The new week had moved so fast and it was already Friday.

Rachael was in her music class, along with six other students when the bell was rung for break time. As usual, she was supposed to meet up with Vincent and Rita at the cafeteria.
She picked up her school bag and walked out of the classroom. 

She had just entered into the cafeteria when she saw Diane walking towards her, along with Lisa and Sophia; both of them trailing at her back as usual.

"Hi Rachael," Diane hailed, she was now standing next to Rachael.

"Diane," Rachael said, a little bit surprised that Diane had come up to speak to her. Not like they were enemies but just that Diane was very selective with the kind of people she associated with. They had spoken to each other some few times in the past but it was never a serious conversation.

"Nice wristwatch you've got there." Diane's eyes were on the silver wristwatch around Rachael's left wrist.

"Oh, thanks." Rachael glanced at her wristwatch, still not sure were the conversation was heading to.

"I once got something like that from my dad as a gift when he came back from a trip to Paris," Diane proudly said.

"Oh really, that's nice." Rachael nodded.

"Yeah." Diane smiled. "I need to go now, I would see you around," she said and left with her friends.

Rachael sighted the table where Vincent and Rita were seated on. They had their eyes on her and had not touched their snacks yet.
She went to the server and ordered for a bottle of Coke and Crackers Biscuit, after which, she took her order and started walking towards the table.

"Were you talking to Diane just now?" Rita asked Rachael with raised brows, immediately Rachael got seated.

"Yes. How are you two doing?" Rachael asked Rita and Vincent who had started eating.

"I'm fine dear," Vincent replied first.

"I'm good, I wonder what Diane is up to." Rita took a sip from her Diet Coke.

"She is just being nice, you don't have to think too much about that." Rachael opened a pack of her biscuit.

"Look here. Diane is my classmate and I know her to a good extent, she wouldn't just say hi to you if she is not up to something," Rita said, making gestures with her hands as she spoke, trying to let Rachael see things from her angle.

"I still think it's not a big deal okay," Rachael waved Rita's conclusions off.

"Just be careful around her, she can get really mischievous some times," Vincent added.

"Like when she posted a video of Celine snoring in class on her YouTube channel," Rita said with a sneer, referring to a classmate of hers.

"The quiet Celine?" Vincent asked.

"Yes, the poor girl was ashamed to come to school for a whole week," Rita added.

"Okay guys, I've heard you. I would make sure to be extra careful around her." Rachael rolled her eyes, wondering why her friends were making a big deal out of nothing.

"Away from Diane and her issues. I Hope the two of you have not forgotten about tomorrow?" Vincent asked.

"The football match?" Rita and Rachael both asked together.

"Yes of course."

"We are definitely going to be there to cheer you up," Rachael said, answering for herself and Rita.

"It's starting by ten in the morning," Vincent reminded them.

"Alright, we would be there son." Rita giggled.

"Excuse me, who is your son?" Vincent asked with an amused look.

"Who else if not you?" Rita playfully pointed her coke bottle at Vincent.

"You would pay for calling a grown up guy like me your son," Vincent said and at the same moment, stole some plantain chips from Rita's plate.

"How dare you!" Rita faked a cry voice.

"This is revenge." Vincent threw some of the plantain chips into his mouth and started chewing. "Taste yummy if you'd ask me."

"Just be ready for payback soon," Rita said in a serious tone, her forehead furrowed in anger.

The bell was soon rung and they went back to their classrooms. The first lecture Rachael and Vincent had after the break was on Biology.
The Biology teacher had just come in to the classroom some few minutes after break time was over.

The teacher decided to start the class with a question after he had received the usual greetings from the class.

"Who can tell us what the male reproductive gonad is?" the Biology teacher asked the class and some few students raised their hands to answer the question.

"Not you Samuel," he said to a student that was already up on his feet. Samuel was notorious for saying silly things in class whenever he answered or asked a question.

"Sir please, I want to answer it," Samuel pleaded, mischief written all over his look.

"Alright, you can answer it," the teacher agreed, not wanting to look like he was denying any student the right to participate in class, besides, he didn't want any problems with Samuel's dad who was a senator.

"The dick sir," Samuel said and the whole class burst out in laughter.

"Keep quiet! Sit down Samuel!" The teacher frowned at the class.

He turned his gaze to Rachael. "Miss Rachael can you please help the class with the answer?"

"I didn't raise up my hands," Rachael said to him, confused.

"I know, but I want you to answer it," the teacher insisted.      

"The reproductive gonads for the male are the testes," Rachael reluctantly answered the question.

"That's correct, thank you," the teacher said and continued with his class.

Two other teachers came in to teach before the closing bell was rung.

"Do you have football practice now?" Rachael asked Vincent who was putting his books into his school bag, immediately they heard the bell.

