Chapter Eighteen

CYNTHIA

"Sam, wake up."

I tap him as he has fallen asleep on our way home and he slowly opens his eyes.

"Are we home already?" He asks, sitting upright and rubbing his eyes.

"Yes dear, let's go inside so you can sleep comfortably."

"Okay." He replies groggily.

I open his side of the car and watch him get out, helping him so he doesn't fall before carrying his lunch bag and my school bag and also getting out of the car.

We make our way to the house and we are greeted by Nanny who is already waiting by the entrance.

"Good afternoon, Nanny." Sam greets sleepily as he enters into the sitting room.

"Good afternoon dear. You look tired." She comments, following after him.

He slumps on one of the chairs, "Yes. I want to sleep."

"Why not eat something before sleeping?" She asks him.

"I'll eat when I wake up." He yawns.

"Alright, just make sure you change out of your clothes before you sleep." She addresses as he starts to walk towards the stairs.

"Okay, Nanny." He replies as he climbs up the stairs.

I can bet five thousand that he is just going to fall on his bed and sleep immediately.

I drop lazily on a couch, feeling very tired myself and let out a loud yawn.

"I know you already had a stressful morning at school with going to the police station. Hope the rest wasn't as stressful?" Nanny asks, looking down at me.

Stressful? More like crazy.

I got into a fight with one of the nastiest girl in school in the school cafeteria, the most popular guy in school now sits next to me which isn't comfortable by the way and I also got invited to his secret room, something that definitely doesn't happen on a normal day.

Speaking of the secret room, I should tell Nanny now that I'd be going to Grace's place on Friday.

"You keeping quiet like this makes me feel a whole lot happened after I dropped you at school." Nanny comments as she stares down at me with amusement before finally taking her seat.

"Oh, it was boring." I reply, waving it off because I will rather not explain. But when she smiles like she knows something I think she doesn't, I start to get suspicious.

"Really? If your definition of boring is pouring a cola drink on a fellow student in the middle of the cafeteria, I'm scared to know what your definition of interesting will be." Nanny says and my mouth drops open.

She knows?!!!

"A video of it was posted on your school's group and-" She doesn't have to explain further because I already know how she found out about it.

I think I'm just going to say this now;

Facebook, I hate you.

"Thankfully, the video has been taken down and there were no comments about you getting sued this time around." She smiles and I almost roll my eyes.

"Don't be like that. Aren't you glad I don't have to call any lawyers?" She teases and at that moment, I can't help but remember mum.

"Yeah, I'm glad you don't have to call mum." I reply flatly and her demeanor instantly changes.

"Cynthia..." She sighs.

"Don't sigh like that, it makes you seem older than you actually are." I tease, trying to change the topic and she smiles slightly. She looks like she has something to say but doesn't know how to say it.

"Nanny, what's on your mind?"

"Speaking of your mother-

"Can we just stop talking about her?" I ask with a roll of my eyes and start to get up but she pushes me back and stares right at me.

I struggle for her to release me but not until her next words, "Your parents will be back on Friday. Your mum called to tell me that today."

I instantly freeze as I process her words.

My parents will be back on Friday?! The day after tomorrow?!

"You'll finally get to see them and catch up on lost times." She says then adds unsurely, "I hope you are no longer angry with them."

I turn to give her a sharp look, "I'm still very much annoyed with them and no, I'm not excited that they are coming back."

I stand from where I'm sitting and begin to head to my room, still thinking of what she had said.

My parents will really be coming back? After six months of going on their business trip?

And why do I have to find out from Nanny that they will be back on Friday? Why the hell do I have my phone and their contact?! Why won't they make use of that knowledge and just give me a call?!

"Darling." I hear Nanny call and I slowly turn around. "Don't worry, everything will be fine." She says reassuringly and I smile tightly at her before climbing up the stairs.

Everything will be fine?

Yeah, let's wait and see.

***

I wake up the next morning still very aware of the fact that my parents will be here the next day, in fact, it was all I could think about. I check the time and realize that it's 6.50am and that is ten minutes earlier than my alarm wakes me. Waking up before my alarm rings must suddenly tell something.

