercing eyes and narrow noses which would leave one to wonder how he was breathing.

"A mad girl is resisting us," a nurse said.

The doctor ordered them to leave her and they did. Then he ddemanded to know why she was behaving in such manner.

"My teacher is not dead yet," Bella said confidently. "She couldn't be dead just yet."

The man grinned and said, "Young girl, I can understand your love for your teacher, but sorry to tell you this; you'll miss her forever."

"Sir...on what account are you declaring her dead?" Bella challenged him.

"Hurgh!" the man was shocked at the question, looking in awe at the little girl. He smiled and said, "What's your name little girl."

"Bella," she said. "I'm Bella Benson."

"Okay, right Bella, there is this test we do conduct on the dead people...I mean checking for the cause of death..."

"Post-mortem, I know," Bella belled. "Or autopsy, if you so wish. So what was your finding sir?"

"She died of insomnia," the doctor confirmed.

"I don't think so," Bella challenged him. "Rather, it's lovesickness instead."

The doctor pulled up his eyeglasses and sniffed. He was shocked that a little girl could know so much.

"H-how do you mean?" the man stammered.

"Here," Bella gave the letter to the doctor. "She wrote this just before she collapsed."

The doctor took a cursory look at it and began to correlate the term 'lovesickness' with the disease 'insomnia'.

"You are so so right little girl!" the man exclaimed eventually. "Insomnia could be mistaken for death by lovesickness!"

"Fact," Bella replied sharply. "Wikipedia said this."

"But she's dead all the same little Bella, so let the medical practitioners do their job."

"I think maybe she's concussed," Bella tried to raise some hope. "Give her a little time...a little time...maybe she might just get up again."

The doctor laughed.

"Well...I don't doubt miracle, Bella, but this body here has been lifeless since yesterday, I hope you know."

"Sir...maybe your stethoscope is faulty," Bella replied.

After spending more time talking, Bella suggested that the doctor should contact Frank, the man in question.

"Let Miss Fiona have at least a touch from the one she had been longing for in her lifetime. Then she would sleep well in her grave that way."

The doctor found the idea childish, but eventually, he listened to Bella and made attempts at reaching Frank. The only way they could reach him was through Bishop Daniel, whose contact the doctor had, since he was his family doctor. And so, Bishop Daniel was called on phone, who in turn called Frank.[/b]

CHAPTER TEN
FELIX MET FIONA

Bella stared at her wrist-watch time and time again as she awaited the arrival of Frank. It was fast becoming a forlon hope as time passed by without any sign that the man in question would show up.

Two of Fiona's relatives had come around. They were amazed that the doctor hadn't carried out their order.

The doctor explained the whole issue to them and they spoke with Bella.

"Young lady, are you sure of what you are saying?" asked Fiona's immediate elder brother.

"Yes, sir," Bella replied slowly. "Here is the evidence." Bella showed him the letter. The man read the letter and remained quiet.

Bella herself hadn't told anyone at home that she was leaving home for the hospital. No one at home would know of her whereabouts. She had only sneaked out.

Bella's phone began to ring. It was her mother. She didn't pick it up. Soon, Blossom began to call her too. She ignored the call and put off her phone.

The doctor couldn't wait anymore, so also was Fiona's elder brother. He spoke softly to Bella and prevailed over her:

"Young girl, I really appreciate your affection for your teacher, my sister, but she is gone, that's the reality."

Bella sobbed when she heard that. Fiona's younger sister cuddled her in her embrace to console her.

"You really love her," the lady said. "Our family will be forever grateful to you."

Fiona's remain was borne on a stretcher and transferred into the van which would convey her to the mortuary. Bella followed suit and wept.

Fiona's siblings entered the van and the car engine revved to life. Just then, Bella tearfully began to move towards the exit gate. She saw a car trying to make its way into the compound. Bella waited for the car to come in, but it halted just at the entrance of the gate. A teenager alighted and began to come towards Bella.

"Bella Benson!" the young boy called. It was Benjamin.

"Benjamin!" Bella replied. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same," Benjamin said. "I've been looking for you all these while."