"Yes I do. Are you coming to watch?" Vincent asked Rachael, hoping that she would say yes.

Rachael looked at her wristwatch."Would have loved to but I really need to get going."

Vincent shrugged. "Okay, no problem but please don't miss tomorrow's game alright."

"Definitely not missing it," Rachael gave him her word.

"Thanks, can't wait to see you." Vincent smiled.

"Are you coming with Daniel? I would love to see him again."

"I will, but you would have to watch over him for me, since I would be really busy."

"I would be very happy to do that." Rachael smiled.

"And it also means you would have to come early too, like thirty minutes before the football match begins," Vincent squinted his eyes a little bit as he spoke.

"Alright, see you tomorrow then, I need to be going now." Rachael picked up her schoolbag.

"Take care of yourself," Vincent said to her.

"You too, bye," Rachael waved and left the classroom.

The driver was already waiting for her when she got to where he had parked the car.

                         *****

Rachael Went straight to her room when they got home, and took her bath before eating lunch. She was watching the television in the living room when she heard her father's car drive in. She left the living room and went outside to greet her dad. Giving her dad a warm hug, she welcomed him.

"I got a box of pizza for you." Her dad brought out a box of pizza from the car and handed it over to her.

"Thank you so much dad," Rachael said with a grin.

"You're welcome darling." 

They walked into the house together and Rachael took the pizza to her room, and started eating it, while scrolling through her phone. She slept off some minutes after she finished eating the pizza which was a fairly small size.

A knock on the door woke her up from her sleep, she checked her time and it was  seven-thirty in the evening. She wondered who might be at the door since she was not expecting any one to visit them at that time.

"Rachael! Please go and get the door," her father's voice came from his study.

She stood up from her bed and started walking towards the door. She twisted the handle of the door and was surprised to see who was at the door.

"Mum?" Rachael's voice came out as a question.

"It's me Rachael," her mum said and brought her into a warm hug, stroking her hair smoothly as they stayed glued together.

"I didn't know you were coming back so early, I'm really happy to see you," Rachael said as she picked up the little suitcase her mum was carrying.

"I wanted to surprise you." Her mum laughed.

"You sure did," Rachael spoke, taking her mum's hand and leading her into the living room.

"Welcome back home sweetie," her dad said to her mum as they entered in. He walked closer to Sylvia and hugged her tightly, placing a passionate kiss on her cheek before pulling away.

"Dad, you don't look surprised seeing mum unexpectedly," Rachael said as she noticed her dad's expression, he looked as if he knew her mum was coming home that day.

"I knew she was coming today," her dad spilled out his little secret.

"Really! And you kept that from me?" Rachael raised her voice, her suspicion was right.

"She asked me not to tell you. She wanted it to be a surprise for you," her dad explained.

"Anyways, I'm really glad to have you back mum." Rachael looked towards her mum.

"I've missed my baby so much." Her mum hugged her again, briefly this time around.

"So, how was business over there?" Rachael asked her mum.

"It was awesome. I was able to close the deal at New York, that reminds me, I'm having an interview on Monday." Her mum's face lit up in excitement as she spoke.

"Wow! That's good news. Does that mean you would be staying a little bit longer this time?" Rachael asked hopefully.

"I would try dear." Her mum paused. "Away from my business. I want to hear you tell me about everything that has been going on since I was away," she continued, trying to shift the discussion from herself.

"I need to drop this first at your room mum." Rachael referred to her mum's travel box.

"That's okay, I also need to go in and change into something else," Sylvia said. She was putting on a blue, knee-length dress and black heels.

"Alright mum," Rachael said and they both walked upstairs to her parents' room, leaving her dad alone in the living room.

"I got you some chocolate," Sylvia said as they got into the room.

"Thanks mum." Rachael dropped her mum's box at a corner of the room.

"Here." Sylvia brought out a large box of chocolate from her handbag and handed it over to Rachael.

"Wow! This is much. Good thing I'm seeing Rita and Vincent tomorrow."

"You are going out for an outing?" her mum asked with a bit of surprise since she knew her daughter hardly went out, apart from going to school.

"We are actually have a football match against the art class tomorrow," Rachael explained.

"That's great. How are your friends by the way?" her mum asked, going over to sit on the bed.

"They are both doing well mum."

"I would love to meet them again, it's been a long time. Send my greetings to them."

"Alright mum. I would let them know when I see them tomorrow." Rachael folded her arms around her chest.

Sylvia removed her shoes and said, "Alright."

After Sylvia was done with taking a hot bath and eating a light meal, they all went back to the living room and talked about so many things; from Rachael's school work, to her dad's work place and Sylvia's business.

They retired back to bed after so much of talking and laughing. At the end of the day, Rachael was really happy to have a moment like that with her family; It rarely came along in their home.

                               ~•~