Chapter 1

9 years ago…

“Good morning class” our teacher Ms. Maxwell greets us as she came into the classroom.

We all stood up to greet her.

“Good morning Ms. Maxwell” we all chorused and she smiled then told us we could sit down to which we complied.

Ms. Maxwell is our English and Literature teacher. She is really nice and a kind-hearted person and also friendly… we all love her and her carry-along charisma. She is very pretty too and we all love how gentle she is with us.

“Today we are going to be reading from our ‘Storytelling book’ so one after the other, you will go to the back of the class to grab your book from the shelf,” she told us, and we all nodded.

She pointed to the row on the other side of the class and told them to stand up one after the other to go and fetch their book. It went on for some minutes till everyone had their book with them.

“Okay, now open to page eight and…” she looked around the class before her gaze settled on me and she pointed at me “Daniella will read first then you all will follow suit,” she told us and we all nod our heads.

I stood up after opening my book and looked at what was written on the page then opened my mouth to begin reading when I heard stifled chuckling behind me so I looked back to see Ibrahim pointing at me and saying something to some of the people around him which made them laugh.

I turned away from them and frowned because I wasn’t sure what he was saying to them about me this time around.

“Ibrahim behave” I heard Ms. Maxwell scold him and he replied with a ‘Yes ma’ before she came up to me and touched my shoulder.

“Don't mind them, go ahead,” she told me and I let out a sigh before focusing on what I was about to read.

I read the first line and everyone repeated after me till I finished reading what was on the page.

“Bravo! You all did great, you can have your seat Daniella” she said and went to her table which was beside the door.

She bent down and brought out a white nylon bag that contained what I am thinking it contains.

“You all deserve some goodies for that, now you will come one after the other as you did earlier to collect your portion. No pushing” she said.

After we had collected the sweet she proceeded to teach us the topic for the day and created engaging quizzes to make us excited to learn and allow what we have learned to stick.

She tells us that doing that makes it easy for most students to learn faster and allows the knowledge to stick. It really helps.

Soon her time for teaching us that day came to an end when the bell for the close of school rang then she gave us some assignments to do and told us we would see in the next class.

Before she left she waited for us to pack up our books in our bags then helped some of us who couldn’t put our chairs on our table to put it on top then she told us to close our eyes so we can say the closing prayer.

“Now let's say our closing prayer, repeat after me,” she said and I closed my eyes as we waited for her to begin.

“We want to pray” she began.

“We want to pray” we sang along.

“Close your eyes”

“Close your eyes”

“Put your hands together”

“Put your hands together”

“Say your prayer”

“Say your prayer”

“The closing hymn now”

We all sang the closing hymn we sing every time we are closed for the day, we took the grace before she let us go outside to wait for our parents to pick us up as we played in the playground.

As I went out of the class so I can meet up with my twin and older brother in the playground, I felt someone touch my shoulder from behind and let out a shaky breath already thinking that it was who I am thinking it is.

I didn’t wait for the person to do what he used to do before and just shrug my shoulder from his hold and walked fast but was so surprised that he let me go easily like that.

He might have done that because Ms. Maxwell was still around then would punish me later.

Trying to see his reaction, I looked back briefly and saw that it wasn’t who I was thinking but it was Leo who had a small frown on his face as he watch me go away from him.

I sighed then signaled for him to come to me which he did and a small smile graced his lips.

“I thought you didn’t want to talk to me,” he said and I smiled at him as we continued walking to where I would see my siblings.

“Why would I not want to talk to you?” I asked him and he shrugged his shoulders but didn’t say anything.

I was glad it was him so I wouldn't have to be bothered by being approached by him and his gangs, especially Angela and her clowns.

“Don't worry, they wouldn't come to you again” he said and I looked at him with a frown.

“What do you mean by that? Leo, I told you I don’t want attention or more problem from these peo-”

“I didn’t tell anyone if that is what is working you up,” he said and I didn’t know when I let out a sigh of relief and settled under the tree while he sat beside me.

“You know this has to stop…” he paused then I looked at him to see that he was already looking at me. “They need to know that what they are doing is right and also be punished for putting a fellow student in a mind-draining position,” he told me and I sighed.

“Just don’t tell anyone, I don’t want their problem”

“That is the problem here Ella. You are giving them the freedom of bullying you and thinking they can get away with it… they need to be taught a lesson so they know not to cause anyone trauma, pain or distress” he told me and I smiled at how caring he was about my affairs.

“Thank you Leo but let us just keep it this way. At least they didn’t cause me any physical pain” I said and he scoffed.

“Oh, you mean the last time Angela slapped you and pushed you to the ground? How were you able to hide it from your mum? Because I know how observant she is ”

“My skin color is quite dark so no mark was shown and when she asked about the injury I told her someone pushed me mistakenly even though she told me to be careful next time” I explained to him and he shook his head at me.

“You keep lying for them and they aren't even worth it,” he said and I sighed then looked away from him as I watch some of our schoolmates play one of the popular games we play almost every time.

‘Mr. Who’

“I will keep protecting you from them if you don’t want to speak out,” he told me after a moment of silence.

“That is why you are learning to be a man,” I said.

“Yes, I want to take care of you and protect you from harm,” he told me and I grinned.

“Bestie for life” I put my hand out and he looked at it then at me before putting his palm on mine and we shook.

“Bestie for life,” he said and I flashed him a toothy grin not bothered that one of my teeth was out.

This is Leo and I can't be embarrassed or shy around him.

Soon after mum came to pick us up and I said my goodbyes to him before running to go and meet up with mum and my siblings.

Mum was buying our usual take-home snacks ‘guguru’ and ‘ekpa’ from our regular customer in school.

“Mummy good afternoon” we greeted her then turned to greet the groundnut seller.

“My babies how are you all doing?” she asked then paid for the guguru and ekpa before walking us to where she parked her car.

“School was fun,” Daniel said.

“It was okay though, I am glad we get to go home now” Danielle my twin said and entered the back seat after I was already inside.

“It was quite good, Ms. Maxwell gave us sweets for good performance,” I told mum and she smiled before going to sit at the driver’s seat and sharing our portion of the snack then collected the sweets from me and put them in one of the places in the car before she started the car and driving away from school.

***

Guguru - popcorn.

Ekpa - groundnut.

Mr. Who is a game I played growing up as a child and it's so interesting...