/CHAPTER TWENTY TWO/
уσυ'яє вяσкєи ∂σωи αи∂ тιяє∂
σf ℓινιиg ℓιfє σи α мєяяу gσ яσυи∂
αи∂ уσυ ¢αи'т fιи∂ тнє fιgнтєя
вυт ι ѕєє ιт ιи уσυ ѕσ ωє gσииα ωαℓк ιт συт
αи∂ мσνє мσυитαιиѕ
ωє gσииα ωαℓк ιт συт
αи∂ мσνє мσυитαιиѕ
~ⓐⓝⓓⓡⓐ ⓓⓐⓨ~
❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡❡
(Dedication: Opurum_ she messaged me yesterday and I just had to type an update quickly after being lazy throughout the week, I guess it's the aftermath of malaria and cold😂😂😂)
~LILY~
Relief washed over me as I watched chase enter into the class. He wasn't in school yesterday, Monday, which made me worry. He walked towards his sit with both his hands in his pocket, I was mollified that he was well, at the same time he didn't look so well physically.
His eyes were red and swollen like he lacked sleep, his whole demeanor looked very sad and disconsolate, he walked like he wasn't aware of his surroundings, like a zombie. He didn't even respond to the greetings thrown at him by some of our classmates. That chase looked way different from the normal smiling chase, he looked. . . drawn out of this world. I watched till he finally sat down on his seat, he removed his hands from his pocket and rested it on his desk, that's when I noticed his hands.
They were bandaged. Both his wrist were bandaged and the sleeve of his shirt were rolled up to his elbow. He wasn't even wearing his blazer, he just seemed really off, disconnected from reality.
Like it wasn't Chase. He just seemed. . .he seemed too different from normal Chase.
And how does normal Chase look like? my subconscious self asked.
Smiling and normal? I answered it.
The bell for assembly reverberated through the whole class, and most of my classmates started moving out for assembly. I looked at Chase and he didn't seem ready to go for the assembly, because he didn't even move an inch, he just kept staring into space. I was worried about him. I wanted to know what was wrong with him, though I knew I might not had been able to help, I was really just curious.
"It's time for assembly," I removed my gaze from Chase and met with Faree who was the only one in class apart from me and Chase, she was staring at either me or chase I couldn't exactly tell, but I nodded before she exited the class. I stood from the chair I occupied, shifting my desk back, so, I could pass out freely. I even made sure to make a little noise with my desk hoping it would snap Chase back from space to reality, but I was wrong. He was far away from reality, because the sound of my desk didn't even snap him back.
I walked slowly to the door, making sure I made a noise with the low heel of my shoe, so that it would also snap Chase out of his thoughts. I was already at the entrance of the door when I turned back and saw chase, still seated, staring into space, meaning my small heel stunt didn't work also, because he didn't even seem to notice me. I conducted a mini debate with my mind; on whether I should go meet him to tell him about the assembly or maybe I should just ignore and leave for the assembly.
But he is your friend; I thought and the opposing team in my mini debate came out victorious, so, I walked slowly to Chase seat, my head facing the floor because I felt really uneasy going over to meet him and the fact that we were alone in the class made me more uncomfortable. I stood by the side of his desk nevertheless i still didn't think he noticed me.
I cleared my throat exaggeratedly, still, he didn't notice me. I coughed. I sneezed. I sniffed, called his name and he still didn't notice me. I looked at him Wondering how deep in thoughts he was, and if it was possible for someone to be that far away from reality. My gaze fell on his bandaged wrist, lingering around it, I shifted my gaze up to his hands and pardon me to say that his hands were white, ridden of flesh, blood and even his green veins were present. The outlines of his bone were too thin to be true, it was too thin. . .just too thin. I looked away from his hands because it wasn't really a pleasant sight, took my gaze up to his face, but he wasn't even looking at me. . .like he wasn't aware of my presence. Then I took my hand out slowly, slowly, slowly and touched him on his shoulder, I tapped him gently, still he didn't answer, then I tapped him again, but this time, a little bit more harder than the first time, and that jerked him out of his thoughts. He turned his face to my direction but his expression made me more worried than I already was. It was frightened, terrified, and his eyes were teary. I became more worried and I kept asking myself one question.
What could be wrong with Chase?
He didn't say anything as he kept looking at me with a pool of tears in his eyes, then what he did next, I wasn't expecting.
He smiled. . .more like he grinned, showing his whole thirty two, and it was really creepy.
"Lily?" I heard him say-ask, his voice was gruff, unlike his normal smooth masculine voice.
I stepped back a little, returned an awkward smile to him.
"It's time for assembly."