After dressing up, I go downstairs to see that Sam is already at the dining as usual and I join him. He greets me with a huge smile and I reply him halfheartedly but he doesn't notice as he soon starts to tell me about some of the things that are going on in his school. I don't really pay attention to his words, only smiling at him whenever he glances my way and nodding occasionally. I guess he is tired of following table manners.

Nanny greets me and serves me breakfast with a smile. I smile when I realize she cooked one of my favorite food, yam and fried egg, for breakfast.

When we are done eating, we walk into the compound with our bags and start to approach our ride, I notice that Lanre is already waiting for us inside the car.

Nanny notices my solemn mood and tries to cheer me up. "Don't worry dear, everything will turn out okay." She says again and I can only give her a tight smile.

"What's going to be okay? Did something happen?" Sam asks, looking from me to Nanny then back at me. There is no point in hiding it so I decide to tell him.

"Dad and Mum will be coming back." I announce and as expected, he has a huge grin on his face and looks ecstatic.

"Really? When?"

"Tomorrow." I reply and smile when he breaks out into a delightful dance.

I wish I can be as excited as him about the news but I just can't. I don't even understand the exact emotion I'm feeling towards them. Am I angry at them or happy that they will be back? Am I nostalgic that they won't stay for more than a week? Am I sad that our relationship isn't like the normal parents-children relationship?

I just don't know.

Sam is already bouncing happily towards the car and I follow him after we had both bid Nanny Bye. I don't say a word throughout the ride to Sam's school and just listen to him count the number of things that he wishes they bring for him from their journey. He is really hoping that they buy him a bicycle and I won't be surprised if they actually do.

They are good at buying material things.

We get to Sam's school and I bid him bye with a kiss on the forehead before we head to my school.

I get to school early enough because the assembly hasn't started yet and I start to look for Grace, hoping that she is here already because I really need her to lift my mood.

And just when I'm convinced she is not in school yet-

"Good morning, girlfriend." She greets with a smile as she approaches me from inside the school, then as if realizing what she said, apologizes. "Sorry, I'm used to calling you that."

I wasn't even in the mood to correct her so I just reply with a simple 'Good morning'.

"What's wrong? You don't look cheerful this morning." She comments and I nod in reply.

"What happened?" She asks but I say nothing then she gasps.

"Did Nanny refuse to allow you hang out with us tomorrow?"

"I didn't even get to ask her about it." I sigh.

She gives me a confused look, "Why? Did something happen at home?"

I nod in response and when I don't say anything in response, she gives me an impatient look.

"Just tell me what happened."

"My parents are coming back this Friday." I announce. At first, she looks shocked but then she looks excited.

"That's good news!" She exclaims with a grin but when she notices my solemn look, her grin slowly disappears, "Isn't it?"

"No, it isn't. I don't get why they suddenly remember they have a home to come back to." I respond and she gives me a sad smile.

"Come on now, don't be so harsh. Everything will be fine." She says and I groan.

If I hear that sentence again, I'm going to puke.

She starts to say something but the bell for assembly rings and we head to the assembly hall.

After the assembly, I walk to our class in not really high spirits even after talking to Grace but I'm grateful to see that Michael isn't in class. I notice that I didn't even see him during the assembly but then it isn't like he and his friends are usually present so it isn't surprising. I decide to relax as much as I can before he comes into the class and I bring out the books for the lesson we will be having from my bag and then put my bag in my locker. I try to go through what we did in the last lesson but I can't focus on anything as the thought of my parents in Lagos tomorrow just overshadows all thoughts of reasoning.

I don't notice Michael sit beside me until I hear the familiar drawl of his voice.

"Good morning, Cynth." He greets cheerfully and I nod absentmindedly. 

"Did you even hear what I just said?" I hear him ask.

I ignore his question, hoping he won't talk to me anymore but he surprises me by pressing his palm against my forehead as if he is checking my temperature. I immediately start to remove his hand from my head only for our eyes to meet and for me to notice that he looks truly worried.

The part of me that knows that he shouldn't be worried immediately puts up a guard. I really don't trust anything he does.

I continue to remove his hand from my head but he clasps my hand with his other hand and brings it down to his lap, refusing to let me do that. Then I see his eyes seem to be searching mine, asking me without words to tell him what is wrong and at the same time, telling me that he is here for me.

