A mango in an orange tree

1

Kofi walked down the__ in a black coat carrying a practical yet stylish Louis Vuitton bag in the crook of her elbow. Her small heels clicked on the sidewalk as she rushed to work, __ checking the time every few steps of the way. She stopped at some point to call on a taxi, screaming “taxi, taxi!” With no luck. In effort to wave one down her heel got stuck in a c***k in the pavement, she tripped and fell forward but was pulled back in time by a strong grip which tightened round her arm.

“Tu es d’accord?” A calm male voice asked Kofi as he helped her regain balance.

“Oui oui, merci beaucoup.” Kofi thanked the man as she rummaged through her bag making sure the important stuff were still there while she turned on her heels to walk away.

“Excuse-moi, I don’t seem to know your name?” The man asked with a small, insecure smile.

“What?” Kofi asked as she looked up at the familiar face, she recognized him from work but couldn’t quite remember who he was.

“I remember seeing you around the office but I don’t seem to know who you are.” Kofi said as she hung her bag on the crook of her elbow.

“At least you recognize me,” The attractive milk chocolate- skinned young man said as he stooped to pick up a small pink daily planner that had fallen out of her bag. “I work on the floor above, my name is Mi....”

The sound of the rising bell bounced off the walls of Kofi’s head ending her story before it got to the end credits.

“What was his name?” She asked herself as she groaned, got out of bed and stretched, the weekend was as short lived as her dream and now she had to survive another set of school days. She jogged to the bathrooms to pee before heading to the common room for morning prayers, beginning her week with a run in with the religious prefects was not her description of an ideal morning. As usual she was one of the first ones there along with a girl who was always there an hour earlier and prayed quietly in a corner clutching her rosary. Kofi who had heard her own fair share of rumors knew her as Sister Lois, an eager catholic girl who had grown up in a convent. She aspires to be a nun but was discouraged by the nun who raised her, saying she would be better of getting a good education and meeting someone nice along the way. That didn’t stop Lois though, she still hopes to become a nun. More than anything else. Kofi actually liked Lois although they never talked nor was Kofi familiar with the Christian faith beyond the ‘Sunday service’, but because Lois was genuine. When she smiled at Kofi, Kofi didn’t bother smiling back.

The other girls started scurrying into the common room, it seemed that the chapel prefect was tired of waiting for them to come willingly for the morning ritual and decided to take matters into her own hands. As soon as the other girls arrived, they all sat on ‘their seats’, which was decided on the first day of school by a

‘First come, first serve- policy’ and unanimously respected by everyone, even by staff. On her first morning, when she didn’t understand the school’s workings. She saw the other girls racing out of the their hostels and towards the common rooms, she didn’t understand why anyone would be rushing by five in the morning until Rosemary, the religious prefect explained the rules of morning prayers and the unwritten law employed by the students in terms of sitting positions and living spaces. It wasn’t that hard to understand, it was a simple rule aimed at keeping some of the hormone-influenced anarchy at bay. Despite the first come, first serve policy, some of the chairs were empty but apparently they were “saved” for the girls who didn’t feel the need to fight for a seat. Rosemary saw the situation she was in and gave Kofi a seat by the wall herself. The girl who sat on her left was particularly unhappy about this, as she expected the seat to be filled with someone else who was higher up in the food chain. But the next morning Lois sat in the chair on Kofi’s left no questions asked, nothing but a sincere smile. The girl who sat there the previous morning was delighted at taking Lois’ seat since she got to seat close to the girls higher up on the food chain. Every morning Kofi would meet Lois praying at her usual spot and every morning Lois would come and take the seat next to her with nothing but a smile even when the rumors about her had travelled round the school. Lois never asked any questions about Kofi’s life and this morning was no different. Lois gave Kofi thirty minutes of peace a day, thirty minutes without analyzing and predicting the

next move. Just thirty minutes of calm. Kofi was thankful she got to sit next to someone like her, because they were not many like her in the world or at least none that she knew of.

