Chapter 4

It was just five weeks into the term, but the serious students had started intensive studies over what had been taught throughout the term for their 1st C.A Test which was due at the sixth week. David, who prior to this time had always studied before time, hadn’t done so this week and had been so busy. He had finally informed Uncle Sam about his mother and his wonderful stepdad and it been family meeting upon family meeting; his mother on the other hand, had dragged him to an all night service the day before, he hadn’t fully recovered and she was informing about another one coming up today. Well, she would she have to go alone, he had decided to use the weekend to read up.

It was a Friday and mathematics was the last subject for the day before social gathering. Their math’s teacher, Sir. Bright, as they usually call him, walked into the class 10 minutes late with a frown and the two words he wrote on the whiteboard almost made David pass out.

“Maths Test!!?” He cried in horror

Everyone, including Sir Bright turned to stare at him; apparently no one seemed surprise, it wasn’t a new thing, Sir. Bright liked giving out his test before the test week and he had totally forgotten.

“What is the meaning of that?” Sir Bright demanded angrily

“I’m sorry sir, it’s nothing”, David apologized immediately, he had better behave himself or Sir Bright might lay the aggression of whatever made him angry on him.

As soon as Sir Bright finished with the questions, he had them submit all notebooks related to mathematics while he roamed the class. He had given them five questions to answer and they had just twenty minutes but yet, David was still staring at questions at the board.

God! What was wrong with him, he thought, it was as if the questions were written in German, everyone was busy, everyone, except him and time was ticking away.

“C’mon man wake up”, he said to himself.

He looked up the board and with a great sigh, threw his attention to the questions.

“Man that has to be one of the easiest maths tests I have ever written” Prince remarked with a wide grin on his face.

“Yes, I totally agree, I mean number three and four were examples Sir Bright had given us in our notes”, Judith concurred

Everyone seemed happy about their performance which made David depressed; he didn’t really do well in the test and just stared into space.

“I think I’ll get a twenty”, Faith said, almost shouting

“Wow!” Victor exclaimed sarcastically, which caused a few laughter

“If you think you did that well, I guess Dave and Chioma will do the marking”, he finished

The laughter continued, however it seemed to have infuriated David who had stood up about leaving the class.

“Hey! Dave” Tony called after him “What’s wrong?”

“You’ve been awfully quiet” added Chioma

“There is nothing wrong” David replied, shuffling out of the class.

He had done badly in the test that he knew…..

He can’t continue like this?

Immediately the closing bell had gone, David made for the class to get his bag and leave.

“Dave” Essien called “Let’s have lunch at that restaurant at the entrance, Chioma, Judith, everyone is going.”

“I think I’ll pass”, David replied

Essien walked towards him and held him by his shoulders.

“I hope you’re alright?” Essien asked with a look of concern on his face

“I’m fine; don’t worry about me just….”

“Go ahead with your lunch, I’ll take care of him”, Vivian interjected

Both David and Essien turned to look at her, the latter wide eyed in shock.

“Hope you don’t mind if I walked you home”, Vivian asked rather rhetorically as she walked towards to David

She took her arms round his and they both walked out of the class, leaving Essien who hadn’t move an inch.

“You might give people the wrong impression”, David remarked starring at their interlocked arms as they approached the gate.

Vivian chuckled, “What kind of impression?”

“Eh….you know…”

“Save your breath”, she said

David felt a great flush of embarrassment creep into him; it had been a very long time he had felt this way when with a girl, there was something about her that just felt ‘motherly’.

As soon as they got to the gate, she let go of his arms, while they strolled down the street.

“I know you’re wondering what I’m up to”, she said as they strolled.

“Yeah, I'm still wondering”, David replied, taking a careful look at her

“So what’s up?” He asked

Vivian didn’t reply, she just looked up the sky, closed her eyes with a sigh and kept walking.

“I know you won’t expect this”, she started

David heart was racing, ‘does she want to admit that she really likes me?’

‘No I doubt that, she wouldn’t admit very easily, except she loves me?

“Impossible”, David thought out loud with a chuckle

“What?” Vivian asked

“Nothing, nothing”, he replied, he was definitely over thinking.

David studied her skin for some moment and was about to complement her about it when out of the blues, she spoke so suddenly;

“I kinda like you Dave”

David couldn’t believe what he just heard; his insides were doing the flip flops.

“Really?” He said with a wide smile on his face.

“Yeah” she replied with a smile of her known “but, you have to start behaving more like a man”

“What?” David asked in asked in utter confusion

“I said be a man, you can’t carry on like this?”

David stopped walking, grabbed her arms and turned her to him.

“What do you mean?” He asked her

“Look, I know your family is in complete disarray, but you don’t have to let it affect your studies, you’ve got rise above it.”

David could feel anger roar inside him like a strong wave, but he kept his face expressionless and with utmost difficulty to keep himself from shouting, said quietly

“So you brought out me here to talk about my family”, letting go of her arms and looking her straight in the eye.

It seemed Vivian could feel the anger in his voice because she started fidgeting.

“No it’s not like that …..I...” she had started to explain but, David cut her off mid-sentence with a chuckle.

“My family is in complete disarray, you say, hmmm?”

“But it’s obvious isn’t it?” Vivian replied and immediately regretted it. The look on David’s face was murderous.

“Obvious?” He demanded in a quiet but very venomous tone.

“I’m-sorry-I-didn’t-mean-it-like-that-I-just-thought-it-shouldn’t-affect-your-studies-that’s-all” Vivian said in one breath without pausing.

David stared at her for some seconds, struggling to keep his voice calm and his emotions in check but as soon as he was about to speak, his temper betrayed him.

“WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?” He bellowed

Vivian looked terrified.

“GIVING MY FAMILY NAMES?”

“I thought…”

“KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS TO YOURSELF”

“FINE I WILL”, Vivian yelled back, returning his stare with a vicious look of her own.

However, Vivian’s reply seemed to have brought back David from his senses, he looked around and saw students staring at them, some in surprise, others in sniggers, while a few in awe? He couldn’t tell what that expression was.

Vivian noticed it to and sighed, “Look, I’m really sorry for bringing you out here to give your family n-aaaames” she said stressing the last part and sauntered off.

“Oh boy!” David said to himself as he watched her leave.

‘He had really done it.

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