My mother dropped us off at school by herself that morning.
I got up early in the morning and prepared way too early. I did not want to go late to school or look odd. My school uniform was a white short sleeved collared shirt, with a black blazer, a gold and black tie and a gold and black blazer.
I remembered Tay's earlier obsession with golden slate academy when we were in primary school but she let the dream go; and realistically so too.
Tay was so happy and encouraged me to make the best of my opportunity.
"That's odd," Tope muttered under his breathe when mum said she would drop us off that morning. "I guess it's because you're around. She's eager to please you." Tope said with a slight nudge.
I snorted and shrugged.
"Let's get this over with as soon as possible."
"You're going to be fine little one!" He said with a tiny pinch on my face. I scoffed at him and he chuckled. Tiwa met us down the stairs and I noticed her skirt was really short. As usual she paid me no mind and focused on her brother.
She also made sure to give mum a kiss on her cheek after greeting her.
Dramatic much?
The car ride was quiet but I didn't care much as I blasted music from my headphones but made sure to be conscious of my environment until I got to the school.
•
I gripped my schedule in my hand.
"Should I come with you?" Tope asked but I shook my head and covered my uncertainty with a smile.
"No, don't worry, run off with your weird friends,"
I responded teasingly. Tope looked at me uncertainly, almost like he wanted to protest, but then he sighed.
"Alright, little one." He said and I eyed him warily.
"I'll be on a look out for you,"
I laughed at his statement and watched him walk off before I continued to grip my schedule. I was standing, confused in the schools ridiculously big car park– but not in the way that made it obvious.
It honestly met the elite school stereotype. Different colour of braids, expensive accessories, big cars that unemployed children had no business driving and how could I forget? The cliques!
"Excuse you, what are you doing here by this time? It's almost time for assembly, get going to your class!" The girl barked at me.
I eyed her warily. Not in the way I eyed Tope–with a smile on my face or with smiling eyes. I eyed her with an expression that made it obvious that I was far from impressed. The girl was a few inches taller than me, with three other girls standing behind her and it occurred to me that they were her minions– a clique!
The whole scene was giving, Barbie and her three Musketeers. Not cute at all.
The girl in question, had a tag on her shirt that read- Labour Prefect. She had long red nails, a nose ring, strip lashes and long blonde goddess braids. She didn't look intimidating, she looked arrogant and proud and problematic.
"Are you sizing me up right now?" The girl yelled but I stared at her square in the face with a blank expression on my face. I wanted her to know I was bored. Because I was.
"All these junior students these days, can't you see your senior is talking to you?" One of her little minions asked and I scoffed.
"Senior? What senior?" I asked.
The senior, chuckled and clapped her hands three times.
"Are you stupid or are you just playing dumb? You don't know that Bene here is your labour Prefect?" Yet another minion asked from behind her.
I gave them no response, I just wore my headphones and walked away from the scene.
A crowd had already gathered but I know more than enough about school drama; don't give them something to watch. There's no point.
I eventually found the administrative building where I was supposed to get my academic materials from and i went in.
The receptionist wasn't the most pleasant woman; she sized me up like I was at her favour and answered my questions begrudgingly.
"What did you say your name is again?" She asked me in utmost impatience.
"Chidalu Ireti." I responded dryly. I just wanted the day to end.
"Ireti keh?" She muttered under her breath. "Do you have relatives here?"
"Siblings." I said, my inexistent patience was running dry.
"You look nothing like them,"
To her obvious observation, I said nothing. I just stood and stared idly at the clock on the wall.
"Tiwa and Tope, am I correct?"
"Yes ma."
She said something under her breath that I didn't quite catch, and rightfully so because if it wasn't unnecessary she wouldn't say it under her breath.
She spoke into the intercom mic and sent for a
Ralia Bello. Afterwards, she brought out my academic material from an inner room in the office.
"Your locker is number 893, but don't worry, the head girl is coming to take you there." She said and I simply nodded. I don't like her very much.
The Ralia Bello walked into the office looking neat and very smart. A whiff of perfume followed her into the office and I admit it was a little too much.
Her clothes were well ironed and she wore the complete uniform– vest included. A square framed glasses sat on her face and she had lipgloss on. As she interacted with the arrogant receptionist, there was a smile on her face. She looked nice and pleasantly behaved but time shall tell.
"Hello, I'm Ralia and I'm here to take you on a tour around the school." Ralia said with her hands outstretched for a handshake.
I took her outreached hand and accepted the hand shake.
"I'm Chidalu, nice to meet you."
She smiled warmly and led me out of the office and led me to my locker. She told me what notebooks to take according to the timetable and advised me to take extra pens incase of "pick pockets," as she put it. When we were done there, she took me on a tour around the school.
We saw the labs, the fields, the courts, the halls, the classrooms, the school clubs and even places I was sure I would never have any business in. But I nodded politely at her attempt to get me acquainted with my environment. Finally, she led me to our class room which was SS3 science and showed me the empty seat at the back.
