All eyes were on her as she entered the classroom. SS3D, she had read as the man directed her inside.

This is it, she thought, nervously avoiding the eyes accessing and criticising her appearances. Farade College was one of the modest schools in Agege and she couldn't go back to her old school, St Anthony College, because of the distance. Her mother had reminded her cautiously about she being in the final class of secondary school and the need for her to get a good grade in her Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination conducted by The West African Examination Council.

"Its not a child's play, Omo. I had my SSCE once and you need to." Not that she complained about the new school she was going to, she just didn't have an attire to wear since she had not gotten her uniform, plus she was a week and a half late for resumption.

Who resumes on a Thursday?

Eghonghon had been more than happy to resume.

"Miss Omonigho," the voice brought her back from where her mind had wondered off to.

"Ma?" her voice quivered because she still stood at the front of the classroom. The woman who had been teaching before she entered smiled warmly at her.

"There's a sit at the back, I trust you're not short sighted?" she shook her head.

"Okay then, settle down, one of your classmates will give you a note to copy the previous works." She made her way to the empty seat at the back of the class, not making eye contact. She sat down as quietly as she could as the woman proceeded, looking at the white board for the first time she saw it was Othello written boldly on the board. She had read and analyzed the book in her previous school, she knew almost everything, almost. She brought out a long note from her bag, filling in the details and turning her attention back to the teacher at the front.

"How many out of the five of you who read the book understood the reason why Iago got Roderigo to shout in the night?" the teacher asked, walking around the class. She looked professional in the black skirt reaching her knees and a blue silk shirt she had tucked it. Not too complicated, not too intricate.

No student responded.

Omonigho knew what to say, but she kept her hands down, after all she was still nervous.

"He plotted to use Roderigo as a sub verged means to destroy Othello," she whispered what Mr. John, her Literature-In-English teacher at her old school had told the class when he was explaining the plan's of Iago which had caused erupted laughter because of the word 'sub verged'.

"You're about to say something Miss Omingho?" The wrong pronunciation of her name made her cringe. It was still the first day, mistakes where allowed. She would've said no, but unfortunately, the teacher was beside her while she was whispering, not as silent as she thought, to herself. She nervously stood up from her sit, still not looking at anybody except the teacher,

"H-e,...he plott-ed to use Roderigo a-a-s-s a means to destroy Othello." she nervously said, getting a nod from the woman.

"Yes, Yes," the teacher walked to the board and wrote the sentence she had just said.

"You see, a new student could answer the question, what where you all doing during your holiday. To eat that's what most of you know." The teacher concluded before going back to the topic.

Omonigho turned to see a girl two seats away staring at her before averting her gaze back to the teacher. She ignored whatever it meant and tried to concentrate on the teachings. Government was next and the name she had heard the teacher say was Mr. Davis. He had asked her to introduce herself and so did Mr. Isaac, the Christian Religious teacher who had a double period, Miss Coker, the National Youth Service Corper teaching Biology and Mr. Segun, the Mathematics teacher.

Finally, the break bell rang.

She sat down on her sit, not wanting to get up due to her fear.

"Sho, make we go buka." she saw a light skinned boy say to another, who she assumed to be 'sho', whatever the name stood for.

"Are you going to sit there all day?" a girl approached her, the purple color of the uniform shining brightly due to the excessive ironing. The skirt was a pleated style, dark purple in color, the shirt was a lighter shade of purple as it was Thursday; Omo was told about the uniforms for each day. There was the purple shirt for; Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Friday, while a white shirt for Wednesdays. The school also had a blazer which was the skirts color with the school badge on it. But right now the girl was not wearing the blazer.

"Do you need any note?" Omo nodded curtly, not wanting to make any conversation.

"So? which school are you coming from?" she was handed  three long notes; Mathematics, English and Government. Looking at the name on the note, it read; Helen Ogunleye.

"St. Anthony," she replied.

"That's where?"

"Berger." She opened her note and began writing. Helen's handwriting was legible and pretty and for that she was grateful. Imagine if she had had to return the book before writing because she could not understand it, she would have been note less for the rest of the term because she couldn't speak to anyone. Yet.

"oh...I'm Helen by the way," she said from the front the sit at the front of Omonigho where she had sat to talk to her. Omo did the only thing she could do, smile.

"I like your jean also." Helen was smiling, her face brightening up. Her hair was matted to the back, making Omo realize the hairstyle for the week was all back. Or it could just be a senior thing, not to follow the given hairstyle.
"Thank you." Omo had worn a blue T-shirt with scrappy inscriptions and a simple jean, not that she knew the various trouser names, she wasn't fashion-wise, besides she was still a bag of mashed irish potatoes.

"Are you sure you don't want to eat anything?" Helen questioned, "you can take my notes home, as far as you come to school tomorrow." The class was getting rowdy as various boys were playing with plastic containers at the front of the class. She decided to walk with Helen.

The classroom was on the upstairs of the building. The school was large and had Five buildings in the compound; one occupied by the non teaching staffs and the rest shared out to the teaching staff and students.  Getting out of the class, she saw various students hanging out by the railings. She became self conscious, tugging her shirt a bit down. Not that the shirt was short, it was just her self esteem acting up again. She avoided eye contact as she and Helen walked down the stairs.

"That's the head girl, Sandra Adetope, she's in commercial class," Helen pointed to an almost huge girl, who's back was turned when they reached what seemed to be the buka. This information wasn't going to help her today but she tried to see her face.

Not looking, she bumped into someone, she moved back to see a boy steadying the plate of food he was holding, squinting her eyes she saw a golden plated badge with the inscription 'Senior Student Boy', he walked passed her, not saying anything as he maintained eye contact until he exited the buka.

"And that's the head boy, Demilade Peters, Science class", Helen appeared from nowhere whispering into her ear.

*******

Have you ever been called out in school to speak and you just don't know the answer or what to say?

How do you handle such situations?

~~~~~~~

Here's the second chapter of Omonigho. I hope it's still worth the wait.

I don't have much to say. Please point out errors.

I couldn't re-edit the work like my Editor said but that'll be soon.

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Loads of Love,

Emmanuella.