Rats, Roses And Paper Bones

chapter 11:mission accomplished

"Your name?"
The vice principal looked up from his desk as I entered his office, with Uncle Bode following closely behind me.
"Adejare Adedoyin, sir," I replied, trying my best to sound confident.
After waiting outside for almost an hour, I was finally here.
And I was nervous.
This was my first time seeing the vice principal's office. It was surprisingly spacious, with shelves filled with files and books lining one side of the room. There were a few chairs arranged neatly around a large mahogany desk with a polished marble top.
A small chandelier hung from the ceiling, while the air conditioner blasted cold air across the room.
I suddenly felt like I was in an examination hall.
"Have a seat, please," he said, gesturing towards one of the chairs.
"Thank you, sir," Uncle Bode replied as he sat down.
I remained standing.
I waited.
And waited.
He didn't say anything.
I looked at him.
Then at Uncle Bode.
Then back at him.
Finally, the vice principal raised an eyebrow.
"You can't sit yet because you're the one in question here, am I right?"
"Yes, that's right," Uncle Bode answered before I could.
And somehow, that was all it took for the two of them to start talking.
Before long, they were laughing about the price of fuel.
"I went to buy fuel the other day," Uncle Bode said. "I asked the attendant for ten litres, and he told me it was a thousand naira per litre."
The vice principal shook his head.
"Hmm. Don't remind me. I've practically stopped driving around unnecessarily."
"Exactly! I said the same thing. Do you know what I did?"
"What?"
"I drove to another filling station and bought it for nine hundred and seventy naira."
The vice principal laughed.
"Thirty naira difference?"
"That's exactly what my wife said!" Uncle Bode laughed. "But a win is a win. Why should I pay more when I can get the same thing cheaper?"
"True," the vice principal agreed. "Although it's sad that things have gotten to the point where Nigerians think something is automatically better because it's more expensive."
"Exactly."
They continued talking.
And talking.
And talking.
I stood there.
My feet were beginning to hurt.
Sir.
Please.
I am literally standing here.
I glanced at the clock.
Ten minutes.
Then fifteen.
Finally, the vice principal turned his attention to me.
"So, Miss Adejare, your uncle has told me that you've thought this through carefully and you're certain this is what you want."
"Yes, sir."
"I believe the school counsellor has explained the conditions to you?"
"Yes, sir."
A small shiver ran down my spine at the word conditions.
"You want to move to the science department, correct?"
"Yes, sir."
"And I assume you've considered whether you're capable of handling the workload?"
I nodded.
"Yes, sir."
He leaned back in his chair.
"Well, I suppose your first-term results will tell us everything we need to know."
And my results will be excellent.
At least, that was the plan.
He opened a file and pulled out a sheet of paper.
"Your uncle will sign the undertaking here and here."
He pointed at two spaces on the form.
Uncle Bode collected the paper and looked at me.
I nodded.
He signed.
And just like that, it was official.
I was going to the science department.
*********************
After seeing Uncle Bode off at the school gate, I made my way back towards the classroom block.
He was already late for his meeting.
My uncle was, well... quite wealthy.
Even more financially comfortable than my parents, actually.
Sometimes, I wondered how someone who talked as much as he did managed to build a successful career.
Then again, God worked in mysterious ways.
I entered my classroom.
Classes had already started the previous day after the placement results were released. We were currently having Economics, but honestly, my mind wasn't anywhere near the lesson.
I was thinking about one thing.
Science.
I was finally going to study what I had always wanted.
Thank God.
Victoria looked particularly excited when she saw me.
She probably thought I was staying in the commercial department with her.
She was going to be disappointed.
As I made my way towards my temporary seat, a girl waved at me.
"Hey, Doyin!"
I looked over.
"Cleopatra, right?"
She smiled.
"Yes!"
I'd heard our teacher call her name during roll call that morning, and I'd immediately been fascinated by it.
Cleopatra.
It was such a beautiful name.
I was almost certain it was the name of an ancient Egyptian queen.
"What's up?" I asked.
"Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that we were given some Financial Accounting notes to copy."
"Oh."
"I can lend you mine if you want."
My heart warmed a little.
That was actually really kind of her.
"Aww. Thank you."
I smiled.
"But I don't think I'll need them."
She looked confused.
"Why?"
"I'm moving to the science department."
Her eyes widened.
"Oh! Really?"
I nodded.
"Yeah."
"Wow. Congratulations!"
"Thank you."
For the first time since I arrived at Longford, I felt like things were finally falling into place.
Break Time
I headed towards the tuck shop, specifically for one thing.
Doughnuts.
When I say those doughnuts were finger-licking good, I mean it.
I'd tasted one on the day I came for the entrance examination, and ever since then, every other snack in the tuck shop had become irrelevant to me.
"Doyin!"
I heard someone call from behind me.
I turned.
"Ah, Vicky! What's up?"
Victoria caught up with me.
"Where have you been?"
"Nowhere. I had an appointment with the VP today."
"The VP?"
"Yeah. He approved my undertaking."
Her eyes widened.
"Wait... you're moving to science?"
"Yep."
