Chapter 5 Where Can I see a Bike

Three weeks have already passed since I entered this school unnoticed and uncared for, nobody even knows my name. I remember when I first entered my former school, people took time to at least ask for my name, but here, it's like you're nothing, especially when nobody knows who your father is. I had just gone to collect my textbooks and complete notes from the administrative office because of the loads of assignments they keep giving us in the workbooks, I can't afford to miss a single assignment.

I enter the class and my eyes fall on the the indian looking boy I had seen three weeks ago, at the same place but with more people around him. It reminds me that he has not been attending any of the classes for weeks now or maybe it's just me that haven't seen him because I've not been going to the refectory. I make my way to the locker allocated to me at the back of the class, it's a larg silver box that has different segments with keys on each. It's like the kind of locker you will see in the shopping mall , where you have to put your item and lock to prevent it from being stolen, just that this one is a little longer and deeper for books and not exactly like the ones in the television.

I push all my textbooks inside in a pile and arrange my notes infront along with my writing materials , then drop the two books I need and a pen, lock my locker and walk back to my seat. Before I'm sat, I don't know why, but my eyes drift to the boy again and our eyes meet, I drop my eyes and sit down and start on the assignment I had missed.

The're little rumbles and noise in the class which soon increases into loud laughs and claps and I look up on time to see the boy hitting someone on the head and laughing, he is now sitting on the desk .

"Get off the table Onuta", a strained deep voice says from outside the door, he strides into the class , he is fully dressed in his complete senior school uniform which includes the school blazer. That is how you differentiate the senior students from the junior students, the juniors don't put on blazers or the short sleeved cardigans, the seniors also put on a black socks where the junior students put on white.

I see a badge on his chest and strain my eyes to read it, my eyes go wide.

"HEAD PREFECT " is written in bold. He comes to a stop in front the class and turns to face the indian looking boy , now that they're both in close proximity , they seem to have a striking resemblance, the only difference us that his hair is cut low where Onuta's is long. So his name is Onuta, that's strange.

"Shouldn't you be in your own class now ?", the head boy asks, gliding both his hands smoothly in his pants pocket.

"shouldn't you be minding your business?_" , Onuta leans his back, I gasp, but everybody seemed unfazed by what he just said

"The last time I checked, you were in ss1 sir, you should be making your way to your class now, I saw a teacher in your class before I came here"

" That's non of your business", he shoots back.

"Onuta, I don't want to repeat myself"

"Fine!", he exclaims while standing up, " I'm going"

"I'm pretty sure you saw Mariam in the house yesterday, you should try and spend the energy you use in following girls on your books a little more , it will help us"

" I've heard Adam", he says with a bore while slinging his black leather bag on his left shoulder. He walks up to the HeadBoy and they both stare at each other like some secret code has been passed between them, and then walks out of the class without a second glance .

The Head boy who happens to be Adam, turns his attention back to us and smiles a little, the same charming smile Onuta has, he just seems more friendly than Onuta.

"Don't mind my brother, he can be so_", he points at his head and makes a rotatory motion with his index finger. ",

'they are brothers?, wow', I thought to myself, it was obvious anyway.

" Anyways", he continues, ," I came here to announce that your Js3 mock examination will be coming up next month, so you have to be prepared, most of you will not be participating in any sporting activities or club activities again, to help you concentrate on your exams, and no social gathering for you guys too, don't run around with the Ss1 boys, Mariam and co, take note, that should be none of my business but I was specifically told to warn you". 'So he's not in my class', I say to

" That will be all, I _", he stops talking and I notice he's still standing there, I look up to see what his attention is on and I unfortunately notice, his full attention is on " Me", this Angel Michael looking person's attention is fully on me, I hate attention, I can't breathe. I try to count to ten in my head.

"Heyy, I haven't seen your face around here before, are you new here?", I felt like crying, 'finally', someone recognized me. The girl beside me motions for me to stand up so I do,

"Yeee--yes sir" , I didn't expect to stutter, Oh God

" Sir?, please I'm just Nineteen " , he laughs lightly. " So what's your name?"

"Urhm,---Glory" , I reply , rubbing my palm on my skirt, his eyes follows the action and raises back to my face.

"Nice to meet you, Urhm ---Glory", everyone laughs at the smooth way at which he mimicks me. " Welcome to Crystalline International High, hope you've being welcomed well by your mates,?",

" Yes sir,.I ..I mean__"

" No problem ma" , " I'd love to see you around often though"

" Thank you", I say and rub my sweaty palm on my skirt again, unfortunately, he noticed the action again and smiles a little, then takes his attention off me and I can breathe again. I sit back down.

A dark slender woman walks into the class and smiles at Adam and he nods. "Good morning Miss Tonia, you have a new student", he says pointing at me.

She smiles a little longer , paying more attention to the boy than me

"I'll be going back to my class now, have a great day guys, bye, Urhm.. Glory", he says with a smile and strides out as gracefully as he had walked in.

...

I pack my assignments from my locker into my bag along with my laswell textbook and zip it shut before pulling my hands into my bag. With my two hands at each sides of my nag, I walk out of my class to the gate and hop out of the gate stopping in front of it.

