A week later...

Bianca is alone in the classroom, writing in her diary after assembly, where Damien and Lekan's resumption was announced after having met up with the terms and conditions for resumption. Her classmates are still outside the classroom, busy chatting away and doing one thing or another before the day's lessons begin. 

Looking up briefly from her writing, she catches a glimpse of Damien strolling gracefully her way. She hurriedly packs her books and makes to stand up, but not before he sees part of what she's writing. Damien, sensing what she is about to do, is quick in his strides and blocks her way. 

She decides to make a stand for it and blurts out hotly, "Damien, what do you want?" Crossing her arms on her chest, she looks at him for an answer. 

Flashing his signature smile full of arrogance, he said, "Well, as you know, I just resumed school today after my suspension. The principal says I have to apologize to you in person before classes begin for the day. So here I am." 

"I don't need your apology, Damien. Happy resumption. Can you please get out of my sight now?" 

He cocks his head to one side and smiles again. "See, it doesn't quite work like that. I need to apologize to you, as the principal said. I haven't done that, so I can't leave yet." 

"Okay, fine. Apologize and leave. I need to get back to my studying before the teacher arrives." 

"Bianca, I am very sorry for every wrong I did towards you. I am sincerely remorseful, and I hope we can be friends moving forward." He says it mockingly, without any form of remorse whatsoever. "I hope my apology is accepted." 

"You have apologized; you can leave now." Hannah enters the classroom looking for Bianca when she spots her in a staring competition with Damien. Muttering curses under her breath, she dashes to where they are. Shoving Damien out of the way, she gently pushes Bianca behind her, facing Damien.

They stare at each other for minutes in silence, each vowing not to break the silence. 

"What are you doing talking to her? I'm warning you to stay the hell away from Bianca or else." 

Finally breaking his silence, he cuts her off. He takes two steps forward to stand directly in front of her, staring at her intently. "Or else what? Just what are you going to do if I do not stay away from her? Who made you her guardian?" 

Hannah raises her left hand to slap him in fury but is stopped by Bianca, who has sensed what she is about to do." 

"Fighting in school attracts immediate suspension; he's not worth getting a suspension over. According to him, he's here to apologize because the principal ordered him to." Turning to face Damien, you have apologized; can you please leave now before I report you again?" 

Raising his arms in mock surrender, he said, "I am leaving, sure, but I have one more thing to say, with your permission, of course." Knowing she would never be rid of him until she listened to what he had to say, she conceded. "Out with it then." 

He looks from Hannah to Bianca, smiling satisfactorily at the anger in their faces. "I just want you to remember that you humiliated me in the presence of our classmates, and I was ridiculed and suspended in front of the whole school because of you. I am not done with you, Bianca. Even if it's the last thing I do, I'm going to make it my mission to pay you back." Turning on his heels, he blows them a kiss and leaves before either of them could think of a comeback reply. " 

Hannah is the first to say, "Imagine the guts on that pest, blaming you for his own foolish actions and threatening you for them. We have to go to the principal and let her know what he said. He certainly needs to be dealt with again." 

"Look, it's fine; there's no need to blow it out of proportion. He obviously can't do anything, and he's just making empty threats to make himself feel better. He will be the last to admit it, but I'm sure he's learned his lesson. I don't want to be the headline of gossip in school anymore. Let's let sleeping dogs lie." 

Shaking her head doubtfully, "What if he makes good on his threat? Remember what he was planning the last time." 

"He's all bark and no bite, trust me. He said all he said to feel better and feed his ego; he wouldn't dare try anything." 

"It's okay if you think so." 

"I don't think so; I know so." Looking around quickly to be certain no one is coming, she smiles at Hannah and pulls her in for a kiss. They lock lips for a few seconds before breaking apart all smiles. 

" Bianca winks at Hannah, "I hope your mind is at rest now. At least, I just gave you something else to think about to get your mind off that fool." 

"Girl, you are crazy. You have never done this kind of thing before. You have always been the level-headed one; who could have ever imagined that you could throw caution to the wind like that?" 

"I didn't entirely throw caution to the wind; I made sure no one was approaching. It's worth it though, isn't it?" 

Biting her lower lip seductively, she said, "It sure is. Do you think you could maybe come over after classes today?" 

"Sure, I can, and I will. I will tell my parents I'm going to study at your place for a couple of hours." 

"Good. It's all settled then." 

They take their seats beside each other as their classmates begin to enter the class in twos and threes, followed closely by their teacher. Making googly eyes and smiling at each other, they settle down for their lessons, sadly unaware that Damien was by the window, watching and seeing everything they did. 

The lessons for the day begin, and Damien slithers away to look for Lekan, his partner in crime. Plotting his next step along the way, he praises himself inwardly for choosing to stay back to confirm his suspicions only because he read a few lines from Bianca's diary. He almost couldn't believe what his eyes saw; it took all his self-restraint not to shout at them when he saw them kissing. Thinking about the episode disgusts him, and he swallows hard to stop himself from gagging. 

Who would have ever thought Bianca was a lesbian? No wonder she was always so cold to boys, and Hannah was always quick to come to her defense. Thinking back to numerous occasions, it suddenly occurred to him that neither of them had any friends in school or class except for each other. Feeling betrayed and angry, he furiously kicks a stone in his path away, wishing it was Bianca.

"How could she?" He thought to himself. To think, he didn't even lose her to a fellow male, but a female, for that matter. Such beauty, wasted! How long could they have been engaging in their dirty acts, even making time to continue at home? What could have led them to it? Several unanswered questions flash through his head. Even though he had no honorable intentions towards her, he still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he had lost her and could never have her. Swearing and cursing, he slaps his forehead several times in frustration. 

He stops walking and sits on a seat under a nearby tree, where he begins to rationalize his thoughts. Even if he couldn't have her, he could at least have his revenge. Scheming and cooking up different plans in his head, he satisfactorily picks the most devilish one, already laying the groundwork in his head. He smiles wickedly and stands up to continue his search for Lekan. 

"She has no idea what's coming for her! Bianca better watch her back." He says it out loud to himself, walking with a newfound confident feeling of bravado.