The day rushed in faster than the night, as though it hurried to take its place. You could imagine the sun pleading impatiently to the moon as streaks of a faded orange stained the robust sky as early as five in the morning. The nights at school seemed a little too short while still being interrupted by the humming of the mosquitoes to an unfamiliar song. Most people had the luxury of staying padded under the protection of a mosquito net, but few others weren't lucky.

School bells rang, sending the usual jittery. Everyone rolled into class feeling a little less merry. The chattering remained the same as a new story had been glued to everyone's lips; Martins raped Mary. No teacher brought up the talk during classes but sure did throw him a disappointed stare. Classes were slow for that day; hours and hours of long lectures but the walk clock still read eleven o'clock.

When the detective poked her head through the door inviting herself in, everyone knew it was to call out another suspect for interrogation. Classes stopped abruptly before then, to ensure the process of the investigation was uninterrupted even though few stubborn teachers managed to squeeze in extra hours of classes during the afternoon prep and night prep.

The detective stepped into the class, interrupting a maths class and she didn't seem very happy. A stern and more serious look cloaked her simplicity. Her bulgy eyes paraded the class until she found him, seated at the back seat surrounded by his friends in a half circle.

"Martins Adenuga, follow me!" She instructed. It was a different format from the other times people were questioned. He slowly stood up and felt the stares trace his body move. His steps were calculated, swaying a hand across the other in a stylish swagger. His hair had the obsidian black shade, the hair above his head stood in grace, stuck to it like it were attached in layers. The lower part however, was clean shaved. His white shirt had been tucked in, having the edges spike up in a thin line. He was neat and certainly not a truant. Not for once can an evident speck of dust be spotted on his shoes.

He picked up his red blazers and flung it over his shoulders. Obliging obediently to the call of the detective, he waltzed towards the front and had his wrists locked together with a handcuff by the detective. Ashley couldn't watch the gore, she wrapped her hands over her face crying silently.

Stella was seated beside Mary's empty chair which leaned idly on the wall, coated with dust. It was left that way since Mary's disappearance as no one sat on it or even leaned on it. Her presence still seemed fresh, hovering around that seat like how the spirits of the dead protect their own. Stella ran her eyes from Martins, who was being led out through the front door made of pure wood, to Ashley who sat adjacent in tears. She fiddled with her pen, making a mental note to check the contents of the memory card later that day. She didn't know how yet, but an opportunity would present itself. It was not safe having the card with herself as well. The sooner she handed it over to the detective anonymously, the better.

*****

Everywhere in school smelled of an event. There were large speakers, canopies being mounted to form dome shapes on metal poles, microphones being tested and some parents driving in in sophisticated modernized cars. The day of the quiz competition had finally arrived and the multipurpose hall was the venue of the event.

The order of the event was straightforward as explained by the Quiz Master, Mr John. There were two categories; Junior and Senior Categories for the Junior and Senior classes respectively. The Quiz started off with the Junior class and the nature of the quiz was made to accommodate Maths and English only. He held jealously the book from which he threw them questions lest anyone peeps into it.

Mary and Kelvin sat opposite each other in a class on the ground floor and could still hear faint applause emanating from the multipurpose hall. They had decided it was best to stay in one of the SS3 classes on the ground floor so that they could be close enough should the attention of the senior category participants be needed and yet far enough to do some rushed up revision.

Kelvin held her hands and watched her close her eyes in a solemn prayer, but he battled between keeping his eyes completely shut and watching her with interest. She prayed before starting anything which seemed strange and completely admirable. Letting go of her woven eyelashes, she released her eyes and blinked repeatedly to register her surrounding to her brain. The unfamiliar direction of the sun beam reminded her that she was in a different class.

He looked into her eyes, spotting fear in its clear liquid. Her feeble hands shook ever so lightly within his. He smiled and so did she. It was a smile of encouragement, as he rubbed her skin wishing her luck.

"I'm so scared, my aunt is going to be there. She and her husband are generous donors to this school and seeing me compete against Ashley? She'll kill me for my guts," she said. He shot her a confused glare awaiting clarification.

