•Arthur Dike•

"Guy, I dey tell you say she no go gree for that kain shii you wan do. " Dominique advised Segun beside me and I rolled my eyes.

How you con know that one?

"Guy, maybe she go gree, you never know yet. Just try your luck. " Nonso quipped in,

They were crowding up this walkway and each step I took, I felt like I was suffocating,

Can't a man walk up to the auditorium in peace again?

The closing bell had just gone off and the already crowded walkway was choking,

I still didn't know what had pushed me to follow this path, I knew I wanted to think... Alone. But what I didn't know was that, they'll all follow me after each of them muttered about how e don tey since dey don climb this walkway go cafeteria and how long it'd been since they'd last eaten lunch in the school cafeteria... Not like, if I was even going to the damn cafeteria.

Like, I was just on my own one second and the next they were all beside me.

Junior students were all at the front, their small heads bobbed up and down as most of them ran excitedly to the cafeteria, guy me no just understand their happiness.

They're also really lucky, back in 8th grade no junior dared to walk in front of their seniors ever... but nowadays we didn't care about things like that, the power play was unnecessary because these juniors were already so young and so small and it made me a bit unhappy.

It felt like my set was the last set of whatever Emerald Academy used to be and like we're even a bit too young, back then SS2's average used to be 20 year olds and now we're a mean of 18-20 with 21 being the oldest, when E² were in SS2 there was someone who was 23 years old.

It just feels like back then seniors used to be proper seniors and juniors weren't kids, I think there's a 9 year old in 7th grade self and that's so crazy because you should be in primary school... what's with the rush?

Well, us seniors were all walking sluggishly towards the cafeteria, almost everyone had a scowl as most of them loudly grumbled about how long the walkway was and how escalators should be installed in our school... I didn't even know how that was possible, but it would be really nice. Or like a zip line from school building to cafeteria.. anything really! How do people survive this, walking everyday from cafeteria to auditorium to school, school to cafeteria. It's so crazy, because I am used to the cafeteria to auditorium, auditorium to school, school to auditorium, auditorium to hostel, I'm used to taking a break in the auditorium.

The sun wasn't blazing hot so no one was complaining about that... Yet.
It was a bit cloudy and the wind was sure having fun raising up some girls skirts, I'd already seen enough black tights in my lifetime for that to have any effect on me.

But the effect still applied on Segun and Dominique, they'd even cursed the wind for teasing them with 'sneak peaks', their cursing slowly switched to the girl Segun was toasting.

.... Chisom.

Segun was obsessed with his wicked Igbo women as he thought himself a proper Yoruba demon.

Apparently, she wasn't giving him enough attention because he was in boarding school and she wasn't and now they were currently arguing on what and what Segun should do to get her full attention.

I had an idea that could work, so I was far more eager to share it.

"Invite am may she come our school visiting day. She go see as you fresh, that time we go arrange am well, you go wear mofti and you go flex that your Iphone Xmax for her front... Then we go dey there may she see swag way you dey roll with and know say, you be swag too. " The words rolled out of my mouth smoothly and Segun grinned.

Kenelum laughed and a few head turned towards us, "Guy, that kain thin... E no go work, she go con dey fall for me now. Diana go con vex for me, kill am sef, Segun now no go get babe."

"Guy, your papa! " Segun exclaimed and I laughed.

Dominique smacked Kenelum's head and few girls around us giggled.

Sometimes I do not notice all these things until I'm forced to stare at it head on, the girls who swam us. It's subtle and they do a good job at pretending they're not just groupies but eventually they slip up and reveal they've been listening in on our conversations.

Which was annoying. To say the least.

"I swear, who's deceiving you please? She no see me, see Kenneth, see Nonso, see Arthur sef, na you she go con dey fall for? Watin you don light today? "

"As in. Guy, get off your fucking high horse. I don't even understand what that fine babe called Diana sees in you, guy you be tout... Original baba tout. " Kenneth smirked.

"I swear, I surprise say una two dey go steady, what about all your papa advice? Abi Diana no be woman too? She no be 'maami water' too?" Nonso scratched his head after speaking and the clouds cleared up instantly... Sunlight streamed down on Nonso's facial features and I noticed he needed a haircut.

Or a trimming at least, I get that Emerald Academy wasn't strict on hairstyle... But still, doesn't mean he needed to look like an Agbero. His dread like hair looked too rough now and he'd started growing a chinstrap on his face -that one made sense, he didn't need to get rid of it. But his hair.

"Well, she's not like any other girl. My paleh dey talk about other girls, she no be other girls. She be my girl. Paleh'm dey wrong about this one. "

"See this bastard oh! Your paleh tell you watin? So na Munachi con be the other girls abi watin you dey yarn? " I didn't know when I'd spoken but now that I did, I suddenly noticed her kilometers away from the auditorium.

Speak of the devil... Speak of the cute little devil, that wasn't so little anymore but was now extra cute..

