"Please welcome Luckson Lungu", said Miss Modzi warmly introducing him to the class.
"Luckson was a straight A student at his previous school. I trust he will continue the streak at Beverly Heights Hills. Luckson also happens to be a talented composer and singer. In fact he was actually the lead singer at his church's praise and worship team, All Saints Boys Choir", Miss Modzi announced proudly, immediately drawing "hmms" of admiration from among the pupils.
"I take it those murmurs indicate that you are familiar with choir", cheerfully remarked Miss Modzi.
"Anyway a warm welcome to you Luckson once again", Miss Modzi added facing Luckson, making him feel kind of nervous.
"Thank you", Luckson replied shyly.
"It is just as well that you are, we were having in this class a vacancy for one more pupil to make the ministry recommended compliment of 30pupils per class", said Miss Modzi.
"I believe there should be a vacant chair somewhere..." Miss Modzi said looking searchingly around the class. "Ah ha! there!", she announced triumphantly pointing at a desk with an unoccupied chair on the far side of the class.
Luckson followed the direction in which she was looking.
"Luckson, you may go and be sitted there", Miss Modzi", urged him on a friendly, before proceeding to the big desk facing the class and sitting on the chair behind it.
As Luckson dutifully made his way to the appointed desk, he could sense himself being accompanied by several stares with a mixture of admiration, curiosity and outright flirtation by a couple of girls as he walked past them.
"We shall now proceed with registration", Miss Modzi announced, once Luckson had taken his seat.
As Luckson set on the chair he felt a pair of eyes boring two holes into the back of his head by the intensity with which he was being stared at. It was as though he was being forced to around and engage. This was where the owner of the eyes sorely misunder estimated Luckson's resolve to remain unmoved.
"Rudo!?", Miss Modzi presently called out.
"Present!", a girl sitting in the front row promptly replied.
Miss Modzi ticked against the name in a hard cover book which was laid open on the desk before.
"Tanaka!?", Miss Modzi called out next.
"Present!" replied a boy sitting across from Luckson.
"Makanaka!?", Miss Modzi called out.
Luckson was unprepared for the, "present!", which him with a tenderness. Much like a feather striking his ears, all at once making him want to turn his head and engage despite his earlier sentiment. It was the owner of eyes that threatened to drill holes into the back of his head and he immediately regretted not want to engage.
He felt he made the biggest mistake.
Up till then he had imagined that he had the sweetest voice that he 'd heard that morning was Miss Modzi's. It was not until he had heard Makanaka's angelic voice.
Luckson had not just heard a voice of incredible beauty of tone, he had felt heaven on up. His instinct was to turn and into the eyes of the angel sitting behind him. But he knew better as he did not want to give Miss Modzi the wrong impression especially on his first day in her class and decided to hold his peace until a more favourable opportunity to present itself to engage.
"Kuda!?", Miss Modzi continued oblivious to the inner struggle within Luckson that was taking place within his heart and mind. Where his emotions made a call for immediate action instinctually. While on the other hand his head wisely cautioned for discretion.
After all the day was just beginning and he had hours several hours stuck and he was never happier to be stuck with anyone, In the same class. That was not to mention the intervals in between change of periods and recess when he would be able to talk freely with her. He was not so sure about lunchtime during which his cousins would be with him and his uncle or aunt would pick them up for the long drive home.
No he had only that time till end of the learning day to act, to confess. Again exactly what he was not too assure. What he was confident about was a burning desire, a deep sitted curiosity to want to engage with the girl whose voice had spoken to his heart, to convince fully himself that she was as beautiful as her suggested.
"Tawanda!?" Miss Modzi called out.
"Present!", responded a boy sitting at the far end of the class.
"Tsitsi!?", proceeded Miss Modzi as she ticked off with her red pen against Tawanda's name in the book before her.
"Charles!?", called out Miss Modzi.
"Present!", replied the last student after all the others had their names called and had indicated their presence in the class.
"Luckson feel free to ask anyone of your classmates to assist you with the time table", Miss Modzi advised.
"I will be happy to let you copy mine", gladly announced Makanaka. Her voice divine voice pulling at the strings of his heart. Luckson was not about the miss the opportunity which has presented itself and turned around.
His eyes immediately came into contact with her Makanaka's, perfect heart shaped faced. The beautiful smile that greeted would have melted a glacier with the warmth it exuded. He had never seen such beauty and when he looked into the luminous pools of her eyes. He was dumbstruck.
His tongue stuck in his mouth, his heart galloping away like a horse race.
Something wonderful and undeniable was happening to him at that moment.
"Thank you Makanaka", remarked Miss Modzi, sweetly breaking the spell that had clouded Luckson's thinking.
"Yes thank you, Makanaka", Luckson slowly repeated after Miss Modzi, simply mouthing the words without fully understand what he was saying.
His mouth was in his throat it seemed, and was his emotions it seemed were all over threatening to burst the banks of his heart.