FLOWERS IN SAHARA

' 🅃🅆🄾 '

Barely had Lolade sat down in the class when a tall, lanky man walked into the class holding a long cane. The noisy class went silent and the students shot up to their feet to greet him.

"Good morning sir" they all chorused as the man nodded and motioned for them to seat down.

Two boys appeared by the door and seeing the man in front of the class, the expression that spread across their faces made Lolade want to laugh but she knew better.

The man as well saw the two boys as soon as they had seen him. He grinned ad he used the long cane to motion to them to come inside the class.

"The two of you have made it a routine to always come late to school. And you still have the guts to come late to my class. Give me your hand" the man said as one of the boys walked towards him wearing an indifferent face and stretched out his hand.

The next 'whims' that came from the cane made most of the students in the class shrink back in fear while the boy at the receiving end dusted his hands nonchalantly before going to seat down.

The other boy had probably wet his hands as he gave a loud yell every single time the cane and his palms came into contact.

Lolade couldn't help flinching each time he yelled and she quickly turned her face from the sight.

"You always get lucky. You enter just before he comes" the girl seating down beside Lolade said and Lolade turned to her as she chuckled lightly.

The class started and after thirty-five minutes; the man left the class causing the class to enter another chaos of noise again.

"Thank God we reached before him" Nifemi said as she rubbed her forehead.

"Have you done your assignments?" She asked as she turned to Lolade who shook her head and brought out her note.

"I want to do it now" Lolade replied as the latter moved her chair towards her.

Alele Public School, Lagos was one of the biggest public schools in Lagos. A lot of students swarmed the school on a daily basis and even though the buildings looked like they would crumble to the floor anytime soon, they still hadn't crumbled ten years and counting.

The school was created for the people who couldn't afford the exorbitant fees other schools and private schools paid.

Lolade's stomach rumbled quietly as the latter rubbed her stomach with an helpless look on her face. She hadn't even remember to take her breakfast money from the money they had made that morning.

She had to wait till afternoon when they went back home before she could eat anything. As Lolade finished the assignment, her stomach rumbled again, this time a little bit louder causing Nifemi to turn to her.

"Go and buy something awey. Is it until everyone hears your stomach grumbling?" Nifemi asked as Lolade swallowed her saliva.

"I forgot to take the breakfast money" Lolade said as the other girls walked up to them.

"Let's go and buy breakfast" Aisha said with a yawn.

"There's a problem. In the rush, Lolade forgot the breakfast money" Nifemi replied as she yawned.

"Ha" Faith exclaimed as she sat on the chair rubbing her forehead.

"No problem nah. Its not today that we won't eat till afternoon" Moni added with a yawn.

Lolade's stomach grumbling brought all the girl's eyes turning towards her once more.

"You didn't eat yesterday night?" Aisha asked with a frown.