The following week, I resumed with my newly sown uniform, washed and pressed with a new metal iron my mum got from the market for my sake. My hair was well combed, and I left home with the cock's first crow at dawn. I didn't put on my socks until I got to the school gate. Anything to look good and punctual. I learned my lesson on the first day of attending Afikpo Community High School.

We were having mathematics when Mrs. Igwe brought in a new student in mufti. Once they stepped in, Jeremiah turned to a boy called Simon Okoroafor. Suddenly, our mathematics teacher glared to the back, and they paused at once.

"Good morning, Mrs Igwe. You are welcome to J.S. S 1C! May God bless you, ma!" we chorused while standing.

"Good morning, brilliant students." Our principal politely replied. "This is Don Matins Chima-Okoh. He is new here, at Afikpo and he studied at Pampers Private School, Lagos. Please, try to get along with him." She advised and looked around.

"Is there any space for our new student?"

Gazing back, I realized that they filled the class with students in pairs and there were no empty seats.

"Maybe he should go to the next class." Jeremiah hatefully hissed beneath gritted teeth.

"Jeremiah!" the head teacher scolded her son with a frown. It was the first time of hearing her call him Jeremiah, and not his pet name, Jerry. "How many times have I warned to keep shut whenever an elder is talking?"

He just spun away, uninterested in her lectures. Mrs. Igwe exhaled briefly and faced the new student. "Don, sit wherever you want until break. I will arrange a new desk for you." She smiled, and he nodded before she stepped out of the classroom.

Lost, Don's eyes wandered the class, and we watched him stroll to Jeremiah's seat. "Can you please move a little?" He asked Aluma.

She rolled her eyes at him in a glare and I sensed she was a detrimental person when I caught her expression from where I sat.

I couldn't help but wonder why he sat with them, among every other student in the class.

In my classroom, they arranged the desks in ten rows and nine columns. If added, the desk at the tenth column would be for the new student. I sat with Miracle in the fifth row and Jeremiah's desk was beside us at the left.

As soon as the math teacher began teaching, Don took out his new exercise book to write. However, Aluma pushed Don, making him uncomfortable. I'm sure he sat on one butt, and decided to keep quiet and endure instead of complaining.

Once Miss Nkechi, our English mistress, stepped in, Jeremiah pulled out of his seat. "This place is so tight, I can bearly seat." Jeremiah blurted at the both of them.

"Is it my fault the principal brought an elephant to sit with us?" She explained, disgusted at Don.

The noise caught everyone's attention, Miss. Nkechi had to interfere.

"What's going on here?"

"Ask him!" Aluma blurted before the teacher even completed her question.

Don watched them calmly, as if mistaken. His eyes gazed at their furious faces. "What did I do?"

"You make us uncomfortable, spoilt kid. I wonder how they managed to accommodate you at that Pampers school in Lagos! And why do you smell like fish?"

"My grandmother sells fish," he admitted.

Some students murmured while others laughed at Don's enormous size and immature attitude. He began to pack up his books, knowing they both didn't want him there.

"Shut up, Aluma! Can't you treat the new kid any better?" Miss Nnkechi scolded. "Now, give him enough space to manage with you, else! I'll beat the hell out of you right this instant!"

The class went silent once again.

As if they fought earlier, Aluma hissed at Miss Nnkechi to her face and stormed up to her feet.

I wonder if an evil spirit possessed the girl because what a stupid way to behave toward one's teacher.

Miss Nnkechi moved closer to Aluma, watching her closely with raised brows. "Did you just hiss at me?"

Without replying, Aluma eyed her and folded her arms on her chest like an offended boss lady.

"Kneel at the front of the classroom!" Our English teacher ordered.

Slowly, she dragged her feet to the front of the classroom, standing as tears filled the space of her eyes.

Miss Nnkechi walked up to her, taking another piece of chalk on the table, and she still stood there with tears, rolling out of her eyes. "What are you waiting for? Can't you kneel? Or are you simply playing dump with me?"