She was walking alone with her small bag strapped round her shoulder, I admired the way the bag moved behind her, admired how it was on cue with her butt.

"Abeg fashi that wan. Na Chiamaka deceive me that year, I been dey think say she wan may I fuck am while she dey with Rooney. " Kenelum muttered then rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

We have had a really long talk, one without punching because in a way I understood just exactly how influential Chiamaka could be.

I knew how she could get into ones psyche and corrupt it and at the same time I didn't even blame her, it was what she knew as truth.

She too was just a victim of life so it was easy to move past it all considering I realized she didn't even know the severity of what she'd asked Kenelum to do either, I don't know how exactly Munachi moved past it but I believe she has too.

I smiled a bit at Kenelum and returned my gaze back to Munachi—he followed my eyes.

"But sha, she don dey get yansh oh!" Kenelum exclaimed loudly and crossed his leg over the walkway path and walked towards her, now he was walking on the grass.

"Guy, I swear, where the yansh take come out from sef? " Kenneth followed suit.

"As in eh, the thing con make sense. " Dominique's sentence had me rolling my eyes, he crossed over and jogged towards Munachi who'd stopped to converse with Kenelum with a smile.

Now, who'd ever seen that coming?

Both of them... speaking to each other, with smiles on their faces.

"Guy una papa, wait! " Segun joined in their mini race.

"See this boys oh! " A tiny voice I knew could only belong to Jasmine yelled behind us. Nonso and I whipped our heads backwards and we both easily located Jasmine and Silvana in the reducing crowd.

Silvana looked down immediately.

I rolled my eyes.

Why was she still this dramatic? He cheated-boo hoo- get over it.

I just feel like it's enough, it really is enough because you still love him so why are you punishing yourself and making everyone feel awkward.

You stare at him, he stares at you. Acting like a bunch of Hollywood characters.

Nonso stepped out of the walkway, turned and walked back to the spot we'd already walked past before just to wave at Silvana-

Love makes us do stupid things.

Jasmine rolled her eyes and I noticed the gay dude scowl at Nonso, Silvana looked like she was trying to untangle her hand from something and after stepping out of the walkway and taking two steps sideways, I saw that she'd been trying to pull her hand away from Williams...

Which was weird... Even the Williams dude was acting weirder than usual, always giving Nonso altitude... Yeah we didn't all stay in the same dorm but every chance Williams got in our hostel, he took it to be rude to Nonso who'd been snubbing his recent behavior and keeping him quiet, maybe because Williams was still close friends with Silvana and he was still trying to be in her good book.

I sighed as a greeting to Jasmine who raised her long hand to wave at me once we'd made eye contact, returned her wave with a nod then turned and continued walking towards the auditorium, across the freshly cut grass.

They were right and I've always knew Munachi had added weight, it pleased me to know that they just discovered now which meant that in a way mentally Munachi was off limits, even all the times we danced together they still didn't notice how full her butt had become, in her black tights and crop tops they didn't notice how her breasts had filled out since the ending of SS1 third term and it pleased me to know that.

I held Munachi's hand and playfully punched Kenneth who was then ogling her butt and shoved-well tried to shove- Dominique for attempting to almost slap her ass, I don't think my feeble small hand did any damage to his firm chest.

"Hii" I grinned at Munachi, she smiled back.

"Exam starts next week, how prepared are you all? " She asked and I took that as a rhetorical question.

Kenelum didn't. "Prepare shmpare. Reading is for kids. "

"Guy, that one is your business. Technical drawing is fucking with me badly. "Kenneth muttered.

"Guy, it's government that's screwing me hardcore." Nonso said after he'd suddenly appeared to make himself known.

"All these ones you guys are talking, it's because you guys haven't studied Commerce in SStwo." Dominique grumbled and we all started walking towards the auditorium.

Together.

I purposely slowed down my steps so I could be alone with Munachi at the back as I left my friends to keep arguing about which subjects were the toughest among themselves.

Munachi on the other hand wanted to be a part of that argument, so she chipped in.

"Further maths is the worst. " Great! Join them!

I'll do the same.

"Shut up e, lazy girl. Further maths is easy and less complex than the general maths itself. " I lightly smacked her head and she giggled.

"Watin una dey talk? " Kenelum stopped and specifically scowled at me.

"Further maths, general maths, future maths and past maths... Na them both be the real headache! "

"Guy, I swear! To prove how wicked human beings are, like if the main maths was not enough... One mumu now went and invented Further maths, the person dey okay so?!"Nonso yelled, fully switching to his Warri accent.

I loved his accent, the area vibes he immediately took up.

Munachi threw her head back and laughed.

"Guy, I swear. You understand! That's why I kukuma carried my self and entered Social science-"

"-Technical." Kenneth quickly corrected Kenelum, Kenelum in response raised up his middle finger and licked it.

Kenneth laughed and the dark cloud was back again, shielding us from the sun.

