School resumption was never a jolly period for me because there would be no sleeping in on weekdays, no assignment free day or anything of such. I don't know why but the teachers in my school -Dayfort High never seemed to forget assignments. I hurriedly got myself ready for school and went downstairs to get my breakfast.
I met my mother in the kitchen ready for work and I greeted her "Good morning Mummy."
She looked up from her cup of tea and smiled, her smiles always came so quickly and easily. "Morning dear. Eat up your breakfast and let's go. I'm sure you don't want to be late for your first day of the session."
I laughed and replied her "You sound like people don't come late to school on the first day."
She flashed me a stern look "My own child will not sha be part of those people. Now, hurry up. "
I finished my breakfast of bread and fried eggs and Mum and I set out at six thirty. "Your dad said you should behave well in school today." She said as we drove out.
I rolled my eyes but subtly so my mum won't notice and launch into a lecture about manners "He always says that ." My mother shook her head "Someone has to remind you."
I nodded because I knew she was only trying to make an excuse for daddy. Sometimes, I wonder how they both ended up together. Mummy, the stubborn, bubbly and very beautiful young woman and daddy, the strict, stern faced and proud man. There was no difference in their ages- biologically but mentally, my father was older and more worrisome.
The rest of the ride, we were silent but I was thinking about a lot. My new class, I would be starting SS1 today. Who would be my class teacher, my friends. There would be new students. God, I couldn't wait.
By six fifty, I was in school and yes, the gate was open. Dayfort stood magnificently occupying a large expanse of land with its field, senior and junior classes and its administrative block. The school hall stood in the centre, the Nigerian flag flying carelessly in ftont of it. In the senior block,the SS1 classes were on the ground floor. SS2 classes were on the first floor and SS3 on the second floor. I guess the higher you go the tougher it becomes. I already knew my class SS1B, the class for pure science students. I remember Daddy's satisfaction with Dayfort and the relief Mummy and I had. We had gone from school to school and I was tired of taking one entrance examination after the other.
Not surprisingly, I wasn't the first and I met one of my best friends, Jemima. "Jasmine, Jasmine." It was a form of hailing or scolding- calling someone's name more than once.
We hugged each other. "Long time" Jemima said, still holding my hand after our hug. She was very slender, with chocolate skin, a firm grip and a motherly tone. The mummy of our little group.
"Abi o. I didn't miss school but I missed you guys" I added.
Jemima laughed "We were talking and doing video calls nau, and we visited each other "
I shook my head "See, Jemima, I missed you. You know it's Bimpe I see more than I see you or Felicia "
We kept gisting as we arranged the class. In Dayfort, we had cleaners and Baba B, an old man who took care of the field and assisted the agricultural science teachers in taking care of the school farm but we students cleaned our classes and the school premises except the toilets.
Jemima and I placed our bags on the seats we wanted to occupy and placed books on the seats our friends had told us they wanted. When others saw people's items on the seats, they would know that the seats belonged to others but some stubborn students would hiss and throw the items to the floor. "Did I meet anyone here?" They would ask if someone else came to claim the seats. I prayed such people would not arrive before the people we kept seats for. Soon, students began trooping in and out and by seven thirty we went out for assembly.
The principal, Mr Obi, a bald Igbo man who spoke a heavily accented English gave us his usual welcome back to school speech and after forty long minutes, we went back to our classes. My best friend out of the lot, Bimpe came to my class to greet me since she was a boarder and she resumed school on Saturday "Ore mi " Bimpe shouted as she entered the class.
Some of my classmates began to greet her "Bims, how far na " and Bimpe, unabashed by any factor and proudly indigenous replied in Yoruba "Mo wa o". She came to me and we hugged. Our little clique was complete, Jemima, Felicia, Bimpe and I . We all were in pure science class except Bimpe who was in art class.
Shouts, greetings and gists about the holiday filled the air and when the cane rapped on the door, we were all shocked. Mrs Ibeh, the biology teacher stood at the door cane in one hand, books in the other . Her plump, dark form blocking the threshold of the class.
