PRESTON

When they said visitors day, they were supposed to add a day of emotions.

      The day started off with rising at the normal time,morning chores,breakfast,studies for thirty minutes and then holy mass. That was when the chaos started.

During mass, students barely concentrated, especially the younger ones, everybody wanted to see if their parents or visitors were coming. (Don't ask me why I know).

Parents kept coming during mass and since we had enough see through mirrors in the chapel, those who had the opportunity could see as cars and cabs arrived, since those were the only cars allowed in the parking lot, which was found behind behind the high school block. The cars were seen when making a u turn to enter the packing lot.

It seemed everyone knew who was who's parent or visitor. There was a lot of rambling in the chapel that way, as some parents actually entered the chapel. Someone will shake in their sit, do a "Yay" with their hand, or say "Thank God", whenever they saw their visitor. Those who saw your visitor first made it a point to make the information reach you, whether they were in the North Wing and you were in the South Wing.

The chapel was divided into four. Front right, in front of the pulpit, was the North Wing, where most of the musical instruments and instrumentalists were found, and form one to form four boys sat. To the left was the South Wing, where form one to four girls sat. These two areas were separated by an aisle and since the two doors of the chapel were found behind these two rows, there was an opening before the other two rows behind. Behind the North Wing was the West Wing for form five to upper sixth boys and the Form five to upper sixth girls occupied The East Wing behind the South Wing. Named after the cardinal directions, though not in order. There was actually a ballot for all directions two years back.

      Holy mass was agonizingly long, because the priest decided to preach longer during the sermon, talking about the types of love. Throughout, I just stared across at Lelah, wondering whether it was the Eros or philia love I felt for her. She looked so beautiful concentrating on the sermon, that I had to carry a hard on throughout mass and felt so guilty because I was feeling lustful in the house of God.

After forever, the mass ended, but father Jean Pierre, who shared same names with one of our best math teacher, tall, dark with bright eyes and the best french accent there was, and also the officiating priest, told us to hold on a moment, because the principal had an announcement for us. First time he was going to address us as a school, if we leave the small talks with him.

People were impatient, as almost everyone wanted to start bonding with their visitor, since there was limited bonding time. The most excited of them all were girls. What I noticed during offering time.

During offering, while junior students danced with evident happiness over seeing their parents or other visitors,most of the senior students were not their usual selves, instead of the usual dancing and swinging of skirts from left to right by the girls, they just strolled, with obvious blushes on their faces. One could spot just two or three girls dancing. There was an obvious reason to that, new boys.Maybe their boyfriends or just cute looking boys. Boys were different though, dancing as usual, I assume to show off.

      The principal came in. Mr George Peters, short, bald headed with a round big stomach. You could hardly know he was there,he always wore those silent shoes that made it difficult to know he was around, not to forget he was also a short man. He always looked focused and hardly spoke. One or two sentences were enough for him and he never stayed behind to see reactions to what he said. When he was passing and saw you doing something wrong, going against the rules, you were sure to receive a hard knock on your head, before being summoned to his office.
But all in all, he was hardly around, hardly spoke and acted focused, sometimes like he did not want to be with us. And oh, he traveled a lot.

He stood at the beginning of the aisle, in front of us.
"How are you all doing?" he asked, in a stern voice, looking at a folder in his hand, not lifting his head.

"Fine, thank you sir" echoed from all angles of the chapel.

"Okay, good morning everyone, parents, visitors and you all my students. I suppose everyone knows what today is. If some of us are still in doubt as to why parents are here," everyone sneakered and made faces, like who didn't know.
"its visitors day, where your parents, friends and family are allowed to visit you. You can begin bonding immediately after you leave the chapel, and visiting hours end at exactly 5pm. This is for both visitors  and students, any visitor seen here after visiting hours will go home with who ever they are visiting. Is that clear? he asked.
"Yes sir" everyone echoed.

"All that said, there are certain rules to respect today." He brought out two A4 sheets from the folder he was holding and started reading.

"We should note that there is no particular amount of visitors for any student, meaning you can have as many visitors as possible.

All students are required to be in their official wears during visiting hours, that is your blue and white and black shoes, just like now" he said. Many people crunched their faces, we had expected to be able to change into something more comfortable than these uniforms, sports wears preferably. He went on.

"No visitor is allowed in the dormitories, as you are to use only classrooms, and halls for bonding, and no one leaves school for whatsoever reason. This is more of a warning, you risk nine days suspension with hard labor of you go against this rule, I mean it" he looked left to right to confirm this and maybe he got it because he continued.

