Teenage Tendency

Chapter Three

We were walking to the school compound from the cafeteria. I was quiet while my friends chatted with each other.

Amaka had acted like nothing happened last night when she woke up today, and it surprised me, making me wonder how many times she's done it under my nose.

We had a mathematics test that I didn't read for, but I'll wing it. Math comes very easily to me. 

When we crossed the school threshold, I saw Cynthia, and she waved at me. I waved back, and she turned back to her group of friends.

Her friends had smaller busts than her, and they seemed innocent looking in the sense that they wouldn't be as bold as Cynthia. Still, her talent wasn't written on her forehead or in her demeanor. She was smiling and clapping while bouncing on the balls of her feet like a normal teenager.

Has she always been this happy?
 
“It's been so long since she smiled like that.” Amaka's voice was low as she spoke into my ears.

“Was she sad before?” I asked.

Amaka looked at me and said,
“Figure that one out yourself.”

She left my side and walked with Miriam. We weren't late for assembly like we usually would.

Normally, I will stall the group until the last minute, but this time, the euphoria I might have felt with a stunt like that vanquished in the face of another stronger adversary.

The line for senior secondary school 2 (SS2) stretched from the stage to the end of the hall.

Among the senior classes, senior 2 has the longest line in the assembly because they usually accept students from other schools. Compared to them, senior 1 students were drilled hard in all subjects, thereby chasing direct entry students, and senior 3 has the West African External Examination Council (WAEC) to write, and our school is too chaste to condone examination malpractice.

The principal, Mrs. Stanley Eze, stood in her immaculate clothes, fitted sandals, little make-up, and less jewelry. She was smiling widely at the students as she led the prayers.

It must be an important announcement.

I was right. After the prayers, she started by praising our school's excellence, boasting about our school being one of the best Catholic schools around the area, which is exaggerating because we are the only Catholic school in the area and the other schools are public schools that exclude boarding from their curriculum.

She then started talking about an upcoming chemistry competition. I sighed and turned my attention to the window.

A bird stood at the threshold, pecking its beak on the window frame, and I could have sworn I heard the sound. It kept on pecking the window frame, and I can imagine her getting bored of her playmates at her nest-like school. They would be doing the same thing every day, like me, and she just couldn't stand their chattering.

Her beak noisily pecking a random window frame must be her coping mechanism.

“Hey!” Someone tapped me on the shoulder.

Lillian stared at me and I said,
“What is it?”
 
“Are you entering?” she asked.

“Entering what?”
 
“The competition. First position gets 200 000 naira.”