First Impressions, First Shock
1194 Words
“So what you’re saying now, Mina, is that you didn’t save the number either?” Tessa snapped. “If Wumzy was dumb enough not to save it, are you a fool too? And you both call yourselves prefects? Senior girl and chapel prefect? Don’t you know that at least one of you should have saved the number? Or are we planning to sleep here? Prefects my foot.”
“What did you just say, Tessa?” Mina shot back. “Aren’t you also a prefect? You’re talking as if we’re the only ones at fault. If we didn’t save it, what about you? What about the social prefect?”
“I swear, Tessa, the way I’m looking at you now, it’s like I should slap that mouth of yours,” Wumzy said, her patience snapping. “Seriously, the blame is always shifted to me. Am I the one meant to handle every responsibility just because I’m senior girl?”
“Slap my mouth? You’ll never try it—not while I’m still alive,” Tessa fired back.
“Hey, girls, can you please stop arguing for just one minute?” John said, rubbing his temples. “Honestly, I don’t even know what to say anymore. You can’t tolerate yourselves. I saved the number. I’ll call.”
“Then where were you before?” Tessa snapped. “Just make the call already. I’m starving.”
“See mouth. Food, food only,” Mina muttered.
“Mina, Mina… warn yourself,” Tessa began.
“Which one is warn yourself?” Mina cut in. “I’m already cooked. There’s no need to warm me. You’ve made me more than angry, so why should I warm myself?”
“Enough!” John snapped. “You know what—let’s sleep here. I’m not calling anyone since none of you wants peace.”
“You better call now, John!” Mina and Tessa shouted together.
“John, please call,” Wumzy said calmly. “I’ve removed myself from their cat-and-rat game.”
“Good,” John muttered.
*****
A few minutes later…
“John, you’ve been pressing your phone since morning,” Mina said suspiciously. “Why aren’t you calling? Don’t tell me you typed the number and didn’t save it.”
“I… didn’t save… it,” John admitted quietly.
“You didn’t what?” Tessa said slowly. “I think my ears are malfunctioning.”
“I thought as much,” Mina said, folding her arms. “John, you’re joking, right?”
“Exactly. You must be playing a prank,” Wumzy added. “Stop this nonsense and call.”
“Hello.”
They all froze.
“You should be Wumzy. You are Tessa. And you are Mina, and you must be John,” the young man said with a friendly smile. “Nice to meet you. I’m Gabriel Shen. You can also call me Kevin.”
“You’re Sir Gabriel’s son, right?” John asked.
“Of course he is,” Mina snapped. “i***t, can’t you see the resemblance? And who else would know our names here? Use your brain sometimes.”
“Shut up. I’m just shocked,” John replied defensively.
“Enough,” Kevin said calmly. “Let’s get you home. I’ll enroll you in school tomorrow.”
“Okay, sir,” John said, then added curiously, “You speak Yoruba very well. It’s so fluent.”
“Obviously,” Tessa said. “He’s mixed-race. What do you expect?”
Kevin chuckled. “You’re sharp, Tessa.”
“Thank you, Uncle Shen,” Tessa replied proudly.
“Tessa and Mina really have issues,” John thought. “I’ll let it go. I don’t want Uncle to form a bad impression of me.”
“Alright, everyone. Hop in,” Kevin said.
“Okay, Uncle Shen,” they replied as they entered the car.
*****
Morning at the school…
“Xibei, look! It’s Uncle Shen’s car!” Anna squealed. “Oh my God, I can’t miss this today. I need a picture with him!”
“Me too!” Xibei shouted, running after her.
Students crowded around Kevin’s car as he stepped out.
“Uncle Shen, please take a picture with me!” “No, me first!” “Uncle Shen!”
“Relax, everyone,” Kevin said with a raised hand. “You’ll all get pictures. No fighting.”
“How do I walk in this uniform?” Wumzy whispered. “It’s so short.”
“Oh, so you didn’t prepare?” Tessa scoffed. “This is the advantage of watching Korean films. I knew the skirts would be short. I know how to rock it.”
She stepped out and immediately jumped back in.
“Whoa! This is more than short,” Tessa gasped. “I take it back. I can’t rock this. Jehovah… I even wore tights and rolled them, and I’m still uncomfortable.”
“Oh, what happened to Ayra Starr just now?” Mina teased. “I can’t rock it either. What if breeze opens the skirt?”
“You just want to insult me,” Tessa said. “Ayra Starr and I aren’t family. But honestly, that singer is trying.”
“Well, mine fits perfectly,” John said smugly. “I look handsome. Good luck, ladies. I’m getting down. Be careful so people don’t see paradise.” He burst into laughter.
“Get lost,” Wumzy said, shoving him out of the car.
“John, take them to the security and ask for directions to the principal’s office,” Kevin said. “Wait for me there.”
“Okay, sir,” John replied. “But you should talk to the girls. They’re having issues with the uniform.”
“What issues?” Kevin frowned. “It was sewn according to the measurements sent.”
“No, sir, it’s just that it’s too…”
Wumzy quickly covered John’s mouth.
“Uncle Shen, John is just talking nonsense,” she said quickly. “The uniform is perfect. No problem at all. Mina, Tessa, get down now,” she whispered sharply. “Do you want to embarrass yourselves?”
“Okay,” Mina and Tessa muttered as they stepped out.
“Oh God… I have no choice,” Mina thought, clutching her skirt.
“Let’s go,” John said.
“To where?” the girls asked.
“I’ve explained everything to John,” Kevin said. “Just follow him.”
“Okay, Uncle Shen,” they replied.
*****
“Wow… black students in our school uniform?” one security man whispered. “What are they here for?”
“Are you stupid?” the other snapped. “You see them in our uniform and you’re still asking nonsense? They’re here to play, or what?”
“I’m sorry, sir,” the first man muttered.
“Sorry for yourself,” the second said.
“Welcome to Star Elite Discipline Soul School.”
“Thank you,” Wumzy, Mina, Tessa, and John replied.
Suddenly, a scream pierced the air.
Students gasped as a girl fell from above, hitting the ground hard.
Two girls stood on the rooftop, laughing.
The crowd froze.
- Writer
