All others looked puzzled for a while.
"I'll see you" Imisi said blowing kisses as she walked away.
"What the fuck was that?"
"If your real competitors treat you this cool, they are all nice to you. How could your own school mates treat you like that?"
Semiloore shook her head "Let's not talk about that. Olamide, did you make the video?"
"Every single detail"
Semiloore smiled "Don't post it yet. Wait for me"
"Okay"
The programs soon started as the participants were being called.
"Oxford International School, Akure; we have Oladele Nathaniel and Ajayi Oluwasemiloore"
Nathaniel walked in front while Semiloore walked behind him. The camera zoomed on both of them faces while people clapped.
"Wait a minute! Oh my god! That is Ajayi Oluwasemiloore, a two-time champion!"
The audience gave her a standing ovation till she got to her seat and sat down. She smiled at Winnie and Dare who sat opposite her.
The man continued to praise her until Semiloore had to stand up and bow to the audience and judges. One of the judges moved closer to his microphone.
"Its a great pleasure to see you again Semiloore"
"Same here,Mr Clement"
"I didn't see you at the previous ones so I thought you took a break but seeing you now is relieving"
Semiloore smiled a little.
"OICA, that's the school you are representing?"
"Yes"
"Not Hicol Lag?"
"We moved few months ago"
"Ohh"
"Such a loss for Hicol Lag"
"How do you feel competition against someone you once worked with" another judge asked.
"It don't feel anything out of the ordinary. I feel really fine"
"Whoa! That's great!"
"Do you still feel confident that you will carry the championship again this year even if you are no longer a student of Hicol Lag?"
"I sincerely feel great. Being a two time champion is what everyone here aspires to be for some people if its once, they are cool. My confidence is actually okay and should I say I feel more confident?"
"More confident?"
"Yes"
"Whoa!"
"That's really interesting"
"So, Semiloore as a two time champion do you have any words for your counterparts?"
"Yes. I know you all worked hard to be here, please don't get intimidated by me, I also worked hard to get to where I am. If at all you want to get intimidated by someone, it should be the guy sitting next to me" Semiloore said with a short laugh.
"I wish you all best of luck"
The camera zoomed on Nathaniel who had a straight face.
"The guy next to you?"
"His name is Nathaniel, for short its Nath"
"Nice to meet you Nath"
Nath stood up and bowed his head in greeting.
"Since Semiloore holds you in high regards, we'll be expecting a lot from you"
"I won't disappoint you sir" Nath replied in his cello-like voice.
"Oh my god"
"He's not only cute"
"His voice is....mehn"
"Everyone, the 2023 Cowbellpedia geo-polotical competition is about to start. Grab your popcorns ready"
"Its going to be really tight but as for you, you don't have to worry"
"Okay"
"Just watch out for Imisi"
"Imisi?"
"She uses her stares to intimidate people"
"Stares?"
"You'll see"
Like Semiloore had said, It was tight. But Nathaniel had already fallen in the first five surprising everyone.
By the end of the first round, his name was number three. Imisi's name was first, next to Kola's next to Nath.
"Whoa!"
"Nath,that was great. You even beat Hicol Lag although they are right behind you"
"I've got to admit. You've got substance"
"I told you guys to watch out for him"
"Seeing you leaving him to do the first round, Iwas like... well but he didn't disappoint"
Nath smiled.
"The next round goes off in two minutes"
Out of the twenty schools, about six had dropped out leaving 14 schools.
"We'll be partners in the next round"
"Okay"
"Did you read differentiation?"
"Yes I did"
"That's good"
"Why?"
"I didn't even touch it"
"Its not like you've forgotten"
Semiloore snarled at the people sitting opposite her.
"You guys better get ready"
For the next round,everyone was surprised as they both worked harmoniously and soon they were leading.
"We are going to the 10seconds score100 round"
"Nath you do it"
"Huh?"
"Semiloore are you ready?"
"Nath is the one doing it"
"Huh?"
"Is she crazy?"
Winnie chuckled "This is his first time doing this and you are putting him there"
"Your confidence is really amazing"
The round started and a lot of schools had fallen out.
"Nath are you ready?" Semiloore asked and Nath glanced at Semiloore.
"You'll be fine love"
Nath smiled taking everyone by surprise before nodding.
"He's so cute"
The round started and everybody kept counting and their jaws dropped at the 45th second when Nath passed 100.
