CHAPTER 2
The following day, Jide arrived at school still thinking of how to get a new school uniform and also dodge the principal at the same time. As he entered into the school compound, he was met by Anayo on his way to class. “Guess what Jide?” feeling really excited about the news he is about to give.“What’s that Anayo?” still walking to the classroom.
“My Mummy just said I should give you my old school uniform!” holding Jide back.
Jide was shocked at the news, “me?!”
“Yes. Remember the uniform I bought when we first entered into JSS1 became too big for me when we were in JSS2?”
“Yes you told me the trouser became too tight and your tommy would pull off the button of the blazer because it was too tight…”
“Exactly! So mum said I should give both uniforms to you!”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes…I’ve even brought them for you. It’s in the class.”
Jide feels extremely happy, “thank you!” he jumps at Anayo as he hugs him “thank you….lets go and see it!”
They both run into the class, quickly going to check the uniforms. Their excitement calls the attention of some of their colleagues (Ken, Andrew, Lucas and Amed), who are already in class. These troublesome group of four did not waste any time in barging in, as they walked up to them. Andrew snatches the bag where the uniforms are kept from Anayo’s hands, “let me see!” opening the bag to see the content inside, “what do we have here?’
“Why did you snatch the bag from me?” Anayo says with anger in his voice, he tries to take the bag back from Andrew but could not. “Give the bag back.”
“Take it easy Annie, we just want to have a look.”
“I’ve told you to stop calling me Annie, it’s a girl’s name.”
“Are you different from a girl? Just look at your breasts, they’re getting bigger.” The others except Jide bursts out laughing.
“Wow…has Jide started doing the work of a drycleaner?” Andrew says bringing out the clothes from the bag.
“Oh really?” Lucas exclaims as he looks into the bag, “what else is there? Anayo’s boxers?”
“Anayo cannot wear boxers “’cause they won’t fit. I’m sure he wears big pants like girls do.” Ken says pulling Anayo’s belt.
Lucas and Amed bursts into laughter again.
“So tell us, is that true?” Amed says, turning to Anayo, “why did you bring your clothes to Jide, is he going to wash them for you?” The rest of the crew starts laughing scornfully calling the attention of other students.
“No. I want to give them to him.” Anayo says in defense.
“But of course!” says Andrew, “We should have known that. Look at his shirt, they’re turning white. And his blazer…Oh gosh!”
“Don’t even say” Ken cuts in.
They throw the clothes at Jide and walk away from the duo.
Jide immediately starts parking the clothes together, “thank you so much Anayo, thank you.”
Anayo smiles at him, trying to forget about Ken and Andrew’s mockery of them, “hmm, just keep helping me whenever we are having exams, okay?
“Of course I will…”
Months later, the Junior Secondary School Certificate Examination was conducted and Jide was the best student in the state, coming out with straight As. Both his parents and Mrs. Baker were proud of him. Mrs. Baker was especially proud of the fact that she gave him the scholarship.
Few years after Jide got into the secondary school, Mr. James’ sickness became worse and he had to stop working, he could not earn a living to cater for his family due to his ill health. Abike his wife, knew it’s left to her to do everything possible to keep her husband and son alive. She had no money to do a good and profitable business, therefore, she had to do odd jobs like washing clothes, sweeping people's compounds, helping people to cook etc. in order to earn some money. She would do all kinds of odd jobs just to be able to buy her husband's drugs and feed her family.
With the situation of things at Jide's house, he would sell sachet water on the road and do all sorts of odd jobs in order to help his mother with the expensive drugs his father uses. Sometimes, when things get really bad he would go to some neighbours, helping them to do one thing or the other for money. Some other times, he would teach some pupils and their parents would give him little change for it.
Despite all these, Jide kept being the most brilliant student right from his Junior Secondary classes. He topped his class at every exam and so he became the envy of some of his classmates, even some of his close friends.
Andrew and Ken hate Jide still. Andrew's father is a politician while Ken's father is one of the chief Justices of the country. The two friends are quite pompous and overbearing, always looking for Jide's trouble in school. They would pick on him during classes, molest him during lunch hours and etc.
One day during a free period in class, Jide is helping out some of his classmates with some mathematical equations, when they noticed a new info was being pasted on the notice board. Some of the serious students quickly move to the notice board to see what it’s all about. While, Ken and Andrew are at one end of the class, looking at Jide explaining a mathematical formula to some female students. “I detest him like shit.” Ken says, while crushing the empty can of coke he had just finished drinking.