"Looking for me? Why?"

Benjamin was shy.

"Nothing," he scratched his nape. "But for real why are you here?"

"I lost my class-teacher," Bella said with a sorry face. "Her corpse is in that van, ready to be moved to the morgue."

"Fiona?" Benjamin asked curiously.

"Exactly! How do you know?"

"Because my big brother's coming to see her corpse."

"Frank's your brother?" Bella said excitedly and Benjamin nodded. "Is he here?"

Just then, Frank came out of the car. At his sight, Bella rushed to meet him and pulled at his wrist.

"We have been waiting for you all day! Miss Fiona was madly in love with you!"

"What!" Frank yelled.

"See what she wrote," Bella quickly handed over the letter to Frank. He was shocked after perusing it:


Be my Romeo and let me be your Juliet.
Oh my Hero! When will your heart say To Let?
With my soul filled with Ero, I don't think I will ever regret
But how can I tell you that I LOVE YOU, FRANK.

When I fall, it is only for love
Yet I can't but stay so naive
If only I could fly into your heart like an ave
Then I won't hesitate to whisper LOVE INTO YOUR HEART, DEAR FRANK.

"Incredible!" Frank yelled. "Where is she?"

"Right in there!" Bella pointed to the van which was horning outrageously. Seemed the driver in there was already out of patience.

Bella led Frank to the van in haste and introduced him to Fiona's siblings as Frank.

"So...you are the man who...who..." Fiona's sister stammered and burst into tears.

Frank demanded to see her face. They uncovered her.

"What was the nature of her death?" Frank demanded.

"Insomnia," Fiona's brother said, but Bella was quick to say, "Lovesickness."

Frank was touched in the heart. How come Fiona loved him, yet walked out on him when he had wanted to ask her out?

Frank wept over Fiona's face. His tears dropped right on Fiona's fastened eyes.

"Fiona! I will always love you. You will forever remain in my heart, even though we didn't get to walk down the aisle in the real world, but we could do so in dreams. Why didn't you tell me that you are having feelings for me? Why did you walk away when I was about to propose to you? Why did you leave my heart broken? Why did you leave the world so soon? Why? Sweet Fiona, whhhhhyyyyy!"

Everyone watched in tears as Felix' tears ran around Fiona's face. Some of them sank right inside the corners of Fiona's shut eyes. Just then, there was a movement. Fiona blinked!

Actually, it was not Fiona that blinked, we did, everyone thought. When they all stopped blinking, she kept on blinking.

All mouths went agape!

Fiona coughed and sneezed and opened her eyes. Everyone was frozen with shock!

"Where am I?" Fiona asked in a low tone. Just then, she found Frank bending over her. She smiled. "So I've been daydreaming."

"You are not daydreaming Fiona," Frank said courageously. "This is Frank for real!"

Fiona thumped up.

"Frank? How come?" Fiona looked around and saw her siblings. Then she saw Bella.

"Bella Benson you are here too? What's happening?" Fiona demanded enthusiastically.

"A long story," Bella replied.

"Yeah, a long story indeed," the doctor said. "You were dead and your body was about to be moved to the mortuary."

"Over my dead body!" she screamed.

After the doctor had finished telling Fiona all what happened, Frank demanded, "Are you sure you are really in love with me?"

"Of course yes!" Fiona threw shyness behind her and replied at once. "But I didn't know how to approach you to say this."

"But you walked out on me when I wanted to tell you my feelings towards you."

"Christ!" Fiona yelled. "Was that you? I never knew it was you because I covered my face. I thought it was another 'brother-in-the-Lord again coming to disturb me as usual. I swear I didn't know it was you, my true love!"

At that juncture, Frank couldn't restrain from shedding tears again. He poured them out once more as he gave Fiona a passionate tight hug.

Benjamin was over-excited too. He gave Bella a tight hug too.

"Bella Benson, tthank you for saving big brother's life," Benjamin said.

"How?" Bella asked without resisting the hug.

"He would have committed suicide," Benjamin confessed.

Bella was declared the hero of the day by the doctor.

