"John Williams!" the maths teacher yelled my name after the mathematic session was over and he shared the assignment booklets out to everyone.
"Yes sir!" i said taking a peek into my booklet and 35% was staring back at me.
"Come out here" he commanded.
I walked out towards him amidst unsure stares from the students, the glare from the maths teacher was skin piercing.
"Class our famous John got 35% in mathematics, the poorest in my class as always" He sang out with a look of pride and a washy feel of scorn.
The class out a soft laugh, princess twitched on her seat and i could see Dave angrily looking at the maths teacher.
I was commanded to kneel down in front of the class while he summarizes the corrections for the test.
"Sky that maths teacher is really out to always embarrass you all the time" Dave said as we walked back to the dormitory after the class sessions were over.
"I don't know what i did to him ooo, he marks me down and embarrass me on top" i replied looking lost.
"the worst of it all was telling you to solve 'surd' when we have not being taught anything about it yet" Ebuka chipped in.
"Yeah he wanted to embarrass me further and he got what he wanted" i retorted, the silly smirky grin the maths teacher wore as i sweated in front of the board looking at the Surd problem he gave me played out again on my mind.
The day went by slower than Nigerian train, the harmattan air was becoming stronger each cracky wind blowing the exam day closer and closer, i dread what will be my fate this term if this trend with mathematics continues.
After dinner, i hurried over a bath made sure i had a good perfume on, wore a black combat chinos shorts and white shirt rehearsing how to start a conversation with princess today at the general reading hall where we have agreed to meet.
Barely finishing my rice and meat source i hurried back to Hall-B to get my books ready and wait for the bell.
"Sky!!"
"Ehhn" i answered Ebuka who had his face buried into his phone as his fingers ran over it.
"Rose sent a message for me to tell you Agatha would be waiting at the reading hall tonight" He said winking slightly at me with a smile.
"What??" I blurted out..
"You heard me" he threw back still fixed on the phone.
"No no no please tell Rose to tell Agatha i won't be meeting her tonight" i retorted looking ruffled like a rat being chased by a cat.
"what do you mean sky?" Ebuka asked surprised.
"See am supposed to be with Princess in the reading room tonight so i can't have Agatha on my back there" I said still looking ruffled up.
Ebuka's look was a mixture of awe and surprise as he fixed his gaze on me.
"Sky seriously i wonder why you are always this lucky, who could imagine Princess of all people doting on you" he blared out still looking blankly surprised.
"Please Ebuka message Rose to tell Agatha that i wont be spending tonight with her in the reading hall" i threw at ebuka pleadingly.
"Aaah Rose have gone offline sky" he intoned.
The bell tore through the night piercing the thick cover of darkness jolting me up from my lost thoughts and a pinch of fear dropping on my wits.
I was considering whether to stay back and avoid any unwanted saga that might play out with Agatha tonight but i already told Princess that i'd be there.
Going out into the night with Dave who was excitedly chattering about his plans with Angela tonight, i clutch tightly the books i had with me lost in the oblivion of my own thoughts, possible play outs of the night scaring me to the marrows.
The hall was bright and cold and the air conditioners hummed into the night, the hall was buzzing with murmurings chats and talks here and there.
Princess waved at me from the right side of the long rectangular hall boarded with books in shelves. She sat on the far side of the corner that got decent light from the floody lights of the ball.
I walked towards her with the beaming smiles from her face throwing more glows to her look. the rosy pink tight T-shirt she wore complimented by a black jean trousers got me self conscious of my looks making me take little peeks at myself to make sure i didn't look too bad.
"You made it sky" she said getting up just as i arrived.
"I told you i will be here, you look great" i said smiling at her.
"Thanks sky, but we are not here to compliment looks we are here to read" She said teasingly..
"Read??" I burst out like i have not heard that word before ..
"Yes Read, or do you have some other things planned out for us?" She asked looking into my face.
"Uuhm eeehm… no no i was just making sure" I said choking slightly.
We sat down on the desk, my face wore a gloomy doom of disappointment. I really didnt know what i was expecting but reading was not one of it.
