After the morning assembly, the students--boys in white long sleeves, black ties, and black trousers, and girls in black pinafores over white long-sleeve shirts--crowded into the hallways and corridors of the school, chatting and exchanging greetings. I stood at a spot staring around, hoping to find Susan amongst the crowd when the bell rang.
" First period!" A voice spoke. Immediately, all the students rushed to their different classes. I had no idea where my class was, so I tried to ask some students. But everyone was in a hurry. Minutes later, a teacher-directed me to my class, SS3 A for science students. As I walked into the classroom, all eyes fell on me. Including those of the teacher.
" Who are you?" He barked, facing me completely.
" I'm Bee Foster, Sir," I said in my best lady-like manner, the way we were taught to speak at my previous school.
" Are you for us, or against us?"
" What--excuse me, sir, I don't understand."
" Are you supposed to be in this class? A new student in SS3?"
" Ye...yes Sir" His eyes scanned me from head to toe before he asked me to sit down.
" You can sit with Rachel," He said, pointing at a plump girl wearing glasses similar to mine. I walked towards Rachel's direction with my head down trying to avoid everyone's gaze. Rachel grumbled before she created a space for me to sit down. Without saying anything else, the teacher continued teaching. Each teacher that came after him, kept saying the same thing.
" What is your name?" And " You're a new student in SS3? Until I thought I would scream. The Physics teacher; Mr. Asher, a middle-aged man added. " I hope you know what being in this class is all about?"
It was obvious they didn't like me because the new students didn't normally come into school during senior year. They thought I might lower their results, or I might cause trouble for them.
I could already sense the giggles from the back of the class, but I tried not to pay attention to them. Finally, the bell rang for lunch. Everyone rushed out of the classroom bumping into each other as if we were being chased.
" Watch it! These boots are expensive."
" I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Lifting my head, I saw Karen standing in front of me with a huge glare on her face.
" Bee Foster right? Isn't she the girl that challenged you earlier today?" The girl beside her asked.
" Yes Sofia, She is. What a brat!" The second girl beside Karen answered. I have seen those two before, they were with Karen earlier today. I suppose they're her sidekicks or should I say, bodyguards. Karen reminds me of Karo, a bully in middle school. She was nothing without her sidekicks. She takes them everywhere she goes.
" I see we're in the same class. I thought you were a freshman." Karen Said. She still has that glare on her face. Uninterested, I tried to walk past her.
" Where do you think you're going? We ain't done with you yet." Sofia said, pushing me back.
" Karen! I don't have time for this. I'm hungry and I need to eat" I said, pushing them out of my way.
" I'm going to teach you a lesson Bee. You don't mess with the queen of L.H.S. and get away with it." Karen called from behind.
" Whatever" I replied, waving my hand in the air as I walk away.
I walked into the dining hall. My eyes scanned the entire hall. It was twice the size of my previous school's dining hall. Everyone was seated in four. I search my pockets for the lunch money mum had given to me. I stand in line, admiring the efficiency with which the cafeteria ladies complete their work. They gave me my lunch. Walking towards an empty seat, I tripped over someone's feet and fell. My entire lunch poured on the floor. Everyone in the hall started laughing. I have never felt this embarrassed since my first day at middle school. It was as if I was living in that moment all over again. Except Susan was not here to stand up for me.
Without hesitation, I stood up and ran out of the hall. I stopped at an empty classroom. It looked abandoned, or maybe it was still under construction. Leaning on a pillar, I let out the sob I'd been holding back. The memory of my first day in middle school came rushing back to me. I can't forget that Monday when mum dropped me off at school. I remember walking through those doors. I was scared and nervous, I knew nobody in the school at that time. Dad had just died and we had to move from Abuja to Lagos. It was the worst year for our family.