I told him and walked out of the class before I could even hear his response. All I could think about as I walked to the assembly-which was the hall outside of the SS3 building- was Chase and the weird behavior he exhibited when we were in class. I tried to play out different scenarios of what could have occurred to put him in such a foul mood;
Maybe he had an headache.
Maybe his dad yelled at him before coming to school.
Maybe his hands were paining him that's why he wanted to cry, also what happened to his hands?
Maybe. . . Maybe_ I couldn't come up with any theory again, then I heard the resonating claps which made me realize the fact that I was at the assembly entrance already.
I looked at my back looking forward to seeing Chase but he wasn't there.
Tayo wasn't at the entrance of the assembly which was unusual because that was where he had the opportunity to carry out most of his bullying, although the way he bullied me had reduced that didn't mean he didn't love to bully other people, especially those SS1 and SS2 students.
I met Hakeem, a SS3 science student, also the assistant labour prefect, and Esther, a SS3 art student, also the head girl, standing by the entrance of the assembly hall they were busy talking with three other students who knelt by the entrance, even without being told I knew they were SS2 students because they were the only ones who were mischievous and loved disobeying the rules.
I entered into the assembly hall and I didn't even think Hakeem or Esther noticed me entering into the hall, because they just kept on conversing with those mischiefs.
Praise and worship led by pink and Tomi- the chapel prefect- was over, pink walked back to queue and stood right in front of Rayo who was at the front. Prayer was led by a junior student, after that the principal, Mr Williams came up to the podium. He wasn't smiling, instead, he had a frown decorating his face, the whole hall was quiet as he stood on the podium looking at us. I was waiting for him to talk quickly because my legs were hurting from standing too much.
"Good morning."
"Good morning Mr principal," we all responded in unison, then silence swelled among us again and the principal didn't say anything either as he just kept staring at us, my eyes searched the hall for Chase but he wasn't there. He didn't come for assembly.
I looked back at the principal when all of a sudden I heard murmurs from the hall and people started looking back, so, I looked back also and lo'and behold it was Tayo.
But it wasn't the regular bully Tayo but a badly beaten limping Tayo, he didn't seem to mind anyone as he just limped to his row. I kept looking at him and he looked real beaten, I wondered what happened to him but my subconsciousness was quick to shut me up, telling me that _it is Tayo so he could have easily gotten into a fight_and I actually found some truth in it, no! it was hundred percent possible.
"Can I get your attention?" the principal loud voice shot through the hall and I faced my front quickly, looking at the principal who kept frowning. "I'm not happy," he said and no one spoke.
He shook his head as he looked at us, "Lot's of students would be put on suspension today," and murmurs filled the hall again.
"I knew it."
"They better suspend Tade, that boy is too troublesome, acting like the king of boys."
"I'm sure it's those SS2 mischief's and I'm very sure that Tade would be there."
Those were some of the statements that filled the assembly hall, and Tade was one topic on its own, he was a bully, more like the terrorist of SS2. I heard the guy was more stubborn and ruthless than Tayo, he'd always pick fights with people and he was a one man army, also I heard that he didn't keep any friends. I'd only seen Tade once and seriously his looks and aura -though handsome- it screamed 'terror', his looks were by far intimidating, his height, his body structure and everything about him.
Also I heard that Tade and Tayo were related in some ways, that they were cousins, though they'd never acted like they were family, no one had ever seen them speak or greet each other, anyways they both looked really alike, also they shared the same surname.
"As I was saying, these students has been constituting nuisance in the school, while one fought outside the school with the school uniform, the others destroyed the chemistry lab all in the name of fight," the hall fell quiet again as the principal spoke.
"Olatade Banku, come outside!" murmurs filled the hall again, but I paid no attention to it as I watched Tade limp up to the podium, and yes, tade limps, and no one knows the reason why. He wasn't smiling. His blazer and tie wasn't on, his sleeves were also rolled up to his elbow. I also noticed his hair, it was deep black and neatly parked into a man bun, he kept his hands in his pocket, facing the floor.
"Kola Ponmile," the principal called again, and Kola who everyone knew as the next head boy walked out to the front of the assembly and he was neatly dressed in his complete uniform, he stood Faraway from Tade and I didn't miss the look he threw at him.
Yes, he is an SS2 student also.
"Olatayo Banku," the principal called out and the murmurs got louder as Tayo limped to the podium. I would have said he looked in pain as he walked, but his face showed no emotions. He stood near Tade on the podium, also he wasn't wearing his blazer, rather, he had his sleeveless cardigan on, also his shirt sleeves were down, I also noticed he had a plaster to his cheek and nose. "The reason I called out this three is because they'll be put on a two week suspension."
