~Kunmi~

                   REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

Mr. Amadi wrote on the board and the whole class erupted into loud cheers. He turned back to the class with a smile on his face.

'So Good morning Class.'

'Good morning Sir.'

The chorus was louder and cheerful than usual and I smiled.

Students ehn.

'So, this class is going to be interactive. It's going to be a very interactive class. I believe you guys know more than I do.'

Some of the boys chorused ooh and aah and he shushed them.

'Sir, don't worry. Even if I don't know anything, I know this one. I know it too much.'

I automatically turned in the direction of the voice. It was Ezekiel, the class clown. He's been nothing but nice to me since the day he introduced himself.

'Of course, this is where we'll see you. If it's Pest and Diseases that we're doing, we won't hear him from you.'

The smile on Ezekiel's friends disappeared and it was replaced with a sober look. I smiled. The boy was just too funny.

The teacher turned back to the rest of the class.

'So can anyone tell me the meaning of the Reproductive system?'

Several hands shoot up and Mr. Amadi glanced around. His eyes landed on me and he smiled.

I started to freeze.

'Kunmi, right? Tell us what you understand by Reproductive system.'

I froze.

The whole class's attention was on me now and I swallowed. I could feel my palms getting sweaty. I know the definition but what I don't know is to stand up and say it in front of the whole class.

'We're still waiting for you, Kunmi.'

Okay.

Do this.

You can do this.

It's no biggie.

I cleared my throat.

'Reproduction..... It is... It is the ability to live organisms to give rise to new individuals of the same species.'

'Good! Clap her.'

I exhaled as I relaxed fully on my chair. God!

The class continued and he discussed the types of reproduction.

'Sexual Reproduction is the one that involves two partners. The male and the female species. It's the one you guys are looking forward to doing or are probably already doing.'

The whole class except me and probably two other persons erupted into loud cheers again and I smiled. Teenagers ehn.

'Class captain, give us a more detailed definition of Sexual Reproduction.'

The boy I know to be the class captain, a guy who always had his head buried in books cleared his throat.

'Sexual Reproduction can be defined as the fission of joining of the male and female from different individuals to for a Zygote which later develops into an embryo or organism.'

The whole class started to clap and Ezekiel shouted.

'That's when the male has scored a goal. A mad kick. Gbam.'

A couple of other guys banged their table and burst into laughter. Mr. Amadi turned to look at Ezekiel with a frown on his face.

'One more word from you, Ezekiel and you're out of this class.'

He immediately sat up soberly and I smiled. What a vibe this guy is.

'And to the whole class, if you guys don't behave yourself, we'd just skip this topic.'

'No sir oo. We're sorry sir.

Mr. Amadi nodded and continued with the class. There were no side talks again but just the occasional shouts of ooh.  Aah and laughter too. He moved to explain the structure and functions of the Male Reproductive system. I could feel my cheeks heating up when he started to explain the functions of the Testes, seminiferous tubules, seminal vesicle, and then the penis. There was another cheer when he said that and Ezekiel shouted:

'The main the main. The big boss itself.'

'Were ni Bobo yii.'

The guy I recognized to be Kunle said and the whole class laughed again. Mr. Amadi looked at the duo, his lips pressed into a grimace. He was trying hard not to smile.

'Then we have the Female Mammalian Reproductive System. We have the ovaries.....'

I could feel my cheeks getting colored as he started discussing the intimate details of the female reproductive system. I glanced around briefly, I wasn't the only girl feeling uncomfortable. Most of the girls were looking everywhere but the teacher's direction. Only a few ones like Sophia and Aminah were acting like they weren't affected. They were both staring intently at Mr. Amadi.

"...And then we have the vagina..."

"That's the main, the main, the pure bliss."

My head jerked towards the direction of the voice. It was Ezekiel again.

"Do you want to get out of this class?"

Mr. Amadi's voice was solemn and Ezekiel was quick to wear an apologetic look.

"Adam, tell us what the vagina is.*

Ezekiel started to say 'the kind of questions I like to...' but Mr. Amadi's cold look shut him up.

I kept my eyes on my notebook because I was getting uncomfortable.

"The Vagina is a muscular tube that leads from the uterus to the outside of the body. The penis is inserted into the vagina during mating and it, therefore, receives sperms."

I sink lower into my seat. How can they explain things like this with such a straight face? Without their voice shaking?'

The teacher went on to explain all the intimate details of the vulva and the clitoris.

"The clitoris is a small sensitive organ which response to the penis in the male. It is very similar to the penis as it becomes erectile and stiff when stimulated..."

