The whole of Hall B lit up immediately i walked in, the boys all rushed to me shouting in happiness, electric excitement and solidarity.
"Sky you have done Hall B proud by hitting the blood out of that idiots mouth" Kingsley blurted throwing everyone into an excited laugh.
"The way that guy carries himself about one would think he owns the school not knowing he just got admitted this term" Ebuka said in his bossy tone looking like a lion challenged by another in a battle of supremacy.
"I even heard he was peddling some rumours about Hall B and stuffs" Dave threw in.
"That guy is a bastard" Kingsley said again. "sky i just wish you had done more damage"
"Im teeth comot na" i aired out with pride throwing the hall into another bout of excited shout.
"That guy won't escape the wrath of Hall-B before he leaves this school, he openly called B-hallers bunch of hoodlums the other time in the reading room" Shrieky Hassan chipped in standing on top of his bunk.
"if not for this 'no fight' nonsense in this school, but guy sky how you take manage escape suspension? Kingsley came again, he clearly seem most concerned and the look on his face suggests he wished he was the one that carried out the deed.
"omo the maths teacher wan roast me oo, am sure he would have moved the case to disciplinary panel but the biology teacher came and dismissed the case, don't know how she did it but am very lucky oo" i said on a more serious note.
The reality that fighting could have gotten me suspended gave me chilly ghost bumps .
Hall-B erupted in a feverish excitement, we drank beers many contributed from their bunks and laughed over tales of victor's new looks.
The pains disappear and the wounds felt like a worthy prize to me at this moment…. Saturday we were going home for Mid-term break.
*
It was an indifferent morning in the school, waking up was a matter of choice because not only was it saturday, we were going home for the Mid-term break.
I had dreamt about mama seating in the kitchen frying the kpof-kpof she sold in front of her small stall, papa's blank look each night he returns from work.
The stubborn ugo and miracle being bullied by ugo, had it been not a dream i would have shown him how to bully.
It has been a month and few weeks since i left home and many things have changed, i couldn't wait to show off my new found levels in the street, couldn't wait to show Ada i now have a samsung android.
9am i hurried over a bath, packed few of my clothes from the mini ward-rope into a fancy adidas back pack Mrs diamond had gotten from lisbon.
Had to painstakingly wait for Ebuka who more or less took more time than a girl when pampering his looks to his taste, before 11am we had signed our exit and strolled out of the school amidst streams of other students
"sky princess is coming here" Dave said out of the blur.
"where? " i asked in surprised turning towards the right side, she was clad in a white pencil jean that showed off all her curves like it was a drawing, a white flowy top.
We stopped looking at her as she approached us in those usual graceful strides.
Called me aside after exchanging pleasantries with Dave and Ebuka who moved a bit further to give us a better privacy.
"so where is your body guard, he is not following you around today? " i asked with a bit of a mean face.
"sky stop it"
"you sacked the self appointed body guard? " i retorted betraying a lot of insecure jealousy and resentment.
"sky stop being childish" she said still calm, those pink gloss beamed a wetty dreamy face, her eyes were not as bright as it usually would be.
"sky just wanted to say am sorry for what happened" she said her eyes running through little white bandage on my neck and the small places i had swollen skin or a little bruise and my face that looked a bit swollen.
"its fine but please when ever you are with your body guard don't come to me, i might do worse" i said in a bleak warning.
"sky am sorry hope you are not too injured" she maintained.
'No i am fine"
"sky are we going to see this holiday? " she asked in a calm dreamy voice.
"Hhmmm can you come to my place, wont it be too poor for you?" i teased but somehow i was very serious with the seeming tease.
She didn't reply that, just dipped her hands into her purse she was carrying and fetched a pen and paper.
"write down number of anyone i can reach you with" she said handing me the paper.
"don't worry i have a phone" i said writing down my number on the piece of paper.
