-Chapter Seven

Chioma stood there frozen for a moment before a soft chuckle escaped her lips. Chioma pursed her lips as she turned and watched his retreating back.

"Who are you looking at?" Fefe asked as we walked inside to pack another round of plates.

"Snr Semiloore" Chioma replied as my eyes widened.

"He walked up to you?" I asked as Chioma shook her head.

"He walked past me" Chioma said.

I couldn't control myself as I burst into laughter. Fefe and Chioma looked at me with unpleasant expressions on their faces.

"Stop laughing" Chioma snapped.

"Sorry" I muttered since laughing quietly.

"He was actually looking at me" Chioma said grumbling.

"You guys should speed up nah, weve missed first period already, we can't afford to miss second period" Sade said approaching us.

Fefe didn't reply as she carried a pile of plate outside the dinning hall.

"I can't believe I have to pack those stinking SS1 students plates" someone grumbled.

We missed half of second period in the end. Classes were unusually boring that day and time flew by fast. The period before we went for lunch was free so the class was very noisy.

"Guys!" Sade said slamming her table.

"We have eardrums, please don't break them" a girl snapped as the class roared with laughter.

"Whatever" Sade said as she hissed. Having the whole class attention, she continued to speak.

"I discovered that the way we packed the plates this morning was a bit disorganized and some people didn't really pack plates, some packed a lot while some packed average, to prevent that; I and Joba just went to the Senior Dinning Hall and counted the table there" Sade said as she sat down on her locker.

"We have a total of 236 tables on the senior dinning hall and we have 40 students in this classroom" Joba added twirling the biro in the middle of his fingers.

"So we are going to be allocating tables to everyone, 5 tables per one person" Sade said as she brought out a list and pasted it on the class notice board.

Everyone rushed to it to check where they were allocated. Fefe, Chioma and I were assigned to SSS1 tables. I snickered seeing it.

"So once you have finished clearing the tables you were assigned, you don't need to wait for anyone, you can come straight to attend class" Sade said.

"That's better" someone said.

There werr many reasons why Sade had been class rep since SS1 first term, some classes changed class reps every term but Sade and Joba never got changed. Both had leadership qualities, Joba surpassing the other on that aspect but Sade was extremely smart and knew what to do in most occasions.

"Why am I packing SS1 students table? I reject!" A girl said folding her arms.

"Me too!" Another girl said.

"How will I pack those dumb idiots plates? Change me to SS2 or SS3 table please" another girl said.

"We are not changing it" Joba stated.

"Don't change it o, you'll see if I'll pack the plates" the girl threatened as Joba frowned.

"Don't you have a name? Its simple, don't pack and face Snr Phil wrath, you think I will beg you or something? Alaye you are dreaming" Joba said as he walked past her.

The class roared with laughter as everyone returned to their seats. Fefe walked up to Sade.

"Who made the list?" Fefe asked.

"I and Joba" Sade replied pursing her lips.

"So of all plates I would pack, I'll be packing those juniors plates" Fefe said as Sade swallowed her saliva.

"I'm sorry, I just felt that you wouldn't complain any where I put you guys" Sade replied.

"Which side are you packing?" Fefe asked.

"I'm in SS1 too" Sade replied.

"So is Joba" Sade added as Fefe nodded and walked back to her seat.

"When will test timetable come on nah?" I grumbled as closed my Physics textbook.

"Are you that eager to write test?" Chioma asked laughing.

"No o. I'm eager for the part after the test, the no class part!" I said with excitement as Chioma and Fefe shook their heads.

"Which house will they put me this year?" I asked no one in  particular.

"Does it matter? Its only clap you'll do las las" Chioma replied as we all burst into laughter.

"You are making it sound like a bad thing" I said laughing.

"You think its not a bad thing?" Fefe asked as I groaned.

"Don't crucify me nah, if not because Chioma was part of the royal procession of her house last year and you marched last year too, we'll all still be part of the clapping section" I said laughing.

Last year, the house captain of Red house had forced Fefe to march, he put her in front deliberately and in front, Fefe could only learn and march  diligently. Chioma was also chosen to be part of the royal procession of Purple House, she was a princess while I remained as a clapping machine at Purple House.

