Claire Kennedy
Claire Kennedy's alarm clock blared in her ears like the imaginary sound of the trumpet of God ingrained in the head of every follower of Christ who look up to the resurrection. She rummaged through her beside and wheezed as her hands found "the interrupter of her fairytale like serendipity". She gripped the Devil and hurled it wherever, not so much as caring where it landed. She groped for her cellphone on her bed and found it almost immediately.
"Ten missed calls? Who in the world calls a person at four?" She wore a grimace as she unlocked her cellphone to check who the caller was. "Oh my God! Gracious heaven! It's 6am!!!" She abruptly jumped out from her bed, changed into her towels and scampered into the bathroom.
She came out moments later and looked up at the clock positioned on her wallpapered wall, just right beside the glass that housed the source of illumination in her room. For the first time in her lifetime, she spent just fifteen minutes in the shower. She took a cursory look at the goddamn alarm clock that she displaced few moments ago and shrieked as her eyes found it.
"Hey, do you know that I'm fuming right now? What good have you ever done to me?" She said in between gritted teeth.
She scurried into her closet and brought out a pair of denim trousers, a tank top and a kimono-like jacket. She eyed her wardrobe and found her lucky charm- her blue tracksuit. She folded it in her extra bag and brought out a red ribbon from her bedside. She took out her white sneakers from her shoe rack and put them in her extra bag.
She wore her Monday outfit with a black thick Cuban Heel. She pulled out her black sunglasses from her glasses storage container and kept it in her blue satchel. She took her cellphone and checked the time. It was exactly 6:30am. Leaving home at 6:35am means "no Bible study, morning prayers, breakfast, early morning jogs, skin routine and work outs" for Claire Kennedy.
She is the last child of Kennedy and Kennedy who had three children. Kenneth Kennedy and Kathryn Kennedy, Claire's parents owned an Incorporated company known as Kennedy and Kennedy. Kennedy and Kennedy is the best doll producing company in the whole of West Africa. Claire is an exceptionally talented athlete. Her alias is "winning streak"- Jenny Wills, her high school bestie had nicknamed her that after Claire's simultaneous victory in athletics when she joined Brainy High School as a sophomore.
She was the best athlete in Brainy High School and not once did anyone beat her in athletics. She got many national and international awards from her athletic escapades in High school and even in college. Everyone knew her at college. Amuda James, the Capetown University athletic star had defeat shoved right to his face over a hundred times after Claire got admitted into Capetown University. Her lucky charm is those long flawless tanned bronze legs of hers. Not one person could beat her in athletics.
She unlocked her phone and saw a message that reads "Hey, winning streak! Where are you?
I called you over a hundred times, but you didn't answer the phone. I'm at the stadium.
Waiting for you. Can't wait to see you!"
She smiled as she read the message. "Can you ever change?" She grinned as she read "winning streak"- "Only Jenny can still call me this after...how many years is it again? Ten years!!
She sure wouldn't stop calling me that. Phew! I guess I should add it to my name.
What do you think? Claire Kennedy Winning Streak...Perfect! Haha." She gloated.
She stared out into the space as though she were pondering over something. "Jenny didn't mention a thing about her "a-full-academic-session" aloofness to me. Perhaps, she would open up today, after ten long years!"
She took another look at her cellphone and saw that it was 6:48am. "Timing parfait, Je peux prendre mon congé maintenant." (Perfect timing, I can take my leave now). She took her car keys from her bedside, left her room with her blue satchel and her extra bag and skedaddled out of her house. She got into her black rolls royce 2020 and drove to the stadium which was a ten minutes drive from her house.
Jenny Wills
Jenny Wills had been Claire Kennedy's friend since High School at Brainy High School. Jenny had been the athletic star at Brainy High School before Claire joined them at sophomoric class. Jenny was a jack of all trades. She was great in academics, sports, other extra-curricular activities and even language learning. She could speak seven different languages- French, Spanish, Tagalog, Italian, Japanese, Korean and Chinese.
"ÂżCĂłmo tu Illamas, yo soy Jenny Wills". (What's your name? I'm Jenny Wills).
"What? Pardon?"
"Pareces ser una ignorante en español". (You seem to be an ignoramus in Spanish)
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're saying."
"Hello, I was asking you what your name is. I'm Jenny Wills."
"Oh, I'm Claire Kennedy. Nice meeting you Jenny."
"Did you say Kennedy? As in Kennedy and Kennedy?"
"Oh, yes! They're my parents. You know them?"
"Who doesn't know your parents?"
