KIKIOPE
It's been a month since school resumed, a month since we became seniors and a month since the incident. We'd ended our GCE two weeks ago and now we were preparing for our WAEC and JAMB.
"It's almost time for morning lesson oo and you know the stupid man doesn't tolerate lateness," Bimpe announced and I nodded while packing my books into my bag.
"Let's go oo," Doyin shouted.
"I'm coming," I slid my legs into my slippers, one the teacher mustn't see on me but who cares, it was morning lesson after all, we'll still come back to the hostel for breakfast so I'll change into my shoes then.
We headed to the school, while Doyin left for her class, Bimpe and I went over to ours and we met our teacher there.
"Why are you guys late?" He questioned and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
Bimpe glanced at the wall clock," It's just five minutes."
"And so? It's like you people don't know what is before you? We are talking about WAEC and JAMB here, keep playing with it or you think because you've written GCE now you don't need the others, I pity you, it's even good that the school decided not to release your GCE result until you finish your WAEC," he turned to the class, "I'm telling you now, your final exams is not a joke at all, many of you will cry that day, if you think there's one expo, you're on your own oo, you're…"
Bimpe cut in, "Sir, can we go and sit?"
He nodded, "Of course, I've said my own, I won't talk again," then he turned back to the board.
"Like he won't repeat it tomorrow again," Bimpe whispered.
"Tomorrow ke abi later in the day, the way all these teachers are even talking about the final exams as if it's rapture gan is just so tiring, everything WAEC this JAMB that, oga oo," I whispered back before we eventually sat down.
"So, as I was saying before the interruption, you're to answer year 1992 from your Past question and I expect nothing less than 90, it's something you've done before, you're all familiar with it and I already thought you the techniques, anyone that scores less than 90 should expect Conference beating," he concluded and we all grumbled.
Noise filled the whole class, it's in JANU college that SS3 students receive the most beatings and punishment, they made conference beating mandatory for us so, everyone really tightened their belt, no one wants to get disgraced on the assembly ground in front of their Juniors.
"Keep making noise oo, I might just change my mind and serve you round before you start attempting the questions."
With that the class fell silent and we all concentrated on our book. Almost an hour later, the class ended and we went back to the hostel.
After breakfast, we went back to school, while other students sauntered to the assembly, we SS3 students stayed in our class for our morning drill. Today being Monday, maths test was our morning drill, Stone face walked into our class with his stoic face and he distributed our test papers.
Even after the test, classes resumed immediately, we were only free during break, they made school really tiring for us all in the name of final exams.
I entered my class meant for my study groups with Khalid, we were both in the same study groups, at least that still made the study group somehow fun for me. We always conveyed for the study group after the evening classes that always ended by five, the studying was meant for an hour and at such we do leave school by six in the evening, even at that, we still go for prep class between eight and ten.
"Oh, Ann, how are you?" I queried as she strolled into the class, she smiled at me before joining me on the seat.
"I'm good and you?" She inquired with a wide smile. She looked somehow different from before, more beautiful and slimer, carrying a child really did something nice to her.
"Fine oo, so, were you able to visit Aunty Flourish's place on Friday?" I inquired and she shook her head. She'd informed Bimpe and I that she would visit her daughter at Aunty Flourish's place on Friday.
"No, you guys want to see her right? We can go after the study," she said and I nodded.
"Okay, I'll tell others, we'll surely follow you, I can't wait to see your baby, what's her name again?"
"Juliana," she answered with a grin.
"Oh, that's nice."
"Anyway, I've got to go, my study mates are here," she said before standing up, I nodded in return and she left.
"I heard you saying you would visit Aunty Flourish's place after study?" Khalid's voice made me tear my gaze from Ann's retreating figure.
I smiled, "So, you were listening to us, I thought you were focused on tutoring her," I pointed at his study mate who glanced at me before looking back at her book.
Each study group had eight study mates, two students from each class; a bright and dull one whereby the bright one is compelled to tutor the other one.
"I can do two things at a time but then you know you ought to go back to the hostel after study and not visit Aunty Flourish who stays outside school."
I rolled my eyes, "It's not as if her place is far, it's just beside the school, it's practically in the school compound gan."
He scoffed, "But the place is secluded, how is she surviving in that house or even street alone?"
