Soul switch

 Ivie shrugged and gathered her things. Precious, the suicide, the cult, she made a mistake talking about it to them in the first place, who knows if whatever was out for her would attack her friends too. 

 She still found it hard to believe that the suicide note had come from Father Chibuike, she had known the odds pointed to that, but that it really came from him, she didn't know what to think anymore. It wasn't like he lied to her about it, but he wasn't completely truthful either.

 "So no more Campfire day, huh?" Gaga scoffed. "I saw the info on he notification board this morning, Sister Omo's death seem to be causing more harm than necessary. I'm not saying it was a good thing she died, but she should have waited until we had the Campfire day."

 "So she should have waited, endured the pain, until the Campfire day before deciding to die?" JohnMary asked, amused. 

 "And while she was at it, maybe she should have apologized to those she had offended, those who wanted an apology from her."

 "Guess who is walking towards this us?" Aisosa's eyes was fixated behind Ivie, watching with a mixture of excitement and hurt as the person approached. 

 "Don't tell me it's IT," Ivie paused what she was doing to ask. 

 "It's the very bi…a…tch," Gaga responded in a drawl. "Who's ready for some fist show?"

 "Really, not here, Father Chibuike said to…." she clamped her mouth shut for a while, she couldn't possibly tell them he advised her to do it in a quiet place. "Err….said….you know, not cause a scene."

 Itohan came upon them, out of breath. "Guys, hi." She seemed fidgety. "I wanted to talk about yesterday, can we..uhhh…maybe….go to somewhere quieter?"

 "You better not have plans of defending yourself, I'll break everything you have of a teeth if you do," Gaga said hurrying her food so she could lead the way. 

 They went to one of the classrooms and drove the students away. 

 "Errm…..can I talk to Ivie first? Alone?"

 "Ivie was not the only person you offended, apologize to all of us," Gaga demanded. 

 "I know." She had a sober look, a pitiful one. 

 "Ivie?" Gaga called. "Are you okay with that?"

 She shrugged. "It's not like she's hiding a gun somewhere to kill me with."

 "If she's betrayed you once, I think she can do it again."

 Itohan stared pleadingly at the them until they obliged. 

 "I don't know what you think will happen, but it won't happen if Ivie forgives you and we don't." Gaga gave her a threatening glare before she walked out, the others behind her.

 As Ivie waited for them to leave, she didn't know it was a decision she would regret throughout the next month. 

 Meanwhile in Father Chibuike's office, Father Ekene kept coming between him and Sister Agatha, claiming to stop a potential hand fight. 

 "You should know better than this, Chibuike, you've been in this for the longest of time, you should know better," Sister Agatha was saying. She appeared angry. 

 "You've said that for like the hundredth time now, I should go to the court later and turn it into my surname, that should make you happy, huh?"

 "It's not about what would make me happy, it's about— you used to be a lot more sensible than this, what happened?"

 "I'm not quite sure." He turned to face the window tired of the argument. "Fine, Amaka would be more careful, she's not a people's cat anyway."

 "You promise?"

 "Well, I can't always control her, especially if she's found herself a friend, but I'm going to have a talk with her and have her promise me to behave, if she can, then I'll give you her word."

 "Chibuike is just joking," Father Ekene added. "You know how he can be. But rest assured, he won't put this in danger."

 She calmed a bit. "So, any leads?"

 It was Father Chibuike who answered. "Whatever happened to Precious had something to do with Sister Omo and her group."

 "She didn't tell you that, did she?"

 "Don't make me laugh, Agatha. Would you admit to killing a school girl?" He chuckled slightly. "If we can find the rest of Sister Omo's group, then we find what happened to the poor girl. I have an inkling, just an inkling though, that our Sister Gabriella would know more than a thing or two."

 "Sister Gabriella? But I've kept tabs on her and nothing seems suspicious."

 "You have to understand why the students call her Sister Gabriel for something to look suspicious. And for the record," he turned to face her, "you're too grumpy this period, shouldn't you and Ekene have a date or something, spend time with each other, loosen up?"

 She eyed him. "I have work to do. What were you discussing with Sister Omo before she died?"

 "We were exchanging secrets. I didn't want to tell her mine, but she found out anyway, that was why I killed her."

 "You need to be checked into a psychiatric center, I'm off."

 "What about the date with Ekene?" Father Chibuike called after her. "Would you look at that, running away from her everyday desires, I wonder why she torture herself that much. Shouldn't you go and pet, somebody used quite a term lately, the absolute love of your life?"

 "The both of you always make me separate fights, what are you, twelve? And by the way, there's something I want to tell you, I didn't want Agatha to hear."

 "You look serious, then it could be serious, carry on."

 "So you said I should keep at eye on Ivie, and I did. And last night, I caught a priest jumping out of her room through her window."

 Father Chibuike's hand flew to cover his mouth in a dramatic movement, ignoring Father Ekene's knowing look. 

 "Chibuike, this is no time for your theatrics, it's serious. Whatever were you thinking?"

 "What? You think I went into her room to—"

 He waved a hand. "I don't care. See, I don't know what you are all about, but Agatha would not like this, and I don't even understand it myself."

 "She had something that belonged to me, I went there to retrieve it."

 "You're not just putting yourself in trouble, her too."

 "I know exactly what I'm doing," he said firmly. 

 "I don't doubt that, but like you said, there's more to this school that eyes can see."

——

 Back in the classroom, Ivie folded her arm her chest, rocking her leg. "Start talking."

 "Talk? Oh Ivie, we aren't talking," Itohan said, the once remorseful look in her eyes transformed into a sinister one. 

 "We aren't? Then why bring me here?"

 "The Dean gave me a two weeks suspension, Father Chibuike made it sound I was the only culprit, so I'm suspended for two weeks."

 "Why did you do that? We are friends, we're to help each—" a sharp pain suddenly hit her chest and she clutched it. "—other…why…" she held her chest, trying to soothe the striking pain. "What is happening?"

 "Like I was saying before you rudely interrupted me, I am suspended. But do you remember, Ivie, suspension or expulsion was suppose to be your thing, not mine, the table cannot turn around like this."

 Tears gathered at the corner of her eyes at the searing spasm that threatened to break her insides. "What are you doing to me?"

 Itohan kept circling around her. "I like you Ivie, you're a no-nonsense-person, you made me become that too, but you're getting into the way of a lot of things, a whole lot."

 Ivie wanted to scream, to alert the others that she was in danger, but her voice became muffled, like a cloth was hung around her neck. 

 "But everything will go according to plan, you shall get the expulsion you deserve and I will make sure you no longer get in my way."

 Ivie felt her body drift in the air, felt like a part of her was floating. But she was lying on the floor, gasping for breath, she couldn't move. She felt herself stand, except she was too light, too light for the body she possessed. When she looked back on the floor, she saw her body sprawled, it was then she knew what had happened, her soul had left her body. Was she dead?

 She was still watching when she saw something like Itohan lay on her body, merging into it.

 "No," her voice was not audible, and even though she was shaking her head, it didn't move. "No, don't do that."

 Itohan, now in her body, stood up, a smirk playing on her lips. "Enjoy being me, Ivie."

 Then she felt the pull to Itohan's body, she couldn't protest, she merged with it.