Chapter 4 Meeting him

The next day at school, Francis still couldn't find his way around. He looked out for Luke but didn't see him until break time when he saw him sitting with a girl and eating some snacks. He didn't want to intrude on whatever was going on but he needed help for his classwork.

He approached them.

"Hi." He was only greeting Luke but the girl also replied.

"Hi." Alex responded

Luke looked up. "Oh, Francis. You came today."

Francis thought that was a stupid question, "Where else would I be?" He thought but kept quiet.

Are you busy?"

"No. Join us, I hope you like cakes."

"No, thanks. He sat down beside Luke. His mother's quote of not trusting anyone kept ringing in his ear.

He was in no mood for that, he needed to figure out his class work before the next lesson.

Just then, he heard the bell.

"Oh no."

****

Ella wasn't in school on Time and to make it worst, she couldn't find Alex anywhere. She had searched for her but couldn't find her. It was only after the Biology class that she sighted her but couldn't find her. It was only after the Biology class that she sighted her talking with Luke again.

She moved hurriedly towards them.

"What are you doing here?" She asked Alex.

"Ella!" Alex seemed alarmed to find Ella there. "Nothing, Luke was just teaching me some stuff."

"Like?" Ella sounded annoyed even though she didn't know why.

"Why do you sound annoyed." Luke asked not looking up from his cell phone.

"Because I am.

"But why?" Alex asked.

"I have been in class waiting for you and you have been here, with him."

"But what's wrong with that?" Alex asked still not understanding why Ella was so mad.

"Just forget it." Ella sits down. "Are you done so we can leave?"

"Not really but you can go to the cafeteria and wait... " Alex was trying to pacify Ella.

"No, am waiting for you here." Ella replied harshly.

"Ok." Alex left her alone.

Ella watched as a guy approached them. He was tall with hazel eyes, he looked innocent too. Ella knew it could be one of those new students because she had never seen him around.

"Luke? Can you now show me?"

"Ah men! Am really busy now. Can we go later?" Luke pleaded.

"But I need to submit it now. You said you will help me."

"I know but.." Luke looked up, "am busy." and turned to Ella. "She can take you."

For the first time, Francis looked over to Ella like he didn't notice her before.

Ella thought that was so arrogant, how could he pretend and act like she wasn't here.

"Ella will you take him?" Alex asked pleading at the same time. Alex knew she had to beg, she blinked her eyes in a fun hoping to make Ella smile.

"I don't want to go anywhere." Ella answered looking away from her. She really didn't want to go anywhere, she just wanted to eat some ice cream. Whenever, this happens she becomes agitated.

"Please, just to the principal's office. He needs to finish his registration." Luke said, irritating Ella the more.

"Please Ella, I will be done before you come back. Ok? Please."

Ella stood up and looked up at the guy who had been quiet all these while. He didn't even say a thing, he was just moping at everyone.

Ella droped her heavy bag on Alex's body.

"Aww." Alex screamed.

"You deserve it," Ella said to her and turned to Francis. "Follow me."

"Thanks, baby girl." Alex laughed loudly.

Ella walked in front as Francis walked behind. He cut up with her several times but retreated since Ella was the one leading the way.

"You walk too slow." Francis told Ella.

Ella stopped. "What do you mean by that.

"You walk too slow. Walk faster, I don't have all day."

Ella couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was only trying to help this guy out and he was being arrogant.

"You're are so arrogant." Ella said to him.

"Oh so am now arrogant because I told you the simple truth?

"Yes you are. You are.." Ella was trying to find the suitable word.

Francis took two steps forward and stopped. "Are you coming or not?"

Ella signed and walked much faster not because of Francis but because she was angry and furious. She pointed him towards the principal's office and turned back immediately, murmuring all the way.

She forcefully took her bag from Alex when she got there and went away, not letting Alex say anything.

Alex knew that her friend must be so furious, so she ran after her.

**

At home, Ella picked some of her dirty clothes to wash. She put them in the washing machine. She thought about what to make at night. She wondered where Angie had been all day. She didn't see her as usual with all her wanna-be friends. She was too angry to even check on her.

She thought about the arrogant new boy. "He didn't even say thank you when I showed him the principal's office." Ella grumbled, "So arrogant."

He is so full of himself." Ella concluded. She finally decided to make boiled patato with egg sauce since Angie liked eggs and it was quite nutritious.

She brought out a patato, peeled it and washed it. She put them into a pot and started boiling them.

The patato was only half boiled when she remembered she didn't have any tomatoes. She had to get some at the next street. She turned off the gas, put on some proper cloth.

It was only six minutes and she was back. She peeled them the tomatoes and ten minutes later the sauce was done. Angie was back already and was taking a bath.

When the food was served it smelled nice.

"Nice." Angie said.

Ella smiled even though she didn't want to. They sat down to eat.

"The patato is strong." Angie said after a first bite.

Ella then remembered that the yam wasn't properly done when she brought it down from the fire.

"Oh no." Ella exclaimed.

"The patato wasn't done when I went to buy some tomatoes."

"So, what are will going to do or are we going to bed hungry cause I can't eat this." Angie pointed out.

Ella didn't like how Angie was sounding. "I'll boil it again.

She took the patatos and put them back into the pot, added some water and put it on the gas.

"Call me when you are done, I have homework to do." Angie went into their room.

To Ella it was like Angie was mocking her.

"Like she could do it better." Ella went out to check if her clothes were dry. She wanted new clothes, she had seen a lovely jeans trouser by the roadside and she absolutely loves it.

Five minutes later, she perceive a smell. Something was burning.

"Oh no." She exclaimed as she ran into the kitchen as fast as her legs could carry her but it was too late. The patato was already burnt and the whole house smelled of it.

What's that smell?" Angie asked but she didn't need an answer to that. "You burnt the patatos? Oh no!"

Ella was so confused and angry. She opened the kitchen widows because the smell was so bad.

"What are you going to do? Mum will be back soon."

"Can you help me and open the windows and stop shouting like..." Ella was too angry but she knew better than to start an argument. Starting an argument was the last thing she wanted to do.

She was opening the widows to every room trying to get the smoke out of the house. She didn't want her Mum to find out.

"You did something wrong and you don't want to be corrected. That is just like you." Angie said to her sister. She took some milk and biscuits from the refrigerator and disappeared into the sitting room.

Ella looked confused and didn't know what to do. How she was going to explain to her Mum that she burnt the whole yam she was supposed to cook.

"I never wanted to be the one to cook today." Ella murmured.

She was really hungry and there was no food in the refrigerator. She got up and creamed some butter and sugar, mixed it with eggs, added flour and baking powder with some milk and then some vanilla extract. Her cake batter was ready. She put it into her cake pans and put them in an oven.

Twenty minutes later, Ella was munching her delicious cake. She had kept some for Angie and some for her Mum.

She licked her fingers and she confidently agreed that she was a good baker. She had always loved baking and she had learnt it through some videos on Youtube. She also believed that she was really cut out for something like that because she did it so well but her mum wouldn't let her.

Her Mum doesn't believe that baking is a career, so trying to convince her would make the matters worse. Since Ella 's Dad died, her Mum had vowed to be so protective of her children, even if it means not listening to their demands.

Ella was scared of that decision. Her mum believed in perfection, but that word didn't belong in Ella's dictionary. She had always loved taking risks but that word didn't exist in her Mothers's dictionary.

She only hoped that her Mum would realize that they were grown enough to make decisions.