UKU

MARIAM

"I don't know why you are annoyed that I went to help my life by asking him" Kuchi said in confusion the following day. How do I explain to her, that anger I was feeling was because the boy looked proud. Since that day, it's like heaven opened a curtain and the sun shone down on the new boy's face then Angel Michael said to all the senior girls this is the new boy, look upon his face and see your destiny. At every point, everyone wanted help from him, or they wanted to interact with him. What I noticed was that, he didn’t actively on his own talk to people, but he never shunned a conversation.

If no one spoke to him, he could go the whole day without speaking to anyone.

It wasn't like he was so fine like that. What annoyed me also was that Kuchi started calling him bestie and has been hanging out with him more. Kucheli, I am your friend not this new boy.

"I'm not angry Kuchi. You can ask for help towards anyone but am your best friend why are you spending more time with him. I thought you said if you like a guy you would distance yourself more from him in order not to make a fool of yourself. Why are you then coming close to this one". I know my answer was not making sense, but at the same time, whatever.

Kuchi laughed.

"Firstly, who said anything about liking him. He is good looking, yes but I don’t like him. He is just intriguing. Besides didn't you say we shouldn't isolate ourselves we would soon graduate and we should make new friends no one knows tomorrow" She threw my words back at me. We told ourselves that we shouldn’t just go through senior secondary school holding unto each other only, we should make more friends

"Yes, I said that but why not others why him?".

"Why not him. If you like him simply tell me this your upcoming jealousy is funny and annoying, besides he is intelligent. He also speaks intelligence" I could sense her growing annoyance and that in turn was rubbing me off in the wrong way, instead of me to diffuse the situation, I went best ahead to defend myself

"I don't like him and am not jealous. I just feel he has pride and-"

"Pride? From where-to-where Kawana? I’m not trying to replace you with anyone, besides who gave that rule that I have to have one best friend? We quarrel about every little thing but I can sense that this one might be headache, and because of a boy? No, please we are better than this” she said as she raised her head from my lap and spoke.

“We all form opinions of other people daily without knowing them, yet we expect them not to do so to us, why do you feel I have pride?” the new boy asked.

I looked around to see that it was break period, and didn't take notice that, our voices would be loud, since virtually all our classmates had gone for break. The people left were Kuchi, another student who was sleeping, the new boy and I.

"Nobody asked you for your opinion new boy. The last time I checked your name is not Kuchali". I said defensively because he was right

"Why are you behaving like this all of a sudden" Kuchi asked with clear anger. I didn’t know how to react to this, because though we’ve had misunderstandings, and I have seen her get like this with other people, it has never been directed at me. "Why are you getting angry at me?" I asked instead.

“Stop being a typical Nigerian by answering a question with a question, if something is bothering you, please say it let me understand and let us solve it and stop pouring unnecessary anger at people.” She stood up and walked towards him and my throat felt clogged at that point. “Bestie, please don’t mind her, why haven’t you gone for lunch? Aren’t you eating?”

Kuchi locked arms with him as she urged him to get up so that they could go out. Some of our classmates started coming back inside.

They were about to step out when they met Chelsea by the door and as usual, she had a word to say. "Since when did Simeon come that you haven't given him breathing space" she said to Kuchi

"Yes, Chelsea featuring Kuchali. Chelsea is winning 1-0" Kenneth spoke like a commentator. He will soon get beaten up one of these days, but I found myself hiding a smile.

"Man U, I don't have time for you. Does he look like he's hibernating? He's breathing fine. Is you that's making him choke with your insecticide called perfume" my friend shot back

"And Kuchi gave thunder it's now 1-1" Kenneth continued.

"It's Chelsea and besides my perfume which am sure you haven't perceived before, is from Dubai which I recently went to, am sure you haven't even stepped out of Kaduna". Chelsea sneered back.

" 2-1"

The class of thirty was already getting full and people were honestly enjoying the show.

People liked it because it was refreshing to see that somebody was not taking Chelsea's queen attitude easily. But sadly, she was right Kucheli hasn't travelled out yet.

What? It was a class of competition virtually all of us have been outside the country except for Kuchi, one or two people and I’m sure the new boy, though I didn’t know how true it was, I still don’t want to believe he had travelled out.

"Just because she doesn't brag doesn't mean she hasn't been outside the country. It's even funny that you’re picking a fight from traveling outside the country" New boy! Who told him that my friend needed saving? She wasn’t a damsel in distress.

