CHAPTER 4- THE GIRLY ACT

    It has been over 5 months,( three weeks into SSS2 3rd term), after that incident with Khaleed and words alone cannot describe how I had felt throughout those months.

    Even though I had settled quite well in my new school, I still feel burdened with the strange liking I could not share with others.

    After that declaration made by Khaleed during the little game, my spirit died down as the liking I had for him faded like dust. I felt hurt knowing he treated girls like a plaything, without any sense of conscience involved. 

   Whenever I see him, I no longer feel that fluttering effect in my body. The warm sensations that always clouded my body left. My eyes that are always ready to scan his handsome glory felt a little bit disgusted to look at it. The feeling of admiration, as I would call it, went away like a 'season' that passes by.

    The drama of my life did not end there, as I had a liking for someone else during the second term. I started admiring the class captain after a heart-to-heart discussion with him. He was not as handsome as Khaleed, but his dimple that shows when he smiles left me flickering inside.

   His funny and jovial side added to it, as it brought back a spark in me. His jokes were extraordinary leaving me almost 'laughing out my lungs, as I reminisced about the moments we spent together.

    Every good thing must come to an end, one way or the other Paul, the class captain started saying filthy and obscene things in his jokes. Most of my classmates like it but I knew what was best for me. The affection I had for him, which piled up like a heap of sand' left like' a gust of dust'.

*********"

    I smiled, as I made a walk to my class. We are in the third week of resumption, and I felt a sense of relief. A relief because I had never felt any liking towards the same sex, maybe my admiration has left, "I thought.

  'That is what you keep thinking, just brace yourself for the next one," my subconscious mocked, as I simply ignore that fact.

     Sometimes I feel like figuring out what is wrong with me. As much as I have not committed any sin, I think I am cool, maybe something is wrong with my imagination sense,' I often tell myself

 Why do I feel those butterflies in my tummy, when I am around those handsome boys? Why do I blush, stutter, and feel those warm sensations assembling in my body? Those questions ran through my mind as I let out my tongue, freeing some air from my mouth.

   I stepped into the class, and the psycho I shared a textbook with during my first day at school started walking towards me. I nicknamed him that before I later learned his name was Ethan. I stopped as I saw him blow kisses at me. Has he gone crazy?'I thought

  He did the unexpected as he moved closer to my figure, leaned forward to my face, his lips almost making contact with mine. 

  I moved back a little and slapped him across his face. The sound of the slap resonating in the four corners of the class. Rachael who stood nearby could not stop laughing, as the direction of the few students in the class turned to our side. 

   It was lunch break as few of them are in the classmates, which I thanked God for.

  I stared at Ethan who stood dumbstruck for some seconds, as his right palm was on his right cheek. He was expressionless, as he stuck But his tongue, biting his lips gently. 

   Some of my classmates moved closer to Ethan, bombarding him with questions. He shrugged as he left the class. I breathed in a sigh of relief when they did not bother to ask me what transpired between us. It was also a good thing none of them saw what happened.

   I wondered what would have happened if he had performed that act. It would have made me feel terrible knowing the same-sex kissed me, which is outrageous.

   Rachael finally left the class, leaving me alone with my numerous thoughts. I wrapped my arms around my body, bracing for warmth to calm my nerves. I finally relaxed as I began to shrug off my thoughts.

   I opened my eyes as he entered the class. 'Speak of the devil and he will surely appear, 'I thought as I scoffed inwardly. I watched him walk to his seats, with that calm aura on his face, as he strolled confidently. My face twitched at his demeanor as if he had not tried to do something stupid earlier.

    He sat down as his mouth formed into a smile, as he chatted with his friends. I felt guilt run down my system seeing him smile. I should not be guilty, right? He tried to do the KOTL(Kiss on the lips) thing on me especially in front of the class, which in many ways is wrong.

   I tried to keep my frustration at bay, by filling my head with something else. 'You are girly, boys are supposed to punch, not slap,' I heard my inner mind say as I rolled my eyes.

   Someone tapped me, jolting me out of my daze. I looked up only to see Quadri, as a frown crept to my face. The thought of spending time with this naughtiest personality beside me is enough reason to prepare for a 'whole lot of drama and obscene jest'.

    All thanks to him, I was able to get tons of names. Going home together is almost driving me crazy as he stated I needed to know deeply apart life( which was purely his obscene talks)

  "I learned you slapped the most favorite person in the class today because he wanted to go naughty with you," he said with a vague smile across his lips.

 "And so what?" I retorted, trying not to be cheesy.

   He leaned closer towards my ear, as he whispered "I just wanted to tell you that you should have punched or kicked him in the place the sun never met".

   I could not help but laugh at his statement, my head jerking up as my eyes met with that of Ethan. His countenance changed, as it is obvious how curiosity lies in his eyes. I grinned and continued my discussion with Quadri. I felt fulfilled as I figured out Ethan's intention to make me feel guilty for slapping him. He now looks perturbed, tsk, tsk, what a sham. He is a pretender, who will not change anytime soon, and the tag for him still stands 'A Player'.

    

*******

    

    The weeks for the third term kept moving as I found myself in a new class I was placed for my Mid Term Examination.  I sat down at the rear side of J.S.S.3 A(Junior Secondary School 3), the class I was posted to write my test.

   The class was well ventilated and has a beautiful painting of light blue and white. My gaze left my Geography book, as it fell on the least set of persons I expected to be in the same class as mine.

   Hanging their hands around each other's neck, whispering words they were laughing at as they walked slowly. I averted my gaze and continued with my revision, trying not to think too much about them, that is Khaleed and Ethan.

  "Michelangelo, morning o," Khaleed greeted and I responded with a "Good morning".  Few seconds eloped, not until I heard that annoying voice.

  " You do not want to greet us. I wonder why they call you that name. It sounds lame and oh, you behave like a girl and acts childish like that fourth Ninja turtle in Teenage Mutant Turtles," he spat out with a smirk at the corner of his lips.

   I could feel my body wanting to get back at him for those words of his, especially when both of them gave way to laughter.

   I put on a bright smile ready to shock them. "I love Teenage Mutant Turtles, it is one of my best Nickelodeon series. Most importantly, Michaelangelo looks cute being childish and has cool moves in fighting the villains," I replied calmly as their facial expression was that of 'awestruck'. They must probably be wondering why a 15-year-old teenager is watching a cartoon.

    We changed the topic and chit-chatted for a while before they left. I am still surprised at how calm Ethan still looks especially when he knew I slapped him some weeks ago. We never said a word to each other since that very day. Just remembering that scene almost wanted to make my heart move out of its place. 

    He wanted to kiss me but I slapped him, was I wrong? There are quite a lot of things surrounding me, but having news spread about me being kissed is not something I wished for especially in a country like Nigeria. People will surely count a lot of meanings to it.

******

    Heaving a sigh of relief, I left my assigned classroom after completing my first and second tests. I strode gently to the school library to spend my break there, by revising my last subject for today.

    I stepped into the library as I breathe in the new fragrance of the library that enveloped my nose. I made my way to the rear with a window beside me. The beautiful scenery becoming more evident as I peered outside at the trees that are flapping in the direction of the wind. I let myself looking intently at the trees, as my mind filled with beautiful tidings.

    I was still staring at the beautiful piece of nature when a voice jolted me out of my observing time. I turned my head as my mouth fell agape.