"Indeed this is another Romeo and Juliet's lovesickness," said the doctor.

"And now you should admit your wrong sir," Bella said, smiling.

"About what?"

"That your stethoscope is faulty," Bella said amusingly and they all burst into laughter.

Fiona demanded a hug with Bella. It was indeed very emotional.

CHAPTER TEN
FELIX MET FIONA

Bella stared at her wrist-watch time and time again as she awaited the arrival of Frank. It was fast becoming a forlon hope as time passed by without any sign that the man in question would show up.

Two of Fiona's siblings had come around. They were amazed that the doctor hadn't carried out their order.

The doctor explained the whole issue to them and they spoke with Bella.

"Young lady, are you sure of what you are saying?" asked Fiona's immediate elder brother.

"Yes, sir," Bella replied slowly. "Here is the evidence." Bella showed him the letter. The man read the letter and remained quiet.

Bella herself hadn't told anyone at home that she was leaving home for the hospital. No one at home would know of her whereabouts. She had only sneaked out.

Bella's phone began to ring. It was her mother. She didn't pick it up. Soon, Blossom began to call her too. She ignored the call and put off her phone.

The doctor couldn't wait anymore, so also was Fiona's elder brother. He spoke softly to Bella and prevailed over her:

"Young girl, I really appreciate your affection for your teacher, my sister, but she is gone, that's the reality."

Bella sobbed when she heard that. Fiona's younger sister cuddled her in her embrace to console her.

"You really love her," the lady said. "Our family will be forever grateful to you."

Fiona's remain was borne on a stretcher and transferred into the van which would convey her to the mortuary. Bella followed suit and wept.

Fiona's siblings entered the van and the car engine revved to life. Just then, Bella tearfully began to move towards the exit gate. She saw a car trying to make its way into the compound. Bella waited for the car to come in, but it halted just at the entrance of the gate. A teenager alighted and began to come towards Bella.

"Bella Benson!" the young boy called. It was Benjamin.

"Benjamin!" Bella replied. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same," Benjamin said. "I've been looking for you all these while."

"Looking for me? Why?"

Benjamin was shy.

"Nothing," he scratched his nape. "But for real why are you here?"

"I lost my class-teacher," Bella said with a sorry face. "Her corpse is in that van, ready to be moved to the morgue."

"Fiona?" Benjamin asked curiously.

"Exactly! How do you know?"

"Because my big brother's coming to see her corpse."

"Frank's your brother?" Bella said excitedly and Benjamin nodded. "Is he here?"

Just then, Frank came out of the car. At his sight, Bella rushed to meet him and pulled at his wrist.

"We have been waiting for you all day! Miss Fiona was madly in love with you!"

"What!" Frank yelled.

"See what she wrote," Bella quickly handed over the letter to Frank. He was shocked after perusing it:


Be my Romeo and let me be your Juliet.
Oh my Hero! When will your heart say To Let?
With my soul filled with Ero, I don't think I will ever regret
But how can I tell you that I LOVE YOU, FRANK.

When I fall, it is only for love
Yet I can't but stay so naive
If only I could fly into your heart like an ave
Then I won't hesitate to whisper LOVE INTO YOUR HEART, DEAR FRANK.

"Incredible!" Frank yelled. "Where is she?"

"Right in there!" Bella pointed to the van which was horning outrageously. Seemed the driver in there was already out of patience.

Bella led Frank to the van in haste and introduced him to Fiona's siblings as Frank.

"So...you are the man who...who..." Fiona's sister stammered and burst into tears.

Frank demanded to see her face. They uncovered her.

"What was the nature of her death?" Frank demanded.

"Insomnia," Fiona's brother said, but Bella was quick to say, "Lovesickness."

Frank was touched in the heart. How come Fiona loved him, yet walked out on him when he had wanted to ask her out?

Frank wept over Fiona's face. His tears dropped right on Fiona's fastened eyes.

"Fiona! I will always love you. You will forever remain in my heart, even though we didn't get to walk down the aisle in the real world, but we could do so in dreams. Why didn't you tell me that you are having feelings for me? Why did you walk away when I was about to propose to you? Why did you leave my heart broken? Why did you leave the world so soon? Why? Sweet Fiona, whhhhhyyyyy!"

