Three

                                 ~Jade~

Rumours were the first thing I heard the second week of school. Everybody were talking about it and the center of all the rumours was walking with this head held high as if it wasn't him they were talking about. 

'Do you think it's actually possible for Uthman to give up football?'

Hana asked me, it was lunch time and we were sitting in the cafeteria, eating our snacks slowly and savoring the joy of being a finalist. Crazy, right? But I just like being a finalist. 

'No I don't think so and No, I don't know. Why are you asking me about Uthman anyways?'

She shrugged just as Uthman walk in with Daniel. I saw Michelle waved at him from where she sat. He waved back and walked straight to where we were sitting. I narrowed my eyes subconsciously. He and Daniel sat down, ordered for whatever it is they wanted to eat and started eating. I could feel everybody staring at our table. 

'There are lots of empty chairs here, I don't get why you are sitting here.' Hana stated 

'This chair was empty too, you know' 

'Doesn't make any sense why you're sitting here. Friends sit to eat together. It's not like we're friends.' 

Uthman merely shrugged at Hana's words and went on eating. 

'Don't you think this is childish? You stalking me and keeping a tab on my moves. I told you already. I'm not you so I don't play dirty.' 

Uthman finally turned to look at me. I could feel the words brewing up in his throat. I beat him to it. 

'If I did not know any better, I'll probably say you have a crush on me.' 

He shrugged again. 

'Who knows? The boy might be in love with the girl.' 

I burst into laughter before I could stop myself. 

We did a glaring contest before he stood up and moved closer, his voice low so I could be the only one who heard what he said. 

'I just came as the gentleman that I am to tell my dearest rival who doesn't seem to know or to have heard that THE ECOWAS competition has been moved forward to the last week of January.' 

I'm sure my face changed into all sort of things and happy isn't among them. The competition had been moved forward? I'm sure my reaction was perfect for him as he smiled in his cocky way and walked out of the cafeteria. 

Hana was calling my name but I did not hear at first because blood was pounding in my ears. That was unbelievable.

'Jade, what did he say? Why do you look so pale?' 

I looked at her and tried to form the words to tell her but I couldn't think straight. ECOWAS competition was in four months. Four freaking months!!! Wow wow. What??? 

Minutes lather, I was sitting in the classroom with a dazed Hana beside me. 

'Wow, that's pretty intense. I mean, was it not initially slated for April. That's three months gap. Wow' 

I did not say anything to that. I was not even sure what I was feeling. The competition been moved forward wasn't an issue but there's something.... 

ECOWAS competetion was like the highlight of my secondary school days. It was like the sum total of my existence here. It was the peak of my rivalry with Uthman. It was what we both wanted. To be the first Nigerian to win that badge. ECOWAS winner though I feel like I needed it more than him. What does someone who wants to become a medical Doctor needs a debate badge for anyway? To treat patients? Smh. He probably wantes to win that because I needed it. Well, well, there was no way I'm going to let him win this. No freaking way. Just last year, I was already chosen to represent Lakeview in the competition, I won over Uthman and it was pretty crazy last year. I could have sworn Uthman would murder me. And then while I was still basking in my win, the competition got canceled and the next day, Uthman walked up to me and said;

'The gods are in my favor. I'm going to represent Lakeview next year. That's one thing I can guarantee you' 

And now, this next year was now and I have to win. I just have to win this. I can't imagine not winning. 

'Jade, stop spacing out. It's crazy' 

'I'm sorry, I just...... Everything is just somehow. You know?' 

She patted my back, 'No problem Babe, I've got you. You won last year, you're so going to win this year too.' 

Yeah. A girl I recognized to be Wura, a SS2 girl who people call the next Jade of Lakeview entered our classroom. She came over to where we sat. 

'Senior Jade, Mister Adams wants you in his office right now' 

I nodded at her and she left. 

'The next Jade doesn't like the current Jade because of a silly crush she has on the current Jade's rival. Isn't that a perfect headline for our entertainment news?' 

Entertainment news ko, breaking news ni. 

I stood up. 

'But it's not only the current Jade, it's the real Jade, Real in asterisks' 

Jade's laughter filled my ears as I left the classroom. Uthman, Gabriel and Wura were seated in Mister Adams office when I entered. I was about to greet him when he cut me short. 

'Jade, do we have to wait for you everytime?' 

'I got the message less than 3 minutes ago' 

I replied him and sat down. He was expecting an apology but he wasn't going to get one from me. What's with all our teachers here anyways? Wura was sitted very close to Uthman, smiling sheepishly at him. Gabriel mouthed a good afternoon. Gabriel was probably what people will call the next Uthman of Lakeview but this guy doesn't understand nada when it comes to football. 

'Now, that we're all here. I'm guess you guys have an ideal why you're here.'

'Yeah, ECOWAS competition and the preps for that.' Gabriel replied him. 

'You're right but before then, we've got like five regional competitions coming up, we have our inter-State competition, intra-State competition, the RIRIWRITES competition and a host of others.'