"You have a seat mate, but don't worry, she's a pleasant girl." Ralia said nicely, to cancel any doubt I had.
As I placed my bag down, Ralia still stood there watching me.
"Do I have a monster on my forehead or?" I trailed off and her lively laughter filled the classroom.
"No, it's nothing of such." She responded. "I just feel bad,"
"Bad for me?" I asked.
"Not in the way you're thinking," she quickly explained. "Our classmates are not the nicest people you know. They're prone to causing problems with new students."
It wasn't a new thing, even in the community school I attended at home, they did the most unbelievable things to new students. So I didn't feel threatened by what she said, I expected it.
"I'm ready for all of them, don't worry." I told her with a wink.
"Are you sure? I just want you to be careful."
She said and I nodded.
Why would I be scared of ajebutters and overpampared children? There's nothing they can do, I was certain. They would have so much to say of course but that's not new.
"Okay then, I hope you enjoyed my tour?" She asked, her vibrant smile back on her face where it belonged.
"Yes I did, thank you so much." I responded.
"You're welcome!" She responded.
Minutes later, other members of the class started coming into the class, possibly from the assembly and the whispers started. I put my headphones to the highest volume and blasted music with my head placed on my table.
Tope and one of his weird friends, Nedu sat Infront of I and my seat mate; a bubbly girl who was yapping to the both of them. It seemed like she was friendly to the both of them but I didn't care much.
Soon, first period rolled around the corner and it was time for physics. During the start of the class, the teacher asked me to introduce myself by telling them my name and something fun about me.
I stood up, maintaining the bored look I had on my face all morning.
"I'm Chidalu Ireti," I said loud and firm. "And I don't like drama," I added the last part unwaveringly just to make the last part clear. I took my seat and ignored the looks of my new classmates.
"You don't like drama, yet your adopted."
A razz looking guy muttered but I caught his words and also his look.
"Worry about me when you look less than someone that belongs in an asylum." I clapped back and my classmates gasped and some laughed at my savage response.
"Wasn't that too harsh?" My seat mate asked me quietly.
"Harsh?" I chuckled. "Did you hear what he said?"
I asked her.
"Well…"
"What, is he your boyfriend?" I asked teasingly.
Disgust dominated her soft facial features.
"No, God forbid." She responded and I chuckled.
"But it's best to ignore such snide comments, to avoid drama,"
"Sometimes too, you shouldn't act dumb. I love going band for band." I replied.
The girl shrugged and went back to writing her note from the board. We didn't talk much anymore after that and sat silently through all the classes.
It wasn't until break time rolled around that the girl beside me introduced herself as Mary.
It was a beffiting name, because she portrayed kindness and I accepted her as an acquaintance; not quite a friend. I don't trust these rich people.
She invited me to sit at her lunch table with her friends and I agreed. As we walked to the hall, I caught sight of Tiwa who stated at me with disdain.
"Living with Tiwa must be difficult," Mary commented.
"Well, she mostly ignores me but it's calm." I replied.
"Are you close to her brother?" Mary asked.
"Fortunately, yes," I responded.
We arrived at the lunchroom and she led me to her table. Two other girls already sat there and looked up when we got there. I don't think I'll ever get used to all the strange hair colours in this place.
"You guys, this is my seat mate Dalu." Mary introduced and I returned the waves of her friends whom she introduced as Hassanah and Uju.
I sat on the unoccupied chair beside Hassanah and ate my plate of jollof rice slowly– a bit suspiciously too. I missed Mumsi's food in that moment.As we were eating and chatting, I noticed the Musketeers from earlier slowly approaching our table. I wondered if she was here for confrontation or to cause trouble but I was in no mood to make enemies so I didn't think much of it and returned to listening to their discussions.
Until I felt something wet dropping from my head.
I sat in shock as I turned around and met the face of the barbie from earlier.
"Here's your little welcome present, bitch."
She said with a small smirk.
I looked at her channel designer bag and suddenly all the bells in my head began to ring.
By now the whole school was watching to see my reaction.
"I didn't even do anything to get you offended. Projecting your self hate on me isn't really necessary." I told her angrily but I kept my tone even.
"Abeg, spare me that stupid talk. A charity case like you had no business in our school. Don't expect me to be nice to you, I'm not doing community service." She replied and that was when I lost it.
In the speed of light, I picked my bottle of opened fanta on the table and poured it right on her full face of make up. She stood in shock as I emptied the bottle on her face. Her make up melted and she gasped in horror as he saw the orange map on her white shirt.
"How dare you?" One of her minions asked and attempted to attack me with her claws but I pushed her so hard that she went tumbling down, her butt hitting the ground.
"Don't even mistake me for your little victims that you can bully and throw around anyhow. I will break you," I warned her before I took my things and left the lunchroom.
What a way to start my monday.