Chapter 6 Eye contact

"Femmy!"

"Kilode." I dragged the last vowel as I got up from my seat, fixing my skirt. It was six minutes into lunch,and I could say I had made a good amount of friends. I honestly had no idea why I was so nervous in the first place. Making friends was always an easy task for me because of my outgoing personality. They all seemed friendly as well. So many of them had come to my desk to welcome me and would strike a conversation with me afterwards. obviously they were some who made it clear as day they didn't like me and I'd pretend I didn't see their judgmental looks and glares.

I already promised myself I wouldn't get into any kind of trouble here. I would not go back on it.

"Let's gooo." Aaliyah, another girl I'd become friends with,said grabbing me by my hand. I sighed because this was the second time I'd been dragged without my consent but let her do it anyway. She led me to the school's cafeteria. A really big, noisy room packed with students,the smell of variety dishes,and plastic chairs and tables arranged in a circular form. Aaliyah and I bought snacks and she showed me the way to her table. Two guys and three girls were sitted there already, Ashantay included. I smiled at everyone and took a seat along with Aaliyah.

"Hello, I'm Kinfe." A girl across me said. I smiled at her in response, the said, "Nice to meet you,Kinfe."

"I'm Ayden,and that's my sister, Alyshia. " A dark skinned boy with waves said. I smiled at him and his sister.

"You're really pretty." I blurted. The girl blushed.

"Thank you,you too."

We spent the rest of lunch getting to know each other and I made four new friends. Would you look at that.

_Nifemi Maseso you're on fire today_.

****

As the clock ticked closer towards the end of the day, Andrei's mind felt drained of all energy. The words written on the blackboard might as well be in another language. He glanced over at his friend, Chidera, and he was practically slumped over his desk. They were both ready to just call it a day.

But then, Mr Jude walked in and with a spring in his step. "Good afternoon, class! I hope everyone is ready to learn something new today," he announced with a grin on his face.

Andrei rolled his eyes and Dera stifled a yawn. Mr Jude always seemed so excited to teach, even on the slowest of days.

"Today, we're going to be discussing the concept of acid-base reactions," he said.

"Acids and bases are important because they're essential to our everyday lives. They're everywhere around us, from the food we eat to the cleaning products we use. Without them, the world as we know it wouldn't exist."

"Can anyone tell me the difference between an acid and a base?" Mr Jude asked, looking around the room.

Andrei looked around, noticing how no one was raising their hand.

"It's okay if you don't know," Mr Jude continued. "That's why we're here to learn. Acids and bases are defined based on their pH level. An acid has a pH level below 7, while a base has a pH level above 7."

As Mr Jude explained the different pH levels and how they related to acidity and basicity, Andrei found himself slowly seeping into tiredness. He was completely bored out of his mind.

Oh,how he hated Mondays.

"Did you get the invite?" Chidera whispers to him, leaning closer.

"No.I don't know.I haven't-" Andrei's words died in his throat,his conversation with the athlete dying down as his eyes caught with another, holding their gaze.

"Andrei," Chidera called snapping his attention back to him. "what was that about?" he whispered in hushed tones to him.

_He had no idea._

*****

"Submit it on my desk first thing when you all get to school tomorrow morning. Anything after assembly,I won't score you." The lanky teacher spoke as he arranged his textbooks to leave. Some nodded, others hummed,and some gave verbal answers. I rested my head on my desk feeling tired and stressed.

I heard a laugh above me and felt someone rub my back." Pele. It hasn't even been a week and you're already seeing this school's shege. The lord is your strength." Her voice was laced with mockery and laughter and I groaned in response.

"My head hurts. It feels like my brain has been fried. Like, seriously,I just want to die right now." I don't know how on earth they were able to hear my voice clearly considering my face was buried into my arms which made my voice muffled. But as I heard a round of laughter above me, I was sure my voice was audible enough.

"Mathematics is not for the weak." A male voice said but I was far too involved in my sulking to try and raise my head and see who it was.

"It's a stupid subject. The man can't even have mercy on me. I'm new and he expects me to understand everything he's taught just like that!. Ahan naw."

"Pele pele. Ma su kun Omo mi." I snorted raising my head to meet Aliyah's gaze.

"Your Yoruba is sounding like English. Imagine. Yoruba girl like you can't speak proper Yoruba. Don't spoil the language for me, please. Which one is Mai sunkun omo mi." I tried to imitate her and I got a slap on the shoulder as well as another round of laughter.

"Ow! What's your hand made of,steel?" I pouted, rubbing the spot she hit me.

"Right?!" Ashantay exclaimed beside me. It looked like she was also a victim of Aaliyah's beatings. But seriously,her hand hurts. _Kilosele_.

"Shut it,my hand's not that painful." Aaliyah rolled her eyes at us. I gave her a 'are you kidding?' look as I stood up with my school bag ready to head outside.

Mom said she'd pick me up by 4 and school closed 3:40.

Ten minutes ago.

"Mr Johnson should be outside by now sef. He's always coming way too early." Ashantay adjusted the strap of her school bag as the three of us headed towards the exit.

"Femmy!" A boy who's name I still couldn't pronounce well called my name as he passed by us. We slapped hands and I told him bye. Ashantay and Aaliyah sent me a teasing look and I rolled my eyes at them.

"Shut up. I barely know how to say the guy's name."

"It's Nkemjika."

"N what?"

Asha laughed." Nevermind."