Dedicated to AeshaKabir
Just like every harmattan season, this season thus didn't make any difference, some schools were already vacating while some had just begin their examinations. So it's either a student is studying for the examinations or the student jubilating and excited for the holiday.
Ruqayyah kept flipping through the pages of the notebook on her desk and cramming every single word she can, until she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"Ruu, I'm behind you, once you here a tap just turn slightly. You grab?" Haajarah winked at Ruqayyah.
Ruqayyah nodded her head "yes ma."
The form master of the class walked in with another person trailing behind his back.
"Good morning Sir." They all greeted.
The teacher nodded and instructed them to get seated.
"Class, this is Mister Adam Abubakar. He will be your invigilator for today's papers, I want you all to maintain decorum and obey him, write your exams quietly and when you're done submit and exit without any noise. You still have thirty minutes more to the exams, revise through your book before its time, savvy?"
"Yes sir."
All this while Ruqayyah's head was focused to her book, not that she's even reading but she's afraid of looking up to confirm her suspicion, she quickly used a handkerchief and covered her face leaving only her eyes uncovered and looked up at the person to be their invigilator.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un...
Hasbunallahu wani'imal wakeel...
Were what she muttered and quickly looked down feeling so uneasy, she could feel some sweat beads on her temple but they were so tiny to be noticed, she shifted her table silently to make it more closer to her resting her head on it. She felt like she will soon get a fever as her inner body was trembling in fear and trepidation.
"Any question before I leave?" The form teacher asked.
"Sir, why an external invigilator?" A student asked.
The class became noisy with everyone complaining why an external invigilator instead of the normal way of invigilating.
"That's a question for the school management not me." The teacher exited the class after handing two brown envelopes which contained the question papers and answer booklet to the invigilator.
He walked to the desk secluded at the end wall of the class by the right mainly for teachers and sat there.
"Good day class, like your teacher has said, my name is Adam Abubakar. I will be your invigilator for today's papers, I don't like noise so be quiet from now till you submit your first paper. You still have..." He checked his wristwatch "twenty minutes more to the papers."
The class was quiet and none of them talked except for sign languages and the strong headed ones that murmur amongst themselves; the backbenchers.
Ding.. Ding.. Ding..
The school bell rang indicating its time for the papers to start, Ruqayyah became more scared, she wanted to go out of the class so badly and inhale a better air outside but she wants no reason to have to talk to him.
He started walking to every column passing the question papers to every student, the class has five columns and four rows, he had passed the question papers to the first three columns and the next column is hers, he had passed the papers to the person before her and she was next.
To avoid meeting his gaze, she dropped a pen on the floor and bend to pick it up, lucky for her, he had dropped her paper and was even done with her column; how fast she thought.
He also went round again distributing the answer booklet, this time around, she opened her bag and began scavenging through, having nothing to check in particular.
"Ma'am, keep your bag." He said making her numb. She pretended like she hadn't heard him making him smirk mischievously.
"Class, all of you should keep your bags on the shelf, now!" He shouted.
The class members all stood and kept their bags on the shelf with Ruqayyah being the first to keep and remained stiff until everyone were leaving then she hesitated so she could be the last and unnoticed by him.
"You can start your papers now." He ordered.
Ruqayyah went through her question paper, she opened her booklet after filling her name in the appropriate place, she then noticed a paper folded inside her answer booklet. Out of curiosity, she unfolded the paper and her heart did a flip, she used her handkerchief and wiped some sweats on her forehead and the bridge of her nose. Its already harmattan yet, I'm sweating.
Ruqayyah Musa, you can't even hide. Have you forgotten I told you I'm watching you? And you think by throwing a pen so as not to see me or scavenging through your bag won't make me notice you? You're wrong!
She sighed and huffed out some air from her mouth whilst inhaling some air forcefully into her nostrils, she closed her eyes muttering some supplications under her breath.
She felt a slight tap on her shoulder but shrugged without caring to see whom it was as it is none but Haajarah.
She felt another tap on her shoulder and she annoyingly smacked Haajarah's hand.
"Number fifteen" Haajarah whispered hitting the leg of Ruqayyah's chair.
Out of annoyance Ruqayyah shouted "what is it Haajarah, just leave me alone! Why didn't you study during the weekend?!"
There's one thing with Ruqayyah, she looses her calmness whenever she's intimidated, and Haajarah isn't helping matters. She started gasping heavily in need of air.
"Queit there!" Adam shouted banging the desk roughly.
Ruqayyah leaned on her table gasping for more air, but all in vain.
Ya Allah help me, not now please.
She gasped again for air but her lungs were already blocked making it impossible for her to breath. She kept panting heavily as she unbuttoned the first two buttons of her shirt, Haajarah quickly stood up and held Ruqayyah's shoulder making her relax on her arm, she removed her neck tie and turned to Aisha.
"I think its one of her attack." She muttered.
The whole class attention were on the trio; Ruqayyah struggling to breath, Haajarah trying to calm her and Aisha who went quickly to the shelf and began checking through Ruqayyah's bag.
She shook her head negatively and said "she's not with her inhaler."
The class captain had already left the class to notify the sudden asthma attack of Ruqayyah, some students were sympathizing, some gathered there whilst few of the class gurus didn't show any concern and continued writing their papers.
"What class is it?" The principal said following the class captain Muhammad.
"SS3art sir." He replied.
The principal told Muhammad to go while he went to collect her bio data from their form teacher so as to call her home and pick her.
"Her exams will be cancelled until she gets well." The principal told their form teacher Mr. Mathias.
"Okay sir." He passed her bio data.
1⃣0⃣/1⃣2⃣/2⃣0⃣1⃣9⃣
Thank you🙏
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