"Chelsea just got burnt by her crush making it 2-2"

"Mind your business, Kenneth. Nobody asked you" Chelsea shouted instead redirecting her anger at Kenneth instead of the new boy that replied her.

"Your highness, I am sorry. Spare my life". Even I couldn't hold back my laughter as the whole class started laughing towards Kenneth’s mocking pose to Chelsea.

Chelsea scowled and went back to her seat with her followers. I didn’t even know why they started this war of words between the both girls but it was refreshing to see.

When all that was over, my earlier anger came back as I quietly walked out of the class thinking and muttering to myself and didn’t know when I unintentionally bumped into Lawal.

"Uniform why all the face squeezing, where are you going to?" he asked.

"Sorry Lawal I didn't see you there, am going to go and ease myself. What of you, did you come from Princi's office or are you guys having free period?" I answered back with a question.

"Yes, the physics teacher said he's busy marking some people's test papers first so we are not having him for his period"

"Finally, you guys have free period this term.” He smiled in response to that. Science class were hardly given free period because our school has always been biased towards science, they felt that the top major professions came from there. We also heard that commercial class was brought into the system about seven years ago. Thus, it has always been Science and Art class.” Toh, I have to go, bye". He said as he waved me and left.

I was leisurely making my way to class, when I entered to see Mr Sali. Wait today is Thursday and we had math yesterday and that means.... Oh no! he's snatching our free period.

Who are we to complain? he knows we can't complain, because our form teacher will tell us now that we are in Ss2, we should study math more and let it be our best friend because when WAEC comes, it will be too late.

"Thelman, you are ten minutes late to my class". He said frowning at me. His class? Or our free period, anyways, I know it's sorry he wants to hear. Let him hear it, let somebody have peace of mind.

"I'm sorry sir" I muttered.

"Sorry for yourself". He replied angrily. Jesus is Lord! Say sorry it's a mistake, don't say sorry it's wahala. I just went back to my sit to sit down.

"But wouldn't it have been rude if she didn't apologise?"

We all turned shocked. I looked to Kuchi and saw that she was smiling. This new boy is really mad, who asked him to talk?

Mr Sali finally came back from shock.

"Samuel, first of all, I believe your name is not Thelman and I won't tolerate such nonsense". I can see all of us wanted to laugh because this is the first time Mr Sali has been confronted by a student, also it was too shocking for him not to punish. That's why he said those words.

"Sir the name is Simeon and yes my name is not Thelman and so also her name isn't. Our father's names are not ours, that's why in every legal document anywhere there is a place for first name and surname" he responded calmly.

I have never been amazed like this. It is too shocking to be funny. Even the 'bad boys' can't confront teachers like this. But then again, who asked him to defend me now. Now Mr Sali will think he's my boyfriend and I will enter his "black book". Our teachers can be weird like that; just straight thinking that maybe when two opposite genders are having a conversation, then they are definitely in a relationship. I've never even entered any teacher's ash book talk more of black book, besides, I don’t want to.

"Mariam, you and your boyfriend should meet me in the staffroom after this class". I wanted to slap that new boy's face. A whole uniform prefect is getting into trouble.

"Yes sir". I responded in embarrassment because everyone was looking at us like they’ve never seen us before and as if to confirm if we were dating. I really hate my peers sometimes.

"So, you are agreeing to the fact that I'm your boyfriend" the way my eyes widened to look at him when he answered Mr. Sali back wasn’t not funny. Is it a thing for them in Lagos to be bold like this? Or it was a him thing?

"Simeon I won't tolerate noise making in my class" Mr. Sali shouted at him

SIMEON

"I would agree if this was actually your time but, this is actually a free period that was placed on the time-table which you decided to use". He wasn't being rude; he was being truthful; his tone came out calmly still unwavering. A man like him who was always dressed unkempt, and seemed to be sweating regularly irrespective of the weather, a man who he has witnessed has punished students just because he had little power to do so, why should that kind of person get under his skin? Why is it that when "children" according to the adults say their mind, it was regarded as being rude. He just couldn't stand when people step on others just because they have that notion that they are right.

He looked at the teacher who he didn't care to know his name or anything regarding him, the teacher looked back at him long and hard.

Simeon knew the teacher's course of action would be to call in the class form teacher, then while he steps out, his mates would beg him to apologise to the math teacher, because the math teacher's ego has been bruised, when he comes with the form teacher, he will say what happened while leaving details, ask the class if he the teacher is right or wrong, then ask the form teacher to punish him because obviously the students have agreed he is right or they too would be punished. He also strongly believes the form teacher would agree.

GAME ON!

