Chapter 9- T. H. U. G L. I. F. E.

I alight from the car, holding my Lunch box with my eyes fixed Sen. Emmanuel who seems to be addressing the late comers in a subtle manner. Surprisingly, the late comers are standing instead of being on their kneels like animals waiting to be slaughtered. He looks up and sees me approaching but instead of his usual grin he just stares and waits for me to arrive. Wow! The VP has done a miracle here!

"Good morning, Sen. Emmanuel." I smile broadly.

"You better wipe that smile off your face this instant. Why are you late?"

Ha! When last did Sen.Emmanuel, the bull ask me that question.

"Yes, our car broke down on its way to school. The driver had to fix it."

"Oh really? So, you don't mind if I confirm your theory from the driver, right?" Sen. Emmanuel's face brightens.

"He is not here. How will you be able to confirm it?" I mutter. 

My heart beat begins to race. 

"Hey! Mr..........what's his name." He calls out to the driver who is apparently having a discussion with Mr. Musa. The reason I said that was, I thought the driver would have gone home already. What is he still doing in school anyway!? 

The diver approaches with Mr. Musa, walking behind him. Sen. Emmanuel has that crooked smile on his face. God! I will give anything to smack that smile off his face right now.

"Good morning." Sen. Emmanuel greets.

"Morning o, my brother." The driver replies.

"Sorry to have cut short your conversation with the gate man. I want you to confirm something for me."

"Oh. No problem. Wetin be that?"

"Good. Very good." Sen. Emmanuel smiles and nods his head.

"Is it true your car broke down on your way coming to school and that's the reason for Timmy's late coming?"

I'm sweating profusely. I take out my handkerchief and I wipe off the sweat from my face. My initial plan was to lie that the car broke down, then I'd go home and explain everything to the driver. I didn't know he was still around. Sen. Emmanuel looks at me and smiles.

"Is that what Oga Timmy tell you?" He inquires. 

I nod my head slowly in agreement. Sen. Emmanuel looks back at me and I tilt my neck and I stretch my arms, making it seem like I was stretching my muscles. He turns back to the driver. 

"I have no obligation to tell you that. Just answer the question, Mr?" 

"Kabiru is my name. Yes. The car break down for road. Na why Oga Timmy come late today. Any problems?" The driver says with utmost confidence. 

Phew! I let out a breath of relief. I bring out my handkerchief and I wipe off the loads of sweat beads on my fore head.

"Are you sure?" Sen. Emmanuel raises his brow. 

"I dey sure. Which kind of question that wan be? I no be liar o." The driver frowns at him. 

Oh my lord! He should be given an Oscar for best actor, 2019.

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to offend you." Sen. Emmanuel apologizes. 

"No problems. Any other thing?" The driver adjusts his cap and winks at me.

"Nothing more. Thank you." Sen. Emmanuel says. The driver turns and slowly walks towards the gate. Wow! That was close! Why would the driver help me out? We've never even had a proper conversation before.

"Timmy, come in front of me," Sen. Emmanuel says without looking at me. I walk to the back of all the latecomers with my head held high.

"I was asked to apologise to all of you for the harsh treatment you've been receiving from me..." 

I chuckle rather loudly. Sen. Emmanuel pauses and looks at me furiously.

"What is so funny, Timmy?" Sen. Emmanuel's angry face can literally break a mirror. Oh my God! I am so enjoying this.

"Nothing. I was reminiscing on a past event. I'm sorry. You can go on." I smile. 

"As I was saying before the cockroach interrupted."

The students bursts into laughter, revealing all their teeth. I take a deep breath and I smile as if nothing happened.

"Firstly,the VP asked me to apologise to you all for my harsh treatment. He said you guys don't derser-" He stops. He frowns his face and shakes his head. 

"You guys don't understand. No one understands. This is a school. A school is expected to have disciplinary measures and-" He takes a deep breath.

"And if those measures are not taken, there will be an over violation of the law. I don't know why I've been asked to apologize. I  haven't done anything any labour prefect hasn't done..." 

I look overhead and I see the VP approaching. He walks cleverly till he gets close to Sen. Emmanuel who is unaware of his presence. He signals us to act as if he isn't there. He folds his arms and listens.

"The school and every single one of you are ingrates. You are all brats! How hard can it be to set an alarm clock!? And the VP ordered me to apologise to you all!? Never!? You -"

"Have outdone yourself, Emmanuel." The VP says calmly. 

Sen. Emmanuel jolts in shock. Realizing who it was, he bows his head and takes two steps backwards.

"So, you think ordering little children to kneel under the hot sun is right? Or ordering students to clear grass as if this is a police station is right? Eh!?" The VP raises his voice at Sen. Emmanuel. Sen. Emmanuel averts his face from the VP's questioning eyes. 

"Look at me when I am talking to you, boy!" The VP yells. Wow! I've never seen the VP this angry before. Sen. Emmanuel raises his head and looks at the VP.

"You should be lucky I didn't have you locked up for child abuse. Do you think this is a school where the students are treated like animals!? Were you ever asked to clear grass when you were in their shoes?"

"But, Sir. I-" Sen. Emmanuel mutters.

"Shut up!"

"I just wanted to say-"

"I said you should keep your mouth shut!" The VP yells, pointing at Sen. Emmanuel aggressively. 

I guess what Sen. Emmanuel was trying to explain is he was a victim of bullying when he was in primary school. The prefects back then were brutal. They'd have you kneel down under the sun for hours just because you mistakenly stepped on their toes, literally. This is a perfect example of T.H.U.G L.I.F.E. The Hate You Give to Little Infants Fucks Everybody. At least, fucks me the most.

"Are you deaf or what!? I said you should apologise."

"But Sir. I haven't done any-" 

"Shut up!" The VP gives Sen. Emmanuel a very ugly slap on his right cheek. Sen. Emmanuel holds his cheek and looks at the VP straight in the eye. His eyes, filled with fury. 

"I said! Apologize to them! Now!" 

"I am sorry." He mutters. 

"They didn't hear you. Did you all hear him?" The VP  looks at us. The students nod their head in fear. The VP stares at me. 

"Timmy, did you hear him?" 

Oh God! Why does he have to bring me into this mess? I shake my head in disagreement.

"Timmy, didn't hear you. Apologize to him. Let him hear you." The VP points at me. 

Sen. Emmanuel raises his head and looks directly at me. His eyes are red with fury. Oh my God! What have I done? 

"I'm sorry, I am sorry!" He roars. A tear drops from his cheek.

"Good. I believe those tears are tears of remorse. Now, get out of my sight."

Sen. Emmanuel turns and walks out.

"Now, I can't reprimand Emmanuel and not reprimand you guys." The VP says calmly. 

"Why do you come late to school? If you know day school is not suitable for you, you can switch to the boarding school, then you would save yourself the trouble. I'll call your parents one by one to ask them to consider changing you to the boarding school." He pauses. 

"Yes. There is a new series of punishment I'll introduce to do. Here is a few; Whenever you come late, you'll be asked to arrange the books in our new library, to arrange our musical instrument store or to stay and sell with the food sellers during break periods. There are so many punishments that will be revealed to you consequently. Excess late coming leads to expulsion without consideration and I'm sure you don't want that. He stares at us one after the other. 

"Divide yourselves into three sets." He orders. 

Confusingly, we divide ourselves into three unequal sets.

"Timmy and Tolani, aren't you the seniors here? Organize them properly." 

Tolani is a girl in sss1. She is dark in complexion. She should be 16 or there about. Other than that, I know nothing about her. I take the students by the right hand side and she takes the other students.

There are eighteen in number, so we divide them into three sets, making it six students per set. We face the VP confused on which set to fall in.

"Good, very good. This set," He says, pointing to his right hand side.

"Will clean the musical instrument's room during break." 

"While this set." He points to his left hand side.

"Will arrange the books in the new Library after school. Timmy, you will join this set." 

"Excuse me sir. I have detention after school hours today." I can't allow the VP ruin my chance of getting to talk to Amanda today.

"Detention? Timmy, what's up with you. First, late coming and now detention? I need to call your mom. This is getting out of hand!"

Oh no! If the VP calls mama, I will be doomed. Mama will be really disappointed in me.

"Okay. Due to Timmy's -----grace, you all we serve your punishment during break. The set in front of me will join the other set to arrange the books in our new library. While Timmy and this set." He points to his left hand side.

"Will clean the musical instrument's room. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir," We respond.

"You can all run to your classes. The first period has already started and you are missing quality education. Timmy, see me later, okay?"

"Okay sir." We walk slowly to our various classrooms. I'm sure everyone is pondering on what the VP said about excess late coming leading to expulsion. Well, if not everyone, I am totally worried about that. Why does he want to see me again?

"Are you all deaf!? I said run!" The VP yells. 

We quicken our pace and head to our various classes.