The footsteps we heard were Shola's. They were distinct from every other person's in the school, an observation only known to Rotimi and I. The others in the school, to the best of our knowledge, were oblivious of this fact. We had tested them on various occasions and they hadn't been able to know she was the one approaching.
That day, she sang as she came and I must say, Shola has one heck of a voice. A sonorous voice that the angels would envy. No wonder she hides under it to perpetrate her evil acts.
She sang to the tune of Tupac's 'Shoot em all'. I knew the song courtesy of my uncle, Toyman, who is ardent fan of the late singer. She flicke her fingers as she sang the song, in a way the Igbos would say that she had been enveloped by the spirit of the song.
She entered the room and all heads turned to look at her. We too had been singing Gbenga Adeboye's 'Choices'. With the track, 'Nje e ti gbo' on our lips as she stepped into the staffroom. Rotimi and I increased the tempo with which we played the characters in the track. I playing Gbenga Adeboye, Rotimi playing the backup and followers.
We intentionally laughed aloud and dared anyone to talk especially Shola. But she never said a word, rather, she stopped her song and greeted everybody generally and walked carefully to her seat. She walked as one who had hot coals on the floor would, picking her steps and looking at the floor, thereby avoiding our eyes. We had become a terror to her. Are we to blame?
I knew the other teachers too would be wondering what was wrong with the ever boisterous Shola, especially her two accomplices. They looked from one to the other and then to Shola and then to us as they made efforts to know what was wrong. The look on their faces told us of severe brain wracking and it triggered another round of laughter between us. I must say, we were criminals!
All went back to their work and those not working were packing their bags in anticipation of going home to a good or bad night rest. We, on our own, faced our business of marking and in less than thirty minutes, we had almost dealt with the piles on our tables. We joked and talked on as we marked. We were almost through with the books when I noticed a shadow across my table.
I had never been aware that someone approached me at all and I was sure that Rotimi too was caught unawares. The owner of the shadow had either moved stealthily or we had been engrossed in our working banter that we didn't notice. I looked sideways at Rotimi to see his face crease into a deadly frown. But the person was facing me and not him. He looked at me questioningly and I replied that I had no idea what the person wanted. All the while I had not looked at the person. But I was begining to feel suffocated by the person's presence.
I raised my head to look questioningly into the smiling face of Shola as she stood tall over my table looking as if she had just heard that she would win Miss World with that smile of hers. I wondered what she was looking for but something told me right then that she is up to something. Either good or bad, I was not told.
''Hello, Ade, we finally have a chance to talk. I have been waiting for this day. Finally, it's here. I love the stunt you guys have been pulling since break time. The reason for it, we will talk about. But before then, I must commend you for your good sense of judgement and influence. You have succeeded in winning your friend over to your side.'' She said as Rotimi moved over to my side of the table. A drama was about to begin.
''Shola, what do you want from me or us? For the past two terms or so, I have done my best to avoid you and I think I did it well. And I can't remember having any unfinished business with you. If there is any, please let me know and we settle it fast and we end this unholy chat.'' I rolled out angrily.
She took it coolly. She still had that annoying smile plastered on her also frustratingly beautiful face. I don't know why I still noticed her beauty in spite of my bitterness towards her in such a bad time.
She sat herself on my table and made herself comfortable. Then she asked, ''Can't you remember my face? Rotimi, you too?''
Still very bitter, my trusted friend replied, ''We don't need to look into your face. We don't know people like you.''
Again, she just smiled or let me say, she began grinning.
''Well then, since you both seem to remember me. You might not get it so clearly. But I will toggle those handsome brains of yours. From the first day you guys had been employed and you stepped into this room, I had been looking for a way to get familiar with you. I thought I was wrong about having met you, but I get more convinced by the day that we had met somewhere. Then I began my research till I got it. Now, I knew why you don't remember me. To cut this long story short. I will ask one question. Where did you guys do you National Service?'' She asked, still grinning at our furious faces.
© Yettocome™ 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment