Chapter 3

The class was still in an uproar, as the students tried to out shout each other in nominating a candidate to run for Class captainship.

With the stressed out  Corper, trying to bring back sanity to the once peaceful class, an Amused T.J watched the whole scene unfold, He hadn't stayed up to an hour, but was already entertained in his new class.

Back in the states, things were done in an orderly manner but was quite boring.

Here was a mess, a pretty mess.

"Why the creepy smile?" T.J felt someone join him, cutting him off his reverie. Looking up to find Jiki on his table was shocking enough, but an amused one?

"I'm not smiling."

"Whatever. You've not said anything  since you entered. I am beginning to think you are a serial killer." The fairer boy said with a careless ease.

T.J decided to play along a little.

Interesting.

"Dude, you've been watching me?" He said, faking a shocked gasp.

Jiki made a face, before raising a brow.

"Depends on how many numbers it takes to make one a serial killer." He retorted, eyes glinting with mischief.

The reaction he got from the tall boy was enough to make his whole week.

"You mean__Do you?" Jiki whispered, swallowing hard.

T.J cracked up. He succeeded in unnerving the poor boy.

Jiki seemed to catch on with the joke before calming down.

"For your mind, I'm impressed shaa." relaxing more in his seat, Jiki propped his hand on his table.

"How is Pacesetters so far?"

"Fun and crazy. That guy will have a cardiac soon." T.J pointed at the stressed out teacher, trying to attend to every student.

"You mean your teacher?" a brow up. T.J reminded himself to try it out with a mirror. It looked really cool.

"He's young. No biggie there." He defended.  Jiki raised his hand in mock surrender.

"Why are you not joining them."

"I don't know anybody to nominate. And this whole cinematography shit is like cotton candy to me." T.J bragged.

The fairer boy examined him amused that he wasn't that snubby and arrogant, like he assumed earlier.

"Cinematography shit seriously?"

T.J laughed. While they settled in comfortable silence.

"For real? You've done cinematography before?" Jiki's interest was piqued. 

Jiki's bewildered voice drew the attention of those sitting nearby. T.J rolled his eyes real hard, it wasn't such a big deal. Who doesn't know about cinematography in high school?

He stared at the fair boy sitting opposite, a brow slightly raised up, signaling him to speak up.

T.J bit his lips in amusement before nodding.

"We offer cinematography in sophomore but most schools offer them in senior year. It's like a necessary, you guys don't offer the course at all?" No response_

He looked up to find Jiki staring at him, not in a bad way, he was awestruck.

"What?"

"Your accent its so cool it's hard to hate you." Jiki deadpanned before shifting his seat closer.

T.J just stared. Shocked at the revelation. The tall boy didn't hate him after all.

"Oya, Local man no dey feel yourself. Tell me about New York, I've only been to Atlanta." Jiki continued.

"Dauda! Dauda!! Jikiiii!" cut short their little bromance. Shocked, the duo turned to see the whole class staring at them.

"Who is Dauda?" Corper Morris asked. He looked like he'd pass out soon.

"The fair one sir."Chimdi shouted from her seat, same time Jiki raised his hand.

"Finally, the last nominee." he sort out his seat. Perspiration lurking his temple.

"Come on, make way, let them come to the front. Now can we all settle down?" for once there was little calm. Students still spoke, but in hushed tones.

Jiki was still trying to piece things together,before he caught sight of Chimdi smirking evilly.

The little devil!

The sound of fizzing carbonated drink, a loud gulp and unnecessarily, a loud thud was enough to rile Nene up.

Elo sat the opposite of the round table, his eyes has been fixed on his phone, his attention divided enough to observe what was going on, he looked up qnd watched Nene get ready to tongue lash Abike.

"Babe what's wrong with you!" the dark girl growled. Abike picked crumbs off her doughnut, whilst circling the plate which housed it.

"When will they come nah, it's break time already. Are we not revising old term's works? Teachers sef. " whined Abike.