I smiled before pointing at the window, "That's her going, should I help you stop her so, you can ask her?"
He wanted to eye me but he only ended up doing a funny eye roll, I laughed loudly before he quickly cautioned me to stop disturbing others.
"That was hilarious," I commented and he smiled.
"You don't have to make jest of me."
I smiled, "Why didn't I record it na?"
He sighed, "You're very idle and it's because your study mate isn't here yet."
I eyed him and he chuckled before turning back to his study mate and my useless study mate decided to stroll in at that time. The shameless idiot walked up to me, sat down without acknowledging anyone and started flipping through her books.
"Hey," I called and she looked up at me with her signature scowl. Who cares anyway? If it isn't because the school made it mandatory for us whereas they'll get tested just to make sure we were doing our jobs, why would I stress myself over this ingrate.
"Aunty, let your head be correct today ooo, you know I can still send you to the remand," I said menacingly and Abimbola glowered at me.
Of all persons, the maniac had to be my study mate.
"You don't have to keep reminding me about that, not like you could actually do it, my dad wouldn't allow such," she fired back and I scoffed.
"The dad that is actually destroying your life."
"Just say you're jealous or rather pained because you and your mom didn't accomplish your aim," she retorted and I scoffed a laugh as I remembered what went down a month ago.
After I'd been taken to the hospital, Mama D had created a fuss, she made the entire thing bigger than it was and even attributed it to the rivalry between her and Abimbola's mother, my friends didn't help matters, they only added fuel to the petrol. Abimbola couldn't be behind bars because she was still a minor but then she could spend some time at the remand, if not for the intervention of her father and Sugar Boy who urged my mom to drop the charges.
"I can't blame you but your parents who keep on destroying your life," I fired back and her nose flared.
"Are we here to exchange words or tutor each other?"
I clapped sarcastically, "Tutor each other? I guess you still have a brain touch? I'm here to tutor you and not the other way round, I'm the one helping your future."
She scoffed,"Of all good persons, I had to end up with this goat."
"Of all better persons who are in need of my touch in there life, I had to end up with this useless thing."
We went on with our exchange of words until the intervention of the teacher, I decided to punish her by making her answer hundred questions in twenty minutes, not like she had any choice than to do it in which she ended up scoring five over hundred, she eventually stormed out of the class.
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"Don't you think there's something odd about Aunty Flourish's place?" Bimpe queried as we headed to our hostel.
"Hmm, Bimpe, you've started again oo," Doyin commented with raised brows while Bimpe stopped in her tracks.
"Let's be sincere, this is the third time we are visiting here, the first time, we got back to the hostel late due to the rainfall yet no one came to pick any of those children at her place, the second time we went there early and no one came too, today we left there late, yet no one came," she explained and I nodded in accordance.
"So, what are you trying to insinuate?" I inquired and she smiled.
"Good, she claims she runs a daycare or creche but it's more like a house to me, whereas her house is the only standing house on that area, every other place is a bush, you know how creepy it is whenever we go there, how can she be the only person living in that area? She only has one worker who leaves immediately she gets back from work and we haven't seen any parent, just one ooo come to pick up their child, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
Doyin and I shared a look.
"Maybe they come late or something whereas her place is a new site, you can't expect lot of houses" Doyin replied and Bimpe scoffed.
"New site indeed! Come late after ten, which parent will leave their child in a daycare till ten in the night, guys, think about this nah," she countered and I pursed my lips.
"Okay, I agree with you, maybe we should ask Ann, you know she frequents her place a lot, she might know something but then what's our business with that?"
Doyin clapped, "Exactly what I'm saying, how is it any of our concern? What will the information do to us?"
Bimpe sighed,"You guys are not seeing what I'm seeing."
I rolled my eyes, "The only thing I'm seeing is your JAMB tomorrow, Bimpe, let's go and revise for our exams tomorrow."
She nodded, "Okay ooo, but it will shock you guys when you realize she's a kidnapper or even ritualist gan."
Doyin and I exchanged looks before I quickly dragged Bimpe's hand.
"Your mouth will not koba you."
She rolled her eyes, "It's almost time for prep."
Bimpe is always seeing things oo.
Do you think she's right?
What are your thoughts on this chapter?
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We only have one or two chapters to end this book and I might drop it today