Dubem [A NIGERIAN STORY]

Chapter 9

««« Chapter 9 »»»

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-We tend to be that bad person to always press on to find endless faults, even worse, make someone feel worthless -Vyne.

“Let’s talk about all the times you've been ignoring my calls!” Vicky stood angrily from the cafeteria bench and strode towards the thrash bin.

“Do you think Imade really steal your book. I mean that's what everyone are saying.” Stephanie said.

Farian threw her hands to her mouth immediately. She struggled to hold the laughter, as her face tightened to no stop. It felt normal to me, quite used to the blunders from Stephanie.

“Stole not steal Steph, and there are certain times you use ‘are’. But not just for that sentence. ‘Everyone’ is a compound word. You use ‘is’ instead”, Victoria corrected sweetly.

“Hmmn, madam teacher. Are you sure you still want to be a lawyer?” Ope laughed and turned to Esther, hanging her hands in the air for an incoming high five.

“Do you still watch that show, ‘Fashion police’? It's so good!” Victoria asked me.

“Ah! I'm done with season one sef. I love that series like mad. The gate man's so fun-”

Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Which gate man. Are you sure you aren't watching back of TV?”

“Why aren't you eating?” Esther cut in.

“I thought I told you before. I don't eat my lunch when it's only short break!” I hissed at her.

“Hmmn.. aunty waiter, this one you're waiting like this. Sha don't kukuma be a waitress o. Instead of you to say you're fasting.”

I waved her off my my hands. “Stop acting foolishly Esther. If I were fasting, would I have had breakfast.”

“It takes a fool to know one!”

“Watch your mouth Esther. I never called you a fool. I only complemented your behaviour, it seems like you lack full knowledge of the English Language.”

“Your ‘compliment’”, Esther air-quoted the air. “...was really unnecessary and uncalled for. Am I a witch to know that you had breakfast this morning.”

“Alright guys, this matter is getting out of proportion.” Victoria tried to separate us with her hands.

“You know what,” Esther carried her drink under her arm and stood to her feet. “I’m out of here! Say whatever you want.” She raised her plate of rice to her chest, strolling all the way to the other table.

There were slight angry faces when I finally turned to meet my seatmates. “I know I didn't say anything wrong. It was her oo.”

“Oh my goodness. Look at her, she's sitting with her. After everything Ella did to you the other day at the assembly hall.”

“What are you talking about Steph.”

I trailed her gaze and turned to look above my shoulder, a tiny gasp escaping my lips. “Is she for real.” More than once I glimpsed the wooden chair across the room. She'd quite alright declared war, and enmity.

The bell rang.

“Let’s get going guys. We don't want our butts whipped.” Victoria said as she popped a mint into her mouth.

Soon enough, the hall monitors would stretch out to different areas within the school. It wasn't an exceptional fact. We'd all been familiar to and accepted each consequences that followed.

Anyone caught moving around without a specified reason, well, I couldn't think further. I had never been one to find my self in such situation, or imagine, not uptill now.

“Remember that time we faked our sickness.” I heard a voice whisper behind my desk.

But it sounded like that of a question. The speaker definitely, had asked, obviously that fully meant there was someone he was talking to. If the idea of my claim was wrong, I would have it belonged to a girl. But I was correct, it was.

We swapped seats. It was normal, more like an everyday course, one that had to be followed. Nobody dared complain about anything.

I gave my pen a gentle push with my right elbow, and watched eagerly as it made its way to the ground. “Oops.” I swiveled into action. I could see her face, it was Mary and Temi.

I had picked up the pen when I turned my head to see the disappointed face of Mrs Sanders, our homeroom teacher and the nasty looks of my classmate. Bittered kinds like Ella, seemed to have overdid theirs, hers appeared like that of a death glare.

“Very quiet, aren't we?” Mrs Sanders looked up from her square-framed lenses that sat at the bridge of her nose and turned back to the white board. “See me after class!”

Somehow I had found my self lost in one of those teacher-student conversations. Mrs Sanders was Ghanaian. A tall, dark lady. I could only guess she was somewhat in her late twenties.

But the people here mocked her. Names like Mrs Sandals. And her unattractive slightly gapped upper middle tooth which stuck out like that of a... monkey. That was the animal. It was a bit amusing, and insulting.  

“Dear what is so funny? Would you like to share?”

I comported my self immediately. “S-sorry ma.”

“Since you don't want to share then, I have an offering in mind for common scapegoats like you!”

“But ma, it was a mistake. Anyone could have dropped their pens too.” I tried to reason with her.

“Shut up and get back here,”she shouted at me. I should have thought better of backing off from Mrs Sanders. It was a foul movement. And had only triggered her annoyance towards me.

“You are running right? You'll meet me in Monday, prepare yourself just do you know. You will scrub the girls restroom.”

Only the heavens could vindicate me right then. I when I had thought that all this monkey business was over, she called me back to say.

“And report yourself to the principal's office. Tell him what you did.”

A/N: Is it had to loathe a character from your book, or would I rather sound heartless if I said Mrs Sanders is/was annoying. Oh and her character, completely unannounced.♥️

–Xoxo, Vyne.