"So where would you be staying?" Margret asked shortly after they finished eating.
"John thought it would be best if fewer people knew about where we were going to avoid traces." Joana answered.
"And by fewer people he meant us right?" Margret said facing John whose hand gesture said "You can't blame me.'
"And when did our worries go from normal things like school and relationships and stuffs to murders and a serial killer on the loose?"
"These couple of weeks have been crazy." June added
"And then Grace left, and now you and John are leaving... What about all our plans towards the end of the school year? What about graduation? This isn't fair."
An awkward silence filled the room after Margret spoke.
"This sucks," June said shortly after.
"But it's better than being dead isn't it?"
Margret sighed.
"What am I going to do without you girls. Nothing will feel the same ever again."
"Hey you guys remember that time when Farouq wrote Margret that love letter?" John said. "The one that didn't even get to Margret because Mr. Davis caught him while he was trying to pass it to her."
Everyone started laughing immediately, everyone except Margret who was frowning.
"Come on! I was being serious here!" Margret glared.
"I remember," Joana said laughing. "Then he made him read the letter aloud to the class."
"Jo, not you too!"
"Farouq's English when writing is as bad as when he speaks." June added.
"Wait wait wait, I think I remember what he said." John said then clearing his throat. "I'm so in love with you. Whenever I saw you, my heart loose control."
The girls burst into another round of laughter, this time Margret joined.
"Okay, you mimicking his voice took it to another level." Margret admitted. "But it's not as embarrassing as when you tried to breakdance on our prom."
Again, they all laughed.
"Okay, you transferred it to me, well played." John said nodding his head. "But you all should know that it was Joana that pushed me to do it."
"How is it my fault?" Joana asked. "The deal when played our game was that whoever won would dare the loser to do anything, and you lost."
"Well you shouldn't have dared me to breakdance, you knew it would be embarrassing."
"Well, that was the plan," Joana said with a wicked smile.
"But if you think about it," June said. "When you count who has the most embarrassing moment in our school, our principal would top that list."
"I swear!" John shouted in agreement as they all laughed once more. "That man na character on everything."
"I wish Grace was here right now." Margret said. "Talking about the principal was one of her favorite things to discuss."
"Speak off the devil," June said as her phone buzzed. "She's calling now."
** ** **
Grace wasn't surprised when she got the text from June saying Joana was leaving. To her, it seemed like a matter of time after what Efe said that Saturday afternoon in their living room. After fuming for a while and considering what her next plan would be in meeting Abike Badmus again, she decided to head home.
Just as she promised, she called immediately she got home.
"Hey Ju," she said as soon June's face popped on her screen.
"Guys she's on the screen now, come..." June said to the rest and in no time their faces were on the screen too.
"Hey guys."
"Grace how far na." (1) John greeted. "How that side dey?" (2)
"So John knows now huh?" Grace asked. They all nodded in reply.
"I'm fine by the way... And this place is pretty boring without you girls."
"Same here... Any luck in tracking Veronica's mother?" Grace replied Margret.
"I did see her today."
They all sat up immediately.
"Wow, so what happened? Did she tell you anything?"
"Well, not exactly."
"What do you mean?" June asked.
"I somehow acted like a crazy person and they thought I was a blogger looking for some juicy story so they didn't want to listen to anything I had to say."
"Oh, damn."
"Don't you worry though, I have a plan for tomorrow."
"Okay," Joana said.
"So where are guys running off to?"
Joana chuckled.
"Don't mind them, only John knows," Margret said.
Grace couldn't help but chuckle either.
"But just promise us one thing though." Grace said with a more serious tone. "Promise us that you will reach out once you're safe, even if it is just a text."
Joana smiled.
"For sure."
They continued talking and reminiscing about random things for like thirty more minutes before Grace ended the call. John's cousin, Timileyin, a young man in his twenties arrived around 6:30 pm with Joana and John ready to leave.
"So I guess this is goodbye, for now." Joana said with a short laugh to Margret and June as they stood outside with John. Timileyin was inside his car waiting for them.
"I will miss you girl." Margret said hugging her.
"I will miss you too." Joana replied then moved on to her sister.
"Hey." She said. "Could you help me give mum and dad something?"
"Sure," June answered. "What?"
Joana brought out a note from her pocket and handed it over to her.
"You wrote a note," June said almost in tears. "You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye."
"Of course not... But don't open it here though, I addressed a few words to you and it's a bit embarrassing."
"Awww," June said and hugged her. "Thanks sis."
"You're welcome sis." Joana replied as they both released themselves from their hug.
Meanwhile, Margret turned towards John.
"Thank you, John."
"For what?"
"You may not have realized it, but you showed me that rather than being sorry for myself and the situation surrounding us, I should hold on to the good times and hope that the future would be better."
"Wow, I was just trying to lighten up the mood but you're welcome." John said with a smirk.
"Ode," Margret replied smiling.
Just then, Timileyin pressed the horn of his car.
"Well, we have to be going guys," John said.
"Bye."Joana said as she got into the back seat John already opened for her.
"Don't forget to text oh," Margret and said.
"Sure."
John closed the door and went to join Timileyin in the front seat.
"Bye."
Margret and June watched until the car drove out of sight before they started their walk home.
"Come on Ju," Margret said as they both placed a hand over their shoulders. "It's just you and me now."
** ** **
The sky was dark without much trace of moonlight now as Timileyin approached a bridge close to the edge of the town.
John turned to the back seat to check on Joana whose nervous eyes were open wide. He stretched out his hand to hold hers.
"Don't worry, we would be there very soon." He assured. She smiled and gave a slight nod in return.
Just then, something hit the rear bumper of the car, forcing them to jerk forward. Luckily, Timileyin was able to handle the steering well to keep them steady.
"Are you guys alright?" He asked.
John looked over to Joana who nodded.
"What the hell was that?" He asked Timileyin as he faced forward.
"I don't know," Timileyin replied. "And it's getting pretty dark, I can barely see beyond what the headlights show me. Check the side mirrors."
John then peered his eyes into the side mirror in an effort to catch a glimpse of anything. He saw a Toyota Hilux behind.
"Oh my God somebody is following us!"
The car sped up and hit them again from behind but before Timileyin could take control of the steering, the car hit them again with more force this time, swaying their car off the road and crashing in front of a tree.
The car stopped and Cassandra came out of the front seat in all-black attire and walked towards their car. They had all passed out. Timileyin and John had hit their faces on the windshield and blood were beginning to trickle down their faces. Cassandra opened the back door to see Joana lying on the seat. She hit the window glass with the back of her head.
"It isn't over I say it is over," Cassandra said with a wicked smile on her face as she admired the beauty of her chaos.