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That question.
That introducing but scary question.
She stared at the young man and struggled to produce hearable words but she couldn't.
"Young lady, I believe you have a name." He commented and eyed her suspiciously. He watched her stutter a few words as she closed her eyes. The short and plump girl looked terrified.
"Awelewa." She finally mumured.
So we're making progress, the young man thought. Students like this could be found on every corner of every form of schooling. These were the ones who were easily looked down on. The ones with the insecurity issues. The inferiority complex mindset was oozing in their crumbling bones. Some might think being shy was the problem but no, that wasn't it at all in her case. To him, she looked like she had been through a lot.
All these ideas were made just because of a question.
He made up his mind to be very gentle with her.
"Awelewa, that's a beautiful name. It means beauty right?" He smiled at her.
The only thing that stopped her from returning his kind words was a ruffled cough from the students accompanied by another eruption of laughter.
At this point, Awelewa wondered if he said that just to make fun of her. She looked at Abasi and saw the menacing look on his face. If looks could kill, Deji would have been gone by now. After all, he was the one that "coughed".
"Will you all shut up?" The young man exclaimed with a fierce look.
"Who made that sound?"
The once nice looking man looked terrifying as he asked the question. Its response was a change in the atmosphere as the room became silent.
What happened next was rather pitiful than funny. Simultaneously, most fingers pointed towards Deji's direction.
Hilarious betrayal.
His dark face was overwhelmed with shock as it was evident in his sudden change of expression when the man walked to a corner and brought out a long, thin and grey whip. The popular "koboko" was a very effective medium to enact discipline in almost all Nigerian child-adult environment and its results were always quite impressive even though it usually came with bruises and colourful words. Deji stared at this young man with pure regret as he knew his fate.
"Deji Adediran, if this weren't a private school, I would have made you bleed." He chuckled but his eyes looked everything but cheerful.
He continued and moved closer, "Unless you are suffering from a severe case of tuberculosis where you believe spreading liquid germs on innocent persons is okay, then I wouldn't have to give such conditions."
Not a word was said.
The strange man liked that. Deji's trembling composure gave him an edge and this made him proceed with further questions.
"Now tell me, what did I say that warranted such noise?"
"Ahhhh it's nothing sir. I'm just recovering from cough sir." Deji nervously lied.
"Guy shut up abeg." Abasi yelled from the back and rolled his eyes. He considered darting towards Deji but quickly glanced at this new man.
He changed his mind due to what he saw.
"Abasi sit." The man said and Abasi did so. He turned back at tall, dark student and continued.
"Oh really?"
"Yes sir."
"Foolish boy. Do I look like a fool to you? You think I don't know the essence of the noise or stunt you just pulled? Is this how students are trained here? A principal's statement is now subject to mockery abi?"
Principal ke? Ahhhh no wonder! Ehennn, I for say!
Awelewa now understood what was going on. She now knew why Mrs Oyin-Sisi wasn't the one addressing them. She understood why the man had no fear in touching the whip, for no man unless the principal, was to use it. This was the new Management thingy.
"Deji Adediran, you would be used as an escape goat for disrespectful remarks and actions. Oya your palm!" The new principal yelled and motioned Deji to stretch forth his hand.
He was a bit reluctant until a very sounding slap was brought upon his face. The slap awoke a sleepy Bamidele.
"Young man, are you mad? Is that how to bring out your palm?" He yelled again while Deji was still obviously dazed at what had just happened. He touched his face as if he couldn't believe what he encountered.
Adediran took a moment to look at Awelewa. A look of dread was ostensibly seen and it brought fear to her weak heart whose beat was getting faster. She immediately regretted the whole thing and wished the principal never took his action seriously. She was very sure she wouldn't return home the same way unless Abasi goes home with her which rarely ever happens.
Deji and his group of friends always waited for her after school just to bully and abuse her sexually. They had this habit of fondling and playing with her body parts. The females were also guilty of this. To the young teenager, having fun with someone's "flabs" was very dusturbing, especially when those "flabs" were being insulted every day. It always ended in having a terrible injury that she couldn't let anyone know about.
Even Abasi.
Or her single mom.
Their recurrent threats to make things worse if a soul knew what she was passing through changed nothing even when she never told anyone. Her daily pleas and cries fell on deaf ears as they continued hurting her physically and emotionally.
Unfortunately, Abasi didn't see this look. Deji finally faced the principal.
" guy na cane na",
" woo just chop am. No be today",
"my guy chest am na",
" Deji Deji!"
"Ahhhnn! Abeg o! This man should not injure my boyfriend."
"Ahnn... Just for coughing?"
"Damn this guy is strict o!"
"Woo! It is over for Oluwadamilare."
"Ohh God! I have test this morning na!"
"Thank you Jesus! We go miss test!"
"I like him mind o!"
"Baddest!"
"Madooo!"
"Hmmm...But this guy go fit pansh me o!"
These whispers never left Awelewa's sensitive ears but never came across the principal's own as he used the whip. She watched as Deji remained indifferent while keeping a straight face.
Deji's allegedly girlfriend, Tofunmi Bakare was mad. The bruises slowly forming on his naked arm took her attention as she gave Awelewa a warning look.
Oh God! I'm dead!
The man had finally finished giving him the fifteen effects that he deserved and told him to be on his knees. He dragged his ears and said; "You would remain here until the next two periods are over." He dropped the whip and checked the time with his watch buckled on his wrist.
9:25am.
"The next period would start in five minutes, so you would stay here until that period is over, then you would report to my office with a 3000 worded paper on how sorry you are. You would also bring fifteen pages with the statement; 'I would never disrespect the principal again'."
He left the ears and faced the students. "Now, if any of you ever tries nonsense with me, the implications would be worse so you all had better respect yourselves. I know that amongst you are vagabonds that are involved in disrespecting and treating people badly, thus if I ever see or find out that Miss Awelewa is being harassed because of this, an immediate suspension would be pronounced. Am I clear?"
"Yes sir." The students simultaneously replied.
He turned back to Awelewa. "Let's continue from where we stopped. Miss Awelewa, I am Mr Richard Elliot and I'm your new principal. I'm not usually like this but when duty calls, you have to answer. I'd like to know your full name." He gave her a warming smile.
Breathing heavily and wondering what would go wrong, Awelewa glanced at Abasi.
He looked back and mouthed, "He's got your back. I'm here for you."
She forced a smile and finally replied. "My name is Awelewa Oluwadamilare."
He smiled back and faced the students. "Okay then. I've taken so much of your time. I hope you make this term worth it and make the best out of it. Enjoy and have sense during your last days here." With the closing remark, he gestured to a student to pick the whip and left.
Immediately, most students left as well in order to catch up with the classes they had missed. Amongst them were Bamidele and Chioma who left, painfully hand in hand. Even Chiwendu and her gang left the premises.
Abasi's attention was taken by another girl. They were both giggling and were in a seemingly interesting conversation.
See this yeye boy!
Awelewa chuckled but her happy moment was ruined as Tofunmi walked to her. Her eyes quickly darted to where Deji was kneeling.
*Sigh* time to face another demon.
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