"So do something this year" Fefe said.

I shrugged my shoulders immediately,  "It's not my fault I have no talent at sporting activities" I said.

"Try high jump nah" Chioma suggested as I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Nah, I'm fine with clapping" I replied with a wink.

"I wonder what house I'll fall into this year" Chioma said.

"I better not fall in Blue House" I grumbled while Fefe and Chioma burst into laughter.

Blue House had miraculously taken last every year since my JSS3. Only God knows how the school managed to distribute students like me, with no talents in sporting activities in Blue House.

"What if you fall in Blue House?" Fefe asked.

I grinned at her immediately "We'll go see Director Micheal together" I replied as Fefe shook her head at me.

"You are hopeless" Fefe said as we heard the bell for lunch.

This time around, I buttoned my shirt and even knotted my tie again. I adjusted my jacket as we walked out of the class.

"I don't know why these two irritate me" Fefe murmured as I looked ahead.

John and Faith were walking ahead of us. Their hands were intertwined and Faith was whispering some things to John. He laughed and smiled at her.

"They look so heavenly" I muttered as Chioma glared at me.

"That's what you say each time you see them" Chioma said.

"Because they actually are!" I replied wagging my tongue at her.

"I just dislike their PDA and the fact they make everyone believe they have a perfect relationship" Fefe said as I turned to her.

"PDA is cute and besides what do you mean by make everyone believe they have a perfect relationship? Of course, they don't have a perfect relationship. They are just good at understanding and tolerating each other" I replied as Chioma started hailing me.

"Love expert, wa gbayi" Chioma hailed as I wore a proud expression.

"Ode" Fefe muttered as we burst into laughter.

As soon as one of the prefects said the prayers, everyone started eating and barely few minutes later, an uproar started in the hall.

I frowned my face as I used my spoon to take a portion of the Semolina. I swirled it in the plate of soup as I brought it into my mouth. The frown on my face increased.

"Ta!" One of the girls exclaimed.

"Did something happen to these cooks this afternoon?" A guy asked.

"This is salt we are eating raw nah" Chioma said bewildered.

The soup was dosed with salt. Every student had something to say about the food.

Prefects ate after the normal students and so most of them wore confusef and surprised looks hearing murmurings in the hall.

Phillip and the food prefects jogged down the Prefects table as they hurried outside the dinning. They came back few minutes later and Phillips handsome face was marred with displeasure.

"Everyone, I request for decorum" Phillip said.

The funny part was, his voice wasn't that loud, yet the huge dinning descended into silence as Phillip climbed IP few of the stairs to talk better.

"I apologise for the state we have found ourselves in. I'm sorry for the non-edible lunch. There's nothing we can do for now and we can only request everyone to move to the cafeteria and get snacks to satiate their hunger. These snacks are free, but anything above the price of 500 naira, you'll have to pay with your meal card" Phillip said as everyone began to murmur again as they walked out of the dinning hall.

"What happened actually?" One of the girls asked.

Fefe frowned at the girl before replying "Do I look like a kitchen cook? Or do I look like Snr Phil who went to find out whatever the hell is going on? Why are you asking me?"

The girl's face twisted as the table roared with laughter. Everyone knew Fefe had a sharp tongue, asking her such a dumb question was asking for embarrassment.

The students continued walking out of the hall. The earlier anger and displeasure had evaporated as they began to weigh their choices of what snack to buy to satiate their hunger.

"Where are you going?" Fefe asked me.

"Cafe nah, I'm hungry" I replied.

"We still have plates to pack" Fefe said.

My face and Chioma's dropped immediately. One, I was actually very hungry, two; the state at which everyone left their plates on their tables was disgusting, food was plastered everywhere. We would have to fill collect all the food before we could even pack the plates.

Just packing the plates took a lot of time, collecting the food would take a longer time. By the time we were going to be done, siesta would have started. We would get punished for not being on our beds by the start of siesta and at the same time, we'll miss the free snacks.

"God, whyyyyyyyy" I cried out in alarm.