Chapter 10 No. 10

As I packed my books into my backpack after the maths teacher left when the bell rang for lunch, I looked up to see someone standing beside me.

"You!"

"Get your ass up and give your bestie a hug, Tosin."

Grinning like a fool, I complied, gave Toyin a big hug and saw Bisola make her way in to join us.

"I missed you," Bisola said as she pushed Toyin away to hug me.

"It's just a day you didn't see her and you guys already missed her? I'm touched," Victoria said.

"Yeah, that's how we are," Bisola said.

"So what are you up to, Tosin?" Toyin asked.

"Hi, I'm Phillip Victoria. A friend of Tosin."

Toyin looked her over. "We don't talk, do we? I don't think so. Have I seen you before? I don't remember."

Toyin could be Toyin at times.

Since Victoria was a quiet girl, I guessed most students didn't know she existed. But I wasn't the popular one or the one in between popular and unpopular students of the school but since I was a major hand pick to bullying, I was kinda known in school for being an easy target since I started this school in my junior year.

"Don't be angry I said that," Toyin said.

"She is my friend now," I told them.

"I see," Bisola said. Her tone had a bit of sarcasm.

"So I'm you guys friend?" Victoria asked excitedly.

"Yeah, I guess," Toyin said, tilting her chin up at Victoria.

"There is a lot to discuss. Let's go and have lunch," I said smiling.

We got our food and started eating. However Bisola couldn't wait to hear what I had to say, so I had to say it amidst eating lunch.

"Well, Seun bullied me yesterday and Victoria stood up for me."

"That crazy animal wouldn't stop, would he?" Toyin asked no one in particular.

"And you stood up for her?" Bisola asked with a tone that said she didn't believe what I told her as she scanned Victoria's body.

Victoria was tall and slim. Way too slim. If there was any word to describe anything that went further than slim, I would say it. Thin? She was also very fair in complexion with incredible long black hair and brown eyes. I knew there was more to her than the girl who was seeking friendship. I would just have to wait to find out.

"Yeap. And we were all sent to the detention room to read. Now we have to catch up with what we missed yesterday," Victoria said.

"Wow, good. Impressive. But seriously, Victoria, watch your back," Bisola said.

"Of course, I know that. And that is why we decided to tell you guys."

"Okay, we would do that." Toyin stared at Bisola. It was like she passed a message only Bisola could understand.

"Do what?"

"Warn him. Threaten him but not torture nor kill him."

Toyin could be dangerous at times so my trust in her at times could waver.

"Thank you," Victoria said. If only she knew what those two were into.

"Do you have a nickname?" Bisola asked.

"Yeah, Vicky." She grinned.

"So where were you two yesterday?" I asked, munching my food.

"Do you mind excusing us, Vicky?" Bisola asked without hesitating.

"Sure." Vicky fakely smiled and pretended she wasn't hurt by being sent away.

"We were at the group," Bisola whispered, "for a meeting."

"What if your parents had come to school to check on you two?"

"They didn't, did they?" Toyin asked.

"No, they didn't."

"A new secretary was appointed. She is good. The boss's P.A could not be doing all the tasks."

"Nonsense. What task? Didn't your boss know that it was during school hours?"

"He did. We always hold meetings every Wednesday after school. And you don't need to know what kind of task it is, period," Toyin glared. I rolled my eyes and they instantly met Seun's. He pointed to his eyes with his forefinger and middle one and back at me. That signified he was watching me.

My friends would kill you if you lay your finger on me.

But they wouldn't be there all the time!

Vicky saw what Seun did and gave me a worried face. If only she didn't stand up for me, she wouldn't be in this mess we were in together. I beckoned her over and she gave me a genuine smile.

______________

It was a Thursday morning and the weather was still cold. The breeze was still blowing slightly since yesterday alongside the heavy rain except that the rain wasn't falling this morning. I had my hood on because of the atmosphere. It was 7:30 am and the sun wasn't out. Perhaps not yet. As I entered the school, I saw the students heading in one direction and in a hurry.

What's wrong?

I spotted Bisola and shouldered my way to her.

"Hey?" I tapped her.

"Hey, how are you?"

"Good. What's happening?"

"Mrs Carson ordered us to the hall including the teachers.

What did she have to say now?

The hall was crowded and some students were already seated. Some wore cardigans, pullovers or thick jackets. The teachers were present and seated already.

Toyin called us over as she saw us and we went to her. We greeted each other as if we didn't see each other yesterday.

"Why aren't you wearing a sweater or something?" I asked.

"Nothing, I think I'm good this way."

"In this weather condition?" I shook my head.

"Yeah," she replied confidently.

"Anyone coming back for these seats?" Bisola asked.

Toyin smiled, and I knew she had done something bad. "What did you do, Toyin? "

"Nothing. I just sent them away with my glaring eyes. I saved these seats for you two. Now get your butts seated on it."