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, it is the most sensitive part and mehn, when stimulated, it's just like..."

Ezekiel's voice trailed off when he realized Mr. Amadi was staring at him.

"Now, get out of the class."

He was very quick to get up.

"I'm very sorry Sir."

Mr. Amadi started to shake his head just as the bell went off.

'Good for you. Now, class, we'll continue next class and you have an assignment; Draw, label, and describe the structures of male and female reproductive systems in men. Then you compare them.'

And he was out of the class.

'Now, that's the best assignment ever. I love it.'

Ezekiel shouted and ran to the board, pretending to give it a lap dance. I smiled subconsciously.

He was wrong when he introduced himself as the class clown, he isn't. He's the class mad man.

Then he turned back to the class with a solemn look on his face.

'Students, would you like me to elaborate on how the penis works with the vagina?'

'Ezekiel, you're mad! Go and sit down or go for a break. It's break time anyway.'

That was Aminah and she was packing the books on her table into her bag. The former smiled and ignored her. My classmates were already leaving the class for the lunch break.

'But Guys wait oo, wait oo. It just occurred to me. Why don't we have hands and tongues as parts of the reproductive system? I mean can stimulate the clitoris more than......'

Aminah who was now behind him smacked the back of his head.

'Ezekiel, ti e ti ta pa ooo, bi on, your life has spoilt completely.'

She said and walked out of the class. Some of my classmates that were walking out also shook their heads at him and one even twirled one of his fingers in front of his ear. A sign to say someone is senseless.

Ezekiel only grinned at their retreating back before he focused his attention back on the class, he caught me looking at him and he smiled.

'You dey enjoy am?'

I looked down and smiled. Aminah was right.

Aye omo na anti ta pa oo.

Soon enough, almost all my classmates were out of the class. I still haven't stepped into the cafeteria. I brought the drink I brought from home and started to drink when someone walked up to me. It was Aminah with Aminah's smile on her face. It was this kind of huge and genuine smile. Since that day at the gym, she'd smile and wave at me whenever she saw me. Her smile always reminded me of that of an enthusiastic child and she was one of those girls who looked effortlessly pretty too. Black skin, huge eyeballs, the color of her retina was deep black, making her iris look whiter than usual. She was a bit more on the shorter side but if that was so sort of loss, her face made up for it.

She dragged the seat in front of me closer and she sat down on it.

'Are you on a diet or something? It's been two weeks since we resumed and I've not seen you in the cafeteria.'

She noticed.

I swallowed and cleared my throat to get rid of the lump that always seemed to form there anytime I attempt to talk to someone.

'I'm just not... I don't think......'

I trailed off, I did not have a genuine excuse. I avoided going to the cafeteria because I don't have anybody to sit with and I'd rather be alone in class than to be lonely in there.

'No excuse, you know, I'm dragging you to the cafeteria today and you're not talking yourself out of it. You can sit with us.'

I started to say something but she'd have none of it as she stood up and grabbed my hands. I shook my head.

'No.'

'Yes.'

She dragged me from my seat and she still did not let go of my hands even when I stopped trying to stay back.

Maybe. Just Maybe I should do this.

                            ***********
                            
That I was surprised when I entered the cafeteria would be an understatement.

I was stunned.

I was shocked at how it looked like.

Spacious, fine, beautiful and it screamed everything elite. There were tables of six, four, and two. The students were ordering their food in an orderly manner. Not in my former school where the students would scamper and scatter the line.

'We have different menus for different days. Today is Monday so it should be Rice or Spag. You'll choose one.'

Aminah said to be as soon as we got to the counter. She ordered rice and waited for me to order mine too. I ordered the same thing as hers. Only that I took only bottled water and no soft drink.

'And that's the tuck shop, where they sell snacks.'

She pointed to a small corner at the far end of the cafeteria. We were already walking towards where we'd sit.

'The hottest snack here is the meat pie. It's top-notch. You should try it.'

I nodded just as we got to an empty table. It was a table of six and I looked around, wondering where her friends were. I knew her friends were Kunle, Adam, and Sophia. Even though Aminah was the kind of free-spirited being that talks with everybody, I'd noticed she was closer to those three than anybody else.

'Are you wondering about where my friends are?'

She asked me and it was just like she could read my mind. And before I could reply, she shouted 'Oh, here they come and my head instantly shoots up to see the three of them walking towards us. I couldn't decipher their expression; I couldn't tell if they looked happy to see me or angry.

Or disgusted.

