How and Why

I walk into the class with joy in my heart. Joy because I'm free from all debts, for now. I notice that the devil is still looking for 'God knows what' in my locker and wipe off the smile on my face. I get to him and tap on his shoulder since he's too engrossed to notice my presence.

"Don't you have any respect? Weren't you taught to have manners? Why the heck are you going through my things in my absence? Did you loose your memory and mistake my locker for yours?" I ask angrily.

"Which of these questions do you expect me to give an answer to? You need to calm down,Amy. There's nothing important or expensive that you own that I'd be so interested in. I'm also not suffering from amnesia. Where's my book?"

"What!? You expect me to answer you after your indirect insult? You're so impossible!" I scream in anger.

"I don't remember saying any sort of insult. Now, where's the book?" He asks coolly like he doesn't give a fig about the whole world.

"You insulted me! What do you call saying that there's nothing expensive or important in my possession? Like,what's more offensive than that?" I almost yell. He laughs.

"The heartless demon is actually laughing. Oh, he's so lucky I'm in a good mood. Else,I would have..."

"...believe you took that seriously. I was just teasing you,Amy. You should know me by now na. I joke a lot,when I'm with you though" I catch him saying. I feel relieved and surprisingly... glad. I've never felt glad that he joked with me.

"Alright,fine. You're lucky I was in a good mood before coming here. I would have cut your fingers off for straying" I say and chuckle.

"Like you can actually cut them off. You're so incapable. You're just a weakling" he says with a smirk.

"Oh,am I? Well,I advise you to lift your butt off my chair because this weakling you're looking at burnt your book yesterday and there's nothing you can do about it!"

"You did what? You better not joke with your life! That book is as important as your life,just so you know".

"You can't do sh*t! Even if you kill me,it won't bring the book back. So,do your worst! And I'm sure your worst is weeping" I say and laugh mockingly.

"I could...I could..." He stammers and keeps shut.

"Say what now? You could? Cat cut your tongue? Wow! I can't believe the almighty taunt king, Michael is short of words" I say and clap my hands, happy that I'm winning.

"Oh,shut up! I'm not short of words. I just don't wanna say something I'd regret. I also don't want to joke with that book so, please...tell me it's safe" he pleads with his eyes.

"Oh,those eyes are so irresistible! So beautiful! I really can't hold this up anymore, else I'd melt. Melt? Under what fire? You're thinking trash,Amy. His eyes don't have any fire in them. Even if they do,it's always easy to get a fire extinguisher!"

"Amy? Are you here?" Michael asks.

"No o. I'm in your village! Mumu! Let me just pity you. The book is here. Now,stop giving me puppy dog eyes. Before I'll turn to goo" I say the last sentence under my breath.

"Do my eyes have that much effect on you?" He asks.

"How the hell did you...well, I'm not surprised! Demon! That's your new nickname" I say and stick my tongue out.

"Don't you dare..." He bellows.

"Did you use that voice to scare me? If yes then,you failed. Your normal voice isn't any different. I'm used to your bass" I say without a care.

"You're... hopeless. Like,I don't even know what I'm saying right now. I can't deal with your craziness" he says helplessly. I laugh.

"Wonders will never end! I really need to be given some accolades. I defeated the great,evil 'always has something to say' Lord. Woo-hoo!"

"Yes, you're allowed to celebrate. It's a once in a lifetime defeat".

"Are you daring me after loosing hopelessly? You're really proud of your nonsenses" I say and shake my head.

"I sure am. My book?" He demands. I look through my bag and bring out the notebook. I look around and notice that Cassie is not in the class. I sit on her chair and open the book. I wrote my ideas and views in the book during the weekend so I show it to Michael. He looks through each song and the extra lines I added.

"You're really good at this,Amy. I have an idea but,I don't know if you'll like it" he says after going through the songs.

"Shoot!"

"Okay. I was thinking... how about we do a song together? Like we write our parts individually and sing a 'collabo'. What do you..." He starts to ask and I cut him short.

"No! We're not doing a song together. You know I would never agree to that. I just can't. If you want,I could offer to write something for you but no singing" I conclude.

"Alright ma'am. Your wish is...not my command. But I'm willing to comply just this time" he says.

"You're just an idiot" I say and we both laugh.

