chapter fourteen

Adaora's pov

When I got home, the house was quiet except for the distant sound of my mother moving around in the kitchen. I let out a tired sigh and kicked off my shoes, my body heavy with exhaustion.

I pulled off my clothes and grabbed a wrapper, heading straight for the bathroom. The second the warm water touched my skin, I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding. The tension, the fear, the confusion all of it seemed to wash away, at least for the moment.

I closed my eyes, letting the water soothe me. It felt safe here. Peaceful.

After rinsing off, I wrapped myself in a towel and made my way to my room, crawling into bed. The afternoon sunlight peeked through my curtains, casting soft golden streaks across my walls.

I didn't care.

I just needed to sleep.

And I did.

It felt like only minutes had passed when I felt a gentle shake on my shoulder.

"Adaora," my mother's voice pulled me from my dreams. "Come on, dear, you need to eat. It's almost 6 p.m. If you sleep too much now, you won't be able to sleep at night."

I groaned, burying my face deeper into my pillow.

But she wasn't having it. "Sit up, let's go."

I sighed and forced myself to sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "I wasn't even that hungry."

"You will be once you smell what I cooked." She smiled, tapping my leg.

I stretched, still feeling sluggish, but I got up anyway. I didn't have much of a choice.

I dragged myself out of bed, my body still heavy with sleep. As I stepped into the living room, the aroma of jollof rice and fried plantains filled my nose, making my stomach grumble despite my earlier protest.

My mother glanced at me from the dining table, shaking her head with a small smile. "See? I told you you'd be hungry."

I sat down, picking up my spoon, but my mind was far away. My thoughts kept drifting back to Anita, to the way she had screamed, the way she had looked at me like I held all the answers.

Was it really me?

Was I the reason everything was happening?

I shook the thoughts away and focused on my food. Whatever it was, thinking about it wouldn't change anything.

As I ate, my father walked in, dropping his keys on the table. "Nkem, you look tired," he said, sitting across from me.

"I am," I muttered.

"You need to rest, my dear," he said, scooping some rice onto his plate. "But first, eat well."

I nodded, pushing a spoonful of food into my mouth.

My younger brother, Chuka, came running in, already halfway through a piece of fried meat. "Mummy, can I have more?"

My mother gave him a playful glare. "You've eaten more than everyone, biko."

He pouted, making everyone laugh.

For a moment, everything felt normal again. No whispers, no strange looks, no fear.

The next day, I went to school and met Ifeoma and Stella near the gate.

"Hey!" Ifeoma called, waving me over. "They said they'll just paste the winner of the pageantry on the notice board before the day is over."

"It'll definitely be you," Stella added confidently.

I rolled my eyes. "Let's wait and see."

If the past few days had taught me anything, it was that nothing was ever certain.

"Anyway," Ifeoma continued, lowering her voice, "I heard Anita is okay now."

I blinked. "What?"

"Yeah," Stella said. "They said it was chronic malaria and typhoid. That's what made her hallucinate and think she saw things."

I frowned. That didn't explain what I had witnessed the way she screamed, the way she begged me to make it stop.

"They're faking the name," Ifeoma muttered. "They don't know what's wrong."

"That's what I think too," Stella agreed. "I mean, why were maggots coming out of her body? Malaria doesn't do that."

A chill ran down my spine.

"Her mum said it's spiritual," Ifeoma added in a hushed tone. "She's moving her children to her family's side because she believes it's her husband's people that never wanted her to marry their son."

I swallowed. "So Anita is leaving?"

"Yes. She's going to Kaduna soon. That's where her mum's parents live."

"Wow," Stella muttered. "That's far."

I didn't know how to feel. Should I be relieved? Should I be scared?

Before I could figure it out, the bell rang.

"Let's go," Ifeoma said, linking her arm through mine. "We'll know the winner soon."

I forced a smile, but my mind was elsewhere.

Anita might be leaving.

The day dragged on slower than usual. Every time I passed the notice board, I glanced at it, but the results hadn't been posted yet.

Classes felt like a blur, my mind stuck between Anita's strange sickness and the anticipation of the pageant results.

During break, Ifeoma and Stella pulled me toward the cafeteria.

"Stop acting like you're not going to win," Ifeoma teased, nudging me playfully.

I sighed. "It's not that. I just feel… uneasy."

Stella gave me a curious look. "Because of Anita?"

I hesitated before nodding. "It just doesn't make sense. First, she said she saw something, then her body started decaying, and now she's suddenly okay?"

If Ifeoma had a response, she didn't say it. Instead, she just grabbed my arm. "Come on, let's get snacks. You'll need the energy for your victory dance later."

I rolled my eyes but followed them inside.

Just as we were about to sit down, a loud shriek echoed from outside.

"Ahhh! They've pasted it!" Someone shouted.

Instantly, the cafeteria erupted into chaos. Students abandoned their food, rushing toward the notice board.

My stomach twisted.

This was it.

Stella grabbed my hand. "Let's go!"

We pushed through the crowd, squeezing our way to the front. My heart pounded as I searched for my name.

Then I saw it.

Winner: Adaora Okechukwu.

For a moment, I just stared, unable to believe it.

Then Ifeoma screamed. "I told you! You won!"

Before I could react, students started clapping and congratulating me. Some girls looked disappointed, but most just smiled.

I felt lightheaded. I had won.

But the feeling of unease didn't leave me.

Because as the crowd celebrated, I caught sight of someone standing at a distance.

Princess.

She wasn't smiling. She wasn't clapping.

She was just staring at me.

And the look in her eyes sent a cold shiver down my spine.

I tore my gaze away from Princess, trying to focus on Ifeoma and Stella, who were still celebrating.

"You're going to get a crown! And a sash!" Stella squealed, clapping her hands.

I forced a smile. "Yeah… I guess so."

If only I could shake the unsettling feeling creeping up my spine.

Princess was still watching me. I could feel it.

"Let's go to class before the teachers come looking for us," Ifeoma suggested, tugging my arm.

I nodded absentmindedly, following them, but I couldn't resist glancing back one more time.

Princess was gone.

I exhaled, relieved, but the tension in my chest didn't fade.

As we walked to class, whispers followed us. Some students congratulated me, while others exchanged glances, their voices hushed.

"Did you hear?" someone muttered behind me.

"She won, but…"

"But what?"

"Anita was the favorite to win before she got sick. And now, out of nowhere, Adaora wins?"

"Are you saying she—?"

"Shh!"

I clenched my fists, my heart pounding.

Did people really think I had something to do with Anita's illness?

No. That was ridiculous.

Wasn't it?

I swallowed hard and kept walking.

The day passed in a blur, but the unease never left me.

When the final bell rang, I packed my things quickly, eager to go home and clear my head.

As I stepped outside, a voice stopped me.

"Adaora."

I turned slowly.

Princess stood by the school gate, arms crossed.

She wasn't smiling.

She took a step closer. "You did this."

I stiffened. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." Her voice was low, filled with something I couldn't name accusation, fear, maybe even hatred.

I shook my head. "Princess, I swear, I didn't do anything to Anita."

"Then why did she beg you to stop?" Her eyes narrowed. "Why did everything go quiet when you told it to?"

I had no answer.

Princess stepped closer, lowering her voice. "I don't care what you are. Just leave my sister alone."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, my hands trembling.