11:07am
Sunmi was now panicking. She was screaming, shaking, and crying. She couldn't breathe and all "Eamon! Oh no. Eamon can't know! Can't see this," Sunmi whimpered.
Then Tolu put her hand on both of her shoulders. "That's why you need to pull yourself together, now." Her hair was still under the jacket, and the only light where on was her eyes.
The lights flickered more violently, casting dancing shadows across the room, adding to the sense of chaos and unease.
Tolu put her hand on Sunmi's shoulders, shaking them slightly, trying to break through her hysteria.
"Sunmi," Tolu said, her voice firm but gentle, "you need to calm down. I know this is a lot to take in, but panicking isn't going to help anyone. You need to relax, you're overthinking it."
Sunmi gave a look of terror to Tolu. Her life was on the line and the words where useless.
"What you're going to do is call your dad," Tolu continued, her voice growing more insistent. "Go home, tell him that the video is fake, that nothing really happened, Moses and Mirabel are trying to track down whoever posted it so that they'll be able to delete it. Just act normal, as if nothing happened."
Tolu led Sunmi to the sink, dampening a paper towel and gently wiping away the tears and smudges of makeup from her face.
"You need to get out of this bathroom," Tolu said, her eyes meeting Sunmi's in the mirror. "People will get suspicious if you stay in here any longer. You have to leave, and you have to act like everything is okay."
With a deep breath, Sunmi straightened her shoulders, trying to regain her composure, trying to project an air of normalcy that she didn't feel. She smoothed her clothes, fixed her hair, and forced a shaky smile onto her face.
Together, they walked out of the bathroom, their footsteps echoing down the hallway towards the parking lot, their hearts pounding in their chests.
As they walked through the hallways, Sunmi could feel the weight of everyone's gaze upon her. Students stared, whispered, their eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity, suspicion, and judgment.
The whispers grew louder, more malicious, their words cutting through the air like knives.
"I knew it," one student hissed, glancing at Sunmi with a sneer. "My dad always said that politicians were also into juju and stuff like that."
Tolu stopped abruptly, her eyes flashing with anger. She whirled around, glaring at the students who were gossiping about Sunmi.
"Ẹnu yín á gbẹ!" Tolu snapped, her voice sharp and cutting. (Your mouths will dry up!)
"You guys better shut up," Tolu continued, switching to English, her voice laced with a fierce protectiveness. "Instead of gossiping about people, why don't you focus on your WAEC that is coming? That's how you guys will fail because you're not concentrated now! You better focus instead!"
The students, intimidated by Tolu's anger, quickly averted their gazes, their whispers dying down as they scurried away, their faces flushed with embarrassment.
Tolu took Sunmi's hand, her grip firm and reassuring. "Don't pay them any mind," she said, her voice soft. "They're just jealous. They don't know anything about you."
Together, they continued walking towards the parking lot, their footsteps echoing in the sudden silence of the hallway.
By the time they got there, the driver had already arrived, the sleek black car gleaming under the gloomy sky. He stood beside the vehicle, his expression impassive, his eyes betraying nothing.
Tolu squeezed Sunmi's hand, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and determination. "There's no need to panic," she said, her voice filled with conviction. "Everything will be okay, Sunmi. We'll figure this out. Just trust me."
With a final nod, Sunmi climbed into the car, her gaze fixed on Tolu, her heart filled with uncertainty. The car door slammed shut, the engine roared to life, and the vehicle pulled away from the curb, disappearing into the rain-soaked streets.
Tolu watched the car until it was out of sight, her shoulders slumping with relief and exhaustion. "Okay," she muttered to herself, "time to go check up on Moses and Mirabel." With that, she turned and headed back towards the school, her mind already racing.
Sunmi walked into her house, her body heavy with exhaustion, her mind weighed down by worry. The day's events had taken their toll, leaving her drained and emotionally raw. She braced herself. She just wanted to deal with everything herself.
She was greeted by her cousin, Angel, who was lounging on the couch, her expression smug, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint.
"Hey, cuz," Angel said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I saw the most amazing video online today. You know, the one where some guy is carrying you and jumping off a balcony?"