Everyone watched in tears as Felix' tears ran around Fiona's face. Some of them sank right inside the corners of Fiona's shut eyes. Just then, there was a movement. Fiona blinked!

Actually, it was not Fiona that blinked, we did, everyone thought. When they all stopped blinking, she kept on blinking.

All mouths went agape!

Fiona coughed and sneezed and opened her eyes. Everyone was frozen with shock!

"Where am I?" Fiona asked in a low tone. Just then, she found Frank bending over her. She smiled. "So I've been daydreaming."

"You are not daydreaming Fiona," Frank said courageously. "This is Frank for real!"

Fiona thumped up.

"Frank? How come?" Fiona looked around and saw her siblings. Then she saw Bella.

"Bella Benson you are here too? What's happening?" Fiona demanded enthusiastically.

"A long story," Bella replied.

"Yeah, a long story indeed," the doctor said. "You were dead and your body was about to be moved to the mortuary."

"Over my dead body!" she screamed.

After the doctor had finished telling Fiona all what happened, Frank demanded, "Are you sure you are really in love with me?"

"Of course yes!" Fiona threw shyness behind her and replied at once. "But I didn't know how to approach you to say this."

"But you walked out on me when I wanted to tell you my feelings towards you."

"Christ!" Fiona yelled. "Was that you? I never knew it was you because I covered my face. I thought it was another 'brother-in-the-Lord again coming to disturb me as usual. I swear I didn't know it was you, my true love!"

At that juncture, Frank couldn't restrain from shedding tears again. He poured them out once more as he gave Fiona a passionate tight hug.

Benjamin was over-excited too. He gave Bella a tight hug too.

"Bella Benson, tthank you for saving big brother's life," Benjamin said.

"How?" Bella asked without resisting the hug.

"He would have committed suicide," Benjamin confessed.

Bella was declared the hero of the day by the doctor.

"Indeed this is another Romeo and Juliet's lovesickness," said the doctor.

"And now you should admit your wrong sir," Bella said, smiling.

"About what?"

"That your stethoscope is faulty," Bella said amusingly and they all burst into laughter.

Fiona demanded a hug with Bella. It was indeed very emotional.

Wow! This is really interesting. Well done Sam!

Cc: toykathy, buoye1, chistar01, harris, stuff46, shebarh, labaski, d9ty7.

LogoDWhiz:
Wow! This is really interesting. Well done Sam!

Cc: toykathy, buoye1, chistar01, harris, stuff46, shebarh, labaski, d9ty7.

I ws here b4 nah, thz for d mention.

Readinq...

Thanks for the mention LoGodwhiz

[b] CHAPTER TEN

RIVALRY

The news of Bella's feat had spread like wildfire all around the school and beyond. Undoubtedly, Bella took much of the credit. She was presented publicly in both her school and her church as an epitome of good character.

"Bella Benson, I hereby declare you the most well-behaved student of MBC ever!" the Vice Principal of Morning Bell College announced on the assembly ground. A loud chant followed.

Christie suddenly emerged from nowhere and gave Bella a lift, balancing her on her neck. Everyone was shocked that even Christie herself could be friendly.

The atmosphere of the school had changed for good as everyone shared the joy of having their wonderful teacher come back to life. However, only one soul found the happy atmosphere inconvenient. It was Blossom.

Blossom began to hate every sight of her sister, even to her shadows. She wished she was the one being lionised in such manner.

Blossom began to plot her sister's downfall. Conspicuously, she didn't want to see her doing great at all.

Blossom developed a very cold attitude towards Bella. She decided to keep her younger sister at arm's length.

Blossom found Bella and Christie mixing together. It even seemed that the latter had begun to behave well. Blossom hated such development. She would do everything in her capacity to make them part ways.

"I think I know what to do," Blossom said and snapped her fingers when she saw them studying together.

