Chapter 12 Happy Girl

“No matter how plain a woman may be, if truth and honesty are written across her face, she will be beautiful.”- Eleanor Roosevelt

..........

I'll never understand the theory of staring at strangers or new students as was in my case, but everyone else in my class obviously understood the concept. Like, if you want to make friends with the new transfer students, walk up to them and begin a conversion, I guarantee you that you'll be well respected because everyone wants someone to talk to in a strange place. Don't just steal glances and stare at them like they're circus freaks It's plainly rude. Most especially the girls, I don't know why it hurt me, but the way they snickered, giggled and made funny faces at the boys made me pissed.

'Respect yourselves!'

We always have Mathematics every first period on Monday, but because the principal took too much school time at the assembly ground, Math's period was over and I don't know about the other students, but I was joyously joyous.  Who wants to have mathematics as the first subject of the day, plus I'm not a Math fan, in fact, I hate mathematics. It's like magic, magic that I probably won't need to use because I wonder how it's going to help me get a G-wagon. I'll probably run to the car store and scream, "Algebracabra!!!" Now you get it right?

We were expecting the 'Literature' so that gave me room to do some observation. These were the things I observed.

• The boys were stealing glances at March's Jordans. I might not be fashion cautious, but I have a brother who is and a mum who owns a boutique and I know those J's cost not less than 120 thousand naira. He sure made their Knockoff Louboutins look dead.

• The girls were not being themselves. They were either laughing too loudly or talking with automatic British accent and fake poise. Like, Girls, This people are from GHANA, GHANA NOT PARIS!!NOT GERMANY!! NOT LONDON!! STOP BEING FAKE! IT'S LAME! PATHETIC! AND YOU'LL ONLY MAKE THEM FEEL WE ARE THE SAME!

• March was seating too seats away from mine and he kept staring at me. Making me cautious about every step I made.

• The teacher was here. With her signature bad dress sense.

We all stood up and changed 'Good morning ma' weird right? I've seen foreign movies, and they don't even recognise the teachers presence till he starts speaking. But here in Nigeria, you pay homage.

She displayed her perfectly white teeth which I think is still the best thing about her. I wonder why she doesn't take as Much time as she takes on her teeth to combine her colors well. She's a walking Water color.

Maybe I  perky because of the 'Aisha slash Find the blogger' stuff. Because I wasn't always this observant and all.

"Good morning Boys and Girls of SOUNDHOPE"

'Good morning Real life Picasso'

"Good morning ma' we all replied in unison.

"How was your  weekend?"

'Argh Holy Fudge. We're young adults, teenagers! Senior students! Not kindergarten students'

I think everyone thought the same thing I was thinking because no one gave her a reply, we just smiled. But if I was to actually give a reply I think I would have said,

"it was adventurous. I went to a party, Kissed a boy that's seating just 4 steps away from me, Found out about the Evil-4 made, two friends and automatically became my brother's step sister." The whole class would have given me a sounding round of applause for having the best weekend ever.

She scribbled '

Literature in English

Topic: Drama and Prose

Sub Topic: Drama (Practice)

Before turning to us and blessing us with those shinning 32.

"Before I begin, I would like to start by saying a big welcome to our Transfer Students. I'm really sorry for the situation at Ghana, but I want to assure everyone of you that you're welcome........" And bla and bla and more bla bla bla. ".....get acquitted with someone and have fun. Just make sure you follow the rules while having that fun." She smiled as if she was expecting a sounding round of applause.

She started by asking them if they were familiar with the Topic, like it wasn't the same curriculum we both shared. They said they were and she explained on the topic for a few minutes and told us to write down as she read from her Textbook. That's another thing about schools in Nigeria. The school board provide the teachers with enough temporary white board marker, but the teachers are too lazy to write on the board so they call from their Textbooks instead. And when you don't get a word or ask for a rephrase you get a stern look from them or you're told to SHUT YOUR TRAP AND LISTEN.

she stopped reading from her textbook and told us to look up.

"Today,......wait, class monitor, I have two combined periods today right?"

No one answered.

"Who's the class monitor?"

We didn't have one.

"We don't have a class monitor." A girl answered.

"Why?"

"We don't need one." Another girl answered.

"I'll be the one to decide if,or if you don't need a class monitor. Who's your class teacher?"

We told her.

"I'll speak to her, for now, Remi Martins. You'll be the new class monitor."

'Can she just hurry up and.......what?  Did she just call my name?'

'M m ma?' I stuttered.

"I said you'll be the class monitor for now." She smiled.

'What did I ever do to deserve this Lord!'. Being the class monitor wasn't exactly something one would jump in joy about.

"Why did you pick her" Antoinette The ex class monitor asked, jealously laced in her tone.

"Because she's the only one in the whole class that respects my presence and pays attention to my teachings."

