My High School Life

Chapter Five

Jumoke

I woke very very late today. I brushed my teeth and hurriedly took my bath.

I went downstairs and discovered my brother had already gone to school.

Mum prepared a breakfast of Noodles garnished with pepper, onions, carrot, and green peas.

I joined my eight years old sister, Titi at the dining table.

"Good morning, Aunty Jummy," she smiled, showing off the gaps in her teeth, two of her canines had fallen off.

"Good morning, Aunty Titi," I teased holding her cheek.

I ate my noodles before they went cold. I returned the plate and washed it.
I went to my mum's room and collected my pocket money. She gave me extra, saying I should use the extra to take a bike to school.
Which bike? I'm trekking, I'll keep the money.

"Aunty Jummy, buy something for me when you're coming back o," Titi yelled from the kitchen.

"Okay."

I grabbed my bag pack and set off to the school.

********

By the time I got to the school, the assembly had already started. I've never been late to the assembly before, but the demons of sleep imprisoned me in their dungeon.

They were singing the national anthem, so I stood still. I looked at the tall boy beside me, he looked back at me, scanning my face with a puzzled look.

What's this one looking at? I broke the gaze. No doubt, the guy was cute. Too cute, very cute, over cute. Very tall, fair, long legs and pink lips.

I sneaked to the class and dropped my bag in my locker. I bumped into that same tall guy while rushing out.
"Sorry," I muttered and ran to the assembly ground.

Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla
The principal said his daily rubbish, which I rarely listened to.

We marched into our classes.

********

"Elizabeth, stand up!" the Chemistry teacher, Mr. Jones barked.

All eyes were on the drama queen, Elizabeth.
What did she do now?

"I'm teaching, stressing my voice and you are over there eating potato chips and talking to your friends...who were you talking to?" He asked, full of rage.

She pointed to her Rita.

"Ahh. Elizabeth were you talking to me?" Rita queried.

'Nooo, I was talking to your ghost," she answered sarcastically.

"Both of you, out of class and make sure you come to my table by break time for your punishment. Now, get lost," he barked.

The two girls walked out sluggishly with their friends looking at them pitifully.

Good for her.

*****

Remember I came late this morning. They'd already submitted the Maths assignment given to the whole ss1 and I didn't submit it.

It was break time. I begged Chioma to accompany me but she said she had notes to write, so I had to go alone. But she promised we would go out for a break together.

All science subject teachers usually stayed in any of the labs. Mr. Cobham, the Maths teacher, usually stayed in the Physics lab which was on the 1st floor in Block 4.

I marched up the stairs and greeted some students I came across on the stairs, most of them were my friends in other classes. I made friends really fast.

I walked past three labs before I finally reached the physics labs. The apparatuses were usually kept in the inner room of the lab; the storage room, so you can feel free instead of the jittery feeling you have when you're in the chemistry lab because of the reagents and some apparatus on the lab table.

I walked into the Physics lab and bumped into a tall figure.
I looked up and recognized the face.
It was the guy I bumped into this morning.

Was I created to always bump into this guy? Out of all the students in this school.

"You again," he muttered, "Do we have to keep bumping into each other? Are you stalking me?" He asked, eyeing me from head to toe.

Cocky much, I thought.

"Hey Mister Man, I didn't come to this school to stalk anyone. Who do you think you are anyway? A celebrity?"

"I'm the MVP of this school,"
he boasted.

"Oh, good for you. Excuse me." I tried to push him but he stood firmly.

"You can't push me, I'm way stronger than you." He smiled.

"I so want to slap that smile off your face."

He laughed. "I'd like to see you try."

I sighed trying to control my temper. "Move!"

"What are you two bickering about?" Mr. Cobham inquired. "Are you here to submit your note or make noise?"

So, the goat was here to submit too.

We walked to Mr. Cobham's table.
I was about to place my book on the table but the Iroko pushed my hand and placed his note on the table.

He looked at me with mockery and stuck out his tongue to me.

"Jerome, why haven't you been in school?" Mr. Cobham asked.

What did I just hear? Jerome?
So this guy is Jerome!

Jerome was busy looking at me.

"Jerome, is it not you I'm talking to? Because you've seen fine girl now, your mouth is sealed," Mr. Cobham joked.

Mr. Cobham had a good sense of humour, some maths teachers are usually strict and not funny at all, but he was different. He was usually free with us and joked like he was our mate. He wasn't married.

"No sir, my mouth cannot be sealed because of this specie."
This guy is so annoying.

Mr. Cobham laughed and marked our books. "You guys can continue your argument outside. I don't want noise. Jerome, remember we have a match against Golden stars next week, help me tell the guys in other departments."

"Okay, sir."

"You can go," he dismissed us and continued what he was doing when we came.

"Hey, shortie," Jerome called.

Am I short?
Maybe because he is too tall so everyone seems short to him.

"What happened?"

"Chill na, are we fighting?"

"Noo, we are playing chess," I answered with sarcasm.

"You're Jumoke, right? The new girl?"

How did he know?

"Yes? What happened? Who's looking for me?"

"I just asked a question. No harms. You're acting like those grumpy women selling pepper
Take a chill pill, girl. Anyways, welcome to our school, get used to me too, because you'll always see this cute face every day." That said, he strolled off.

He just called me pepper seller!!!
The nerve of that guy!
I will put the pepper inside his eyes.

I don't know why such a fine name is given to that cocky goat. It's too fine for him.