TEN DAYS BEFORE THE TRIP

Thursday was like any normal day but the students of Dynamic Landmark College found it very boring and annoying. Why? It's definitely because they only had one free period, their strict teachers taught on this day, and everyone was always tired.  The SSS3 class was very silent as they had been worn out by eight main subjects. This was their short free period and they wanted to rest. To think they still had Economics and Biology after this period made some people even more stressed out.

"Who hasn't paid for the excursion?" Ayo asked, alarming everyone.

"Hmm, three people haven't made their payments. Samuel, Esther, and Israel," Divine answered.

Jerry raised to his feet and spoke, "Why? This is my first school trip in this school and you guys said that you've never experienced one before so you guys should please pay."

"I'm not really a fan of excursions jare," Israel shrugged. Was he forgetting the 45% grade boost or maybe he didn't care, some of them thought.

"It's not only you,",  Samuel agreed.

"To me, the excursion feels strange and suspicious so that's why I'm not paying," Ester said and rolled her eyes.

"Maybe they're trying to kidnap us and take us to heaven, or sell us, or kill us, or who knows? I so wanna go. Thank God my parents agreed," Irayo said with a huge smile on her face.

"God forbid! Ah, it's you they will kill," Great shouted, waving off Irayo's evil thoughts with his hands.

"Abeg, I'm not going. I will stay in my house watching TikTok videos," Samuel shrugged with a smile.

" Wow, so you prefer to watch a couple of videos and lose forty-f*cking-five percent of your grades. You guys have to come na," Jerry reasoned out.

"Why do you want us to come so bad? Hope you're not up to something fishy, huh?" Esther asked, eying Jerry suspiciously. Ester's question had brought their attention to something they didn't realize before.

"Exactly,  you've been on this matter since when the principal announced it," Gbemi pressed.

Great added, "Yeah, you have been forcing us to pay for it. Jerry Chinedu, what exactly is your plan?"

"Hmm, suspicious,"  Irayo chuckled.

"W-What? I'm just looking out for your grades. I didn't force you guys," Jerry countered defensively.

"And it is when you came to this school that the principal announced that we would be going on an excursion, one that we've not gone for before. Wow, this is really strange. I don't know why I'm just noticing it,"  Kicky rightly pointed out.

"But those of you talking have already paid so what's your stress?" Jerry asked, robbing his chin.

"And so what? Does it mean we can't ask questions again," Kicky said, placing one hand on her desk.

"Wait, what are y'all trying to imply? Don't start what you can't finish. If you guys don't want to go then that's your business but please don't accuse me of anything. It's not my fault that your school is organizing a school trip. Why don't you go and question the principal but do not involve me," Jerry warned with clenched jaws. They had managed to anger him with their interrogative questions.

Silence stumbled up on them for a minute before Gbolex said, "Let's not point fingers at him.  You guys, please free the poor guy."

Zaizai who had been silent throughout raised her head from her desk. Out of everyone, she was the one who didn't like Thursday the most so she didn't have the energy to bicker with them. Though she had heard everything they said, she just kept quiet thinking about her life. She said with a huge smile plastered on her face. "These are the kinds of things I like."

"You get, this excursion is not gonna be bad after all," Irayo chuckled.

"Five more minutes before Economics," Ese announced and reality stumbled upon them. They had forgotten about the last two subjects, they thought the day was over. While some brought out their Economics notes, others shrugged and rested their heads.

The good thing was that Tall Daniel's birthday would be the day after tomorrow. Most of them looked forward to it as Daniel had promised that it would be a memorable day.

If only they knew that it would be the start of everything.