9. Me and Him!?

The bell rung just when the chemistry teacher was rounding off classes.

"Next time we'll continue from Chemical equilibrium"  he said while packing his teaching materials

"Thank you sir" they all chorused as mandated

"Oya o, time for sports" Toluwani's voice called out earning him a few glares from his mates

"What na? Una no go leave class abi u wan make Segun come chase you inself" he spoke in pidgin addressing Temi who stared daggers at him, though very smart, sports had never been her favourite thing.

The rest of the class started leaving each person grabbing their jackets as a certain "someone" wouldn't tolerate their incomplete uniform

Ifechi slipped her jacket over her shoulder when Dami called out from behind 

"Ah ah Ifechi, what are you doing with Pedro's jacket?" She said loudly in shock earning some of her classmates attention who paused their preparations for P.E

"He gave it to me" Ifechi answered shrugging off the tingling sensation in her stomach at the mention of his name

"Maddo" Tunde said giving Pedro who was his seat mate a cheeky grin and a soft slap on the back

"No wonder" Samuel spoke "I saw the P.G there but I didn't want to assume" he said pointing to the white, bold initials on the back of the tracksuit

"Omo guy since when na" Tunde asked, Pedro opened his mouth to speak when Ifechi beat him to it

"This morning, I forgot mine so he gave me since he's the sport prefect and doesn't really need it" she answered throwing him a short glance before slipping on the jacket

"Hmm..I don dey smell something o" Samuel joked

"Sammy no even try am.." Mike blurted out causing everyone to stare at him in shock before he broke into a grin ".....u no know say na Damien's babe be that?" He added cheekily while all of them just stared at him confused before Tunde added

"It's true o, Una forget say na Damien and Ifechi's ship be wan sail" 

Ifechi threw him a confused look

"Me and Damien kwa?" 

"No o, meat pie" Tunde replied laughing earning some groans from his peers at his lame joke

"Please Damien and me have nothing going on" she defended

"Really?" Tunde teased on

"Asin eh really?" Dami said amusingly looking at her friend quizzically

"Yes really" Ifechi said rolling her eyes now bored, she wasn't used to having this kind of conversation especially with guys

"Then explain why he dey come your seat everytime" he questioned with an eyebrow up

Ifechi looked over to the mentioned guy but he wasn't in class 

"He's my student, I've been helping him with chemistry" she replied truthfully, sure Damien was really good looking, but besides tutoring him and helping him on assignmenrs, she and Damien were close friends and she didn't see anything more than that

"Hmmm" all of them said at once laughing at themselves 

"Aunty teacher" Temi mocked, all of them turned to her surprised that she was still there "from chemistry to another chemistry" she replied winking to Ifechi who blushed slightly at the remark

"Temi you no go sports?" Tunde mocked "Segun go soon come handle you o" he added while laughing

There were only 7of them in class now which included Temi, Tunde, Ifechi, Dami, Jide, Samuel and Pedro was surprisingly hadn't said anything since

"You nko, mtcheww" Temi said eyeing him

"Sorry o" Tunde said throwing up his hand "it's just that we know you cannot chop cane o" he stated matter of fact and everyone there laughed at a certain memory except Ifechi who stood up to go

"Mtcheww" Temi stood up angrily and walked out, Ifechi followed suit grabbing her water bottle and rushing out of the class before they'd ask her more questions, something she realised her classmates loved to do especially when it came to a boy and girl matter. Dami left after a few seconds closing her bag zip and sauntering out of class with a small purse

"Ah ah, see how she just left us..so rude!" Jide said squeezing his chubby face mildly

"As in ehh" Samuel said then turned to Pedro "but guy...afa na? In be like there's something you no dey talk" he said to a bored looking Pedro

"Guy what na...someone cannot help a distressed lady again?" He said sending his friend a glare

"No na..it's not what m talking about" Samuel defended "just that we haven't seen you showing any interest in any girl since Aisha" he blurted. At the mention of his former girlfriend's name, Pedro shot up

"Who says I have interest in her?" He spoke calmly which was a surprise given the scowl that was etched on his lips

"Why you go give person ya cloth if u no like am?" Tunde interrogated, the class was now empty with just the four of them, Tunde, Samuel, Pedro and Jide who stood at the door looking out and ready to run incase a teacher should catch them while the others sat comfortably gisting not caring that they weren't supposed to be in class

"Yh that's what guys do for girls they like, its like a law or something" Samuel added. Pedro rolled his eyes while Tunde nodded in agreement

"I was just being a gentleman" Pedro replied shrugging, his friends scoffed and exchanged knowing looks

"Peele o gentleman my nyash"  Samuel chuckled while others just have him disgusted looks

"Do you like her?" Tunde asked ignoring Samuel's stunt, Pedro sighed before replying 

"I'm going for sports abeg, make Segun no swear for me" he said picking up his face towel and running out of class quickly

.........

