BEYOND HATE CHAPTER 5

                    

 Chapter five.

Zara.

I kept on recalling the events of two nights ago. The past two days went by uneventfully. Ene and Grace had been insistent on knowing how I had come back on my own. They had been worried, even when I got into the hostel, Ene had been on the verge of tears. I had told them Afam had given me a torchlight. That he'd seen me and then helped me out. Thankfully, they had believed.

After Ene, the person I was most attached to was Grace. But Jacqueline had a kind of accommodating nature. It was so natural for people to tell her secrets they couldn't tell anyone. I was scared to tell Ene of the red note. She might talk the person down again. Or if I told Grace,she'd scold me not to fall, that it was some trap from some group of guys. If I told Mona, she'd laugh and say she has no advice. However, Jacqueline would be on cloud nine with me. She was such a romantic, like me. She'd even bring up steps on how to find the guy. It was all so confusing. I decided later, to keep my secret to myself and not think to much of the red note.

I was already awake, however i didn't feel like getting out of bed yet. The dorm door suddenly burst open and the female hostel caretaker burst in. I saw her but I still made no effort to stand up.

She held a tangerine cane on her left hand, and placed the second on her waist. Her eyes darted around, everyone was still sleeping.

"Wake up oh!" She screamed, her voice echoing through the four houses.

People moved and gradually, they got out of bed. At the last corner, Ella lay there, not shaken a bit by the woman's voice. She stirred a little and snored loudly. Even i knew the snore was deliberate.

Mummy Christy, the caretaker walked towards the corner furiously. As she stretched out her cane, Ella pulled her leg away so the cane landed on the bed.

"Iromu!" Mummy Christy hissed.

Ella stood up from the bed and snapped back. "You too, Iromu."

We all snickered. Ella was Igbo and I knew she had no idea what Ironmu meant, as I also didn't.

Mummy Christy glared daggers at Ella. But with Ella standing there with much confidence, Mummy Christy turned and walked out of the room, perhaps to avoid embarrassment.

We all thought it had ended. The next moment, she walked back into the room with a bucket of water. She swung it around.

"Ahn!" People from different corners screamed.

"What's all this rubbish now?" Grace snapped.

Noise echoed round the whole room and shouting began. Mummy Christy hissed and walked back out.

"Iromu!" Ella shouted again.

We all laughed.

           ____

The biology lab smelt horrible. Specimens were aligned on the show table - as Mr Idris called it. Everyone walked slowly into class, anticipating pure boredom as it often was with Mr Idris's class.

As everyone walked in, we sat down immediately. Class A and D where to have a combined biology class. Ene and Mona sat opposite Jacqueline and I. The sit next to me was vacant. Tolu, a guy whom I suspected was into Grace waved at me and gestured to the vacant sit. I nodded towards the sit, indicating that it was vacant.

He grinned and moved towards me. A loud huff and a soft thud on the table averted my attention. I turned to the formerly Vacant sit to see Jerome sitting there comfortably.

Anger surfaced.

"Excuse me. Someone was coming to sit there." I groaned.

He turned to me. "Sorry?"

"Sorry for yourself." I deadpanned. "Someone is there."

He narrowed his eyes at me. His dark brown pupil bore into mine. I glared back defiantly.

"I don't see anyone here, contesting for the sit with me." He raised a brow.

I looked around, searching for Tolu. He waved at me once our eyes locked. He was sitting beside Grace.

I smiled tightly. Turning my attention back to Jerome, I spoke up. "Courtesy demands that you at least inform me and ask if the sit is vacant."

He smirked. "So that's what's paining you?"

I grunted in frustration and looked away, formerly ending the conversation. I made every effort to ignore that he existed as the class immediately silenced.

Mr Idris walked into class. We all greeted simultaneously before he began his teaching. He talked for an hour about a body part of the toad. Half of what he said came in through the right ear and flew out of the left ear. I hated science, I found it absolutely difficult and too complex to understand.

"Now, before we leave, I'll divide you all into groups, so hear out your partners." Mr Idris called as the bell rang.

No one moved as we waited patiently for him to announce the groups. The next period was break so it wasn't a big deal for us to wait.

"I hope he puts the four of us in a group." Ene smiled.

"Hmm. Just put Jacqueline in my group and I'm good." Grace shrugged.

We all giggled lowly.

"Abi oh. Jacq is a biology guru." I conceded.

Jacq rolled her eyes. "It's the easiest subject in science class."

"Hmm," Grace nodded. "That's what all say."

"Itere Ene, Abu Grace, Adele Tolu,Simon Peter and Fade Bisi. Group six." Mr Idris called.

It was five persons per group.

Ene's expression turned sour. "Zara and Jacq are not in our group."

Grace snorted playfully. "Forget Zara. Jacq is the scientific geek."

"If i slap you. I'm not important abi?" I glared at her, mirroring her playful expression.

