HURDLES

Chapter Four

Benita Johnson was your typical perfect student. She was never late to school, never ditched classes, obeyed and respected the teachers, listened attentively during classes and obeyed every school rule down to the dressing code. While her classmates flaunted the dress codes hiding behind the excuse that they were now in SS2 and can't be punished by the finalist students. Benita was never caught pants down in the act. Her uniform skirt rested just above her knee, shirt tucked perfectly in with tie knotted in place. 

She was that student every staff member used as an example. She had never been caught rebelling against the teachers no matter how upset she got at them. Claire always joked that it was a matter of time before she blew up from all the pent-up emotions.

She was almost always the calm one among the trio. The one who always had a leash on them reminding them of what to do and what not to do. Preaching for them to take their studies seriously, to stop ditching classes and study, to stop the constant rebellion. Sometimes it irritates them but they pretty much always get over it. 

Even as they walked to school that Wednesday morning, she chided Bella continuously about how short her uniform skirt was. Bella instead continuously rolled her eyes as she went on with her decency speech.

"You've been on this for too long. Why don't you stop now?" Bella hissed a glint of irritation appearing in her eyes. "I have never complained about how long your skirt is, have I?"

"You can save me the strength by listening to me," Benita retorted.

"Or you could save you some strength by keeping the advice to yourself," Bella snapped her irritation getting a better part of her. She increased her steps.

Benita resorted to jogging to try and catch up with her. She wasn't as tall as Bella. She was only average. It didn't help that she was plump, making her appear short to people. She caught up with Bella and was about to speak when a Toyota Camry 2019 model pulled up in front of them beside the road. She watched Bella grit her teeth but her expression softened as she saw one of the occupant.

"Good morning beautiful people. Get in. I'm heading to your school," the woman behind the wheels spoke cheerily.

Benita grimaced as the high-pitched voice rang out looking from Bella's face to the car. She didn't need to seek out the face though. She knew that voice well and who it belonged to. They greeted Cecilia and started to get into the car making Collins frown.

"You can't just pick up anyone wearing the same uniform as me. Do you even know them?" Collins complained as the girls got into the car. Cecilia ignored him.

"Thank you auntie. I was already sick of a certain person's talk," Bella appreciated as she closed the door ignoring Collins tantrum. Cecilia smiled at that veering the car back into the road. 

"Collins," she called, "you should greet your classmates." 

"Do I really need to?" Collins asked non-chalantly.

"You don't need to. You're a snob afterall," Bella snapped ignoring Benita who was signalling for her to shut up.

"I am a snob?" Collins asked, looking back at her.

"You didn't know?" Bella mocked.

Bella gave up on stopping her. She just hoped it wouldn't backfire. She sat back with an amused look. She found the whole situation amusing. It was funny to say the least. Bella was flaring up on the fact that Collins was purposely ignoring what happened at the school gate days ago. Collins on the other hand was as ignorant of the situation as a blind rat who strayed into a lion's den. Or in this particular scenario, a lioness' den.

"What's the matter with both of you?" Cecilia asked, clearly confused, looking from Collins to the front view mirror to get a glimpse of Bella who sat behind her. They both fell silent.

Benita gazed at the front view mirror too as if to telepathically inform Cecilia not to drag on the topic but it obviously didn't work from her next question.

"Can any of you enlighten me on the situation?" she asked again, returning her attention to the road.

"He started it," Bella said after a while.

"Started what?" she asked Collins. He shrugged. 

"I didn't know I started something." Bella glared at the back of his head. 

"The hell you didn't." 

Benita inaudibly thanked the heavens that she was the one sitting behind Collins. Who knew what Bella would have done if she was the one sitting there. Glare holes through his head or just maybe bash him over the head with her backpack. She grimaced at her thoughts.

"You both owe me an explanation to what is going on," Cecilia said, drawing Benita away from her thoughts as she pulled up at the front of the school gate. "Bella, you're coming over to my house after school to explain," she paused, "and Collins, make sure you come straight home after school," she told Collins who looked like he would rather be six feet under instead of discussing anything with his seatmate. He simply gave her aunt a nod as he stepped out of the car.

"But auntie, we didn't tell our parents we were going anywhere after school," Benita protested, trying to wiggle out of the situation. It did backfire.

"Don't worry about that," Cecilia smiled, "I will give them a call. I'm sure they wouldn't mind even if I want you to sleep over."

"I will not sleep in the same house with that jerk," Bella snapped getting out of the car. Cecilia chuckled. 

"We will see about that," she said as she drove away.

Benita glared at Bella all the way to the assembly hall. It took everything in her not to snap at Bella.

"If you continue with that, I will end up dead. And then the autopsy result is going to show death by excessive bleeding from all the holes you drilled into me with your eyes," Bella joked.

"At least you won't be there to pester me again," Benita replied immediately. "You know this is stupid right. The guy doesn't even know he offended you."

"He will eventually find out," Bella said, getting serious. Benita frowned. 

"You just had to drag me into your trouble again. Why do I have to be dragged to the middle every time?"

"You should already be used to it babe," Bella cooed and literally bounced into the assembly hall. 

Benita stomped after her into the hall upset. One would ask why she was so worked up when she wasn't invited. She knew Bella would certainly ask her to come along and that was the problem. She wouldn't be able to say no. She felt that she needed to put a rein on the situation. She had to prevent Bella from making a fool of herself if she ever lost a hold on her temper. And to do that, she had to be present. 

But she truly didn't want to go. Not after what happened during the holidays. Her face still turned pink with embarrassment whenever the thought as little as crossed her mind.
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