I still found it hard to understand how news spread around my school faster than flash himself.  The gist was all over school, the SS2 set specifically, that Jojo slapped Nifemi.

Walking to the assembly ground after being harassed all in the name of searching for phones and contrabands, I was greeted with the whole assembly, the whole almost 4 thousand students on their knees.

A smile went to my lips when i realised that, The choir was a save haven.

How?

No matter the person in charge,

No matter the punishment being issued,

The choir never, ever and I mean ever faced the same fate as the others.

Why? Because everyone believed the choir was made up of really good prim perfect girls who had the voices of angels and were always on their best behavior, which was a total lie, lets not go there tho.

But today, on this fateful, gloomy as heck day, my feet moved on it's own accord with my jaw dropped massively low. Our prim princesses along side the whole school, except 'acting' prefects were graciously on their knees, their freaking knees.

I stopped in front of a pole, my hands on my waist, as a few pairs of eyes turned to me. Resting my bag covered back on the pole, I folded my arms as a man in uniform walked up to me. "Join them." He gestured to the students on their knees as I pushed myself away from the pole.

"Sir I just came now." I  balanced on my right leg, titling my neck as the charcoal pot black skinned man moved closer to me. Pervert alert!

"What is the motto of your school? Is it not 'onward together?' My friend, join them." His face scrunched up in what I'll call anger?

I stopped myself before I could roll my eyes at him, and get myself into trouble. The phrase 'onward together' was the Nigerian navy motto, not our school motto. But the very smart naval personnel's called it the school's motto.

The school's motto was 'Hard work and discipline', not onward together as they all said. It was actually annoying that if one person committed a crime or did a mistake, the whole school or class involved were to serve the punishment along side with the person who was at fault.

"Sir I just came- " I was saying before he abruptly cut in, "Shut up and kneel down." My hands left my waist as I moved one step back, "But I just came now."

I wasn't ready to kneel down. Scrap that, I didn't want to kneel down. I actually preferred 10 strokes of cane than making my knees come in contact with the rough, cemented ground that was designed with stones and little pieces of glass and rocks that could make my knees burn and feel like they were on fire, because they always were whenever I knelt down.

Tofunmi walked to the choir, shaking her head as she saw everyone on their kneels. I frowned as the man in front of me asked me to kneel down once again and I declined.

"Abeg Lois just kneel down." Tofunmi was beside me, raising her skirt and kneeling down. Sucking in my cheeks, I knelt down as the man walked away and me and tofunmi hissed simultaneously.

"He does not have job na." Tofunmi adjusted the wrist watch Elizabeth gave her for her birthday. Cracking my neck, I remembered how I was accused of being the reason for Joseph slapping Nifemi and I was so eager to find out.

Finally, assembly was over and I was walking to my class, when Fortune came from heaven knows where and bumped shoulders with me, his eyebrows raising.

"What?" I asked as I reached the door of my class. "I'm hearing it's because of you Joseph slapped Nifemi." He walked in after me. Scoffing I turned to him, "That's exactly what I'm hearing too."

Taking a few more steps into the class, I froze at the sound of, "The girl is here oo." I didn't know what to do as I watched a stampede of multicoloured girls (black, yellow, brown and charcoal black) rush towards me.

Girl you wicked die

Ahan Lois why na

Lois omo your own bad oo

My face turned red as people say it did as I clenched my fist and yelled, "ooo what did I do na?" Finally someone replied to me. "Is it not your mumu gist about the sick bay whatever."

My eyebrows furrowed for a second as I eyed the girl worriedly. "What sick bay whatever?" The girl eyed me back with her left lip lifting up in annoyance, "That one about them not treating civilian day students." She said harshly.

"So how did that one na affect Nifemi and Joseph?" My head tilted to the left with my right hand dangling almost in a somewhat sassy pose.

"Oya let me gist you na." She gripped my hand and dragged me to a wooden uncomfortable seat. " You know normal thing that Nifemi like feeling herself, the girl carry her fine head and small yansh to go and complain like mumu." I nodded to the story teller to show I was listening.

~~~~~

The school was seeming quiet as all the students were either out of the school or trapped in the dining hall. All except the one and only Joseph Ituah, who was at his spot.

What exactly was this spot? Well, it was the infamous 'Devil Tree' at the back of the girls Wey hostel. Why was it Joseph's spot? Only because he was the only one who was man enough to stand beside the tree without peeing his pants.

Now on this quiet gloomy day, Joseph Ituah in all his glory was stood beside the tree with a Danielle Steel Novel in his grasp. His nose was scrunched up in a somewhat disgust filled look as his eyes travelled across the brown paper as fast as lightening.

Unfortunately, his quiet reading was disturbed by a dark skinned brat known as Nifemi Wole. Nifemi was a pest. And when I say pest, I mean she was worse than Spongebob everytime he saw squidward.

The brat stormed towards the unsuspecting Joseph with her fists clenched and her white ruggedly untucked from her skirt. Her white sparkling socks were rolled down, and a red bandana was in her clenched fists.

As always, Joseph payed no attention to the girl. Keeping his eyes fully on his book. "Joseph!" The boy quietly released a sigh and shut his book loudly.

His eyes narrowed on the ruffled creature barking at him and slowly he leaned onto the tree. "Your people have started again o!" Nifemi was as close as possible making sure to stop right before the boarders surrounding the tree.

No matter how ignorant and fierce she was, she dare not step near the tree. Joseph sighed once again, loud enough for Nifemi to hear and crossed his arms.

"Why are you making noise here?" His voice was a low hum, it carried as much power as his stature. Joseph's look was as scary as his attitude. "Mr Military, I'm sure you haven't heard but your people have decided to belittle us and have put a ban on civilian treatment."

Joseph rubbed his forehead in annoyance and rolled his eyes. "Please why do you always find it hard to have sense." Funny enough while Nifemi was fuming her heart away, Joseph remained as calm as ever. Probably thinking of the video games he was forced to leave earlier that morning before school.

"Stop hiding under that tree. Come and say what ever you want to say to my face!" The loud mouth girl yelled once again. Her hands firmly placed on her hips as they shook rapidly. She was as they called, a pepper body.

The brooding boy made his way out from area and into the bright sun. Even though it was at least an hour after school, the sun still hung in the sky refusing to make way for the moon.

He took heavy steps towards the brat and stopped inches before her. "You are always full of nonsense." He whispered in her face. Nifemi retracted back in horror, her lips wobbled and her mouth stood agape. She was speechless. None had dared cross her without a fight.

"Do you want to beat me?" He mused, knowing fully well that she wouldn't. More like she couldn't. Even the dumbest knew not to test him. With a scoff Nifemi spun on her heel, a wild hiss escaping her lips. "Useless bastard."

Joseph's fist clenched. His jaws hardened. Finally his eyes shut and he spoke. "What did you say?" For the first time he rose his voice. Nifemi froze in her steps and spun back around. She swallowed loudly and bit her lip lightly, folding her arms trying to keep a hard front.

Slowly he stalked towards her, stopping directly before her. There were barely any inches between them. "What did you say?" Nifemi rose her head slowly and locked eyes with the beast. Taking a leap of faith she yelled.

"All of you are useless bastards." It was as if time seemed to slow down. A cocky smile took hold of her lips. Joseph nodded slowly. Then it sped up instantly and in seconds Joseph's right palm had decorated Nifemi's toned black skin and a tear dropped.