CHAPTER 1: ARRIVAL Many buses were parked in the large parking lot. Some were new and fine, while others were rickety. Without looking at the names on them, it was easy to know what school what bus belonged to. The fine ones were for the private schools, the average ones were for the federal schools, and the rickety ones were for the state schools. It wasn’t only buses that littered the park. Students of different sizes and colours were standing by their buses, talking in circles or carrying their baggage to the registration venue. They had all come for the National Secondary Schools’ Leadership Conference. It was an annual event, a conference prefects from different schools longed at attend. The pre- requisites for qualifying were quite stringent, so only the best of the best attended. This year, twelve schools were picked, and were to be trained for 10 days, arrival and departure days excluded, at the National Youth Development Center, Port Harcourt, in Rivers state. Each school was asked to bring ten of their top prefects. At the end, every participant was going to get a certificate of attendance but what freaked most attendees however, were the awards that would be presented on the last night; awards that attending students did anything and everything to get. Every year, some students did weird, absurd and unspeakable things to get these awards. Others however, came for different purposes. This year wasn’t going to be an exemption. -------------------------------------------------------- DAY 1 Uche looked round at the different students that sat in the conference hall and all he felt was intimidation. ‘Why did I choose to come here in the first place?’ he scolded himself. He had never been the outgoing type and would have preferred to be left in his own world. This was more exposure than he could handle. He was the library prefect of Immaculate Technical College, Mbano, Imo state. He liked his position as he only had to take care of the books and ensure they were returned. He didn’t have to talk at the assembly hall or dinning hall like his fellow colleagues did. It also afforded him time and opportunity to read more, which was his hobby. As the most intelligent student in his school, he had been cajoled to attend the conference by the Principal and he obliged. Now, after hearing that each student was going to give a 2-minute speech at the end of the training, he felt like entering the ground. This wasn’t what he had bargained for. He stole a glance at his colleagues from school, who were seated at different places in the hall. They seemed happy and content. They had already started making friends. He wondered how they were able to get along with others so fast. An announcement distracted him from his thoughts. “We’ll be having a thirty minutes break now. Try and acquaint yourself with those around you. The orientation course will continue right after” Many students stood up and walked about for different reasons. Uche just sat still. He remembered the previous day’s activities. Registration ended about 7pm, participants were checked into their rooms, and dinner was served at about 9pm. There was no general activity that night as they were allowed to settle in and rest well ahead of the activity-packed week. Uche had been with his school mates. There were four boys and six girls from his school. He had nothing much to talk about with his colleagues, so he sat on his bunk and began reading Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’. It wasn’t his first time reading it, but it was a book he could read over and over again because it affected his own people severely. Strangely, he could hardly read much because of the noise the boys were making. Only a few were lying down or reading, most were at the top of their voices and their major topics of discuss were centered around girls and soccer. Uche had wanted to scream; both didn’t appeal much to him. He wondered how he would cope with such boys for nine nights. Somebody poked him. He had been lost in thought, he hardly noticed students were already settling down from the break. He looked sideways and saw a girl smiling at him. “Hello!” she said, waving her hand in his face with a mischievous smile. She acted as though they had met before. Uche wondered how a girl would be that forward. He wanted to be on his own. “Is something wrong?” she asked. “No” he answered, politely. “You just sighed”, she said, still looking at him with a questioning face. Uche was a little confused. He couldn’t place her words too fast, she talked like a Northerner. “What?” “You just sighed. Are you okay?” He hadn’t noticed. “Oh…sorry. I didn’t know I did. I’m fine, thanks.” “Would you want some chips?” she asked. “No, thanks. I’m fine” “Okay then.” She said and sat next to him, picking at her plantain chips. She still had a smile on her face and Uche wondered what she was up to. Before he could take his eyes off her, he noticed she reached to the back and picked her bag from the seat behind. It was