“Kofi! Kofi!” Someone called out breathlessly as she jogged to catch up to Kofi.

“Hey! Kofi slow down!” The voice continued, Kofi would recognize that mild soprano voice anywhere she thought as she slightly increased her pace, having no interest in letting Chijuo catch up to her.

“Kofi I was asking you to slow down.” Chijuo said in between bouts of breath as she finally caught up to Kofi and struggled to keep up with her relatively fast pace.

“Really? I didn’t notice.” Kofi replied unapologetically with a straight face as she adjusted her backpack on her shoulders and clutched the book in her right hand. She and Chijuo walked in awkward silence for sometime before Chijuo began to speak.

“I see your reading that book again, what’s it called? Chijuo asked referring to the book In Kofi’s hand. Kofi was not impressed. She had seen this way to much, an elaborate plan to make you lay down your guard and open up to the informant.

“Dreams from my father, an autobiography written by Barrack Obama” Kofi replied focusing on only one thing, her path slightly downhill on the aged roadwork to the grand assembly. It was obvious the only books Chijuo owned were her literature in English requirements.

“Haven’t you read that before?” Chijuo asked Kofi eager to get her to keep talking hopefully she would say something about Jerry.

“Yes.” Kofi replied hoping Chijuo would just take a hint. After all she was a pawn and underlings never held her attention. They were puppets to be easily manipulated by a smarter or stronger individual.

“Why? Any love interests?” Chijuo asked as she picked at her manicured index fingernail, the school didn’t allow nail paints or hardeners but if all the fresh girls did it why wouldn’t she. Kofi looked at Chijuo’s fingernails as they got closer to the assembly hall, they looked good but not for long. There was no point in disobeying a rule that didn’t really matter.

“No.” Kofi replied as she turned her head left to see the familiar voices giggling and gossiping as they walked past. Chijuo looked too, it was Serene and some other girls. Kofi knew Chijuo was fighting not go to them.

“Why? What about Michelle? I like Michelle and their daughter, she’s really pretty.” Chijuo asked again looking at Kofi with a victorious smile hoping she had gotten to a place where Kofi would talk.

“Of course you would.” Kofi replied with a chuckle and walked ahead of Chijuo. She probably knew nothing of the first family beyond i********: posts and besides Kofi wanted to spare her the chance to catch up to Serene with nothing new to show. Kofi didn’t care much for politics anyway.

“That’s if they don’t affect the money flow.” Kofi thought to herself smiling as she walked into the grand

hall to take her seat behind in a far corner where the students never seemed to fill.

“We believe in discipline and truth, individuals free of vices unlike the rest...”

“Do you believe that?” A dark skinned girl with long hair worn In cornrows asked Kofi as she tried to listen halfheartedly to Principal Ade’s morning speech concerning some students. “Do you believe that people can be free of vices?” The girl said with a small smile. Kofi had been in the school a while but she didn’t know this girl who sat next to her today. She was obviously an old student judging from the thinning of the material used in making her navy blue pleated skirt and a silvery shine as a result of regular ironing, Kofi thought as she looked from the girl’s black and white soled sneakers up her fit legs and unto the skirt from the side of her eyes. She probably ran or swam often.

“I believe we all have a dark side though, don’t you?” The girl said with her arms folded as she looked around the crowd of seated students. It was then Kofi turned to look at the girl who sat next to her. She was pretty, beautiful actually with her long lashes framing dark brown eyes and a symmetrical framework of bone and cartilage which held her n***o facial features in proportion.

The corners of the girl’s lips tugged upward in a small smile without turning to face Kofi as she began to speak again.

“Principal Ade was officially divorced by his wife six months ago but they hadn’t seen eye to eye for two

years already. Apparently he had a drinking problem and held a relationship with a younger physical ed teacher to his wife’s knowledge.” The girl said while shifting her gaze to a curvy light skin teacher who taught the juniors. Kofi followed her gaze to the pretty teacher who sat on the second row where the teachers sat. The lady shifted uncomfortably multiple times while shifting her gaze from the floor to the students in front of her.

