Missmossy:
Serves her right

You are doing a wonderful job Sammy, keep it coming.

Thanks.

SammyO4real:
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE TO EVERYONE!!!
IT WOULDN'T BE A COINCIDENCE IF BELLA BENSON COULD BE FREE TODAY AS WELL FROM THE SCHOOL PANEL! READERS, WHAT DO YOU THINK? DO YOU WISH THAT BELLA BENSON SHOULD BE SET FREE?

Sure! That would be lovely

nice 1 sammy

Wow, interesting. Bring it on sammy.

achristie is bella's saving grace. the update really tally with the independence celebration.

[b] CHAPTER FIFTEEN
COURAGE

Bella knew what her home would look like. She was scared of going home after school, knowing quite well that her mother would criticise her for Blossom's suspension.

Bella wanted to confide in Miss Fiona, perhaps she could go home with her to speak with her mother, but she had left for home earlier. It was not usual of her to do that. Miss Fiona was the type who would prefer to stay in school one hour after school hour.

Bella thought she would go and see Frank instead.

"I think he is elderly enough to speak with my mother," Bella opined. It was a Friday.

Bella boarded a taxi and headed straight for Benjamin's home to see his brother. On getting there, she met only Benjamin at home.

"Bella!" Benjamin called in excitement.

"Where is brother Frank?" she demanded.

"He left home." he said. "Just now. Didn't his car pass by you?"

"I didn't notice it," Bella said.

Benjamin asked why Bella was looking lugubrious and she explained in details.

"Bella, I don't understand you at all!" Benjamin yelled. "You mean you need my brother to follow you to your house to plead on your behalf for your sister's suspension?"

"Yes, exactly," Bella spoke softly.

"You must be joking, Bella," Benjamin said, grinning.

"I'm serious."

Benjamin looked critically at Bella and said, "Thank God my brother isn't around. Even if he were to be around, I wouldn't let him move an inch let alone following you to your home to do any funny stuff."

"Eh, Ben, what are you saying?" Bella spoke wanely.

"You should be the one to demand an apology from your sister for implicating you and not you thinking of apologising for what you didn't do!" Benjamin spoke critically.

"Ben, I'm afraid it's not how you are saying it. I know my home, I know my sister and I know my mum. They won't take it lightly with me."

"Rather, it should be the other way round, Bella!" Benjamin replied.

Bella was shaking visibly. She was sure that Blossom would do a lot of things to frustrate her for being suspended.

"Ben, please can you follow me home? Please I beg you, just...just follow me home to plead on my behalf."

"Myself? Follow you home to do such nonsense stuff? Impossible!"

"Then I won't leave here!" Bella said and sank into the chair.

Benjamin looked at her and said, "I can see you are not like Cynthia. There's one thing she has that's still lacking in you, Bella."

"And what's that?" Bella asked.

"Courage!" he said. "You really lack courage; Bella, you lack the courage to face situations of life. You are too simple to face the reality and that's one thing I hate about you."

"So, Ben you now hate me, huh. Anyway, I'll be here until bro Frank returns. Then he'll surely follow me home."

Benjamin laughed.

"I guess you'll be here till Monday."

"Why?"

"Because my brother wouldn't be back till Monday," Benjamin said.

"Oh Gush!" Bella banged the table with her fist. "Then I'm going to Miss Fiona's home rightaway. She'll surely not hesitate to go with me."

Benjamin guffawed and Bella wondered why she was laughing about the serious issue.

"Are you laughing at me, Ben?"

"No, I was only laughing at your ignorance."

"How?"

"Miss Fiona travelled with Frank to our village. He's going to show them his fiancée.

"Oh! No wonder she left school early."

"They'll be back on Monday. Will you wait for them until they return?" Benjamin made fun.

"Ben! Stop!" Bella was furious.

"Well...Bella, just relax and feel at home. Stella will serve you to your taste while I go upstairs to rest. Stella!" Benjamin called and the housemaid rushed to the spot.

"Yes sir," she said.

"Serve Bella something nice. She'll be here till Monday."

"Stop all these!" Bella cried out loud. Ben rose to his feet and began to make for the staircase.

"Ben, are you leaving me here? Aren't you following me home?" Bella bleated, but Ben didn't pay attention to her. He was already at the staircase.

The housemaid asked Bella what she would like to eat:

"Madam, we get a lot of food here. Wetin you wan make I serve you?"

"Get lost?" Bella shouted amidst tears. She didn't know how she had the gut to yell like that. "I'm sorry for shouting at you madam. Just go," she said in a low tone of penitence as she bowed her head and sobbed.

Bella raised her head and gawped into her wristwatch. It was already 5:30pm. She was scared. Her parent must have been looking for her.

Bella made for the staircase immediately. She was going to force Benjamin to follow her home.

Bella stood right in front of Benjamin's door and thumped hard at it.

"Who is there?" a voice sounded from the interior.

"Bella," she said.

"Oh, Bella, you are still around? Have you been served by Stella?"

"Forget that, Ben. Just...just come out and let's go my home together."

"You must be kidding!" Benjamin sounded from the interior.

"Ben, I'm serious! You are the only one I have now. Please you have to come with me."

"Bella, you are disturbing my sleep. Just go!"

"Please Ben, please!" Bella pleaded. She began to bang the door when Benjamin didn't reply her anymore.