***********************************
She could also speak English. That makes it eight languages. Her first meeting with Claire had not gone well with her. She had thought that Claire was a middle class sophomore. Her parents belong to the middle class. She was Claire's first friend in Brainy High School. She was used to getting all the love, hype and attention in school until Claire came. Her first sport competition against Claire was the starting point of her buried hatred for Claire. She had come second in the competition while Claire had come first. That was the starting point of Claire's simultaneous wins. If there was one thing Jenny hated, it was "DEFEAT".
Jenny had refrained from participating in athletics until her final year in school. She opted in again for sporting activities and competitions during her final year. She had reached the finals where she was to compete against Claire. Again, Claire had won her hands down with a total of 95.6 points while Jenny had had a total of 79.8 points.
While Claire had gotten an award and a cash prize for winning the competition, the judges had deemed it fit to give "a wooden spoon" to Jenny for making it to the final round.
Jenny had overheard her crush, Chris' conversation with David, his best friend, who was a classmate of theirs. Their conversation had ignited her hatred for Claire.
"Did you hear what happened yesterday?" Chris had asked David.
"Yeah, I wasn't surprised when I heard the news. I knew Claire would beat Jenny hands down. You see, Claire is just too great. Jenny is no match for her". David said gesticulating.
"If I were her, I would have rejected the wooden spoon." Chris remarked.
"Wooden spoon? What's that?" David asked in oblivion.
"You don't know what a wooden spoon is? It's an award given to someone who comes last in a competition". He giggled.
"Ah! Hahaha. She should have just walked out in shame. On a second thought, I think it's great she accepted it. She didn't get a wooden spoon the last time, remember. Not everyone gets the luxury of a wooden spoon. She'll prolly hold it dear as though it's a silver spoon. Hahaha".
She had blazed in anger at those words. Those words had reverberated in her ears from that moment up till now. At first, she had stayed away from Claire. However, after a full academic session, she came had come back to her and had acted like nothing happened.
She had always repeated the words "I will have my revenge" in the 8 (eight) languages she understood.
"Tendré mi venganza!" (I will have my revenge!- Spanish)
"AvrĂČ la mia vendetta!"(I will have my revenge!- Italian)
"J'aurai ma revanche!" (I will have my revenge!- French)
"Maghihiganti ako!" (I will have my revenge!- Tagalog)
"ćŸ©èźăăŸă [FukushĆ« shimasu]!" (I will have my revenge!- Japanese)
"æäŒæ„ä» [WÇ huĂŹ bĂ ochĂłu]!" (I will have my revenge!- Chinese)
"ëë ëł”ì í êČìŽë€ [naneun bogsu hal geos-ida]!" (I will have my revenge!- Korean)
"I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!" (I will have my revenge!- English)
She grinned as she took another bite of the chocolate she bought the previous day from the grocery store. She had maneuvered her way into the mind of the sports coordinator. A hundred thousand dollars had shut the potbellied old hag up who had strike out two of the ten finalists.
"It's just two of us. One which is me would surely be the winner. The wooden spoon should not be given to the tenth, but to the second. The race is for my friend and I alone. I didn't pay you to give the wooden spoon to some tenth position!" She had yelled.
He had replaced them with Jenny and a supposed friend of Jenny who was also interested in the competition. She had called Claire the previous day and had told her to bring her tracksuit the next day.
Jenny had changed into a tracksuit some one hour ago. Tracksuits have been her "thing" for the past ten years. Her revenge had prompted her to attend a sports school for five years. She had gotten a certificate in the field after the completion of her studies.
"hoy es el dĂa que estabas esperando a Jenny. Nada puede detenerte ni siquiera dios." (Today is the day you've been waiting for Jenny. Nothing can stop you. Not even God!).
The sound of a screeching tyre disrupted her thoughts and her eyes found the "object of her attention".
Beep! Beep! Beep!
She removed her phone from her pocket and received her call.
"Hello Claire, can you see me? I'm waving my hands. I'm in black tracksuits..."
"OĂč es-tu?" (Where are you?) Claire asked.
"You know what? Forget it. Je viendrai te rencontrer. (I'll come meet you.)
"Bien" (Alright)
She headed straight to where Claire's car was parked. She gave a devilish grin as she got closer to her "object of attention".
She started talking within herself.
"You haven't changed much Claire, have you? Your hair is longer. You look more beautiful. Yes! I can see that you look like the multi-millionaire's daughter that you are. I can't wait to see you with a wooden spoon. I can't mon amie (I can't my friend").
Claire looked up and saw Jenny walking briskly to where she was.
"Jenny!!!!!!!"
"Claire Kennedy!"
She gave Jenny a big bear hug and held her tight in her arms for almost a minute.
"Comment allez-vous Jenny? (How are you Jenny?")
Comment avez-vous été (How have you been)
"ça fait dix ans" (It's been ten years).
