Joy to Joy

Chapter Twelve

No one came five feet near where I sat in class during lunch break. I turn to the class's sink and watch the strange stains on the white ceramic. Although tomorrow is another exam day, our schoolbooks are far from us.

Well, except for Dorcas.

I frown when Faisal walks past me. I am sure he went to sit with Ade. But why am I being so childish?

Why should I care that everyone is ignoring me? I shake my head and focus on the words in the textbook in my hands.

Someone's dark hand crawls under my table. I see Ade's face turned back from me as he laughs at someone's jokes.

"But the footballer still shot the goal. Excuse me," He directs the last statement at me. It grabs a notebook from the locker and walks away.

At home, I do not share what is happening at school with my mom, so it plagues my mind. I am on the couch while mom watches a Nigerian film. Slowly, I munch on plantain chips from the ceramic plate I cuddle between my thighs.

The thought of this being Ade's doing encroaches upon my thoughts. He is probably trying to punish me by convincing everyone to ignore me.

It is not like that hurts me; who cares if anyone talks with me? I am just surprised that my so-called friends do not have a mind of their own.

What if he shared some information on our class group chats? But then, I would have gotten the notification. Even Dorcas does not look me in the face, and she is not in any of the groups.

If Osas were here, he would give him wisdom from his experiences.

I wished Osas was here.

"Chai, her mother-in-law, is so mean. Why wouldn't she let her have a job? In this century? Never!" Mom's legs shake to chase away mosquitos.

"Mom, can I ask you something?"

She turns at me. "What is it?"

"Aren't you tired of always watching these cliché films? I mean, I do not know what you see in these,"

Rolling her eyes, mom increases the television volume.

"What? No, how can you slap your daughter-in-law? Your son is already grown up, so stop meddling in his life. Chai," Mom continues.

I check my phone, afraid to open the messages that dropped.

"Well, I am going to bed now. It gets tiring to watch all of this bad acting. It makes no sense to me that – "

"Joy, let me ask you a question before you continue. Have you ever written a movie script?" Our television decoder allows pausing, so she does such.

"No. I have not written any before."

"So stop criticizing others' work, and let me enjoy this movie in peace. Good night."

I leave for my room after that. There, I open the messages on our group chat. None was about me, but I was sure something was wrong. And whatever is going on must be bad enough for Faisal to start acting like this.

I never knew that they could move on that quickly. The guys no longer talk to me, so I do not get to know their plans or gossip.

After mathematics class the next day, Ade approaches Dorcas.

He pulls the chair next to her, and I watch how he moves closer until he wraps his left arm over her seat.

Entering the classroom, people throw their faces away from sight. Ade starts to giggle and point at something in his book. Dorcas removes any gap between them, and I watch in awe.

I have never seen such self-disrespect in my life. That is when Titi comes from behind me.

"Ade, I need my book," She stands in the two's front.

Oh no.

"Later, Titi. Dorcas is showing me something." Ade signals to Dorcas.

"Abeg continue,"

Dorcas does not look up from the book until Titi snatches it and hits her head with the book. Then she flings the book unto the tile floors. Dorcas does not move, but I am sure she is still trying to process what is happening, as are all of us.

"You stupid human being! Why did you touch me?"

Solomon, the boy next to me, sneers. "Chai, Ade is smart, sha." He was about to continue until noticing it was me. Then he looks away..

"If you do not want it on the floor, pick the book up," Titi is about to walk away with a smile when Dorcas grabs her hand.

"No. You threw my book, so you will be the one to pick – " This is when Titi slaps her right cheek.

"Ah!" I scream, and so do my classmates. We watch as Ade starts to pack some notebooks into his bag.

Our mathematics teacher hurries in from the class opposite us. He looks around until spotting Dorcas, who is putting holding her cheek.

"Sir, I do not know what is wrong with these two. They are fighting like cats and dogs," Ade accuses them and takes his leave.

We have done outrageous things to Dorcas but never to this length.

"You demon!" No longer confused, Dorcas attacks Titi and starts to smack and kick her with everything she has.

"Wow."

"Don't be a barbarian, Dorcas!"

My classmates tell her as if they don't know what Ade did.

"But she started it." Dorcas lets go and turns to us. "Didn't you see?"

I saw it. But I could not say much because it was too late.

The teacher finally comes between them, and the whole class watches him drag Dorcas and Titi to the principal's office.

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