"Ben, I beg you in the name of the Almighty God, follow me home! It's getting too late."

"God knows I won't follow you," Benjamin sounded mean. "Just...just go, Bella! You are disturbing my sleep!"

"So, you mean you left me downstairs to sleep. I can't believe my ears."

Bella kept talking, but it seemed she was speaking to herself. At last she said, "Ben, if you won't follow me, then consider our friendship gone!"

"I don't give a damn!" Benjamin's voice sounded. "Go and face your sister. She is only your sister and not a god to be worshipped!"

Bella was surprised that Benjamin could actually shun her in such manner. She knew it would be useless to keep begging him, so she decided to take her leave.

I swear I'll have nothing to do with Benjamin henceforth, Bella thought. "I don't care if his Cynthia dies once more!" she said as she exited the house, banging the door furiously.

It was 6.00pm already. Bella adjourned to a phone booth to call her father. She had once written his number in a sheet of paper. Now she would call him and tell him all that happened and then instruct him to call home immediately.

Bella dialled her father's phone number but it didn't go through. She felt deserted by everyone. Now she knew she had to face the reality of life by herself. She took a taxi and off she went.

Bella got home around 7pm. The whole house was dull, except for Baby who was making some noise in the members parlour. Bella stepped in and went straight for her room. She was not sure if her mother had been looking for her or not.

Bella had a very deep sleep. She woke up at the middle of the night and then could not sleep anymore. Then she began to hear the voice of Blossom and her mother coming from the parlour.

"My daughter, Blossom, just keep calm okay. Three weeks will soon be over and you'll return to school."

"No mummy," Blossom argued. "Let me teach her a lesson she will not forget in her life."

"Blossom, you know what. The lesson we will teach her is simple. We will just simply ignore her, that's all. She will feel it more when ignored than when scolding her."

Bella was surprised that her mother was fast becoming a party to a plot against her. A surge of confidence engulfed her as she reached for the door and rushed out of her room immediately.

"Mummy, I can't believe you are plotting such thing against me!" Bella attacked her mother. She just hissed and looked away. "Mummy! mummy! mummy!" Bella called but she only left for her room without uttering a word.

"Bella, what gut have you to shout on my mummy in that way?" Blossom shouted at her.

"And what gut have you to challenge me?" Bella gave it back to her.

"Bella?" Blossom called out her name in shock.

"Blossom, what!" she replied.

"How dare you?" she yelled at her face.

"And how dare you too?" Bella replied her, pointing at her face.

Blossom raised her hand to slap Bella on the face, but she was fast enough to hold her wrist.

"Bella! Are you crazy?"

"I should ask you that instead!" Bella responded promptly.

Blossom looked straight into Bella's eyes for sometimes and didn't find a trace of cowardice in them anymore. Their two younger ones were awake already, except for Baby. They were surprised to see their sisters in such scenario.

"What's going on here?" Binta asked, facing Blossom, while Betty also asked the same question from Bella. Blossom left for her room without uttering a speech. As for Bella, her eyes were clear of sleep. She sat down on the sofa in anger.

"Not anymore!" she said. She was overwhelmed with confidence.

The next morning, Lucia would go for shopping. She found Bella lying partially asleep in the parlour. Bella woke up when she saw her.

"Good morning mum," Bella said. She did as though she didn't hear any sound as she made for the door. "Mum, I'm greeting you."

"Eh, just pocket your greeting!" Lucia shouted at her and hissed.

"What have I done wrong?" Bella challenged her.

"Have you apologised to your sister for getting her suspended?"

"I owe that shameless sister no apology!" Bella spoke aloud. "She was trying to implicate me and then ran into trouble herself. I think that's good for her. She should be the one to apologise to me, not myself apologising to her."

"Bella, you are changing," the woman said with a smile. "She's your elder sister, I hope you know."

"I disagree!" Bella replied. "She's been to me my closest enemy since dad left for Italy. How I wish I never had an elder sister."

Lucia remained a little while, observing Bella. Then she began to make for the door.

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

Benjamin was stretching and yawning after a long night sleep which had stretched into the afternoon. It was 12 noon already. Benjamin had only been awakened by the repeated sound of the doorbell.

"Stella! Stella! Go and check who is at the door!" Benjamin kept on saying as the doorbell persisted. Eventually he rose up and went to check it out himself.

From the door vantage point, Benjamin saw Bella standing at the door. He opened for her. To his surprise, Bella hugged him.

"W-what is it?" he stammered.

"It worked," Bella said excitedly as she disentangled. "I went straight for them; my sister and my mum."

"And how did it go?"

"They gave in," Bella spoke enthusiastically. "Mother confessed that I am changing."

"Tell me more!" Benjamin said as he led her in. She sat confidently on the sofa, smiling. "We are going to celebrate this together."

"Yeah, good idea!" Bella exclaimed. Benjamin went for a non-alcoholic wine, a Nebuchadnezzar his elder brother had been keeping in the house for a long time.

"We are popping this," Benjamin said as he carried the 15-litre bottle carefully like a baby.

"What!" Bella screamed. She hadn't seen a wine bottle as big as that before.

"Oh! Is it too big? I guess no. Frank bought this from Faroe Island six months ago. It's a Nebuchadnezzar. He'll be going for a Solomon next time he is on leave."