"Your aunt? Ashley's mum? Why would she do that? Aren't you and Ashley like cousins or something?"

She stopped. She could not believe that she had let out so much information about herself. Maybe he wasn't a stranger anymore. Maybe he was a friend, a close friend maybe even closer. She felt she needed to open more but the announcement of the next category leaked out through the giant speakers clinging to the walls.

He let her out of his sight again, leaving her to step into the hall while she promised to explain everything to him after. He wanted to hold her even closer as the aroma from the akara balls they had that morning parted from him. It was the squeezed out oil seeping from the pores of the brown ball that she massaged her skin with, he hadn't known that then but wondered where the akara scent dispersed to.

He hadn't noticed the lanky figure of Martins by the cracked wall but did, when he detached himself from the faded yellow wall and walked up to him. His lips curling up to a weak smile.

"You two seem pretty close," he said. His words weaving out and startling Kelvin.

"Stay away from her!" Kelvin warned, aiming for the collars of his jacket.

"Easy," Martins defended, lifting his hands in a fake surrender. He was darker than Kelvin but a lot lighter than Dayo. The sweat streaks that lined his forehead trickled down lightly towards his dark brown skin; the colour of hard wood. "I just want to talk."

Kelvin hesitated for a while before releasing Martins' white collar. His thumb shaded the collar a light brown. He stepped aside and walked towards the false silver coated rail, leaning his elbow on it and watching as Martins wrapped his hands over the rail.

"What do you want?" Kelvin asked.

"I thought you said you didn't love her? Why are you being so defensive?" Martins asked. A child ran past them, being chased by a girl who had worn the school's uniform. It was just like the visiting days; faint food aroma coating the air droplets and spreading out by the gentle breeze's assistance, a blur of little children scouting the school and parents adorned in magnificence.

"Do you still want to talk?" Kelvin asked.

"Yes. I don't want to do Dayo's dare," he spoke up calmly. He took silent breaths inwardly, forming the next words to pour out intelligently. "I like the both of you and I consider you my friend, Kelvin. There is something about the both of you that is admirable, something I've never had with Ashley. That's why I need a favour from you." He swallowed, pushing down the lump that stuck out from his delicate neck skin up and down swiftly before adding, "I need you to help me steal the memory card Dayo still has. That's the only way I would leave your girl because there's no way I'm letting my secret out. It's either you help me or I rape Mary."

*****

Mary stepped into the hall and settled on a plastic chair with five others, Ashley inclusive. There was a blur of parents cheering their wads and also few teachers graced the event. The five selected were after a period of rigorous examinations and screening which deleted five others from SS2 leaving the lucky five. At the end of each round of alternating Maths and English questions while taking worthy note of time, whoever had the lowest mark was removed from the next round.

Questions were asked, buzzers were pushed in for wrong answers while a chime indicated correct answers, marks were recorded until they had been reduced to the final two; Ashley and Mary. Deep down, Mary was pleased. She had fought her way past the other three and was head locked with Ashley. Then Mr John dispatched the aching crowd for a short break to be called in later.

Mary would have loved to run into her aunt's arms just like Ashley did, making sure to inhale the curry and maggi remnants that would be stuck to her robust blouse, the kind she wore for special events but the little she could do was watch the mother-daughter bond and crave for one. She wished her uncle had been present at least he would encourage her with a pat on the head or on the back as a proud father would.

She stared at her aunt's sagging forearms, they drooped as she shook her hand, like they would pour while being scarred with parallel stretch marks. Dominic seemed a lot younger than she did, he would have appeared on a blue denim jean trouser and a white polo with a face cap. Perhaps it was childbirth that sucked out all the suppleness Maureen might have had as a youth. Her breasts fell flat when she would pack one out to stick into Uche's ready lips and it made Mary wonder how someone could be very rich yet appear very haggard and disorganized.

