Important announcement!

I want to call your attention to something. Unlike the other books in the Onyx Voyage Series, Beyond the Reef will be narrated in numerous POVs. This means every character is important, everyone of them is a major character.

Some POVs would appear more often than others but that doesn't change the fact that they are all major characters. Thanks for your time.

Alright let's see what Chapter two has for us!

ADESUA

The silence that followed my entrance was deafening. Yes, I said that.

I took a while to scan the classroom with my eyes. If I was to give a rough estimate of the students that took classes in the classroom, one would say about forty five because though not all students were in class, the amount of desk and chairs did justice to my guess.

Although my former school was also a private school, it couldn't match up to the standard of EHS in any aspect. The classroom I stood in was painted a serene shade of white and permit me to add that it was spotless, without any stain. It was also very spacious and had two air conditioners and four ceiling fans. As if that was not enough, it had four medium sized windows. The furniture reeked of elegance and the students gave off millionaire vibes. Suddenly, I became extremely shy.

"Come on over here." Mimi called to me to take a seat beside her as she made her way to the pair of desk and chair in the third row, second column with a few people greeting her and others having their eyes fixed on me. She must have noticed how reluctant I was to move further into the classroom. Finally letting out my breath that I didn't even know I had held in, I stepped into the classroom and took a seat beside her.

I was low key mad at her for making my entrance dramatic because it called so much attention and I wasn't a fan of that but Omoh's words echoed distantly but clearly in my head.

EHS is a social school, you have to be social.

I guess this is how it starts then. "What do you think about our classroom?" Mimi asked whispering to me in excitement. My gaze dropped to the front of the class and my mouth hung open. I thought I had seen it all.

A freaking smart board was neatly hung on the wall.

I had only seen the digital white board in Nickelodeon series and it was indeed fascinating. How better could the school get? Someone tell me!

"I think it's wonderful!" I responded in a whisper my excitement matching hers. She nodded in approval as her smile grew even wider.

"Why are we whispering?" She asked in yet another whisper.

"I'm not sure." I whispered back.

Mimi burst into laughter and I joined in, her laughter was indeed contagious. After our laughter died down, I noticed that the class was back to its rowdy atmosphere and I felt a bit of relief.

A loud hoot dragged my attention to the entrance of the classroom, I sighted a short light skinned boy without a blazer or cardigan standing there with his bag slung across his shoulders and his tie was tied loosely around his neck.

"That's Kayode Anifowose whom everyone calls Kay, the class jester." Mimi said leaning closer to me. "Well most people call him the vibe king but I think everything about him is ridiculous so I call him the jester. I mean, look at his dressing." She added as I gave him another once over. He indeed looked ridiculous.

"Thank God I got here before the first period." Kayode called out even as he walked into the class and headed to the back of the class.

"Guy why did you come late?" Another classmate who's name I didn't know asked.

"I overslept, see the way I'm dressed sef." Kayode rambled as he walked to our row and stood in front of the person that asked him the question.

"Why won't you oversleep when all you do is play video games all through the night." A feminine voice called out in disgust and Mimi hissed under her breath.

"Hanty how that one take affect you abeg?" He asked as he adjusted his tie and brushed his hair with a small comb he took out from his pocket.

"I'm just trying to advise you so you end up regretting when you waste your life." She replied.

"Chidera you're just a bad belle person. This is a new session and I'm not going to indulge you, I'm going to protect my energy from your bad aura." He said in finality saying a line from Ayra Starr's Bloody Samaritan in a sing song voice.

A loud hoot followed with sounds of laughter and snickers from our fellow classmates. "That Dera girl is just a busy body. She's always saying nonsense all in the name of being a life coach, and this one that Kay is serious sha." Mimi said eyes glued on her phone.

Wait what?!

I looked again, she had a phone. I thought phones were not allowed.

"Why are you staring so much?" She asked her eyes still not leaving her phone's screen,

How did she—

"Everyone does it, don't judge me," Mimi said lifting her gaze from the phone and fixing it on me. "Plus classes haven't started so—" She shrugged and returned her gaze to her phone.

Looking around, I noticed she was right. Almost everyone had their phones with them. Some girl was even doing a video of her dancing, my guess was that it was for Tiktok.

"There's my favorite YouTuber!" Kay called out in full enthusiasm making Mimi burst into smile.

"And there's my biggest fan." She responded her enthusiasm a perfect match with his. I watched as he walked to where we sat and crunched right before Mimi his hands holding her desk lightly.

