Absolutely! Here's Chapter Three of your novel "Best Friend's in the world",
sub heading"Back to School." This chapter dives into school drama, betrayal, and the deep need for trust over protection.
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Olive's palms were sweaty as she stood at the door of the classroom. The whispers in the hallway had already begun again. She knew what they were saying. Even if they didn't say it out loud.
"That's the girl who stole the money."
"I heard she blamed someone else."
"Who would've thought… Olive Jenkins?"
She hesitated.
"Hey," Adam whispered, nudging her arm gently. "You've got this. Walk in. You owe no one an explanation."
She gave a weak smile and stepped in. But almost immediately, her heart dropped.
Grace.
Grace Okoro, the girl recently moved from the science department to art class, was sitting in Olive's seat like she owned it. Grace was tall, loud, and dramatic—the kind of girl who liked chaos just to watch it burn.
Olive cleared her throat. "Grace… that's my seat."
Grace raised an eyebrow without moving. "So?" she said coolly. "It's just a chair. You think the world owes you something now that you're back from suspension?"
Adam stepped in calmly. "Grace, this isn't your class. Get up."
Grace sneered. "Oh look who we have here—the savior of Olive. I'm not standing up. I've been transferred. I can sit wherever I like."
The tension rose like steam. Students were already whispering. Sarah's eyes widened. Zoe looked like she was about to explode.
"I said get up," Olive repeated, her voice firmer.
"No," Grace snapped.
Zoe finally lost it. "Grace, can you just stand up and stop being dramatic? This is literally not your seat!"
Juliet, one of the boys at the back, groaned. "Abeg, what's all this? Stand up, don't stand up—Grace, if you want to sit there, jare sit."
That was all Zoe needed to walk straight to Grace's desk, face to face. "You don't belong here, Grace. Go back to science or go sit somewhere else."
Grace smirked. "Oh, look at her. Queen Olive's royal guard." She turned to Olive with venom. "You. Of all people. Little miss perfect. Who would've believed it? Miss holier than thou, stealing money and blaming the poor girl. You're a joke."
Olive's face burned with shame. Her fists clenched under her desk.
"It's fine," she said quietly to her friends. "Let her be. I'll just find another seat—"
"No, you won't," a deep voice said.
Everyone turned. Mr. Ben, their class teacher and geography instructor, had walked in unnoticed.
"Grace," he said firmly, "stand up from that seat. That's Olive's. Find another chair."
Grace tried to protest. "But I—"
"Obey before arguing," Mr. Ben cut in. "I will not repeat myself."
Mumbling under her breath, Grace stood and stormed to the back of the room. Mr. Ben looked around.
"What class do you all have now?"
"Free period!" a few shouted.
"English," others corrected.
Mr. Ben sighed. "Well, your English teacher is no longer with us. The school is working on getting you a replacement."
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Meanwhile, in the staff room…
Two female teachers leaned into their steaming mugs of tea.
"I still can't believe Olive did that," one of them whispered.
"Honestly. You know rich kids. It might even be spiritual," the other replied.
"I wonder how her classmates didn't eat her alive," one said, chuckling.
Mr. Ben, who had just entered to sign a register, made an exaggerated cough and shook his head. "God abeg," he muttered under his breath as he walked out.
The women exchanged glances and laughed. "What a man."
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Back in class…
The tension wasn't over. Grace had started mocking Adam, loudly.
"So, what's your deal? You following Olive around like a puppy now?"
Adam ignored her.
"Oh, you like her, abi? That's why you're jumping like Superman anytime she breathes. You're pathetic."
Adam stood, his voice calm. "You're being ridiculous."
Grace laughed, then shoved him slightly. "Do something, then!"
Adam didn't flinch, but he tossed her bag to the floor. That was when Grace snapped—she grabbed another bag, one she had packed with stones for her sculpting project, and swung it at Adam.
The corner of the bag caught his face.
Everyone screamed.
Mr. Ben rushed in just in time. "Enough!"
He helped Adam, who was bleeding slightly near his eye, and ordered Grace to the corner. "You'll hear from the school committee," he said coldly.
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Later that day, Olive tried to talk to Zoe.
"What caused the fight?" she asked, worried.
Zoe looked away. "I don't know… Grace just started again."
But something in her tone felt off.
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The next morning…
Mr. Ben called Olive, Adam, and Grace to the school committee room.
Grace sat confidently, even smirking.
"I have something to report," she said boldly. "Olive bribed teachers for high marks. That's why she's always top of the class."
Olive gasped. "What?!"
Adam stood. "That's a lie!"
"Of course you'd defend her!" Grace snapped.
The committee chairman adjusted his glasses. "Olive, do you have anything to say?"
Olive stood slowly. Her voice shook, but she faced them.
"I've never given any teacher gifts for grades. I work hard, I study, and I earn my marks. If anyone doubts that, please ask Grace when I supposedly bribed anyone. I… I'm hurt that this is even a conversation."
There was silence.
The headmistress finally spoke. "Grace, since you have no proof and have already caused multiple disruptions, you are hereby suspended for three days."
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School closed that afternoon.
Outside the gates, Olive walked ahead of her friends. Zoe caught up to her, gently grabbing her arm.
"Olive, wait—"
"No," Olive said, pulling away. "I need friends who trust me. Not ones who think I need to be protected from the truth."
"Olive, we weren't trying to—" Adam started.
"I don't need your protection," she snapped. "All I ever needed… was your trust."
And with that, she walked away, leaving her friends in silence as the sun dipped behind the school walls.
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