Black Pride

18.

Ayo woke up rather late than usual. She didn't have any lectures today. She smiled as she looked at Gwen who was still sleeping, hugging her big pink teddy rabbit. She looked to Brie's bed. Only Brie had lectures that morning, so she wasn't in the usual spot that she always sat, typing her laptop. Elizabeth was pacing around her bedside angrily and making phone calls. She had been told by the matron, to prepare to change into a new dormitory room. Ayo smiled within her. "Elizabeth had to go," she thought.

Gwen woke up to Elizabeth's angry bellowing. "What's going on with Lizzy Pizzly?" she asked as she yawned and rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"Oh nothing Gwen, she's just getting what she deserves," Ayo said as an evil smirk crept on her face. She turned to a sleepy Gwen who was trying to sleep. "Come on, let's go and freshen up," she said as she stood up from her bed and stretched her arms. Gwen's face lit up quickly as she ran into Ayo's outstretched arms and hugged her tightly. Ayo smiled. That was one thing that could get Gwen out of bed.

"Won't you hug me too?" Elizabeth said as she stretched out her arms. Ayo frowned and tried to hold Gwen back but wasn't quick enough as Gwen slipped out of her grip and ran into Elizabeth's arms.

Ayo's frown deepened as she watched Elizabeth hug Gwen tightly and stroke her hair softly. Elizabeth then broke the hug shortly after and sat on her bed, looking somewhat saddened. "Oh, Gwen, someone mean wants me to leave this dormitory room," she said as she pouted.

Gwen gasped and sat beside Elizabeth. "Who's that meanie weanie?" she asked and frowned a little. Ayo rolled her eyes from where she sat, trying to sort out her clothes.

"Oh, I don't know, the matron just called me this morning and told me to get my things ready, that she's going to exchange me with another student," Elizabeth said as she picked up her silver handbag which was lying on the bed beside her and tossed it to the floor.

Gwen laughed hysterically. "Oh, they can't do that, can they?" Gwen asked. Elizabeth shook her head as she looked on smugly.

"I'll see to it that it doesn't happen," she said as an evil smile crept on her face. Gwen giggled happily and went over to where Ayo sat, still sorting out her clothes. Ayo frowned. She didn't want Elizabeth to stay.

"Come on Gwen, I've gotten what I'm changing into," Ayo said as she raised a red gown for Gwen to see. It had blue flower patterns all around the rim of its shoulders. Gwen opened her eyes wide and smiled.

"I like it, it's beautiful, look what I'm going to wear," she said as she raised a pink rabbit onesie. Ayo smiled in admiration as she stood up from her bed and walked over to where Gwen stood, holding her fluffy clothe high for all to see. "And look, it has a little fluffy bunny tail here," she said happily. Ayo picked the clothe from Gwen's hands and admired it.

"I wanna get one of this, I have the money, let's bathe on time so that we can go downtown and look for one of those convenience stores," Ayo said and pulled Gwen towards the door. They then walked out and headed towards the bathroom, talking as they went.

As they walked, Ayo looked back at their dorm room. She didn't want Elizabeth to stay. The matron had told her that Elizabeth would have been switched with another student before three in the afternoon. Ayo hoped that was what would happen.

~~~

Brie munched her burrito noisily and focused attentively on the lecturer who was trying so desperately to make his students understand the concept and importance of motherboards in all computer hardware. Simon sighed loudly in exasperation as some crumbs of burrito flew across his face and all around where he sat.

"Brie, c'mon," he said and tried to dust some of the crumbs from his clothe. Because he had lost the bet that fateful day, he had been compelled to bring two burritos for her since then, and he would continue to do so till the end of the semester.

Brie laughed and nudged his shoulder secretly so as not to attract the lecturer's attention. "I must say, these burritos are divine, how'd you get em?" she asked as she took another big bite noisily.

"It's my granny's special, back home we have this burrito shack, you should come check it sometime," Simon said as he began to write a few things in his book which lay on his desk, open in front of him. He had to jot most of the important things being lectured that he felt he would need later. "I don't get it, you never write a thing, how then do you stay focused?" he said as he scribbled more things in his book.

"And, why should I tell you that?" Brie asked as she wiped away the burrito remnants which were on her cheek. She had already finished eating the two burritos by that time.

"Well, maybe cos I'm asking?" Simon said as he looked at her quizzically.

"Seems fair enough, well, that's easy, look over there," Brie said as she pointed to two of the corners of the walls at the back of the lecture room. Simon stealthily looked back; he didn't want the lecturer to begin inquiring him of why he was looking back.

On one of the corners that Brie showed him, there was a clock on the wall, on the other corner, there was a switchboard which had many switches from which the lights of the lecture room could be controlled.

"Yes, I see the clock and the switchboard, that does not still make me understand how you stay focused when you never write a thing," Simon said, turning his gaze back towards where the lecturer stood. Brie looked forward too; the lecturer had turned around by that time, and he stood still in the front of the room, looking at the students. He later turned to continue writing on the board after inspecting to make sure no one was misbehaving.

"Well," Brie started, getting Simon's attention, "before students were to arrive at the University, that is, before the resumption date, I had already researched where all the buildings in my faculty and for my course would be, so I came in and fixed some RTX Spontan Cameras all around," Brie said and smiled sheepishly.

Simon looked at her, rather puzzled. "But, that's virtually impossible, the RTX Spontan Cameras cost an awful lot in the market, university freshers don't just get those, unless you're telling me you stole one," he said. The RTX Spontan Cameras were powerful cameras that could not only take pictures in clear megapixels but could also video record and convert the recordings into audio format. It was used mainly in big spy and action movies.

Brie chuckled. "I didn't steal anything, I and my sis built our own RTX Spontan Cameras, we had the blueprint, we had the equipment and voila!" Brie said as she laughed.

Simon shook his head. He wasn't still convinced. "It's not easy to build an RTX Spontan Camera Brie," he objected. Brie face palmed herself.

"Okay, how bout this, I'll build one for you before the end of next week," she said and smirked. Simon smiled and nodded his head.

"Okay, and what am I to give you in return?" he asked as he relaxed back on his chair.

Brie looked thoughtful for a minute. "Uhm, well, since you asked, I don't mind you adding three more burritos to the two you're already used to giving me before, oh and an orange pulpy soda, yup, five burritos and an orange pulpy soda per day sounds just like the cut," she said as her smirk grew wider.

Simon hesitated for a moment, but the idea of him having his very own RTX Spontan Camera overruled all the growing doubts in his heart. "Alright then, you've got yourself a deal," he said as he turned back to his book, the lecturer was already rounding up with his lectures by then.

"And that's all for today," he said as he packed his teaching materials from the front desk which was meant for lecturers alone. Most of the students stood up to leave. "Oh, and Simon and Brie, you both have to arrange the chairs and make sure everywhere is tidy, that's what you get for talking almost throughout my class, good day," he said and walked out of the room. Most of the students laughed.

"Oh, bummer," Brie groaned. Simon just sighed and put his hand on his head rather tiredly. Of his many traits, the most dominant one was his laziness, he would find a way to make Brie do all the work.