Unto say : I dey arts class

Where have you guys been? You missed out on the fight!" Ellie says, slinging her arm around my neck.

"What fight?" I ask.

"It was during tea break. Gladys and ifeoma fought."

"Like,. physical?" I ask, as the smell of hot food hits my nostrils.

"Almost."

The refectory,ref for short, was a huge hall with a demarcation for the Juniors and seniors.

It has several big round tables with six chairs around each table.

Everyone queues up and gets their food at the counter. An opening from the kitchen where the staff share food in trays.

"What caused the fight?" I ask.

"Kiki! Cam! I've been there waiting for you in class since. How far? What happened? Where did Okafor take to you?" Fey asked hurriedly, not even giving us room to reply. Nothing much. Just volunteer working for her. She wants us to help her with her son's science projects."

" And you guys agreed?"

"It was kinda a forced agreement." Cam finally spoke up.

"Ok. Did you see the new boy? Damn he's fine!"

"Fair boys aren't my...'Spec'"

True they aren't. Especially this Fair boy.

"Ehn but Kieth Powers is fair." Fey teased.

"Brown skinned. And leave Kieth out of this." I added defensively.

"Ok ma. Sorry."

We all shared a laugh.

"Who's Kieth?" Ellie asked, confusion painted across her face.

"Oh. This black American actor she's in love with." Fey answers.

Ellie giggles, displaying her cute gap teeth.

"See the new boy there!" Ellie exclaims and points straight at Agent dickhead.

He's laughing and gisting with my friend Tega.

At least hes talking to a human being.

"Um....I heard something. Is it true you kissed an SS1 boy kiki?"

"Who told you that crap?" I ask, very much annoyed.

"Lucy was saying it today during tea break."

God if I find that girl, o ti lo for her.

"I..... It was an accidental occurrence." I stutter in a low voice.

Ellie's eyes widen.

"It's true?"

I nod.

I only told her cos after cam and fey, she's my closest friend. And I knew she won't go around spreading it.

"How did it happen?"

I sigh deeply,the embarrassing event from yesterday replaying in my mind.

"I totally get it if you're into younger guys though." She quickly adds.

"I'm not. I just....he...he gave me CPR cos I fainted."

"Oh my God when? Are you ok now?"

I nod

"Let's head to the lunch line. I'll explain later. Here isn't very..... private."

She nods.

"Cam are you ok?" Fey asked her.

"I'm good." She mumbles.

"You're not"

"I am"

"You're not"

"I am! What is it!?" she yells aloud. So loud, some people turn to look.

"Why are you now shouting at me?" Fey asks before hissing and walking away.

Cam passes her watch a cursory glance before rolling her eyes.

"Why the fuck is this line so slow?" She snarls

Ellie taps me and mouths

'What's going on?'

I shrug and watch Cam walk out of the line with her arms crossed.

*******

It's evening prep and cam and fey have been ignoring each other since lunch.

It's pretty annoying to watch. Cos cam is my seat neighbor in class and fey sits across the row from her.

Our class is particularly noisy this evening cos we aren't having any classes. Our CRS teacher fell I'll and our literature teacher didn't come.

I'm writing my stupid summary report on that Midsummer's night dream or whatever.

The 'thou art's are pretty annoying, but I can't say I hate the book. I actually love literature. It's my best subject. But Shakespeare has got to chill. Why did he subject us to such torture? As I read, Shakespeare even made up most of the bizarre English he used to write his plays.

Chinedu (we all call him 'justice') walked over and handed me a folded piece of paper.

"What's this?"

"Senior Draco said I should give it to you."

"Who is senior Draco?" I ask, scanning my brain. The name did not sound familiar at all.

"He's a sanitation prefect."

My brain was still blank. You could as well draw a question mark over my head.

"Who?"

"The guy who painted that mural for founders day na. He was even th former art club president. Your predecessor...?"

" Oh! Him"

Chinedu rolled his eyes and walked away.

I opened the paper

'Come to that art studio I've got your sketch book.' I read .

I gasp

What's he doing with it? I didn't even realize it wasn't there.

I close my locker.

"Take care of my locker for me." I say, dashing off.

Everywhere is quiet cos evening lessons are going on.

"Hey you! What are you doing outside class?" I hear.

Shit.