"I'm so hungry and lessons will soon commence. Let me go and get something for my crying stomach" I say and get up.

"The stomach is just like the owner. Always crying" He says and moves to stand up and run but I'm faster as I hold onto his shirt and slap his arm. He escapes after the third slap and runs to his chair while I curse after him.

"You're known na! You'll always be a coward, always running from the fight. Better avoid me" I say,fetch my money from my bag and walk out of the class.

***

I get back from the cafeteria with a soft drink and biscuits. I sit down and suddenly feel lonely. My friends ghosted me since the lesson break started. I open my snacks and proceed to eat. Halfway through with my food,I sight 'Demon' and his best friend,Daniel walking towards me. I notice the mischief in his eyes.

"What does the devil want with me again? What has he planned now? Oh Lord,save me from this walking evils. What could they want? My food?"

They get to my locker and stop abruptly. Before I can wrap my head around their movements,my soft drink disappeared. I look at the both of them for some seconds.

"I don't get. What are you doing with my drink? If you're this thirsty, you would have asked me to get water for you at the caf. Hand it back! I need to finish up and get ready for classes" I say,my mind roiling with questions.

"Hmm. Are you sure you want this drink? I don't think you do. If you did,you wouldn't have insulted my friend here" Daniel says. I burst into laughter. I simply couldn't help it.

"So this is about earlier huh? The both of you are just jobless and childish. I'm disappointed in you,Dan. I can't believe you listened to this demon and followed him here just to upset me. Well,you can both take the drink and shove it up whoever's a*s,I don't care. I've got water,so,your plans have failed" I say and continue with my chewing like they were non-existent.

I finish with my snacks and look to see them staring at me silently. I wonder what else they've got up their sleeves. I ignore their eyes and bring out my water can. I take a long sip from it. In a blink,I feel something snatching the can away from my hands and mouth. In the confusion,the water in my mouth enters the wrong pipe. I cough like an overused motor engine. The water comes out of my nose and mouth. I don't even know when I fall from my chair and kneel on the floor coughing. Thankfully,the class is almost empty because of the ongoing break. My classmates would have wickedly laughed at me.

I feel someone lifting me from the ground and putting me on my chair with ease. I look up to see Michael with worry in his eyes. He's apologizing the whole time. He rubs my back and it helps calm me down. After a while,I stop coughing.

"I'm so sorry for dragging the can" Daniel says.

"I'm sorry for causing everything. If I hadn't put him up to coming here,it wouldn't have happened. Forgive me,Amy" Michael says guiltily.

"It's fine. I'm fine now. I know you guys didn't mean to hurt me. I'm not annoyed or anything" I assure them.

"I still feel bad though. Do you want me to do anything to make it up?" Michael asks.

"Mmh...this is getting interesting. He wants to do something for me,anything at all! What would it be? A kiss? Wait,what? Are you insane,Amy? How and why would you think that? Are you beginning to have feelings? Nah. That's not even possible. Duh! It can't happen. What am I going to say? Um...dang! My head is blank. Maybe...bingo!"

"Um...I don't really have anything in mind. How about you just surprise me with something? I like surprises" I suggest.

"Alright. Surprise it is. Wait for it. You won't see it coming though" he says and smiles evilly.

"Oh no! Wrong choice Amy. He'll do something stupid,I'm sure. Why the hell did I say I liked surprises? Foolish girl!".

"I know well enough to expect something stupid" I fire.

"Not today dear. I owe you a surprise so I'm not gonna banter words with you. I don't wanna owe you more stuff. Expect my surprise" he says and walks away.

"Bye Amy" Daniel waves and follows his friend.

"What would the surprise be?" I think as I hear the bell that indicates the start of lessons.

***

I come out of the school gate with my friends after our extra classes. I've had the same question in my mind all along. We decide to wait for an empty bus that'll contain everyone of us.

"... that we'd submit it by tomorrow. I haven't done it fa. I'll have to stay up late tonight" I hear Emma saying.

"I did mine halfway sha. I don't just know why that man likes giving stupid assignments. I've concluded in my life that I hate physics. That subject is a nightmare!" Cassie rants. All the while,I stay out of the conversation as a result of the question I've been trying to give an answer to.