"Since when did you care about Jiki and Chimdi?" That got Elo's attention.

He knew why his sister decided to grace them with her presence, He just wanted to watch everything unfold.

"Hmmmn, who wants to see them kwan? I'm waiting for T.J." she said in a sarcastic, before her eyes lit up.

Chimdi, Jiki, T.J and Lara joined the table.

Chimdi and Jiki were actually the only art students, before T.J came in.

Lara was business inclined thus, in Commercial class while Elo, Nene and Abike were science inclined.

Chimdi dragged Jiki, while he tried his best to pry the girl's hand off him. But nothing was working. T.J followed suite laughing, while Lara rolled her eyes before settling on a seat near Elo.

"Oshey class captain!" Chimdi hailed, causing the tall boy to growl before settling down.

"Say whaa___?" Elo dropped his phone moving closer, every attention focused on Jiki.

"He's now class captain and loving it." Chimdi anything but taunted, going for Jiki's cheeks.

"For real? That's quite shocking." Abike threw in before focusing on T.J.

"Look how he is blushing. Let it out, smile nah." she teased, prodding him to smile.

Jiki all but tried hard to keep his face stoic, focusing on straightening rumpled naira notes for snacks, before giving in to Chimdi's prodding and cracking a smile.

"I hate you." he swatted her hands off.

"I know you love me." she cooed, getting up.

The rest just stared, shaking their heads. No one took their matter seriously.

But Elo wasn't one to give up.

"Jiki and Responsibility? Ma hear."

"Guy ask T.J, I was on my own, this girl na witch." he defended growling at Chimdi, who directed her attention on stealing plantain chips off Nene's plate.

"Put your hands here again and I'll stab your fingers!" Nene threatened, daring her to put her hands. But she knew better.

"Where do I get these?" T.J asked, referring to Elo and Nene's snacks after a while, his Caucasian accent making Abike drool once more.

"Canteen. Come let me show you." Abike said dragging him up. Everyone stared in shock. Abike wasn't the type to help, not anyone.

"What? He doesn't know the way." she said defensively, when she noticed eyes on her.

The whole thing clicked to Chimdi,who was oblivious of what was going on. Abike was trying so hard, but it seemed to be in vain.

At least it was refreshing to see her so determined on something other than hating her. She thought.

"Never mind Abi, we are going to the same place, he will come with us." Jiki said all smiles, getting up, motioning to the exit, while Chimdi and T.J trailed behind.

Leaving everyone at the table to exchange curious glances and an annoyed Abike.

"Thanks for saving me." T.J murmured once they were outside. While they just nodded.

T.J's presence drew attention to their direction, especially from the female species. There was no doubt the news about his arrival hadn't spread around the whole school.

"What the fuck is her problem though?" Jiki asked amused.

"Man, I don't know. Its been like that since I came back."

"Too bad. I'll check what cooperative has. I'm coming." With that said Jiki left, leaving the two behind.

The awkwardness was screaming, being that they haven't had a long enough conversation.

Chimdi settled for the afore asked question.

"You're really from the states?"

"Yeah, NYC." she nodded.

A group comprised of girls passed them, making the jiggle of their waists obvious. Chimdi rolled her eyes.

"It must be fun watching them put in effort to get attention__" she laughed, "__You're like a local celebrity now. For a while shaa." she said motioning towards them.

"You scared I'll snatch your fan's away?" he intended for it to be a joke, but the frown her smiles morphed into passed a different message.

He felt something flicker in her eyes. Was it anger? Recognition flashed in his memory.

Wait a minute, he thought.

She looked like the girl at the bridge.

"You never had any in the first place." with that, she left him standing there, still wondering where he went wrong.

Hope y'all are ready. War coming up.

Btw, Coffee flavoured Ice creams are oneway tickets to

Glossary

Ma hear - Cant be true

No dey feel yourself. - Don't feel proud

Oshey - an act of hailing ( either honest or sarcastic one)