Nina

Chapter 2

With that, I hastened the chewing of the morsel of bread in my mouth. And had myself a glass of water. Sighing, I stood up from the chair. I took my time to observe the markings on the mahogany furniture. It was all in the bid to stall going to this new school. I wish I could have remained at my previous school. But and rather unfortunately, this was not a fairytale and I had to accept the reality of things. Finally, I gave in to defeat. I could not delay any longer. I pushed the chair benath the table as I turned to leave the room. Sometime in the past, I had forgotten to do that and my father sat me down to an hour long lecture on how that singular act denoted that I was not disciplined and the need for discipline in all that I do.

I felt my father's eyes on me as I exited the 5 bedroom duplex. Outside, I felt the temperature difference as a sudden gush of cool morning breeze hit my face. There was a strong scent wafting through the atmosphere. It took a minute to figure out what it was. Or rather still, what it consisted. It had rained last night and the smell of petrichor was left in the air. It mixed with the scent of the wet blooming roses climbing the wall. The rains had done an excellent job of watering the plants. It was September meaning that this was going to be one of the last times it'd rain this year. I took a mental note to brace my self for the harmattan.

Just then, Musa honked lightly to draw my attention. He had pulled the car out and was ready to go. Musa had been my driver for a couple of months now. He was one of my father's acquaintances who had met him for financial assistance. My dad had also set up a kiosk for his wife, Mrs Aisha. They were close friends of my family. Often times, if I was bored or less busy, I went to their apartment to spend time with them and their little kids. Musa was middle aged, I could tell by the age of his first son who was only five years old. He always kept a low haircut with neatly trimmed beards.

As I approached the car, I eyed him suspiciously. I wanted to know whether he had the dream or felt anyway that was out of ordinary. He looks normal I heard my subconscious say. I entered the sleek automobile. After settling down, we drove off.

Musa slowly pulled up at the school's parking lot. As I got out of the vehicle, I was really amazed at what I saw. There were so many cars. The lot had led to an entrance where a handful of people kept going and coming out from. I figured that would be the entrance to the school. My chauffer bid me good bye as he left.

Heading towards that passage, I found myself in front of the main school building.
I was even more amazed when I got in. The school was really large compared to my previous school school, any school I had seen for that matter. There was a football court. It looked so professional, almost like the ones I see on TV. But football was not my forte. There were large vases of flowers lined up in a beautiful fashion which bordered the walkway.

My legs kept moving. Although I didn't know where. Till I bumped into a little boy. As if God-sent, he asked where I was headed.

"I'm really sorry", I apologized.

"Okay, no problem", he said beaming a smile. His dentition missed a few teeth that I guessed must have been milk teeth that had fallen off to grow again. He didn't seem to mind that I was staring at him while mentally accessing him. He had the same haircut that I had seen on almost every male student's head. A patch of hair in the middle that was higher than the hair around it. Expectedly, he was a couple inches shorter than me, light skinned and in a neatly ironed uniform.

"Where are you going to?", he asked, interrupting my mental examination.

"SS 3, could you direct me?"

"It's just the last class on the second floor."

"Okay, thanks"

"You're welcome", the smile again.