Benjamin poured some wine into the bottles. They lifted their bottles and clinked them as they drank to a toast:

"To courage!" they said together and filled their gullets with the liquor. Just then, Stella suddenly burst in.

"Wetin you people dey drink!" she yelled.

"Wine of course, as you can see."

"Ah! Oga Frank say make I no allow you touch am!"

"Well...I have touched it already, what will you do? By the way, where were you when I was calling you?"

"Oga Ben, I dey do labour inside toilet that time," she said in her Calabar intonation. The two kids laughed. They knew what she meant.[/b]

Beautiful!!!

lolzz funny

Booyyah! That's the kizzle-dizzle!

I kowtow for you, man.

[b] CHAPTER SIXTEEN

BOMBSHELL

When Bella got to school on Monday, she found John sitting on her seat, asleep. Bella tapped him gently and he thumped up.

"John, what are you doing on my seat?"

"Oh! This sleep!" John banged his lap and raised his face. "Bella, I am very sorry for everything that happened. Please do forgive me."

Bella pretended as though she didn't hear him, but in the real sense of it, she had forgiven him already.

"Just vacate my seat, that's all I want."

"Please," John said as he rose up. Bella hissed and sat down.

John was not feeling too convenient. He had known Bella to be very tender and forgiving, but her disposition just now was a shocker to him.

Bella expected to see Miss Fiona, but she didn't show up in school. All she wanted to share with her was the news of her courageous act. Miss Fiona would definitely be glad about it.

John was thrown into a very deep thought. Sleep had left his eyes. All he desired was a reconciliation with Bella. John had found a copy of Miss Fiona's poem to Frank in Bella's locker. He thought of making another poem out of it, which he would probably give to Bella as an apology.

During break period, Bella left for Miss Fiona's office to check her up. Then John started up with composing a poem, trying to use Miss Fiona's poem as a guideline. In less than five minute, he had already come up with something.

John went straight to Bella's seat and placed the paper on it. Bella arrived without seeing Miss Fiona. She was sad. As Bella was about to take her seat, she saw the paper and picked it up:

Be my egret and let me be your sparrow.
Oh my brunette! When will you end my sorrow?
With my soul filled with regret, I don't think I will ever be yellow.
But only if you can say APOLOGY ACCEPTED, BELLA.

When I weep, it is because my heart burns with fire.
Yet I can't but stay low in the quagmire.
If only I could fly into your heart as I desire.
Then I won't hesitate to whisper APOLOGY INTO IT, DEAR BELLA.

Bella was amazed after going through the poem. She was surprised that John could make something wonderful out of Miss Fiona's poem like that. However, she was careful not to show her satisfaction. Instead, she frowned and hissed allowed, giving John the impression that she wasn't impressed a bit.

John approached Bella the second time to say he was sorry for everything, but she told him to leave her alone.

"John, I gave it all to you, but instead you paid me back with distrust. How could you believe I wrote that thing on the board?"

"I'm sorry, Bella...just...just forgive me."

As soon as the bell rang for the closing hour, Bella left the class and began to make for home, but John followed her, begging. Bella was feeling like a celebrity deep down in her heart.

Bella took her usual lonely path because she would be leaving through the second gate as usual, since no one would be around to pick her home in a car. The second gate was always where students who would take a taxi home always went through, since no taxi would be allowed to wait in front of the main gate. As it appeared. Only ten to eleven students always took taxi home from school and unfortunately, Bella was one of them.

Bella was only about thirty metres away from the gate when three girls appeared from the little bush close by. They gripped her and began to beat her up. She yelled but they quickly covered her mouth and continued thumping her. With impulse, John rushed to her rescue, but he was easily yanked off. He ran away eventually.

Bella was pinned to the ground. She was helpless.

"Ha! ha! ha!" they laughed. "You think you've the gut to carry yourself like a celebrity in MBC? To hell with you!" one of the girl said as she gave her a punch on the face. She proceeded to give her another one, but a hand gripped her hand from behind. She turned to see who was on her and then she got a punch on the face. It was Christie.

The other two girls rushed at Christie, but she hurled them both to the ground with a kick. Christie went for Bella and pulled her up.

"I'm sorry Bella that I didn't show up on time," Christie said, smiling.

"Oh! Thanks a lot, Christie. I'm sorry for everything that happened. I didn't know the #500 was right there in my pocket. You didn't take it, I am sorry."

"Not again Bella," she said. "That is bygone, okay! You should be the one to forgive me for walking out on..." Christie was choked from behind.

"Blossom!" Bella cried.

"Ha! ha! ha!" Blossom laughed aloud, having tightened up Christie's neck. She was watching the happening from a bushy angle earlier. "Ha! ha! ha! Aaaarggh!" Blossom's laughter ended in a yell of agony as Christie drove her elbow into her stomach. She fell flat.

Christie gasped for air, coughing aloud. She had been seriously choked by Blossom. Just then, the three accomplices of Blossom came on her again. She had no power to face them this time around. They held her and began to thump her hard. Bella rushed to her rescue but she was yanked off easily. Just then, John arrived with some security personnels.

"Here they are!" John said, pointing at them.

"Stop that!" the security officers cried at them and everything came to a halt immediately.

All the students were taken to the school detentions as calls were made to their parents. The school proprietor had been informed of the happening. He had to rush down to the school immediately.

