If this is your first Nigerian book or the first of my book you have ever opened, you can be rest assured because as you pick this book, you won't be dropping it anytime soon. Thanks for giving my book a chance. I hope you stick to the end.

I'll try to provide a glossary at the end of chapters. Nigerians can't do without slangs.😂 However, I can't promise that🥺

Follow me on Instagram @authormabelz_art 😌 Thank you.
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If I'm asked how my holiday was, I would describe it in one simple but quite riveting word- boring! And if I'm asked why, I would say that I spent most of my days locked up in my house with a social media app where I'm mostly ignored, WhatsApp. I just couldn't relate to how most Nigerian kids love that app. My supposed friends clearly ignored my whole being during this holiday.

"What was my saving grace," you may ask. Wattpad! I read a lot of Wattpad stories to keep
me smiling. I read high school stories to fuel my imagination and I daydreamed of having the world's best romance story that I could tell the world. Who knows, maybe as a novel. That was my dream but can a girl like me ever have a gripping love story to tell world? However, my daydream got crushed when I was pulled to reality by the buzz of my phone. From my reading table, I stared out to the dark clouds and then, at the elegant moon.

School would be resuming tomorrow and the not-so popular me, Naomi Tosin would be heading back to her not-so interesting school life.

I smiled and dropped my mobile phone at last. I've been on it all day and I just ended a lovely teen fiction novel. At first, I wasn't happy with this resumption but then again, I did prefer school than a boring day at home.

