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"Awelewa what happened?"
The girl in person was confused. The throbbing pain at the back of her head was so severe that she couldn't detect what was in front of her.
The voice.
Wait. Is that Bami?
The thought of Bamidele standing close to her while asking if she was okay gave her this soothing and relaxed feeling. That was her drive as she tried to stand.
She wasn't successful.
Blinking managed to solve the problem as she saw a lanky structure coming towards her. The figure bent forward and offered a hand.
A few squints later birthed her disappointment.
It's not even Bami.
No, it wasn't. It was her closest and only friend, Abasi Faith.
Having parents who were really close enabled their children to have the same relationship with the other. Awelewa and Abasi had been friends since their mothers met in the hospital. They both had complications during birth thus they stayed together everyday.
"Ewa answer me naa!" Abasi mockingly exclaimed as he drew back his had. He pouted his lips, folded his arms and watched as Awelewa grumbled.
"It's even you sef." Awelewa snorted and rolled her eyes. "Abeg I'm not standing up again."
She remained in her sitting position and watched as Abasi laughed boisterously. She knew exactly why.
"Yeeeee! Mama thought it was Coker! If you like stay there na. You'll eventually miss your chance to see him." He continued as he knew his actions irritated her.
"How?" Awelewa asked with a confused look.
He eyed her suspiciously.
"Assembly n-"
She didn't wait for him to finish his sentence as she stood up with a surprising amount of energy.
"Ahhhhh! And you're looking at me!" She exclaimed as she glared at him and poked him on his chest. She started running towards the door of the assembly hall, looked back and found out that he was still behind her. She pouted and stumped her foot. His response was even an increase in his laughter.
"Laugh wan kill me die! Awelewa Oluwadamilare! So your source of strength is a guy? Your mother must hear this!"
Abasi jogged to her standing place as he continued laughing. He met her folding her arms.
"You know you're just a fool right?" Awelewa stated as she playfully slapped his arm.
"Ehnn. And you're a fooler." Her male friend quietly giggled to himself but Awelewa heard his statement.
"Abasi, please have sense for once."
When he heard her words wrapped with pure humor, he put his arms around her shoulders. "Yes ma."
Awelewa glanced at her best friend and smiled. It was such an amazing feeling to have that one person that you would always be comfortable with. For a second, she actually forgot that she was bullied a few minutes ago. She was very sure that Abasi's mocking remarks about her crush was an attempt to make her feel better.
An attempt that worked.
He always did this when he knew she was insulted, harassed or made fun of especially when he wasn't around to defend her.
Abasi Faith was quite attractive. His dark afro hair, light skin tone, red freckles, thick eyebrows, tall height and ectomorph structure caught the eye of many females in class. His talent in painting and long jump earned him recognition and thus made no one say a word after his daily defense of Awelewa.
In year seven, they weren't known or had any friends. It was always the two of them guarding the other as they would try to avoid the mean seniors who usually picked on them. He was considered "malnourished" and she, "glutton". To Awelewa, their miniature and infinitesimal brains didn't know anything about inherited characters thus the little things they believed by sight was what they always pondered on.
Attention, she prayed for as a request wasn't granted. Apparently, the gods of puberty were interested in giving that to an unconcerned Abasi. Nevertheless, his new friends didn't ruin his relationship with Awelewa and this always brought her joy.
They finally got to the hall.
Esosa High was a school acknowledged for it's pioneer existence as it opened and prepared the way for other schools. It's excellent management, perfectly sculpted make-up, beautifully decorated interiors and its production of educationally sound students gave her wings to fly to the abode of excellence.
The school hall looked different. Apart from the usual lines each class were forced to form and the overbearing teachers struggling to force the undeterred seniors to keep their line in order with the popular "koboko", the walls and curtains had a different taste; a different color to be precise.
Formerly painted royal blue walls, now cream colored, gave this scary place a new term as it looked happier and less gloomy. The curtains once "dirty" white now coffee brown, complimented the new look. Awelewa patiently surveyed the room as she slowly walked in with Abasi who had a hard time in moving with her pace.
The hall was been renovated. This was probably the rumored new Management's doing. She once heard her mother talk about this but didn't take her words seriously as she was quite preoccupied doing the usual.
Daydreaming.
"Abasi, I'm scared." She whispered to her best friend who was trying to find where the Year twelve's were standing.
Her voice caught his attention as he glanced at her direction. He smiled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You'll be fine Ewa. I won't let them hurt you. I promise."
He gave her a reassuring smile and kept walking.
She smiled back.
Typical Abasi. He's always there for me.
That's what best friends are for. Right?
"Faith and Oluwadamilare, don't you know that you're late for assembly? So because you are now seniors, you think you can come anytime you like abi?" Mr Olumide sounded as he held his arms akimbo while silently tapping his left feet. A sign that showed his annoyance.
Awelewa was about to look back until she was stopped by Abasi.
"Abeg no answer am. I've found them." He pointed to a corner where the seniors were addressed.
In Esosa High, as soon as a student enters the twelfth grade, he or she with his or her mates would have an assembly gathering separated from the ones the other classes had. They all sat as an unfamiliar young man addressed them. It was usually Mrs Oyin-Sisi that did this.
"Who's that?" Abasi asked.
Awelewa replied with a shrug and motioned Abasi to move forward.
He rolled his eyes and did as he was told. All eyes were on them as they both took seats at the back.
"Why the late coming?" The young man asked as they sat. Abasi and Awelewa gave each other puzzled looks as the question came in.
"Stand."
The young man folded his arms as they did the needful. As she stood, Awelewa caught a glimpse of Bamidele as he sighed, closed his eyes and rested his head on Chioma's shoulder. A pained look was formed on her face as she tried to prevent being overwhelmed with her emotions. For God's sake, she was about to get punished by a man she didn't know.
She also didn't know that Abasi noticed her facial expression.
"What are your names?"
Abasi raised his hand. "It's Abasi Faith. Although I'm usually called the class clown, the sexy guy from Ghana who is probably making a lot of girls drool right now." He cheekily smiled and winked to a few female classmates who returned his action with a look of disgust.
A seemingly uncontrollable laughter erupted in the room as people noticed the girls reaction. The young man tried ending the whole thing until he too was grabbed by the laughs.
"Ode Abasi na Ghanaian name? Nigerian goat!" Deji exclaimed, stood and jokingly tapped Abasi at the back of his head. Abasi retaliated and did the same thing back.
"Alright students, it's okay. Young lady what's your name?"
Silence immediately filled the room.
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