Depa is seen sitting on a chair at the far end corner of the classroom. Eventhough the sun is shining brightly, it didn't get to that corner of the room and everyone know she chose that place deliberately. She is dour.
There are other people in the classroom but no one has the heart to sit close to her. She has a book in front of her which she's reading and there are earpiece plugged in her ears.
Three girls stood at the front of the classroom arguing about something
"Maybe Lova should go and tell her" the first girl named 'Aya' said
"But you know she's gentle and get scared easily" Said Foma, the second girl
What she said is right, Lova the third girl has a really gentle, cool and lovely face and the thought of going to relay a message to Depa scares her and it shows on her face.
"That's the reason Lova should go, she is gentle and won't make the person we are sending her to get angry" Aya said
They are deliberately using 'person or her' so as to avoid calling her name. Anytime someone mention her name, she tends to look their side, even if her name was said in a whisper and it's scary when she looks at people with her red eyes. It has become more like a custom to use "her", and when someone use "her or person", they know it's Depa, the One whose name they know but must never utter.
"Whether what you said is true or not, I don't care, all I know is that I'm not going to her" Lova said with determination
"Alright then, let us all go together" Foma said
"Alright, let's go together" Aya agreed
"That's a good idea but can't I stay back?" Lova said scared
Foma and Aya look at her with folded arms, saying nothing.
Lova looks at both of them and said "Ok, Let's go"
It took more than two minutes to get to where Depa is. It shouldn't even take a minute but Lova tried to stay back several times but they took her with them and now, they are like five feet away from her. None of them could move closer.
None of them said anything and Depa, noticing their presence, look up at them, her eyes as red as usual.
"What do you want?" She said with a cold voice, so cold it could freeze a man.
Aya and Lova didn't say anything and Foma, noticing that none of them is ready to speak, spoke up "Well, we are here to tell you that the yearly hangout is going to take place in three months time and everyone in our class is going to attend, here is your invitation card" She stretch the card to her.
Depa look at the card with no amusement and said coldly "Take that invitation card away, I'm not interested in an hangout "
"I wonder what is wrong with you, everyone is happy for getting an invitation except you. A whole three people came to you, shouldn't you at least collect it even if you're not going to attend" Aya said running her mouth unintentionally. She's a girl fair in complexion, slender and beautiful but her problem is that she has a loose mouth, she would have said the word before she realize what she's saying or who she's speaking to. Right now, she regrets ever opening her mouth in the first place.
"Ooh...so you want to know what is wrong with me? I told you I don't want to go, who are you to tell me what to do? and you said a whole three people, Who the heck are you?" She shouted in anger and her voice echo through the whole class.
Lova who was scared to begin with ran away before Depa could finish her statement.
Everyone in the class is scared. Depa is more like a beast than human when she's angry and that's why no one talks to her, who know what words will provoke her to anger.
Aya and Foma ran away from her too. Everyone in the class held unto each other in fear and none of them make a sound.
Depa saw the fear she caused, she stands up and went out. She went into the bathroom and look at herself in a mirror, she sees how scary and pathetic she looks and how red her eyes her.
"What is wrong with me?" She asked herself
The students we're chattering when she came back. They stop abruptly when they saw her and she went back to the corner of the classroom. After few seconds, they begin to talk again but was careful not to talk about her or sit close to her. The first chair by her side and two in her front are empty, no one dares sit close to her.
A teacher who is chubby and dark with a beautiful rounded face came in smiling with a guy by her side.
"Good morning Mrs Kela" the whole class greeted except Depa
"Morning Class" Mrs Kela replied
"Who is this?" Aya asked
"I was about to tell you but you're just too forward. Well, he is a new student, he came in this morning and will be in this class, so, introduce yourself" Mrs Kela said referring to the boy by her side.
"My name is Mega Loka, I'm a simple and easygoing guy and am 18years" Mega said trying hard to not to sound cold.
"And you're very handsome, do you have a girlfriend?" Aya asked
"You talk too much and it's disrespectful to ask someone you just met that kind of question, it's not very sensible dear" Foma said correcting her and trying to sound polite as well
"But Mega is not even complaining" Aya said in protest
"He's new, do you expect him to complain?" Foma asked
Mrs Kela who was watching them said "Stop, you shouldn't argue about that and Aya, your mouth is too loose, please try and tighten it a bit"
The Class laughed at the comment except Depa
"All of you should introduce yourself to him too" Mrs Kela said
Aya was the first to introduce herself and others introduce themselves according to their seats.
"You didn't introduce yourself" Mega said pointing at Depa.
Everyone look at her but she didn't say anything
"Her name is Depa, she's 18" Mrs Kela said
"Alright ma but can't she talk?" Mega asked
"She can" Mrs Kela answered
"Then why didn't she..." Mega was about to ask another question but Mrs Kela cut him short
"No more questions, guys help him find a place to sit" She said
Before the students could him find a place far from Depa, he went to the chair beside her which has been vacant for months and he sat there.
The whole class was surprised at where he sat but no one said a word. He doesn't know Depa.