AWAKE

Chapter 23

Michael hugged his mum before getting into the car.
"Be a good boy and don't forget to pray" Mrs Johnson never forgets to say that to her children.
"Okay mum"
"Can we go? It's getting late" Mr Johnson shouted, honking alongside.
Michael rushed into the car and waved his mum and the other staffs bye as the car moved.
As much as Michael loved going back to school, he still missed his mum. He had hoped she would join them, but she had an important meeting with a guest whom she prepared for.
Michelle had left a week ago for school, so he went out often during that week to meet up with friends.
"...So they said that the Jss3 girls gave the senior boys so much sugar..." The boys listened to Victor share the gist he heard concerning the extension activities with the boys as they munched the cookies Mrs Johnson made.
"How true is this?" Fred asked.
Michael and Peter chuckled looking at each other.
Fred was always one step ahead of whatever the boys thought.
"Will I come and lie to you about such a thing" Victor frowned.
"It's just that you interest yourself with gossip," Fred said taking a bite of the cookie. Fred never pampered words, he just said them as he felt.
"Guy are you mad..."
"Guys, guys, guys, guys, please stop" Michael didn't want the matter to escalate seeing how angry Victor had become.
"Did you hear what he just said?" Victor said to Michael as his chest heaved.
"I did, but please calm down" Michael moved his hand up and down slowly, in a quest to calm him.
"Fred apologize now," Peter said, as Fred acted obnoxious.
"You guys know that's the truth..." Fred stopped as Peter made eye gestures for him to apologize, "okay I am sorry."
"I just remained calm because this is our first day for this term and I don't want to cause a scene," Victor said and left the room.
"You didn't try o..." Peter said to Fred with a straight face, which was all fake as they burst into laughter.
"I honestly don't know where Victor gets his information from," Micheal said.
"And the way he says it like he was there." Fred said, "Mummy's cookies gets sweeter every time"
"Thanks, Fred," Michael said.

The principal addressed the school as it was the first day of the new term, "...In as much as we have a busy term, there might be some upcoming activities, which would be passed to you all. The prefects should be on standby..."
Michael found it interesting, that throughout the holidays, before that time, he had never for once thought about the prefect position. He remembered how it bothered him last term, but now, he was so indifferent about it, even though it was the term when they would be assigned their new duties.
He wondered what took his mind off its stress, "was it Michelle or was it her?".

"Hey Nina, I was trying to reach you during the holidays..."
"My phone got spoilt but if you had called, later on, you would have gotten me," Nina said.
"Sorry about that, see you later," Eunice said as she rushed into her class.
"Still talking with her" Anny said as Nina sat down. They had rearranged the class seating position, so they sat beside each other.
"Anny it's too early" Nina warned.
Each teacher that came in, asked questions to refresh their minds. The students felt they had a meeting about it because every teacher that came in, did the same thing. It was frightening for most of them, as they failed and were told to stand.
Nina avoided staring at Michael, Michael did the same to Nina but he didn't fail to throw glances her way when she wasn't staring in her direction.

It was time for snacks and everyone had filled the refectory.
As Nina walked down to her table with her snacks, she saw Faith and smiled at him, who blushed at the sight of her.
"Anny" Nina dropped the snacks on the table and sat.
"Yeah" Anny responded.
"What do you think about having a school son?" Nina asked.
"I think it's cool if you can handle it," Anny said immediately.
"Okay," Nina grabbed her burger, taking a huge bite.
Anny stopped and thought over the question again "Are you thinking of having one?" Anny asked.
"I don't know yet"
"But you are thinking about it. So who is the person?" Anny spoke with much excitement, she loved it when Nina's fun side came out.
"Faith" Nina said after hesitating a little.
"Aww"
"What is that?"
"Faith is cool and I approve of him"
"Gosh, you sound like a mother giving out her child in marriage. I'm still thinking thoroughly, I don't want to make any stupid decisions."
"Take your time girl"
Nina wanted to occupy her mind away from the two boys that detested her with something else, faith was just the one lurking and she wanted to have a feeling of caring for someone intentionally.
"Des baby," Anny said as Destiny joined them, Anny suddenly remembered what they were talking about and decided to inform Des who wasn't with them earlier, "Guess what Nina wants to..."
"Des what took you so long," Nina said interrupting Anny. She wasn't sure to inform someone else.
"Nothing serious, just me being lazy to come down here. So Anny you were saying?"
"Nothing, I was about to ask the same question Nina asked," Anny said smiling.
Nina smiled at Anny's rasp understanding.
After prep, as the girls walked back to their hostel, they met Michael talking with Daniel and King at the corner.
The girls talked about how bad it was for Michael's reputation to be seen with Daniel.
Nina wasn't even listening to what they said. All she could remember was the stare she got from Daniel. It was as though- he wanted to say something to her, but he couldn't. Well it was he that said they shouldn't be friends, Nina thought to herself and shook her mind off it.
Nina noticed Anny didn't say a lot, it was just Destiny doing most of the ranting, so she waited for Destiny to leave before speaking up.
"You can now tell me what's been bothering you"
"Nothing" Anny answered and quickly entered the bathroom.
"Hmm" Nina could sense something off with her attitude-but she wasn't ready to start forcing anyone, nor beg them to speak up.