We sit like that for a moment, one of his palms on my forehead, the other holding one of my hands gently, the two of us holding each other gaze and my heart starting to beat a little unsteadily.

I almost allow myself to be vulnerable, to actually just break down in tears and to tell him how frustrated I am with everything that is going on at home, how I have parents and don't really seem to have them. How they are rarely ever at home. How I haven't seen or spoken to them in six months because of their business trip and how they are suddenly coming back tomorrow and expect everything to just be normal.  

But then I just had to remember how he had insulted me at the cafeteria, how he had beaten that poor boy that day and I immediately look away. I remove his hand from my forehead and remove my hand from his hold.

I should never let my guards down with him. He might be really attractive and might be acting all nice to me right now but I'm very sure he is trouble and he hasn't proven otherwise since I've met him. Not to forget how big of a jerk he is and how he is sitting beside me to prove a point and to make me remember.

I haven't been able to dwell on that statement because of the bomb Nanny had dropped when I had gotten home yesterday. But now that I think of it, what am I supposed to remember?

I glance at John and found him looking at our direction and for a moment, I think I see a pained expression on his face but then it's gone and he is smiling at me. I smile back at him and tell myself that I like John and no one is going to change that.

"A penny for your thought." Michael says with an amused smile and I turn to him with narrowed eyes. The worried and concerned expressions in his eyes are totally gone and in its wake is that of mischief.

"Henceforth, you will not touch any part of my body unless it is totally necessary." I say sternly.

"Yeah, that's the Cynthia I know." He grins and I roll my eyes.

The English teacher comes in then and I'm thankful that it is a core subject and Michael won't have to ask questions. He listens for the first half of the class and takes notes but soon begin to doze off when the lesson is close to ending.

The bell rings for the beginning of another lesson and I glance at the timetable to see Chemistry. The Chemistry teacher had instructed the class captain to inform us that we are to come to Chemistry laboratory for our first lesson so we can revise some of the Qualitative Analysis we had done last session.

I groan at the fact that it is a Science subject and Michael will have no idea about it and since it is also a practical lesson, he will surely have lots of question.

But then I remember that we always did the practical in twos and we are also allowed to choose whoever we want as our partner and since John is usually my partner, I will just have to choose him again. That way, I will get to spend time with John and get rid of Michael at the same time. Smiling at the thought of being free of Michael for the double periods we will be having Chemistry, I bring out my lab-coat, note for my practicals, textbook out slowly from my bag and glance at Michael whose head is now resting on the table and is sleeping.

I decide to walk silently around the table so he won't wake up and I'm almost successful but then-

"You are a really bad seat-partner, you know?"

I freeze at his voice and turn around to glare at him, "So you were awake?"

He nods enthusiastically, "It was fun to see you try to get rid of me." He replies with his stupid smug smile.

"Well, I guess I don't have to walk slowly anymore since you are already awake. I was just trying to let you sleep."

"Yeah, right." He grins then stands up. If I don't get out of the class now, we might end up going to the laboratory together and he might even end up being my lab partner.

With that scary thought in mind, I turn around and walk as quickly as I can from the class.

"Hey! Won't you wait for me?! I don't know where the Chemistry laboratory is." He calls out but I pretend not to hear what he is saying.

I sigh with relief when I see that I'm far from the class and that Michael is nowhere to be seen yet. I continue to walk towards the staircase only to get startled by John's voice.

"Hey." He grins at the slight look of surprise on my face, "You look like you weren't expecting to see me here."

"I thought you would be in the lab already."

"I had to wait for my lab partner." He replies and I can't help smiling.

"Of course."

He suddenly bows and gestures to the staircase, "Ladies first."

I chuckle at his antics then start to go down the stairs, slowing down so he can catch up with me and together, we walk to the laboratory.

When we arrive at the laboratory, we see that the other students are already in pairs and are standing in front the laboratory tables with their needed laboratory apparatus on them.

John and I both put on our laboratory coat and enter the laboratory to stand in front of a workstation that isn't occupied yet. We look at the apparatus and see five test tubes in a test-tube rack holding unknown compounds that are labeled A to E. I'm sure everyone knows that we are to identify these compounds.

There are some other compounds in some bottles like acids and bases that are labeled and will act as reagents to confirm what are in the test tubes. We also see a Bunsen burner and I realize that some of the compounds will need to be heated too.

