St Louis Secondary school
3:00pm

Yobanna

Dunk dunk, speed, adrenaline and whoosh, right into the net.

A loud cheer erupted and I smiled lightly, scoring the last school against our rival school was pure bliss, watching their defeated faces was a pleasure to me,not in a sick way though.

I dubbed my face with my white towel, the friendly basketball match against Green Field was energy draining, the last time I was on a trip to Asia, they had won the team and my phone kept blaring with notifications from different school blogs. Honestly, it was annoying, somehow winning St Louis was a big deal for other schools, we stood out in everything and I mean, every single thing and so they kept gloating, cooking up fake match scores and heating up the whole thing. I found it annoying, everything about St Louis was a big deal. And personally I hated failure, so yes, it feels good to be a winner.

"Yobanna" I heard her voice, too soft, softer than I knew, I turned around and met Cynthia's smiling face, urging me to smile too but I frowned, making sure to tighten my face.

"What do you want?"I asked, there were still few students of other schools loitering around.

"Are you still mad at me? I'm sorry then" she apologized but I knew she wasn't sorry,she shaded her face away from the sun,her glowing skin. Her hair had left the bun of braids and she tried to put it back, I turned away.

"Here" She pushed the bottle water closer to my torso.

I eyed her and the water.

"It's not poisoned and it's safe too,I made sure of it" She tried to convince me and pushed the water closer to me.

Cynthia, Cynthia,what would I do to escape her,the annoying leach.

" I don't like bullies. I'll only accept when you change" I paused and turned around to walk away.

"But it's not like she's an important thing"

She was not remorseful.

I didn't respond to anything,I simply kept walking away from her,I knew she was probably boring holes into my back.

"Senior man!!!!" That fool shouted from the other side of the hall. God,where did I get this kind of person.

Precious Akpan,the fool was my friend since day 1 of school here and he was jovial as hell. Tall, lanky,dark skin like coal,sharp jaws and curly hair,the nigga was probably obsessed with that sort of hair and the best basketball player we had on the team,yes, Precious was damn good,I learnt from the nigga. He always led the school to victory,I didn't know what happened in the last match but Precious was also not present,hence the defeat.

"Guy,cut soap for me na" Precious teased

"The soap don finish but I fit give you the baba number" I replied and took off my sweaty shirt.

"Bad guy" He laughed and I  chuckled.

"Apart from that,at some point,I didn't know if Green Field girls were cheering their team or you"

I bent over my shoes and laughed.

Girls.

I had their attention for as long as I could remember. 80% of my fans were girls, people's girlfriend. It was tiring.

Other boys were curled up at other corners, taking turns to use the shower, making noise and exchanging pats and the whole place was reeking with adrenaline from hyperactive boys, it doesn't smell nice trust me.

"Where is Ken and Dozie?" I asked the lanky boy.

"Probably in the cafeteria waiting for us. Hurry up man" He was beginning to dab the towel on his curly hair that was dripping with water indicating he just had his bath,he made sure it was always curled somehow and no,he wasn't half caste,dude was a bloody Nigerian.

"Sure"

I took my bath real quick and joined Precious and soon we were on our way to the Cafeteria.

Once we walked in, it seemed other activities stopped,no matter how many times it happened,I couldn't get used to the scene that always played out. Awe struck faces,whispers from all angles...

Sometimes I wanted to shout,stop looking at me please but I couldn't. Precious goofy smile was no longer on his face,one on seeing him would feel he was sensible but to me,it was just a front of his fan girls.

Yes,he had fan girls that couldn't get enough of him.

Now St Louis was a big school basically for the rich but among the rich,there were rich people. The 1% of the 1% and don't be surprised when I tell you there's another 1% within that 1%. It's complicated, I know.

Precious belonged to that category. His dad had moneyyy. He could easily stay at home and do nothing all day and still have everything. The only heir to his dad's oil empire,Precious was humble but no one knew the side of him that was soft.

The school cafeteria was big,the scent of different foods always hung in the air. There were about 400 tables one could see if one stood at the entrance,each table having about 4 chairs around it.

There were different menus of food on the wall,light bulbs that gave it the hue of a restaurant.

Myself and Precious located our usual table,Ken and Dozie were already seated,we were a form of clique,I wouldn't say that anyway but that was what people saw.

Ken was slim,if Precious was lanky then Ken was much lanky, people hardly noticed though because all the clothes he owned were really big.  He always had a frown on his light face,Igbo father,Yoruba mother and first son of his dad.

Dozie,the shortest in the hood, but his brain was something else. Definitely thicker than Ken,he had some busy eyebrows and beards that made him look really mature

"Guys,what were you guys doing there na?I've placed orders Sha"Ken asked and whined like a child.

Ken the foodie.

Dozie the nerd of the group,we were all brilliant but Dozie was a god,a god in mathematics,a demon in all his science subjects and mehn he was good, if there was something I had in common with Dozie was the fact he hated failure,nigga never lost in any competition,there was an exam to rate best Nigerian students and Dozie emerged top beating other big names, academically I was above average but Dozie,Dozie was above excellent. He was seating down close to the window,his pen swirling over the paper,his ice cream have gone, his bottle water beside him and there's one thing with him,he took ice cream always,had that bottle water every time,like it was his signature.