"Guy, we beat the fuck out of that your rubbish team yesterday, mtchiew", a dark tall boy says while laughing out very loudly. " It won't be long before Chelsea take that cup"

" In your dreams werey", another boy replies, hitting the head of his friend.

"But for real though, how did they manage to beat Mancity yesterday , I understand Mancity is useless but then not as untalented as Chelsea_"

" See who is talking, you and that your unknown team", they all laugh.

" Chelsea nah useless team no cap"

"Guyyyy" , the dark tall boy exclaims

" Shut up bro", Onuta answers

, "if not that that your brother came to spoil the game for us now , I would have collected all your money",

" Nice, , you lose and then put the blame on my brother",

" Guy Adam dey kill vibe"," what does he want to become... a Doctor? or maybe Surgeon, , oh nah the same line self"

" Guy shu'up", Onuta says and smirks, he pulls his hands into his pockets

"E say nah shu'up, my guy when will you learn the ways of our dear country Nigeria?" , the dark guy says putting his arm around Onuta which he shrugs off. " I know say you dey speak pigin sha"

"My Mom said we shouldn't be speaking Pigin"

" Nah your mama house be this, you dey talk like say you dey primary one"

" But seriously Onuta , you've been in this school since js2 and I've never heard you speak pigin self, you never even try", a fair boy says from amongst them

"I'm not interested",

"You should try it, e sweet die"

" Ogaa!"

" Eeeeeee!!!!", they all shout and run to different places with some jumping and hitting their hands on Onuta.

He laughs and faces his head down, making his hair fall to his face.

"Why una dey run, nah the only thing e fit speak be that", the dark butts in feigning annoyance, from the look of things, he didn't join them to run

When they come back together, I'm able to get a clear view of each of them, about five boys with completely different looks, the loudest is the one that spoke the most, he's dark and tall, almost the same height as Onuta but seemed to be a little more unserious than the rest of them, the one with the calm voice is dark but a with dreads . The other two are fair and tall .

"Ss1 boys, to the hostel now", a man says coming towards the gate, "the noise you people have made is enough"

" Onuta, the next time I see you without your blazers, it's not going to be nice",

" But it's hot_"

" Alright ", " you people should go back to your hostel___and the rest of you, please go home".

It was at that point I realize I've been standing hear, listening to a conversation that is non of my business the entire time, maybe it's because I never really see a group of boys gather and discuss like this except for my two brothers , my last brother is still a baby.

I noticed they don't go in immediately and since I haven't seen any public bus here, I muster all the courage I've had in my life and walk up to them to ask them.

"Hi, em, good afternoon", I say with a surprisingly low voice compared to the heavy hammer I can feel in my chest.

"Please do you know where I can see a bike going to Elegushi?, I've been standing here and I haven't seen any"

" A bike?", comes a silent amused voice, "how will you see a bike around here?", Onuta asks laughing , his friends join in and I'm left standing, looking helpless .

"I didn't know..."

"None of us take bikes or buses, we take cars or ubas home here", he leans his back on the gate, " you know, like normal people with money, you should know that or is your dad not aware?"

" I actually stay with my aunt__"

" Why not just stay in the hostel, it's somewhat okay actually ", another person replies, " you can just tell your aunt that you'd like to be in the hostel"

" I would have liked to stay but the fee is too expensive ", I reply.

" Ahhh..", Onuta drags and nods slowly with a low mocking chuckle.

The tall dark boy smiles and comes closer to me, "Don't mind him", he says , " so you're new"

"Yes..",

"what class??"

" Js3"

" Bro , don't start", Onuta says from beside the gate

" Start what?, I just want to know her",

" That's what you do when you see any fine girl ode", one of the fair boys chimes in.

'fine girl?', I mutter to myself

"So, don't mind them, that's how they always behave, I'm Tobi by the way", he stretches his hand for a shake, I take it hesitantly," and even though these guys are quite rude , I'll introduce them to you"

He points to one of the fair guys, " this one that said that rubbish now, his name is Chidera", the said Chidera shakes his head" the one with the dreads is Samuel, he's the calm one amongst us", " that's Trav", he points to the second fair guy, " Chidera's twin, he said he doesn't like his name , but you can still refer to him as Chidubem", he laughs at his mischief and Trav rolls his eyes " and last but not least, you see that white oyinbo boy standing over there, that one is Onuta James-Franklin Masterson, 001, my number one big guy wey dey owe me 10k. Wait oh nah true self....howfar guy "

" Did you have to say his full name?", Chidera says,

" Onuta, ... guy", " Chelsea won, pay up bro",

Onuta removes himself from the gate and walks back into the school, ignoring a shouting Tobi who is chasing after him

" Nice to meet you guys", I say, smiling, I'm sure it looks fake.

"Yeah, urm, you asked a question.." , the guy with the dreads , Samuel, says bringing my focus back to them.

"Yes, I wanted to know if..."

"Yeah, sorry about that, Tobi can be a goat at times ", "no most times", Samuel says with surety, he brings his attention back to me.. " you can actually walk down to that junction over there, there's a white house there, turn to your left and walk a little further, you'll see some people parked out in Keke, you can get one from there to Elegushi.

"Oh okay, thank you so much".

"You're welcome, anytime" . He taps Chidera on his back and they make their way back into the school gate and Trav follows