"Look at you Mimi, looking well fed." He said in an attempt to compliment her. Well it was a failed attempt because it sounded off.

"What do you mean? That I have been looking malnourished all this while?" She asked a frown marring her face.

He burst into laughter his eyes crinkling at the edges. "Of course not, I was just saying you look better, you know." Was his crisp reply as his eyes flickered over me making me uncomfortable.

"Who's the pretty little thing?" He asked Mimi and I arched a brow. Really? I'm being called a thing, such degradation.

"This is my friend Adesua and she's not a thing." Mimi responded with a look of disapproval." The way she said 'my friend', it sounded like we had know each other for a long time when in reality we only met about an hour ago.

Kay flashed me a smile. "I apologize Adesua, that was wrong of me." I shrugged and spoke up.

"It's okay."

Giving me a smile of appreciation, Kay stretched his hands out. "I'm Kay, the vibe king of Class B."

Vibe king? No, Jester.

"Adesua." Was my monotonous reply as I took his hand.

Kay had opened his mouth and was about to say something when a large number of students rushed into the class. I was guessing they were the rest of my classmates.

"Miss Rose is on her way here already." Mimi muttered as she threw her phone into her bag pack. Well that should be good enough reason as to why so many students just rushed in.

"See you girls." Kay said as he scurried to his seat and on cue, a light skinned woman probably in her late twenties or early thirties walked into the class.

One second...

Two seconds...

Three seconds...

I was expecting someone to ask the class to stand up to greet the teacher like it was done in my former school but no one did. Everyone was still glued to their chairs.

"Good morning class." The lady said as she turned to the board and scribbled something on it.

"Good morning Miss Rose." The class mumbled back. Okay, that's new.

"Welcome to a new session my loves," She started as she moved away from the board and walked elegantly around the class the clicking of her heels dominating the entirety of the classroom.

"We won't be having a class today, instead, I will be summarizing the topics we are to cover this term and your scheme of work will be sent to your emails later today." She said her voice oozing with so much authority.

"Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am." The class chorused.

"Now, are there any new students?" She asked and my heart started beating erratically. I dreaded this, introducing myself to the class. It would mean, everyone's eyes would be on me.

"If there are any kindly signify by raising up your hands." Her velvety voice came booming through the length and breadth of the classroom.

Mustering up courage, I put up my hands and immediately, I felt eyes boring into me at every side, what I was afraid of.

When the teacher's eyes met mine, she smiled. A wide comforting smile.

"My name is Rose Efosa and I'm going to be your Biology teacher, kindly get and up and introduce yourself to the class."

I got up mumbling words of assurance to myself in my head. Imagining Omoh here gave me some sort of confidence. She would say; You've got this sis, you're a star.

"I'm Adesua Jemimah Jones." I said throwing her a polite smile.

"Well hello Adesua, Welcome to SS2 Class B, the home of intellects."

"Thank you ma." Was my crisp response."

"You can have your seat." She said and turned back to the board.

Even though I could still feels the stares directed my way, the comfortability settled in as it seemed as though one stumbling block has been overcome.

➪➪➪➪➪

I walked closely beside Mimi as we stepped into the school's cafeteria, everything about the institution was rather large giving me some sort of anxiety. It felt like I could get lost.

I marveled at the variety of meals that were on display the moment we stopped at the counter and my mouth began to water. There were a few people in line ahead of us so we had to wait for our turn.

"Hello Cupcakes," A familiar voice I recognized to be Zayden's called out. Mimi groaned loudly rolling her eyes. "How was class?" He asked.

"It was fine, I guess." I shrugged.

"That's great, trust me you'll enjoy your stay here in EHS." He said to me and I nodded. It seemed to me like I really would.

Although the day had been quite uneventful, I still hoped for the best out of it. I mean, no unnecessary teenage drama like Omoh said but I had no right to draw any conclusions yet because I had spent only a few in the school environment.

"I know you probably think all the students are normal people," Zayd started again and I rested my gaze on Mimi who typed away on her phone without a care in the world. "Trust me, they're not. Half of the school has not resumed yet. You'll get to see the drama, you definitely will."

The sound of drama made me a bit excited. I was not sure why but I guess it was as a result of my expectations, the expectations Omoh sold to me. "We'll see." Was my crisp response to Zayden who gave me a broad smile.

The way his face brightened up whenever he smiled was endearing and the fact that his smiles every now and then was fascinating. His smile was contagious and I didn't know when I started smiling as well.

