~Ifeanyi
On the last Wednesdays of the month the school's dress code was usually a cultural attire.
Although most people didn't actually put on cultural attires I guess at least half the school did stick to the dress code.
Well, I wasn't such a bad student and definitely wasn't one to break the rules so I did put on a cultural outfit. Not so cultural though but had a resemblance... I guess.
I was already in class with Chiamaka seated next to me saying something I was supposed to be listening to.
Aldrin and Ubaro were also there with Aldrin being the only actually interested in Chiamaka's conservation.
"You know Joey is just something else. If you can remember when the girl asked to know him for who he was, she left after ten minutes", Chiamaka said.
"Exactly. The guy is such a..." Aldrin started saying but trailed off. I didn't know for what reason but I was grateful.
But what I couldn't understand was why Chiamaka was also quiet. I looked at her. She was staring at Aldrin and soon followed his gaze.
Curiousity got the better of me and I followed both of their gazes.
Alya and Alesscia had just stepped into the class. Both of them had similar dress styles although with different ankara materials.
They were both putting on long tops with side slits, running down from their waistlines, and shorts. I faintly heard Chiamaka say something like, "Wahala be like those who no get slim waist" but I was too distracted to care about her comments.
Alesscia's shorts were much shorter as she was the kind to show off skin. I didn't pay much attention to Alesscia. My whole attention was on Alya.
Her shorts stopped a little below mid thigh. She wasn't the kind to show off much of her skin so this was something new.
I didn't know how long I spent staring at her but I couldn't just stop. Even when she had taken her seat at the back of the class.
"You can stop drooling now. She's not even here anymore", Chiamaka said and I returned my gaze to her swiftly, my heart skipping a beat.
"Huh?" That was Aldrin. She was referring to him. I breathed out in relief.
"Don't tell me you've suddenly developed interest in Alesscia. For your own good, I'd advise you to look for someone else cause Devan would probably knock the living daylight out of you if he found out you were crushing on his girl", Chiamaka said in a really dramatic way.
Aldrin had a comic expression on his face.
"I am not crushing on Alesscia", he said after a while.
"Oh! So it's Alya then?" Chiamaka asked wiggling her brows.
Aldrin's face looked flushed. Poor boy. He probably wasn't even interested in any of the girls and was just a victim of Chiamaka's silly game.
"I... No... No way", he stuttered as Chiamaka burst into laughter.
"I am just kidding. Relax bro. Can't you handle a simple joke. But anyway, if you truly are crushing on my best friend, you are free to confide in me. I could chip in a word or two in your favour", Chiamaka said with a mischievous grin.
Aldrin's face was pale by now and I decided to butt in and rescue my best friend.
"He doesn't have a crush on Alya or Alesscia. He has probably never had one before. Give the guy a break would you?"
"Okay. Whatever you say", Chiamaka replied with an eye roll.
"Although I feel like a kiss right now", she suddenly said after a while.
What the...?
"Okay. But first you have to know if Ubaro is in the mood for it", I said while writing, deliberately keeping my voice calm.
"What?!"
Chiamaka yelled while Ubaro just whipped his head towards me and gave me a look. I could tell that Chiamaka was really angry from her voice.
I laughed a little.
"I was just kidding. Now you probably know how Aldrin felt", I said with a triumphant smile.
She hissed and kept a straight face. "Please, do not joke with such things", she said in a mean voice.
"I swear", Ubaro concurred, first thing he's said all day. I didn't say anything, just smiled.
****
I stayed in the hall during sports practice. I wasn't in the mood for sports, I really needed a little alone time.
I flipped through my Physics textbook. I didn't read for long before I heard footsteps. I turned and I saw Alya picking up a seat.
I thought she was supposed to be on the field or involved in one sports practice or another so why was she here?
She turned around and saw me. She muttered something I didn't hear and turned to leave when the door slammed shut.
She sighed and tried to pull it open but it probably didn't budge. I prayed silently that it was jammed.
She tried pulling it again and again. She was so desperate to open the door that at a point, it even seemed as if she was fighting with the door.
It was really amusing to watch.
Finally I heard her cussing as she kicked the door. Then she rested her head on it hopelessly punching it slowly.
At a point she really started punching it hard and I would have pitied for the door if it weren't metal.
Like how did she punch that hard. If that were a person, the person would probably have fractures by now.
I was about to laugh when I saw something red drip on the floor. My heart skipped a beat.
I didn't know how but in the next second I was standing next to Alya holding her bruised hand which was bleeding only slightly but was still a big deal for me.
"You're bleeding!" I said not even trying to hide how worried I felt.
She pulled out her hand from my grip wincing slightly.
"Oh! I could not see that cause I obviously don't have eyes", she said sarcastically turning around and walking towards the other end of hall.
She picked out a handkerchief from her pocket and started tying it around her knuckles.
"You should go to the nurse..."
"You're right!" She exclaimed with a wide smile on her face. "I didn't think of that. It never occurred to me at all", she said, her voice laced with sarcasm.
Why was she acting this way?
I moved towards where she was standing until I was really close. She just kept a bored face that had a hint of annoyance.
"Why are you being rude? I was really..." I started saying but she interrupted me.
"I was not being rude", she said plainly.
"Okay", I said taking her hand gently.
"What the...", She started saying but I interrupted her.
"I'm taking you to the nurse..."
I was interrupted by a loud sound. Instinctively, I and Alya turned towards where the sound was coming from.
I saw Chiamaka standing at the door. So she managed to get it open. I never knew she...
I suddenly felt a strong push as I found myself trying to get my balance while staggering back.
"ALYA!" Chiamaka yelled.
I was absolutely bewildered. Why the hell did Alya just push me?
She looked utterly pissed.
"Don't..." Alya started saying but didn't complete whatever she intended to say. She left I and Chiamaka in the hall.
"Are you okay? Why did she push you like that?" Chiamaka asked.
"She got an injury and I tried to make her go to a nurse. I probably worsened the injury accidentally in an attempt to get her there", I said still very surprised by what just happened.
"That isn't a reason for her to push you."
"Maybe she didn't intend to. It might have just been a reflex action", I said.
"Okay o", Chiamaka said resignedly.
****
When I entered the class, a fight was going on between Isa and Alda.
The whole class was watching the drama with no one attempting to stop it.
I spotted Alya at the rare end eating from a bowl of salad with her bandaged hand. She too seemed interested in the fight.
I took my seat as I watched the drama unfold.
"I don't know if you missed your way but this isn't an asylum and you won't find your kind here", Isa said and Alda smiled.
"Really? Okay, I most definitely missed my way. You want me to show you what lunatics do?" Alda asked, the smile not leaving her face.
Isa looked really confused and a bit scared at the same time.
Alda started heading towards Isa and I could see Isa shaking but Alda brushed past her and reached Josh.
Isa turned around just in time to see Alda kiss her boyfriend. It was a slow kiss and I think Josh actually kissed Alda back.
Isa stood rooted at a point still in shock as Alda sashayed past her and out of the class with a smile still on her face.
There was total silence in the class until suddenly, a deliberately loud chuckle filled the air. I turned to look at Alya who was laughing out her lungs while Isa and Alesscia glared at her and the rest of the class just stared in awe.