Finally it was Monday. Godwin came to school hopefully. Almost all the students were in school. There was nothing left to do. School was already clean and normal. He was in school earlier than usual. Before the assembly bell rang he was at the gate looking forward to see Lovett, but he couldn’t. It was few minutes to assemble she showed up.
They were happy to see each other but they tried not to make big show of it because school was not safe for such act. At the assembly they stood on separate lines but not far from each other. They could see themselves and communicate. They could not relent eyeing each other and turn away with pleasant grins. They were eager to meet and talk after the assembly.
“Good morning students” The principal greeted. The entire students replied as should. “Happy new year!”
“Same to you, sir” the crowd chorused.
“Thank you. I hope you all enjoyed your holidays?”
“Yes, we did”
“I hope some of you didn’t go burning people’s dwellings with the aim of hunting for games? Or go to steal from peoples farm?”
“Not at all”
“Will you agree if you have done that? Anyway, you are welcome. I’m happy to see your faces again. You really look good. The holidays doubtlessly did you well. I hope you brought some of the goodies for me? I will be expecting it any moment after here.
But there’s something I must sternly caution and bemoan about. It’s no other thing but your habit of not resuming on time. You resume the second week. Why not resume the first week? What’s stopping you? Because you try avoiding work, yes that’s what you run from, no other thing. You tell people that there will be no teaching on the first week. Will there be teachings when the environment is unconducive? If you don’t come to tidy up the school, who then will? You expect me to do it myself?
Look let me tell you, you are the ones holding us not to commence lessons even on the first day of resumption. If you all come and cooperatively finish up on time we will start whatever we have to do. But seeing rather two people in school is not encouraging. It weakens teachers if they start a topic with those around later when the rest resumes they will be compelled to go back from the start so as to carry everyone along. Please try so that next term doesn’t go like this.
And as you have resumed this term, I believe you didn’t come with your old behaviors. Do things you know is right. Follow instructions, respect your superiors, don’t cause commotion in any way. There should be no bullying and no form of cultism because children of God doesn’t do such things unless you know you are an enemy to God, which I strongly believe you are not. So try refrain from any kind of evil. When you go to your class you stay quiet and wait for your teachers. No noise, no distractions, behave yourselves so that outsiders will not condemn our school for your sake, and you know that those coming will follow your lead depending how you do.
The issue of coming late, I want it to stop. We will be locking this gate by 7:20am whoever comes after that time will go back. No school for you that day. And I will warm the gateman not to listen to any complaint from anyone. So try wake up, let’s make things better this term. Some people have been the reason this has gone bad and some persons are the reason things school is getting better. They have brought better ideas and systems to making things stand. I will not mention anyone’s name but I’m saying thank you. As you comply with us you shall get all you seek. Wish you happy new beginning”
The assembly took long not because Godwin was time conscious buy due to the fact that many teachers spoke. Everyone of those teachers said their minds. But after all was said and done, the students matched to their classes singing loudly.
“Hey guys, happy new year” Godwin greeted his mates passes close to. He shook all except Solomon. Since the incidence concerning Lovett they became enemies. They don’t talk or go same path so even if he had stretched for a handshake Solomon wouldn’t have complied.
Solomon resumed with his attitude of showing off, making people see him especially teachers. He likes going close to some teachers to get their attention. But it doesn’t always go well with him. Most at times he fall victim of one thing or the other on the process. Teachers doesn’t really like having him close apart from Mr. Stones.
The beginning of the day was very kicking and was certainly going to end same way. Godwin met his friends and they spent time together. They shared their Christmas experience.
“Why did you not resume last week Monday?” Godwin asked Lovett. They were finally together.
“Were you in school?” She asked doubtfully.
“Yes, I came to school on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday”
“You did not come on Wednesday, I was in school on Wednesday. I was really disappointed when I could not see you. School was very boring and depressing. so I decided not to come again till Monday”
“You can imagine how bad it feels for me to be here three times without seeing you. I felt really bad. Whoever sees me would know I was in distress. Missing you can be worse than fever. I wonder how people feel when they break up with their partners”
“Some feelings I don’t want to experience”
“I pray so too. I don’t want to stop seeing you, talking to you, playing with you and dancing for you” He laughed. He knows why.
“Since when have you began dancing for me?” She asked, finding it funny.
“I can dance. I was awarded for break dance in my former school”
“You have to prove it later”
“No, at my age I no longer dance. I teach people instead”
“So you will teach me then”
“Hmm.. No, you can’t take those vigorous steps. You will break. Girls only twerk”
“Girls don’t only twerk. I have seen girls who can dance any kind of step even better than boys”
“So are you one of them?”
“YES!!!. I guess that’s what you want to hear” They laughed.
“So when are you going to dance for me?”
“Wrong question”
“How is it a wrong question?”
“You were supposed to have asked when are we going to dance together?”
“But that is impossible future tense”
“How?”
“School is not safe and you know it”
“Then come over to my place”
“Hmm. Very risky”
“No, it’s not, but.. well, yes! I have an idea. Since you have not returned our family picture I gave to you since last term, we will use it as an excuse. You will bring it to me and I’ll take it home and show my parents I will seek their approval to invite you home on Sunday”
“Will they grant you that?”
“Definitely as long as my father is around. Hope you will come? Or are you nervous?”
“If there’s assurance that my coming won’t implicate you”
“It’s even my safety you are concerned about. There’s no problem. Nothing is going to happen. Please come. So about the picture, when am I getting it?”
“Anytime you want. I’m through already. Tomorrow right?”
“Yes, no. I mean no, not tomorrow. I will go get it myself”
“From where?”
“Is it not at your place?”
“Yes, so you want to come over to my place?”
“Yes, today, after school. Any problem?”
“No, not at all” He didn’t exhibit his thoughts on his face but Lovett was sensitive enough.
“I know what you have in mind. You are scared that neighbors will start gossiping about you. That this boy they brought some months back have started bringing girls home” she said with mockery.
“No. Not about my neighbors. Not about anything actually. I don’t have a problem with you coming. It’s fine” He smiled and looked steadily at her eyes. “I am worried about you. You won’t get home on time. My house is not at a stand-and-point distance”
“Do you come on bike or taxi?”
“No, on foot, daily. That’s another thing”
“I am not complaining yet. I like it that we’ll stroll home together. And as for me going home late it doesn’t really matter. My parents won’t be at home till night so rushing home isn’t necessary. It’s boring spending hours alone in the house waiting for their arrival. At least today I will be spending half of those ugly times with you. I have money with me I can board a cab or bike anytime I’m fatigue”
“What about your younger ones?”
“They are always around but I get tired of doing one thing every. So I choose to stay alone at times. My father makes the house lively for me at times”
“What about the house girl?”
“That one that always put age in front. The worst of it is that she herself is the church auditorium. You dare not joke shit in her face. Can’t wait to see her stay come to an end. She's not a house girl, she is a relative who came to stay with us for her youth service”
“Hmm mean and boring. So what do your dad does to keep you happy?”
“He play games with me, he pays attention to me anywhere anytime, he takes me out to meet people, buy stuffs and to see places. We watch movies together and he advices me as much as I need it”
“Wow! He’s really wonderful”
“Yeah, I’m proud of him”
“Me, my closest parent was my mom. She gave me the best of all I ever needed. She’s selfless, she can starve for us to eat. I don’t know why she…” There was stings of tears clouding his eyes. He could not force the tears back. That was the end of their discussion that morning. Lovett remained on consoling him.