I walked into the lunchroom, with my food flask in hand. I noticed all the children were laughing at me but I didn't know why. Until Susan walked up to me and wrapped her sweater around my waist. " You are stained." She said. At that time I didn't understand what she meant. She dragged me towards the bathroom and helped me clean up. When I saw the blood, I got scared. I thought I had hurt myself. It was Susan who made me understand what was going on. We became friends shortly after, although she was a year older we were of the same height. Everyone mistook us for twins. Susan was bold, she would always stand up for me whenever others tries to bully me. When I saw how scared she was earlier, my heart ached. I've never seen her that vulnerable before.
Startled by a sudden movement, I wiped my tears immediately.
" What are you doing here?" A boy asked, walking in my direction. We were about the same height, chubby, with light skin and crystal-clear eyes. His eyeballs beamed a searching stare at me.
" Nothing" I replied, trying to compose myself.
" Let me guess, you're here to hide too. I come here whenever I want to be alone. You must be Bee Foster, the new girl. My name is Samuel, but you can call me Sam." He said the last bit extending his hand.
" How do you know who I am?" I asked surprised.
He chuckled. " Are you kidding me? Your face is all over the school's group chat. Don't tell me you haven't seen it."
" Seen what?" I asked, unsure of what he meant.
He brought out his mobile phone and played a video for me. It was a video of me when I fell in the dining hall, with stew all over my white long sleeve. Underneath the video, were different comments. A lot of them were mocking me, few people felt sorry for me. My eyes widened. I tried to speak but I was shocked by my tears. With both hands to my face, I ran out of the classroom.
I kept running with my hands to my face when I bumped into someone.
" Watch it! Clumsy!" A deep muscular voice spoke.
Tilting my head, our eyes locked. His deep black eyes scanned me from head to toe. " You should watch where you're going!" He said, in a cold voice.
" I'm... I'm sorry..." I tried to apologize but he walked past me uninterested in what I had to say. Those eyes, I have never seen anything like those before, they were beautiful but at the same time scary. Whoever he was, something tells me he is not the kind of kid anyone want to mess with.
" Bee Foster!" A voice called from behind me. I turned around and saw a familiar figure standing in front of me, Mr. Ken. I saw him earlier today at the assembly.
" My office," He said. I trailed behind him to his office. When we got there, he asked me to sit down and I did.
" Today is your first day in L.H.S and you are already making headlines." He said. I don't know if I should take his words as a compliment or an insult.
" It is not a compliment, Miss Foster." He said almost immediately as if he could read my thoughts.
Mr. Ken settled into his chair and clasped his fingers on the metal table before he continued.
" I don't have to remind you that you're on scholarship here. And you can lose it anytime. It was difficult for us to accept you and register you for this final year, but we considered some factors. You're a straight-A student and the principal of L.H.S gave his approval." He paused for a while before he continued.
" It says in your record here, that you had been suspended for two weeks...may I know why?. He asked, but I didn't answer. "I wonder why an intelligent girl like you was suspended." I bowed my head a little. I can't believe they included that in my records. I thought that issue had been settled already.
" I hope nothing of such will happen here. We won't tolerate any form... You're under probation for this semester. we will be monitoring your marks closely to know if you can cope. One more thing, Miss Foster--stay away from trouble. Good luck in L.H.S."
" Thank you, Sir," I said before I walked out of the office.
The other two periods before closing felt like forever. Although Biology and Agricultural Science were my favorites, I was not in a good mood so I didn't pay attention to the teachers. I stared blankly at the white marker board throughout the classes.
Finally, the bell rang for closing. Without hesitation, I walk out of the class to my locker. I was shocked to see a write-up on my locker, it reads, DON'T MESS WITH THE QUEEN OF L.H.S. it was boldly written with red ink.
" Who had done this?" I screamed, turning my head from side to side. Some of the students gave me a sympathetic look, while the others sneered at me.
" Oh no! It's the red sign. You're doomed for Life girl!" A voice spoke in the opposite direction, turning my head, I saw Rachel standing there with her hands to her mouth. Funny enough she was not the only one who has that shocking expression on. Everyone around me does.
What does this red mean? Why did everyone look terrified? I thought.