All the parents and guardians of the students concerned showed up in the school and were told to sign some undertakings. They all did. They would have to bring their wards to the school the next morning for the matter to be heard and then for their wards to be judged.
*** **** **** **** **** **** **** ***

Back at home, Blossom yelled at Bella:

"Bella, if I am expelled then consider yourself dead!"

"I shall not die but live!" Bella gave it back to her. "Blossom, you are a shame to your name! You are a shame to the Benson's family!"

"Shut up your dirty mouth, you bastard!" Blossom shouted at her. Just then, Lucia rushed in.

"Blossom! Did I hear you use that word?"

"Yes, mum! Isn't she a bastard for real?"

"Blossom, stop!" Lucia tried to cover her mouth, but she was already out of control.

"Bella, you are a bastard, go check that out, huh! Mrs Lucia Benson is not your mother!"

The words hit Bella hard. She was punchy. Bella faced Lucia who was already sobbing.

"Y-you are n-not my m-mother?" Bella stammered. Lucia was speechless. Bella went close to her and pulled her arm. "Tell me, aren't you my mother?"

Lucia nodded in the affirmative and sobbed. Bella stared at everyone as if she was seeing them for the first time. Even Betty and Binta were shocked to hear that Bella was not Lucia's daughter. They came to her to confirm their identity too:

"Are you my mother?" Betty asked. She nodded in approval.

"What about me? Am I your daughter?" Binta asked. She nodded a 'yes'. "And Baby?"

"Yes," she said.

"So, how come sister Bella isn't your daughter?" Binta asked softly.

"She is a bastard! Period!" Blossom yelled.

Bella rushed out of the house in shame.[/b]

Chai!!!

This is too bad, Bella has really suffered. I pity her much. Thumbs up Sammy.

Missmossy:
Chai!!!


This is too bad, Bella has really suffered. I pity her much. Thumbs up Sammy.

Thanks a lot.

No wonder...... I thought as much

[b] Miss Fiona was hurt when she heard the news of Bella's attack by her sister. She would pay her a visit immediately.

Miss Fiona had been updated of the whole happening: how Blossom and Christie were suspended; how Bella was exonerated and how Blossom came with some non-student girls to beat up her sister; how Christie came in to help her and how John called in the security officers.

Fiona was angry with Blossom in absentia. She would get hot with her whenever she set her eyes on her.

Fiona got to Bella's home and gave the doorbell some furious clicks. Betty went to the door.

"Miss Fiona," she exclaimed. She got inside and yelled, "Where is that Blossom?" Blossom stepped into the parlour.

"Hello Miss Fiona," Blossom said, smiling.

"Where is Bella and what have you done to her?"

"Oh! Bella? Do you mean that bastard girl mum and dad picked from the waste bin? Didn't you meet her on your way? She's gone, probably to find out her real existence." Blossom began to laugh.

"What's all these gibberish about?" Miss Fiona was confused.

"That's the fact, Miss Fiona. You may consider going to search for her in the waste bin where she belongs," Blossom said, smiling.

"Shut up!" Miss Fiona yelled at her.

"You shut up, useless poverty-stricken teacher!" Blossom gave her back. Fiona was infuriated as she impulsively sent her right hand across her face. She landed a heavy slap on her right cheek. Blossom groaned in pain.

Mrs Lucia rushed into the parlour.

"What have you done to my daughter?" she shouted at her.

"S-she s-slapped me," Blossom said, sniffing in pain.

"What!" Mrs Lucia was enraged. "Fiona, how dare you?"

"I'm sorry Madam Lucia," Fiona pleaded. "Gerrara here!" she shouted at Fiona who was already making for the door. "Idiot!"

*** **** **** **** **** **** **** ***
Bella had gone to no two places other than Benjamin's house. He was the only person that could console her, since she wasn't aware of Miss Fiona's return yet.

"Your mother denied giving birth to you?"

"Yes," Bella said.

"And you swallowed the whold story hook and bait?"

"It sounds so real!" Bella sobbed.

"I dare not believe such cock and bull story."

"But it's obvious, Ben. Come to think of it, why do you think Mrs Lucia never supports me in anything but only Blossom? Why did she stop taking me in her car to school and from school? Of course she wouldn't do that if she is my mother. And why do you think she slashed my pocket money into half?"

Benjamin sighed. He had begun to see reasons in Bella's statements.

"So what are you going to do now?" Benjamin asked weakly.

"I will call my dad on phone. He must have something to say about the whole matter."

Bella's phone beeped. It was a Multimedia Message from Blossom. She listened to it, since it was an audio message:

I think I could just help you get your true identity. You belong to the refuse bin, because that was where mummy and daddy picked you up from and adopted you. Locate any refuse site, any slum nearby or far away. I think that will do as a natural habitat for you. Bastard!

Bella sobbed when she heard the voice of Blossom. Benjamin consoled her.

"Bella, don't mind her. She is only telling a lie."

"I don't think so," Bella replied. "Can't you see, I don't look like Mrs Lucia at all? All the other children are her carbon copies except me. So, it's obvious I'm not her daughter."

"Hmm," Benjamin took a deep breath as he also came to the realization of such fact. "It's true you don't look like Mrs Lucia."

"So, I...I am from the slum," Bella sobbed. "Why me? Why me?"

Benjamin plunged into a pensive mood. It was not certain what he was pondering upon. In the end, he said, "I don't believe in that waste bin story Blossom is trying to inculcate in you. You are definitely not picked from the slum, Bella."