I crawled into my bed and sprawled on it. It was midnight and I had limited time to sleep and I was sure tomorrow had unknown tasks for me. I sighed in satisfaction and my eyes fluttered shut.

~~~~

"Naomi!!" A hard slap seared my butt before my bedspread was pulled from my grip. I mumbled incoherent words and drifted back to my dreamworld.

"Get up! You will be late for school," my annoying elder sister, Anita, yelled.

"Wait jor!" I hissed.

"Ode! Stand up," she slapped me harder.

"Ok!OK!OK!" I dragged my weary body till I was sitting upright. "Why must I go to school early?"

"Just stand there and be asking stupid questions!" She rolled her eyes and sent a sidelong glance at me

I heaved a sigh and rolled out of my bed. Since I was interested in school that morning, I ran to my bathroom, had a quick bath and was out. I spot my school uniform in my wardrobe - ironed, neat and ready for me.

MOTHERS are the best!

I got everything I needed and ran down our tiled stairs.

"I am ready," I announced as I made my way to the kitchen.

"Have you packed your books?" Anita questioned. "I hope you did all your holiday assignment?"

"Duh! I was bored. I had to keep myself busy," I replied and sat on the dining table.

"Is that a yes?" She sat beside me.

"Yes na!"

"Good!"

"And I have packed my books. I did it yesterday," I looked at my plate. Breakfast was set. I picked up my cup of tea and sipped.

"Ouch! It is hot oo!" I whined.

"Sorry dear!" mom called from the kitchen.

Nice! It looks like mum is in a good mood!

"Oh! Good morning mom!" I greeted from afar. Our dining table was located a few steps away from the kitchen.

"Good morning! How was your sleep?"

"Good," I replied and placed my fried egg between my breads. O had a big bite and moaned as I relish its goodness.

"Eat fast! Abeg! I no won go late to school," Anita nagged.

(Correct statement : Eat fast! I'm begging. I don't want to go to school late)

"Why?" I said with my mouth full as I munched on the bread.

"I am in SS3 (Senior class in high school). I want to be a disciplinary prefect and I want to be punctual from now on," she stood up and left the room.

"Wow! She is really determined," I thought aloud. Anita had eaten her food with speed but I kept on munching on my food with no care of the world.

Later on, we prepared and were on our way to school. We attended Golden Sun College. It is a secondary school in our area with lots of dramas. It is one of the best in our community. In this prestigious school, we have the high-class and middle class children mixed together. The drama is just too much or sometimes too less.

My gaze was on the road as our mom drove us to school. Her Toyota car was not of the highest model but we still cherished it. We were comfortable with our middle-class lifestyle. It's not like we didn't want to improve but my dad's monthly salary was not enough to give us more than that. My mom worked too and it has helped the family a lot. This morning, she decided to take us to school in her car. Normally, we walked to school or used public transport.

"We are here," mom announced. She glanced at us through the rearview mirror and smiled. "Good luck, girls! Make sure you behave yourself".

I opened the door and hopped out. "Sure thing, mom!" I replied with a mischievous smirk on my face. "I'm a good girl unlike someone".

Anita knew who I was implying and her deadly glare settled on me. She slid out of the car. "I'm well-behaved, fool!" she
retorted.

"Do well-behaved girls call people fool? I wonder," I queried and placed my hand below my jaw, tenderly stroking it.

"Mom, warn this girl," she stomped her feet, her hands on her hip.

Mom chuckled, shook her head and ignited the car engine. "Goodbye, my loves. Have a good day," she said and zoomed off.

"Is it just me or...." I trailed off.

"Mom is so happy today, huh?" Anita added, raising a brow at me. I nodded and watched her black Toyota camry become a dot among the traffic.

"Can we go or do you want to spend your day here?" Anita sneered and strolled to the school gate.

I hastened my footsteps and moved past her, rushing into the school compound. "Bye!" I hissed and sashayed off.

"I don't have your time," she exclaimed. I glanced at her and caught the sight of her as she flipped her cornrows and strutted behind me.

I went straight to my class SS2 (that is the class before the senior class).

"Naomi!!!" I heard a loud scream. The voice was too familiar that I knew the name to call out.

"Ijeoma!!" I screamed back.

We collided into a bonecrushing hug. I was happy to see her. She was my close friend, a really close one.

"How are you?" she shrieked. Her squeaky voice rang in my ears. I really missed it.

"I'm okay jare" I flung my hands dramatically.

"Na wa oo (just an exclamation)! I missed you "

"Me sef! How are you?"

"I'm fine," she chirped. "See, I added weight!" She spun around and swirled her waist.

"Satap!(shut up!) What weight?"

"Naomi, are you blind? See na! My hip is broader and see my butt, it is big," she began to spin again but this time at a slower pace.

I scoffed, "This one that you carry. Don't join gangs and forget me"

"Ah! me? No oo!" she placed her hand on my shoulder. "Me and you will be forever besties".

"Let's go to class" I replied.L and we began our saunter to our class since we were just three doors away ours.

The moment we stepped into the class, we were punched by the roaring noise from our fellow mates. Everyone was talking. They all had something to say, experience to share and gossip to digest.

"Naomi!!" Some girls crowed in joy.

"How far?" I greeted. We squealed in excitement and hugged ourselves.

"I missed you oo!" Gracie, a friend of mine exclaimed.

Missed me? Abeg! Stop the lie. You could still have chatted me up on WhatsApp but no, I was invisible. I know that it's not all my friends that missed me. I am not among the popular students.

To sound nice- because I pretend alot in my school, I replied, "I missed you more! I really missed all of you". There are fake friends and I knew how to handle them all.

"Yeah! I missed you guys!" Nora added, another friend. You are going to meet many people in my life. Some of them are just fake friends. Only few are genuine.

"Wow! See this hot chick! " a voiced exclaimed.
I turned to the person. Unfortunately, it was not directed to me but Ijeoma.

"Gilbert!" I murmured. "A big jerk!"

"See the way you have changed. Ijeoma, you fine die!( meaning:you are really fine)" he licked his lips as his eyes danced around her body.

"Eww! What's your problem, Gilbert?" Ijeoma yelled.

"Why are you shouting?" he asked.

"Mu mu, leave her alone" I added. I gave him a bilious stare.

"You again! Mind your business!" he hissed.

"We don't have your time. Naomi, let's find our seats," Ijeoma said and took hold of my hand. I glared at Gilbert before leaving.

"Mtchew! See that one" I mumbled. "He should have tried me".

"You know we have to sit at the front, right?" she asked.

"Duh! We are kind of nerds. Not that we are though,"
I replied.

Actually, my classmates are rebels. Ijeoma and I are more like the good and serious kids. We don't break rules like the others.

Let me introduce my school to you. We have high and middle class kids mixed together as in rich and not-so rich. I'm sure you get me. Some of them are mixed race. They come with their unique accent and skin to overshadow us. Some shakara (show-offs) are too much. Just because you are wealthy doesn't mean you own the world!!

All classes are grouped into: the rich and poor, cool and dorky/geeky/nerdy, good-looking and uglies. But what I love about Nigerian schools is that we see ourselves as family.

Us, middle class kids can never reach the chart for beauty. We just don't have the money to take care of our beauty but the rich. Gosh! Their skins glow. They have everything needed to make them look good.

Our school uniform now makes things worse. It is a long sleeve and a pencil skirt. So if you don't have a good shape. Sorry for you. You can never be called beautiful. Ever!

My school is filled with handsome guys. No exaggeration here! They look good except few. Like Gilbert, who is short, really dark in complexion and skinny. But he thinks he is hot. I wonder when he will accept the truth. The real bitter truth!

The bell was rung for assembly. The real rebels were not around. They usually resume school late. We had the assembly and were back to our classes.
I'm in the art department. I enjoy all that is related to art.

The teacher walked in and we all stood up to greet, "Good Morning Ma! "

"Good morning! Has everyone resumed? "

"No, ma!" the class captain replied.

"Ok!" she left.

"The cool guys always have an extra holiday!" a girl exclaimed.

"It's true! They never resume early!"Ijeoma added. She sat beside me.

"Abeg! (Just an exclamation!) Let's enjoy it. At least those mean girls aren't around" Nora projected.

True! Some girls in my class are real snobs. They feel since they are beautiful and have guys chasing them, they can rule the class. They should just be deceiving themselves!!

"True sha! ('sha' is just an exclamation) No one to intimidate us" I added.

"I want to say something!Announcement!" yelled Peggy, a friend of mine. No! This time she is a true friend. Everyone turned to her.

"I wanted to say that... Okay! Don't mind me. I wanted to get attention. No announcement!" she burst into laughter. Her loud and disturbing laughter filled the air. Let me tell you, this girl laughs a lot and her laughter is worse than spongebob's own. You can imagine what we are facing.

"Hey! I missed you all" she added in between laughter.

I slammed my hand on my forehead. "She has started again!" I mumbled.

"Her laughter is annoying!" Gracie said from behind me.
I turned to her.

"Gracie, is this your seat?"

"Nope, I am going to sit at the back"

Oh, I forgot. She is a wannabe. She just dreams of a day people will refer to her as a cool and beautiful girl. I don't think that will ever happen.

I am glad I have resumed school. I wonder what drama awaits me!

~~~Author's Note ~~~
Sorry if you got confused by the exclamations. Nigerians love to use them. Like Abeg! Jor! Jare! Ehen! Sha! You will see many of them. I hope you enjoyed the story. Pls vote, comment and most especially share. I need others to join me in this journey. Love y'all. Stay unique ✌✌😘😘💋💖

From your Naija Babe

° Glossary °

'Jor' is a slang in Nigeria. It means please but usually used in a rude way.

'na' is just Nigerian's favorite slang. It doesn't alter the meaning of the sentence.

'Ode' it means stupid and it's from the Yoruba dialect.