"Dozie must you always make us feel unserious?"Precious suddenly asked and the nerd on gold rimmed glasses chuckled.

"It's just an assignment guy,chill" Dozie replied and he was back to the serious face and calculation.

"Haaa finally" Ken exclaimed and nearly helped the lady to drop the food on the table

"Guy,I swear you don mad finish" Precious insulted him as myself and Dozie chuckled instead. Ken was like that,foodie. For someone as slim as he was,nigga had a huge appetite.

Rice and plantain for myself, Coconut rice for Dozie and fried rice for Precious

I raised my head to see what Ken ordered, I wanted to see the weird combination he ordered this time and of course, he had to prove me right that he was a lion,hot spicy looking spaghetti on one side,rice with loads of chicken and a bit of salad. He didn't seem to notice my gaze on him. I could hear him murmuring what looked like,this food is even small Sha.

For someone who was slim,I wondered where the food fit in.

"Guy where do you keep all these food na?" Precious asked, even Dozie who had put the food away was laughing now.

"Yobanna don't you advise this boy?"

"Gee, allow me focus on this food na"

Ken snapped at Precious, only food had this much effect on Ken, only food and then kids and music, Ken loved kids and music, any type of  music. He was planning not to go the university after secondary school. He was thinking of either making music as a music producer or cooking,nigga was a born cook and the guy can dance,like you really had to see Ken dancing, I'd only watched some videos he made of himself twice and I was blown away, like really surprised because somehow he just didn't look like Ken,he was happier,so flexible,the way he twisted and twirled his body,mehn,the gee was something else,in the group, Ken was hands down the most talented.

Trust Ken to make such plans about himself. I paused and wondered if his lawyer of a father would ever approve. For goodness sake,he was the first male, he had other brothers though,about 3 of them,they were all boys, probably he would, Ken's grades were good but still he didn't want to wear some old wigs according to him.

"My old man made me follow him to his law chamber,fuck,more reasons I'm never wearing some old wig on my head"Ken broke into my thoughts.

I sipped from my glass.

"It can't be that bad" I teased ready to hear him complain.

"Guy abeg, boring as fuck, wearing black and white, doing calm shit is not my calling mehn"He groaned, rolling his eyes for extra effect.

"Law is a very noble profession,you don't just know anything,isi aki"Dozie said and we all laughed at Ken's expense.

Rough boy,if there was anyone who could pass a fighter in the group then it was Ken. Ken that beat up our senior one time, despite his lanky body.

"Cynthia have been glancing at this table for the past 15 minutes"Dozie said again,guy was the most mature,I had to give him.

"It's not new na,she always does that, infact which girl in this cafeteria is not staring at Yobanna?"Precious asked rhetorically and chuckled, they were about to open my chapter.

"That's how he wants to pack those girls from Green Field, Yobanna and spoiling people's relationship be like 5 and 6"Ken chipped in casually and he shook hands with Precious,they were having fun at my expense.

"Did you and Cynthia have your usual couple fight?" Ken teased and I nearly slammed his head on the table. Even Dozie was enjoying the show.

"You caused this stuff Ken" That was all I could say. I brought out my phone,I had a text from Cynthia,I knew it was her,for as long as I remembered,she always sent texts I didn't reply

I'm sorry

"Ahhh,they are even texting each other" precious laughed again

" Mad man"I insulted him though I was so close to laughing.

"You guys should let Yobanna be,he has made his choice and Cynthia is his choice" Dozie added the visible glint in his eyes,I could see it despite the glasses.

I thought I had friends.

So they had decided to drag me today. Myself and Cynthia had nothing,they were just stupid bunch of humans called friends.

Ping ping

It was a notification from Precious phone,he retrieved it from his breast pocket and checking whatever it was,his eyes grew large like saucers.

"Guyyyy" Precious exclaimed. Ken took a peep into this phone who passed the phone to me. It was a picture of popular teen model,Shade Onam, Precious' crush. All he did was fawn over her pictures always,she was his wallpaper, WhatsApp dp,sometimes I wondered if he was crazy. She was wearing a green dress that made her green eyes more appealing and then she had the most confident look on her face, the one that told everyone that she knew she was hot,she had captioned it shades of green, I had to admit,she was gorgeous.

Life was unfair,girls were dying to talk to Precious and the fool was crushing on a girl who had a boyfriend,no be juju be that?

"Even Yobanna is crushing,e choke" Ken laughed and I realized that I had probably held the phone for too long,I passed it to Dozie.

" Abeg o, just continue managing your Cynthia" Precious glared.

"Continue crushing on someone who has a boyfriend,mumu"I insulted him and even Ken laughed at him

Dozie was back to his book,but he chuckled.i told you the nigga hardly talked like the fools before me,maybe it was a thing with intelligent people.

