His Royal Majesty

My friends and I had an argument while walking out from school later on. They don't think I should write the test, what if I pass and the silencer finds out that I'm intelligent? He or she will not hesitate to silence me.

"I thought you guys said that the "S" or whatever it's called only silences people that answer questions? The competition is going to be a written one which means no answering questions and definitely no show off," I argued.

"No, you don't understand. Answering questions is just a way of knowing the intelligent ones to be silenced. So writing and passing the test is just a way to scream out to the silencer that you are intelligent," Jenny said.

"I...it's t..true. And even if y..you g..go for the t..test, the silencer will k..know that y..you are in..int..elligent," Kenzy supported.

"Look guys, there's no need trying to convince me. I'm not even sure I'll pass the test. It's not like I'm that intelligent. Truly, I'm just an average student." 

That much is true, well, not exactly average, but not super intelligent too. Let's just say I'm in between the first six in class. 

"In fact," I continued, "I'm going to need you guys help in certain areas of study."

I'm actually referring to Jenny since I don't know whether Kenzy is brilliant or not. He has shown signs of intelligence in certain areas like Biology though. It's hard to know who's intelligent in this fear ridden class.

"You want us to help you get silenced? Count me out," Jenny declared firmly.

We are almost at the bus stop, "well,vif you guys don't help, I've others who would gladly do so."

My cousins will definitely not be glad to teach me anything. Especially not after yesterday.

"I..I have to go now. B..be careful," Kenzy said as he hurried towards a car, pilot to be specific. It's his mom's car. She picks him up every Tuesday and Thursday while he takes the bus at other days.

Jenny takes the bus everyday. I'm the girl that walks home daily. And I'm okay with it, sort of.

"Fine then, go to those people for help. It's better to say I told you so than I would have told you. Bye." With that, she turned and started for the bus.

Why do I feel like that's our final farewell as friends? Well, none of that means I won't take the test which I'm going to pass.

About to leave, I heard loud noises coming from behind. I turned back to check out the source. It's a group of SS2 students, males and females. The nasty games prefect along with her nose poker friend is among them.

Sheesh, better to leave now before she sees me. I turned away, but it's already too late.

She has seen me.

"Aah, my friend..."

We're definitely not friends...

"What's that your name again?"

I started to reply but she cut in with a sneer, "wait, is it not Toronto?"

Her friends burst out laughing, leaving me humiliated. How dare she?

"Oh come on Eagle, Toronto is the name of a city," her still laughing friend said.

Seriously, the girl's name is Eagle and she dares make fun of me?

"Oh, now I remember. It's Somto, right?"

Another group of functionaries came down, four of them to be exact, three boys and a girl.

And one of the boys is the beau of BFA, Prince Liam.

The first set are still making fun of me. It took all of my self control not to turn and just walk out. The others approached us.

"What's going on here?" The girl among them asked.

"Nothing really, we were just waiting for you guys," Eagle replied with a queenly, self satisfied look etched on her face.

"With an SS1 student?"

"Oh, she's just for fun," nose poker replied and they laughed again.

Seriously, what's so funny?

They finally trooped out, some entering buses, others private cars. If only an occasion will come, I'll show these spoilt wannabes.

I turned to start going home but I was stopped by a deep voice behind me.

"Hey."

I turned back. It's him.

"Yes prefect?" I replied, avoiding eye contact with him. The thought of that makes me feel stupid so I gently looked up.

Sheesh, his eyes has that look again. The one that appeared amused and slightly bored but is really hiding an intense alertness beneath it.

Now I'm getting poetic.

"Sorry about my friends."

"They are your friends?" I blurted out then immediately regreted it, "I mean um...thank you."

He cocked his head slightly, a smile dancing around the corner of his mouth, "why shouldn't they be? What if I'm like them?"

"Then I guess you wouldn't be here apologizing on their behalf."

He chuckled, "I guess so."

"Hmm." 

