A picture of Bankole Dacosta in the multimedia. (I know he looks like a gangsta but ignore the tattoos and focus on the face!)

Late nights talk can have a very strong effect on the body system the next morning. I should have thought about this before indulging in late night conversations with my roommate.

I never felt this way whenever I stay up all night studying which is almost every time so it baffles me I felt this groggy early in the morning after talking almost through out the night.

Is there a difference between studying through out the night or talking through out the night? Why do I feel this way?

I needs to have a research on that...

Another effect of conversing through out the night is the forming of the bond between the interlocutors. I can't believe i agreed to this campaign.

I would have pulled back but I remember promising her to make flyers and the likes...

Why am I too friendly?

Another shocker i got with my conversation with Theresa was she never ate kuli kuli before. Kuli kuli o!

What are these rich kids eating?

Am not surprised that she never drank garri. Maybe Eba... Maybe nii o but never garri.

I stumbled into the class like a zombie. Thank God it's Friday. I need a good night sleep after today.

Dumping my bag on my desk, i settled down before folding my arms on the desk, i winced at the sting from my elbow, ignoring it, i placed my head on the table while my arms served as a pillow.

I keep zoning in and out as my classmates filtered in. Praying the teacher would come quickly as the noise was getting too much.

When I found it unbearable, I raised up my head only to lock eyes with Evans who just entered. He gave me a strange look, his eyes running through my form.

I quickly look away in embarrassment at being caught staring. I know i look like shit but his stares just proved it my theory.

His effect on the girls in class almost made me roll my eyes, they kept gushing on how tall and handsome he looks.

I tensed as he settled on his seat which was behind me. I felt him boring holes through my head with his sharp laser like eyes.

This is embarrassing.

I hear the class settle down as the teacher walked in the same time my stomach rumbled more like growled at me.

Rubbing my hand on my empty stomach while we greet the teacher, i recalled i only had garri with no sugar and kuli kuli last night. I whimpered knowing am not going to enjoy this class.

Am hungry...

                       🍶🍞🍣

Not caring or giving a damn about Akeju coming after me or embarrassing me in this large room.

I wolfed down my breakfast which consists of hot chocolate which who famously call tea in Nigeria, even if you take coffee, it is known as tea. Yam and fried egg sauce.

I cut into the yam again before dipping it into my fried eggs taking a bite. I hummed enjoying the taste. I only get to eat fried eggs or boiled eggs whenever i go to my cousin's house because we can't afford it, it is damn too expensive.

So I have an opportunity like this and you think I would be wasting it. Never!

Looking around the crowded hall, I sat alone on this table, students loitered around, some eating, standing, sitting, talking to their friends.

I jump as my eyes met that of Akeju. He didn't look away when he saw that he had been caught staring. He stared at me for a while before giving me a scowl then going back to talking with his friends.

Am not surprised. I munch at my breakfast finding joy in the fact that he was not disturbing me.

Yet.

I look away from his table looking around again only to find him staring at me and I almost choked. Akeju stares were unnerving but am used to it but his stares were nerve wrecking.

With Akeju, i know he was probably planning on ways to torture me but Akorede never gave me his time of the day before so being his object of attention made me start perspiring rapidly cause you can never know what is going on in his mind.

He is a very complex, complicating creature.

I look away immediately when I realized he wasn't going to look away anytime soon. I ate my food quickly deciding not to look up anytime soon in other not to have another uncomfortable stare down with anyone.

I slipped out of the hall once i was through with my meal before Akeju changes his mind and decides to rain havoc on me because he finds my mere presence annoying.

Am to meet Theresa during break time and after school to prepare towards the campaign coming up on Monday morning.

Why did I join this campaign team again?

I know! Because I was a kiss ass, a girl incapable of saying no because she is scared of the repercussions. I like the aim of the campaign though.

It has to do with bullying and how it affects and destroy the lives of the victim and the bully.

I just pray Akeju would see this and maybe he would probably leave me alone. For good.

Getting to the arts studio, i found it opened. The arts studio is always locked when not used. Maybe Theresa asked the teacher to leave it opened.

I glanced into the spacious, surprisingly clean arts room. Can I say this is the first time i will be stepping into this room? it is not something am proud of but I rarely loiter around the school premises and if I mistakenly loiter around, i go to familiar places like the library, laboratory....

Besides... Loitering is prohibited.

Am a science student so I don't take visual arts neither do I take painting and decoration as a trade subject so you can imagine how strange i felt when I stepped into a place which wasn't my forte.

I jump as i saw a male figure also dressed in the school uniform staring at me blankly.

I shift uncomfortably while standing not knowing how to approach him, i don't know him but am sure he is a student.

"Hello?" he greeted softly.

His voice was not so deep but felt and sound moist almost soft like that of a girl.

"Hi" I said softly not knowing what else to say, he stared at me softly but still had that blank look on his face.

"Did you lost your way?"

To others it might look like he was making fun of me but the tone of his voice made me realize he was actually concerned.

He has this comforting aura that made me relax instantly.

"No"

"I am sorry it came out wrong" he said slipping the art work he was looking at while she came in into a folder. "you just seem lost and out of place"

"This is my first time of being here actually"

"Ss1?"

I blushed at his question.

"Ss3A"

His eyes widens in shock. Probably amazed at the fact that i never stepped a foot into the art room before.

