|Chapter Five|
Sharon's POV:
"Happy Monday, Dara!" someone shouted in the hallway as I walked into school.
I felt my lips pull back in a grimace. The students at this school were seriously crazy. Who in their right mind ever said Monday was happy?
Mondays represent facing the same failures of the last week. Your endeavours come back to remind you that they still exist. That's what I'd always thought.
I had come to school alone that morning. The school choir was organising an audition for new students that were interested in joining the choir.
I didn't know if I was interested. However, music had already been a part of me. The main reason why I had fled here was to become myself once again and let go of my painful past. Auditioning for the Prescott School Choir was a step in the right direction.
The auditions were to hold by 7am, which meant that I had to come to school earlier than the usual 8 o'clock.
I did not tell Dami I was going to audition for the choir. But I wasn't even sure I would get in as well. It'd been more than a year since I sang perfect music, I mean, something different from rap. My inspiration for singing seemed to have died along with my innocence. Now, I only listened to rap and senseless, unrhythmic hip-hop that didn't place any pressure on me to sing again.
Standing in front of the student choir leaders and the music teachers, my choice to sing Sia's Opportunity shocked and scared me in equal parts.
Kimberly and Kingsley Nana, the twins who were the choir leaders, looked at me with expectant smiles on their faces. My gut told me they used that smile, whether they were expectant or not.
"Opportunity? Nice choice. Let's hear you, Sharon," said Kimberly.
I closed my eyes and blew out a breath before clearing my throat.
If I failed at this, winning at becoming me again would not work.
"We're waiting," a masculine voice rumbled.
With a nervous breath, I let out the first note of the song.
•••
Assembly time came, and students hurried over to the assembly hall. Assembly was compulsory. The hallway became a beautiful blur of black shirts. I searched for Dami with my eyes as I made my way to the assembly hall, but it was impossible to find her in the middle of the swarm of pupils.
"Good morning, Prescottians! Welcome to the first morning assembly for this week today, the sixteenth of September, 2019," the girl I recognized as the head girl spoke, her loud voice ringing throughout the large hall as I walked into the hall alongside other people. She stood behind the podium where everyone could see her.
(A/N: In most Nigerian schools, prefects are chosen amongst the students. A head girl is the female head prefect of a school.)
I found a seat beside an unfamiliar student. Her pinafore told me she was a junior student.
"Now, we will all rise to our feet and sing the national anthem and the school's anthem. Band!"
I groaned. I'm just sitting down for Pete's sake...
Everyone stood up as the school's band beat the drums for the national anthem. I looked towards the back of the hall to see the teachers also standing. I faced the front of the hall and straightened my posture, singing along with the other students in the spirit of patriotism.
Arise, o compatriots,
Nigeria's call obey,
To serve our fatherland,
With love and strength and faith,
The labour of our heroes past,
Shall never be in vain,
To serve with heart and might,
One Nation bound in freedom,
Peace and unity.
The students cheered as the song ended. A tiny smile crept onto my face as I sat back down like everyone else.
The principal, dressed in an A-line red dress that brushed her knees and black stilettoes mounted the stage for her speech.
"Hello, Prescott Students!" she waved enthusiastically as the pupils roared their hellos in excitement. "How was the weekend? We..."
I zoned out. Too much positive energy clouded the room. All these people were too happy. My eyes scanned the excited faces of the students around me. The junior beside me giggled and I cringed automatically.
The audition this morning still bugged me. The faces of the judges had been blank of the horrible expressions I knew they felt after I had sung-- the better word would be barfed-- the song. It made my anxiety for the results worse. With vigour, I shook my head.
Be happy, I reminded myself.
But when you know you have to remind yourself about being happy, then you know that happiness is far, far away.
•••
"Hey! Was looking for you all over. Where were you?" the words rushed out in one breath as I plumped down in my seat behind Dami. Some of my classmates eyed me. I stared back until they turned away to continue talking.
I was almost late to class after looking for her again after assembly.
My friend eyed my disheveled state and smiled remorsefully. "Sorry, I should have told you I wasn't going to be in assembly today, but I didn't think it mattered."
"Oh," I mumbled, my breath resuming a stable pattern.
"Yeah, Ephraim was answering quiz questions that Principal Obi have him."
My back straightened in shock. "Wait, what?"
That smirky smile that Dami had given me on Saturday floated on her lips.
"Ephraim now attends our school, Sharie," she proclaimed sweetly.
My heartbeat resumed its wild beating, not due to running this time, but because of the idea of seeing Dami's fine cousin again.
I took in a slow breath.
Calm down.
I ignored my errant heart and cleared my throat.
"Nice... so, where is he?" I made a show of looking around the class.
"He's-"
"All stand and greet!" the class captain, usually the most nerdy person in the class whom the teachers love the most, jumped to her feet. I think her name's Jade.
(A/N: Jade is pronounced, Jah-day.)
"Good morning, sir. We are happy to see you. God bless you!" the class chorused as was the norm.