"Why do you think so?" Bella looked straight into Benjamin's eyes with a surge of hope. "Tell me why?"

"Because you resemble somebody though."

"Who?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Your dad, Mr Benson!"

"I--I..." Bella was speechless as she wiped her tears. It was the truth. Many people had told her that earlier.

"So brace up Bella and ignore that cock and bull story that you were from the dustbin. Bella, as far as I am concerned, you are not a bastard!"

Frank came into the living room. He had been sleeping ever since he returned from the trip with Fiona.

"Bella, you are here?" Frank said.

"Y-yes sir," Bella stammered a reply.

"But it's late already!" Bella said. "This is 9pm! What's the matter?"

"Em...em..." Bella was stammering, but Benjamin came to her rescue.

"She's got a little problem in her home," Benjamin said.

"A problem? What's it all about?" Frank was anxious. Just then, Miss Fiona got in with tears.

"Fiona! What's it?" Frank was shocked.

"Bella Benson," Fiona called in tears. "So y-you are h-here."

"What's happening here?" Frank was confused. Fiona explained her part of the story and so did Bella in tears.

"This is serious!" Frank concluded.[/b]

Wao......nyc one kip it coming

[b] CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

TRIPLE EXPULSION

Frank took his time to drive Bella back home in his car. At the gate, he instructed her on what to do:

"Just go straight to your room and sleep, okay?"

"Yes sir," Bella sniffed.

"Don't weep anymore Bella, everything will be alright."

"Thanks a lot sir," Bella said as she began to alight from the jeep.

Bella came to the door. It was locked. She clicked the doorbell and Mrs Lucia showed up. She opened the door and she got in.

"Bella, where have you been?" she said in a soft tone. Bella ignored her and hurried straight for her room. Mrs Lucia came close to her door, but she had locked herself in.

"Bella! Bella! Bella! Open the door! Open the door, I've got something to tell you!"

"I don't want to hear!" Bella replied.

Fiona was totally distraught by the adjective Blossom had used to qualify her:

"She called me a poverty-stricken teacher," Fiona sobbed. She had no strength to return home. She had resolved to stay behind in Frank's home; that would be her first night staying over in a guy's house.

"Fiona, you aren't poor, are you?"

"Of course I know why she called me such!" Fiona suddenly woke up into the reality.

"Why?" Frank asked.

"Because I've got no car," she replied. "I'm the only teacher in the whole of MBC without a car."

"But that's your fault, Fiona!" Frank exclaimed. "You rejected my car gift last month, didn't you?"

"I thought it was too early for you to do that, Frank. I--I don't want you to feel that I'm in love with you because of your wealth."

"Oh no, Fiona sweetie," Frank said. "You look special to me. You are my real missing bone Fiona."

Frank began to sing:

When I was born....one bone was left out of me; when she was born...she has just one bone; I never knew, I lived my life as though I was complete; she never knew; she lived her just like I do; But as time goes on. I began to realise...that I'm incomplete without her; I began to cry and long in my heart...for the bone of my bone everyday...

Frank soon had his guitar and began to play to the music he had composed a while ago, the night Fiona left him alone in the pastor's office and walked away.

"Awesome! You haven't played this to my hearing ever since our relationship started," Fiona said excitedly.

"That was because I was keeping it for our wedding day," Frank confessed. "But now you've heard it already."

"Good! I like it! It's awesome!" Fiona was happy. She wished to hear it over and over again, but Frank was not ready to give her more.

"You'll hear more of it on our wedding day; it's gonna be my special number."

"That'll be cool," Fiona said in excitement. Her mood had completely turned around.

"Fiona, you know something?"

"What?" she demanded hastily.

"You're picking Bella to school tomorrow."

"How?" she asked.

Bella got some knocks at her door in the morning. Reluctantly she replied, "Who's there?"

"Your mother," Mrs Lucia replied.

"You are not my mother," Bella replied. "Just...go."

"Bella, I'm sorry," she said. "I'll be dropping you off in school this morning."

"Thanks, I'm used to picking taxis. The best you can do is to drop my transport and feeding allowance."

"Bella, believe me I'm dropping you off in school, both Blossom and you. I'm sorry for everything."

"I'm not your daughter, so I don't think I need your help. Just drop anything you want me to have at the door. I don't want to see you no more till dad returns from Italy."

Lucia knew that Bella was hurt beyond measure. She just did as she requested, dropping some money at her door; twice the amount she had been given to her ever since her father travelled.

"Mum, let's go!" Blossom bleated. "What have you to do with that bastard?"

Bella heard Blossom's voice. She sniffed and shut her eyes in self pity.

The doorbell began to ring continuously ten minutes later. Bella was not certain who was at the door. She reluctantly got up from bed and made for the door. She found Fiona there.

"Bella! Aren't you dressed up for school?"

"I don't want to go to school anymore."

"Why not? I'm here to pick you up for school, Bella. Go get dressed up so you won't be late."

"But I know how to get to school myself if I wish to go, Miss Fiona. I have the phone numbers of the taxi drivers."

"Not anymore, Bella," she said. "I'll be picking you up in my car now."

"Your car? You now have a car?"

"Yes young lady. You may come and see it."

Bella was excited. She jumped out of the house. To her surprise it was Frank's jeep she found parked outside the house.

"That's Mr Frank's car?"