"Seriously?"
I nodded.
"That's where I've always wanted to be."
She stared at me for a second before smiling.
"Wow. That actually explains why you've been looking into space during every Economics class."
I laughed.
"Really?"
"Yes! You'd just be sitting there like..." She mimicked me staring blankly into space.
I burst out laughing.
"Okay, that's actually embarrassing."
"But I'm happy for you, girl."
She patted my back.
"Thank you."
"Just be ready to read like a mad person, though."
"I know."
"Science is not easy o."
"I know, I know."
I laughed.
"But every department has its own difficulties. Don't make science sound like some sort of death sentence."
"Ehen. Okay o."
She looked at me.
"You're going to the tuck shop, abi?"
I nodded.
"Let's go together. You're going for the doughnuts, right?"
I laughed.
"Of course."
We walked towards the tuck shop together.
But as soon as we got there, we heard shouting.
I slowed down.
There was a crowd gathered around someone.
I wasn't interested.
Until I heard a familiar voice.
"That sounds like my sister."
Victoria looked at me.
"Your sister?"
"Yeah."
We moved closer.
And then I saw her.
Dara.
Surrounded by Moyo and her clique.
Victoria's expression immediately changed.
She clearly wasn't happy to see them.
But neither was I.
Because they weren't just surrounding my sister.
They were ganging up on her.
*********************
Kpow!
The sound of a slap cut through the crowd.
My heart dropped.
Dara's face turned sharply to the side.
Someone had just slapped my sister.
I didn't think.
I ran.
"Dara!"
Victoria followed close behind.
I stepped between Dara and Moyo before she could raise her hand again.
"What is going on here?"
Victoria marched towards Moyo.
"Moyo, what are you doing?"
Dara rubbed her cheek.
I immediately grabbed her hand.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"What happened?"
Dara pointed at Moyo.
"She said I was being disrespectful. She tried to bully me, so I refused to let her."
Moyo folded her arms.
"Your sister doesn't know the rules, so I was educating her."
"What rules?" I asked.
She scoffed.
"Are you serious?"
"I asked you what rules."
"You've been here long enough to know how things work."
Victoria stepped closer.
"Doyin, she's talking about the hierarchy."
"What hierarchy?"
"When a senior comes to the tuck shop, juniors are expected to let them go ahead of them in the queue."
I stared at her.
"You're joking."
"I'm not."
"But we have twenty minutes for break! If everyone did that, juniors would never get served."
"I know. It's ridiculous."
Moyo pointed at her shoes.
"She refused to move when I told her to. Then she stepped on my shoe."
I looked down.
There was a tiny patch of dirt on her perfectly polished black flats.
"So that's why you slapped her?"
"She was being disrespectful."
Victoria rolled her eyes.
"Just leave her alone, Moyo."
"Why should I?"
"Because it's not that serious."
"I'll decide whether it's serious or not."
I looked at Moyo.
"Do you want an apology?"
She smiled.
"An apology isn't enough."
I frowned.
"Then what do you want?"
"She should use her skirt to clean my shoe."
I stared at her.
You've got to be kidding me.
Dara immediately shook her head.
"I'm not doing that."
Moyo's expression darkened.
"You see? Still being disrespectful."
"Don't you think you're going too far?" I asked.
"She did it deliberately."
"She probably didn't."
Moyo looked at me.
Then she smiled.
And somehow, that smile made me more uncomfortable than her anger.
"You know, I was going to let her go."
She stepped closer.
"But then I found out she's your sister."
I frowned.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Now I'm even more annoyed."
Victoria stepped between us slightly.
"Moyo, leave them alone."
Moyo ignored her.
"You two really don't know when to stay in your lane."
"I've never done anything to you," I said.
She shrugged.
"Maybe. But you should still learn to watch your step."
Just then-
Riiiiiing!
The bell rang.
Students began scrambling back towards their classrooms.
One of Moyo's friends touched her arm.
"Moyo, let's go. The teachers will be here soon."
Victoria pointed towards the dispersing crowd.
"Exactly. You've already slapped her. Isn't that enough?"
She turned towards everyone who had been watching.
"And all of you just stood there and watched?"
Nobody answered.
Most of them immediately looked away.
Victoria scoffed.
"Cowards."
I looked at Dara.
The side of her face was red from the slap.
My stomach twisted.
Had I already failed to protect her?
Moyo glanced at Dara one last time.
"She deserved it."
Then she turned towards me.
"I'll let her go this time. But you should watch yourself, Cinderella."
My jaw tightened.
"Keep my mouth shut? Who exactly do you think you are?"
She didn't answer.
She simply turned and walked away with her clique.
I watched them disappear into the crowd.
Victoria sighed.
"That girl is seriously annoying."
"She may be annoying," I said slowly, still staring in the direction Moyo had gone, "but she's definitely hiding something."
Victoria looked at me.
"What do you mean?"
I turned to her.
"There are a few things I've been meaning to ask you."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Such as?"
I took a breath.
"What exactly is going on between you and those girls?"
Victoria's expression changed immediately.
And judging from the look on her face, I had just asked the right question.