Just do it √

Four

The classrooms were really nice compared to what they had at my former school. The white board was written on with a pen and wiped with a sophisticated box. At my former school we made dusters out of old clothes or wiped the board with independent leaves.

There had air conditioners and I finally saw the need for the coat which was a part of the uniform. I and Abike's seat was somewhere in the middle of the class while Henrietta's was at the front. No one would have noticed there was a new person in class if Hen didn't make her way to my seat every two minutes.

We were to be taught psychology that morning. The teacher walked in, a man in his mid thirties.

'Hello Young Minds!' He hailed, announcing his presence.
'Good morning sir'. The class chorused.
'Getting comfortable in senior secondary, huh?'
'Yes sir!'
'Good. Glad to be your first teacher. We'll begin the session with a topic I particularly love'.

He turned and wrote SELF ESTEEM on the board.
He appeared to love his job and carried the whole class along  making illustrations as he taught. He asked someone a question, some moments had passed and the student was yet to give a response.

'Marcel?' He said calmly. I followed his eyes to the back of the room and the entire class seemed to do same. It was the boy that bumped into me the previous day.
'Yes sir?' He said with a relaxed expression but I could tell he hadn't been concentrating in class.

'Can you share with us some factors you think impair people's esteem?' He looked at the board then stood up confidently.
'Background, peer group influence, appearance and upbringing'.
'Upbringing in what sense?' The teacher pressed further.
'If a child grows up in an environment where he is constantly told that he is worthless, ugly and useless, he will eventually come to believe it. I guess that reduces self-esteem'.

'Thank you, Marcel'. Mr Dominic sat. Marcel sat down and our eyes met, he looked unfazed initially but looked away after some seconds.

Immediately the bell went indicating the snack break, Marcel dashed out of the class followed closely by Henrietta. I saw him drag her down the hall. Abike didn't tell me they were friendly. I still felt bad for making reference to his mom earlier, though he seemed unaffected it didn't do much to help my conscience.

I rushed to the principal's office to complete my clearance but the door was locked so I headed for the canteen. I walked in and Marcel's group was the first one I noticed because they were the loudest in the room. I scrutinized the place searching for Abike but a hand waving furiously got my attention, it was Henrietta. I walked over to them, Hen showed me where to get my snack but I was in no mood for it.

She was looking over at where Marcel was seated and I initially thought she was looking at him but she was looking at the guy next to him. He was well built like Marcel, light skinned and his hair was brown at the tips. I had seen him in class too.

'Who is he?' I asked making her face me.
'Who is who?' She asked.
'The guy you are staring at'.
'That should be Christopher Lawal. Hen has had a crush on him since class one'. Abike said without even lifting her eyes from her plate. Henrietta blushed and my eyes flew back to that table when I heard a scream and glass shattering.

'Are you blind?' marcel growled at the kid before him who was visibly shaking.
'I'm so sorry'. The kid said and tried to wipe Marcel's shirt where he had spilled yoghurt.
'Get your epileptic hand off me. You should fix your contacts properly first'. He said and our eyes met. Something like I dare say, guilt flashed through his eyes before he got up and walked out of the canteen with his friends.

That night, Abike sat across from me at the reading table in our room. Henrietta wasn't in yet.

'Abike?' I said gently. She slowly lifted her eyes from the novel she was reading to look at me.
'The guy I bumped into yesterday, Marcel, can you tell me more about him?' I said, keeping my voice low.
'Yeah, sure. He is just one big jerk, so full of himself, bullies students, even the teachers are silently scared of him'. She said flatly.