"Not anymore Bella," Miss Fiona smiled. "He gave it to me."

"But he just bought it three months ago."

"Of course!" Fiona said. "He shared the testimony in church back then. But now it's mine."

The jeep was bold and pretty. Frank bought it for over ten million naira back then. It had a silvery white colour that glistened in the sun. It had a very high speedometer reading.

"Yesterday, I thought he was going to let us ride in it to my home, but he used his official car instead. I'm glad I'll now be riding in it afterall."

"It's all yours Bella. Whatever is mine is yours too."

"Except Brother Frank," Bella said amusingly. They laughed.

"Miss Fiona, you are quite lucky to have this," Bella said.

"Thanks," she replied. "You can go have your bath right now Bella."

Bella took her bath in a rush and hasted to be in the car. She forgot to pick the money Lucia dropped at her door.[/b]

Nice one sammy!!!!!! Am in love wit dis new bella nw, dan dat sluggish bella b4!!!! U are just talking nw bella face dat devil.

Awww this is a good turn out of things.

Blossom should be more punished though.

[b] Bella laid her back on her seat and fixed her gaze at the TV strapped to the back of the front seat. It was on CNN.

"Bella, have you called your dad on phone?" Fiona asked.

"The last time I did, it didn't go through," she replied.

"Okay," Fiona said and fixed her gaze at the steering again. "I'll make sure that Blossom of yours gets expelled today," Fiona spoke out her thought unconsciously and Bella heard her.

Immediately after the assembly period, an emergency bell was rung. Everyone was to gather in the large school hall, a thousand capacity hall built not long ago.

Five seats were made to face the audience and were occupied by Blossom, Christie and three other girls. The three girls had some strange looks. They didn't belong to the MBC.

"Ladies and gentlemen, these five girls here are bunch of disgrace to themselves and their families. They were involved in a melee yesterday, after the school hour," Mrs Onyeka said. She was the head of the disciplinary committee of the school. She is blonde, with a bloodshot on her left eye. She had a gap between her upper central teeth as well as a 'birth mark' below her lower lip. Her eyes are large and scary like that of a tortoise.

"Here are their names; Christie Denis of MBC, Blossom Benson of MBC, Jenny Matthew, Lateefa Ahmed and Sarah Abraham all of St. Jones High School." The five students were asked to be on their feet. They didn't show any sign of remorse, all of them.

"Now, before we give them their punishment, we shall be inviting some witnesses here to tell us what exactly transpired before the melee. Bella Benson, you are up."

The hall roared to life as Bella stepped forward. The whole school had been regarding her in high esteem since she joined the music club and especially for the role she played in the revival of Miss Fiona's life.

"I am Bella, Bella...em..." she paused, contemplating whether she should mention her surname or not, since she was yet unsure of her real identity. She turned to look at Blossom. Their eyes met and she grinned. "I'm Bella Benson."

"Okay Bella, tell us what went wrong yesterday," said Mrs Onyeka.

"Well...as much as I know, these three girls suddenly came on me as I was taking my usual route toward the South Gate to take a taxi. They beat me to pulp, but suddenly from nowhere, Christie there came to my rescue," Bella said, pointing at Christie.

"Surprisingly, Christie beat them all up..." Bella was interrupted by some loud chants:

"Christie the warrior! Christie the warrior! Christie the warrior!" the students of the school yelled.

"Order!" Mrs Onyeka wailed. "Order or you will be made a scapegoat!" They all kept quiet. Bella continued:

"All of a sudden, Blossom there jumped out of the little bush close to the gate and strangled Christie..."

"Aww!" a loud sound of sympathy followed.

"Somehow, Christie managed to subdue Blossom, but then, the other three girls came on her again. Just then, the security officers intervened."

"Yes, that's it!" the woman said. "Now I call on the second witness."

John collected the microphone from Bella and spoke:

"I am John Michael," John said. "I was...accompanying Bella to the South Gate when three girls came from nowhere and took on her. I left immediately to fetch the security officers."

"Now we have heard the story from the mouths of the victim and witnesses; I think it is now time to hear from the mouths of the accused. One person can speak for the three non-student girls. Who speaks first?"

Christie came out to speak first:

"I am Christie Denis as y'all have heard before," she spoke in her usual tomboy style. "Bella was my friend and she still is. I was keeping watch over her from a distance when I saw these three girls beating her up. I had no choice than to defend her because they were certainly going to kill her. That I was doing when Blossom joined hand suddenly to fight me. Then the security officers came."

It was Blossom's turn to speak. Surprisingly, she burst into tears. She was following the exact instruction of Lucia her mother.

"This must be a setup," she said amidst tears, setting the whole auditorium in some kind of emotional display.

"Tell us what it is Blossom," Mrs Onyeka required.

"I'm Blossom, Blossom Benson. My sister and I were not in good term until last Friday morning when I asked her for forgiveness while she was leaving for school. She said she has accepted my apology and I was glad about it. Then I decided to come and pick her up from school after the school hour. Little did I know that Bella Benson hasn't actually forgiven me. She has actually connived with some girls to beat me up: these three girls from St. Jones High School and probably Christie. They were beating me up when the security people began to approach. Then they left me and began to pretend as if they were fighting one another..." Blossom burst into tears again.

"Aww!" the whole auditorium was lit with emotions.