"And your family!" the boisterous football captain shouted from behind the class where he leaned against the wall. His friends laughed and shouted, "Amen!"
"And your wifey!"
"Amen!"
"That's enough," the Math teacher, Mr Clement, ordered.
"And her pu..."
"Get out of my class, Soji!" Mr Clement bellowed, his fair skin red.
(A/N: Soji is pronounced, Suh-gee.)
"I didn't say anything, sir. Just praying for you."
His fellow silly jocks laughed.
"I didn't ask for your prayers. Out of my class and go report yourself to the principal!"
He deserves that. Such a jerk. This was how Soji behaved in classes most of the time for the past week since my resumption. Dami said he just returned from suspension. How he was the football captain was beyond me.
Soji swaggered out of the class, a smirk on his face and his hands up in the universal sign of surrender.
"I was going to say pussycat," were his last words before he disappeared. Some people started to chuckle, but Mr Clement's next words shut them up.
"I catch one person laughing, he or she fails Maths."
Satisfied, Mr Clement looked to his left, by the door, and beckoned someone over.
Oh, not someone, Ephraim.
The tempo of my heart got lost. Seriously, what's it with this guy? Am I the only one he has this effect on?
How didn't I notice him standing there?
His new school shirt fit him perfectly, like the tailors had him in mind while sewing it. As he reached up to scratch the back of his neck, his lean torso seemed to stretch in a mouthwatering way. His curly hair looked wet like he just got out of the shower. And his light brown, almost hazel, eyes...
The Lupita Nyong'O look alike beside me gasped. I tore my eyes away from Ephraim to look at her. Her eyes were so wide, they could have been saucers. Other girls fidgeted in their seats as they adjusted shirts and skirts and... everything.
I almost laughed when one girl discreetly pushed her chest up. I turned my head to face the front of the class and... my goodness... Ephraim's eyes were on me.
I couldn't help it, I had to blow out my breath. That's how captivating...and familiar he looked. I recalled his reaction to my words on Saturday.
"S... Samuel?" I whispered.
His eyes narrowed. "What?"
"You're Sammy?" my mouth curled up in a nostalgic smile as I said the name.
He just stared at me with eyes that seemed to burn.
"Can't believe this," he muttered as his head shook mildly. Then, he walked out of Dami's living room.
I shook my head and transferred my gaze to my backpack, realising that I had been staring for long. I withdrew my books and stationeries needed for Math. Dami's quiet chuckling reached my ears, but I refused to look up. I flipped the pages of the textbook on my desk.
"Ehem," I recognized Mr Clement's voice. "Are you going to introduce yourself, or should I do it for you?"
"Uh, sorry, sir," Sa...Ephraim's voice sounded a little deeper than it was on Saturday. I shook my head. It was not like I had been replaying his voice in my head since then. Absolutely not.
He cleared his throat. Some girls giggled quietly. As I looked up to roll my eyes, I met Ephraim's eyes again.
Okay, seriously, why does this boy stare like this...and why am I liking...
His eyes only seemed to burn deeper as his mouth said the next words.
"Hi, I'm a new student from King's College, Lagos," he took a deep breath that looked painful. His eyes strayed from mine.
I was going to release the breath I didn't realize I was holding, when...
"My name is Ephraim Samuel Adeniyi."
Yeah, that's what he said.
To say I was shocked was an understatement. I shot out of my seat from the intense emotion that sprung up in me.
He's Sammy...
He's Sammy...
He's Sammy...
My brain kept squealing. A part of me felt joy at finding my childhood best friend again. Another part felt anger at the way he'd brushed me off on Saturday. I had been so embarrassed.
"Sharon!" Dami's whisper-yelling broke through my reverie.
I blinked and saw all the eyes in the room staring back at me. People whispered and pointed. Mr Clement looked baffled. Dami's stare was the more intense version of Mr Clement's. Queen looked at me with...pity? Whatever. My eyes drifted to the front of the class, to Ephraim.
He was the only one staring at the ground.
"Uh, sorry, Mr Clement. My...um...my pen, yeah...on the...y'know, the floor?" I winced as the words clambered out. I bent down and--lo and behold--there was actually a pen in front of me. Without thinking, I picked it and raised it up for everyone to see.
"This. Yeah, it fell. I picked it." Ephraim's snort drew my attention to him. He quickly averted his gaze. I felt my face fall.
After being rude the last time we met, was this how he would treat me? He wouldn't even look at me?
The pen was suddenly snatched from my hand. Lupita Nyong'O's doppelganger stood in front of me, a glare on her lips.
Okay, what's up?
I shifted my stance and assessed her.
"What-"
"This is my pen, you liar," she said, loud enough for the entire class to hear.
I had known the pen wasn't mine, but she didn't have to be so mad about that.
"You didn't have to call me a liar over a pen, Lupita. Have you always been so immature? And you want to go to university next year?" I scoffed.
"My name is not Lupita,"she retorted and looked behind her. At Ephraim. She smiled, her voice turning sultry. "It's Adaora."