"Aahhaaa here you are sky"
"Vincent what are you doing here" I blurted out in total dismay as Vincent forced himself into the long fancy bench i sat with princess.
"I came to read like everyone else na" He goofed
"Ok go and read, you can see am busy Vincent"
"Biko slow down… Ehee sky i know Ada will be missing you now" Vincent said looking at me with a smiley look.
"Vincent ok get out of here!!" I yelled pushing him out of the bench.
"Sky let him be na" Princess intoned holding me back.
"No!!!, Vincent don't ever come where i am next time. Mind your own business" I added pointing angrily at him. Vincent turned and walked out obviously seeing i was not in the mood for more unwanted gossip.
Slumping back into the bench i sighed hard "I just don't know why that guy won't leave me alone"
"Ada is the girl that was glaring at us when i visited right?" Princess asked.
"Yes"
"Alright please let's get back to the business of the day" she intoned surfing through the piles of books she came with.
Victor walked into the door bearing a huge pile of book too, he looked around the hall checking some desks.
"Your body guard is here" i whispered to Princess nodding towards Victor who was still looking around..
Princess looked up and then chuckled just then Agatha walked in also looking around.
"And your twin sis is here also" she laughed out.
"Oh jesus Christ" i breathed out to myself, this night is about to get real.
We watched as Victor walked towards us after he searched for a while, in the background Agatha was walking towards Dave and Agatha at the dimly lit corner they usually stay.
Victor's face grew from a mild smile to a totally un-expecting one as he approached i and princess.
"Hi princess" He said without looking at me.
"Hi Victor" She replied looking straight at him.
The corner of my eyes were fixed on monitoring Agatha's movements within the hall, i saw as she talked with Dave for a while and Dave pointed towards the direction i sat with Princess..
My heart melted into my stomach as i watched Agatha walk towards i and Princess.
"I thought we were reading partners?" Victor's voice blared out looking from me to Princess.
"Yea Victor but i want to read on my own for now" She said calmly still surfing the books to find God knows what.
" You mean reading with Sky?" Victor's voice was betraying a lot of unravelling emotions.
"Eheen sky, baby here you are!"
Agatha's voice rang out as she approached the corner i sat with Princess joining the party.
"Oh she is here" Agatha added on seeing Princess seating beside me.
Agatha's looks beamed towards Victor and then Princess, could see the look of abject resentment she had on her face glaring down at Princess.
"Please Agatha i am busy here" I said trying hard to maintain a straight face and not freak out.
"Busy with her right?" She cut in sharply.
"Yes busy reading with her, is there anything wrong in that?" I blared out squeezing my face into a tight one, i could make out Princess looking at me with open mouth.
"Ok i am here now tell her to leave" Agatha came again hands on her waist and the angry look she had for princess intensified.
"Agatha i suggest you leave" I said sternly
"What, me sky?"
"Yes you, i am reading so you better leave and come back when am not" I said again standing up.
"Since when did you start reading sky?" Victor intoned from no where, i didn't even know he was still standing right there just beside Agatha.
"Shut the hell up Victor " i washed out feeling my anger getting the better of me.
"sky i can't believe you are asking me to leave because of her" Agatha came again looking straight into my face.
"Agatha he is reading and you are disturbing that. Can't both of you just find something else doing tonight" Princess said calmly.
"You!!" Agatha yelled pointing at Princess then turned and walked out of the hall angrily.
"So princess are we no longer going to read together?" Victor asked more like a plea.
"Victor please, we will talk later excuse us for now please.." She said to him.
Victor turned and walked out slowly but not after giving a kind of cold look that i have seen many times.
"Sky i can't believe you did that to Agatha because of me" Princess said touching my shoulders slightly.
"Ok so what are we reading?" I said sighing..
She grabs one of the books she came with, MATHEMATICS 2 was clearly written on it.
she opened it to the page where SURD was written as the topic..
I laughed hard immediately i saw it, she laughed too then hugged me from the side.
"Lets start from here" she whispered into my ears.