LOW CUT

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN; Extra Lessons

 
"Sir, Mr. Babalola sent us on an errand."I answered.
"But you had test!"
"Yes sir, we told him but he didn't listen......." Elizabeth tried to explain to him.
" Keep quiet ... The test would soon be over, go and continue. I'm only allowing you guys because I want to . Normally, once you've left my class, you've left. No coming back. "
" Okay sir. Thank you sir. " Elizabeth courtsey twice before we both ran to our sits. 
   When I picked up my pen to continue, I felt strange. I looked at my text script strangely as the questions seemed so odd and foreign to me. I had forgotten all the answers to the questions.
   " Thirty minutes more.... " Mr. Piety shouted at the top of his voice like a coach and the class suddenly became noisy because, most of the students were done but Mr. Piety refuses to take their scripts and send them out because he wanted us to summit at the same to avoid distractions.
   I sat down in my seat and started at the board for a long time. I tried it remember the meaning of "communalism" and "socialism" but it just didn't show up in my brain.
  "Hey, Obinna... You don finish?" Joash finally asked if I was done after ignoring me like a pest. I didn't know why he was upset with me.
" No. " I answered briefly.
" Should I ask Anna for you? "
" No... I'll just think of something to write."
" Hnm... Obinna don't go and write rubbish ó this test is 20 marks let me tell you and Mr. Piety said he won't pity you people. "
" Oh my God.. Jo Jo can you just shut up!"
I warned him furiously.
" Hey stop calling me Jo Jo... I don't like it... I'm not dog food! "
" Okay then shut up! "
" Sorry o... Aunty no vex.. na my good don turn it bad... If I had just kept quiet.. hnmm... Me, I Sha know talk sé this test.. na.. TWENTY-TWENTY. "
   I just rolled my eyes at him and turned the other way to focus because everyone knows Joash is a talking machine.
  I was still angry at Joash when "Bingo!" The answers to the questions on the board came to me. I excitedly picked up my pen to start answering them when I heard the most dreadful statement I've ever heard in my entire life" Two minutes more... Get ready to stop."
  
  I jumped in my seat and this got the attention of those sitting around me. I ignored them and started writing. Mr. Piety was counting down but I tried my best to shut him  out of my mind and continue writing.
  I answered Two out of five questions but I wasn't really sure of  my answers.
I was about to delve into the third question when I heard "Hey.. summit your work." I looked up and it was none other than Mr. Piety looking down at me irritatedly.
I couldn't explain myself. I just handed over my text script to him intimidated by his demeanor .
  "Winner." I heard a familiar voice call my name and it was Elizabeth. She codedly asked me if I wrote anything and I shook my head she looked at me sadly. I asked if she wrote something down she nodded hee head while pointing at Kwame  the boy sitting next to her. This simply meant that he helped her or she copied form him.
   When Mr. Piety left, School had already closed for the sy but because we were in our final class , we were having extra lessons after School.
"Hnm .. chef.. restaurant owners." Anna started .
"Yes oo.. very soon Elizabeth and Winner go open their own restaurant." Gideon chimed in and like an idiot, Joash laughed. I was too sad and upset to answer them. I just got up angrily, ignoring their mockery and insults, I packed my back and walked out of the class. I headed straight to the principals office to tell him that I wouldn't stay for the lesson.
"Ah! Head girl." He exclaimed.
"Sir."
"What happened? Are you okay? You don't look well."
I ceased the opportunity and replied" No Sir. I'm not feeling fine. I need to go home and rest. " In reality, I wasn't lying at all. I was sick in my heart. I suddenly remembered the words of a famous writer "if you don't cry when you are hurt, your heart would be sick." That's just how I felt. I felt numb. Normally, when one person makes jest of me in class, I'll cry my eyes out but now, even the whole School mocking me wouldn't move me a bit. I wondered if this was "Growth".
"Okay.. go home and rest , see you next week Monday. Greet mummy for me o." The principal bade me good bye as I walked out of his office.
   I walked home alone. With my mind blank. I haven't seen Rebecca for months and I wasn't bothered at all. What was I turning into? A monster?
  I got home and My parents weren't around as usual so I cleaned the house, cooked, yes, I now cook. I ate till my satisfaction and then went straight to bed.
  I woke up before my siblings got home. Yes, they now come home by themselves even though my Dad is against it. Happiness and Peace are now big girls but no matter how much they grow, they still are and would still be my baby Sisters. We didn't talk much especially because I had been really distant from them after Chibuikem's death. They no longer came to me when they needed help. They spoke to me like I was a stranger maybe I was but I can't help it. It's just me now. They now have a Sister bond without me. This is supposed to make me sad bit I honestly and strangely don't mind.
  I told my parents what happened and surprisingly they were silent.
  Afterwards, my mum came to me and said "Nne.. please don't do anything stupid, all this things shall pass. Remember, you are now in SSS 3."
  
   Later in the night, I overheard her telling my Dad in Igbo that she never knew that she would such a statement from me. She said she felt sad for the children who attended  Public Schools in the village and felt angry whenever they told her their plight. She never knew she'll say or feel sorry for her own daughter.
  My mum and Dad came from Rich homes. It was circumstances that made them the way they were.
That night I wept. When I woke up the next morning, I felt a bit better.
  Mr. Piety didn't talk Mr. Babalola about what he did to us. This simply meant to me that he was either intimidated by Mr. Babalola under the mask of"No.. I'm not a permanent staff, I don't want to have any issue with the teachers here." All he did and could do was to grade my test poorly. Not that he did it willing, I failed the test. I got 9/20 and this made me very sad but not as said as Mr. Piety's scolding. He scolded me like it was my fault and blamed me for not telling him that I wasn't in the right condition to take the test. As usual, I didn't cry. I felt numb.