Bella found Christie very interesting and jovial. She was humble too, Bella thought, for stooping so low to ask a junior student to be teaching her French. Just within a week of being in companionship with Christie, Bella had found her more interesting than her biological sisters.

Christie took the study of French very seriously such that Bella began to wonder if something was wrong with her.

"Madame et Madamosseille," Christie smiled happily to herself as she pronounced them. "J'adore le Francais."

Christie never knew she could learn French in her life, because she thought she hated it. Now she was getting along, enjoying it.

Christie demanded to know why Bella was always catching a shuttle bus to and from the school.

"What's wrong Bella?" Christie asked. "I thought it's only the less fortunate people that goes home from school with a shuttle bus. You should have someone, at least a driver, to always drop you in school and pick you up again. Does your father not have a driver?"

Bella didn't want to talk about that matter, because she always never wanted anyone to think of her mother as heartless. Christie understood her silence and changed the topic immediately.

Blossom had been hanging around for a while now, unnoticed. She had been staring into her watch to see if the time was not far spent yet. She was already done with her plan of sowing the seed of discord between Christie and Bella, so she was only waiting to execute it when possible.

Soon, Christie began to make for her class while Bella remained. As soon as she stepped out of the empty study room, John hurried in. He wanted to have something doing with Bella too.

Christie had just stepped out of the study-room when Blossom met her.

"Hi," Blossom greeted.

"Hi," Christie replied. "Can I help you?"

"Not really," Blossom said with a smile. "Do you know me?"

"Not at all," said Bella. "Who are you?"

"I'm Bella's elder sister," Blossom said politely.

"Oh, enchante mademosseille!" Christie said rashly in French. "Oh, I mean to say Nice meeting you!"

"You're welcome," Blossom said. "Actually I have something to tell you."

"Say on," Christie said as they walked further and further away from the study room.

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

"Bella, I'm so sorry," John said.

"For what?" Bella was inquisitve.

"For calling you a housemaid last week," John said with a penitent face. Bella smiled.

"That's nothing," Bella replied. "Thanks to your dad for picking me up in his car that day," she added.

John was staring into Bella's eyes, smiling.

"Why are you looking at my face this way?" Bella demanded.

"I...I love..." he coughed. "I love to learn something from you as well...like Christie."

Bella sighed.

"Something like what?" she demanded. "Of course you know I'm not better than you academically."

"But Mr Tony said you are very good at music."

"Oh! That? Maybe, I don't know," Bella replied shyly. "So you think maybe I can teach you music?"

"Of course!" John said.

"I need a teacher for that as well," Bella replied. "I'll be practicing with the school music club as from next week."

"Then lemme come along," John said. "I'll have to skip Mr. Tony's trial. I hope Mrs Dorcas will accept me into the club."

"Let's hope so," Bella replied.

Bella was surprised that Christie didn't show up for the French tutorial in the study room for two days.

"But she didn't say she won't come," Bella whispered to herself as she waited patiently for her to show up the second day.

Bella kept tapping the floor with her feet. She was restive. Eventually, she decided to go and see her in her class. The break period would soon be over.

Bella rose to her feet and began to make for the S.S.S 1 block. She got there in no time at all, but Christe wasn't there.

"Bella the magician!" they hailed her. She had become a household celebrity overnight.

"Please where can I locate her?" she asked.

"Maybe you should go and check her in the library," they said. "Recently she has become a very serious student," they said and laughed. Bella thanked them and began to make for the library.

Bella found Christie right in there, perusing a French textbook: "Apprendre Le Francais"

"Salut Christie," Bella said with a smile. She turned around and saw her. She hissed and turned her face away from her immediately.

"Christie!" Bella screamed with shock.

"Leave me alone!" Christie bleated at her. She was astounded.[/b]

awww,am feeling for Bella.nice story sammy04real.

cc:treasuremabel dahprech mclove shalomdee Koppa fatamy,y'all shud check dz story out.

Nice story

stuff46:
Readinq...

Thanks for the mention LoGodwhiz

Uwc bro.
Hope you're enjoying it?

toykathy:

I ws here b4 nah, thz for d mention.

Okay dear!