Kunle looked a tad bit interested, Sophia looked bored and she looked like she'd rather not join us at the table and Adams looked like Adams, expressionless. He had almost the same skin color as Sophia, light brown color, deep eyes that held so many things that it hurt a little to look at them, and pink pinkish lips. He was arguably one of the finest guys in school, if not the finest and I've seen girls shamelessly throw themselves at him. They were always eager to please him or to even get the opportunity to talk to him. It wasn't like I was paying too much attention but things like this were so easy to know. I've noticed also that the only girl he seems really into was the Beauty Queen, Sophia Williams.

And now, as they walked to us, I could see some of the girls eyeing him, smiling at him while he just walked to us as if he didn't notice all that. I swallowed just as they got to us and they sat down. Kunle said beside Aminah and Sophia sat on the second chair to me. The last guy, Adam sat right in front of her.

You see, nobody wants to sit beside you. Nobody wants you. The only person that truly liked you, what did you do too.....

God! Not here. Not now.

'So guys, meet my new friend....'

My head jerked up.

She just called me her new friend.

Wow.

'..... Her name is Kunmi. Kunmi meets my friends, Adam and Sophia, and my boyfriend, Kunle.

Wow. I did not know she was dating Kunle. I did not see any indication that they were dating. They looked cute together though. They had the same skin color. Kunle was good looking but that would be described as okay in comparison with Adam's look. I've also noticed that Kunle always has a permanent flirtatious smile on his face, making him seem like a very nice person.

I looked up to see two guys staring at me. I suddenly became more self-conscious and I wished I could, just for a moment, read their minds so I'd know what they think when they look at me.

'Nice to meet you Kunmi.'

That was Kunle and I should reply to him but the lump was back, this time bigger and stronger and it was pressing firmly to the sides of my throat. I cleared it again and again but I still couldn't find anything to say.

'This is technically not the first time we're meeting. We've been in the same class for two weeks now, isn't it?

That was Adam and the question was directed at me because he was looking at me and his gaze felt scrutinizing as if he was trying to see me.

Like me.

The real me.

I nodded and quickly averted my gaze.

They started eating all the while talking about small things. Kunle and Aminah were acting all lovey-dovey and I concluded I must have been the one who ignored all signs that they were dating. Sophia had not said a word since she got here and except for occasionally slapping Adam's hands away whenever he tried to eat from her plate, she was not doing anything except eating.

'Don't you like the food?'

I looked down at my food when I heard Aminah's voice. I had not eaten anything from it.

'I like it.'

'Then why are you not eating?'

I looked at her then and she was looking at me strangely. Heck, they must all be looking at me strangely.

I could feel eyes on me as I picked up my fork and started to eat. I was always so self-conscious about eating with people. I prefer to eat alone. When I was very young, mom had yelled at me in front of a stranger for eating clumsily.

I had never forgotten her words.

I'd never forgotten her tone.

From then, I'd always believed I eat clumsily.

I chew the food slowly and took my time allowing. The last thing I wanted was for the food to go the wrong way and for me to choke.

But the food or probably my body had a mind of its own because I ended up choking. I reached for my bottled water immediately I felt the pepper shoot upright to my brain but I only ended up knocking it over. It splashed on Aminah and she instinctively stood up. I barely noticed her as I started coughing and I could feel tears pooling in my eyes.

'Take this.'

That was Sophia and she handed her opened bottled water to me. I took in and took two gulps. My chest heaved as I tried to calm down my body. I could no longer feel the pepper in my head.

'Hope you're okay?'

Adams and Kunle both chorused at the same time and I nodded, not meeting their eyes. Aminah sat down back.

'I'm sorry I spilled water on your uniform.'

'Oh come on, I choke on food too.'

She replied, dismissing it with a wave of her hands. I returned my attention to my food.

You should have just turned down the lunch invite. Now, you've made a fool out of yourself. Shiro. Yeye.

I did not try to drown the voice.

Because Mom was right.

I eat way too clumsily.

💔💔💔 Call a child a princess and she'd always believe she's one. Call a child a demon and she'd always believe she's one. I sincerely don't think parents have an idea of how much their words shape the kids. Kids never forget. It'll be imprinted in their memories.

The good news; seems like Kunmi found a friend already.

Hope you guys enjoyed the biology class? 🤣 🤣 😂 Did you have an Ezekiel in your class? We had one and his name was Ezekiel too 😂.

I'd be elaborating more on their literature, Yoruba, and probably Government classes in this book. The three subjects were my favorite in Secondary school. I loved Civic Education too.

Safe to say I'd be updating twice a week from now henceforth; Monday and Friday. This is Monday's update so till Friday. Till then.

Don't forget the star button below.

Love 😍