NVH

II

The curious gazes were bound to come, Lola thought as she made a beeline for her new class, SS2C. She couldn't help but think back to what happened on slab. She couldn't help herself; she couldn't just keep her mouth shut either. The immense rage began flooding back into her senses again, as she thought of them. Ify approaching her like that. Femi staring at her with that look.

The class was noisy, but when she entered, it quieted a little. Murmurs followed her as she quickly took an empty seat at the back.

“Are you new?” Her new seatmate’s voice came as Lola turned to her. Oh, it was just Adeola.

Adeola was one of the few who didn't indulge in the morbid tradition of ridiculing her, and no one dared to pick on her for it because Ore would kill them. The perks of being the Head Boy’s younger sister.

“Not really. You know me.” A cold smile formed on her lips. Adeola’s eyes narrowed a little, her gaze honing in on Lola’s face.

“Really? I’m sure I will recall a face like yours.”

“You do. Just give it a minute. It’ll click.”

Adeola stared at her for a couple of seconds, still not making any progress at figuring out who was in front of her. As she was about to ask again, the teacher for that period entered, making the whole class stand up to greet her.

“Settle down, thank you. It seems we have new faces this term. What is your name?”

A few people turned back to look at Lola, who wasn’t sure they were talking to her or not.

“You at the back. Blue eyes. You’re the one I’m talking to. Get up and introduce yourself.”

Slowly, Lola uncrossed her legs and got up from her chair; the scrape against the floor was loud in the silence. She smoothed her blazer, letting the silence settle for a second longer.

“Lola.”

“Lola, welcome to Northview High. Your seatmate can show you around in your free time. After class you will meet Precious with your full name so you can be added to the register.”

“That won’t be necessary ma. I’m not a new student.”

The woman’s eyes went back to the old register, her glasses sliding down her nose as she looked from the book to her.

“Lola who?”

“Oresegun.”

The classroom went into mayhem—someone had dropped their water can; people clutched each other in shock and amazement, and Adeola let out a sharp gasp beside her.

●▮●▮

''What do you mean? Fatty Lola?''

News definitely travelled fast. The news had spread like wildfire: Fatty Lola had resumed, not so fat anymore.

''So Folarin, that was...''

''Lola.''

Ify turned to Femi. He had his usual nonchalant expression on, but the glint in his eyes were sharper than normal. ''Wow.''

Oreoluwa ignored Ify's dramatic antics. ''No wonder she said we all knew her... Stefanie leave my hair.''

Stefanie ignored him, sticking out her tongue for him to see.

''Stefanie! Your... What if Miss Boluwatife catches you?''

''Then I won't talk when she's around.'' Her sultry voice echoed in the empty class they were in as they all stared at the piercing.

''You guys let's focus on the matter on ground.''

''Stefanie, did your mum not shout?''

''Which matter, first of all? The girl got slim, good for her. Why are we now talking about it?''

''Prince, it is too late for you to keep saying all this rubbish. When we were coming to this class...''

''There's no need to argue na. I have English next period. I'll see you guys in ref.''

“Are you mad?”

Lola ignored Misan as she tore down her things from her bunk space.

“This is my bunk so shut up. Take your things and get out.”

“Just because you lost weight, you’re now having this stupid mind, abi?”

“Listen.” Lola’s calm voice made her lower hers. “I’m not in the mood for your drama this term. If I come back and meet your things here, I will throw them on square.”

“LOLA! I DON’T KNOW WHAT GIVING YOU THIS STUPID MIND OH! LOLA! LOLA! I’M TALKING TO YOU!”

No one answered Misan’s screaming. They were watching the two of them, some of them hoping they would fight. Lola didn’t spare her another glance; she just carried her bag and left for school block to finish copying her notes. She didn’t return until two hours later, and like she thought, Misan’s things were still where they were earlier. She spotted Misan sitting on the bed across, crossing her arms and waiting for Lola to do her worst.

Lola didn’t blink. She walked straight to Misan’s heap of clothes, grabbed the top half of them before walking outside. Then she threw them over the railing of the second floor onto the courtyard square below.

The slimy, foot-trodden square.

People gasped as Misan moved to grab Lola, shrieking.

“I told you what I would do. Go and find another bed, or I will finish throwing the rest.” Lola replied calmly, prying Misan’s hands off her shoulder. Misan stood, now staring at Lola differently. Where had the timid Lola gone?

“What are you people still doing here? Is it not time for prayers?” An SS3 student entered the hostel room, dispersing the crowd that had gathered. Misan just gave Lola one last look, one that spelled a lot of trouble.

“Lola chill for me!”

Lola turned to look at Adeola, who was walking fast, trying her best to catch up with her. “I’ve been calling you since. What were you thinking about?”

“Nothing.” She was thinking about what she was going to do to Misan if she still found her things on her bed when she got back. Maybe she would put it in the toilet this time. It wouldn’t be the first time they had done it to her. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I get. It’s a lot to take in. I mean, did you see the look on everyone’s faces this morning?”

A student walked by them and waved to Lola slightly, making Adeola hiss.

“See them, green snakes in the grass. So now they want to be your friend?” She commented as they stared at the kneeling crowd ahead. Lola glanced at her partner, who she knew wouldn’t be kneeling for long. She however…

It was Arinze who had punished them, and it wasn’t even up to ten minutes since the bell rang for prayers. If it was anyone else, she would have hoped that they would enter the chapel at some point. But this was Arinze, and there was no way that was going to happen. Some people knelt on the left and some on the right, leaving space in the middle for the SS3 students to walk inside.

“Shift!” One power-crazed girl screamed, pushing an unsuspecting kneeling boy into the dirt even though he wasn’t in her way at all. Lola and Adeola knelt down, as Arinze told one of them to start their own rosary.

And to pray the twenty mysteries in total.

Lola groaned internally, already thinking of how numb her knees were finally going to be when she got up.

“Lola.”

Lola looked up at the mention of her name, her eyes widening in surprise at why Kelly, of all people, was calling her.

“Get up and follow me.”