My Track Days

10. ARTS & CRAFTS

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A long table with chairs stretched through the long classroom, with three students at each table. Artwork and craftwork of many kinds, including paintings, mosaics, and pottery, decorated the classroom, making it colourful and vibrant. The students engrossed in conversation, filled the classroom as they waited for the teachers to arrive.

Marissa sat at the end of the table at the back of the class, with Jina and Opeyemi beside her. The two girls leaned closer to Marissa's phone, a smile spreading across Jina's face.

"Oh, the kitty is so cute," Jina said softly, her eyes fixed on the pictures of the cat curled up on Marissa's bed.

"You're lucky your parents let you keep a pet," Opeyemi exclaimed, her voice warm as she rested her chin on her hands, her micro-braided hair neatly packed in a bun.

"Aww, but cats are adorable," Jina said, glancing at Opeyemi. "Maybe your parents need to meet a cute cat like Marissa's."

"A cat is equivalent to their 'village people,'" Opeyemi muttered slowly.

Marissa and Jina exchanged confused glances, their brows furrowed.

"Village people?" Marissa repeated, puzzled.

Opeyemi sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Never mind."

Jina shifted her attention back to Marissa. "Let's not forget that you celebrated your birthday and didn't invite us!" she said softly, though a hint of sadness lingered in her tone.

Marissa twirled a strand of her ginger hair nervously. "Well, my friends at the gardening club threw a surprise party for me," she answered quietly. "I had no idea it was going to happen. You know I usually don't celebrate my birthday."

Jina sighed, somewhat appeased by her explanation. "I was still shocked to see photos of your party, especially after you kept rejecting my offers to throw one for you for years."

"She doesn't usually celebrate her birthday?" Opeyemi asked, her brows raised in surprise.

Marissa met Opeyemi's gaze, guilt flickering across her face as she remembered that this was Opeyemi's first time experiencing her birthday since moving here last year. She realized now that she'd never explained her usual approach to birthdays—how she typically avoided celebrating them. It hadn't occurred to her how confusing or hurtful it might seem, especially after all they'd been through together.

"Yes, Ope," Jina replied with a dramatic sigh. "Ridiculous, right?"

Opeyemi hummed at Jina's reaction and turned back to Marissa. "Well, I'm glad you finally see the importance of a birthday. Back home, we always love having big parties for such events. We'd invite the whole family tree." A touch of nostalgia softened her features.

"It's pretty common among the Yorubas to throw extravagant parties," Opeyemi added.

Marissa nodded, always eager to hear about Opeyemi's experiences in Nigeria. "Well, I promise next year, Jina, you'll have the honour of hosting my party," she said with a warm smile.

Jina smiled at Marissa's words. "That will be fun."

Soon, Marissa's attention wandered from the conversation, her mind drifting into mindless daydreams as she waited for the teacher to arrive. She turned her head to the side, glancing at the empty seats across from her. Her gaze landed on Kevin, who was sitting nearby, his eyes focused intently on his phone.