Itohan settled into the class like the others, triumph playing in her mind, everything was falling into place. Now there wouldn't be a suspicious Ivie poking her nose in things that concerns her the least.
She had played her card well, laid low and observed with small but sharp eyes. It was Sister Omo's death that raised her suspicion. A wolf? They might as well tell that to a child. A wolf did not just appear out of thin air, and since Itohan was of the knowledge that magic existed, she suspected foul play, which is why she wanted to catch Father Chibuike's cat. And if he indeed had the cat, it could only mean one thing, shape shifting.
But Ivie being the smart Ivie was too smart, too smart that she ended up ruining things to the point where Itohan had to act. Itohan had not planned on using Ivie, but Ivie was using her smart head to unravel things, she wouldn't just let Precious's death go, she wouldn't stop asking questions about Sister Gabriel. She was too smart, it was only a matter of time until she found out.
That night when she had hit her head and dragged her to the woods, she had suggested they killed her. Killing her, to Itohan, was the means to an end, the best decision ever. But now, with Itohan in her body, killing her was not the best idea after all.
Somehow, she had known back then too, maybe that was why she had taken few strands of her hair and smeared it with her blood, the perfect requirement for the spell that would switch their souls.
She had chanted the spell hours before their meeting up and the switch had already happened, just needed that they met in close proximity.
Poor Ivie.
Now all she had to do was to be a sweet angel and get closer to Father Chibuike, close enough to unravel his secrets and use them to her advantage.
She smiled.
"Maybe Ivie would share with us what has gotten her in such a good mood," Father Chibuike's voice snapped her back to the class. He was taking the class attendance, holding a sheet of paper and marking their names. "By the way, why isn't Itohan in class?"
Whispers rose to fill the class as the rumour of what she had done had gone rife.
She's sitting down right here, sweet priest, Itohan said in her head but replied aloud, "No idea,"
"I hope you didn't take my advice to heart?" There was a twinkle in Father Chibuike's eyes as he asked.
Advice? Did Ivie and the priest have a secret plan concerning her?
Father Chibuike finished marking the attendance and the students scrambled out of the class to attend another one, but he perched himself against the wall, his ever growing smile not leaving his lips.
"Are you waiting for somebody, Father?" Gaga asked him as they made to leave for Sister Gabriel's class.
He nodded. "Itohan. Maybe she wants to skip the morning routine, but she can't avoid me."
The priest must think he is a god that she would try to avoid. Itohan said, "I think she's left already."
"Left? What do you mean by that?" He pushed himself from the wall.
"Well, you know she had a suspension and…she told me about it this morning," she added when the priest gave her a questioning look. "So I think she left already."
"Under whose permission?" Father Chibuike asked.
Itohan looked at him confused. "Father IK—"
"Hoping to steal my shine, is he?" He tsked. "That's not so priestly of him, don't you think so, Ivie?"
She put on the Ivie bitchy attitude. "I thinks she got what she deserved, Father, that girl is a—"
But Aisosa cut her short, her face ashen with hurt. "But to think that she left without saying goodbye, does she really not want to be friends with us again?"
"She's probably hurt from your betrayal, two weeks is enough time to calm her down, she'll come around," Father Chibuike waved.
"She's the one who betrayed us, Father," JohnMary said.
"And in turn you betrayed her. How on earth do you all become friends? Good thing I'm now in the equation, I'll right the so many wrongs I see here." Then he glanced over to Itohan. "Do you know where she is going to serve her suspension?"
She shook her head. "No, and it's not even important, she can go to hel—"
"I'm responsible for her too, I'm in charge of her form."
Itohan clamped her mouth shut. "Sorry, Father."
More than one heads turned to look at her.
"Now, that's a first." Father Chibuike took a step forward. "Who are you and what have you done to Ivie?"
How did she ever forget that Ivie never said sorry, especially to this priest? "Err..I..so—"
Gaga laughed. "Relax Ivie, Father Chibuike is joking, why are you so stiff?"
She managed a tight smile, the words had slipped out of her before she could realize it. It seemed she had to tread carefully, Father Chibuike appeared to know Ivie better than they knew. It was a good thing because she wouldn't need to work on gaining his trust, and it was a bad thing because, well, he knew her.
Father Chibuike clapped twice. "Chop chop, off you delinquents go before you connive how to murder me in my sleep. Don't forget you have detention you can't avoid and the most beautiful letter you'll ever get to write. Ivie here has promised to go over a thousand words, explaining how awesome I am, isn't that so sweet?"
Ivie did that? Itohan thought, was the girl sick or something? She smiled at him. "Yes, Father."
Father Chibuike observed her for a moment. "Can I have a word with you alone?"
"Why? Can't you say whatever you want to say in our presence?" JohnMary thundered.
"No, I can't. Now, excuse us." He waved his hand in dismissal.
"It's alright Johnny, I also have something to tell Father Chibuike, this would save me from going to his office." Itohan touched his arm lightly until he budged and stood some meters from them.
"Would you look at that? How about hiring him to be your bodyguard?"
A small frown appeared on her face at the bodyguard prospect. "Johnny is my friend. What's the problem, Father?"
"I should be asking you that, are you okay?" He looked at the small fading scar from where she had removed her bandage.
"Errr…yes, I was, you know, bad night. Yes, bad night, I was not able to sleep well."
"I told you to go to bed, were you so eager to finish the letter that you stayed up all night?"
He told her? Letter? She decided to go with the flow. "The faster the better."
"Somebody wants to get me off their neck, good luck. Now, why don't I pay that Dean a visit."
"Wait, Father! I mean, I think she should just serve her punishment, maybe Father IK doesn't want her to have visitors, you know, that sort of thing. Itohan is a strong girl, she'll be fine."
"I suppose, but the Dean keeps making it a habit to steal my shine."
"Maybe he doesn't want you to work too much."
Father Chibuike laughed. "You're different today, Ivie, so different."
From where JohnMary stood, he frowned. He wondered what Ivie had said to make the priest laugh too hard.