Two Brothers, One Heart

Chapter 12

Monday again. As usual, felt like the start of a never-ending week. The classroom was filled with a mix of boredom and distractions, making it hard to stay focused. Mrs. Dina was reading "The Lion and the Jewel," and although the story is interesting, the grammar discussions were overwhelming, and her eyelids felt heavy.

Looking around, she notice the various ways her classmates are finding their own means of escape from the monotony. Bianca was discreetly passing notes with Enoch, Isaac was engrossed in a video game on his tablet, completely oblivious to the teacher's gaze, and Jude has his earphones in, listening to music at a barely audible volume. Fiona is multitasking, painting her nails while pretending to listen, and Mubarak, he's sound asleep as usual. Afra, on the other hand, seems to have found solace in the pages of "Americanah" by Chimamanda.

It was disheartening to see that no one else seems to be enjoying the class. She quickly left for the project they were working on together, but it doesn't seem to be sparking any enthusiasm either. Umar, in particular, doesn't show any interest, despite his initial promise. It's frustrating, but she has come to realize that sometimes, she has to take matters into her own hands. If no one else is willing to put in the effort, she will take the lead and complete the project on her own.

Just as she's contemplating that, Ms. Silvia, their teacher, enters the computer lab and asks to speak with her. She notices that everyone has submitted their columns except for her. She tried to come up with an excuse, saying she needed a little more time, but deep down, she knew it was not the truth.

Ms. Silvia looked at her with a mix of concern and encouragement. She reminded her that participating in activities like that was essential, especially since she's expressed an interest in studying law. Her words resonate with her, and she realize that even though the project may seem tedious, it's an opportunity to learn and grow.

She turned on the computer, unsure of what to write. She wanted to create a news article that would grab the attention of the whole school. She thought about covering the upcoming football match between the red house and the blue house. It was always a thrilling event that brought the whole school together.

Another idea crossed her mind - writing about the sorority party happening next week. It was bound to be a night of fun and excitement, and she wanted to capture the anticipation in her article.

But then, she remembered the growing issue of bullies in the school. It seemed like more and more students were being affected by their actions. She wanted to shed light on this problem and give a voice to those who had been silenced.

As she sat there, contemplating how to approach the article from different perspectives, she suddenly felt overwhelmed. She turned off the computer and stood up, deciding to take a break and clear her mind.

Just as she was about to leave, Mr. Hashim, the school's computerist and Data Processing teacher, approached her with a file that needed photocopying. She gladly helped him out, making ten copies of the important document before going on her way.

She headed to the bleachers to watch the boys play football, her eyes searching for Charles Richardson, the star player. As she sat alone, lost in her thoughts, Afra joined her.

"You're alone," Afra remarked.

She shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I'm always alone."

Their conversation was cut short as the break came to an end, and it was time for Security Education class. She walked to her locker to grab her textbooks, only to find Nadia standing there.

"You think you got away with it, but it's impossible," Nadia sneered, while Firdausi remained silent.

"See you soon," Nadia added, flashing an offensive gesture with her middle finger.