These are things that we have been taught last session and I know almost everyone in the classroom understands what needs to be done.

The chemistry teacher is busy writing questions and the instructions for us to follow on the board. He writes on the board that we will have to observe what happens to each compound after following the instructions for each of them and that we should finally be able to name the compound the test tube holds.

He is still writing the instructions to follow for Compound C when Michael and some giggling girls enter the laboratory. The whole laboratory goes silent as all eyes fall on him. The girls put their coats on and go to an empty work-station leaving only Michael. He must have noticed that he is the only one without a lab coat because he speaks to the teacher.

"Mr...

"Steve." Someone says quietly.

"Thanks." He says to the person who completed the name for him and continues.

"Mr. Steve, is it still possible for students to get a lab coat?"

"Of course." Mr. Steve answers without looking back. "We know it's a given for careless students like you to misplace their lab coats and that's why we have extra ones. But let me sound this warning to all of you, no one should disrupt the class with issues like this, if you want to get a new coat, come to me immediately after the assembly or during lunch. Do not interrupt my class unnecessarily again, is that clear?"

No one answers as they cast surprised glances towards the teacher whose back is to us and to Michael who seems indifferent about the whole issue. I'm very sure everyone is wondering if the teacher knows who he just finished talking to and honestly, it's tiring to see teachers tread carefully around him or give him special attention in class.

The teacher on not receiving any response from us repeats his question a bit louder, "Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir." Everyone chorus.

"Good. The class captain should attend to the student without the lab coat. The lesson is about to start."

The class captain, Meera, who happens to be an obnoxious girl and seems to dislike me for reasons unknown to me, looks more than happy to help give Michael his lab coat as she rushes to his side and pulls him into a kind of closet that holds some laboratory equipment and the lab coats.

Mr. Steve completes the exercises on the board and drops the board marker on the small laboratory table in front of him. He then finally raises his head to address us.

"Good day, class."

"Good day, sir."

"This is the first practical class we will be having as SS3 students. I suppose you know that this is the last year you will spend in Secondary school before you write your WAEC exams which is towards the end of this session. And let me remind you that your WAEC exam is an important requirement in getting admitted into any university in West Africa so you all ought to have started preparing."

"And as you all know, Chemistry is one of the core-subjects you must pass as science students to get a related course in the university and you should know that you will not only be questioned on the theoretical aspect of Chemistry but also the practical aspect. The Qualitative analysis is a very important part of Chemistry practical. So, you all have to make sure to know and understand it well and that's why I'm giving you a revision on the topic."

"For most, if not all of you, this will be an easy exercise but I won't want you to be too overconfident as any mistake will reflect on your score since I've just decided to make this exercise ten marks of your continuous assessment."

At that announcement, everyone starts to murmur as what we are expecting to be a simple class work has turned out to be a test.

I begin to get nervous as I had never considered that this could be a test and I didn't really study for it.

Oh, what if I flop the test?

I don't listen to the rest of what the teacher is saying as I glance through the labeled compounds in the bottle and start thinking of what they could possibly be used to confirm.

"Are you nervous about the test?" I hear John ask and I nod.

"It isn't fair of him to just give it to us as an impromptu test. I didn't study for it." I say, squeezing my hands together on the table like I always do when I'm very nervous.

"He probably sees it as a bonus for all of us since we've done it before and besides, there's no reason to be scared or nervous since we have each other." He says with a wiggle of his eyebrows and I quickly cover my mouth to stop from chuckling out loud.

"Thanks, John."

"I hope everyone is paired with a lab partner before we begin the test." The teacher says.

"No, not all of us are with partners." Michael responds. We all glance at him and see that he is standing alone by his equipment.

"Are there any other students without a partner?" The teacher asks but everyone except Michael shakes their heads.

"I guess you will be working alone then." The teacher says to Michael and I look up at the teacher and then at Michael.

He doesn't even know the basics of Chemistry and if this is going to be used as our continuous assessment, he is going to fail woefully.

But then, I wasn't the one who asked him to switch departments at the very last year and I already told him that I won't be responsible for him so this is none of my business.

"Now, start."

After the command to start from the teacher, I glance at Michael one last time and see him look confusingly at what is written on the board but I quickly look away and turn to John.