She always seemed to be stressed about something or someone even though she was unemployed and a complete housewife with a maid. Her hair, always disheveled and spiked upwards. She wrapped around her skin faded wrappers most of the time at home and would sometimes let her breasts bare when she slept. Dominic was patient with her, covering her up and shopping for the most exotic dresses for her when necessary. The clothes just bulked up in her closet only to be worn at special events like these.

The moderator, Mr. John, summoned Mary and Ashley back unto the podium to fill up two seats placed beside the other and made to face the crowd of cheering students and parents. Mr. John did the needful, informing the crowd what stage they were in and what that meant. He went further to list out the prize; a scholarship grant from the parents collective efforts. It sounded grand and Mary's heart sank. It sank deeper when Kelvin appeared by the side window's lintel with Martins by his side. Kelvin smiled and placed his arms in a loose fold whispering goodluck to her.

Mary sprang up when she heard her name. She was handed the microphone and the closeness of the microphone to the moveable speaker by her right, created an electromagnetic screech that deafened everyone's ear for a brief second before she stepped aside and the sound waned.

"Mary Okafor, what is the acceleration of a typical rocket?" He asked and her countenance dampened. Wrapping both hands over the microphone, she stuttered into the netting on the bulb of the microphone. No one mentioned Physics would be a part of the questions, she relayed her thoughts out and he replied, "It is a tie breaker question Mary, and so we pick questions from the various other subjects you're offering."

She looked back and watched Ashley's lip curve into a cynical smile, her lips were smacked with lip gloss, the kind they sprinkled glitter dust into and tasted sweet. Sweat beads popped up on her palms and made the microphone seem slippery, it could slip off and fall off on the white tiles polished to look like pearls on concrete. She hadn't realized the seconds she spent until Mr John's baritone voice sank in her skull.

"Ten meter per second square?" She asked and he stared into the paper, looking at it for a while. This gave Mary some hope, maybe she was right. His expression remained unchanged and after a long period, he shook his head, slowly.

Disappointed, Mary handed the microphone to Ashley who was made to answer that same question and break the tie. She smiled, she knew the answer so well she could almost shout it out. How could anyone not? She had thought.

"The answer to the question is nine-" she stopped, turning to her back to complete the answer right into Mary's face. The latter sat with a withdrawn expression, narrowing her face to prevent any tear from dropping. The rigorous work put into reading was all in vain, the many missed meals with no backup provision to lean unto, the many times she could have chosen to lazy about and sluggishly drag her feet in the hostel discussing cute boys but didn't, the many times she could have chosen to act differently but didn't all for the quiz perturbed her. "-ninety point zero nine meter per second square," Ashley completed.

"Are you sure you don't want to review it?" He asked and she shook her head. "Alright then! I'm afraid but you are wrong Miss Ashley. The answer is ninety meter per second square. I warned you all in class that the point makes a difference," he said. After a brief moment of explanations to the other students, he turned back to Ashley to ask "What's our school's motto?" He asked.

Knowledge, Love and Excellence, she thought, but said instead, "I don't know." A confused stare enveloped most parents and students' faces. It was like a mantra that was sung everyday and so it was surprising that she didn't know it.

"You don't know? Think," Mr. John said. She rolled up her eyes to the plastic ceiling and the numerous blue patterns it bore and feigned thinking until her minute time frame elapsed.

Mary was called back to the elevated platform to answer the same question. She smiled, she knew the response very well. "Knowledge, Love and Excellence."

"Congratulations Miss Mary, that's correct! you're the winner!" Mr John replied. She couldn't believe her ears. It gladdened her more when she saw a lady she identified as Mrs. Adenuga and her husband, walk up the stage to congratulate her and award her the scholarship while insisting they take a picture with her. Every other thing didn't seem to matter that moment. Not her aunt's devilish stare, not the cheering audience nor the Champions song that was played on the speakers, but she managed to notice Ashley leave the hall and knew she would talk to her later.

*****

Stella held her books up to her chest and supported the base with her hands should the memory card choose to fall out. The crickets chirped unanimously in agreement as the glow of the neon green fire flies bubbled to life just to die back within a second.

