She was a beautiful girl with no family. Stayed alone in school and had no friends. She only cared about passing both the physical and mental part of the school. She schooled, or would I say, still schools at Claribon Boarding School for the gifted. She was a person that no one wanted to challenge, and was the best at what she did. She was the most intelligent in her class, and the strongest too. She was a science geek and a really hot chick, yet she had no friend, no family.

Her mom had abandoned her at the boarding school after the mom’s husband divorced her, and her sister had been hit by a car on her wedding day after finding out that her boyfriend was only marrying her as a bet.

She was on scholarship and was very holy. I am by name, Elizabeth Catherine Davidson. I thought my life was a mess and I could never repair it. My life was about to get better, even with a little clarity. I was sitting in my room, trying to revise my notes on Chemistry, and suddenly, I heard a noise from outside, the girls in the hostel were screaming on top of their voices because, for the first time, at last the school was going to become a mixed school the school and the students had been informed about the new development ….

The boys came into the compound and an assembly was conducted by the school teachers/ monks and seniors. The seniors addressed the students, and by the time the assembly was over, the senior told the students to welcome the boys, and so they did. I, on the other hand sat alone and watched as the girls to my disappointment displayed acts of childishness..

Suddenly, out of nowhere, one of the boys pointed at me and it seemed as if he was asking about me. I turned my face and drew ignorant of him. A while latter, he walked over and introduced himself. His name was Michael Johnson II. Michael had four brothers who also got admitted into the school by names; James, David, Charles and Steven.

Mike asked me what I was doing alone and why I didn’t join the other girls in welcoming them. I turned, looked at him, and said, “they already did all the welcoming, mine wouldn’t have added anything to the greetings”. He then smiled and said, “I heard you are the best around here,” and I said, “I don’t know what you heard but I am trying me best. He then said “fine. I will have a fight tomorrow and if I win, you’ll become my girlfriend”. In a shock, I said to him, “I have never thought of a guy and neither do I now, but it is bad to reject a challenge. Moreover, I just met you for the first time in my life; what brought about that you can’t just request for that. Please, I don’t have time for a child’s play since you believe you are the best. I expect that you should change your request by now if you have any.” He then said to me, “no, I will not, unless you believe I will win tomorrow”.

I felt his words aren’t a bluff, and I said, “I accept”, he smiled and was very happy. He stood up with a smile on his face, and in what I believed was joy in his heart, he said, “I challenge the best of the best, Elizabeth Catherine Davidson to a duel tomorrow,” he turned, and looking at me, he continued, “if I win, she will be my girlfriend, but if she wins …” At this point, I stood up and said, “Michael Johnson II will never speak to me again,” and the students chorused “so shall it be”.

The next day I was ready. I stayed up all night practicing and I was so sure of myself. The time came and Mike whispered into my ear saying, “you are going to be mine. I was a suddenly irritated. As the fight began, it was as if let me beat him at the first round. I felt as if he let me win, but at the second round when he began to fight, I didn’t dare lay a finger on him. Every effort I made to hit him even once was made in vain. He won the second round. I couldn’t believe he won so easily at that second round. Senior walked over to me and said, “you are good but he is better”. I felt ashamed. He then said to me, “if he wins either way, plead with him to teach you what he knows; don’t be ashamed. There is nothing to be ashamed of in learning”. And so, with those words in mind, I went into the third battle and to everyone but to my amazement, he won. I stood up, greeted him and the senior, and then left. I went into my room and cried like never before. I felt so downcast and sad. Now I had nothing that was mine. By best treasure had been ripped out of my hand while I watched. Suddenly, I noticed my door opened and to my greatest amazement, as Mike walked in, I raised my head. In a loud, unaccommodating voice, I said to him, “what are you doing here!?” He said to me, “I came to see how my girlfriend is doing.” I felt more annoyed. He then stood by the door and said, “I know you’re annoyed with me but…” Before he could continue, I threw perfume and body cream bottles at him. But he continued, “the reason I beat you was so that you would become my girlfriend. Still in anger, I said, “of all the beautiful girls in this school, why did it have to be me?” But he said, “of all the beautiful girls in the school, none compares to to. You are beautiful beyond compare. You are totally different in all aspects, and just make other girls seem unappealing to me. So, yes, of all the beautiful girls in this school, it has to be you.” I was happy within me, but made him see anger in me. He went down on his knees in apology. I quickly told him to get up saying, “please stand up. You won honourably. There is nothing to be sorry for.” He stood up with a great smile on his face and said that we could now talk. “About what”? I inquired in a surprise. And he said, “about you and I.” And I asked again, “what is there to talk about me”? He said, “I would love to more about you.” I felt happy that someone asked me about myself for once in a long time, and so I began.