Blossom faced shocked Bella with a teary face:

"Bella, but I told you to...to forgive me for...for what I...I did wrong," Blossom wept.

"Liar!" Bella was enraged.

Mrs Onyeka was amazed. The new development had confused her totally. Earlier, she had thought that Blossom was solely the one at fault, but she now had to wait for the last set of speakers to say their own part of the story.

"So, our friend from St. Jones what have you got to say?" she demanded. "Please let one person speak for you."

One of the girls stepped out.

"Honestly, I will say the truth and the truth alone right now because the innocent person must not suffer..."

"Your name please!" Mrs Onyeka denanded.

"Okay, I am Lateefa Ahmed as you've all heard earlier. We were going to our school Friday morning when Christie and Bella met us on the way to tell us that they would need us to help them deal with a colleague. We listened to them because they promised to pay us some currency after performing the task."

The whole hall roared.

"Quickly we made our plan; we shall all beat up Blossom and then when she won't have any strength left in her, we will send a boy to fetch the security officers. We did so perfectly as planned. Yes, that boy called John was also working for us. He was the one we sent to fetch the security officer after we have all successfully dealt with Blossom."

"What!" Mrs Onyeka was astonished. "Is that so?" she turned to the other two girls and they agreed to the claims of their colleague.

"This is serious!" Mrs Onyeka yelled. "Bella, if this is true you shan't escape it!"[/b]

Awwwww.....Mrs Lucia is a devil!


I hope the truth prevails.

......just too much, permit me to call blossom a devil incarnate

aduragbemisteve:
......just too much, permit me to call blossom a devil incarnate

Seconded

aduragbemisteve:
......just too much, permit me to call blossom a devil incarnate

Thirded

Ghen ghen this is serious

I really hope Bella isn't convicted.

Good story! Great writer! Impressed reader!

Missmossy:
Ghen ghen this is serious

I really hope Bella isn't convicted.

Me too!

LogoDWhiz:

Me too!

Lol..talk your own

Missmossy:
Lol..talk your own

Repetition!

[b] "It's not true!" Bella bleated. There was silence for a while. Christie was shocked as well as John. They were dumbfounded.

"Lateefa, are you sure of what you are saying?" Mrs Onyeka asked. She nodded in agreement.

"So, how much did Bella and Christie promise to give you after completing the task?" she asked further.

"#5,000," the three girls said simultaneously and Lateefa said further, "We have been paid #2,500 in advance."

"Where is the money?" she asked.

"It's with Sarah," said Lateefa and Jenny, pointing to their third friend who also said 'It is with me' simultaneously.

Sarah provided the purported money from her purse and showed it to the audience. There were two #1,000 notes and a #500 note.

A roar of surprise overwhelmed the auditorium. Everyone believed the story.

Christie could not take it anymore. She rushed towards the three girls to tear them apart, but someone stood on her way to prevent her.

"They are lying!" she screamed.

Miss Fiona indicated furiously that she had something to say. She was given the permission.

"Bella can't do such a thing, I'm darn sure! It's definitely Blossom's handiwork!"

"Explain," Mrs Onyeka demanded.

"Right from time, Blossom has been angry at Bella for joining the school music club. She has threatened to do anything to her to make sure she pulled out. First she implicated her by writing something bad in Bella's handwriting. I guess she took up this action of hiring these three girls to beat up Bella too, because she was suspended for her act."

"That's not true!" a voice broke up from the audience. Everyone turned to see who was it. Mrs Lucia!

"Madam, who are you?" Mrs Onyeka asked.

"Mrs Lucia Benson, the mother of the two sisters involved," she said. "First, I'll let you know what this teacher of yours called Fiona did to my daughter. She came to my home and slapped my daughter Blossom on the face..."

"What!" Mrs Onyeka screamed. "Fiona is that so?"

Fiona was taken aback. Her voice trembled as she said, "Yes, because she called me a..."

"Hold it Fiona! You have no right to utter a speech right here. Just keep shut and await your punishment, okay!"

Mrs Onyeka turned her face away from Fiona and faced Mrs Lucia again.

"As I said earlier, Blossom and Bella are my daughters..." Bella looked fiercely at her. She felt like yelling at her for calling her her daughter. She somehow managed to stifle her anger and listened to what she had to say.

"I'm aware of the quarrel going on between my two daughters for a while now, but as Blossom said, they reconciled on that Friday morning. They even hugged each other and asked me to snap them with my camera, but I just laughed it off and hugged them both. Then Bella asked Blossom to come and pick her in school after the school hour that day. Blossom reminded Bella that she was on suspension and should not be seen near the school premises, but Bella said she wanted just that as a proof that Blossom really meant what she did. Blossom left home to see Bella and...and...all these happened." She began to sob.

Everyone in the hall believed her story. They saw no reason why Mrs Lucia would take side with one of her daughters and be against the other.

John, Bella and Christie looked into each other's eyes. Miss Fiona's mouth was wide agape too. They felt they were experiencing whirlpool.

"Now the truth is established, having heard from the mouths of many witnesses. Everyone should just remain quiet as we decide the punishment to dole out at them all."

Mrs Onyeka went to her seat and liaised with the rest of the committee consisting two staff from St. Jones High School where Lateefa and her colleagues attended. In a minute, a conclusion was reached.

Miss Fiona's phone beeped. She managed to look into it. It was a text message. She read it and smiled. Maybe it was from Frank.