The path from the hostel to the laboratory area, was a straight line and a single bulb lighted the path towards the computer lab. Even though gadgets were forbidden, the students were permitted to use computers only in the lab and nowhere else with the strict permission of the computer lab prefect.

Stella met Senior Uzoamaka using the keys to jingle at the burglary coated with brown paint while beckoning on the few students in the lab to leave it so she could lock it up.

"Aren't you seeing that I'm chasing people out?" She had asked when Stella begged to use the lab.

"Please," Stella fell hard on her knees, releasing a loud thud on the cold pavement. "I have a computer assignment I need to do before tomorrow. I just knew about it this night prep."

The prefect saw her watery eyes and subconsciously replaced it with sincerity.

"OK. The time is," she peered into her watch before continuing, "nine-fifteen. I want to go to class and get my books before prep over by nine-thirty, that means you have fifteen minutes to do whatever you want to do. That's the only grace I can give."

"Thank you so much! It's more than enough for me," Stella said and rose up to dust her knees. The lab had been emptied as all those formerly there had left. The prefect walked towards the senior block as well leaving Stella as the only soul in the lab area.

She walked towards the back seat with a desktop mounted on the desk but not before turning off the lights should any teacher on duty choose to survey the labs. She switched on the desktop and the default sound rang out in a loud tone. The popped up background light shone on her face, revealing her details and her yellow checked dress was easy to identify even in darkness.

She pulled out the memory card and stared at it for a while, before slotting it in in the appropriate spot. Clicking on the folder icon, she was able to identify the SD Card as read by the system and clicked on it. Her fingers vibrated on their own accord as she controlled the arrow that popped up on the screen with the mouse.

There were many sub folders in the memory card and thankfully, they were all labelled. From Thanksgiving party, To Dayo's birthday, To Martins and Ashley and then the one she dreaded clicking, End of the year party. She decided to do a run through first by clicking on the folder that read Dayo's birthday. There were so many pictures which she swiped through quickly before moving over to the videos. An array of boys gulping down the colourless liquids with so much bubbles from green bottles and chalky drinks from colourless bottles with loud music popped up. She recognized most of the boys and assumed the others she didn't know were from his home.

Being very conscious of the time which now read nine-nineteen at the base of the screen, she hurriedly checked the folder labelled Martins and Ashley. She had expected a video of Martins and Ashley locking each other's lips voraciously releasing short quick gasps of pleasure while hungrily pulling out each other's dress, but was stunned when it was just a video of them climbing through a fence together like a runaway couple in stories who fought for their love despite all odds.

Then slowly, she clicked the folder labelled End of the year party just as the time read nine-twenty one. So many pictures of students adorned with sparkly dresses and with so much make-up surfaced in a grid format. There was only one video which she played, the video revealed Dayo gulping down a drink from a thin glass and he proceeded to highlight Kelvin and Mary together. She saw Mary's cherry eyes saying a hi into the camera with a face only smeared with a layer of red lipstick as opposed to the full make-up everyone seemingly had on.

She swiped through the gallery, stopping at a picture of Dayo and Ashley making silly faces into the camera and a smile erupted from her face.

Then she saw something else.

She squinted into the background, zooming in to see that the camera had caught an image of her with a knife leaving the front door. The hall had been too busy with loud contemporary music and merriment to notice her leave. Her heart sank, wallowing into the mixture of beans and pap she had for dinner. She knew where she was going to with that knife and what she was going to do with it, knowing for sure it could get her into trouble if anyone saw that picture and noticed her with a silky pink dress in the background.

The prefect had returned reminding her that her time was up and so Stella hurriedly removed the card before the prefect moved any closer, thanking her generously before leaving the lab. Her legs were propelling her to the general multipurpose hall for night prayers before she stopped beside broken bricks from a torn down wall and smashed the card into tiny bits, grinding it till it turned to an unrecognizable state and mixed up with sand.

She wondered why Martins wanted the memory card since there was nothing implicating of him in it or had she missed something?