"I won't tolerate this nonsense; I'm going to report you to your form teacher". Step one check. The math teacher angrily left to go and inform him, to spew lies because he would have easily sent the class monitor to do so.

"Bestie, I've told you to stop putting yourself in trouble. Just say sorry before he starts telling lies". Kuchali quickly told him. He looked around to see that almost all his classmates had pleading looks towards him.

"President to the weak and the helpless, if you like don't say sorry". He lifted his head from the equation he was solving just to give a glance to the second person speaking, he should have thought better, of course it was the boy from that day.

The form teacher; Mr Isaac and the maths teacher just stepped in.

"Just imagine this your student, insulting me that I don't have anything to do but am carrying their free period". Everybody's eyes went wide.

The maths teacher turned to the class "Am I lying?". About four people answered no. Of course, you’re lying but who are we if not pencils in the hand of the creator, they thought.

Mr Isaac was quiet all this while.

"Simeon, what happened?". Everyone was shocked, not only was the maths teacher shunned, but a teacher for that matter was asking an explanation from a student.

Is it film we are acting; no I mean is it American film we are acting. Somebody whispered.

"Sir, Mariam came into the class a bit late, from her facial expression she was surprised to see that the library period was taken. The math teacher-"

"Mr Sali" he interrupted angrily.

"Yes, but its math you teach right? Also, you didn't care to learn my own name", his reply came measured like he wasn’t being the target of hostile eyes.

Whispers flew around, people were saying things like; ‘Yoruba demon’, ‘be talking anyhow’, ‘maybe he has carried his Lagos lifestyle’ ‘he doesn't know that a teacher is always right here.’

Comments like that filled the class.

" All of you murmuring, I didn't ask any of you, back to you Simeon talk to me. I asked you a question".

He looked back straight into his form master's eyes and continued talking.

"The maths teacher scolded her for being ten minutes late, which in reality she was just three minutes late, according to the time he started teaching, she apologised but he said 'sorry for yourself'. Then I asked him, wouldn't it have been rude if she didn't apologise?

So, he said that he believes my name isn't Thelman but Samuel. I agreed and disagreed with him, due to the fact that, my name is not Thelman, neither is Mariam's but my name is not Samuel either".

"He said he wouldn't tolerate such nonsense but I said on our legal documents, we have our name and surname. He got angry and told Mariam that she and her boyfriend should meet him in the staffroom after the class. She responded with a yes sir. I was surprised, so I decided to ask her how I was her boyfriend, the math teacher scolded me for making noise in his class but then I just simply asked if it was his class or free period".

Everyone was speechless.

Mr Isaac turned with a blank expression on his face, he turned to the class and asked:

"Is that what happened class?".

A chorus of Yes sir rang out of the mouths of twenty-nine students.

"But Simeon, you know mathematics is a crucial subject nationally and internationally, it is also good that you get a secured foundation in math, so that you can be able to pass when it's time for external exams without any struggles". The form teacher stated.

"Sir, yesterday we had mathematics for two periods which is ninety minutes, most of the students here, haven't really understood what was taught yesterday, being it that math is crucial, how does he expect that without the understanding of yesterday's work, we would be able to comprehend this current one, definitely, today will be worse. It wasn't stupidity that made the planner of the time-table put Library or free period in some cases. It's there for people to read, hold a tutorial section or rest their head before they go on with the remaining school hours"

Nobody could talk, because he had a point, their form teacher seemed to also support him but he didn’t want to embarrass his colleague, the wise thing was to keep quiet and let the boy talk, however; "and you expect me to believe that when there is free period, you will actually read" Mr Sali was obviously not going to agree that there was truth in what Simeon said.

"Clearly, when teachers obviously take advantage of the free period, how would you know that we wouldn't read".

Mr Isaac internally smiled, because he knew that, not only was Simeon saying the truth, he was silently encouraging his mates to read. He looked around the class, he could see that even the ‘big boys’ of the class, looked at him with respect on their faces.

He was lucky to have intelligence and wisdom all in one person and that person was in his class. Now he could say, he was proud of being a form teacher. Looking at everyone awaiting his reply he turned to the boy, "Simeon, I'm honoured to have you in my class this set". Smiling at him alone, he left. Dumbfounded, the math teacher huffed angrily and also left, not without throwing out one or two threats of punishment for failure in his test.

"Bestie, come let me rub your forehead so that your sense will rub on me small". The smallish girl quickly rushed to his seat.

He smiled at her, shaking his head.

GAME OVER!

___________________________

Wahala= problem.