"Also, I am sure every one knows cooked food is not allowed, but if any visitor brought cooked food, it should be eaten only on campus, no cooked for in the dormitories. Do we all understand?" he demanded, giving the same left and right survey of the room. "Yes sir" we replied, as people started fidgeting.

"Parents, don't forget to check if your child still owes the school. You can do that at the bursary.
Have a nice day you all, and behave yourselves."
He started walking out but stopped when he reached the door.
"Less I forgot, check your results on the various notice boards" that was all it took, because everywhere became dead silent and looking around, you could see smiling, scared and sad faces "and parents, check well. If you doubt any result, feel free to meet the vice principle" the vice principal immediately stood up, smiling, the same evil scowl he always had on, "or my secretary, Miss Julliane, thank you" with that, he left.

      It seemed the principal was just wasting his time, because ten minutes  after we left the chapel, students, mostly girls, were seen taking their visitors to the dormitories and even smuggling cooked food too.

Everyone seemed to have a reaction to their result, either you jumped up for joy, or cried, or just left sad. Some people even went as far as comparing results, either saying they were cheated on, or so this person could pass, or come before someone.

While all these went on, my friends and I stood beside the high school notice board, waiting for the population to reduce. That and the fact that I was nervous as fuck. I had not really heard any bodies result clearly. I was nervous. If I came before Le will she feel bad all over and leave me? She had not even been to the board and I was getting scared, I had not even seen her since we left the chapel. I had to find out everything.

       Ten minutes later, the board was clear as people went about their businesses. We decided to check our results, before Mrs Brenda and possibly Mr Paul came.

Getting to the board, I immediately saw my name, I came first, Lelah second, by barely two points lower. Michael came third and Harry fourth.  That's how it had always been except we were always on a straight line. Lelah beat them to it. But they didn't care, it was barely by points. Brenda and Paul will be proud of us, my mum too, Michaels dad didn't care. But I was completely worried about Le's reaction. Where was she by the way.?
"Hey man, congrats" Harry tapped me on yhe shoulder and I smiled, Michael was smiling too.
"Congrats to us, we made it again" I gave each of then a manly hug and they hugged back.

"Spot the difference man" Michael said, pointing at the board.

There was indeed a difference I had not noticed. While all four of us fell into 19 average league, the rest continued with 12 average downward. Someone even had 5 average, merde, my mum will kill you for this.
We just smiled a knowing smile, we always made the difference, but this time around, there was someone new in the league.

"Do you know how Lelah will relate to this?".

My friends were the only ones who knew everything about Lelah and I, they truelly cared about me and my feelings, Lelahs too. When I told them how scared she had been when she noticed I had more marks than her, they said I just concentrate on the relationship, a relationship they had been happy about and teased me alot about. They even said I was pussy whipped.

"I have no fucking clue what she'll do man, but I just hope she doesn't distance herself from me again or try to leave, because she's not leaving my side this time around" I said through greeted teeth, already feeling angry.

"Calm down man, we don't know if she'll do that. You don't need to get angry before seeing her. You guys have been doing great, I'm sure even she knows you're not an enemy" Harry calmed me.

"I need to see her" I said.

"Lets check the classes before halls, maybe she's with a visitor" Michael suggested.
Before we could even move a step, someone called Harry's name. "I know that voice" I thought, Mrs Brenda. We all turned around at the same time. She was standing at the high school entrance with Mr Paul.

As we made our way towards them, she launched herself on all three of us, as expected. We hugged her back and also noticed the stares we were getting. We said nothing, just hugged.

When we finally let go, Mr Paul gave each of us a manly hug.

"I've missed you my boys" Mrs Brenda said.
"Miss you too mum" we replied. We called each others parents the way they called them.

      We led our parents as I prefer to say, to our class and settled down. That was when I saw Le and a man old enough to be her father, her dad I guess. When she caught me staring at her, she smiled. That about melted my heart. She was not mad, but maybe she had not visited the board yet.

We stayed with Brenda and Paul, discussing about school, gisting them as Mrs Brenda said. We told them about our results and as usual, they were so proud of us. My mum called as promised, through video call on watsapp and we all talked to her. I missed her and although I could not completely understand with her, there was nothing I could do.

Before Mrs Brenda and Mr Paul left, they gave us what they had for us, with some money and then left.

Walking back to class, that was when we noticed lots of students, jumping in joy at seeing a visitor or just because they are discussing with someone. Some even cried, from so much joy, while others sat alone or just with their friends and cried, because no one came to see them. Sorry for them.

Visitors day was a success, with us talking to my mum and the visit from Mr Paul and Mrs Brenda. But I was still a bit nervous, because Le and I had not yet spoken about the results.

                    *      *      *

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VISITORS DAY?
Let me know in the comment section.

Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Bye
Signed: Cassylove😁