How friendship can be like.

We sat down, and I looked around the big hall that was almost filled up. Not quite long after, silence fell upon us and I heard the echo of Mrs Carson's high heel clicking on the tiled floor. Some students adjusted themselves as she passed by them. She came forward and had her hands on her hip.

Boss lady.

"Wow, she looks hot today," I whispered.

"You can say that again," Bisola chuckled, agreeing with me.

Aside from the usual suits she wore, Mrs Carson was wearing a red velvet body fitted gown that was above her knees with a v-neck. She was also wearing a silver wristwatch, heels and a bag that stopped at her hips. Her lips were red to match her pretty red dress. Her deep dark hair was gelled and in a ponytail.

I couldn't take my eyes off her. One would think she was in her early thirties, but nada, her wedding ring on her left hand would cast a different story.

The hall was dead silent and I bet everyone was admiring her and probably asking themselves rhetorical questions in their head, and as long as we were secretly admiring her, we knew better than to whisper because no one wanted to serve as a scapegoat. If we were to whisper at all, we were better discreet about it.

"Good morning all," she greeted, rubbing her hands together. Damn, her voice was kinda sexy today. Where did her bossy commanding tone go?

"Good morning, ma'am," we answered.

"I called you here this morning to remind you of something if you had all forgotten or don't have your mind on it. And to announce something important as well. First, I wanted to tell you we would be in another new month which is June and that will be one Saturday, right?"

"Yeah, right," Mr Faruk answered. He was the agricultural teacher that taught me when I was in junior class.

"And your exams will be coming up soon. It's at the door, knocking. We haven't fixed the date it will commence yet but that will be soon. The juniors should be prepared. However, the final year junior leaving for the senior class, and seniors leaving for college or whatever should tighten their belt and work hard for the coming exams because if you fail, you fail and certainly you might have to repeat the class."

Her last sentence was supposed to earn a murmur or whistle but nope, we do that, we get on the other side of her happy mood, so what we merely did was keep silent and listened carefully

"I am not going to show mercy to the junior ones. You fail, you repeat the class. Study more, you get it?" She asked but we didn't reply and she continued, "the second thing is that I won't be around in school today and tomorrow until Monday and I will put the vice-principal, Mrs Kennedy in charge to run the school in my absence, so behave yourself, alright?"

It was a blessing. I knew most of the students were happy she announced her absence from school today and tomorrow. It was a relief for some teachers and freedom to some students who kept looking behind their backs to watch out for her.

"Now, that's all I have come to tell you and I better get going now." She glanced over to the teacher at the right-hand side and back to the students in front.

"Mrs Carson, you look extraordinary today. You look very pretty," one girl at the front said.

Seriously, where did she get that boldness from? She was Kate or something. She was also in her final year of high school and was so pretty unlike me.

"Thank you, Kate. Thank you. Just gotta spend some time with my husband since he's usually busy," Mrs Carson flushed.

This earned a scoff from a teacher. Mr Faruk cleared his throat and Mrs Kennedy chuckled lightly.

"So you got a hot date then?" Kate winked at Mrs Carson who smiled.

Jesus, whose daughter was that? Was she so bold to the extent of looking Mrs Carson in the eyes and asking her such questions?

"Yeah, sure." Mrs Carson too was acting like a teenager.

Her smile and responses showed that she was in a good mood today. That better be it or else, Kate would have had her ass in Mrs Carson's office.

"Bye." Mrs Caroson left with a smile glued on her face as her heels click-clacked.

Immediately she exited the hall, Mrs Kennedy took over and went over the importance of reading and examination before dismissing us. I saw Kate's friends asking her questions but I didn't know what it was. With the look of the situation, I knew it was about how she got the nerve to question Mrs Carson. She was feeling like a queen.

"Her name is Kate, right? Who is she?" I asked, still amazed.

"Yeah, Kate. Seun's cousin," Toyin replied.

"Seriously?" Now I could see where she got her boldness from too. Gene was stronger than I thought.

"Yeah. She is a badass too. Don't get in her way," Toyin warned.

I snorted. She didn't have to tell me, I could sense Kate's attitude.

I saw Vicky looking at us and waved her over.

With a warmth over her face, Vicky said, "We better have our belt buckled for this coming examination."

"Sure, nobody wants to fail, and some might. But I don't want to." Toyin shrugged as we walked out of the hall.

"That will be the main thing people will be saying. Exams here and there," Bisola added and checked her wristwatch.

The bell rang for the commencing of the first period, which would end pretty quick because we already used part of the time in the hall. Soon it was going to be second, third and fourth. It was going to be a long day. I wanted to go home so bad but unfortunately, my home was an option. And the feeling of going home vanished quickly as it came. What a pity.