NOSTALGIA

Big Time

On my first day in secondary school I was taken to JSS 1C. I saw many students in new uniforms. My school's uniform is grey and white with a matching tie of any colour. My class had three rows. The girls were occupying two rows while the boys occupied one.
Damn! The girls were more beautiful than the ones in Bright although my eyes searched for Aliyah's equivalent but they could not spot any. I found my seat at the middle near a boy.
"Wasap mehn my name is Zaid Labdo". The boy said.
"I am. Muhammad Kabir, but you can call me MK." I said when we shook hands. Zaid is a fair complexioned person, I believe that was the reason we used to call him Yalo. He had an average height. He was smart and intelligent. Zaid had a way of tricking and convincing people. If the paradise can be earned through rhetoric, I have no doubts he can talk his ticket into it.
We were interrupted by a fat teacher who just entered the class.
He started speaking, "My name is Mansur Muhammad Aminu. I'll be taking you Hausa and I am your form master. Am I understood!?"
"Yes Uncle!" We all shouted.
"This is secondary school, here you say Sir or Ma'am. We're going to cure the primary disease in all of you. We're going to select a class captain now. If you think you have the ability you should come forward."
The girls chose Hauwa Umar, a smart looking girl while we chose Mustapha Bashir whom I was told was the first person to be brought to the class. Mustapha and Hauwa stood up and Mallam Mansur asked them questions on current affairs. At the end Mustapha won and he was made the class captain while Hauwa was made his assistant.

During first break, I was walking to the canteen and wondering whether again I might find a crush among the girls when my eyes glanced at a sunflower. She and her father were coming out of the principal's office and the new uniform looked so good on her, unlike how it was looking on other girls or perhaps my eyes couldn't just appreciate how it looked on them, hers was shining and well ironed. We made eye contact, I felt an electric current rushing all over me. My breathing became uneven. My heartbeat became rapid I was afraid someone may notice. I felt this may indeed be love at it's purest first sight. If it wasn't what else could it be?
In the canteen I was eating but my mind was not on the food. My appetite is almost over taken by the thought of the sunflower. I couldn't believe my eyes when I returned to class and found her there. When I told Zaid what happened he laughed and told me he would figure out a way for me to reach her. That was my first day in secondary school.

After a while, we became familiar with each other in the class. The sitting pattern changed. We learned everyone's name when the social studies teacher first came to the class. He made everyone introduced themselves to the class formerly. I was particularly attentive when my crush sunflower stood to introduce herself.
"My name is Amina, I came here from Queens Nursery and Primary School." She said and resumed her seat.
Zaid came up with the idea that we should meet Mustapha the class captain and ask him to please assign me and Amina the same day on the sweeping roaster. Mustapha agreed to do so under one condition, that Zaid should abandon his advances towards Amirah because he was crushing on her. The deal was made and Thursdays were fixed for me and Amina.

On Thursday after school hours, we stayed behind to sweep the class.
"Here is a broom." I handed it to her.
"I hate sweeping..."
"Me too." I replied.
"But we have no choice," she started sweeping her portion, "if we don't do it that Mallam Mansur will come to the class tomorrow and make our lives miserable."
"Yeah, let's just do it and go home."
We swept the class and after we finished we came out of the school. I saw Zaid and other boys climbing the mango tree. I went to him and said
"Hey bro, please give me two mangoes, let me try and make her happy."
"Maye, how much will you give me?"
"Here's twenty bucks from my transport, gimme the mangoes idiot!"
He gave me the mangoes. I started running towards her.
"Hey!" I called.
"Oh it's you again." She said when she turned.
"Yeah it's me," I smiled, "I have some mangoes for you."
"Wow! As if you knew I like mangoes. Thank you."
"You are welcome. I didn't know you also trek to the junction before getting a ride."
"Yeah I sometimes trek to the junction."
"That's nice." I said feeling happy.
When we reached the junction, she got a cab and I waited for a bus. My money was not enough because of the twenty naira I gave to Zaid so I sat on the engine. That day I was happy when I reached home. I spent hours ironing my uniform that night so I will look charming the next day in school. In the morning I sneaked to mum's room and sprayed her perfumes and went to school.

My happiest days became Thursdays because of the time I have alone with Amina. I am always going to Musty for one or two favours to better my relationship with Amina, Musty never got tired of me because he always got some amount out off me.
"Guy I want to change duty days in the sweeping roaster and I will not put you on the same day with Amina." He'd said some days when we aren't on good terms.
"Haba mana, please don't do it!"
"Okay if you don't want me to do it then you should give me twenty naira."
I'd give him the money.
After a while he'd come to me again with another demand. The last time it happened was when he came to me and said,
"Mehn if you don't want me to change the sweeping roaster you should me gimme 30 naira."
"But that's too much! How do you want me to go home?"
"That is not my concern." He said and went off. Musty is a person with principles, although sometimes those principles are annoying. He is loyal and unpredictable.
I told Zaid what happened and he said, "I know how to deal with him, don't worry. Just tell him you'll ask Amirah out."
Mustapha was crushing on Amirah but he couldn't tell her. When I told him that I am going to ask to Amirah out, he dragged me to one angle and pleaded.
"I'll not change anything. Just don't go near Amirah please." That was how I silenced him.

One Thursday after school I collected some mangoes from Zaid on credit and gave them to Amina. In the morning Zaid came and asked me his money and I said,
"I'll not pay!"
"You'll not pay?"
"Yes I will not!"
"Okay no problem."
I thought it was over. He's the kind of person who doesn't get mad even when he's supposed to.
The next day I came to school and when I entered the class, everyone was looking at me. I was curious to know why. When I looked at Amina and smiled, she didn't smile back as she used to and that meant I am in deep mess.
"What happened gaye?" I asked Zaid.
"I went to Amina and told her you sent me to tell her that you love her. You don't mess with me." He said with a mischievous laughter. I was screwed. I sat down not knowing what to do next.
That week I didn't talk with Amina because I was shy and afraid of what she'd say. During weekend I made up my mind to meet her on Monday and see if I can explain everything to her.
On Monday I went to her during break.
"Amina,I.. I... I've..ve b b been llllonging to... to talk to you." I said. That was the first time I stuttered in my life.
"Longing to talk to me about how you said you love me and then ignored me?"
"I'm sorry..." That was all I could say. I planned the speech I'd give her in my mind but I ended saying "I'm sorry" Damn!
She didn't say anything, she just turned and started heading to the canteen. I sat down in the canteen, I didn't buy anything. Surprisingly, she appeared in front of me with two meat pies and two drinks. We returned to the class together. I believe that was not what Zaid and the rest of the class expected.
We became so intimate. I did many childish things just to impress her. Sometimes I'd beat up some boys in front of her.

At the end of the session results were out and I was promoted to JSS two. Only two students repeated in our class, Sani and Maryam.

Thank you for reading!
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