I literally don't know what else to say. Why is he still staring at me with that half closed eyes? I finally dropped my gaze, adjusting my school bag uncomfortably. He doesn't seem to care that students passing us are openly staring and whispering. Well, I do care.

"I..I have to go now. Thank you for the apology Prefect."

"You are walking home, right?"

How did he know that? "Yes."

"Why?"

Huh? Why on earth is he asking me that? Why would a person walk home if not for lack of bus fare, or wanting to lose weight, or save money or...

Well, now that I think about it, there are lots of reasons to walk home.

"Never mind. Would you like to take the bus, I'll pay."

I darted a look of surprise towards him. The look on his face hasn't even changed a bit. He looks like paying the bus fare of people is his second nature. Well thanks a bunch. I'm no charity case.

"Why?" Gee, now why did I ask him that? "I mean no thanks. I prefer walking home, bye."

I made to leave but he stopped me again.

 "What's your name?"

"Somto..." I looked at him in the eye now, "Uzodigwe Somto."

"Okay, Somto bye."

For the thousandth time since coming out of school, I turned to go home and for the first time, no one stopped me. Merci beaucoup mon Dieu .

*

How does a girl who doesn't have time to study at home win a competition? No, it should be like this, how does a girl who has no time to study at home pass the test that will lead her to writing a competition?

This is the question I ask myself as I washed a ton of clothes while my cousins play a game of cards ten feet away. 

My frustration made me hungry which in turn made me angry as I just ate lunch and there's no more food in the house. I soon found myself hatching plans on how to deal with my stupid cousins. But I can't think when I'm hungry!

"Sommy, are you crazy? You invited friends over without informing mom and dad?" Chima asked, eyes narrowed in surprise.

Hmm, what do we have here?

"Invited friends? Please, we'll have a party on Saturday. I didn't just invite friends over, pick two last card," she said as she played her turn.

The pouting Kanyira took two cards, "I'll smash you Sommy."

"Yeah whatever. My party is going to be so awesome."

"If there's going to be one," Sunday said.

"Why not? Mom and dad are traveling on Friday and will not be home till Sunday."

"They are going to leave me in charge so it's up me to decide whether there's going to be one or not.... warning card," Chima said with a snicker.

"Oh warning is it? Hold on, check up. I win again- oh and as for being in charge and stopping my party, not happening my dearest brother," Sommy countered with an air of superiority.

Sunday groaned, "oooh, I almost won."

"Let's play again, I'll shuffle the cards," Kanyira said, already shuffling.

"You know, I didn't stop you from being born first so you won't stop me from stopping your party," Chima declared with a smirk.

"That's a lot of stopping," Sunday commented.

"What if I told mom about Ebuka and the stuff, huh?" Sommy asked gleefully.

Chima stared at her from beneath his lashes for a while. He appears calm, but it's obvious he's trying to suppress anger. One thing with him is that he is like an alpha male that always likes to be in control. 

But then, he's equally smart enough to know when he's beaten. He quietly dropped the cards and walked out of the house. 

Sommy smiled triumphantly, picking up her share of the cards.

"You do know he's going to get back at you for that, right? And I could tell mom and dad on you," Sunday said.

"Don't even think about it. Pretty sure you don't want dad to find out about the football team you joined in school."

Sunday quickly cleared his throat, throwing a warning glance at his sister, "why don't we go back to the cards?"

Football team? Sunday? Why haven't I noticed this? Uncle is firmly against the idea of any other thing apart from focusing on your studies. And if sports can get in the way of your studies, then it's not allowed.

"Hey you guys, you're forgetting about me. I could tell on you..."

"Darling, let me stop you there. Cause last time I checked, I'm not the one hiding a guinea pig that I bought secretly with mom's credit card in my best friend's house."

Everyone gasped, including me. All these have been going on in this house and I don't know about it. Sheesh, this silencer thing has really made me slack back on being the most informed person in this house.

Anyway, my cousins have given me the perfect idea on how to crash Sommy's party on Saturday and get my revenge on all of them for....well, making me wash there clothes, or making not to read or...whatever. Point is, it's go time.