CHEMISTRY

Visual arts.

That was the the lesson we were having now or rather I was having. We were to choose between visual arts and music. I didn't understand why science students would be doing the courses, we even did CRS and IRS. I decided to choose V. Art.

Art is my source of joy. I fell in love with art when I was in my JS1. Prior to that, I enjoyed colouring with crayons. I always found myself unconsciously colouring a mother and her daughter or a complete family. I won't deny that I really wanted to have a mother.

Well in my JSS 1, there were these people that usually came to my former school to organise art classes. Then, they would display art works which I found fascinating. I told myself that I must learn to make beautiful paintings and drawings. It was easy to get the hang of charcoal drawing and watercolour painting. I guess the talent was there all along waiting to be explored.

I preferred watercolour painting more though. My life was already shades of grey so watercolour painting I thought, would be the source of colour in my life.

Anyways, the students for visual arts were not much from my class. They were more from SS3 Silver which was for the art/humanities students and few more from SS3 Diamond which was for the commercial students. We settled in the art studio as we waited for the visual arts instructor. I heard he was a part time teacher.

The studio was fairly large. I realised it consisted of an outer room and an inner room. We were presently in the outer room where some artworks were displayed. I decided to study them as we waited. Chijioke came over and nudged me.

"Hello Naya".

I rolled my eyes biting back a groan. "Chijioke leave me na."

"I painted it," he said pointing to the painting in front of me. It was an oil painting of a woman holding a baby. I had been staring at it for a long time.

"It's beautiful," I said unconsciously touching the artwork.

"Thanks. Incase you are wondering, she's my mother and I'm the baby," he added proudly. I studied the picture like I haven't before. The woman was the same complexion with Chijioke. She had pointed nose unlike Chijioke. To cut the whole description short, the woman was an epitome of beauty.

"You two look good," I complimented. Noticing the way the woman stared at Chijioke with love and admiration made me jealous.

Chijioke hummed. "I miss her though."

"Hmm," was all I managed to respond. I wanted to say sorry for your loss but then I was not sure she was dead. And I didn't want to ask if she was.

"You don't care, do you?" He asked.

"I do. . .it's just that-"

"It's okay," he interrupted with a smile. I couldn't tell if it was just a smile or a sad smile.

"CJ stop flirting," a male voice said. We both turned. I guessed the boy was either an art or commercial student. Chijioke greeted the guy in pidgin before he turned to look at me.

"Hey pretty. I'm Damilare but you can call me Dami".

"Hi," I replied and turned to another artwork.

"She's Nairobi," Chijioke introduced for me.

"Nice to meet you Nairobi," I heard him say. I decided to turn and offer a smile. I didn't want to seem so rude. After a while the teacher arrived.

The man introduced himself as Mr. Akin to me. He also introduced the subject. I wanted to tell him I'm not dumb but I just shut my mouth and managed to smile at him. He did some introduction to the term's work and I couldn't just wait to begin.

We or rather I was heading back to class for a one hour twenty minutes chemistry class when I bumped into someone at the entrance of the class.

"Oh God, can't you watch where you're going?" Someone asked me. I rubbed my head and looked at the owner of the voice.

"Ode," I muttered. "Must you always get on my nerves? I just met you yesterday for goodness' sake."

"Whatever," he said and pushed me aside before leaving the class.

Why is this Vincent guy so full of himself? I had to ask myself. He couldn't even apologize. I angrily went to my seat ready to draw his own caricature in my scrapbook.

"Don't let him rile you up," I heard Stephen say before walking past my seat. I didn't pay any attention to him but doodled while waiting for the chemistry teacher.

"Aren't you going to the lab?" Chijioke asked me looking into my scrapbook.

I flipped it close immediately. "I thought we're having the class here."

"Nope downstairs. Let's bounce".

I grabbed my note and pen from my bag and left the class with him.

"Chijioke," I called. He hummed in response.

"Just so you know I'm not . . . heartless. I just didn't want to ask about her because most people don't share personal stuff with people they've known for just a day," I explained. I knew I had to.

He gave a light smile. "I told you it's alright. I understand. Thanks for being considerate anyways."

I managed to offer back a smile as response.

"I really want to figure you out, Naya. One minute you're pushing me away and acting like you don't give a damn, the next you're apologizing. Pretty wired," he said with a smug look.

"I've told you not to call me Naya," I said.

"I can't help it, Naya," he winked before entering into the lab. He pointed towards Jessica before heading towards his friends leaving me behind. I walked towards Jessica.

"I saved you a sit," she said patting a stool beside her. Aliyah was sitting beside a girl on glasses, that was three stools away from me. The lab was built in a way that just four people could use a work table so technically we were the only ones on the table.

"Hi Nairobi. I'm Chimamanda but you can call me Amanda or Mandy," the girl on glasses introduced. She was dark and had her hair made in Bantu knots. I looked pretty on her. I considered saying okay but that felt too cold and rude so I said a 'nice to meet you,' instead.

"She's the class captain," Jessica added. Not like I cared.

"For now," Amanda piped in. "In three weeks time, we'd have our elections." Again, not like I cared.

Eventually the chemistry class started. The chemistry teacher, Mr. Palmer, a man in his late fifties I guessed, introduced the term's work.

"Now I'm going to do something some might appreciate and some might not," the man said moving round the lab with his hands behind him.

"When you were in your SS1, you were allowed to choose lab partners, right?". The class chorused a 'yes'.

"Well that's going to change my young scientists. Today I'm going to pair each of you with a partner. This would enable us be more serious with our work since you're all a class away from your final papers. Most of you when told to choose partners you choose your friends and end up goofing off instead of concentrating on the practicals," the man said. There was murmuring in the class before Amanda raised her hand.

"Yes Chimamanda?"

"There are nineteen science students this year sir. Meaning-"

"One person would end up without a partner," the man completed her statement. "Then that person would be you," Mr. Palmer said. Amanda's eyes widened behind her thick rimmed glasses.

"You'd be the course representative for this class. You do the work of the class captain but only restricted to my class," he said. "Taking attendance, helping the lab assistant set up the lab before practicals and so on. I'll speak with you after the class".

"Oh. Okay sir," Amanda said before sitting down. She had a Cheshire grin on her face. I wondered why some people loved responsibility so much. Soon after the whole talk, the chemistry teacher started pairing using the class list.

"Mr. Adebayo," Mr. Palmer called. Vincent raised his hand. I found myself rolling my eyes. He was seated with Olamide, Chijioke and Israel.

"-you are partners with Ms. Chielo," the man announced after acknowledging him.

Now that wasn't expected.

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By the power vested on me I order you to VOTE.

Just kidding ;). If you like what you just read please vote and comment.

Merci,

Ann✯