Mr Idris went on calling names a fixing groups. We all sat up anxiously as we heard Jacqueline's name. "Bennibor Jacqueline, Osaro Ehis, Johnson Oge, Obih Chizaram and Ezeh Jerome."

"What?!" I whisper yelled.

Grace snickered. "Sorry."

"On the bright side, Jacq is in your group." Ene shrugged.

As if it makes it all better.

"Yes, on the bright side." Jacq smiled.

I shook my head. "And on the dark side-"

"Bad luck is with you." A voice spoke up from beside me.

Grace Whistled. Ene shook her head. Jacqueline smirked.

Did they find it funny that the asshole beside me always found it fun to trouble me.

I turned and glared at him. "Well, at least I'm not a symbol of stupidity, unlike some people."

"Ouch," another voice said from beside Jerome.

Afam sat there, his usual cool grin on his orange lips. I could have waved at him if we were in a better situation, but i full on glared at him.

Jerome blocked my sight, preventing me from seeing Afam again. He moved close to me, his hands stretched out and soon, they were on my hair. I gasped. He pinched my scalp softly and withdrew his fingers.

He brought it down to my face and waved it in front of my eye, displaying a long white thread. "Try not to always look stupid,"

I opened my mouth to retort but Mr Idris's voice bellowed through the room.

"Ok. Come in groups and know your specimen. The presentation will be in two weeks time. So everyone of you, meet your members, and plan well because this is your assessment test."

Everyone mumbled audibly and then the noise started. I turned back to Jerome.

He smirked and turned away from me. He faced Afam and they began to discuss seriously. Ene,Grace and the rest of their groups members walked towards the man.

Ehis and Oge walked up to Jacq and I. "Let's go." Oge called.

Jacq and I stood up instantly. I packed up my books. My eyes drifted to Jerome who was still engrossed in his talk with Afam.

I jabbed him. "Oga, we are waiting."

He waved me off and continued discussing with Afam. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but it was pretty serious. I had never seen Jerome and Toby so engrossed in a conversation like this.

"He is in our group?" Oge asked, her eyes almost bulging out.

"Eh-hen." I shrugged. "What's there?"

Jacqueline snickered. "She is an ex."

Oge flushed. She swallowed hard. I was so certain there was a blush behind the Melanin.

She shrugged. "We weren't really dating."

Ehis nodded sarcastically. "You guys where just doing Kiss and talk."

Jacqueline and I burst into laughter.

I never remembered any story of Jerome and Oge. I had heard a few rumors but then, who the hell has Jerome Ezeh not made history with.

"Ok." Jerome's voice interrupted.

I turned. "Asshole, you had people waiting for you. Stupid or ignorant, choose."

His normal annoying smirk, the signature one personally made for throwing me insults graced his lips. I knew he was about to insult me.

However, his eyes drifted past me. His gaze softened. "Hey, Oge."

I snapped my eyes to her. Oge lowered her lashes and smiled. "Jerome."

I gagged, thankfully, I wasn't alone.

"Please oh. Let's go before you guys will be doing eye contact." Ehis grumbled clearly.

Jerome snapped his gaze away from Oge. Ehis nodded to the specimens. We all headed there. I walked closely beside Jacq, and Jerome walked behind me. I wondered if he was rating my ass. I groaned. Stupid thoughts. Who cared if he was rating it.

Mtcheew.

Mr Idris assigned us to the Amoeba. "You have to tell everything about the Amoeba. The way they feed, how they came to be and so on. You'll also choose your group leader, do it now so I'll know who is in charge."

He turned away and faced the next group.

We all turned to each other.

"So, who goes?"

"Why stress your self, I'm impeccable for the position." Jerome shrugged, his hands brushing through his full afro.

Cocky much.

"Well idiot, incase you had no idea, everyone will vote." I smiled sarcastically.

He glared at me. "Oge will vote for me, and so will Ehis."

I shook my head and laughed humorlessy. "Only if their mental system is non existent."

"Like yours?" He retorted.

"For the love of God!" Ehis boomed.

We turned to him sharply. "What?!"

Ehis raised his hands in the air. "It's break, we are all hungry so let's vote this shit out."

"I vote Zara," Jacqueline said.

I winked at her. Girl code was something she really cherished. Despite the fact that she was good friends with Jerome, she still put me first.

"I vote Jerome." Oge called out sharply.

I groaned.

Jerome smiled. "Thanks b."

"You know what guys." Ehis growled in frustration. "I've decided the leader."

Before anyone could ask a question, he turned and walked to Mr Idris.

"Sir, Osaro Ehis as the group C leader." I heard him say.

"Ohh. That's settled now i guess." Oge shrugged stupidly and all i felt was the need to slap her and her pretentious character.

Jerome sighed. "I could have been better."

I snorted. "With your empty brain."

"I wasn't talking to you oh. Amebo." He hissed.