quite an effort for her because she was short. Uche was dumbfounded. He had been so happy when he had a quiet guy to his right and no one to his left. And now, he was about to have a happy, smiling, forward, and short Hausa girl disturb him. He wasn’t going to take that. “You can’t…” he had started to say but the look on her face shut him up. “I can’t what?” she asked, still smiling, as she kept eating her chips. “Or is someone sitting here?” she asked, smiling. Uche could see it that she was having fun. He couldn’t lie, he’d be caught. If she was sitting behind, then, she’d have known the seat was vacant throughout the first session. She raised an eye and Uche knew he was defeated. “I’m Fatima” she said, and extended her hand for a handshake. She saw Uche look at her hand. She followed his gaze and saw that her hand was smeared with oil and plantain fragments. She giggled and quickly redrew it, looked in her bag for her hanky, cleaned her hand and stretched it out again; the smile not leaving her face. “I’m Fatima” she said again. Uche couldn’t help smiling. She had succeeded in infecting him. Looking at her, he could see she was pleased she had made him smile. “I’m Uche” he said, as he took her hand and pumped it lightly. “Nice meeting you” she said. “Same here” he said, sincerely, though hoping it would stop at that. She was about to say something but at the same time, the announcer spoke up, clouding her voice. Uche was relieved. He turned and listened. The announcer was saying something about a guest they were expecting. Uche felt a pinch and flinched. It was Fatima again. “What?” Uche said, almost irritated. “I was asking you why you’re so quiet?” she asked, looking more serious this time. Seeing her this way, Uche just wanted to stare at her a little longer, she looked beautiful, not the childish-look she had started with. He immediately cautioned himself, surprised at his reaction. He had never given a second look at any girl before. “Please, can we keep this till after the session? It has started” He saw she was disappointed but still managed to smile. He faced the stage and listened. The announcer was saying “…so, we’ll have to wait for him. He’ll be hear in the next thirty minutes. So, your break is extended thirty minutes. Please don’t leave…” Uche wasn’t interested in the rest. This meant, he was stuck with Fatima’s chat for another thirty minutes. He looked at her and laughed spontaneously. She had stuck her tongue out of her mouth. “Dah!” she said. Uche was still laughing and she joined in. “You’re something” he said, recovering from his hearty laughter. “Didn’t it feel good to laugh?” “Yes, it did” Uche admitted. “When last did you laugh; really laugh?” she asked, expecting an answer. Uche thought about it and couldn’t answer. He tried to remember but the only time he could remember was three years back, when he was five and he wasn’t ready to remember that. He had buried it and was going to leave it buried. “I cannot remember” he said, trying to make light of it but Fatima wasn’t fooled. “What happened to you that took away your joy, Uche?” she asked. Uche’s eyes filled and this surprised him. It wasn’t just the questions she asked him that got at him but the way she asked. There was a genuine concern and care in her voice. He gritted his teeth. He had vowed never to let anyone see his tears, nothing would change that. “I don’t want to talk about it” he said. “It’s okay. I understand’ she said. At that, he looked at her. No one could ever understand what he had gone through. But looking at her, he knew that somehow, she would understand if he told her. ‘Uche, get a grip. Don’t let this girl crumble all your defenses’, he suddenly chided himself. “It was nice meeting you Fatima. I’ll need some time of quiet before the session resumes.” “Okay, if that’s what you want.” She said, then added. “It was nice meeting you too.” Uche was disappointed. He had hoped she would pester him a little more. He needed someone to talk to. He knew that after the session, they would go for lunch, then sports, then evening session and on. He couldn’t think of a anything that would guarantee they meet and talk again. There were no permanent seats. ‘Maybe she really doesn’t care. Maybe, she just like everyone else’ he thought to himself. Her questions had however triggered memories and those memories filled his mind for the rest of the break. Just as the break ended and the Guest speaker was ushered to the podium, Uche heard that now familiar Hausa accent. “Can we talk during lunch?” Fatima asked. Uche looked at her, and saw that childish-smile again. He smiled back. “I’d be glad to” he said and saw seeing the relief on her face, he knew she indeed cared. Uche’s heart beat faster with a mixture of joy and anxiety. He was going to do what he hadn’t done in ten years. He was about to open up to someone. He was about to come out of his shell. He was about to trust again. It was a scary thought and he sincerely hoped Fatima would be worth it.