She turned to me and glared once more before she sat down on her seat, her head bowed.
I sat as well, my eyes rolling as I did. She was such a flirt!
"You know you just disrupted my class, New Girl?" Mr Clement's voice signalled annoyance.
"Sorry, sir. It won't happen again."
And so, I kept silent for the rest of the class and tried to focus on the board, rather than the new student who now sat behind little Lupita.
•••
"School choir auditions?" Ephraim asked as Dami, him and I walked into school the next day.
I had kept my distance from him yesterday. During lunch, I hadn't sat near him when he joined our table. I felt him staring as I ate my lunch and it unnerved me. After school, he'd tried to talk to me, but I had quickly asked Dami something else.
Now, Dami stood in between us. But Ephraim being the tallest, I still made eye contact with him whenever I looked at Dami. I looked up, and sure enough, he was gazing at me. I looked away and muttered under my breath, "Seriously."
A banner hung on the wall in the hallway this morning, advertising school choir auditions. They were extending the auditions till the end of the week. I sighed. If only I could redo that audition...
"Yeah, you're interested?" Dami asked.
"I think so. It looks dope," Ephraim said. From the corner of my eye, I spied him shrugging his broad shoulders.
Dami laughed. "How many extracurriculars will you have? You're going to join the football team, aren't you?"
An image immediately came to my mind. Eight-year-old Sammy trying to force seven-year-old me to play football with him in his backyard. I shook my head to rid it of the picture.
"Why are you shaking your head, Sharon?"
My steps faltered in time with my heart beat.
Ephraim spoke to me. For the first time. Or was it the second time? Yikes. Hearing the way he pronounced my name did things to my belly.
Okay, stop it! I chided myself.
I composed myself and focused on walking in a straight line.
"None of your business," I said, refusing to look at him.
Dami nudged me with her elbow.
"Be nice, Sharie."
I knew she was trying to hide a snort from the way she sounded.
I took the risk and looked sideways. Which turned out to be a gigantic mistake. My eyes met Ephraim's again. I could read his emotions clearly. Awe. Longing. Regret.
Wait. What was he in awe of? What was he longing for? What did he regret? None of these things could have anything to do with me. I doubted if he even remembered me.
But the way he looked at you in class...
That didn't mean anything.
"Ahem!" Someone cleared their throat. I jumped slightly and faced the front. Dami's laughter made me wonder how long I had been having a staring contest with her cousin. She patted my arm in a way that said, "I know, I know, he's too fine."
I winced. Ephraim cleared his throat deeply.
"Uh, the school choir. I'm interested, yeah. Don't know what they will ask though. Any ideas, Dams?" Ephraim asked in a very composed voice. If his voice shook, I didn't hear it at all.
Thank God I'm not the only one feeling decomposed.
I slapped my head mentally. Decomposed means decayed, you moron.
Right.
The correct word is incomposed.
"What do you think, Sharie?"
I looked at Dami. Pointedly.
"Hmm?"
"The auditions? Which song do you think will wow the judges?" Dami expounded. "I'm thinking, You Raise Me Up."
Nice choice. Now, why didn't I think of that song?
Dami started to belt out the song, the keys of the song changing with each line. How is that even possible?
Other students around us giggled in disbelief.
"Damilola," I called.
My friend paused. "Hmm."
"Stop. Singing."
"I'll only stop if you join me," she said mischievously.
She continued singing.
"Dami, stop," I laughed.
"Join me!"
"Teachers could punish you for making noise," Ephraim said.
I glanced at him.
He's not a lawbreaker? Rare.
"Sharie, c'mon. The chorus!" Dami grabbed my hand.
I laughed and decided to sing with her. If Dami didn't care about sounding like a dying frog, why should I care?
I closed my eyes as we walked.
You raise me up,
So I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up,
To walk on stormy seas,
I am strong when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up to more than I can be.
Silence.
Wait, why is everywhere quiet? And when did we stop walking?
I flicked my eyes open.
My eyes first met Dami's. So much awe was registered on her face. Her mouth hung open. I risked looking around. Hundreds of students had stopped whatever they were doing and were staring at me.
"Wow," someone breathed. I followed the sound and saw Ephraim, staring at me.
Suddenly, everyone started clapping. Someone whooped and I felt tears form in my eyes. Before the tears could fall, I broke into a run. Students made way for me to pass through. I didn't care.
I needed fresh air.
•••
A/N:
Happy new month, my lovely readers. I'm really grateful for y'all. It's been over a month since the last update, and I can't say how sorry I am. I've been busy with school stuff and several essay contests I had put in for. Anyway, I hope you loved the chapter. I enjoyed writing it.
Good news is that there will be no long waiting periods anymore. Yay! Updates are going to be weekly from now on. And sometimes, It will be twice a week in order to speed up the book. It's a promise. I'm thankful for all of you who have been patient. God bless you!❤️
Do vote and comment! Ensure you follow me as well so you don't miss updates. It means a lot! Reading comments is fun and is the reward I get for each chapter.
L O V E,
Precious.