I Did Not Want To Fall For You

21: First place

Kamsi sat on the grass with the rest of the athletes, shaking her legs. She was a nervous mess. It was almost time for the 4 by 4 senior girls' race. It was three days after valentine, a Wednesday, the first day of heat. The heat would go on for two more days. The inter-house sports day was coming up in a week, a Wednesday; also the day they were vacating for the second term's midterm break.
Cheers and chants of students filled the school stadium. The seven houses each had their stand and everyone was decked in their house sportswear. A canopy was set at the marking for the end of the track where the officiating teachers sat to record the wins.
"Idanre comes first! " The sports commentator bellowed as the Idanre students decked in their greenhouse wear cheered. It was the junior boys' 4 by 100m race.
"Gangi follows, Sankwala, third!" The commentator continued.
She watched with nervous anticipation, her race was next. She was taking the last leg so she didn't follow when those who were taking the first leg stood up.
"It is now time for the 4 by 4 senior girls race." Cheers followed the announcement while the tempo of her shaking legs increased. She watched as the girls who were to run the first leg for each of the houses were arranged on the track. Tomisin in ss2 was their house's first leg. They were to run round the track once.
"Kamsi!"
She looked up to see Sarah, Toyosi, Kehinde B, and Tobi(her bunkie) waving at her, all smiling. She waved back.
"We're hailing you oo. Run Wella!" Tobi shouted.
"But make way for my house to pass!" Toyosi shouted too and they laughed, she chuckling. They gave her one last wave before running off before the game master could get to them. Caleb had hugged her that morning. He was becoming more open around her and he was acting like they were actual couples. He had given her a charm bracelet and a matching ring, a pack of heart chocolates, and a headset for her valentines gift. When she had asked him how he knew she wanted a headset, he only said he had his ways. She had given him a wristwatch, a late birthday card (since his birthday had been a week before they proclaimed house couples), a valentine rose flower, a boys chain, and a bold peck on his cheek(classic her), she wanted to see what it felt like.
She had received a lot of hugs and goodwill messages, all except Kaito and Nonso. They had been too busy since they were the labor prefects ensuring the school was clean and things were in order because of the occasional outsiders that stopped by to witness the heat. The four labor Prefect and two games Prefect had been on the beck and call of the V.ps, labor master, and games master.
"On your mark! " The girls bent down, baton in hand.
"Set!" Kamsi hugged her legs.
The whistle sounded and the girls sped off, the cheers of students resounding through the whole stadium. The girls for the second leg had taken their spot on the track already.
Through her side vision, she spotted Kaito coming towards her but then he stopped. She looked at him, the games master was telling him something angrily and he stood, impatiently tapping his legs, shooting glances in her direction. Gangi was in the 4th position. She watched. She watched him run his hand through his hair frustratingly and then his eyes met hers. He gave a small smile and a thumbs up before he jogged away.
He had been walking on eggshells around her since the valentine's party incident. It was funny and it was sweet but she wanted him to be his normal self, not formal or too careful, just him without the slipping hands.
She looked back at the tracks just as Kumari's first leg in the position handed the baton over to the second leg. Gangi was still in 4th position, the girls for the 3rd leg took their position, and her heartbeat increased as she stood with the rest. She glanced at Danielle who was doing quick stretches, she was representing her house Kumari.
By the third leg, Gangi was now in the third position. She blew out a breath as she stood on the tracks, the 3rd lane. She raised her head as she heard the new song Gangi was singing.
"Our queen is running oo eh ah eh, our queen is running oo eh ah."
She smiled, chuckling slightly. She could see Tobi, Ejiro, and a few others jumping up and down. She looked back as the runners got closer, the commentator barking whatsoever into the mic. She watched anticipating as they got closer... and closer... Danielle was the first to get her baton and speed off. She moved backward slightly as princess stretched it out and she zoomed off, not pushing her limits since the last legs were to go round the field twice but going fast enough to keep her third position and get closer to Sankwala runner in second position.
Blood pounded in her ears as she fought with the wind, her determination increasing with each step. She was getting closer to their starting point and she was getting closer to the Sankwala runner, a girl she didn't know; she was probably in Ss2. She passed her as they began the second lap and she increased her speed, chants of Kamsiyonna filling the air. Danielle had given her quite the distance and she was definitely using those long legs of hers.
She could do it, she chanted in her head, she just had to push harder, she just had to run faster. The distance between them was diminishing slowly; Danielle wasn't giving up. They turned the corner, the finishing line 100 metres away. She could do it, she could do it, a little bit, a little bit... Danielle stumbled. Yes, she thought, pushing faster but Danielle quickly regained her pace. A little more speed... a little bit more... she could make it... she could make it and she did make it... with the silver medal.
★
Kamsi sat in her class, her head on her back sittie's locker, her eyes shut. Sarah, Toyosi and Tobi with few other classmates were chatting around her but she paid no attention. She was tired.
Kehinde's B wasn't with them. She noticed she was drifting apart again, just like in Ss1. She was back with Taiwo and his friends and she was slowly cutting off ties with her rebound friends.
The heat had finished an hour ago, to continue the next day. She ran only one race that day, the 4 by 4 senior girls race. She was to run another the following day but she wasn't sure if she was to run on the last day.
She was hailed a lot, carried around. After the winners were registered, her house mistress hugged her and then she was pulled into a crowd. Glucose was poured on her head and into her mouth in excess; hugs and claps on the back came from different angles. Tobi and Ejiro carried her and set her on a seat in front of the house's stand and the next minute, the usuals, bubble gum, orange juice in hand and free fanning from a friend. That was what she and other athletes enjoyed after each race; excessive pampering.
Someone told her to look back then and she did, seeing Caleb's thumbs up and sweet smile. Kaito and Nonso came next with Nonso promising to make their absence up to her by sponsoring her snacks that day and Kaito asking her how she felt. She felt happy, self conscious with the excessive attention and loved because of the friends that surrounded her but she acknowledged the glance she shot Danielle and the winning house that Kaito belonged to and she knew she wanted that first place. She told him she was fine.
"We come bringing gifts! The two wise men!" A familiar voice bellowed causing her to open her eyes. She sat up as she saw Nonso and Kaito in front of her, Nonso dropping goodies on her locker. She quickly took away the drawing Daniel gave to her before it could get damaged. It was a side view sketch of a female athlete on track. It was beautiful. Times like this, she wondered what Daniel was doing in the Science department. Kaito dragged an empty seat and sat in front of Sarah's locker.
"Praise the Lord!" Toyosi shouted, on her feet, her right hand raised high in the air as if in prayer, her eyes shut.
"What is it this time, Toyo?" Nonso queried with a dramatic roll of his eyes.
"You kept your promise. Everyone was expecting you not to." She and Kaito explained with a shared laugh.
"Praise the Lord!" Toyo shouted again, still in the same position.
Nonso chuckled, shaking his head as he brought down Toyo's hand, "I'm really hurt." He said.
"Aaah, Nonso," Toyosi cried, sitting back down, "I can see the wonders of the Lord in your life. This is a miracle!" Everyone laughed again.
"Hope dis tin go reach us wey dey here?" Kingsley, one of her classmates asked.
"I no know, maybe ant bite," Nonso answered but threw a pack of biscuit his way.
Kaito was staring at her, making her quite uncomfortable. She gazed back at him with a questioning brow. He shook his head, smiling.
"Don't worry. You'll be first tomorrow," He said and she smiled.
Yeah, she still had another chance to come first.