AWAKE

Chapter 27

The principal-Mr Adebola addressed the school.
"Fortune and King, come up here", he instructed them to stand in front of the school, "you here and you here", he made each of them stand beside him.
"Starlight's High is known for its good conduct. Our motto is Character First for crying out loud...." He lashed angrily and then pauses to look at each of them, then began talking again, "These two boys, have decided to rubbish the name of this school. Everyone - say after me, 'it won't work'"
"It won't work," The whole school said.
"For your misconduct and uncalled behaviour, you both would be assigned befitting punishments."
"Fortune", Mr Adebola turned to fortune.
"Yes sir", Fortune answered.
"Since you can't watch your mouth, after each exam for the day, till the end of your exams, you will wash the school wall."
The school burst into laughter.
"Be quiet everyone", The principal shouted.
When the silence was regained, he continued speaking.
"Wash the assigned school wall till it's clean."
"How is that even possible?" A student asked and some students giggled.
"King-the fighter, you want to remind the school and show the new students how strong you are. In the course of your fight, you broke a window. You are going to be isolated for two weeks Since we can't send you home on suspension due to your ongoing exams. Mr Humphrey, you should be happy because we thought it through to even allow you to continue sitting for these exams. Everything you do from when you wake in the morning to when you go back to sleep at night, will be done alone and away from others."
Nina drew her desk closer to her as their first lecture began. she glanced at Michael who seemed absent. She noticed his coldness towards things and even people after the announcement some days ago.
He rarely came out for games, he barely interacted with his friends. She felt sorry for him and Daniel who had been affected by Peter's punishment.
"Hey", Nina waved as she got to Michael's prep class. She had waited to see him after prep, luckily he had still stayed back in the class.
"Hey", Michael said surprised. She had never come to his prep class before.
"I got so tired, waiting for your friends to leave."
"How long have you been waiting?" He asked
"Long enough to watch how your friends begged you to join them back to the hostel."
"Oh"
"Yeah. Can I join you?"
"Yes... Of course."
"What are you studying?" Nina asked before lifting the textbook to check, "Maths?"
"Yes. I didn't get the second formula, so I've been practising."
" I could teach you" Nina offered.
"Thanks, I'm good."
"Men and their ego", Nina hissed and started explaining the equation to him.
Michael couldn't stop staring at her as she spoke. He tried his best to close every ill thought in his head.
"Are you okay?" Nina asked as she caught him staring.
"Umm...what?...i...i..."
"Michael, do you understand?", Nina asked pointing at the book.
"Oh", Michael sighed, "yes I do, thanks."
"Now, away from the book, I mean it-are you okay?"
"Yes," Michael nodded.
"Are you sure?" Nina asked staring at him.
"I don't know", Michael bent his head.
"It's been a week already Michael."
"Daniel is still affected."
"So you are like this because Daniel is affected?"
"Yes," he nodded slowly, "I know it doesn't make any sense."
"But it does to you, so I won't judge."
"You know, Daniel has been there for me all through my stay here, he has loved me more than a brother would. People ask me why I associate with him, they don't understand the sacrifices..." He stopped and sighed.
Then continued again, "I seem perfect in the eyes of every teacher, but it was Daniel who covered up for me and took the blame when I did wrong. He would say "one is stained already, the other should be clean" and I didn't understand those words whenever he said it. I feel bad whenever I see him in, but he tries to cover it up and act like the unshaken man. I wish I knew how to help him."
"This is a lot. There is this saying that everything happens for a reason. even though I don't fully believe it, I still hold on to it to give me hope. You might not be able to help him as you said, but you have helped other people. He has been in your life, for this reason, I guess, so don't beat yourself so much, he'll be fine, King will be fine, so you have to be fine."
"Thanks, Nina"
"You are welcome. You've already helped him by showing concern, you care and that's what everyone needs in people they call theirs."
"No one has said this to me before, your words are so beautiful and powerful."
"You are welcome. I noticed you don't function properly under pressure."
"You didn't notice wrong. The fact is I like things going smoothly, I don't like problems and all my life-till now, I've had my family, friends and even Daniel, help me in the face of challenges. Now my family isn't here, friends are occupied with their issues, my sister is pretty occupied as well to answer any of my calls and Daniel...You know."
"I don't know what advice to give, but I know your people will still be by your side."
"Thanks."
"So you sneak around making calls."
"Just my sister and I use a trusted phone."
"Okay."
"No one knows about this except the staff and you. So this should be our little secret", Michael said.
"I don't kiss and tell", Nina said then placed her index finger on her lips.
"Okay," Michael smiled.
"I think the reason you didn't understand the formula is that your mind wasn't even there. So go, your friends are waiting for you."
"What about you?"
"I want to finish up something quickly."
"Okay, don't stay too long."
"Okay"
As soon as Michael left, Nina brought out her notebook to write a letter for Daniel. After listening to Michael, she felt so sorry for Daniel.
She understood the language of loneliness and also cared for his well-being, as much as Michael.
After writing, she folded the one she duplicated for herself and placed it in her physics textbook before putting it into her bag. Then, the one for Daniel, she folded it neatly and put it into the side of her bag, which she decided to drop on his reading table at the abandoned classroom before he went for prep the next day.