Yobanna

I watched her sleeping quietly,she had worked over night at Nick's place the previous night and here she was sleeping so soundly in the middle of class, this was like the second time I was seeing something like that. Girl didn't sleep no matter what and for her to sleep,she really was tired and somehow I found myself melting while I watched her sleeping soundly.

I watched her, committing every single feature to my memory,the way her eye lids didn't flutter,the perfect bow shape lips and the nose, definitely straight. She looked every bit calm like music,the type that could lure you. I knew I looked like a creep, watching her like that instead of concentrating on my mathematics class but she was worth it.

"Mr Yobanna,I really know Selena is beautiful but would you please focus"

My head snapped quickly from her face and with the little giggles here and there,side talks and the teacher's face,I realized they had probably been watching for a second or two. I saw myself been,I couldn't place it,was it shy or embarrassed.

The mathematics teacher was still watching me,her hands akimbo,I could tell she was struggling between keeping a smile and a frown. Everyone knew Miss Indidong was super friendly and young,the best mathematics teacher you could get.

In St Louis, everything was different,you would see females teaching subjects like mathematics, physics and even chemistry, sometimes it seemed females were more in the school and they were doing excellent jobs.

"Sorry" I mumbled under his breath. The teacher's gaze was still fixed on the girl beside me.

"She has a little fever" I lied. If I  didn't tell her that, Selena was going to be in a little trouble, sleeping in class was not acceptable in school.

"Oh,has she gone to the clinic yet?"

"Yeah" Another lie,i hardly lied but here I was,two lies in a row.

The teacher shrugged and continued with her teaching while some girls actually managed to throw some looks at me. I kept my bored face not even returning the smile and slowly they all turned around and minded their business.

*

"Wait,you mean Miss Indidong saw me sleeping,shit shit shit" She cursed over and over and it actually left me amused.

"Didn't know you could cuss" I teased and she eyed me.

We were going to the cafeteria, though I badly wanted to hold her hands,I knew she wouldn't be so comfortable especially with the looks some students were throwing in our way. She stopped slapping her poor forehead.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" She asked me,she had this child like expression now.

"I didn't want to  disturb you, moreover she bought the lie about you having a little fever"I shrugged,my hands in my pocket as we had totally left the SS 3 block

"Plus, you looked really cute sleeping like that" I mumbled and I saw it, how she tried to keep the smile at bay. It was funny to me though.

We stepped into the cafeteria almost the same time and the usual happened, this time, the looks were more intense and I saw her actually fiddling with her fingers, she felt like running for a minute.

She was going to take another way, probably run in the opposite direction but I held her hand against my original plan

"You are sitting with me today" I told her firmly and I saw her,the facial expression she had when she was cooking up lots of stories to tell you

"You aren't even going to convince me against it"I told her again and I saw her shoulder slumped in defeat. Better.

I led her to to the table boisterously alive with talks from Ken and Precious,only God knows what they were arguing about, probably who was the best between Ralph or Leo from Teenage Ninja Turtles,they argued over nonsense most of the times.

"Guy abeg,this nigga is saying that Nasty C is better than Sarkodie,can you imagine rubbish?"Precious was the first to attack me before I could even reach the table.

"Don't even sweat it,Do you know who Nasty C is,Sark is good but in a rap battle,Nasty C is the best to represent Africa"

"Someone that even Vector the Viper will end,nigga doesn't even have flows or punchlines"

"Maybe the Nasty C in your village, listen to Eazy or Black and White or even SMA,guy I no like nonsense argument"Ken replied and I was sure Selena was surprised these boys were actually this loud.

It seemed they finally noticed there was someone else beside me and the argument died, Precious had the widest smile on his face.

"Selena mama,how are you?" He asked

"I'm fine" She replied returning the smile,which one is Selena mama again. I definitely was not understanding Precious. I knew he was very friendly to everyone. He had this large heart that made him one of the softest dude I've known but the nickname?

Dozie said his own hi and so did Ken quickly resuming the cold aura he was known for.

For a minute there was silence and I was scared,one,I couldn't remember the last time someone sat with us,in fact it was just twice when we were in Ss 2, Ken's brother Leo had to seat with us because of some illness.

They didn't look unsettled though but still I didn't want any awkward silence around us.

"Selena who's your favorite between Sarkodie and Nasty C?" Precious suddenly asked, don't tell me he was about to rope her into this argument.

