Preparation

The day had started like any other at Martist Boys and Girls School, but there was a subtle buzz in the air. The week before, the school had announced that it would be selecting representatives for the upcoming Onitsha Town Interschool Championship, and the criteria for selection were clear: a rigorous test that challenged students on a wide range of subjects.

Victory sat at the front of his Class 1A, watching as Mrs. Pete, the stern but fair teacher, handed back the test scripts. There were whispers of excitement in the room as students speculated on who would make the cut. Victory felt confident—he had prepared well, and the test hadn’t thrown him off.

In Class 1B, Obi was sitting with his usual grin. Unlike most of his classmates, he wasn’t nervous about the results. Obi was sure he had done well. For weeks, he had been telling anyone who would listen that his placement in Class 1B was a mistake and that he was just as capable as anyone in Class 1A.