012| WHO NEVER FUCK UP HANDS IN THE AIR

~H A N N I E L~

"I heard the seniors are going for a conference trip hosted by Jacqueline Hennessey next term. God they're so lucky." Dabirah pouted.

We probably had few minutes till this period ended but the trio chose to keep me entertained.

"Even Amyra and Queen Bee are going." Hassan shook his head.

"I heard Eno Arthur will be there," Ameenah snapped her fingers.

"Who's that one, bayi?" Hassan rolled his eyes.

I just listened.

And watched.

Because I was lost.

"She's a model from Florescent High. It's not like as if the school is special, definitely not as big as CH or the other top two schools. It's just a normal rich kids school. But because of Eno Arthur, it got to be featured as number 8 on the top ten high schools in Lagos."

Dabirah seemed more like a talkative to me, if you'd ask.

I observed her and she always seemed to be the one doing most of the talking, spilling so much information even when not asked.

"Our school is what number, sef?" Ameenah checked her nails as she asked.

"Number 3, in the whole of Nigeria." Dabirah replied cockily.

I chuckled at their conversation.

"Sha, I cannot wait to enter SS 3. Even if I cannot attend Late Night Talk with Hennessey, as per say I no be celebrity, I'll sha attend the Jacqueline Hennessey conference." Ameenah said to no one in particular and sighed dreamily.

"Four schools are attending sha," Dabirah decided to reveal again.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh!" Ameenah let out an exasperated groan. "Did I ask?" She snapped. "You're making the thing pain me now."

She wiped a fake tear from her left eye and I smiled at just how dramatic Ameenah was.

"Sorry oh," Dabirah distastefully eyed Ameenah.

"That's your own wahala."

"See the way the two of you are fighting like cat and rat-"

Hassan was cut off by the obnoxious shrill of the school automatic bell. Almost like she had been waiting outside, a female teacher walked in instantly and dropped her books on the teacher's table.

What I didn't expect was for the whole class to yell out: "Miss Eva!"

I raised a brow, confused. "What's going on?"

"She's our favorite teacher." Hassan answered for me and I nodded slowly in understanding.

•••

Grey eyes sat beside me, ignoring my existence and looking out the window.

Not like I ever expected her to be straight up friendly with me or something...

But all of our encounters should have been enough for her to at least spare me a glance.

I expected too much.

"Guy, do you like her?" Ameenah tapped me by my shoulder.

I glanced at Miss Eva before replying her quietly, "Who? Miss Eva, she's nice."

Ameenah hissed at me, a very annoying sound. "Ode, I meant do you like her?" She gestured to Grey eyes beside me and I understood what she was saying.

"As in, like like?"

"No, hate hate." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Well, no..." I started to say but then I was conflicted.

Did I like Grey eyes?

I only found her interesting. I didn't like her.

No, I didn't.

"I don't."

•••

It went on like this.

This usual, boring routine which I was supposed to get used to.

Grey eyes ignoring me.

"I don't even know why I'm here," Dabirah hissed at my front. "But of course, who never fuck up hands in the air."

Hassan snickered beside her and she glanced at him for a second.

"Mo wo equation lori board, mo ronu fun bi like 72 harrss, mo ni fuck." That was Ameenah and I had no idea what she meant.

Hassan burst into quiet laughter, eyes shining with amusement at Ameenah. Dabirah turned around and glared at her, "Guy, you dey ment."

"Menthol," Ameenah stuck out her tongue and I just watched.

As usual.

"Why did you go to Science & Mathematics department when you know you can't handle it?" Ameenah frowned.

There was a class going on, so they spoke in whispers and hushed voices.

"Abeg, fashi it. I repeat, who never fuck up hands in the air."

Dabirah replied boredly and popped her chewing gum silently. This was the fourth time she was chewing another bubble gum and I pitied her teeth.

You're using gum to punish gum.

"So, money or education?" Miss Eva asked the class. There were few murmurs here and there but no one really answered.

"Money of course," Dabirah scoffed loudly.

Just as I expected.

"Why do you think so, Oluwa?" Miss Eva directed her question to Dabirah, addressing by her surname which I couldn't really pronounce.

Even her first name is hard to pronounce.

At my front, Dabirah sat straight, smoothening her blazer and one could tell by her composure that she didn't expect Miss Eva to hear her.

She stood up and cleared her throat.

"Well, first of all," she started. "This might probably be based on my mentality but I only think that in the current generation we are in, education isn't as valued as money is. Money is a necessity for survival. Anybody that doesn't have money will face sapa."

We all laughed.

At least I knew what that was.

She continued. "We've graduates with excellent degrees lying jobless in the city. Even the economy isn't helping. In terms of survival, I think any individual would pick money any day over education."

"Speak for yourself, abeg." Someone countered from the other end of the class. "I'm not picking money over education. Agreed, money is a necessity for survival. In fact, key. I mean you need money to buy clothes, build a house, provide food-"

"-Don't forget, it's money you need to provide education too. Education is no longer free." Dabirah interrupted with a stern voice.

And just like that, the class turned into a heated debate.

"A graduate who doesn't have a job after dropping his certificates in different places should be blamed on Nigeria's economy. Extend your mentality and you'll actually see for yourself that, indeed education is way important than money."

"Seconded," someone raised his hand up. "Abi, what's the use of an illiterate having money?"

Dabirah opened her mouth to talk but Miss Eva beat her to it. "Okay class, that'll be taken as an assignment. Write a 1000 word essay on money being more important than education in the society you live in. To be submitted in our next class."

"1000 words?!" Dramatic Ameenah was back.

"Mo wo assignment yen, mo ronu fun bi like 72 harrss, mo ni fuck." Dabirah repeated what Ameenah had said earlier in a mocking tone, after Miss Eva had exited the class. There was a smirk that bent the corners of her lips and it was pretty obvious she was mocking Ameenah.

This duo.

~
'translation'
"mo wo equation lori board, mo ronu fun bi like 72 harrss, mo ni fuck." — "I looked at the equation on the board, and laid in thought for like 72 hours, I cussed(I said fuck)."

"mo wo assignment yen, mo ronu fun bi like 72 harrss, mo ni fuck." — "I looked at that assignment, I laid in thought for like 72 hours, I said fuck."

a/n: writing this chapter was so fun.
although it was hard for Hanniel to translate the slangs.
especially when ameenah called him ode but he had no idea what she meant.
btw did anyone ever have a favorite teacher in high school?
till then, bye luvsss <3