And all these have been at a point won by either Uthman or I. I don't get why he'd be  talking about these with me. Let's talk about  ECOWAS please!!! 

'I've won all those at some points. I don't see why you're discussing that with us. Gabriel, Wura and Jade probably. But for me, the only thing left to win is ECOWAS.' 

Uthman said and Gabriel and Wura both turned to look at me simultaneously. I said nothing, staring straight right at Mister Adams. 

'Well, the intra-State competition comes up in like three weeks time. There would be an  inter-school competition to choose who will represent Lakeview.' 

'Between Wura and Gabriel or who? Because I don't see why I have to compete with anybody for the inter state competition. You can just easily choose from Uthman or I.'

'The school's decision and not mine and besides all these competition are baby steps towards choosing the winner for ECOWAS competition.' 

That definitely pickled my interest. What?

'For the first step, you guys will be in two groups. And the topic is Sex Education in high school. Will it have Negative impact or positive impact?' 

I felt Uthman chuckled beside me. 

'I'll go for the Negative impact.' 

'I'll go for the Positive impact.' 

'You guys should swap then, Jade for Positive, Uthman for Negative.' 

I groaned. 

'Wura should go with Uthman and Gabriel should go with Jade.' 

The sheepish laughter was back on Wura's face. 

'You guys are dismissed.' 

We all stood up, Uthman was smiling coyly and waiting for me at the corridor when I got out. 

       

                               ************

                                 ~Uthman~

Sex education? Really? And we got partnered with people of the opposite sex? Would Lakeview ever stop surprising me?

'So, Senior Uthman, when do we get to start working on our topic?' 

I turned back to Wura. 

'Don't worry dear, I'll let you know.' 

She blushed, the color pink rising in her cheeks. This is what Dan will call The Handsome guy effect. 

'Okay' She smiled and left. 

I turned back, watching Jade talk to Gabriel, the next Uthman or whatever. The kind of things my school mates keeps coming up with. She soon waved Gabriel away and started walking towards me, well, walking towards our classroom because I was standing in the way. She got to where I am and walked past me as if I wasn't there. I smiled 

'It's neither too early or too late to pull out, you know. I don't see you discussing or arguing sex organs with me anytime soon.' 

She stopped and turned back

'Speak for yourself, Are you nervous? Don't worry, I'll take it easy on you.'

She smiled and walked away.

Either ways, this is going to be so much fun. 

Our next class was Yoruba, Our teacher who will call oluko wasn't around and the class got split into groups of threes and fours, each group talking. Michelle was with her gang, talking about planning a party. Hana was fixing her nails again. God knows how many times she does that in a week. Our local woman was reading a book, a novel probably. 

'So, what's going to happen now?' 

Daniel elbowed me and I turned to look at him. 

'You've been staring at Michelle for minutes now, just man up and ask her out bro. She'd say yes in less than a heartbeat.' 

'Shut up.'

He shrugged. 

'I was asking you what you plan on doing now that your dad is insisting you don't play for the school again. The whole school knows now, you know?' 

'Doesn't change a thing. I can't live without football. I finally told him, it's trade by batter. I move out of the football team, I study Food and nutrition.'

Dan burst into loud laughter drawing stares from our classmates. I heard the vixen beside me hissed under her breath. Michelle looked up and started walking towards us. 

'You're crazy man. You know that? How did you even think of something like that?' 

'Desperate times calls for desperate measure.'

Michelle got to us then. She sat down on the empty chair next to Dan. 

'You guys were having fun without me. What's so funny? What were you guys talking about?' 

'Boys stuffs. ' I replied and she rolled her eyes. 

'Yeah, Boys stuffs.' Dan reiterated 'Our senior prefect boy here was just telling me he has a crush on a girl' 

'Oh wow. Really? Who's it?' 

I could swear Michelle voice just got lower and anxious. Now, Dan has to stop with his jokes. I know Michelle likes me. Everybody probably do, that's the only reason she could have done what she did to Jade two years ago. I gave her that credit. But to me, she's nothing more than a friend, a very good friend. I don't have any of such feelings for her, not that I know what those feelings are like. Besides we were 16 for crying loud sake. What the hell was Dan's problem?

'That's for Uthman to tell and besides, you know the girl in question.' 

Michelle smiled coyly and looked down at her fingers. Someone beside us laughed loudly, even louder than Dan's. It was Jade, the whole class turned to look at her. She was looking at the three of us. 

'God! Are you guys acting a drama?' Then she looked at Michelle and shook her head muttering 'What a joke.' 

Michelle stood up. 

'What did you just say?' 

'Exactly what you heard.' And she went back to the book she was reading, completely ignoring the commotion she just caused. 

Michelle made a move to walk towards her. I grabbed her hand. 

'She's not worth it.' 

Michelle sat down, still fuming. I turned to look at Jade who was completely absorbed in the book she was reading or pretending to be. What the fuck was this girl's problem anyways? Hana was looking at us with a bemused expression, then she went silently to her nail painting. 

Wale rang the bell afterwards and our next subject teacher walked in.