The unseen truth

The search for bunmi

Bunmi! Bunmi! Bunmi! Where is this girl?" Anita exclaimed loudly, her voice echoing down the hallway as she hurriedly searched for Bunmi. Despite half an hour passing, her frantic quest to find Bunmi had been in vain.

"Stacey, why didn't I think of her, argh!" She groaned with disappointment as she turned and walked towards her classroom.

"Stacey, have you seen Bunmi?" Anita asked loudly as she relaxed on the window ledge, her eyes scanning the classroom in search of Stacey.

"I saw her with Bright at the cafeteria," Stacey shouted in response.

Anita's POV:

My eyes flashed across the room until it landed on Stacey.

Typical Stacey, chatting so comfortably with Daniel. She sat on a chair while Daniel perched on the table opposite her, facing each other. Stacey's hand rested on his thigh as she leaned in slightly, wearing a smile. Daniel's body language was relaxed and inviting, with his hands on the table, supporting his weight, and sometimes, his right hand found its way to her face or hair. Each time he did, her eyes seemed to light up.

A loud, high-pitched bell signalled the end of the break, snapping me out of my thoughts. And where the heck is Bunmi? Damn! The break is over, I should make my way to my seat now, or I'll face Mrs. Ada's wrath when she arrives for her class. I sighed in frustration and quickly moved away from the window when I locked eyes with Bunmi.

I watched her hurry up the stairs, heading towards me. My classroom (heirs of Excellence as we would call it ) was situated at the beginning of the hall. It had a stair which led downstairs right beside it. My heart raced with relief as I headed towards the classroom.

Bunmi's POV:

As the bell indicating the end of the break echoed through the school, a sense of urgency swept through the lively courtyard. Laughter turned into hurried whispers, conversation stopped mid-sentence as it was time to return to their classrooms. Like leaves in the wind, students scattered from every corner of the courtyard, their movement frantic and disorganised while others lingered reluctant to abandon conversations, games, schemes or whatever they had going on

"But we haven't finished our game yet" I heard one student say as I ran past them, "I didn't even get to finish my snack", another lamented.

Amidst the chaos I needed to hurry upstairs as their protest wouldn't save me from Mrs Ada's wrath if I was a minute late to her class.

"That evil old hag", I whined as I remembered my last ordeal with her. As I climbed, my hand brushed against the cool surface of the wall, its sturdy texture a stark contrast to the smoothness of the steps beneath my feet. Halfway up the staircase, I paused to catch my breath, leaning against the wall for support. From this vantage point, I could see down into the bustling hallway below, the sound of laughter and chatter drifting up to meet me. The air was alive with energy, a palpable buzz that filled the space with anticipation. The stairwell was divided into two distinct sections, separated by a sturdy wall that curved along the edge of the stairs. To my right, the open space of the hallway stretched out, bustling with activity as students hurried to their next class. To my left, the wall rose high, creating a sense of enclosure that enveloped the staircase in a cocoon of privacy.

"I'm not sure you're taking a stop at the right place," Ikem said as he walked past me amidst other students continuing their ascent. With renewed determination, I decided to join them, each step bringing me closer to my destination, the next floor. I looked up and caught a glimpse of Anita as she reached the classroom door, her familiar figure disappearing into the room. With a sense of urgency, I quickened my steps eager to meet my best friend. The scents of books and board markers met me as I scanned the room until they landed on Anita who was already at her desk. Dodging past a few desks I weaved through rows of chairs until I finally got to mine, beside Anita. It felt natural, as if this space belonged to me as much as it belonged to Anita our desks were positioned side by side as proof of our long-lasting friendship. With a warm smile, she greeted me as I settled down.

"Where have you been, your highness? Mr. Sam is going to be so upset," she said in dissatisfaction once I had settled down.

BUNMI'S POV

"I'm so sorry, Anita," I mumbled an apology.

"I just don't think this is the right time," I thought to myself as I settled beside her. We've been friends for as long as I can remember, and I'd never do anything to hurt her, even if it means keeping this secret from her. I had liked her from the first day we met & we've been close friends since then.

~6 years ago~

"Touch her and I'll report you to my mum." feisty Anita defended me from the awful kids in my classroom that day. Mrs Adekunle our headmistress was Anita's mum. She had a reputation for being strict and not condoling; one wanted to be on her bad side as little as we were, and she was feared.

Going to school hasn't always been one of my favourite things to do, and today was no different. I was trying to avoid the snickers of other kids as I walked into the class with my head down. I could smell the stale air in the classroom, mixed with the strong scent of my class teacher who always wore too much perfume. I felt the rough fabric of my school uniform against my skin and the cold metal of my desk beneath my hand as I took my seat. My stomach churned as I heard the whispers behind me. I hated it especially because...

Anita's statement interrupted my thoughts.

"you look ugly when you do that",

"Do what?" I grinned.

The memory made me sick & I felt the heat rush to my face as I closed my eyes and rested my head on the desk.

"Are you okay?" I opened my eyes and saw Anita as she scribbled down notes.

"You look sick. Did you eat something bad?" She asked again, glancing at me before continuing to write. Her right hand moved quickly over her notebook as Mrs. Ada dictated. Her left hand was tucked deep into her ponytail. I smiled at that; she would do that every time she needed to use the restroom, her little coping mechanism, as she would always say. Her left leg crossed over her right, revealing her perfectly toned legs.

Anita's POV:

I've always known Bunmi to have a weak stomach; she frequently gets car sick, especially during class excursions. Right now, she looks quite sick and tired, and I can't help but wonder what she ate during the break, though I'm not about to find out. It's been a long day, and I can't wait to go home.

The bell rang, indicating the end of Mrs Ada's class. "Don't forget to submit your assignment as early as possible, I don't want to see you in my office once it's 12" She sternly reminds us. Mrs. Ada is one of the teachers at Bunto Private School. I listened to her footsteps fading into silence as she walked back to the staffroom.

Hardly a minute after Mrs. Ada's departure, the classroom erupts with activity. The students' clamour filled the room and echoed off the walls, reaching the hallway. I sighed in frustration when I caught Yinka's eye as he winked at me, knowing he was up to his usual mischief.

"Looks like you've got yourself a fan," Bunmi said, grinning mischievously.

"You saw that?" I inquired

"You mean the wink?" She teased.

"Oh, come on, stop that. You know Yinka is always causing trouble," I responded, rolling my eyes. The thought of him liking me is exasperating.

"He made Jide cry earlier during the break, spilt coke on his lunch," Bunmi said laughing as if it's a funny tale.

"Well, if he's not spilling things, he'd be poking someone with his pen or purposefully knocking over books," I remarked. I watch him toss a duster across the room, he looks satisfied as it hits Tola's back.

"Woah, look at that," Bunmi exclaimed, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"That would be Yinka, and what the hell is wrong with you?" Tola yelled at him, clearly irritated.

"What do you mean, what's wrong with me?" Yinka retorts with a smirk.

"You threw that duster, you i***t. What are you, thirteen? Grow up!" Tola exclaimed.

"Class rep, did you see me do that? I feel offended," Yinka grinned, pretending to be hurt. Tola sighs in frustration when Bunmi and I burst into laughter.