"He sido buena" (I've been good- Spanish) Jenny answered.
"como has estado tu mismo?" (How have you been?) Jenny asked.
Jenny expected her to be all puzzled. Claire had spoken to her in French but she had answered her back in Spanish.
"Multa Jenny! Multa". (Fine Jenny. Fine.) Claire answered.
"Oh no! You understand and speak Spanish now? IncreĂble. (Unbelievable)." Jenny asked still in shock.
"I learnt it via an app and on Youtube four hours a day, for five years." Claire replied grinning.
"Alright, we will have all the day to gist and chat but first things first. Where's your tracksuit?" Jenny asked, faking a smile.
Claire opened her backseat and pulled out the tracksuit from her extra bag. She put the tracksuit in a fashion bag and closed the door of her car.
"I have it here". She answered.
Come with me" Jenny held Claire on her shoulder and they both walked to the dress room.
"Change in your tracksuit and come out here when you're done." Jenny said.
Claire came back out in less than five minutes.
"For old times sake, can we compete against each other again?" Jenny asked.
"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Claire asked, giving Jenny a bewildered look. "Besides, I have a lot of questions I would love to ask you". Claire added.
"Claire, I've never been so sure of anything in my life. We still have the whole day. Your questions can wait bestie". She said with a wink.
"Alright! Shall we?"
**********************************
"Athletes! Are we all ready?" The referee asked.
Claire and Jenny were beside each other. Claire gave Jenny a puzzled look.
"Hey Jenny, I thought it was just us. How were you able to get me registered. I didn't even put in for this."
"Claire, you know the way things work. Just with a snap of our fingers, we can get anything done..."
The 5000 metre race is about to start!
"10...
...9...
...8...
...7...
...6...
...5...
...4...
...3...
...2...
...1...
GO!!!!"
Claire took off just as Jenny took off. They were both on the same pace. Jenny ran faster and she was a few steps from Claire. Claire ran faster than the pace she started with and she met Jenny's pace in no time. Within a few seconds, she overtook Jenny. Both already left the other eight behind. Claire was many steps away from Jenny and she continued with that pace. Moments later, a muscular athlete overtook Jenny. He gave Jenny a nod and soon met with Claire's pace. He hit Claire's foot with his strong muscles and Claire fell.
His pace became slower and Jenny overtook him. Claire got back up and continued running with all her strength. Jenny was already very far away. Claire put in more efforts and soon overtook the seven athletes. She was a few feet from the athlete that hit her. She soon ran past him. Jenny was a few feet from the finishing line. Claire ran with all the strength in her and was just a few feet from Jenny. She continued and overtook Jenny. Claire was about six feet from the finishing line.
"Nooooooooo!!!" Jenny screamed. Claire reached the finishing line before Jenny. As Claire reached the finishing line, she became exhausted.
The crowd were cheering for Claire. "The winner is Claire Kennedy and the wooden spoon goes to "Jenny Wills".
Jenny smiled and moved to where Claire was. She gave already exhausted Claire a bear hug to congratulate her. The game ended and both ended up in the restroom. They were both alone.
"You beat me hands down every single time girl". Jenny said.
Claire gave a half smile.
"Come here bestie, have a hug." Claire said.
Claire held Jenny tightly in her arms and Jenny slowly pulled a fountain pen from her pocket...
She flipped the cover and slowly raised it up inconspicuously. She darkened her eyes and gave that wicked grin again. She loosened Claire's grip and gave her a stab in her eyes.
Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab...six stabs on her chest. Claire let out a loud cry.
"Wh-at did I e-v-e-r do to you Je-nny?"
Her blood splattered everywhere.
"You know what your problem is? You don't know when to quit. You still beat me even after all I did to ensure that I beat you hands down today. I paid the muscular athlete off!!!!"
"If only you hadn't gotten up, if only you had let me win, you wouldn't have had to face this horrible fate. I would have spared you. But what did you do? You fucking made me get a wooden spoon!
These six stabs are for the first wooden spoon I got in Brainy High School some ten years ago."
"Oh...you think I forgot? Jenny Wills never forgets anything!
Stab! Stab! Stab...four on her throat. This is for the humiliation I suffered in Chris' hands.
Claire let out a yelp.
Stab! Stab! Stab...ten stabs in her other eyes...
"Bitch! This is for the second wooden spoon I got today. Can you hear me?
Blood splattered on Jenny's lips. She licked her lips and gave Claire one more stab in her head.
Claire breathed her last.
"vete al infierno Claire, nadie se mete con Jenny Wills". (Go to hell Claire, no one messes with Jenny Wills).
©Precious Aliu Chelsea