"I love both of them equally but Phyno is my personal favorite" she told them.

Precious drummed on the table and Dozie smiled.

"Finally someone who understands me" Dozie said and we all laughed

" What's your favorite song from him?"

"Isi ego"

" You feel every bar abi?"Dozies eyes was twinkling now, didn't know he liked music that much,in fact Nigerian music in particular because his phone list was filled with majorly foreign songs.

"Yeah,the Igbo and English mixture" She was grinning now

" You understand Igbo?"Precious asked and she nodded and they all laughed,she didn't know why they were laughing but I knew, stupid boys.

"Don't mind us,we are actually laughing because Yobanna doesn't know even the simplest Igbo,his hopeless"Precious told us and the smile on her was the ohh type,like she was realizing something new about me

"I'm not that bad"

"You are nigga,the only igbo word he probably knows is Bia"Dozie spoke this time

I was embarrassed,they weren't going to spare me.

"Ken that's even mixed speaks mad Igbo,Dozie is the master" Precious told her.

Ken was at his corner tapping the table, probably wondering like me why Precious is such a loud mouth,Dozie seemed to be enjoying the looks on her face as Precious kept embarrassing me.

She turned to me giving me a mocking smile and I laughed nervously, I was going to make Precious pay one way or the other.

I watched them engage her more in talks,I noticed how active she was in music and even when they talked about other stuffs,she was quick to talk about it. And then the topic moved to siblings and while Precious was relating to everyone how annoying his sis were, Selena told us about Kim.

"She dances real good, sometimes annoying and all but she's really sweet"I could see from the looks on her face she clearly adored this girl though she was her step sis and oh,did I tell you that Ken was paying real rapt attention to the part about Selena's sis. Myself and Dozie shared looks and smiled,nigga was whipped.

And when the bell rang indicating end of the break,I could see her frown a bit and I smiled.

"You'll get to seat with us everytime" I whispered against her ears.

**

I was going to concentrate and do my assignment in class.

It was closing period, the class was empty, just me,my books and I. I felt like just staying in class to do my assignment and I had actually plugged my earpod to listen to some songs when I saw a familiar figure come in to the class.

The last encounter I had with her was at the cafe,she was apologizing, looking sad but I knew Cynthia so much, she was not apologizing because she felt she did any wrong to Selena,she was apologizing because she didn't want me to remain mad at her and technically I was mad at her. I expected more,as my one time friend until I started cutting off people.

One of the reason I stopped my friendship with her was because she was spreading some stories I wasn't totally  comfortable with,like she was giving people this impression we were together and though I had tried to curb it,it seems she was basking in it.

Secondly, Cynthia became too arrogant overtime,she became this small queen bee that didn't fail to oppress people

And then bullying Selena just had to severe those thin threads we were holding on to.

She stood there at the door, looking hesitant for a while and then she finally found the courage to walk to where I was sitting.

My pen in hand as I observed her,the simple cornrows she had on with enough gel at the front. Her uniform ironed to perfection as usual and her tie knotted, everything was in place.

"Yobanna" She called me quietly.

She was hovering over my desk and then finally she made up her mind to seat.

"Cynthia,what do you want?" I asked her. If there was anything I liked ,I liked going straight to the point especially when i wasn't exactly in the mood to have that conversation.

"I came to talk to you"

"I believe that's what you've been doing since you called my name"

She rubbed her hands together and I watched her,how she was struggling with the right words.

"Look,I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything. I deeply regret everything,I know sorry is not enough but I was under pressure too"

She paused.

" I was under too much pressure to go on with the engagement and I guess teen pressure turned me to a bitch,I'm sorry,can you forgive me?"She asked

"And I don't mind apologizing to Selena"She added.

There was silence for a while,me observing her every look and she hiding her face.

"It's fine" I finally told her and she literally wanted to jump into my hands but restrined herself.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course not" And then I laughed " I was just joking"

She smiled in relief.

"I miss seeing you smile sha."

To that,I didn't say anything.

"I'm really hungry,do you mind grabbing lunch with me, there's this new restaurant across the school"

"Food hive?"I asked her and she nodded like a little child.

I weighed it,I was hungry too,there was no harm in eating right?

"Okay,let's go"

****

I realized that I'm really active when it comes to talk about music too.