He took his bottle to his lips, somehow my eyes met his and he smiled.

***

Nick's Cafe
5:00pm

Selena

I wouldn't have approached the the booth if I knew it was Cynthia and her clique. I wanted to turn around and run,run from their wicked glares but I was too slow for Cynthia caught up with me so fast.

She locked eyes with me and I shivered under her gaze.

Was no one seeing my plight? Was no one seeing her as she tried to pull me away, I fought her grip away. I took a step backward still shivering.

She couldn't believe it and I couldn't either,even her two minions were surprised.

"You didn't just touch me with your fillthy hands,did you?"Her eyes were burning in rage,anger. I was doomed I knew it.

" Why do you hate me so much?" I finally asked. Wondering what I ever did to gain her hate,to make her look at me with disgust.

"Because.." She paused and stood right in my front

"You are smelly,useless and your type should never be among St Louis students. Because I hate you and I have every right, because right now Yobanna is mad at me because of your stupid self and oh no,you wouldn't want me to get mad at you because of him"

She took a step backward and analysed me and in that moment,I wondered if she discovered that my black shoes were 3 years old, if she knew the black trouser I wore was given to me by Kim.

I raised my head slightly and my eyes caught his, sitting there watching us, watching her look at me with disgust. He was watching me intently, Cynthia was obviously too engrossed to notice him,he wasn't really noticable cos he sat with a book in his front.

And then,she dragged me,it felt like Deja Vu, walking that path to the bathroom where I was sure Cynthia was going to ruin my uniform,beat me,do something terrible.

She dragged me in company of her two minions. She was about to push me into the restroom when I felt strong heads pull me and I landed directly on his chest.

"Yobanna!" Cynthia high pitched voice came through. I didn't have to look at her face to see the fake smile that would soon turn to a glare seeing the way my head was still on his chest. I was scared and close to tears.

He didn't utter a word.

I didn't see his face so I couldn't tell if he was angry,livid or whatever. He smelt of clean laundry, strong men cologne, soothing.

The atmosphere was really tensed,no word from him and none from Cynthia.

I was expecting her to give him an explanation but she was quiet. Quite unlike her. Everyone knew she liked Yobanna,it was an open secret probably that was why she was tongue tied.

He grabbed me by my wrist and we walked through the passage to where he was sitting.

He went over to his chair and sat. His face was stotic,I wondered if the rumours in school were true, rumours had it he never smiled with anyone in school apart from his three friends ,probably it could be true and probably not but there was more to him.

"When you are done watching me like a creep, please get me cup of black coffee,no sugar"

His eyes were glued to the book. I went immediately to get his order. I placed the order on his table and when I was about leaving,his voice stopped me.

"Cynthia is 17, you are 17 too I'm sure. I see no reason why your agemate should hurt you and all you do is cry and whimper like a child."

Even with what he said,his eyes never left the book.

I sighed. It was so easy for him to say.

I turned around and left the table back to my duty post.

Yobanna.

All I knew was that his name was exotic,the kind of igbo name you rarely heard but you knew it was Igbo name,he was as exotic as his name.

Before he helped me the first time I knew him,in fact which teenager didn't know him?

When Beyonce sang Brown skin girl,she had him in mind but only this time,he was a boy but if there was a term to grade his beauty then it was drop dead gorgeous.

Nigga really had good genes as long as I was concerned and he was just among the group of people in school that were different. There were rich people and there were richhhhhh people,the old money.

Yobanna was the 1% of the 1%,the creme de la creme of St Louis.

There was hardly any teenage girl that didn't at one point fawn over his skin, he had the brownest skin I've seen in a human, really chocolate like,tall,well carved jaws,nose that well pointed and his eyes, really piercing and then his hair,no matter the state it was made him look good, sometimes he plaited it,had a hair cut and sometimes he let it be.

He was the kind of person that should exist only on book covers,like the kind of person that people doubted you if you claimed to know.

Dude didn't give hoot about anyone,he always had a signature frown on his face and the only time he smiled was when he was with his hot looking friends.

"His so hot" my fellow worker whispered close to my ears definitely startling me

"Geez, Faith" I exclaimed holding my chest.

"What?You were so engrossed watching him,I wouldn't blame you though,his so hot" she said dreamily, fanning herself.

" I thought you had a boyfriend?"I eyed her

"So?, I'd gladly break up with him if Yobanna looks my way"She grinned and walked away.

I took my last look at him and on instincts probably,he raised his head from the book.

Geez,I definitely was a creep.

***
So 🙈🙈
How was it?
Yobanna's friends are all mad honestly, disturbing the poor boy😂
So who's your fave already,Ken the foodie abi Precious the crusher or Dozie the bookworm?

And I'm still crushing on Yobanna abeg,the way Selena described him ehn,nawa o😂,okay o

Special thanks to @for allowing Precious crush on her baby girl, sometimes I wish Shade Onam was real,the way Tori describe her characters ehn,you'll think they aren't fictional,check out her book,Those little things,you won't stop reading trust me

Lemme Goan sleep 💛😇