"Seriously?" I nodded "then how come I don't know you?" he asked looking really interested in what I was about to say.

I am not surprised he doesn't know me, i don't know him too.

"I joined the school in Ss1, through scholarship"

"Now I get" he said with a nod "I knew i would know you if you had started with us since JSS1. A face like yours his hard to miss or forget"

I don't know whether that was meant to come out as a compliment or an insult but considering his nice attitude towards me,  i will go for the former.

"Ejiro Ukeme" he said bringing out his hand for an handshake which I timidly shook.

"Omotolani Peters"

"You are in science class right?" I nodded at his question "am in arts, so you see why we don't know each other?"

I nodded with a smile.

"What brought you here if i may ask?" he said folding his hands behind him, his blazers button were unbuttoned but he still looked well dressed.

"Am here for~"

"I know am late!" I watch in amazement as Ejiro's eyes dilate when Theresa stormed in. "but these people don't understand their job"

"I just got here as well so you didn't miss much" I said. Reassuring her.

"Very well then" she said stopping in front of us before finally giving Ejiro who looks like he was about to pass out a look "and you must be Ejiro, the arts teacher referred you to me"

You mean you were referred to him...

"Yes i~"

"Alright then. Let's get started" she said cutting him off as she sauntered towards where the embossed cardboard were kept. It was obvious cause a gracious soul as taken time to sort everything out and label all the materials.

"At least she got my name right this time" he said dreamily.

"Uhn?"

"We have been classmates for over four years but she never got my name right"

He said before walking towards were the paints and coloured pencils were kept. Throwing glances at Theresa once in a while.

Waris goin on here?

You know i said something about a gracious soul labeling all the materials, that gracious soul happens to be Ejiro.

He is an art enthusiast who derives joy in beautifying things around him. He is a pro at this work so the art teacher had no problem in referring us to him even though Theresa claimed he was referred to us.

The girl and her pride ehn...

I carefully stick the cutout cardboard on the background before passing the flyer to Theresa who looks so engrossed in what she was doing.

We all worked in silence, a comfortable one as no one said a word not like we have something to talk about.

Then the bell rang signifying the end of recess. I had a free period so I wasn't worried on going to class.

I look up as Theresa placed her work carefully on the desk. Ejiro stopped also.

"We got class" Ejiro said cleaning his hands.

"You guys can go on. I will take care of everything" I assured.

"Are you sure you can sort it out?, we still have after school" she questioned. 

"I got it. I will leave when am done"

They agreed before leaving the room not before Ejiro asking me to please drop the keys with him after am done. I basked in the silence for a while, i look around to see the amount of work i had to cover.

This should be fun.

                       🌄🎨📍

Slinging my blazer on my shoulders. I lock the door to the art room before removing the keys then stuffing them in the pocket of my blazer.

I sighed at the fresh air that surrounded me as i walk through the silent hallway.

The bell rang again signifying the change of lesson. I can't believe i spent forty minutes alone in the arts studio.

I have a class really soon but I need to drop this keys with Ejiro because they may have a class. Getting to the Ss3 block, I pause deciding to go to the art class before heading to my class.

Taking a u-turn, I went towards the next class but stopped at the noise and rowdiness coming from it. It always baffles me that they were able to make this much noise.

Don't they have something better to do?

I huff walking towards the opened entrance but stopped at who i saw at the entrance, backtracking immediately hoping he did not see me but it was too late.

"Smallie?!"

I winced almost letting out a small cry. I forgot that this class is where three of my bullies were.

I gulped when I realized the noise died down a bit. Was he that loud?

I turn around to meet the inquisitive eyes of Bobola. The noise started again as i watch him make a sign to someone in the classroom.

I moved back involuntarily due to fear of the person who appeared before me.

His eyes ran through my shivering form, before stopping on my face.

"What are you doing here?" his voice sharp and clipped.

"I want to see Ejiro" I said confidently even though I wasn't.

Him and Bobola exchanged looks of confusion, then he nods at him. Bobola left his side to go into the classroom.

Akeju stood by the entrance with folded arms, blocking me from entering or seeing what is going on inside.

He stared at me with those piercing eyes of his that normally gets me scared. I stood in front of him like a sacrificial lamb.

"Where is your blazer?"

I raised it for him to see, but he was not looking at it, he was looking at my chest area. I felt body conscious immediately.

The strange look he gave me almost made me stepped back a bit.

A confused looking Ejiro accompanied by Bobola appeared behind him, he gave him some access to come out of the classroom while he simply leaned on the wall watching us two.

Ejiro finally saw me.

"Tolani?" I smiled at the name he decided to call me because he thinks my name is mouthful.

"I brought the keys" I said, fishing it out of the pocket of my blazer before handing it over to him.

"You are done?" I nodded "till after school then" I nodded still wary of the sharp eyes following our conversation.

"I will be on my way" I said turning around sharply.

"Stop " 

I groaned inwardly. So much for an escape.

"Not you" I hear him say. No one moved "Shey u deaf? I say disappear!"

I felt the reluctance in the air but Ejiro obeyed all the same. I won't blame him, we are talking about Akeju here.

"Turn around"

Introducing a new character, Ejiro.

What do you think of him?

Translation:
Smallie: a short person

Waris goin on here?: what is going on here?

Shey u deaf: are you deaf?