"Oh my! You didn't disappoint at all"
Nathaniel took a glance at the wide screen and chuckled.
158?
He was good.
"Whoa!"
"I wasn't expecting that at all"
"Yeah,me too"
"We've come to the end of today's competition. Only three schools can be chosen. Let's give a round of applause for all our students who read hard and made it to this point" Everyone clapped happily.
"Let's our contestants from the winning school come forward for their medals"
Everyone stood up and gave a standing ovation as they walked to the front and lined up.
"Let's invite Mr Micheal Falana to give these students best of luck and congratulate them"
Everyone clapped as a man in tailored suit walked out.
Semiloore and Nathaniel barely noticed the person who had walked out as they were immersed in their own world talking and laughing.
Imisi nudged Semiloore "He'll be all yours after the event. The man has started giving out the medals"
Semiloore laughed a little as she turned to look at the man as she froze. The man wore a smile as he wore the medals on their necks. He shook their hands and gave them a brief hug.
She remembered that smile in her growing years. She remembered the look on his face each time she and Tamiloore brought an award or medal home.
The man got to her and smiled, "You've grown up so well" he said with a smile.
Semiloore just continued blinking her eyes. She was 4+ the last time she saw him. He had promised to come for her birthday party but he didn't show up. She had prayed secretly that he should come back until she gave up.
He never came back. He never checked on them. He never came to see how they were doing. He never cared if her mother was hurting or not. He didn't even care if they lived or not. He hadn't seen her in 11 years and the first thing he could was that she has grown up well.
Was he thinking they couldn't do without him or what? This bastard!
Forgetting that the microphone was still near her mouth, Semiloore chuckled.
"Grown up well? Seriously?" Semiloore asked with a mean look on her. She snatched the medal from his hand and walked away.
Nathaniel stared at the man who was still wearing a smile. He turned to Nathaniel.
"She still has that bad temper?" He asked.
"You are?" Nathaniel asked.
"Micheal Falana"
"That's not what am asking you"
"Whoa! Such a smart boy. I'm her father"
Nathaniel laughed "What a nice name for a jerk"
"Pardon me?"
"Nevermind" Nath replied as he collected his medal and walked away.
Rebecca and others had seen what happened and had quickly rushed after Semiloore. None of them had missed the resemblance between the two. Even Mr Williams hadn't missed it. Semiloore had poured a bottle of water on her head.
"Semiloore"
"Guys"
Imisi sprinted out right after them, "That man......he's your dad right?" She asked.
"No. He just provided the sperm"
Some laughed and quickly stopped.
"Are you okay?"
"I just feel dazed after seeing him for so long"
"I see"
"The jerk, after so long the first thing he had to say to me was "you've grown up well" " Semiloore chuckled.
"What a real bastard"
HILLTOP COLLEGE LAGOS
"What do you guys mean?"
"Semiloore came"
"Huh?"
"How dare her?"
Dare threw his hands in the air.
"I told you guys,I told you guys to take it easy on her. You even instigated your parents over the last matter"
"What about it?"
"I couldn't stand her all being pompous"
"Pompous? Semiloore was never pompous"
"I'm surprised you said so. She tried to be so friendly with all of you but you all hated her for no reason. Sincerely when I saw her, I was distraught. I thought she would try to make friends and get embarrassed again but she's totally a new person now. She's very beautiful and has a cute boyfriend. She said her school mates were her family, you guys don't know what that means right?"
"What's the story for? We kicked her out already"
"You are the worst person I've ever met Dara. She helped you,she saved you and yet you turned your back against her. What a friend. She cared about you big time for her to sneak out of the school to look for you at home. I'll be sincere with you guys,no matter how close we are,I can't do that"
The students looked on as Dara's face flashed green.
"I didn't send her!" Dara blurted out.
"You didn't send her?" Another girl asked.
"They suppose to rape you and you suppose to have belle"
"Ode" (fool)
"She was totally wrong in making you her friend ode"
"Guys!"
"Let's get the point!"
"What point?"
"Semiloore is gone"
"So?"
"Semiloore upholded Hicol Lag"
"Please spare me"
"What's spare me? She represented us at very competition and won"
"Even the volleyball team is not even really functioning"
"What's all the fuss about Semiloore leaving? She left, so? We are doing fine without her. There is Dare and me" Winnie said.
One of the girls chuckled "Dare isn't even as good as her and you? You don't have what it takes to replace her"