Unto Say : I no dey see road.

"Alakija Okiki!"

I raise up my slowly.

"Here." I reply.

"It's present darling." Mrs Ezeh corrects.

I nod and look down at my sketchpad quickly. In just those few seconds I'd taken to answer the attendance,it was like everyone's eyes were boring into me.

I resume sketching My bestie, Fey.

"Have you heard? Cheryl got asked out today and she rejected the poor guy in front of everyone." Shola, who's locker was behind mine whispers to me.

"Who asked her out?". I ask, pausing my hand movements over paper.

"Aj." She replies.

I look over at Aj's desk, and sure enough, he's staring at Cheryl. Who is scribbling away in her notebook.

"No wonder he looks bummed. He's been like that all evening." I say

"He should have known. Do you know how many guys are after Cheryl? And of all people he thought she'd pick him? Keep playing." Chichi laughs

Mrs Ezeh glares at us and we shut up quickly.

"When did he ask her out?" I whisper

" I heard it was after last period. Before lunch."

I nodded.

Cheryl Ezeanya is an epitome of perfection. A little tall, caramel skinned beauty. With a lot of brains. Assistant chief academics prefect, captain of the math club,an editorial club member, a Chess club captain, and assistant art class prefect.

And also a very good friend of mine.

True she's my friend, but I couldn't help but be jealous of her sometimes. Just then, Nina shoots her hand up.

"Ma is the attendance necessary? Can't be just get to the teaching?"

For the first time, she actually asked a reasonable question.

The rest of the class murmur in agreement.

"The principal requested it." She answers.

"Can't you just mark everyone present?" I mutter.

"No Alakija." Mrs Ezeh replies glaring at me.

She heard me.

"But guy na. It's been an hour." Emmanuel, the infamous class clown yells.

"Come to think of it. Isn't her period over?" Fey asked.

I heard loud ringing of the bell just then.

Literally everyone murmurs in relief.

"Thank God." Cam exhales beside me.

"This woman just wanted to shorten our sports time." Emmanuel says, rising.

"So I'll see you tomorrow class. Ezeanya. Follow me."

Cheryl gets up slowly and follows her out of the class.

There's a little noise as everyone begins to leave the class for sports. Mid term tests were a week ago, and everyone wanted to rest from the unnecessarily hard tests.

Even Jesse the nerd was going out for sports. Or probably to visit his girlfriend in one of the science classes.

"I know you're not into sports,but I hope you don't plan on staying here all evening." Cam said.

Cam's my second best friend. She's petite really pretty and biracial. She's quite popular as well. Boys fall over her just like Cheryl. Which is ironic due to the fact the our childish set boys kept mocking her American accent in junior class. That was actually what made us friends. I was bullied under the same circumstances. You see, up until I arrived at Oak grove high school, I didn't know I spoke with a British sounding accent. I spoke simply how my mum and literally all my primary school classmates back at Abuja did. Plus, I spent the first three years of my life in London. So I guess my mum wanted us to keep the accent. We still go there sometimes for long vacations. But some people liked my accent and defended me at times. It's faded a bit since I started at this school. But it's still there. Though not completely.

You may be thinking, wow your school name sounds posh and yet people in it are closed minded. Once again, some of the boys who bullied us liked our accents. Actually many of them were crushing on Cam. But they were trying the bully to lover method they probably watched in cliche American high school movies. Which we all know is fucking dumb.

And if they were bullying cam cos they liked her, what about me? The answer is simple. I was very shy and an easy target. Nobody ever took me seriously. But they do now sha. Many things changed in SS1.

"Of course I'm going out for sports. Do I look like Jesse to you?" I laugh.

Jesse who is at the doorway turned to me.

"That was rude." He says

"Sorry!" I call out.

Cam pulls me up.

"Come on Cam. Let's go. Kiki, drop that sketch book. You must participate in sports today." Fey said to me.

"I'll just draw for a bit then I'll play badminton. I promise."

" Only if you promise to draw Jonah."

Jonah's her crush.

I roll my eyes.

"Fine."

"Oya let's go na. Cam come on!"

She pulls us both and we giggle loudly as we run to the huge field.

The boys are just starting to play football.

We grab a seat at the bleachers.

"I like basketball better." I whine.

"Shhh. Oya. See Jonah there."

I stared at the field for a while, getting increasing bored.

I stand up.

"I'm going down. I can draw better from that angle." I lie.

Fey doesn't even look at me. She's too busy drooling over Jonah.

I make my way down the bleachers and out of there entirely. Basketball is more my scene. Plus the lawn tennis court is not far from the basketball court. So maybe I could play a little. there.

I look up at the beautiful evening sky.

I love the sky. I love drawing it and staring endlessly at it. It just...soothes me.

This evening, orange hue spread across the sky blue, giving it a magnificent glow. The setting sun was also beautiful to watch from that angle.

I wonder...

"Watch out!"

I suddenly feel something hard smash into my face. I fall down.

The distant sound of a whistle blowing ring in my ears.

My eyes are closed and I feel someone above tapping me.

"Is she awake?" I hear

"Mumu. Are you seeing her eyes open?"

"Is she dead?"

"Should I give her mouth to mouth?"

My eyes are closed but I know more and more people are gathering around me.

"Someone call red cross people!"

"Who red cross go help?"

I could just stand up and walk away at that moment. But imagine it.

Me just standing up and walking away from a group of boys. The utter embarrassment.

I kept my eyes shut.

"Fuck! her nose is bleeding" someone exclaims

"Abdul see wetin you don cause. You no dey see road?"

"Make pesin do CPR!"

""Guy na. Her boobs"

I almost died of shyness just then. Or is it embarrassment?

"Press the boobs na.This is a life and death matter."

"U no get sense!" Someone laughs.

"You guys should give her space." I hear. This voice Is more mature and cool.

I wonder who it is....

Someone's mouth closes over mine.

My heart feels like it will jump out of my chest.

The person pinches my nose and blows air into my mouth.

I can't take it anymore.

I sat up with lightning speed, smacking the guy in the fore head.

Sure enough, there were a heck lot of boys around

"She's awake!" Someone yelled.

"True loves kiss awoke her!"They laugh.

"Are you ok?" A dark skinned,literal Greek god asks me.

I mumble incoherently.

"She's still shaken."

He helps me up and supports me.

"Can you walk?"

I nod.

"KIKI!!!!" I hear.

Cam and fey are running towards me.

"Oh my God! What happened?". Cam asks.

"Umm.. senior, a basketball hit her in the face."

Hold up.

Wait a minute.

Senior???!

"Who threw the ball? " Fey asks.

"It was an accident..."

"That's not what I asked you."

"It was Abdul. My set boy."

"That werey..... "she mumbles as she

Marches towards the crowd of boys. now returning to the court and pulls a boy out by his ear.

"Fey!" I call out weakly

She doesn't hear me.

I let go of the fine, dark boy.

"Are you ok senior?" He asks.

I nod.

He walks away. As I watch fey yell at the boy the word 'senior' rang repeatedly in my ears.

"Which set is that boy?" I mutter.

"I think JSS3. Are you ok?"

I don't reply.

A JSS3 boy just kissed me.

A JSS3 boy kissed me.

Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!