"What do you want to do first?" He asks.

"I'll make a table in my notebook first and write the questions in it so then I can write my observations in front of it." I reply and he nods his agreement.

"I'll just start setting this up." He begins to work with the apparatus.

Most of the students seem to think like me since they also bring out their notebooks to make their tables.

I see Michael look at the students with puzzlement, probably wondering what they are writing in it and I start to feel guilty.

I just hope I'm about to do the right thing.

I raise my hand to get the teacher's attention and when he sees it, he calls my name.

"Yes, Cynthia. Is something wrong?"

"No sir, I just want to ask if I can change partners." I see John stop whatever it is he is doing and to glance at me but I refuse to meet his eye.

"Change partners? Why?"

"I just feel I will be more comfortable if I'm working with my actual seat partner." I explain. I don't want to delve into the explanation that Michael became a science student just yesterday and he will probably need my help so I say the first thing that came to mind.

"Who is your seat partner?" He asks.

I point at him, "Michael."

"Michael, will you be okay with that arrangement?" He turns to Michael.

"Yes sir, very much sir." He responds with a hopeful look.

"And will your lab partner be okay with this arrangement?" He asks John but I can't bring myself to look at him.

"Yes, it's okay."

Gosh, he's so sweet. Even though I just wronged him, he still allows me change partners just like that.

"Well then, Cynthia, you can change partners." The teacher says finally and I smile thankfully.

I pick the rest of my books and glance at John who is so fixated on one of the test tubes that I know he is only pretending. I sigh before walking towards Michael and telling myself mentally to make sure to explain why I did this and hoping he will understand.

I approach Michael who now has a huge grin on his face and I find myself almost smiling back at him but I quickly catch myself and roll my eyes, ignoring him as I place my books on the table.

"I was just about to take advantage of being the school owner's son to threaten that teacher to make you my seat partner because I simply don't understand anything he wrote on the board and these things in front of me." He gestures to the equipment.

"If you had not made the stupid decision of joining this class when you know nothing about it, I won't be in this current situation." I reply as I open my notebook to continue with my table.

"But still you chose me." He says and I pause while writing. Something about the way he said it makes it feels as if he is referring to something else entirely and I glance at him to see that he is looking at me intently.

I quickly look away and clear my throat, "I just pitied you. Don't get too excited." I say and gesture for him to write in his notebook. "You should make your own table too."

When we are done writing, I decide to begin with the practical.

"What can I do to help?" He asks.

"Just watch the way I do it carefully and write what you observe." I instruct and he nods. "What does the first question say?"

"Heat the compound in test tube A and write down your observation and the name of the compound." He reads out and I nod.

"I think the first compound only needs to be heated." I put on the Bunsen burner then bring out the test tube labeled A from the test-tube rack and hold it with a test tube holder with the help of Michael. When we are sure that it isn't going to fall, I hold the handle tightly and place it a little above the fire.

Almost immediately, the compound starts to turn green and I smile, already knowing what compound it is. I only need to heat it for a little while and see if there will be brown fumes for me to confirm the compound.

"Cynthia, is the liquid inside that thing meant to do that?" Michael asks with fascination and I give him a dead look.

"That thing is called a test tube and yes, it is meant to do that. Now, I only need to see if-

"Wow! That's brown smoke coming out from it!" He exclaims, gaining most of the students' attention. "It was a clear liquid and then it changed to green and now it has brown smoke!" He says, intrigued.

I can't help smiling at the look of fascination on his face as he stares at it with bewilderment. I turn to see if John who is working at the table behind us is also watching but he looks away as soon as our eyes meet. He has this blank look on his face as he continues with his practical and I hold in a sigh.

"I can't wait to try the next compound. Who knows what colour it will change into?" Michael utters excitedly, bringing my attention back to him. "Who knew science could be so intriguing?" He continues animatedly and I smile a little.

"You should have just joined the Science class from the beginning of Senior Secondary School if you found it this amazing." I say and watch his smile drop.

"Yeah, I should have."

***

Do you think Cynthia should have left John to work with Michael instead? If you were in her shoes, what would you have done?

I'm thinking on making my next update a double one. We still have a long way to go and well, the faster the better.

Don't forget to share, vote and comment.

Until next time,

I love you guys, xoxo.