Chapter 3 THE NEW BOY

The dance was a huge success. oh sorry, I meant the New Intake Seminar was a huge success, I thought I was going to end up going alone but I found favour in the sight of some group of students. Ade felt really bad for me when he realized that I was probably going to end up alone at the dance, so he introduced me to these set of interesting students, they're his buddies. Nikky, artist, Kim, the voice of the group, Chase, the dancer and finally Louis, Louis and I once had a thing in junior school, he was my secret admirer, he wrote me a letter but I was yet to know how it feels to be admired. My friends took over the whole situation and then he was exposed and he stopped, I still don't know why and how. I'm pretty sure my girls had a great time too. And just in case you were wondering how they felt when they saw me with Ade and his squad, yeah they felt jealous.

It's a new week, time to let go off the odds of the previous week. Monday, I got ready for school, waiting for my mum to come downstairs and drive me to school. minutes gone and she's not down yet. Went upstairs to check on her and she was still "Sleeping?" 😦. Beside her, I found some pills, when did she start taking pills? I woke her up but she wasn't ready to do anything. "Mum, I'm gonna be late." I said

"Go take the bus." she muttered

The bus? I can't remember when last I took the bus, besides the school bus would have passed by. I tried waking her up again but all to no avail. I had no choice, so I boarded a commercial bus at the rate of a hundred naira. I felt strange seating in the midst of people you don't know, people with different ambitions, different destinations, different looks and feelings, and also different body odours, ugh! it was like I was right in the middle of a dumpster. I survived, I made it to my school but I was late, a period was already over. As I entered the school gate, I was followed by two white cars with tinted windows. They parked up and out of it highlighted, A man and a woman from the first car, and a prince charming from the second car, wondering why I said prince charming, you'll find out later. They were accompanied by body guards. The man looked a lot farmiliar, like I knew him from somewhere or someone.

They walked right into the principal's office and I went straight to my class room before the next class; Physics class started. After the class, my seat partner, Ade gisted me about how we were going to be having a new student, a rich one to be precise and how everyone have been freaking out and murmuring ever since it was announced. Why was everyone freaking out? WILLIAM WELLIGNTON Secondary school do not admit new students in the beginning of the senior school, but I guess this one's a special one.

I later found out he was the son of a senator, pretty cool, right? It was lunch time, I was hanging out with my new friends, Kim was presenting a new song she's working on when o realized that I left phone in class. On my way back, I bumped into someone coming out of the principal's office, he was of a normal height, normal complexion and of course handsome ☺️. "oh I'm so sorry." I apologized, It was the new guy, the prince charming, I bumped into the new guy. He stared into my eyes for a second, I was feeling awkward so I took to my feet, then he called my name. "Pemi!"

What? The new boy just called my name? I turned back with this confused face on🤨. He moved closer and said, "Pemi, it's been like forever, where have you been?" I was still confused and I'm pretty sure I've been in this country. He noticed I wasn't flowing

"You don't remember me?" he asked

I wasn't sure of the response to give.

"of course you can't, it's been 10 years already. We went to the same primary school, we used to be best buddies."

Okay, I don't get it, I used to know the new guy? we were once buddies?. Just then, the principal came out.

"oh look, you already made a friend, you wouldn't mind showing him around would you?' Mrs. Teju asked.

His parents came out, with the bodyguards and I could swear I knew the man's face from somewhere.

"uhm- I w...." I was about responding to the principal's question when she cuts in.

" Senator and Mrs Thomas, I'm promising you that your son is going to be fine, in our school here, we give the best when you pay for the best."

" well I hope so." The man said and left with the woman which I believe to be his wife, and the bodyguards.

" Pemi, please show Raphael around and have him report to my office afterwards." She said and went back to her office. I was left with the new guy.

The whole scenario was still like a movie to me. There was a moment of silence, then he said

"It's so good to see you again, I miss you." He then gave me a big hug. What on earth is going on!😐😳 . " nice to see you too, again." I said, trying to blend with the situation at hand. "This way please."

We started the tour round the school which had everyone talking and asking questions, he was like the prince charming and I was Cinderella, except in a school uniform. If I was very observant, I'm pretty sure he wasn't concentrating through out the tour, he kept staring at me which felt awkward 😕. We ended the tour at the door of the principal's office, I was forced to ask. "You were not listening, were you?"

"I'm so sorry, but I just can't get my eyes off you, it's like you blossomed out like a flower, you've changed a lot."

Things are getting more weird. " I'll be going now, just knock on the door." I said and took my leave.

" see you around?" he asked.

"sure."

I went back to class, and suddenly I became a celebrity, everyone wanting to know how I got to know the new guy. I told Ade everything that happened and he said, "looks like you got yourself a prince charming uhn😉" On my way home, I logged into the social media, and saw messages more than usual. About 30 students slided into my account asking me about the new guy, including the MIXES. So weird.

I got home and I met my mum in her night robe, she didn't go to work. She was responding slowly to everything. I had to ask, "Mum what's going on?"

"Nothing dear, just fever, I'll be fine."

This is more than fever. I was going to feed her back on what happened at school today, but she wasn't ready to listen and before I knew it, she had gone back to bed. If you ask me how today was, I'd say Strange