Ding ding ding! ⏰
"Oh God…" Ara groaned from her bed.
It was Monday, and Mondays meant school.
After a long holiday, she still wasn't used to the daily alarm of a secondary school girl.
Ding ding ding! again⏰
She blinked at the clock. 7:00 a.m!😮
School starts by 8:00!😲
She jumped up like someone had poured cold water on her or like she suddenly grew wings. 🪽
Her room was a blend of luxury and personality. It is spacious, with soft cream walls and gold accents. ✨
A plush king-sized bed sat at the center, surrounded by scented candles, elegant furniture, and a flat-screen TV. 📺
One wall carried a mural of food art, a quiet reminder of her family's successful Afro-American restaurant business. 🍲
Her study corner had a sleek desk with a laptop, colorful stationery, and a vision board that held dreams beyond her SSCE. 🎓
In the walk-in closet, designer outfits and native wears hung neatly, and beside them, her mini content zone 👉🏾 a ring light, camera, and notes stood ready for her food vlogs. 💄📸
The air smelled faintly of spice and ambition… just like her🔥🥹
"Ara! What are you still doing in the toilet?" her mom's voice came sharp through the door.
"Don't you know you're late for school already? You're in your senior year, Labor Prefect, eh? And you can't even be early on your first day of duty!" 😤
From inside the toilet, Ara called back, "I'm almost done, Ma! Just a little more water!" 🚿
"Meet me in the car by 7:30 or I'm leaving you behind! I have things to attend to, you hear?"
"Yes, Ma," she replied, listening to her mom's heels fade down the hallway. 👠
A few minutes later, Ara slid into her mom's Range Rover. The engine purred to life, and the leather seats hugged her back in comfort. 🚗
Her mom, dressed in a sleek Ankara-infused blazer, the ever stylish businesswoman ✨👠👗adjusted the rearview mirror and drove off toward AllStars Foundation College, one of the most elite secondary schools in Lagos. 🏫
From the outside, Ara's life looked perfect, a supportive, wealthy family; daily drop-offs in luxury cars; lunch orders from her mom's restaurant; and weekend FaceTime calls from her brother, Tayo, at Babcock University, where he studied Law. 💅📱
But as they passed the estate gate, Ara's smile slowly faded.
Because not every smooth life feels soft inside...
Her dad's rare visits made the house feel more like a hotel. Her mom's busy schedule left warmth replaced with routine.
At school, everyone called her AraBaddie, thinking her confidence came from money.
But really… it was a shield. 🕶️
That morning, as the car glided through traffic, Ara didn't know her senior year story is just beginning. 🌤️