Could see she was giving me that 'where did he get the phone kind of look' and 'i said it this guy will soon get into trouble'
"ok sky i will call you" she said without adding any other thing and walked off, i watched her retreating figure until she entered an ash-coloured lexus jeep packed a few yards away and it drove off.
Dave and Ebuka still wore an awed look when i came back to where they were waiting for.
"sky wetin that girl find on top your matter sef" Ebuka said resuming our walk towards the gate.
"ask am oo abi you use jazz" dave threw in excitedly as usual.
"na just my number she collect jooor nothing serious" i defended laughingly.
We all laughed "no wonder victor be like im must bend your life for this school" ebuka joked out laughing.
In front of the school gate Ebuka and Dave hitched a taxi heading the other way round while i got one going towards my place, didn't bargain Vincent would appear from no where and insist on going with me.
"This guy just don't know when someone doesn't need his leech self around" i mumbled to myself wearing a long face while vincent was busy blabbling all the tales he knew in the world.
Gave a full transcript of my whole fight with victor and even details that I who was involved personally couldn't remember happening.
Can't he see that i am not interested in this unwarranted news broadcast.
"Only God knows how this guy would announce this to the whole street" i said to myself.
"eeeehn sky did you say something? " he asked all of a sudden.
"Noo i didn't "
Our yard lay lone and small as usual, can see mama okey repainted her shop.
Vincent rushed into the yard immediately our taxi stopped in front of uncaring about how it was going to be paid for.
He went into an uncalled parade of greetings, from person to person peeping into people's rooms.
"okey!!! Am back!!!" he shouted on getting to mama okey's room.
Announcing our arrival with a bang.
Greeted a few elderly people in the front yard who were happy and complement my improved looks but still couldn't help pointing out my bandage and swollen face which i dismissed as a mere accident claiming i fell down a stair case.
"Haaa sorry oo"
"ewooo nwam ndo ooo"
"thank god it was not serious o" was poured on me as i thanked them and moved further in towards the inner yard for our room.
"brother!!!" Miracle zoomed out from no where jumping on me, mama had neatly plaited her hair and from the looks of it she was eating cheese balls before seeing me, the signature of her hand already showed on my white t-shirt.
"brother sky is back" ugo blurted out immediately after miracle heading towards me "mama sky is back" he threw towards the kitchen.
"eeeehn johny, obatago (has returned)" i heard mama's voice from the kitchen.
Ugo took my bag as mama came out and hugged me tight.
"Good afternoon ma" i greeted.
"Goodafternoon nwam, you look good" she said casting a questioning look all over me.
"Good afternoon mama johny" that was Vincent, where did he come from.
"Vin nnoo oo (welcome o)" mama threw at him.
"Johny you look taller and healthier, what do they feed you people there? " she asked smiling.
"aaaah mama Johny they feed us mostly continental dishes" Vincent said..
"Vincent who asked you, no be only continental.. Mama you look good how is papa? " i tried diverting the topic.
"you father is at work he will be happy when he returns.. But sky what is this bandage and swollen face about, what happened? Her eyes were sparkly with concern and question.
"Haaaa mama johny, he f...…. " i hit vincent hard on the chest to shut him up.
"Vincent can you just keep quiet let me answer my own questions, mama i fell down the stairs but its nothing serious"
I could swear Vincent's looks were like "choi this guy can lie!!! "
"Ndo nwam (sorry my child) " mama said "come i made egusi soup this morning.
I smiled and walked into the house with mama and Miracle on my arms, am sure ugo is already searching my bag inside the house now.
On getting to the door, i stopped and turned to face Vincent who was also following us in.
"Bia vin, go to your house and greet your parents. I want to have a private chat with mama now " i said with all seriousness.
"but sky she said she made egusi soup, will you be eating and talking? " he protested.
"no am not eating yet, i am not hungry i will call you when i want to eat." i said more serious than the first time turned and walked inside closing the curtains behind.
For once go bother someone else. .