Chapter 2

• CHAPTER TWO
• "You will speak to me with respect. Have I made myself clear?" Bianca forced back the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. Crying at a place like this would make her significantly weak and that would give people more reasons to bully her.
• "Loud and clear." Bianca said more to the hearing of Imade, who smiled with satisfaction written all over her face. For the rest of the class, Bianca was not herself, she kept on imagining a world where she would be free, a world where she wouldn't be bullied, but be highly respected.
• When classes were over, Bianca packed her books and got out of the classes. The hallway was now filled with students and all she wanted was to get away from eyes that may look at her with disdain.
• "Guess who decided to show up in school today." She froze the moment the voice spoke. Bianca needed not to turn around to know the identity of the person. Before she could decide on what to do, she felt her hair forcefully pulled back and made to turn around under duress.
• She came face to face with the blazing eyes of Jackson, the college notorious bad boy and also Imade's boyfriend.
• "Having the nerve to disrespect me, by turning your back against me is the height of it and for that reason, you should be punished." From Bianca's peripheral vision, she could see the number of eyes praying around and wondering what would happen.
• "Jackson please..." Bianca felt her chin grabbed and Jackson forcefully crashed his lips against her, but she pushed him backwards.
• "You stupid bitch." No one dared stop Jackson while she was being bullied, everyone feared him and thus they only made a view out of the scene. Bianca was dragged like a rag doll through her hair, while she kept on begging to be freed.
• "If you don't get your hands off her this very minute, you will have my father to contend with!" Jackson and Bianca looked around and Dora stood deeply rooted to the spot. Dora was the only genuine friend Bianca had in the whole of Preston college and she was also the single person that could stand up to Jackson.
• "She is my rag doll, so scram bitch!" Jackson replied.
• "How about I place the call right now and have my dad's men come beat you like a puppy?" Jackson released his hands off Bianca at the mention of Dora's father. Dora's father was well known in the school for being ruthless and he was also one of the major shareholders in Preston college. Thus the reason why Dora is always respected.
• "You can have the spotlight now Dora. This isn't over yet bitch." Jackson finished off and left the place, while Dora rushed over to meet with Bianca.
• "Are you Okay?" She asked, making an attempt to help Bianca up on her feet.
• "I am fine." Bianca felt her scalp was on fire, after it had been forcefully drawn down by Jackson.
• "I told you, always stick to me in school. Jackson would continue to have his way around you because he feels all high and mighty." Dora cautioned as they all walked out of the hallway.
• "Thank you for coming to my rescue back there." Bianca said, after they were fully out of the premises.
• "You are most ....." Dora stopped halfway as she observed the bruises on her friend's left eyes. "Did you uncle's wife did this to you?" She asked in disbelief. Bianca had forgotten to hide the bruise from Dora. "Bianca, you can't be living with people who treat you like bag of trash. Look, I will speak to my father about this." Dora stated.
• "No Dora, I know I will be fine at some point." Bianca didn't want to be a burden to anyone and for most of it, she believed Dora had pulled through for her in many cases.
• "I can't let you stay there like this! As a matter of fact, I am calling my dad right now." Dora pulled her phone out of her purse and after a few key strokes, Bianca watched as she placed the phone to her ear.
• "Hey Dad." She said cheerfully. "I am good. Dad? Do you remember my friend I spoke to you about? The one with a couple of tough things going on with her? Can she stay with us for some time?" For the next few minutes, Bianca watched as Dora kept listening to the words of her dad, while she checked the watch herself, hoping to return home, right on time.
• "Okay dad!" Bianca observed the sad countenance on her friend's face and knew it wouldn't be a positive response. "My dad could be petty sometimes. He said he didn't want anyone coming in as a spy to check up on him." Dora revealed.
• "It's already dear, you have done alot for me." Bianca said, engulfing her friend in a warm hug. "Gotta go right now, they will be expecting me soon." Dora looked at her friend with sadness written all over her face. She had always wished she could help her out, but disobeying her father always had consequences.
• "Alright dear." She watched as Bianca left for her own path.
• ***
• Bianca was walking through the lonely path of the road, thinking through her life, when a couple of black vans came to a stop right before her. She was scared at the possibility of what could happen. She made an attempt to run for it.
• "You don't need to run, I mean no harm.." Bianca halted her footsteps and turned around to come face to face with a very handsome looking man. He was dressed up in a long black trench coat and for some Bianca, it was odd seeing the man with black hand gloves.
• "What is your name?" The strange man asked, while Bianca looked around at the men with guns. They all had scary faces and Bianca needed no soothsayer to let her know that the man standing before her was a very important figure in the society.
• "Bianca." She finally said after a couple of moments of hesitation.
• "Well Bianca, permit me to offer you a ride." Bianca shook her head aggressively to say no, something that struck the strange man in amazement. "It's only a simple ride my darling, just come with me."
• "Thank you very much, but I can't come with you." Bianca replied politely. She watched as the strange man looked at her with amazement, before heading into his cat and they all sped away. Bianca didn't want to get into much trouble.
• When she arrived at her uncle's apartment, Amy was seated in the living room with Imade both visibly having a good time and Bianca headed towards her room.
• "And where do you think you are going girl?" She stopped right in her tracks as Amy spoke. "Come over here at once." Slowly, Bianca turned around and walked back to meet them. "Imade here, tell me that you attempted to seduce her boyfriend. How true is this?"
• Bianca stared at Imade in disbelief. This was a clear fabrication of lies painted to make her look like a bad person. The only problem was who had made the lie; Jackson or Imade.
• "I didn't seduce Jackson, he was assaulting me and I tried to defend myself." Water was spilled over Bianca's entire dress as Imade stared at her cousin with rage.
• "So you want to tell me that my boyfriend is a liar huh? Do you really think Jackson would come so low to seduce a brat like you?" Bianca was holding the rage she had within. She felt like yelling out so many things to Imade, things that would make the latter hate herself.
• "It's obvious you really like getting into trouble and because of this, you are grounded for the next one month." Bianca stared at Amy in disbelief. While she has constantly tried reminding herself she was no longer a teenager, she had a couple of tests coming up next week and being man handled in the manner at which her uncle's wife was doing to her at the moment, was nothing short of maltreatment.
• "And like I said this morning, there would be no lunch nor dinner for you. So you can close your stomach and wait till the next day, when I decide to feed you." Bianca couldn't hold it any longer, she burst into tears and walked out of the living room, while Amy and Imade her cousin mocked her with their laughter. Bianca slammed the door and dropped to her bed, crying uncontrollably and hoping that someday, all would be over. It was crystal clear that her destiny was forged for the purpose of being in pain and being maltreated.
• 'Mom, Dad? I know you are seeing this. Please, I need help. I can't bear the pain any longer.' She said through the fabrics of her bed cover as more tears spilled out of her eyes.