SOAP OPERA – Chapter 8: The Fall of Jola
The campus was buzzing, but a heavy, uneasy tension hung in the air. The second elimination had already sent shockwaves through Riverside University. Students whispered about what would happen next, their nerves taut like stretched wires.
Jola had been feeling cornered. She had been struggling with her third-round submission, unsure if it was strong enough. When she saw Johnson Adeyemi leaning over her desk earlier, offering help and pointing out minor flaws, her pride flared. He's trying to make me look better than I am, she thought.
Fueled by panic and desperation, she made a decision she would soon regret. In a quiet moment, she subtly sabotaged Johnson's piece—tweaking a sentence here, misplacing a paragraph there—thinking it would give her an edge. She didn't realize how delicate her own piece had become, nor how her distracted focus would ruin her story.
The judges were merciless this round. The theatre was tense, every student holding their breath as names were read.
"Mike…"
"Daniel…"
Gasps filled the room. Two more students had been eliminated—students everyone expected to survive.
Then, the judges paused. Every remaining student's heart thumped. Whispers darted through the room: "Maybe Johnson… maybe Raphael…"
Professor Nwagu stepped forward, clipboard in hand:
"Jola Adeyemi…"
Shock rippled through the room. Jola froze. This wasn't supposed to happen—she had sabotaged Johnson, not realizing her own piece was failing. Her hands trembled as she realized the cruel irony: in trying to secure her place, she had doomed herself.
And then:
"Johnson Adeyemi…"
The theatre erupted in gasps. Johnson's face paled as he stepped forward. His piece, once strong, now showed subtle flaws from Jola's sabotage. He had tried to help her, and it had cost him dearly.
Jola's heart sank. She had won nothing—her pride, her chance, and even her friendship with Johnson were now in ruins.
Outside the theatre, the remaining contestants—Raphael, Tania, Gift, Ella, Praise, Promise, Mary, and Martha—watched in horror. The competition had just shown its brutal side: no one was untouchable, and even good intentions could backfire.
Jola walked out, a mix of shame, regret, and disbelief washing over her. She whispered under her breath:
"I… I didn't mean to… but now… it's too late."
Johnson, too, exited quietly, stunned and betrayed by circumstances beyond his control. The rivalry, tension, and stakes had escalated to a point where trust was a dangerous gamble, and the remaining competitors would have to fight harder than ever to survive.