Sunmi's eyes narrowed, her heart sinking with a familiar sense of dread. She knew exactly what Angel was talking about, but she refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing her react.
"Oh, really?" Sunmi said, her voice carefully neutral, her expression carefully blank. "I haven't seen it. What's so amazing about it?"
Angel giggled, a high-pitched, irritating sound that grated on Sunmi's nerves. "Oh, come on, Sunmi. Don't play dumb. The video's all over social media. You're quite the popular one, aren't you? Being carried and jumping off balconies like it's no big deal."
Sunmi forced a shrug, her muscles tense, her control wavering. "I don't know what you're talking about, and frankly, I don't care. I'm tired, I'm going to bed."
Angel continued, her voice laced with mock admiration. "I mean, I've always known you're… interesting, but hanging out with creatures of the night ? That's a new level. I'm impressed. You truly are living the life."
Sunmi's anger flared, her control slipping, her powers threatening to erupt. She wanted to slap the smirk off Angel's face, to wipe away that knowing gleam in her eyes. But she held back, determined not to give her cousin the satisfaction of seeing her lose her cool.
Livid, Sunmi told Angel, "If you love balconies so much, why don't you go jump off one yourself? And leave me alone!" Her voice dripping with malice.
Saying this, Sunmi turned and started to storm up the stairs, desperate to escape Angel's taunts, desperate to find some peace and quiet. But as she climbed the stairs, something felt wrong, terribly wrong.
She had been expecting Angel to respond with another sarcastic remark, another cutting insult. But instead, there was only silence, an unsettling quiet that raised the hairs on the back of Sunmi's neck.
She glanced back, her eyes widening in horror. Angel was walking towards the balcony, her movements slow, deliberate, her eyes glazed over, her expression vacant. It was like she was in a trance.
For a moment, Sunmi was confused, unsure of what was happening. Then, as Angel climbed onto the balcony railings, her intention became chillingly clear.
Sunmi's heart pounded in her chest, her blood running cold. "Angel!" she screamed, her voice filled with terror. "Stop! Don't do it!"
She sprinted towards the balcony, her legs pumping, her lungs burning, but she knew it was too late.
Before Sunmi could reach her, Angel leaped off the balcony.
Sunmi knelt beside Angel, her heart pounding in her chest. The sight of her cousin lying motionless was unbearable. Panic surged within her, threatening to choke her. What had she done? In a moment of anger, she had lost control of her abilities, and now Angel lay there, vulnerable and hurt.
The maids and guards formed a circle around them, their faces a mixture of concern and confusion. Sunmi could hear their murmurs, but the words were lost on her. All she could focus on was the guilt that consumed her. She had always been careful to hide her powers, to keep them a secret from everyone, especially Angel. But now, it seemed that her worst fear had come true.
As the guards gently lifted Angel's body, Sunmi felt a surge of desperation. "Wait! Is she okay? Please, tell me she's going to be alright!" Her voice trembled as she grasped one of the guards' arms, her eyes wide with worry.
Amanda, a kind older maid, knelt beside Sunmi. "She's alive, dear. Just unconscious. We need to get her to the hospital," Amanda said, her voice calm but firm. Sunmi could see the concern etched on her face.
Sunmi nodded, tears welling in her eyes. She watched helplessly as they carried Angel away, her mind racing with thoughts of what could have been. What if Angel had died? What if she never woke up? The weight of those possibilities pressed down on her like a heavy stone.
But there was something else gnawing at her—a fear even more profound than losing Angel. What if Angel remembered everything? What if she knew about her powers? The thought made her stomach churn. If Angel found out, only God knows what she'll do.
Sunmi felt a wave of nausea wash over her as she stumbled back from the scene. She needed to think, to figure out how to fix this. But how could she fix something so broken? She couldn't let anyone know about her abilities; it would change everything.
As the guards and Amanda moved Angel away toward the hospital, Sunmi took a deep breath and steadied herself. She couldn't let panic take over. She needed to be strong—for Angel's sake. But deep down, she knew that this incident would haunt her until she could make things right again.
Sunmi knew she couldn't take the risk of Angel remembering what she did . She knew who to turn to. Even though it was his fault she's in all this mess. She picked up her phone and dialed a number and it showed Matthew.