........

"She said that?" Lara asked, laughing. "My God, is she that pathetic?"

It was lunch break and We were in the Library, waiting for Tomison. She actually gave Lara the library keys and told her she had to follow Aisha and the others for a few minutes so that she didn't blow her cover.

"What's actually annoying is that everyone thinks I'm happy to be the next class monitor. I hate that position."

"Yeah, it makes you less attentive in class and all you'll be thinking about is how to make sure the class is in order and when to call for the next teacher."

"Or write 'noise-maker' list" I joked.

"But looking at the brighter side, you know it comes with respect right?"

"I don't need their respect."

"Oh please!" She rolled her eye. "I totally need respect right now."

"Why?"

"Don't know, maybe it's because my condition is the only thing they ever talk about at home, or that my size is the only thing they talk about here in school."

'But that's not we're going to talk about, here.'

"So, you've seen the boy that's taking you to Emem's party?" I said, changing the Topic.

"Nice try, you think I don't know that you're trying to change the Topic?"

"So you know. Can you let me succeed at it? So, what do you think about him?"

I pointed him to her when we when to get snacks at the cafeteria.

"He's a snack. And his shoes!" She gasped dramatically. "But he's not my type."

"What do you mean?" I pressed.

"I like my guys, less.....attractive, that way I know I can keep them all to myself."

"So you think he's attractive. Uh?" I teased.

"Yep. Didn't I just say he's a snack? But something tells me he's into you, you know? The kiss and all"

I felt my cheek grow hot.

"It...was...just...a....game!"

"Hey,hey,hey. No noise in the library." Tomison said as she laughed and joined us. "I agree with Lara, he's totally into you. Even Aisha admits it."

"What?"

"Yeah, she said it, and according to her, she's going to make sure he ask her to Emem's party. She actually planning on how to make him ask her to the party."

"What world does that girl live in?" Lara asked.

"Our Girl lives in Disney Land" I answered and we all laughed.

"Has she mentioned anything to you all about ......my...."

"Not at all, you need to see her, she's obsessed over finding the blogger. She even just opened a new Facebook page."

"I guess our plan worked then" Lara said, smiling shyly.

"Not for too long, we need to dig more dirts out or as soon as this gist dies down,  she'll start again."

"Or when she needs to get her assignment done." Tomison added.

"You're right. I'll dig more. What's her new Facebook ID?" Lara asked.

"I'll text you all the details on Facebook after school" Tomison answered.

We stayed in the Library and shared snacks as we talked about Aisha and everything that took place in our classes until the bell rang and we had to leave.

We were supposed to have Biology and as the new class monitor, I went to get the teacher, but he asked that we come into the lab instead and I told them. As I walked to the lab, I felt someone walk up beside me. March.

"You're avoiding me." He said, smiling.

"Do you always think the world revolves around you? And why do you always smile. It's weird."

"I'll start crying instead." He said dramatically and made a mock crying facial expression.

"Okay, stop. You'll make everyone think you're crazy and I wouldn't want to be seen associating with the new Crazy transfer Student."

"Do you always have a reply to every word?" He asked, smiling again.

I shrugged. "I guess, was born that way."

"Cool. So how does it feel being the new Class monitor?"

"How does it feel being the New transfer student?"

"Well," he shrugged. "It's been normal than I expected, except that everyone's asking for the price of my shoes. It's weird and exhausting."

"Your shoes.?" I pretended like I'd just taken notice. "What's special about it, it's just white"

'Yeah, just white with pure gold Louboutin logo'

"Finally, someone who gets my point. It's just shoes. I'll definitely never wear it to school anymore."

"What? And lose your only shot at being popular?" I teased and he laughed.

"You look very pretty when you laugh. You should laugh more" he said and ran to one of his co Transfer student that kept signalling him to come over.

As the Biology teacher ranted on and on about Endocrine and bla, the only thing on my mind was March's words. The only person that had ever told me how beautiful I was, was the Cat in Talking Angela. My dad also made me feel beautiful once in a while when he compared me to some beautiful celebrities he'd seen on one of his traveling expenditures or on TV but he'd never said 'You look beautiful when you smile'. I don't know if March knew how happy he made me feel with those words, but I really felt happy, I felt like all the girls in the world should be told that each and everyday so that they'll also feel the joy I was experiencing inside.

Those little words, meant a lot to me  and I kept stealing glaces and staring at him at every given opportunity, doing the same thing I was disgusted about in the morning. But that didn't mean I wasn't paying attention to he biology lesson, I just preferred looking at March's face instead, and it wasn't because of lust or teenage infatuations, it was because he made me feel good about myself, something I hadn't done in a while. He said the words I needed to hear, the words every girl in the world needs to hear. He didn't know it, but he made me a Happy Girl.