“In case you are wondering, No they are no longer together they broke it of soon after the divorce.” The girl said with amusement in her voice. “She probably got a better deal with someone else or perhaps she re- evaluated her life choices.” The girl said completing her statement and looking around again. Kofi tried to follow her gaze once again amidst digesting the information about the Principal, an average height man who was probably in his late fifties. His head was sprinkled with white and his trousers and shirts always starched to the extent they looked like they could walk a mile on their own. It was hard to believe such a man would lead an affair.

“And over there,” the girl said motioning with her head to a slightly taller and beautiful girl whose sleeves were buttoned down tightly on her wrists played with a pendant while smiling to herself. “That’s Ruth, she looks like a model doesn’t she? But she’s thicker though. She is the ‘wife’ of a higher up gang member, Peto in the ___ gang. They’re pretty popular around here especially because the school is part of their drug turf. Some say Ruth is pregnant for Peto’s baby but I

don’t believe she’s that dumb considering what her mom would do to her.” The girl finished her statement a little somberly. She must have known Ruth beyond the school walls.

“I and Ruth used to play together when we were much younger.” The girl said smiling as she scanned the crowd once more. “Those were good times.” She finished her statement with a smile in time to receive a warning stare from Principal Ade.

“I believe you all know you are not meant to be talking during the assembly. Miss Adeyemi and Miss Madu take note of your actions.” The Principal said as everyone in the assembly hall turned to look at both of them. Kofi sat straight with a blank expression on her face while the girl mouthed the word “sorry” to the Principal with amusement as the other students turned back. Some had already started cooking up new stories about her. Apparently “Miss Adeyemi” had quite the reputation.

“So where were we?” The girl asked as she adjusted in her seat. The assembly was unnecessarily long today and everyone was getting uncomfortable. “Ohh yes we were at Ruth, so moving on.” The girl continued, scanning the crowd again as if the Principal never spoke to her. Kofi on the other hand chuckled at this she was enjoying the conversation. This girl was different.

“There’s also Onyeka, the gangster wannabe. He’s been trying to get involved with some of the local gangs in the area, jumping in and out of the school. I’ve never understood what he stands to gain from all that though

but it’s still funny to think of his dead body.” She said as they both looked at a dark skinned boy who was running his hand over a girl’s lap. Kofi frowned at the sight.

“I know it’s disgusting when people do that in public.” The girl said to Kofi with disgust in her tone as they both ended up laughing in hushed voices.

“So Adeyemi...” Kofi began before the girl corrected her.

“Please its Asa. Adeyemi is my grandfather.” The girl said in a friendly voice.

“What’s yours?” Kofi asked turning her head to look at Asa who looked back at her before letting out a sigh and looking around the crowd of students who were then starting to leave the assembly hall until her eyes fell on a petit girl with a cute face. Kofi followed her gaze towards the petit girl and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“That is Sowe, someone I’ve grown attached to, a little to attached.” Asa said in a tone different from and deeper than her amused tone. Her jaw tensed as she looked at Kofi who was trying to understand why this “Sowe” was so important. Asa chuckled as she grabbed her bag and stood to leave the assembly. Kofi sat face forward thinking of their conversation, it would take a while to get what she learnt of her mind.

“Ohh and Kofi, right?” She said with her back towards Kofi. “I’ve heard a lot about you from everyone but it’s obvious they know nothing about you, so you know mine and I want to know yours.” She said as she started walking away. “I will really like to do this some

other time.” She said in her gleeful tone as she left Kofi seated in the assembly.

“Young lady don’t you have classes to attend.” An elderly female teacher scolded Kofi as she walked past. Kofi put on her backpack and stood to leave following behind the elderly teacher who was joined by another teacher probably in his thirties.

“Children these days ehh, in my time you could not walk behind a teacher on his way to class.” The elderly woman said to Kofi’s hearing. Kofi did not care though even if she was a student back then no would dare touch her.