Bring it on! At least three chapters for the starting point!

CHAPTER 2 The session was over and Shade was pressed; she had to use the ladies. While announcements were going on, she left her seat and walked towards the facilities. On her way up the hall stairs, he noticed a familiar face. ‘Where did I know this girl?’ The girl was talking to the boy by her side and didn’t notice Shade. She wanted to call her but just then, her bladder told her she had to hurry. She hurried along, proposing to see the girl when she returned. Getting to the toilet, she noticed it was much neater than the toilet in the hostel so, she decided to have a relaxed bowel movement, not the type with one hand on the nose and the other chasing away flies. As she eased herself, she tried to remember the girl’s name, or least recall where they met but the memory seemed very hazy. When she was out of the facilities, most of the students had left the hall, including the girl she had hoped to see. ‘I’ll see her some other time’, she told herself. “Tunbosun!” she called to her friend, sitting rows away, where she’d been. “I’m done” “Na wa for you o!” Tunbosun said, when she was closer. “Na thirty minutes you dey use piss for your school?” “Sorry jare.” Shade said, collecting her writing pad from Tunbosun. “I decided to do the two together when I got to there.” “Ah! Okay I for say o!” Tunbosun said, smiling. “Na you sabi!” Shade responded as they walked out of the hall together. The organizers had consciously mixed up the participants so that no two students from the same school were bunk mates. Shade and Tunbosun had been paired, and they had kicked off well. Shade was from Federal Government College, Ipetumodu, Osun state, while Tunbosun was from Standford College, Abuja. “How come you speak broken English often? Is it allowed in your school?” Shade asked Tunbosun. “No, it’s not. I could be suspended if caught, but I live in Warri and that’s how I talk with my friends at home. Don’t mind me, I’m a Behind girl o” Tunbosun said, smiling. “You don’t have to tell me. I know. Anyone from Standford has to be Behind” “I agree. The money we pay in that school is too much. I told my parents over and again to take me to a Federal school were the standard is the same and fees are cheaper but they insisted, claiming they wanted a Christian private school for me.” Tunbosun paused, then added. “But do you know what?” “What?” Shade asked. “I think they put me in that school for prestige purposes. They couldn’t imagine the only child of Senator Badmos going to any other school than the most expensive in Abuja.” “You cannot blame them” “I agree but that is not the kind of life I want for myself. I want to grow up to be independent, exposed and mature; able to do what is right by choice not because somebody somewhere is monitoring me.” “Don’t be biased. There are some good sides to been in a private school; no strikes, close monitoring academically, and nice environment especially in the Christian ones like yours.” “You’re right Shade. Maybe, I just feel the money is too much. I guess I should read Economics, and not Medicine” Tunbosun said, laughing at herself. “I get too calculative when it comes to money. Do you know how many hungry people my school fees for a session would cater for?” “I can’t imagine” “You’d better not. People have different opinions and are permitted to and I have mine too.” “You’ve given me something to think about” Shade said as they entered the dinning hall. They had barely entered when Shade heard someone call Tunbosun. She looked at Tunbosun and saw she didn’t respond. “That guy is calling you” she said. “Let’s get a seat first.” Tunbosun said, ignoring the boy calling her. When they were seated, she started. “That guy has been disturbing me since yesterday, when we got here” Shade looked in his direction but Tunbosun didn’t as she continued. “I have been around guys enough to know what he wants.” Shade, who was a student of an only girls’ school, was at a loss. She kept listening. “I noticed he hit it off with Okpara right at the parking lot before registration.” “Who’s Okpara?” Shade