Pantie Rule

40 | A Lead

I couldn't really bring myself to think of why Nigeria was left for an early independence by the Queen, Elizabeth, in 1960. Or why Neo-colonialism was the major downfall of Nigeria today. All I thought was about how everything had turned out in the past few days. Martin. Gay? Lewechi and Chizutere. And finally The Secret Boys.

The only thing that zoned me out of these crippling thoughts was: the lecturer's occasional high pitches of heavy igbo accent.

Colonialists or White supremacists or Capitalism or Slavery.

I imagined blood dripping from Fatima's body, and Martin standing away from her.

All these are connected if you would just look closer.

Looking on her with fear, crippling fear.

And then I could see a guy from the window, standing tall and fair, with hands in his pocket and a proud look in his eyes. He was looking at me. Immediately I was cut off from the cloud of thoughts by a loud voice that tore me back to reality.

"Tobi!" My head flew to my teacher and back to the window! This one wasn't a day dream. It was real. He had been standing there, looking at me.

"Tobi please, come in!" Mr Donatus called, jovially. Trust me I was taken five hundred metres aback. Oh, how he beamed so radiant and proud as he gestured him to come in.

The Tobi walked in and I heard in loud sigh from behind. I turned, it was Yidi, the girl that falls for almost every boy in the school. She was really pretty though. A Fulani girl, born and bred in the richest of families, in lagos, but she could not join our league for she was too touchy feely. She gaped at him at him and he seemed to stare at her too. If eyes could get you pregnant trust me she could've gotten pregnant at that moment. He walked hand-in-pocket to the teacher who placed his arm possessively behind his neck and held his shoulder with a firm friendly grip.

"This is Tobi Seth Babs." Seth? Who bears Seth these days.

"Many of you may not know him..." Are you kidding me?! We've kissed twice. Oh. That's Chizutere. No, I don't know him, sir. Wait that's not even Chizutere. I never kissed Chizutere. "He recently arrived." Mr Franklin said excitedly. "I think last term or so. Abi? Am I right?"

"Absolutely, sir." He answered matter-of-factly. For a second, I was slightlythrown off balance. His baritone was deep. I caught myself.

Then I frowned "He's one of the best. What am I saying? He's the best in math in all the divisions of SS1 so far." Ugh. Typical of Mr Franklin, boastful about his 'whiz kids' according to him. But thinking I would take it likely, I didn't. My eyes betrayed me and my lips slightly parted. Was it shock or admiration? I was in one of those times when I couldn't tell.

"Yes, Omotara." Mr Franklin's eyes rolled to mine. "He's way better than you." I'm sure he didn't mean to sound rude and demeaning but he did. That statement was entirely rude and demeaning. It totally threw me off balance, again.

At that moment I was ready to spit out all the kisses he had given from my lips. Oh. Not him. Chizutere. Wait Chizutere did not kiss me. What is wrong with me? "You need to prove to him that the female folk can do better." He nodded, smiling excessively. I was entertained by the boy's serious manner in contrast to Mr Franklin's.

"So, he'll be going for this year's cowbell competition..." This time I stopped my jaw before it fell. "...I'm sure, I didn't tell you," he glanced at me, "or any other person in this class but the annual cowbell competition is back and we'll be going again this May. Information and invitation reached us late. Some other..." I was listening anymore. I was staring at Tobi, but he wasn't even looking my way. Why would he, when the girls shifted and batted eyelids just to have him see them, which he did. His eyes were above eye level. Technically, because he was standing. Figuratively, because you could sense his braggadocio. I once again didn't know what to feel. Whether jealousy or admiration or anger or inferiority or attraction. Whatever it was I knew it was my insecurities taking hold of me and I had to move away before I would burst.

"Please, excuse me sir." I stood up smoothened the back of my skirt as girls here did. I never really knew why girls did it, but I had learnt it from JSS 1. I was already out before he would permit me. Was he looking at me? By him I mean the over-glorified god of math and beauty. Wait, why did I even care? Tobi Seth Babs. Huh?...

What an odd name.

Tobi Seth Babs.

Wait...

Tobi Seth Babs.

Tobi. Seth. Babs!

Tobi Seth Babs!

TSB!