Silence.
No one spoke.
Tayo, Tade, and kola? Suspension.
"Tayo would also be suspended from his post as labour prefect," the principal said while I watched as the three of them acted indifferent to the news.
Assembly finally came to an end with the principal talking about the public holiday tomorrow, Wednesday, because of independent day, he also spoke about the midterm test which was coming up on Thursday and would end next week Monday but the highlight of the assembly was the suspension of Tayo, Tade and kola.
*. *. *.
". . .in summary public sector accounting is an accounting method applied to non-profit pursuing entities in the public sector - including Central and local governments, and quasi governmental special corporations - for which the size of profits does not provide an effective measurement for devaluating performance," Miss Belle explained but honestly I didn't still understand a bit of what she had been teaching since, everything just seemed confusing to me. She was teaching about the public sector accounting, which I honestly didn't think I could even define the topic itself, it was just too complicated so I stopped listening and decided to look around and the first place I looked at was Chase, as always.
He wasn't writing, he hasn't been writing since class started in the morning, and all the teachers were nice enough to spear him from writing because of his wrist- which everyone was curious about- but anytime I heard someone ask about his wrist he would just laugh in response and I didn't know if that was a way to pass a message, or maybe a new social media thing that i wasn't aware of. Even when pink came over to his seat to fight with him - her words not mine- because apparently Chase dumped her at Nola's party which was last Saturday, she immediately stopped fighting with him when she noticed his bandaged wrist and when she asked what happened to his wrist guess how Chase responded?
He laughed!
"Back to earth Lily," I was snapped out of my thoughts, facing the front I met with Miss Belle smiling face. Then she proceeded with her teaching which I wasn't interested in, so I kept my mind busy by singing.
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
(SpongeBob SquarePants!)
Absorbent and yellow and porous is he?
(SpongeBob SquarePants!)
If nautical nonsense be something you wish?
(SpongeBob SquarePants!)
Then drop on the deck and flop like a fish.
(SpongeBob SquarePants!)
Ready?
(SpongeBob SquarePants!)
(SpongeBob SquarePants!)
(SpongeBob SquarePants!!!)
(SpongeBob SquarePants!!!!)
That song never gets old.
"Lily!" I stared at Miss Belle who still had a smile on her face. "What was the last thing I said?"
Last thing she said?
I didn't answer and knowing Miss Belle well I knew she would just let me off with a warning and continue with her teaching . . .and that's exactly what she did.
I listened through the remaining class and it was really boring, the class finally came to an end but Miss Belle didn't leave the class because she said she had something important to say to us.
"I know your mid-term break would be coming up real soon so I want to give you guys a project, a group project," she said.
"Please ma, please don't give us a project. The break is for us to rest at home and relax our brain cells," Marie one of the most quiet girl spoke up.
"Yes ma please," K backed her up, and Soon half of the class started begging but Miss Belle just kept smiling.
"I'm sorry guys, but it's going to be your final project from me ever, so I have too," she said in an apologetic manner and I guessed the whole class succumb because no one was begging again. "It's a group project, so I want you all to pick yourselves."
That made me feel awkward because I knew no one would want to pick me. When I was in SS2, during a biology practical, we were asked to pick partners, no one picked me but the teacher was nice enough to squeeze me into Faree and Grace group, and even though they accepted me and didn't argue when I was added to their group I didn't do anything on the project but I ended up having my whole mark as part of the team. So I knew that definitely no one would want to pick me.
"Class Captain, how many are you in this class now?" Miss Belle asked.
"Twenty-one plus Chase, twenty-two," Faree answered immediately.
And miss Belle didn't say anything as her eyes roamed around the class, then she cleared her throat and spoke.
"Y'all should group yourselves in three," she said and most people started standing up to pick their partners and like I said no one would want to pick me.
I wasn't wrong, because at the end of all the shuffling, they all picked themselves in three excluding me as the outsider.
"That's weird," Miss Belle said. "Lily you don't have a partner yet?"she said and I nodded. "Are you all up to three in your group?" she asked and they all responded with a 'yes'.
She didn't say anything for some nanoseconds.
"Lily has to join one of the group's, meaning one group would have to be four," Miss Belle said. "Who's going to accept her?" she asked and I faced my desk because the question she asked Sounded like she was trying to mock me and if I didn't know her I would have said she was mocking me.
And just when I thought that no one was going to accept me into their group someone did.
My savior.
🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
What is wrong with Chase 😭😭😭
Who accepted Lily??
I'm crying ooo, I don't know what's doing Chase 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