The past moulds every human into what they become in subsequent time. For some, their unpleasant experience makes them gutsy; as for others, it breaks them.

Take for example Lola Philips, always tensed, clumsy and worries about absolutely everything. If you stared at her for too long, it made her jittery and scared. She'd think you are probably planning to harm her.

Now as she stared, unsure of what to do as her past stood right in front of her, eye twinkling brightly, lips curved into a smile, oblivious to the effect it had on Lola, right then she wished something would take her away from his presence. 

Lola swayed backward, shoved her blackberry into her brown satchel as she tottered away. 

She increased her pace as soon as she looked back and saw him follow her at a slower stride. 

Her heart rate sped up - she was unsure whether to run or not - as she quickly dashed to the right and went down the stairs, pushing between three girls who were talking, each step she took made a slapping sound against the concrete. 

When she got to the bottom of the stares she stumbled on a garbage can which fell and made a clanking sound.

"Lola". 

"What do you want?" Lola yelled as she staggered, trying to place the garbage can to its position, she kept struggling and Dave quickly helped her with it.

Lola glanced around, realizing she drew the attention of students that walked to their classes. She shut her eyes as she tried to calm herself.

Opening her eyes, she looked around to see some people giving her strange looks. 

Rita Daniels, a girl in Lola's department crinkled her square - shaped face in disgust. Both girls quarreled their first year, during registrations for courses for the semester.

Lola had stepped on Rita's feet and for someone as cranky as Rita, it didn't go so well with her. 

Lola glowered at Rita and returned her attention back to him. 

" Is everything alright? You ... ran off". 

You've got to be kidding me, Lola thought, her nostrils flared.

One, two, three, she counted trying to keep her cool. 

"I'll be fine if you let me be", She gritted her teeth, her eyes now red from both anger and tears that welled up in her eyes.

She stared at him long enough as she tried not to close her eyes. One blink, and all the tears would spill out. She glared at him, sizing him up with disdain. His usual baseball cap and t- shirt he mostly wore in secondary school were gone.

Instead he wore a custom fit black chino trousers with a blue stripped shirt accompanied by a black backpack that hung lazily on his shoulder. His hair, now a hue of chestnut styled in a curly top-fade made him look more matured and suave.

However; he was still Dave Omotosho, the guy who made life hell for Lola Philips. The guy who made her contemplate suicide more than once, that day still felt like yesterday.

It was the beginning of the second term SS2, Lola walked up the aisle, holding her breath tight inside her like it would make her look tinier than she was already. 

She walked through between the seats, the bus grew silent, dozens of gaze on her.

Do you guys really have to make me feel more nervous? She thought. She tried to keep her head up when she spied Anita - Dave's girlfriend - and Dave already seated at the back. 

Anita glared at her and she stared back, she couldn't let her sense her fears, the fear of been ridiculed in front of almost all the students of Stone Top secondary school - juniors, seniors and her mates - the fear of getting a black eye.

She found an empty seat halfway down and as she gently settled into it, she prayed Anita had changed her mind about beating her up after school. 

That morning Anita had made fun of her new ballet flats and called it "old tattered shoes".

Lola had defended herself and insulted her.

Hope welled in her when for the first few minutes Anita still hadn't dragged her off the seat. A smile started to pull at her lips, and then she heard a voice loudly proclaim.

"Slap her already", before she could turn her head around she felt a punch hit her neck over and over.

Lola struggled to get up from her sit but Anita was now towering over, in seconds she struggled to pull Anita's hands off her neck to catch a breath. It wasn't surprising Anita was this strong, she was at least 5'8 tall.

"Anita", a voice called. She recognized it as Dave's. 

There were students standing over her uncertain of what do. Dave was holding Anita back from Lola as she lay nearly immobile on the seat.

"Dave stop holding me", Anita yelled.

Her neck felt sore as she touched the skin around it.

"She's not worth it Anita", Dave grumbled.

When she finally got the strength to get up - thankfully the driver wasn't in the bus yet - Lola carried her backpack and walked in between students scattered around her and got off the bus.

"Lola?"

She snapped her head up, then sighed.

"You stood there and watched her strangle me", Lola wiped the tears off her eyes.

Dave tilted his head as his brows furrowed.

"What?"

"Why didn't you do anything? How could you watch Anita do that?", her voice cracked.

He looked both remorseful and hurt, it was obvious he now understood what she was referring to.

"I'm sorry", he looked like he was about to cry.

Why does he look like he's about to cry? I'm the one who was emotionally tortured, not you. Lola wanted to scream.

"Sorry doesn't make anything better", Lola snapped. 

Sorry wouldn't change what Anita did that day and afterwards, sorry wouldn't change the fact that Lola had ran home that day, wept bitterly in her room as she cut her wrist bit by bit with a blade, sorry wouldn't make all that go away.

"I-I know; I just saw you while I was with a friend... I thought I should say hi", he paused, staring at Lola with hope in his eyes. "I just got admission here, uh... direct entry ish. Quantity survey", he continued.

Great. Just great, she thought.

It was the beginning of another session in Ascend institute of technology and every year students either got admitted through JAMB, others who have their diplomas or OND got admitted through direct entry 200level - provided they made the cut-off mark. Now, he was in the same department as Lola. 

"I guess I'll see you around".

Dave said, before walking away.

Lola stared at his retreating figure, then she began to walk away too. She scrunched up her face. 

She shouldn't have been that rude to him. How different was she from Dave? Besides he could get mad and decides to make her life miserable. 

Make everyone in the department hate, he could do it. Dave did that when they were in secondary school. 

No! she shook her head, taking in a long calming breath. She pushed her red framed glasses up her nose then spun around.

"Wait", she said, then saw Rita giggling, and held his upper arm.

Just as she was about to turn away, Rita stared straight at Lola, and slowly her lips curled up into a cold, disturbing smile.

So guys what do you think about this chapter. Do you think Dave is really sorry for what he did to Lola in the past? 

What do you think about Rita too? Bitchy  😈😈 uhn? Read the next chapter to find out.

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