CHAPTER 2-DEJA VU

    I put on a bright countenance as a small smile made its way to my mouth.

"Good Morning to you all. My name is Oyedele Michael. Nice to meet you", I greeted them as they all responded with "same to you."

  Mr. Williams directed me to sit in the fourth row with someone to share the English textbook with. I am yet to get my textbooks as my dad received the school email recently that I was given admission. 

  I pulled a chair and moved to the fourth row as my gaze landed on the person I would share a textbook with. Reality struck me when I realized he was the same guy I was thinking about this morning.

  I sat down staring at the comprehension passage that was being read but my mind drifted to the person beside me. He is a  'psycho' but his facial expression looks calm and gentle. I could not help but conclude that he is a pretender or player. I could still remember all the pranks he pulled off during the extra lesson coaching. Not doing his assignments, running like a gazelle, and displaying all sorts of taunts.

     I glanced slightly at him and could not help but compliment his side view. His cologne smell filled my nostril, a good mixture of sandalwood patchouli and cardamon.

   I broke out of the trance as I noticed we were in the last paragraph of the comprehension passage. The bell rang, signifying the end of the first period. Mr. Williams gave us the comprehension passage as an assignment which has to be submitted the next morning.

  The next class started not quite long after Mr. Williams left the class. The classes continued, not until the long break when we are expected to eat and rest for 45 minutes.

    I moved to the first row, as directed by the class teacher. I was facing a girl who happens to be quite jovial from my point of view. We have not even talked but I felt like making friends with her.

  

   My mind went back to the incident that happened during the chemistry class. I could feel my heart pounding as I started the periodic law during chemistry class. The teacher suggested I have a nickname since I answered the question, thereby saving them from ending up on the school farm.

  All thanks to Quadri, one of the naughtiest students, I now have nicknames like Hero, Michaelangelo, Erudite, Elite, and Prof.

    I raised my head a little, as a frown crept to my face when I made a mistake with my drawing. I was thinking too much

"Hey, lend me your eraser," I asked the girl in front of me who I have been yearning to converse with.

"The magic word," her voice resounded back to me leaving me in a confused state not until I figured out what she meant.

 I chuckled lightly and said "Please," before she gave me her eraser.

   "Hey, I am Rachael, Oyedele right?" she asked as she turned to face me. I was surprised she called me by my surname and not by the new nicknames some of my new classmates are beginning to address me with.

"Yes, I am Oyedele Michael, and you are?" I said

"I am Obayemi Rachael. You look like Senior Matthew, just that you are much taller than him. Are you perhaps his brother?" she asked looking straight into my eyes.

    I thought the resemblance is quite obvious and she could probably have guessed from the surname', I thought.

"Oh, Senior Matthew was kind of gentle, and till this moment, I only know his first name," she added as if she was reading my thoughts.

"Yeah, I am his younger brother," I said 

  "It is quite obvious, both of you are gentle from both looks and characters," she stated as I forced a smile while she revealed her beautiful set of white teeth.

"Hmm," I breathe out staring at Rachael.

"Ah! I am just joking around with you. Don't mind me. I knew all along that you were his younger brother," she confessed and I smiled brightly. She is sure a drama queen,' I thought

     Our conversation continued and I must confess Rachael was quite a good person. She was not phony but spoke interestingly. She later introduced me to a friend of hers. Her name was Gloria and she did not stop complimenting my physical features especially my eyebrows and eyelashes. She claimed I looked like a girl with my look. Well, it was not in a bad way, let me just say she admired my looks.

    My first day in this wonderful school no doubt brought beautiful tidings to my heart. The well-structured buildings left me drooling. The laboratories were awesome with science equipment properly arranged. I also made some friends with Rachael,  Joshua who are Science students, and Gloria who happened to be an Arts student.

    It was a great day for me because I never felt that weird imagination that engulfs me whenever I admire a boy. I only felt pity for the boy I sat 

down with earlier, he displayed his fun side today.

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    I stood in front of my new school and I could not help but admire the beautiful structure, colored with blue and white which improved its beautiful scenery. I strode gently holding my younger brother's hand who kept giving me a pep talk on staying calm and not thinking too much about my new uniform.

   It was my second day in Beatitude College as I was putting on a sky blue short sleeve with a pink pair of trousers, black socks, and black shoes to match. My imagination sense kept visualizing how some students are prying their eyes on me even though that was based solely on my imagination.

   "Brother Michael, be confident and do not get too nervous. You rock in this uniform" my brother said as he patted my shoulder before leaving for his class. I breathed in and out, as I headed upstairs toward my classroom.

   The corridor was full of students who were in pairs of two or three. I summoned courage as I walked down the corridor. I could feel some eyes turn in my direction, as whispers filled the air.

 "He looks like Senior Matthew". " The school uniform fitted him".

"Not bad, he looks calm and gentle".

   They kept murmuring, making me hasten my footsteps. I entered my new class and met Rachael as she complimented my new look. The assembly rang after 15 minutes and I felt glued to my seat. 

   I felt quite nervous to go to the assembly ground. 'Maybe I should not go' I thought. 'You are meant to obey the rules and that includes attending the assembly', my subconscious reminded me.

   I thought for some seconds as I made my way to the assembly, praying silently for the stares I was receiving to reduce. 'I feel uncomfortable inside' I thought.

   The assembly ground was crowded, as I made my way to where my classmates stood. I became lost in the decor, as I admired how the students are well dressed in their neat and well-ironed uniforms. I pay accolades to the person who designed the beautiful colors of the uniform. 

   The beautiful drawings and decorations on the platform were lovely, with beautiful flowers, charts, and pictures to add more beauty to it.

  " Michael, stand behind Khaleed for the assembly, you are taller," the voice of Mr. Williams broke me out of my reverie as I slowly made my way to the back of the supposed student.

   The assembly started and I marveled at the activities performed on the platform. My eyes drifted to the person in front of me as I gape at his backside.

    The figure in front of me is tall and has a slender body, a nice set of legs. His hair was well cut, as it curled. I could not take my eyes off him.

    I felt my stomach churn, as a gust of air blew making me develop goosebumps. That was when I felt a DEJA VU. Reality struck me, the same things keep happening again.