Panthers

Chapter One

   "whip whip smash" and the cockroach was dead. One more round should completely  destroy this thing. "Whip smash smash". Good job. It now lay on it's back, dead. I had successfully detached it's head and wings, leaving it with it's legs hanging in the air.
    I dislike late baths. Yes, because of of cockroaches and no, I'm not afraid of them, they disgust me. Something most people won't understand. I'm not blessed with a strong sense of smell but the smell of roaches? I'd pick up the smell from eight feet away. Remember what I said. Not fear,disgust.

I had washed the bathroom sparkling clean two days ago, so I wonder where it came from. I was prompted to wash it after I saw one that morning, hoping to prevent any possible occurrences. Yesterday was tiring and I was just looking forward to a cool night bath but the cockroach I saw hiding behind the protector of the bathroom window made me change my mind.
    Today, I did an inspection before taking my bath. Little did I know that the disgusting thing was craftily hidden. However, I saw it and I killed it, no, destroyed it.

   Mom, Jennifer and I moved here last week. The past few days have been stressful; arranging the furnitures and cleaning up the house. It wasn't the kind of apartment I imagined when mum said "I've seen a house". Nevertheless, it's not too bad and I'm a pro when it comes to adjusting to a  new environment. After relocating about thrice,or almost five times,you should expect that.

   I attended three primary schools when I was younger. My older brother, Abel was however lucky to have completed his primary education in one school.The movement was due to the nature of mom's job. I had my junior secondary education at a mixed school in Onitsha. Then we moved to Lagos, there I did SS1 at a girls' school. Both Jennifer and I were placed in the boarding house.
  
    The hostel was mahhd  like who told you girl schools are dry? We didn't have any trouble blending in because everybody loves to befriend the pretty new girl and my sister, well is tomboyish and social. For me, moving here and there, making and leaving friends got me reserved. The hostel was relaxing,sometimes. We were all girls and we wouldn't have to be discreet all the time. We basically live together,so we're like sisters-one big family.
   Although,there were pros and cons. The early morning wake-up bells, inadequate pieces of yam on Thursday mornings, occasional torch-theft at night, unending errands by demanding seniors,mass punishments,speedy rate of provision exhaustion,bestie dramas, contraband sneaking...it was fun sha. One year in Lagos and here I am in Asaba,I'm not sure for how long.

   I took off my slippers and walked into our room. I share a room with Jennifer. I applied powder on my armpits,back, tummy,neck and face,then I changed into a nightie in front of the wardrobe. Afterwards,I hung my towel on the door. I stood in front of my bed and spread out my arms, like a bird ready to fly. Slowly,I lifted my feet from the ground, allowing myself to fall onto the bed.
   Jenny removed her eyes from her phone and only glanced at me for a second, before fixating her eyes on her phone screen again.
This girl and her phone... Somebody has to do something

"Just now you entered the room and you're already dressed"
"Of course,I'm the flash"
I replied and she spread her lips into a small smile.

She was in grey pyjamas, lying on her stomach,her chin supported with a pillow,pressing her phone. Tapping and swiping rather, considering it's an Android.
" I thought you didn't like bathing at night" she said.
" I don't like bathing at night,in that bathroom"
"That's  what I said. Abi you want to bathe in the kitchen?" She retorted.
"There's  heat" I mumbled.
I sat up in my bed, facing her.

"Has mummy said the school we're going to attend?"
"She hasn't mentioned anything to me"
" What if it's another girls school?"
" Or, another mixed school" she suggested.
" I don't know oh" I said, falling back onto my bed.
" Either ways, there's no problem". She added and finally turned off her phone.
"Goodnight sis" She yawned.
"Goodnight".

   I turned on my side and thought to myself. If it was another girls school:no problem, nothing new. What if it was another mixed school:no problem right?. I've attended a mixed school before and it's not a big deal. Boys are just boys,humans like you and I. No big deal, everything would still be the same.
   Wait, what if the boys there are
Perverts?.I mean a girls school is liberating like "there's no boy here". Okay, that's bullocks. Primary school and JSS there's were boys there so it's nothing new,normal thing.

   My thoughts leapt back to Lagos and the friends I left there. Friends I made in a year then left behind .Kendra,Benedicta,Jolade,Faith and Faustina. They weren't so glad when I told them about it. I remember the expression Jolade wore on her face,she wanted to cry.
   I don't feel like making new friends here or socialising in general. I just want to go to school,get good grades, mind my business and finish school. Slowly,I could feel consciousness elude me,I was falling asleep.
One...two... three seconds and black out.
I wasn't ready to sleep yet and I guess my subconscious was aware of that because after a short while,my eyes popped open again. I reached out to my phone and turned my data on. I logged into Facebook but it was taking too long to respond so closed it and went on Wattpad. I was reading a book about a girl who moved away from her home to a far place. Our situations we're nothing alike though, because mine is much more fortunate.

   A notification popped on my screen from the blue app. I closed Wattpad to check out the notification. It turned out to be useless. Someone made a stupid post in a group I was a part of. I checked my chats and I had three messages. One from Kendra, another from Faith,then a random fellow.
   I checked Kendra's first.
>>Watsup how's the house!😉
I instantly replied, even though she was offline.
<<I'm gud and the house's ok
     How you doin??

I hadn't felt like or even had the time to come online since we moved. Faith message was"When will you resume?"
I didn't open it, left it unread.
I didn't tell her about the movement so what was i supposed to say?.How about "Never".
   I quickly turned off my active status, now I'm on ghost mode. I contemplated waiting for Kendra to come online but that's a probability. Besides,I need the energy for tomorrow. Tossing my phone aside, I got down from my bed,to lay it again. Then I jumped back and adjusted my pillow. Staring at the sky through the window, I fell asleep.