Everyone liked combo days. I did too but not too much.  Only compulsory subjects were taught on combo days so we all shared a classroom to make the work easier for the teachers. We were using the arts classroom so I was faced with the task of finding myself a seat.

Vivian already had a seatmate, Tolu and my other friend saved the space beside her for her prince charming and no one else.  There were a couple spare seats at the back of the class so I placed myself on the one nearest to the window and took out the second book in the Take Me Home series to read while we waited for the class to commence.

I felt someone slip into the seat and turned to regard them.
"What are you doing?" I asked him
"Attending class?"
"Can't you attend class from another part of the room?"
"I don't know, I like this part better anddd I promised your mom I was going to look out for you".
"Like you've been doing all along?" Our classmates were already throwing inquisitive glances our way and I didn't like the attention.

"Yeah, if you think about it". He tapped the edge of his pen against his lips like he was really thinking about it. It was his usual pass time activity, getting a rise out of me but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of getting to me so I returned to the book I had been reading.

Rasheed walked into the room in time with the bell and right behind him was Ms. Nancy. He lifted a brow in my direction and I replied with a little shake of my head to let him know I didn't understand what was going on either. He found a seat as Ms. Nancy began the class.

"Welcome back". If you didn't know her, you'd think she actually meant it.
"This te.. " She paused her speech and looked at me.
"Amanda Okorie, always full of surprises. You found yourself a new seat buddy?"
I heard Becca snicker.
"I'm beginning to think you have real commitment issues".

Stay calm. Breathe.

There was laughter all around me but I caught the faces of those who didn't join in and was surprised to see Marcel was one of them.

"Everyone has issues ma'am. If it's not committing to people, it's getting people to commit to you".
Marcel Wurade just threw an open shade at our teacher and once again, he had the attention and admiration of the class.
Ms. Nancy cleared her throat noisily.
"Right. Let's hope she commits to you then".
He turned to me with a half smile.
"Yeah, let's hope".

               I was left undisturbed for the rest of our classes, even Marcel appeared to be more focused on taking notes and revising which wasn't a surprise to me, his dad had said he was gunning for the NDDC scholarship.

Rasheed joined me and the girls during lunch break, he just sat there and listened to us talk, contributing when he could. He wasn't eating anything, he said he didn't feel like it but I think all the teasing I gave him about his cheeks had gotten to him. I was surprised Henrietta was having her snack with us, she and Chris had been all lovey dovey in class it was nauseating. As if on cue, she got up.

"I'll see you lot in class". She sauntered over to Chris who was waiting for her by the cafeteria doors. We all watched them for a while before returning our gazes to the table.
"How does she not see that he's playing her?" Vivian aired out.
"It's the fairytale syndrome, you only see what you want to see". Rasheed supplied

"Does it have a cure?" He chuckled
"Technically, it's not even an ailment".
"What is it then?" I inquired
"Denial? Something to do with mindset and self-esteem issues".
"We should fix her up with Sir Dom". Vivian proposed.
"She sees Sir Dom like every other student".
"Maybe she needs to see him more often like you".
I knew she meant well but her statement only made me feel self-conscious.

"I don't think this is a problem he can solve. Personally, I say you guys let her catch up to things herself. She has had a crush on him from day one and now it feels like her dream is coming true. It's going to take her some time to wake up. It's possible that a part of her already knows she's being played but she won't let herself believe it".

We were all silent for a while, worrying about our friend.
"I'm going to get my teller from the cashier, she asked me to come today".
Vivian was out of her seat in seconds, dumping her snack wraps in the waste bin on her way out.
"Okay". I turned to Rasheed. "Everyone's gone now so you can tell me the real reason why you aren't eating".

He gave me a small smile.
"I already told you, I'm not hungry".
"Okay, fatty". If he was going to starve himself, the least I could do was give him more reason to do it right.
"Is Marcel bothering you? Why were you sitting together in class?"
I shrugged.
"He didn't bother me. You know he likes messing around, there is no way he's sitting with me for the rest of the class".
Apparently, there was because he slithered his way into the seat after the break period and I had a feeling he wasn't going to stop soon.

                                                  ***

"Chocolates or strawberries?" Henrietta's voice pierced through the silence of our room.
"What?" I looked to her from Abike's bed where I was trying to observe siesta.
"Chocolates or strawberries?" She repeated, waving her chocolate bar around. She ate those things all the time but never added an ounce of flesh.

"I don't think they should be compared because strawberries are fruits while chocolates are... What really are chocolates?" Vivian said from the reading table.
"My non-living bestfriends?" Hen said and we laughed.
Vivian turned her chair to face us.

"Do you guys think I should switch to science class?" She asked
"Why?" Hen passively questioned, paying attention to her junk food.
"Just.. What do you think?" She was being evasive but if she was asking for our opinion, it had to be important.
"I think arts suit you, you said you want to study mass communication in the university right?"
"I do but.. Nevermind". She leaned back on the chair while I rose from my lying position.

"What's up?" She looked at me like she was trying to convince herself that it was okay to trust me and eventually she did.
"My parents are not happy that I got sent to arts class".
"Are they really ever happy about anything?" Vivian glared at Hen for her irrelevant contribution.
"Why not?" I decided to continue the conversation without her.

"You know aside from the general misconception that science is more lucrative than arts and all that, they want me to study electronical engineering because they believe it suits me and it's a 'professional'course".
"And mass communication isn't?"

"Parents are still doing that shit in this time and age? Why can't they just level up? We are living in an artistic world now. Nowadays it's not even about what chemicals you learn how to mix but the creativity of your mind".
I loved when Hen got like this but it wasn't often.
"You do realize that science requires creativity also, right?" I asked.

"It does?" She arched a brow. "All I see them do is cram different laws and principles, I thought it was sheer repetition".
"There would be no advancement in technology if science wasn't evolving and better laws and principles weren't being enacted".
"Okay, I'm grateful for the geeks but arts is far from irrelevant. Art makes the world more colorful, insightful and less boring".

"I didn't call for a debate. I need you two to help me out". Vivian jeered.
"Help you out with what? The school management sent you to arts class after thorough analysis of academic and extracurricular performances". Hen said.
"My parents want me to apply for a transfer despite that. My mom said; if you set your mind on something, nothing can stop you".

"Will the management allow it?" I asked.
"They will, it's her education, they can't make decisions for her. They've done their job by telling her which field she's most likely to succeed in. The risk is hers to take".
"Do you want to take this risk?"
She took a while to think while we watched her.

Vivian never appeared to be worried about disappointing anybody because she never had any reason to worry. She had always been on the right track and always had everything planned out and under control. I knew from Henrietta that her parents were strict and a little too demanding. This was the first time their wishes and her desires were on opposite sides and I could see how much it worried her.

"I might be worried about all this but deep deep deep down..." She glanced at both of us. "I want to drop out of school and become an armed robber".
Our laughter was sure to have woken sleeping students in the nearby rooms.

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Ehm... Hi?
I feel like falling on my knees and apologizing with every suitable word but gotta keep up my rep and all that😎
Still, I'm sincerely sorry. 2020 was supposed to be the year but look at us now, stuck in our rooms with our annoying little brothers.
Anyways, I'm kinda back(i hope) and for disclosure, I wrote this chapter on my phone😤 since my system's practically buried. Not the easiest shit but I'll do it for you guys.
There will be an update tomorrow but as usual, no schedule.

#lifeisprecious
#loveyourself🖤🖤