Naya and Vince

51

Jessica gasped dramatically immediately we stepped down from the pink SUV. We all turned sharply to her.

"We didn't even gist again!" Jessica lamented. The rest of us just groaned and rolled our eyes.

The love fest was planned to take place in the Senior school cafeteria. Since the cafeteria had round tables and chairs unlike the auditorium, it served the purpose. Regular couples paid three thousand for a table of two, while those on double dates paid seven thousand for a table of four. Then there was table for six which cost ten thousand. I didn't know which one Vincent planned for. I just hoped he didn't pay for a table for two. Awkwardness would choke us to death, if he did that.

As we walked to the senior school building, we saw few couples loitering, walking hands in hands, while laughing and chatting animatedly. Some hung out at a few stands that had been set up. I could notice an ice cream stand and a gift kiosk.

"Tonight's going to be awesome!" Jessica squealed. I suspected her super excitement was just because Stephen agreed to be her val. Just as we were about to enter the building, two boys were coming out.

Hakeem and Chijioke.

Hakim was dressed in a red danshiki. It was like he and Aliyah planned to go traditional. It was kinda cute. Chijioke was dressed casually in a white shirt, black rugged jean and white sneakers. His red face cap was turned backwards.

This boy though.

The two paused at the same time and looked us over with hanging jaws.

"Hakeem close your mouth," Aliyah said.

"These girls came to murder men them!" Hakim exclaimed turning to Chijioke. "These girls are fire!"

I couldn't stop myself from smiling. I knew Hakeem. I've had an encounter with him and it was a good one. He also part of my few favorite seniors. He met me in the art studio one time when I was working on an assignment Mr. Akin, our visual arts instructor had given us. The man had told us to make an art with the theme, motherhood and I was stuck. He wasn't into art but music, yet he gave me a some ideas.

I caught Chijioke staring at Jessica and  his heartache made very obvious by the way he was looking at her. It was either Jessica was oblivious to this or she chose to pretend she didn't see him because she kept smiling, giggling and saying 'awwn'. She had revealed to me earlier that she hadn't spoken to him since Monday when the shit happened.

"I agree." Chijioke nodded. "You're beautiful –" His eyes widened. "I mean you all are beautiful. Very." I smiled lightly. He must have been referring to Jessica earlier.

I wondered who Chijioke came with until Hakeem told us Chijioke volunteered to take his place in the media team.

"My friend, I love what you did to your hair," Hakeem said to me.

"Thank you." I had applied a coil activator Amanda had given me so that my coils were  more pronounced. Hakeem said something to Aliyah in Hausa and she blushed.

"Get out." Then she added something else in Hausa that got him grinning from ear to ear. I had to wonder when they became so close because Aliyah spent most her school time with us.

Chijioke threw me a mock salute before he and Hakim left us.

"Jessie, are you fighting with CJ?" Aliyah asked as we walked into the building.

"You took the words right out of my mouth. How could he resist touching this gloriousness?" Amanda said too.

"Uh. . .we-the boys!" Jessica screeched. "Wow!" She added with dreamy eyes. Just at the entrance of the cafeteria, Vincent, Stephen, Alec and Peter were seated chatting and laughing.