Aluma held back the tears and dropped to her knees. The floor was cemented and neat. What pained her was the fact that they humiliated her in front of not just the new kid, but in front of the entire class. Don sat properly by Jeremiah and the class was attentive again.

Miss Nnkechi started by writing Nouns on the chalkboard. "What do you understand by Noun?" She asked the class. Thinking about what happened last week made me rose a finger. The new student lifted up his hand too.

'He was from a prestigious school in Lagos. I'm sure he must be smarter than many other kids in this class.' I thought to myself.

The English teacher pointed to me, and I stood up to answer.

"A noun is a name of any person, animal place, or thing. It is anything that has a name." I replied to her.

"A sound clap!"

And the class applauded. Everyone except for Jeremiah and Aluma who were under punishment.

Miss Nnkechi then wrote the definition I gave on the board. "Excellent! Who can give me examples of people?"

The new student raised a hand, and she pointed to him.

"Yes, you!"

"President."

"Yes, you!"

She pointed to another student, who jumped at her in anticipation. Unlike our social studies teacher, Miss Nnkechi was free, friendly, and well-disciplined.

"Jeremiah, mention the name of a place."

"Victoria." He muttered boringly

"Uh?"

"I said a name of a place, not a person." She stressed out.

"Victoria Island."

And the class chuckled at his answer. "Nice one, Jeremiah. Please pay attention to my questions, okay?" Miss Nnkechi smiled and continued her note on the chalkboard.

Although her time was almost up, she gave us an exercise to work on in our textbooks and submit before the end of the day.

Once the timekeeper chimed the bell for a long break, the students rushed out to offer their break. Aluma took out a #500 note to get to the school restaurant. She usually buys food and gets a drink at the school restaurant. Jeremiah and Miracle, too, stepped out. Some students who brought lunch sat in their chairs to eat. Today, I brought breakfast in a new pink cooler my mum got for me. It's my first time bringing food to school. I turned around to see if any eyes stared at me, but it seemed everyone just concentrated on their food.

I placed my cooler on my lap and placed my head on the table to eat. It was beans and Garri. I'd brought the Garri to drink but that would be obvious, so I added it with my beans to mix and eat.

The new student bought fried plantain and eggs in a silver, fancy lunchbox. I didn't see it earlier. He ate quietly with his breakfast on the desk, while I ate mine with my head on the desk. After eating, I closed my cooler and gulped down some water.

Then, Miracle came with two coaster biscuits and offered me one. But I replied to her with words of gratitude. After eating, we did our English classwork together and submitted it to the teacher's table in the staff room.

"Aluma was rude earlier. I think Miss Nnkechi did the right thing." I brought up once we settled in our seats.

"Me too. I've always loved Miss Nnkechi. And Aluma has always been like that. She can be a tough meat if she wants to." Miracle pointed out, uncaring if anyone heard her or not.

"Where do you live?"

"I live in this area, not so far from here. I see you came earlier today, unlike last week." Miracle smiled, and I beamed at her words. I caught Don watching the both of us and then stopped Miracle.

"That new student has been staring at us for a while as if he wants to speak with us."

Miracle pulled closer to me and whispered in my ear. "Maybe he's scared we'll turn out to be as naughty as Aluma and Jeremiah."

"Hmmm...." My head nodded in agreement.

We tore the glance from him, and he walked up to our seat.

"Hello... Can I join you, girls, if you don't mind? I don't think either of them wants me to sit with them."

"Okay, sure, join us." I stood up, and he got in. Don sat between us and we watched him for a while.

"Sorry about earlier." Miracle started. "I'm Miracle Chukwu and my friend is Adaku Ifedi." She introduced. I never thought she had knew my name and surname already.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Don Martins, but you can simply call me Don."

"You smell of fish." Miracle indicated by touching her nose.

Don smelled his shirt, and his eyes widened in bewilderment. "I didn't even realize. My grandmum sells fish at Afikpo Market."

