"Ayo, let's go" Ire called out my name  while staring at his phone screen, the iPhone Dad got for him is entering his head, I thought. Well, that's my brother for you...Cute, annoying and a maths geek. Only God knows how people like him don't care much. "I'm coming." I replied after getting my bag on the dining chair.

"Okay." He replied while sticking his earpiece into his ear, I could hear the music he was playing from his phone, Rema's Beamer. I just rolled my eyes at his choice of music and walked out if the house while he locked the front door. Boys will always be boys.

Mum called a few minutes ago praying for us as we were resuming school and entering new classes, My mum's a doctor so she is mostly on night shifts.
My dad's driver was taking us to school today because of that.

I greeted the middle aged man while Ire sat in the passenger's seat struggling to greet dad's driver. What's up with him?

Our school is just a thirty minutes drive, so we arrived early..and on the first day too. Mum would be pleased.

Ire just stormed out of the car which puzzled me, I thanked the driver who shrugged at me before catching up with my brother.

"Ire." I shouted his name as I ran up to him.

"What?" he snapped, which caught me off guard.

"I'm fine, okay. I'm just really stressed out."  He said immediately he saw my reaction, looking away from me.

"Okay,sorry about that." I managed to say, I knew the football incident got to him. He was to play with some of his friends but he had to take me home.

"But you should know you are the best big brother I could ever ask for." I blushed at the end of my sentence.

He smiled sheepishly at me which made me smile too. "Now let's go, this one that your head is about to burst." I shook him out of his thoughts and walked to the school gate.

I was surprised to see the new renovations but also I was impressed.

The school's name was written bold and brightly on the building, New Horizons Academy, Ibadan. I was really amazed as how the school auditorium was decorated nicely, new field equipment, and the white paint was looking beautiful. As nice as the school could be, the school board sometimes can be so annoying especially our Principal, Mr. Iyiade.

Walking into the auditorium, I felt welcomed back to a place full of drama and where I actually feel more needed. I saw the Junior Secondary School students looking bright in their new white shirts, blue-black pinafores and knickers. Senior girls wear high waist skirts while boys wear trousers.Good thing everyone have their uniforms unlike last year where half of the whole school was in mufti.

I found a seat upstairs because that's where Senoir students seat. A lot of people greeted me on their way up, some Ire's classmates and friends, some people that I talked to once in a while when they needed a shoulder to cry on, I just like helping.

"Ayo!" Someone shouted my name. I turned around and saw it was Ife, a friend of mine.

"Ife mi" I replied.

"What are you still doing here?" I asked.

"I just came to pack a few things and see my bestie one more time, I'm going to miss you" she said the last part and her voice was cracking, the water works.

"I'll video call, okay love." I assured her and she gave me a watery smile.

"Your dad got the promotion you all prayed for, and that's all that's important" I said while wiping her wet face, " Besides, you left me with your cousin, Jade so don't worry, okay?"

"You're the best" she said. Her parents were struggling before until her Dad got the promotion he needed but that meant, new story too. I'm happy for her and I could not be selfish especially when her parents needed this the most.

I encouraged her to smile again and she left to her younger sister, Iseoluwa. I'm gonna miss my tall, curvy friend with her pretty dark skin and short hair.

Ohh well.

.............

After the Praise team tried all they could to get everyone dancing,we sang the National anthem and recited the Pledge. Now for our wonderful Principal, Just don't let anyone hear that from my mouth or else...I rest my case.
He was mostly welcoming our new students.

"Why is he acting like one kain saint in front of us?" Someone said, obviously to start a conversation.

"Asin, ko ye mi nah."Another person hissed. (I don't understand.)

"But he isn't that bad." A voice defended the principal which lead to a lot of arguments

Suddenly the Head boy came over to silence my classmates. He's a tall light complexioned guy, maybe a 6'1, just guessing cause our Seniors are so tall,  he has this brown eyes and curly hair.

He is and was cute when I had a crush on him in JSS3.