I stop in my tracks. As Mr Tijani aka BH( short for bloodhound cos of his amazing pokenosing detective skills and he can detect a defaulting student from a mile away) approaches me.

"I'm going to library."

"Why? Isn't this class period?"

"My teacher isn't around and I thought I'd borrow a book from the library."

"Eh ehn. So who is that teacher?"

This asshole doesn't know when to quit.

"Mrs okon."

He peers at me with his beady eyes before letting me go.

I stuff my hands in my pockets as I walk away.

The sky's just blue today. Nothing particularly different. Only the ominous clouds creeping in from the north.

I get to the post block. It's basically a block which contains the library,the art studio, the club hall and the prefects room. So it's more or less the prefects who own it now (after school hours though) You wouldn't want to be a junior caught here after school. Trust me.

The studio is upstairs. It's kinda my happy place. The art club prefects are the only ones with the key to the studio. I've been coming here since I was in Jss3 cos I'm good friends with Jagger(the young Jss2 fine arts teacher patron of the arts club, and my best teacher.) and he gave me an extra key to the studio.

The door is ajar when I get there. And He is already there, examining one of the paper mache projects on display.

"You called me?"

He turned and his eyes met mine.

"Hi" he says, waving.

"How did you get my sketch book?" I ask, leaning on the door jamb.

"You left it there when Mrs Okafor took you and your friend."

"Oh." I walk over to him and take the book.

"Thanks". I mutter and turn to leave.

"Did Jagger tell you about the art competition coming up?"

I shook my head.

"Haven't seen him in a while actually. Been busy."

He hands me a flier.

It was advertising an art competition for secondary schools.

It read that there will be three winners selected from five schools each and they will represent their schools in a charity art gala Daniel Regan is hosting.( He's a huge actor.)

" I thought you'd be interested. You're a very good artist."

I nodded.

"Soooo...you in?"

" I guess. Yeah."

"So it says here that, five people from each school will participate but only three will be selected to go to the gala. Do you have more people in mind?" I ask, leaning on the long wooden table in the room.

" I'm thinking, you, me and er....I dunno. I'm blank after that."

"Seriously?"

He chuckles, smiling at me.

Weird.

"Tonight I'm going to look for them."

"Call me when you want to." He says.

I nod

"Oh. And err.....I....I think you're really pretty."

Ok. That was.... unexpected.

"Um...thank you....?"

He smiles and I realize he's blushing. His cheeks are pink and I notice a dimple on his right cheek and he's looking at me.

It was a disgusting combo of adorable and creepy.

I walked out of the room, bumping into someone.

"See you here! I've been looking for you since!" Agent dickhead says.

(Calling him an agent alone is disgusting.)

"What?"

"I just came up a plan now.

"See. Let's do it later. I have a book report to finish. And you. Don't you have notes or something? You need to catch up on school."

"Wait first. Lets go."

"No. I have something to do."

I realized draco was now watching us.

I pulled him downstairs and to the end of the corridor.

"I dunno what it is you want us to do but I'm backing out I can't join you guys in whatever you think it is you're doing. Seriously! 'Agent W'? I have a life to live!"

"Stop shouting!"

"Seriously! How old are you? Are you even going to school? Is this what you do all the time? Going from school to school playing detective?" I angrily sneer.

"Hey! Speak to me with respect!" he protests like a five year old throwing a tantrum.

"I don't care! We're not in America! This isn't a movie and you're not the main character! This fucking real life! My life! Look for another place for your vivid imaginations!" I scream and walk off.

Yes. Your story ends here. The next day, agent W packs his bags and leaves. And everything is normal again.

You wish.

"I understand this is hard for you. But please. We need you."

I'm at Mrs Okafors office the next day staring blankly at her.

"This is a notorious criminal and we need to catch him."

"What's that got to do with me?"

"You're a child. So you won't be suspected. It makes things easy for us."

I don't reply, adamantly staring out the window.

"You will receive a commission. One million."

"My parents aren't poor. Thanks." I answer curtly.

Mrs Okafor sighs and covers her face with her palms. She's obviously

frustrated.

"What do you want?"

I'm taken aback.

"What do I want?"

She nods.

"I want...."

What do I want actually?

"Keep the offer open." I say, rising and walking out of her office.

Wow. I feel so badass right now.

I remember what the dickhead told me earlier.

Meet us at the common room. Let's start from somewhere.

So with a sigh, I head there.