"Are you new around here? Why do you stay with your grandmother instead of your parents? Why did you leave Lagos?" I raised a brow. It seems weird staying with another family member. I never knew my grandmother or anyone from my mother's family.

"I just got here a week ago. My parents want me to stay with my grandmother and complete my secondary school here at Eboyin."

"That's nice." Miracle nodded in understanding.

Thinking about family, I never met my father or anyone from his family. Now, I find myself in a different perspective and it made me wonder if I was the weird one among them.

The next teacher, Mr. Eke stepped in and taught Agricultural Science. And the next, Mr. Benjamin Mbam, who taught computer studies. Many called him Mr. Benji. Don's bench didn't come that day, but Jeremiah and Aluma served as status in the class. They didn't disturb me. Not until the power was restored and Mr. Benji decided only J.S.S 1C goes to the computer lab for practical.

Don was going to the computer lab with Miracle and I when he stumbled into Aluma a longside Jeremiah.

"Hello, I'm Don, the new boy in class." He uttered as he walked up to Aluma, who was still walking. Don signalled we wait for him.

"What is it, new boy?" She stopped to pay attention.

"May I know your name?"

"I'm Aluma." She replied to him coldly.

"I am sorry about earlier, Aluma," Don begged. "It's my first day in this school and I don't want us to start as enemies. Can we be friends?" Don asked, offering a handshake.

Still, mischievous Aluma turned down his friendship gesture.

"I'm sorry, fat new boy, I can't be friends with elephants like you. Not after facing such disgrace for your mistake. And..." she said, giving an awkward glare at Miracle and me. "I see you've made a new company so, can I be excused? I'll appreciate it if you never speak to me." Chevrolet her eyes at him, hissed and walked away.

Don stood, stunned by her pompous attitude. "It was the second time she called me an elephant."

"Don't mind Aluma. That girl is full of pride and hate. Just act as if she doesn't exist and forget about what happened earlier." Miracle advised Don.

I wonder how they do it in this school. Studying together for years and keeping grudges. It marveled at me what had previously transpired between Miracle and Aluma.

Don shrugged off the insult as we walked into the computer laboratory. Then we joined the queue in tens. Luckily, many rounded up before the power cut out and they plunged us momentarily into complete darkness. My team, which was the last set was unable to participate that day. Once we got to the class, the timekeeper rang the school bell to inform us that it was already closing. Students grabbed their school bags and hurried home. As I walked the busy path home, I noticed Don followed me. It surprised me to know that, Don came from Evuma, where he lived with his paternal grandmother.

Later that evening, I went to the market to buy fish and soup ingredients when I bumped into Ngozi and Ada, my primary school friends. Ngozi and Ada are neighbors and they help their mothers in the market once in a while. It's been a month since I last met them. Although Ngozi saw me first, I was the one who called out her name. Ada gave me a tight hug and I gently tore out of the hug. Ada can be as sticky as glue whenever she wants to be. She had a loud, disturbing voice, unlike Ngozi who had a low voice and was quite shy. Then, she began with a silent chuckle, then a stilt giggle.

"It feels like ages! I've missed you so much." Ada admitted.

"Scholarship girl. So what is ACHS like?" Ngozi marked an eyebrow, interestedly.

"Everything is fine. The environment is friendly and I'm making new friends." I told them.

"That's good to hear because a cousin of mine who studies there said the place is a tough hell. We miss you anyway, especially your teachings.

"Come on, Ada! I'm still in this town. It's not as if I traveled." I tapped her on the arm. "Look, if you like, we can meet on Saturdays to study as a group, just like we usually do during our primary school days. I assured and turned around. Remembering why I came to the market in the first place. "It's getting late, I need to go now. I have to cook before my mum arrives from the sawmill, else, she will get furious at me."

"When will we see you again?" Ada asked.

"I hope someday, soon," I responded, not sure of myself.