Jazz It Up

CHAPTER 38

"Madam, please calm down," Mrs Kayode pleaded with the ranting Mrs Okoye who was busy shouting at the top of her voice and threatening to deal with the school if they didn't put more effort in looking after her daughter's safety.

"How can you tell me to calm down? Ehn?! My poor innocent daughter was pushed down the staircase and got injured while all of you stood by and watched doing nothing. Why? Because the perpetrator was your favourite and you didn't want to do anything to her," she spat, assuming an offensive stance.

"How do you know that's Ella's mum?" Ronke asked Kelechi.

"I have seen her before on one of the visiting days. Can't you even see the resemblance in looks and attitude?"

"Ma'am, I don't know where you heard that story from but unfortunately there were no adults around when this incident happened if not we would have avoided it. Ella is in good condition now which is the most important thing, and we are in the process of punishing the offender who is also going to tender an apology to Ella," Miss Toke, who had joined the principal and the matron in trying to quell the woman's anger, spoke.

"I want that girl, whoever and whatever she is, to be expelled from this school! She has caused my daughter nothing but harm ever since she came here."

"Looks like Ella has been feeding her mother lies." Kelechi shook her head.

"Mrs Okoye, you are causing a scene here. This is a school environment and it's meant to be calm so please, lower your voice and let's talk this out in my office," Mrs William said but Mrs Okoye was not having any of it. Mrs William and Mrs Kayode, however, continued trying to get her to keep quiet which only seemed to make her angrier and shout more.

Mrs William noticed out of the corner of her eyes that some of the students were covertly watching them so she ordered the teachers on prep duty who had come out to try to pacify the situation, to return to their classes so they could keep the students away from the unfolding drama. Miss Chinaza was furious that her students had disobeyed her orders and shouted at them to find their way back to the classroom before the count of nine. They all scurried back to their classroom as they didn't want any issues with the mean teacher, but before Jazz could leave, Mrs Okoye identified her.

"Oh, so this is the white girl that has been disturbing and harassing my daughter in this school?" She asked in a mocking tone, staring at Jazz with a look of disgust etched on her over powdered face.

Jazz shot the woman a hard glare. Kelechi sighed worriedly while Ronke rubbed her hands together and smiled mischievously.

"Ella's mum should not start what she cannot finish," Kelechi muttered.

"This is what I love to see; the mad versus the crazy, hehe." Ronke chuckled evilly.

"Your daughter is the one who harasses me in this school!" Jazz retorted, moving forward despite Kelechi's efforts to hold her back. "It's either she's whining about me taking away the love of her life who by the way doesn't even know she exists, or, she's being insecure about me being better and more popular than she is which is understandable because I am pretty awesome and she doesn't stand a chance."

Mrs Okoye leaned back in disbelief. "Is it me this chalk is talking to? Look here, I'm not your mate so you better speak to me with respect, do you hear me?"

Jazz sized the woman up from head to toe. She was wearing an excessive amount of makeup which made her look ridiculous, had on lashes that were so long they were almost reaching her eyebrows, and an afro wig that was big enough to house a dozen squirrels. She was also wearing very high heels and carrying a clutch purse that shone brighter than diamonds. The only thing moderate about her dressing was the stylish boubou she was wearing.

"Of course I will speak to you with respect, but only if you speak to me with respect as well. I deserve props for putting up with your daughter's bullshit for this long," Jazz said and everyone gasped– including Ronke.

"This girl has mind oh," she remarked.

"Jazz, that's enough! Go back to your classes now, all of you!" Mrs William boomed. "Except you, Jazz," she added.

Kelechi mouthed a "don't do anything stupid" to Jazz before walking off with Ronke. Mitchel somehow made eye contact with Jazz and held her gaze, secretly pleading with her to not do anything stupid. Jazz rolled her eyes and looked away.

"Now, you better come here, you this rude and mannerless girl. Let me talk to you face to face," Mrs Okoye said and Jazz obliged.

"I'm truly very sorry for her actions, ma'am," Miss Toke tittered and lightly shoved Jazz forward. "Apologise!" She whispered harshly.

"Why do I have to apologise, it's not like I did anything wrong." Jazz folded her arms defensively.

"Disrespecting your elders is already the worst of the worst things you could do wrong. Now apologise so we can move on, and don't make me repeat myself," Mrs William ordered in a stern tone.

"I'm sorry," Jazz grumbled.

"Okay! Now, if we can just go to my office and—"

"Sorry for yourself!" Mrs Okoye snapped, cutting Mrs William off and pointing an index finger at Jazz. "You think you can hurt my daughter and get away with it? Do you know who I am?"

"Do I need to?"

"I don't know what kind of disrespectful children you are raising in this school—"

"Your daughter included," Jazz muttered, earning a slap to the shoulder from Mrs Kayode.

"Shut up when the adults are talking!" Turning her attention back to Mrs William, Mrs Okoye continued, "Now, I only want one thing from this school, and that is to get this girl expelled. Failure to do that and I'll withdraw my daughter from this school with immediate effect. You know what that means. I will also sue this school and make sure I ruin its reputation in such a way that you'll lose students and no parent would want to bring their children here. Mark my words."

Before any of them could respond, she turned around and headed to the Sick bay, her heels making rhythmic clinking sounds on the tiled floor. The nurse had told Ella that she was fine and could resume her daily activities, but she chose to stay in the sick bay after she was told that her mother would be coming.

"You are very lucky we don't beat in this school, otherwise I would have taught you a very good lesson today that would encourage you to watch your tongue the next time you're talking to someone that's much older than you. You may go back to your class if the prep is still ongoing," Mrs William ordered Jazz with a warning glare then marched to her office. "Mrs Kayode, Miss Toke, come with me, please."

Jazz could barely concetrate for the rest of prep and just kept thinking about what her parents would do to her if she got expelled. She needed to get out of the situation, and fast.

"Jazz, are you okay? You've been staring at that same page for the past twenty minutes without flipping to a new page." Princess slightly shook Jazz who absentmindedly flipped to the next page. "Even Abu reads faster than this," Princess commented, earning a playful glare from Abu.

"It's not my fault I'm not a literary scholar," Abu said in his defence.

"I'm also not a literary scholar but I don't spend all day reading just two pages and with great difficulty."

"That's not true, you're just exaggerating!"

"Shh! If Miss Chinaza comes here, you're on your own oo," Princess warned him and continued reading her book.

"I was on my own before you started talking about me."

Jazz chuckled. She was sure going to miss her seatmates and their constant bickering.

Miss Toke entered the class and stood by the door, turning all attention to herself. She greeted Miss Chinaza who just hummed in response. It was no news that Miss Chinaza didn't like Miss Toke because she was jealous of her or whatever her reason was. Miss Toke asked Jazz to meet her in the staff room as soon as they were done with evening prep. Just then, the bell signalling the end of prep rang, and Miss Toke gestured for Jazz to follow her.