"Adesua what will you-" Mimi stopped her sentence mid way as her eyes darted from me to Zayden and back to me. "And why are you two smiling?" She asked and as if planned, Zayd and I bursted into laughter.

I had no idea what was funny but I laughed with Zayden and for a moment, I fit into the setting. It felt like I belonged and I longed for the feeling to linger.

Mimi stared at us like she had just seen a ghost, she watched us in complete awe and when the laughter died down, she asked me a simple question. "What will you have?"

I honestly wasn't craving anything in particular so I would be just fine with anything. "I'll have what you're having." I replied and she turned to place our order. I hadn't even noticed that we had moved forward.

"You seem chill Adesua, I think I like you." He said with an ever present smile.

"I think I like you as well." My smile mirrored his. For some reason whatever it was that just happened felt right.

"What was that all about?" Mimi asked as she turned to us.

I shrugged and Zayd spoke up. "I like her, I just found myself a new sister. We even look alike." He fawned smiling like that was the only thing he was created to do.

I would not fully agree that we look alike. The only similarities we share are the same complexion and hair texture. But on a second thought, I decided that that is enough resemblance.

"Good for you." Mimi responded dismissively as she handed me a tray of food. "Why are you even hanging around? Don't you have friends to sit with?" She asked tapping her foot gently on the floor.

"They all decided to not come to school today. Vanessa is probably on the plane on her way back from Portugal, Dean is somewhere doing his head boy duties, Cashiel is unable to come today and you know Jasmine, she only shows up whenever she feels like it."

Mimi made a tsk sound. "That's sad, I guess you'll have lunch alone today."

"Um, no I won't. I'll seat with you guys, right?" It seemed more like a question than a statement.

"No sir," Mimi said giving him the sweetest smile ever. "Oh look, Atikah is seated over there." She said looking ahead of us in the opposite direction. There was a table occupied by the hijabi we saw Zayd talking with in the morning. She had a novel in a face and her food untouched, it seemed like she was in her own universe. "What a coincidence!"

"No no no, Mimi you know I'm not gonna sit beside her." Zayd said panic taking over his features.

"Come on, it's not that deep naw. She won't bite your head off or something." Mimi urged a panicky Zayd. I picked up the pieces and put it all together. Zayd probably liked the girl. I found my new discovery amusing because for some reason not yet known to me.

"Come on..." Mimi cooed and pushed him forward. Almost immediately, Atikah looked up and waved at Zayden. He was forced to smile and walk to her table but not before throwing a giggling Mimi a worried look.

After Zayden had gotten to Atikah, Mimi lead me to an empty table.

"Because of Zayden my food will be cold now." She muttered whilst taking out a napkin from her blazer pocket. I watched her place it on her laps.

Okayyyy

"Here Adesua, have one." She said handing me a napkin which I took even though I didn't exactly need it.

"Thank you."

Mimi waved it off and what she did next took me by surprise. "Father for this food we thank you for this food. For the hands that prepared them, you will bless and it will be of nourishment to our bodies In Jesus' name."

"Amen." I chorused with her.

She prayed.

Not many young people took prayer seriously, me included and that singular act made me more curious about Mimi.

"Are you not eating?" Mimi asked and I looked up to see her already digging into her meal. We had ordered Jollof rice and chicken with a bottle of orange juice. Without wasting any more time, I began to eat my food as well.

"See, Atikah is laughing." Mimi coed with a dreamy look on her face. I turned to observed the duo and they indeed seemed to be having a great time. I watched as Zayden cocked his head even as Atikah smiled shaking her head.

"They look perfect." I said out loud before I could catch myself.

"I know right. I have always known him to like her since my JSS1 days and he only got to start hanging out with her last term because she happens to be a prefect as well. Too bad Atikah doesn't see him in that light." Mimi shrugged and went back to eating her food.

Mimi and I ate in silence and the moment we were done, a loud siren went off. It was as though it was waiting for us to be done with our meal.

"Recess over." Mimi announced. "Come on let's head back to class." She urged as she got up.

We had only had four periods but it felt like it has been twelve hours already. All I wanted at the moment was to collapse on my bed.

But we can't always have things our way, can we?

I know I've been gone for the latest time and I don't have any excuse but permit me to justify myself.

First off, school had been stressing me out and I just had to take a break and everything has just been overwhelming and I've not had time to even think talk more of writing. Inspiration was not even coming.

I'm not assuring us that I'll be consistent but I'll try. By the way, what do you think of this chapter, kindly drop your thoughts ❤️

Alright take care and see you in the next chapter 😊