Life SUCKS.

STAGE FRIGHT

       I got to school tired. I ran most of the way to school so I wouldn't miss giving my article. It wasn't in vain tho,as I got to school very early.

"Yoo Sofia". I yelled.
Sofia has been my best friend ever since I won the scholarship and got transferred in Jss2. Our friendship grew so strong... I mean it's been three whole years now. Everyone hated me back then (they probably still hate me but not as much). The school being expensive and me being a scholarship student. I have to admit they treated me like trash. Not everyone was willing to accept me,they felt I was too old fashioned and was rubbing my smartness on their face. I can still remember vidly the looks I got when I was introduced on the assembly class as a scholarship student. To cut the story short, it wasn't at all easy getting people to stop making my business their's and stop trying to bully me. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I don't feel safe with people.

  
    Sofia was once among the people who loved to bad-mouth me during those times. She was also very intimidating in the school being the richest kid. Well,she was made my seat partner... It didn't go down well with her,she argued,insulted and called me names. Those names always made me cry and miss my former school and friends.

    I can still remember vividly,on the 21st of October (a month after I got into the school) a surprise test was conducted by one of the teachers. Miss pete our Business studies teacher had entered the class surprising us with a test. Sofia wasn't at all happy about it,most people weren't because obviously they didn't read for it. Well the questions were cheap but it made most people sweat. Sofia wasn't am exception... She was chewing her pen all the way. I saw the worried look on her face and knew she wouldn't want to fail the test. Since I was done,I tapped her and opened my booklet for her to copy.

    She was all grateful and when she passed the test.. She requested to be my friend and we started to get to know each other well. To be honest she isn't that bad,just a little arrogant. From a small party at her house,to following her to every occasion she was going to. She also stopped the school from gossiping about me. Well,she couldn't stop them actually,but atleast they didn't gossip when she was around. We got along so well since then and Thank God she isn't a dummy.

    Sofia is the only one who knows much about me,where my house is and so on. Although when she had visited me for the first time...she was irritated because the environment is below her standard. But with time she accepted me completely and the place I lived in stopped being an issue and she never for once reduced her visit to my home.

  I felt someone pinch my cheeks hard and when I looked up.. It was Sofia obviously. "You called me and suddenly blacked out. I would have said you were thinking about your problems. But I can't because you were smiling.. So tell me you were thinking about you boyfriend right?"she said while poking me.

    "No jeez,I was thinking of him. But not at that moment,I was actually thinking of how I met a wonderful personality like you. You're the bestest friend ever".

    She smiled and like the dramatic person she was, she pretended to wipe tears off her eyes. I could only smile and smack her on her butt.
     "Don't be so dramatic" I muttered.
   "I can't remember when last you said something this nice to me...come here baby girl...come give your best friend a hugggg".

   "Blehhh I don't want a hug. Where is Samuel? Plus I'm still having stage fright about presenting this article in front of everyone. I think I'm gonna faint",I said pacing about.

   Sofia touched her heart like the drama queen she is "First of,ouch you refused my hug,that was so heart breaking mama. Secondly,your boyfriend is in class jeeez. Thirdly, I see no reason why you should be worried. You're an outstanding student,you can do this. I believe In you,this article should be nothing even though it was on a short notice. Fourthly,don't care about people's reaction....if everyone says anything stupid, I'm gonna rip their tongues off", She said boldly shouting the last part in the process getting a lot of attention from others.
    "Let's just go to class, before you create a scene. Everyone is watching already", I dragged her out from the stares and also to prevent her from saying anything more.

    I met Samuel in class looking as handsome as always. I walked up to him and sat on his desk. "Hi"
"Hey Tess baby, looking radiant today. What's the secret? I get this extra effort was all for me uhn?" I laughed when he adjusted his tie feeling so full of himself.
    "Hell no,I just dressed up like everyday else Samuel. Stop being ridiculous,I don't think I'm ready for assembly and the article all together" I held onto his arm looking worried.

  "Just believe in yourself for once na. Don't feel scared you're ready and will definitely do well", just then the bell rings.

  "Looks like even nature is impatient,it's already assembly time so quick. Get your lazy ass up and go make me proud. I believe in you Tess", he says,pecks me and runs off. I smile,I was very lucky to have met him.

   *****************************
  At the assembly, Mercy who was the assembly prefect lead praise and worship. Yes,she has the angelic voice I wasn't born with. The one that makes you go wild and lost in the song. She sure knows how to carry everyone along. After the national anthem and other announcement, I was called on the assembly ground (in the hall tho) by the councillor to come give the article.

   I breathe in and out reassuring myself that I could do it. I walk out confidently with the piece of paper with the article I arranged last night in it. I stood in front of everyone and looked around... obviously most of them were giving me disgusted looks...They looked like they would rip my head off. But I was determined to make Samuel proud so I didn't flinch.
       "Well, I was given this article yesterday evening. It was such a short notice honestly. So I would like to apologise ahead for every mistake I might have made or for my article not being fully developed to meet the standards of this great school", I look up to see Sofia smiling at me. I smile back and finally opened the paper with me and started to read.

    "The topic of the article I was given is "Insecurity in Nigeria". I said air quoting at the same time. " Insecurity can be summarized as a situation or condition whereby people feel unsafe or in danger. When we talk of insecurity,we have cases like porous boarders. The security at the boarders of Nigeria is so slim.
       There is high risk of drug and human trafficking. No one in the country is safe due to the high rates of kidnapping, vandalism, cultism e.t.c. It has even gotten to the stage whereby,arm robbers are not afraid to operate during the day.
     Parents living in the Wes......" I couldn't continue as all of a sudden I started feeling dizzy and then everything went dark.

     ***********************
           SOFIA'S POV

Everyone was panicking as Treasure fainted. Her boyfriend was obviously very worried and pacing in the nurses room. I walk up to Samuel and pat his back assuring him that everything is fine. "It's okay jeez,stop pacing about. I don't know why she fainted. She joked about fainting in the morning because she was scared of giving out the article. But she was doing perfectly fine. I don't know what went wrong all of a sudden"

  "You don't need to explain Sofia. I'm just wondering what went wrong. I hope she isn't sick tho, even if she is she won't tell anyone. She is just too secretive. Jeeeeez",
"Hey calm down if she was sick she would have told me. So I don't think she is sick or maybe she is but she didn't notice sha. But she will be fine honestly,just calm down and don't attack her when she comes around. Okay?"
  "Okay", he nodded in response.

  I sat at a corner and a lot of thought kept running through my head. Why did she faint? Was it Anemia? Does she have malaria? Jeeez...wait I hope she isn't pregnant.

Oh no.