She was swallowed up in the enormous, convoluting corridors, once again - like always.

Reasoning in her mind, she estimated a ten-year passage till she'll get acclimated to the whispering walls of Ruthanne Georgeson. They seem to have a personality of their own, too. Ominous and inviting, boxing in and freeing, holding secrets and snitching. All wrapped up in the intricate designs, rare artifacts and curls on the buildings, in the granite and gravel that went into them.

The blocks were as alive as the occupants in it. Right from the first person, the Headmistress, to the last - menial workers - everyone carried an attitude. If one came from a place of no distinguished value or background, the air about the school was soon to seep into one's blood. Hence why every Ruthanner was accorded some respect by the external world.

It was an entirely different treatment within the school, by the students.

A treatment secretive in the bounds of the establishment: poor students, especially those studying on scholarship, were held with utter disdain and depraved attitude. And Demi wasn't going to be an exception.

She perambulated the hallways, her mind seeking an out-of-view spot to read in peace, privacy. Adamma and the rest were in classes at another period, on a different time table.

Birds sang melodious tunes in the branches of over-bearing trees just on the other side of the bright partitions.
Despite its harsh divisions and rulings by the rich malevolent kids, the place still oozed with gentility a haven-like abode for archangels. It was charming, nuanced and crystal sparkling - lulling Demi. The fresh, ripen, sugary scents of fruits on plantations, too, and crackles of pressed excitement.

She allowed the sweetness entry, turning round and around curves, pillars and archways.

She saw a girl in the distance walking towards her, appearing strikingly familiar, but her spine stiffened all the same.

These people were demons, blood-sucking vampires and merciless. All one and the same. Well, maybe except for the white boy-Ren. He's the only one who's ever been natural to her and treated her sanely.

Demi contemplated her escape; it was hilarious. Running from a student? But, things are what they are, she anticipated their bad actions well. Her brain momentarily froze watching the plus-sized girl approach. She was beautiful and black; had long, wavy, brunette weave-on framing her face with a parting at the top side of her head, and she walked with a bounce.

Demi mused on her walking style and profiled the girl as a tomboy.

She was, in sneakers, albeit highly fashionable and a strip-like scarf round her hair. Two buttons on her shirt were undone and her tie, too, loosed. She came forward, finger pads working on her phone screen as Demi jubilated in her head when they walked past each other. Almost.

Then the girl's head flew up. "Demi?"

Demi craned her neck to the side, to acknowledge the girl and her eyes, shot out on recognizing her. "Funmi?"

"Oh my God!" Funmi exclaimed, shutting her phone screen's light and clamping the gadget in her hand. She moved towards Demi.

"It's you!" Demi gushed back, and they immersed each other in their embracing, wafting in the unique scents. Coconut butter, and Cherry.

"What are you doing here? How did you get here?" Funmi asked.

"I'm a student."

"A student? Seriously? Are you kidding me?"

"No, I'm not! I swear. I'm a student, now. I came here on scholarship."

"Wow," said Funmi, shocked. "I can't believe this! Oh God - this is like the best thing so far to happen to me this month."

Demi grinned like the Cheshire cat, her heart playing tunes and merry.

"C'mon, how did you do it? Tell me." Funmi grabbed Demisola's hand and spun her to face the way she was headed, they began hopping along a concrete way.

"So you attend Ruthanne. I could never tell. I heard about the Sophia Georgeson Foundation scholarship program, and I applied. I was chosen."

"Aww, I'm soo happy for you." Funmi side-hugged her tightly.

"Thank you!" Demi returned the gesture.

"Wow - so - tell me more. When did you resume? How's your stay been and all that?"

"Hm, great. I resumed yesterday, actually. Didn't you see or read about it?"

"Ow nah. I was out of the country. Stress and relief stuff. I just came back yesterday's night. And, I don't follow Ruthanne's news. I knew there was going to be some new scholars, with the broadcast and all, but I had no idea. I didn't watch it."

"Oh, well. That's just it."

"And how do you find here?"

Demi's mood and face drooped a bit. "That . . . I don't know. Here's pretty cool, everywhere is. But the students. . . ."

"I get you," Funmi said. "There's that stupid test thing they are doing also, and the back-to-school party. Stupid stuffs."

"Yess, there's that - the test."

"Oh, and you're going to follow me to it! The party. There's no way I can get out of it with my parents on my neck. And I'm so not going alone. I'd die of their haughtiness." Funmi exaggerated and dramatised wildly.

Demi laughed and said, "Uh uhn. I'm not going ..."

"You are. No, no. You are, please! Please, I need someone there with me . Ugh, I can't believe I finally found a friend after all these while-"

"Don't have a friend? What do you mean by that?"

"Just a couple. But, you know. And those rich snobs. I mean, just someone true I can be open with. You're different. Not like those stuffed up money bags, and steels and silicone robots."

Demi laughed out hard and loud. "You can say that again. It's crazy. I'm glad I have you here, too."

"Yup. Don't worry 'bout those vipers. I'll try what I can to shield you."

"So, how's your hobby life? Sports?" Demi asked.

"Same old." Funmi shrugged. "The usual resistance and rejection. Emi omo lawyer. That wants to play boolu. I went with commercial department. I still play football on the side, though. And I'm our school's team captain." She bragged.

"Wow, that's awesome!" Demi praised. "Wow, you're really something and doing great." After meeting some years ago, at a football friendly match in the Agege stadium. Demi had escorted a friend, and Funmi had snuck out, having her brothers as a cover, all the way from their mansion in the Lekki pennisula. They'd both hit off their friendship since then, while brief, making little conversations after bumping into each other.

They were outside in the open, on the sidelines of the football pitch, under the blazing ball of heat. Quietude enveloped the surroundings and emptiness cloaked the step seats.

"I wanna train for just a little bit. I have a free period, it's a recess actually, a revision at the garden, but meh." Funmi's laughter rumbled after her words. "I'll do that later." And she began to take off her tie, strip off her shirt. "I didn't come with an extra shirt and this is gonna get wet with sweat." She bundled the clothing and pushed them into Demi's palms along with her iPhone 10. "You can sit somewhere? I'll be finished in a jiffy," she said lightly and jogged away in a c-back camisole to an aimless football on the pitch.

"Sure, no problem," Demi called after her. "I'll watch you practice. I missed seeing your skills." She giggled.

Funmi flashed a wink before tackling the ball and swirling it with the sole of her shoes, kicked it upward, twisted and collected it back before beginning some manoeuvres.

Demi watched on in awe, engrossed.

*

*

*

Elijah Nichols, too. Through a window in a room of the Diadems' Lair, up in the Residence Building. She was god-damned talented and they both shared the same plight.

Parents dismissal of their passions for sports. She was a challenge for him.

-

The introverted and extroverted personality combo. ^^

What do you think of Funmi's characterization?

I love to hear your thoughts and feedbacks.