After the Principal's long speech, the SS3 students rose up and started clapping which everyone knew that it was just a facade. No wonder they are refered to as bad children.

........

The new  Junior students and transfer students were stayed back for their orientation.

I got to my class and found a sit in the middle row.

"Hi Jade" I greeted Ife's cousin casually, We don't really talk but I just said that to Ife as an excuse for her to stop worrying.

"Hey" She replied and was holding her phone in her hand.

Jade is nice and all but we don't get along. She's mostly around Toluwalase, one of the popular and somehow finest girls in school. She went to talk to Tolu while I just sat down and put my head on my desk to rest.

"Micheal?" I said immediately when I felt a someone rub my head lightly.

"Hey" he replied

Micheal is just this random guy I talk to but he knows how to be stupid sometimes and is a good person to hug anytime.

"Why are you looking sad?" he asked, pouting his lips.

"I'm fine, just needed a little me time"I said causally.

"Too much books aren't good for you, you know." He teased knowing what I was I up to all night.

"You only say that cause you are lazy." I rolled my eyes at my annoying friend.

"You see, you know me to well. That's why I love you." He pinched my cheeks while I hit the hard playfully.

"I know right. I'm too much." I kept praising myself while he stared at me. I just laughed at his goofiness.

Without notice. Our English teacher,Mr. Bankole walked in while we all stood up to greet him.

.......
After a very long class, we had a few free periods and then break.

We had to elect Class Captain and the assistant before going for lunch and our Class Captain is Eniola while our Assistant is Ore. I liked the fact that we don't change classes until SS3, that way we know each other better.

After all the class drama, I eat my rice and was thinking of what to do. I like talking a lot but now I just didn't feel like it.

Micheal has other friends to goof off around so I was left alone. I took out my phone and started listening to Simi's Remind me.

.......

"How many minutes more till the class is over?" My classmates were whispering to themselves.

We were having Chemistry class in the afternoon, all what our teacher was saying was just dancing in the air because nobody was concentrating.

"29 more minutes."  It feels like forever. I moaned to myself

"Ohh God." Everyone kept on exclaiming.

"Look at David." My classmates kept on whispering.

"I don't blame him."

"Asin"

"This man should just get out of here."

I looked towards David and saw him dozing off. Unfortunately for him, Mr. Alabi saw him and asked him to stand up. The poor guy is still dozing while standing.

We all stared at the clock, counting down in our minds.

3

2

1

"Sir, your time is up." Femi announced, almost immediately the timer he set on his wristwatch going off.

"So? I can only leave when I hear the sound of the...." Mr. Alabi was interrupted by the bell he was waiting for.

"Somebody must have woken the Timekeeper up." One of my classmates said in a disgust.

"Okay, wait for your assignment" Mr. Alabi announced.

"Ahhh." We all exclaimed. Assignment ke?

"This our first day in school nah?" The voice came from the back row.

"I was just pulling your legs, see you tomorrow everyone." He left the class while we all cheerfully got ready to leave.

......

I think Mum was going to pick us or Dad's driver, I wasn't really sure so I went to look for Ire but met Jide,my brother's best friend instead.

"My small girl." Jide greeted me while I rolled my eyes.

" You know I don't like it." I answered,rolling my eyes at him.

"You're small jor." He kept on teasing while I looked away.

"Anyways, how you doing?
You know I'm your senior and you can't talk to me like that." He stated  in a mocking tone.

I stared blankly at him while he laughed.

"Where is Ire please?" I asked him when he was out of his moment.

"I don't know." He replied and shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, thank you Senior Jide." I  teased.

"Yeah, Don't call me that." He said with a funny look on his face.

We both laughed together until Ire came, and told me it was time for us to go. The guys looked at each other weirdly before we left. And yes I was wrong, Dad's driver that took us home.

Ire tuned the radio and Davido's Risky came on. I still don't understand why people like that song so much.

I just looked at my surroundings and was happy when another song came on which I didn't know but liked the beat and wordings.