asked. “A fellow prefect from my school, who has been asking me out since our SS1 days. I’m sure Okpara has told him about me. Maybe he wants to show how macho he is. He likely wants to prove to Okpara he can have any girl he wants.” “How are you sure? Do you even know his name? What if he just wants to be nice?” Shade asked. “I know some things, girlfriend. You can count the reasonable guys we have now adays. And those few, you’ll know them when you see them. I’ll show you one when I see one” “What’s his name?” “Stanley. I don’t even like his name” “You’re funny Tunbosun” “Don’t mind me jare.” Just then, they called the table they were seated on. “It’s our turn.” They stood and walked towards the serving point. When they reached the serving point, the join the queue; there were two lines. Shade was in front on Tunbosun. “Shade!” the guy beside her on the other line called. Shade was taken aback; she didn’t know this guy. “Hello” she managed to say. Looking at the guy, she was barley able to breath. The guy was fine! And he was so close. She looked away. “I have heard so many nice things about you” he said, trying to continue the conversation. Shade felt a little embarrassed because people close by could hear him. “It’s a pleasure meeting you.” Shade simply nodded. “I hope we’ll get to see some other time. My name is Utibe” he said, extending his hand for a handshake. Shade accepted it. “Guess you already know my name.” she said, trying to look affected by his stare. His handshake lingered and Shade seemed unable to withdraw her hand. “Hey girlfriend, it’s your turn”, Tunbosun said, poking her from behind; rescuing her. Shade withdrew her hand and collected her food, still flushed from her conversation with Utibe. She waited for Tunbosun to get hers and they walked back together. Tunbosun had a smile on her face as they walked back. When they reached their seat, she giggled. “You should have seen yourself, Shade.” “I beg. Don’t tease me. I don’t know what happened to me there.” “Would you believe me if I told you that guy had rehearsed all that?” “He seemed so nice. No guy has spoken to me like that before.” Shade looked at Tunbosun and saw her mock face. “I’m serious. I have two brothers and we quarrel often. I hardly go out, so contact with guys is minimal. Some guys have asked me out, but there’s nothing about them to trip me.” Shade paused, momentarily lost. “Did you see how he looked at me? Did you hear his accent? Did you notice how fine he is?” Tunbosun, tapped her shoulders repeatedly. Shade looked at her but Tunbosun continued. “Hey, watsup?” Shade asked, bemused. “Wake up! Wake up girl. Don’t just fall for a guy because of his outward qualities. There’s more to everyone than meets the eye.” “Tunbosun, I understand, but this guy seems okay. If he wants to make friends with me after now, I’d gladly accept.” “Be careful dear.” “I will” Shade said. She had discreetly traced where he was seated. As she tasted the jollof rice they had been served, she stole a glance in his direction and saw that he was staring at her. She was so taken aback, she choke don her rice. She had to cough, to clear her throat. She stole an embarrassed peek at him again and saw he was smiling. She felt like a fool. ‘This is crazy’ she thought to herself, as her heart still beat wildly. ‘Why did God create human with emotions?’ she asked herself, as she drank the water Tunbosun offered her. “Are you okay dear?” Tunbosun asked “Yes I am, thanks.” “Guy power dey do you. I pity you o!” “Leave me jo!” Tunbosun laughed at her friend. “You’ll get over it” she said and slapped her friend at the back, still laughing. Shade shook her head, managing a smile, yet wondering how she would face Utibe afterwards, she had just embarrassed herslf. ‘I’ll avoid him. I won’t even talk to him again’ she thought to herself but as she was thinking it she knew it wasn’t possible. She was dying for him to come looking for her. She hoped it won’t be too long before he did.

Isn't this Adigun's novella

it is at tayo69

Come continue, bro. You are doing great.
Spacing is necessary, though. Also, cross check always.