“Not as much as I do.” Looking at Jide with disgust.
“During our last paper last term, he sat down behind me and I told him to pass me his answer script but he refused. He's so full of himself.”
“I will sure treat his fuck up one of these days, I tell you.”
“He seem to have everybody on his side in the class, even in the school.”
“All the girls go after him in the name of tutorials.”
“Should a poor brat get all the credit? I could break his head if I have my way.”
“Just look at his uniform, so old and almost tattered. The other day Miss Ann asked him when he'll be paying for another uniform, he said soon. I'm sure they don't have a common N25,000 for the suit.”
“Remember when we were in JS3, Anayo was the one that gave him one of his uniforms when his suit was becoming rags.”
‘Me, I'd rather throw my suit away than give him. I don't even know how the proprietress could have given such a stupid fool a scholarship into a school like ours. He's a disgrace to the school.”
While they were talking, Lucas walks up to them. “Have you guys heard about the competition/excursion in the UK?”
“Yes I did…” Andrew answers him.
“I heard that only SS2 students are going for it. SS3 students are strictly preparing for their exams.” Says Lucas.
“Wow, that’s good news!” Ken blurts out, turning his attention from Jide’s tutorials to Lucas.
“That’s true,” says Andrew, “it means we all will be going…I mean all SS2 students and not the few that will be involved in the competition?”
“Exactly!” says Lucas.
“That’s so cool.” Ken tells them, throwing the can in his hand away.
“Yes. We have been asked to submit our passport soon, provided our parents sign the agreement and pay for our plane ticket.”
“I won’t miss it…this will be so cool, going to the UK without my parents.” Andrew says.
“Exactly my point!” says Lucas.
“I will have so much fun I swear.” Says Ken
Just then, Andrew starts thinking a little out of the box, “are you guys thinking what I’m thinking?”
“What is that?” Ken says, wondering what he may be talking about.
“Jide…” says Andrew as he takes another look at Jide tables away from them.
“Yes!” the point clicks in Ken’s head, “that’s true!...Now that we're going for the competition in London, I'll see how he will go. His parent's sure have no money for his trip.”
Andrew laughs scornfully, “someone that cannot afford a school uniform of N25,000, how will he afford a plane ticket? He's going nowhere!”
“At least,” Ken says after taking a deep breath “then we can have all the girls to ourselves!”
“You can say that again!” Andrew tells him, “but I'll sure deal with him my own way and at my own time.”
“I'm in when you're ready man.” Ken says.
While they are still on their discussion, Andrew looks up and sees Bukola coming towards them “hey look, Bukola is coming here.”
“Are you serious?” Ken says, as he adjusts quickly on his seat, “hmm” he smiles as he whispers to Andrew, “I finally spoke to her yesterday, you know, I’m sure she’s coming to say yes.”
“Oh really?” Andrew asks rhetorically, noticing Bukola is coming closer, “you'll tell me about it later.”
“Sure.”
Bukola walks up to them, “hi guys?” standing in between Lucas and Andrew.
“Bukola, Hi...” Ken says, standing up and moving towards her.
“Hi Bukola” says Andrew
“Miss Barbara is calling you two.” Bukola says ignoring Ken’s look.
“Why?” both Ken and Andrew ask her, wondering why they are being summoned.
“I don't know. She just asked me to call you, I think it’s about your assignment. You both got zero.”
“Shit!” says Ken, moving back to his seat.
“Why didn't you guys ask Jide to help out, he was the one that helped most of us.” Bukola says angrily.
“Hell no, I won't go to that thing for help.” Says Ken.
“Oh yeah...that's why you two keep lagging behind the class. You're so full of yourselves!”
“Wait, that guy has hypnotized you all! I'd rather go to my home tutor than him.” Andrew tells her.
“Anyway, that's your problem not mine. See ya!” She walks away from them without waiting to hear anything else.
“Imagine, I thought she was coming to tell me she'll be my girlfriend o...”
Andrew answers him laughing out loud, “and see, she's going to meet Jide, so he got the most beautiful girl in school on his side too, right? This guy needs to be thought a lesson!”
Ken Hisses, “let's go...”
To be continued..
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