Esse - Episode 3

 

I acted like I didn't hear anyone, and looked out of the window. That was the moment everything outside seemed interesting, and the moment I realised how beautiful the senior school compound was. The interlocked ground, wine railings, cream walls, wooden doors, sliding glass windows with wine edges; I was consumed by its attractiveness. "Hey?" It sounded closer to my ear this time around . I reflectively turned to him, his face was pretty close. That was the first time I was seeing him so close, it was different, and also a sight to behold. Coffee brown eyes, toffee coloured lips and pimples free face. Wow! He's super dark. But he's still undeniably cute.
I smiled like I hadn't heard him before. "Hey," I replied him with a warm smile. Physically I was cool and calm, but internally I was blasting with joy and jumping up and down.

"Can I borrow your biro?" I gave him a puzzled look, because I saw him with a biro few minutes ago. So why is he asking for a biro? Physically I reluctantly brought out my biro and gave him, but internally I was hyper and jumpy as I couldn't imagine. I turned back to my desk, and put my head on my desk. My mind started drifting to a lot of things, I tried to put it to sleep, but it won't budge

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/esse

. Why is Joseph talking to me? Why are the boy hailing him? It all seems off, but...

"Sorry." I was disturbed from my thought by Joseph's apology. I didn't budge, maybe he isn't calling me. "Hope I didn't wake you." Oops, it's me. "I'm done with your biro." Can't he hold it? Why is he nah disturbing someone. Ohh...biro that he collected nah nah nah. Ohh...

Chai! I too dey complain oh.

I lazily lifted my head up, and turned back to collect the pen. As I was about to turn back to my desk, he sighed out loud. I cocked a brow as I turned back to look at him. "I'm sorry, can I ask you a question?" I wanted to talk, but I didn't trust my mouth to say anything wise. I simply nodded. "How did you spend your holiday?" What the...the question jammed me like a freight train. Who starts small talks that way? And why will someone want to know about my plight. My holidays were always awful; they were spent doing this or doing that, going to this place and visiting that person. And they were mostly places, and things that weren't of my interest.

I laughed. "What a nice way to start a small talk," I said with a smirk.

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck, like he was nervous. Nervous for wetin? "I'm sorry, I'm just pretty bored. I didn't have another topic." Shu his friends nko. I turned to look at them, they were laughing and pointing at Mercy, the class most humiliated girl. She was always abused and laughed at everyday, everything she said or did mostly didn't make sense, or was out of it. I looked back at him, why isn't he mocking with them?

I smiled at him. "Okay fine, we can talk about anything you want us to." His smile grew wide.

"Anything?"

"Yes, anything at all."

"What are you girls always talking about. You, Dammy, and Amarachi. It's like the topic never comes to an end." He put his hands atop each other, as he looked at me with so much interest.

I laughed a bit louder than before. "Nothing much, mostly novels and celebrities; also e-book websites, like EbonyStory. Do you know  it? " I asked as I placed my elbows on his table, and used my hands to support my head, as we were now face to face.

He looked at with wide eyes. "Wait," he said as he lifted his left hands up, like he was trying to say stop. "EbonyStory? The same ebonystory.com that I heard is filled with nonsense erotic books? What? Why do you girls go there? Why? Why is it that most girls I know are head over heels for that app?"

I laughed at his question. "No, it's not a place for 'nonsense erotic book'," I said as I used my hand to do the quote sign, by wiggling my index finger and my middle finger up and down. "And we all visit the website because we love it. It catches our attention; the books, the authors, and other amazing stuffs. It's not compulsorily erotic, there are different genres."

He looked at me confused. "Genres? Like in literature?"

I laughed again. "Yes, like how your movies have genre."

He scratched his head, and cocked a brow. "Maybe I should try it one day."

"Pfft. It's trash. Only weird people go there. I tried it once, and I almost puke." Our conversation was interrupted by the class most annoying person, flirt, boy chaser, academic fool and liar; Ngozi. She was still the every-bodies girl. She couldn't keep her hands to herself, and it was like every single thing she said was a lie. I had the perfect comeback for her, but I was Esse the class introvert. I don't comeback on people. But, Joseph fought my battle.

"Ha, I won't blame you. How won't you almost puke, when you kukuma don't have brain. It's for people who read, do you even know how to read ABC? You're too dumb, abegi go and sit down!" The whole class broke into serious laughter. I couldn't contain my laughter also. Ngozi felt embarrassed and angry, but who was she to stand up to Joseph.

The only thing Joseph had to do was pave the way, and the mocking began. "I've being asking that question, but no one would answer me. Does she even know how to spell her name?" Tayo asked, and everyone laughed again.

Johnson backed him up. "Ah! Which kin. The only thing she knows how to do is push her flat chest forward when she's walking, and shake that her water-water ynash."

"Phem. Disgusting, you been stinking," John said as he flipped his right hand over his nose with a serious face, that was what made it more funny.

"Stop it! What is the meaning of all that nonsense?" Ngozi asked in fury, she was really mad. She was very fair, which made it more obvious, her head was red.

I was hoping the guys would stop, but which kin. They fired her more. "See jamb question oh. Oh...wait! She's dumb, I forgot!" Ebuka laughed as he completed his sentence, making everyone join him. Himself, Joseph and Johnson had very contagious laughter.

"Argh!" Ngozi stamped her feet, as she made her way to the door. "If I don't report you, don't call me my name," she said as she made her way through the door. The whole class started laughing again. Evil people.