"... coming out. I thought they left before us. Look at how Joseph is walking like someone who's looking for his destiny. Where's he rushing to sef?" Kate asks. My friends laugh at her statement. I look up to see Michael and his friends,Daniel, Joseph and Kenny walking out of the school gate.

"Proud idiots! See how they're raising their voices like mannerless children" I think.

"... forget that thing,guy. I would have walked out on that man if not that his brain is not properly wired. He might just ban me from writing his exams" I hear Kenny saying. They get to us and stop.

"Why are you people standing here na? Are you people mourning your husbands?" Joseph asks. He's the craziest and loudest of them all. Kenny is the 'slow poison'. He's silent but venomous. Daniel is the lukewarm or mild one. He isn't too loud or crazy. Finally, Michael,the devil himself. He's like their gang leader or king. He masterminds most of the stubbornness they portray in class.

"It's you that they will mourn. Mmjiot!" Alexis retorts.

"You people are feeling too fly to trek home bah? You people will stay here and die and you won't see any free bus. Rubbish! Guys,let's move jor" Joseph says and starts walking towards...home,wherever that is.

The rest of the guys bade us goodbye and walk after him. Michael stops a little distance from us,turns back,winks at me and walks away. I know I'm supposed to feel angry,but I don't. Instead, I smile inwardly.

"Amy,Amy!" Cassie hails. I know she's about to make a stupid comment about the wink so I tune her out. When I don't reply whatever it is she said,she turns away and continues her conversation with Liz.

We don't wait for long as Joseph predicted before we see an empty bus. We all get on it and sing to the afro-pop song playing on its loudspeaker. After ten minutes,I stop the bus and get down. My house is the closest to our school when compared to my friends. I pay my TP,bade my friends goodbye and walk the remaining distance to my house.

I do my usual routine and chores and get ready for dinner. My mind is occupied with the fact that I'll be eating my best food,beans with plantain and the assignments I have to do. At about 6:50 pm,I hear my phone ringing. I remember that I haven't used the phone since I came back from school. I wonder who might be calling.

"It's probably Cassie or big bro. Cassie...why would she call me? We saw in school today. Or... maybe she forgot the assignment we were given". I think as I get the phone from my bed. I sit on it,pick the call and place the phone's speaker that is used for calls close to my ear. I usually don't speak first when I receive a call from an unknown number so I wait for the caller to talk.

"Hello?" I hear from the other end.

"Yes...hello! Who am I speaking with?" I ask the caller.

"How are you doing Amara?" the person asks and ignores my question.

"I'm fine. Can you please answer my question? Who are you?" I ask again. I think about the voice. It seems familiar but I can't place it.

"Can't you guess? It's so easy" the caller says. At this point,I only recognize the fact that I'm speaking with a guy.

"Don't test my patience! Who the hell are you?" I ask,my anger building up.

"Wow! So, you're both aggressive in person and on calls. I need to write this discovery down somewhere" he says.

"This person knows me well. How's it that I can't place...wait,who would say this? I'm not close to any guy. Apart from my brothers, there's no other guy that would know me...

Jesus Christ!"

"Please don't tell me your second name is Demon!" I scream into the microphone.

"Smarty-pants! I knew you'd recognize my royal voice and manner of communication" he blabbers.

"You idiot! Look at how you made me to stress my brain. Infact,how the hell did you get my number?" I ask,my curiosity reaching its peak.

"That's gonna be my secret to keep. I ain't telling you. So,this is me fulfilling my promise. This is my surprise" he says.

"I'll admit you're good at surprising people. I totally didn't expect this. I'm satisfied with your method. But still,I need to know how you got my number" I say ready to plead for the truth about how he got my phone number.

"I already told you that I won't tell you. Forget about it na. Tell me the exercise we were given as a take home in maths".

"It's exercise 5a in chapter five. Now, answer my question and stop trying to change the topic of conversation" I yell.

"Thank you for the assignment. I'll tell you what you want to know when it's time. We still have plenty of time ahead. We'll see in school tomorrow. Bye Mimi!" He says and hangs up.

"He didn't even wait for me to say anything else. He just cut the call. What does he mean by 'we have plenty of time ahead'? What does he have in mind? When's the right time to tell me how he got my number? And why the hell did he call me Mimi? That's the name my eldest brother calls me. How does he know such a personal name? How does he know that I love that name so much? Who's he?"