Mrs Onyeka stepped forward again and said, "Well...we have come to a conclusion. As for the three girls from St. Jones, we shall hand them over to their school authority to punish them accordingly while we dole out our own punishment here immediately on our own students." She paused to take a deep breath.

"I hereby declare Bella Benson expelled from MBC for her enormous contribution to..."

"Impossible!" Miss Fiona screamed as she lurched forward to pull the microphone from Mrs Onyeka's hand.

"Fiona!" she screamed.

"You can't expel Bella cos she's innocent!" Fiona screamed at her.

"How dare you?" she shouted at her.

Mr Tony had all the while stood aside, arm akimbo, observing the countenances of everyone in the hall as he usually would do. When Mrs Onyeka and Fiona were struggling to have the wireless microphone, he intervened and let him have it instead.

"There is a solution to all these fracas," he said calmly.

"What is it?" the audience asked thunderously.

"It is a simple solution," the man said. "Just on that Friday morning, the proprietor acquired some CCTV cameras which we installed in some locations of the school. I instructed the installer to put one close to the South Gate and he did. So the whole fight at the gate is recorded right here," he said as he raised a CD up.

"Good!" John screamed.

"Now I shall slot in this CD into the computer and we shall all view it on the smartboard right here."

Blossom and the three girls from St. Jones were feeling highly uncomfortable. They had begun to sweat profusely. Mrs Lucia was also feeling as if an earthquake would take place under her feet and swallow her up.

"Now before we watch the CD, is there any confession to make? If you don't make it now, we shall hand you over to the police after watching the CD and found you guilty. Please security officers, stand at alert!"

Jenny had already begun to urinate on her body. Her forehead perspired excessively.

"Em...em...I have a confession..." Jenny said, raising up her hand.

"Me too," Sarah said and Lateefa also said, "Please sir, don't involve the police."

Mrs Lucia grabbed her daughter, Blossom and began to head towards the exit, but the security officers stopped them.

"What are your confessions?" Mr Tony asked, smiling.

"Em...it's Blossom who actually came to us...she asked us to beat up her sister...she promised to give us #5,000 and she paid us #2,500 upfront...we actually did what she asked us to do...please don't hand us over to the police," they wailed.

"But why did you tell us a lie earlier?" Mr Tony made a serious face.

"Em...it's Blossom's mother who told us to tell such story. She gave each of us #5,000 and promised us more if Blossom is freed. She is the one...she is t-the one."

Mr Tony shook his head and then advanced towards the computer which was connected to the smart board in the hall. He slotted in the CD.

"We shall see the fight for ourselves," he said confidently.

"Please don't arrest us with police," the three non-students of MBC kept lamenting.

The video came up suddenly as well as the audio. It was a video of a little baby singing:

You're my honeybunch, sugar plum
Pumpy-umpy-umpkin
You're my sweetie pie
You're my cuppycake, gumdrop
Snoogums, boogums, you're
The apple of my eye
And I love you so
And I want you to know
That I'm always be right here
And I want to sing
Sweet songs to you
Because you are so dear...

"Awwww!" the hall roared. Mr Tony began to laugh.

"Mr Tony?" Mrs Onyeka yelled.

"That was a CD I bought for my daughter last week. Isn't it cute?" the young man spoke amusingly.

"Where is the video of the fight?" Mrs Onyeka demanded.

"Ma, there was no such video at all. There was no CCTV camera anywhere. But in here, there is a brain," the man said, clicking his skull. A round of applause followed and then a wind of embarrassment blew on all the villains in the hall. Bella rushed to give Mr Tony a hug. She shed tears of joy.
[/b]

[b] Without further ado, the verdict was declared. Blossom was expelled for being the brain behind it all. Unfortunately, Christie was shown the door too for her role in the fight. She was condemned for coming to the school premises while she was still on suspension.

More pitiably, Miss Fiona's appointment was declared terminated by her employer who was also a part of the committee:

"Miss Fiona, go and get your letter from the secretary. You are fired!" the man said.

"On what ground?" she challenged him audaciously.

"On a count charge of indiscipline. You went to a students home uninvited and beat her up in the presence of her parent. This is unconstitutional as well as uncultured and against the norm of the school..."

"Sir, save yourself of more grammars because I'm dropping my letter of resignation with the secretary right away. Thanks for employing me in the first place."

Miss Fiona turned to leave. Bella rushed to her and embraced her, weeping.

"Thanks for all, Miss Fiona."

"Bella, you deserve it, okay? You saved my life, remember that?"

Bella saw Christie and John leaving the hall. She rushed towards them.

"Christie, thanks a lot!" she said.

"No thanks," Christie said. "We're friends." They hugged.

"I'm sorry for your expulsion."

"Doesn't hurt at all," Christie replied. "Tons of schools are out there."

Bella stood in front of John for a while, speechless. John was speechless and shy too. At last she spread out her hands and they embraced.

"Are we friends now?" John asked excitedly.

"Of course since Friday," Bella replied. "Your poem was wow!"

"Oh, that!" John remembered the poem. "Bella prove to me that we are now friends by convincing Mrs Dorcas to allow me be in the music club."

"Consider that done!" Bella promised him without giving it a second thought. John frolicked.[/b]

Wow,what a mixture of sorrow and joy at the same time



#BringBackOurMissFiona&6Christie#

Wow