“My name is Elizabeth Katherine Davidson. I was born on the fifth of January at L.A. and raised in Canada. My dad was a magistrate in L.A. and my mom was a caterer. I am the second child of my parents after my elder sister Beatrice, who is now late.” I stopped and smiled, and he said, “what happened to her?” I raised my head and said to him, “He was killed because of the foolishness of a guy, a guy she loved so much. She chose to give up her life for him.”

Mike looked up and said, “How?” And I continued, “It was her wedding day and in her happy mood, she was escorted to the altar by my father, full of smiles. On meeting the husband, she declared her vows to be his faithful wife in the presence before the whole congregation in the church. To the surprise of all present, he said in reply to her declaration that he was only marrying her due to a bet her boyfriend had made with him on marrying her. She began to shed tears. Out of her mind, she ran out from the church right into the street and was hit by a fast-moving car. She never woke up again.”

Meanwhile, Mike had glued his gaze at me while I told the story, and now he cut in, “take hear my dear, and accept my condolences please.” I accepted his condolences, and he held me close to me, and for the first time in years I began to cry. Then and there I knew that I had missed my sister, but still I pushed him away. He sat down with me for the rest of the night and we talked at length until I dozed off… .

The next morning, I woke up at about 10:23. I had never witnessed that before. It had been a habit for me to wake up between 6:30 and 7:00. I laid back and just thought of what took place the previous night. After a while, I stood up, took my bathe and went out. It dawned on me that everybody’s attention was now all over me. From nowhere, Mike walked up to me and said, “how was your night sleeping beauty.” I said “fine” absent-mindedly. He held my hand really closely and tight like he didn’t want anyone to sit next to me but himself alone.

His brothers walked over and he said to me, “meet my brothers; Steven, David, Charles and James.” I said “hello” to them. They smiled and latter left. Mike and I sat and continued from where we stopped our talks the previous night. He said, “yesterday you told me of your sister but you have not said anything about your mom and dad.” I continued, “well, my mom abandoned me here as you can see. My mom was a caterer, who became a drunk after my dad’s death. She found herself in a rehabilitation home as a result. My late sister took care of me while my our mum was away.

“When she returned from the rehabilitation home, we started seeing a man around who was supposedly engaged to mum. She didn’t drink in his presence. She behaved like a proper English woman. They had their marriage latter on and despite several warnings against her drinking habit, he filed for a divorce and it was granted. After their separation, my mom began to show some hatred towards me for no just reason. She maltreated me and even beat me up sometimes.

“She was arrested by the police on several occasions. She latter got me enrolled here and most of the time she came visiting, she would end up beating me up. Senior was observing this and when it was becoming too much, he inquired what was the problem. I hesitated, but latter, I narrated to him my story. He offered to my mom to take her hands off me, which she gladly accepted. This is three years since I saw her last and I have come to accept the reality that I have been dumped.”

I suddenly stopped, and was wondering why I felt so comfortable around Mike. I realized that it was not normal. He was different from other guys and I liked him that way. I just felt I could tell him anything. It was really a nice feeling. He said to me, “I am really sorry.” I then said, “Beside senior, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me since the death of my sister.” He then smiled, and said, “what about your father?” I looked at him and said, “my dad loved and cared so much about me and my late sister. He died in a plane crash on his way from Canada back to L.A. He died on his birthday. The worst day I ever had in my life. I felt like my life had fallen apart. All thanks to my sister of blessed memory, who seemed to have put my life back together again.”

Mike was a good listener. He had been following my stories patiently. Now he said, “you really had a sad childhood. But I promise that from now, there would be nothing but smiles on your beautiful face.” Suddenly, there was a shout at the gate and the guard said, “Katherine, you are being looked up for.” In a surprise, I inquired who it was that was looking for me at this moment and he said it was my mother. In her thousand dollar gown with a really flashy car, she walked up to me and said, “my love, I really missed you.” She said this while hugging me. “I have come to take you home,” she said, and while I was still in-between confusion and shock she continued, “I know I did many wrong things, especially to you but please forgive me.”