"Are you children okay?" She shouted. "You're busy shouting like mad people when you're supposed to be cleaning. Mad children, they can't even greet"
"See pot calling kettle black " a student named Moses whispered behind me and it took all my resolve not to laugh.
"Anyway" Mrs Ibeh continued. "I am your new class teacher and I have rules. Now, to begin with, sit down and listen to me"
"But ma, we're cleaning" Joseph, a tall light skinned boy with the air of a proud English Lord replied. I scowled at him, an action which went unnoticed but I still found necessary. I hated Joseph's vain aura. I hated the way he loped easily around school drawing attention to himself. I hated his guts. I hated him entirely and to me, the boy was utterly senseless with a dense brick for a brain.
To my delight, Mrs Ibeh simply ignored Joseph and continued speaking and when she was done laying out her rules, she left for the staff room. Soon after Mrs Ibeh went to the staff room, we continued cleaning until it was time for break. Bimpe went to the hostel with Aramide, a classmate of ours with whom I used to have a common ground with which was our friendship with Bimpe and the others but now, even that was not reason enough for me to have a decent conversation with her.
I had seen a side of Aramide that proved she was not who she claimed to be.
I knew this because of a quarrel we had. Aramide was at fault after insulting me but she said I insulted her instead and called her all sorts of names. Naturally, people believed since I was the bad mouthed one and Aramide was the 'angel' It was only my friends Bimpe, Felicia and Jemima that believed me. And few others who had seen Aramide's other side. I still didn't like her probably because I hated hypocrites.
Anyways, Bimpe and Aramide went to the hostel and the rest of us went to the canteen to buy our snacks. After we bought our snacks we sat at a table close by to eat and between mouthfuls of snacks, Felicia the journalist and information provider of our group was giving us the latest news. I shook my head , Felicia with her dark skin and petite figure and that baby face of hers resembled a saint but her mouth was sharper than a razor and she was as crazy as Bimpe, if not worse. And in less than four hours of a new session, Felicia already had gist for us.
"That Mr Kojo that teaches music in junior school was busy toasting the new corper Miss Ngozi, but the lady turned him down disgracefully. Imagine the audacity, the man even-" Felicia was cut short by Joseph.
"The amebo group has resumed" . Felicia eyed him vigorously before speaking "Yes, Mr Senseless, we know you are an idiot, no need to verify by coming to display your madness here."
Students around us snickered showing they heard and the egoistic Joseph Peters-Okoli was being insulted in public. When I said he didn't have sense, I meant common sense but academically, he was quite sound
"I just came to tell the Queen of your nonsense group" he pointed at me with a smirk on his face "that Mrs Ibeh is calling her "
Jemima shook her head and said "Just to deliver message is what you cannot do without looking for trouble "
"Help me ask the idiot o" I replied before getting up. I went to the staffroom to meet Mrs Ibeh without waiting for Joseph.
When I got there, she gave a quizzical look and said "Jasmine, so it's you Joseph called. I expected him to call his fellow boys" I didn't understand until she handed a pile of books over to me. "Ngwa, carry them to the class and drop on my table in the class and come back for the rest, osiso"
I went out and met Joseph smiling like the fool he was on the corridor "So this is why you called me abi "
He smirked and said "Jasmine Kamarachi Okoli " I eyed him at the use of my full name "From junior school, you have been teachers pet. So begin to build your reputation now and besides , you know you're my sister so I thought of you first"
"You are crazy, who is your sister, my surname is Okoli, yours is Peters-Okoli, so watch it. Better go and carry your own share of the load" I snapped at him before leaving. Just like that, I knew my break was gone. I began to think of a way to pay Joseph back but nothing came to mind.
Where is that evil Felicia when you need her?
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Phew! There's chapter 1
Vote and comment. Thanks, hope you enjoyed it. It's a bit boring but we're getting there
Sha/Nau/Na are Nigerian slings added to statements for emphasis
Ngwa - It's Igbo for 'now'I guess but it's also used for emphasis
Osiso - It's Igbo for quickly.
Chapter 2 would be out tomorrow
Thanks