Something Unusual

NINE

Becky Laju Jones

The hallways of Herald High's administrative block were filled with adolescents moving up and down. It was only three weeks into the new term but the academic session was in full swing.

Most of Becky's classmates had returned. The early birds had chosen their seats for the rest of the session, while the kings and queens who could not resume early would have to settle for less desirable seats, such the door seat and front row.

During the back to school period like this, it could be considered as tradition, only customary that the richest students in Herald High– who were also among the proudest of the proud– shared elaborate stories of the extravagance of their summer breaks. And the less wealthy mimicked these tales with their own pretentious and hyperbolic holiday stories.

During one short break, on the second week of resumption, a girl in their class, Amanda Chidi, who had resumed that morning, had her seat surrounded by starstruck friends– girls who Becky compared to minions–, listening to her go on and on about how she travelled half the world in the three months break.

"It was so funny" Amanda had said "one day, my dad just asked us where we'd like to travel..."

Amanda added a slurred r sound to words that didn't need it, and for the words that did, she slurred it even more, creating a unconvincing imitation of a European accent. Becky thought it might be British, but she couldn't be sure.

"...all my siblings were like 'Hawaii', 'Singapore' and blar, blar." Amanda had rolled her eyes at that point, showing her impatience with her siblings bland choices of voyage.

"Oh my god, oh my god!" One of her minions excitedly interrupted. Her name was Chisom. "Don't tell me, you went to London? I go there almost every year" then to seem cool, Chisom dropped her smile to an indifferent expression "it's alright".

But Amanda had shut her down, declaring London an even blander choice than all her siblings' suggestions. "I suggested the Maldives. And that's where we went"

Amanda had ended the tale with a seemingly blasé shrug and Becky, who had been seated just a row away from the show, on Kesi's seat, scoffed. Kesi had been sitting on her seat since they switched seats, and when Becky looked at her, Kesi had already been looking her way.

They exchanged a smile. Becky's ridiculing and Kesi's amused. She shook her head and Becky had fought to contain her laughter.

The boy Becky used to share the window with had made it worse with a snarky remark; "Wahala for who no go The Maldives" [Too bad for who didn't go to The Maldives]

But who would blame them? Who on earth could resist the temptation of talking extensively and consistently about their holiday? So what if they ended up exaggerating? Surely, only those who had spent the whole three months in the most boring way possible would keep it to themselves, right?

To the students of Herald High, this was the only way to begin the term after such a long vacation.

However, Becky thought it embarrassing, how people blatantly lied and exaggerated stories to absurd lengths, just to outdo another.

"Like, if nobody asked you..." She was telling Kesi as the walked up the stairs to the second floor, " why lie about it?"

Kesi laughed. "Would you like to kill these people? They might just collapse one day if they don't brag about everything"

Becky thought about Jared, who didn't brag, as they reached the landing. The thought was unexpected, but she was getting familiar with such unexpected wandering.