"Girls one side, guys one side" Mr Winifred called out. He was cordinating the senior students who groaned in annoyance after their form teacher had interrupted their game of basketball. Most of the guys were playing football while some other ss3 students lingered on the wooden bleachers beside the court gisting and eating when he interrupted

Other classes were scattered over the large school compound, some playing some other sports, some were gathered around tables playing other games with some prefects and teachers assigned to each class to control the activities

"Count yourselves" he said addressing the ss3 students present. Clara, a girl from the second class stood up and counted everyone on the court including those that lingered around the area

"27" she replied dropping her hand after counting

"Alright, share yourself into two teams" he said earning a grown and series of mutters "let's play some basketball"

"Sir, we are too big" Funmi said turning to him, she was one of the few prefects that weren't cordinating other classes

"Yes" other students chorused. They needed only ten students to form both teams

"Everyone must play" Mr Winifred said firmly "we will share the two teams, we will play turn by turn" he said making more students groan, those around started turning to see why the ss3 students were making so many sounds of displeasure

"Solomon, Peters, Godswill three of you come here, we need more guys" he shouted motioning to the three guys who were focused on a game of table tennis beside the court but ran obediently to avoid annoying the stern teachers, the girls murmured further in annoyance

"This man sef...we are saying we are much he is bringing more people" Clara said to Dami and Ifechi they were standing together while Mr Winifred was talking to another teacher 

"Asin eh" Ifechi and Dami replied simultaneously

Moments later they decided they were going to be paired up into two teams of 15 players each, 5 from each team would play a round then another 5 before the last four would play in the third and final round. 

"Pedro Godswill, Solomon step forward" the teacher called the two prefects out and they obliged 

"Select your 4 players for the final round" he said and they both nodded

"Jessica" Pedro called out pointing at his friend who hopped out happily coming beside him

"Anthony" Solomon called out 

"Tochi" Pedro said motioned to his friend from the other arm who stood among the last 6 students

"My guy" Tochi said smiling and hopping to the left with his 2 teammates

"Aliya" 

"Ifechi" Pedro said, some girls threw her side glances while she walked over to his side grateful that he had picked her before turning to the remaining three students on the court. It was just Mike, Delight and Amina left to be chosen

"Mike" Solomon called out motioning for the boy to join his team, now it was just Delight and Amina left. Delight was a shy quiet girl in the second arm and didn't have so many friends while Amina was left out because of what most people suspected was her size

"Oya Pedro pick your last teammate and the other team will take the other person" Mr Winifred spoke up, Pedro nodded his head and opened his mouth to talk when Grace beat him to it

"We choose Delight" She spoke up sizing the girl who she knew she picked just because she appeared to be a better choice than the fat girl who Grace assumed wasn't capable of playing 

"You don't get to choose before me" Pedro called out but was met with a glare from Grace "I'm sorry but I can't let Solo choose her" she said scrunching up her nose at the poor girl who seemed to be sad yet unfazed at the decision

"Grace, I clearly said Pedro would pick first" Mr Winifred spoke up "and you're not even the team leader" he added but Grace only hissed before replying

"But he can't choose her na...if he does I'll be stuck with this orobo here" Grace said earning some chuckles from people around her except a frowning Ifechi, Dami and the disrespected teacher

"What do you mean by that?" Dami blurted out causing everyone to turn to her, she had played her turn and was among those who stayed back to watch the final round

"Ah ah, did I say anything wrong?" Grace said looking innocently, a grin threatening to spread on her lips "it's not my fault that she's fat and can't carry herself not to talk of throwing ball" she replied nonchalantly. Dami was about to retort when Ifechi interrupted 

"It's ok, Amina can join our team" she spoke softly ignoring the soft nudge from Pedro who stood beside her while motioning to her friend who wore a dejected look on her face and walked to Ifechi's side slowly with everyone watching her heavy moves.

The rest of the teammates shifted a little to enable her stand in between while Tochi let out a small groan of dissapproval that noone seemed to notice 

"Alright then..." Mr Winifred stated "take your positions, when you hear the whistle you start" he said

"Guy..." Pedro said tapping Ifechi who trotted down to the center of the court "Amina.. seriously??" He said with an evident frown "I get that she's your friend but it's like you've never played basketball before. She will make us loossee" he said whispering the last sentence so that others wouldn't hear.

Ifechi turned to him

"I couldn't just let her stay there na. Grace has already made her feel bad. It would be terrible if I left a friend hanging" she reasoned "plus we can still win, trust me" she said getting into a position just as she had seen the previous teams do

"If we lose, you owe me"  Pedro said before moving to the side where he positioned himself ready for the game

"Ready"

"Set"

"Feeeeeeee!!!" The Whistle sounded deafening everyone for a minute before the game began. Solomon who held the ball started moving towards the opponent's net while Tochi and Ifechi tried to take the ball from him, he passed to Grace who bounced her way with Ifechi and Amina behind before Pedro finally succeeded in retrieving the ball.

It wasn't long till he scored a goal

.......

A/n

Orobo is an Igbo term used to describe people with a big body size or fat people

Pedro's surname is Godswill incase you don't know