He rolled his eyes then said, "Na say, Diana don dey do am to you may we no go hear word?"

"I swear! Every time the idiot's always licking his finger.. Like um, guuuuuuuuuuuy ya! We're not faaaaaaaaaags ya! " My teenage American accent was back and Munachi laughed loudly.

Glad I could make you laugh milady.

We were now at the auditorium and I stood behind Munachi as I guided her up the small steps, I purposely stood behind her.

Forget the gentle man stuff, this ass was worth looking at.

The auditorium wasn't empty, but it wasn't as filled as it usually was-more people were still on their way.

Especially with the absence of Ebuka, our population had increased drastically... Even at that, generally we still weirdly shared ourselves.

We walked towards the SS2 section of the hall and I sat beside Munachi. Kenelum and Kenneth dragged two chairs and sat down opposite us both... Nonso and Segun dragged their chairs too and placed it opposite each other, we were now slowly forming a circle shape.

Dominique sat down beside Nonso on his left and also at Kenelum's left.

Chidinma would have sat down next to Dominique but she still wasn't back from the international tennis competition she'd gone on to represent our school.

Sports was her thing and Emerald Academy loved racking up every trophy they could get even if it meant sponsoring students on trips to Canada, Germany or USA as long as it was a competition of caliber, Emerald Academy was going to represent.

"I swear, I just hate further maths. But still, after all the running... That's the main shit they teach in Technical class, especially in financial accounting. Like, God why? " Dominique slapped his lap.

"Well, that's by the way. Nana, what's your favorite subject? "Kenelum asked her and I quirked my left brow at him.

Fuck, who knew this day would ever come?

I know they weren't friends yet, sha sha he'd already apologized for well.. planning to... date rape her.

His apology went 'I no go ever fit to do that to any woman, I wasn't going to do shit to you. We have our differences but just know I'm not capable of such and it's not because you were Rooney's girlfriend or you have something with Arthur, it's just wrong. ' which Munachi responded with, 'I know, I've begun to understand that you're not the worst vermin on Earth and you have human like traits too'... the English confused the shit out of him but it kinda settled it.

But still this was something. Seeing both of them communicate with each other so amicably.

Diana was for sure a good influence on him.

"I don't have a favorite subject-"

"-Booo! Damn, that's fucking boring! You need a favorite subject. " Kenneth interrupted and I rolled my eyes and chuckled.

"Why?" She asked, she took my palm and I squeezed her hand tightly then let go.

Nonso coughed lowkey and said the most stupidest thing I heard all day. "Because you're a Nigerian and we Nigerians all have our hated and loved subjects, so decide now. "

"Um.. Then, I'll go with Geograph-"

"-Tarh! "

"- Tufiakwa! "

"God to the forbid! God forbid! "

"God, I hate that thing like mad! "

"I swear! Fuck!" My friends chose to disgrace themselves publicly as they all voiced out their opinions loudly, few heads turned back to mope at us and I stylishly stretched my hand behind Munachi's chair while she giggled... At their foolishness.

Well, one good thing came out of them disgracing me with them.

One very good thing.

She turned her head to smile at me, tiny wrinkles formed under her eyes... Her beautiful eyes that finally showed emotions glittered as she stared and thousands of butterflies exploded in my stomach, I literally froze up as my throat became tight.

How the fuck could I have let these beautiful dark eyes shed tears?

How the fuck could I have let her get hurt?

Just the thought of what would've happened if Kenelum and Kenneth hadn't stopped me from walking into that bastard's class kills me.

Things could've definitely gotten worst and she'll be the loosing party.

I'd have hurt her again.

I leaned closer to her face with every second that passed and everyone round us suddenly seemed to disappear. She didn't shift away neither did she move in for my approaching kiss, she just stayed static. But that didn't matter as I appreciated her beautiful thick lashes, her nose with tiny almost micro sized dots and a tiny scar on the bridge of her nose, her beautiful double-colored lips that were now inches away from my face...

I appreciated everything.

Except the loud throat clearing that snapped me out of my loved-up-gaze slash trance.

I didn't want to pull away from her but I had to, I looked up to trace where that annoying sound had come from and a smile crept unto my face when I saw her,

Like dayuuum! When last did I see her in this school?

Guuuurl-frenn, it's been soooo looooong ah!

👉( ˘ω˘ )👈

۰۪۫G۪۫۰۰۪۫l۪۫۰۰۪۫o۪۫۰۰۪۫s۪۫۰۰۪۫s۪۫۰۰۪۫a۪۫۰۰۪۫r۪۫۰۰۪۫y۪۫۰!

"Agbero"_ [Yoruba word] Tout..

"paleh"_ [Warri slang] Dad, Father.. Papa.

"Paleh'm"_ [Modified word] My dad, my father, my papa.

A/N
Any idea who Arthur saw? I am taking a mini break from translating the pgin sentences for some time, you know?