A Silver Lining (#Wattys2018)

Chapter 5|a maple leaf

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"There is a special connection and a connection you believe to be special.
One is undeniable and the other will have you living in denial"

This chapter is dedicated to ProjectCultivate

Song: Flashlight by Jessie j

                      • • • •

Today is Friday. The last day of school's week and day, wherein we stay in school, in the shortest time possible. On Fridays we usually, have four periods in contrast to the normal eight, or nine (lesson period).

This morning, we have Maths for first period, Government for second period. Later, we'd go on to have, Music and Christian religious studies/ Islamic religious studies.

Any moment from now, Our maths teacher, would enter the class, a harmless smile on his face. Mr Obong, our excellent maths teacher, always with a harmless smile has a short body build. He had, a knack for witty remarks, one thing I admired about him, was his passion for the subject, he taught.

Its not everyday or every time,  we meet teachers who are passionate about their jobs. Or teachers, who are not trying to transfer their frustration or anger at you.

Mr obong, walked in, and as mandatory, we stood and chorused our standard greeting to him. "Good morning, sir".

Mr obong, couldn't be more than twenty seven, he was carefree, had a preset smile and could make you shit in your pants with laughter. If there was anything undeniable, about him, was his tight or rigid marking scheme and unmistakable dislike for noise.

On the board, he wrote, Logarithms. We have been treating this topic since last week. Am guessing, that there is no end to it.

He turned, and faced the class, with his permanent smile etched on his face. This man is an artist, and his passion is mathematics.

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After first period math, ended with bulks of assignment, we had government and finally break.

I didn't want to go outside, to buy anything, but I was hungry and Jessie stated a massive no, before I uttered my request.

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We just got back from the school canteen, I was gingerly licking my ice-cream, which was just a side attraction, my real lunch and the reason I begrudgingly came out side was secured inside a black polythene, two donut and an iced kunu.

Jessie, bought something along the line of jollof rice, which I could bet, had stone in it and a can of coke, she usually purchased Zobo.

We were climbing the stairs, since our class was located on the second floor of the building. We reached, the infamous 'c-bend'.  There was nothing special about it, it was an small space or corner, you definitely cannot miss, when you are about to descend the stairs or when you finish climbing the stairs.

I did not really like this feature, near our class. Because most of boys in senior secondary sat here. Especially, the boys in our class, since it is very close to our class.

Boys will always be boys. With their eyes, that can barely miss a thing, and a mouth that they can barely control.  They either talking about how one girls butt jiggles in relation to another, or how one girls bust is wider than another. Just name it. And they will talk.

And if I said I didn't hate, the way, some boys spoke crassly, i'd be a horrible liar. A horrible liar. 

At times I wondered, how is it not possible for Jessie to just ignore people and not greet. We were at the 'c-bend' she was hailing almost everybody throwing light punches at the boys, who did not reply with enough enthusiasm.

I shook my head, Jessie and her gang. Jessie and her boys. Some of them, were staring at me, others were blatantly condemning me, if you ask what my offense is?
I didnt greet them, no scratch that I wasn't radiating a quarter of the energy Jessie was using in talking to them.

I couldn't bother myself with them, people would always have something to say.  If you do something, they will talk.  If you don't, they will still talk. The best option is to ignore them and do your own thing.

We soon left them, and entered our class. As I swallowed, a bite of my donut, I turned to Jessie who was shamelessly devouring her jollof rice with the passion of a hungry cow.

"I know, you did that, just to annoy me".

She stopped eating, and took a long swig at her can of coke, she was going to give me a reply, before she started laughing.
"Mide, I swear I could not help it, you should have seen your face, when I stopped to greet every single one of them. And your reaction, to whatever nonsense Ahmed was saying about energy". 

"I honestly, don't know why I still wait for you, when you start your mindless greetings".

She grinned at me, and resumed her action on her food. I did the same.

Sidelines

Hello there,

What's your view on mathematics, Yay or nay?

Kunu, is a local drink, here in Nigeria made with a variation of either tiger nut or millet, with other ingredients like ginger, etc. It is grinded into a watery mixture, it is then sieved, and poured into container.

Zobo, is like kunu, is a watery mixture, but not grinded. It is made by boiling hibiscus leaf with other ingredients.

The above drinks, is best served chilled. 😉😊       

If you have tasted, any one of the two or both, which one do you like the most?  

Jessie: hit the vote button, if you think, food is bae!!!!

Thank you!