21 TIRED, HUNGRY AND WANT TO GO HOME.

It's already 3o'clock. I'm hungry, tired and I want to go home. Today , school closes by 4 for some reason, even though everyone is done with exams. I've been whining that same lines to Temi for half an hour and she keeps replying with the same thing. I really applaud her patience 

"I'm tired!!" I'd say.

"You're just lazy. You haven't done anything to make you tired." She would say, then flip a page from the book she's reading, which still shocks me because Temi doesn't READ books, except if it's a notebook or textbook. I can't argue with her on that because she's right. I AM lazy. After a minute I'd start again from a different angle.

"I want to go home!" I'd say.

"Ella, no one is stopping you from walking home now." She'd say

This time I can argue because something IS stopping me, and it shares my name. And also, the gateman wouldn't let anyone waltz out of the gate until 4.

"I don't know where my brother is. I know that he's somewhere with David but I'm too lazy to look for them." I sigh.

"Then you're not ready to leave yet." She states simply. 

"Hmpf! Heartless chicken." I pout.

We've been sitting in this class for almost an hour. I need fresh air. I grab Temi's arm and pull her up. She laughs but doesn't complain. She drops her book in her bag and follows me out of the class. Good girl.

I'm in the hall right now on our usual bench. The bell rang just as we stepped out of the classroom, three sharp rings which meant that we should all gather in the hall for announcements. It's just me and Temi right now. Favour and Becca hadn't shown up yet. A few minutes later Favour showed up, with Esther and Dami, great. They walked up to our table and Favour took her normal seat at the edge by the wall. Now what happened next shocked me AND Temi, so I know I wasn't just imagining things.

Since we all have our regular sitting positions, any new additions should have to make do with whatever space is left, WHEREVER it is. But it seems that Favour's 'friends' didn't get that simple logic. I normally sit next to favour, while Temi sits next to me with Becca sitting across Favour on the other side of the bench. Austin sits right beside her but at the other end of the bench, leaving space in between them. Naturally, Esther and Temi should have sat in that space or beside Temi but one of them didn't. 

Dami came to stand right behind me, expecting me to move over so SHE could sit beside Favour. The shocking part is that our mutual friend actually asked me to move so Dami could sit next to her. The peaceful thing to do here would be to move and let her have the seat BUT I wasn't feeling very peaceful at the moment, you know a hungry man is an angry man and all that.

I waited a while hoping she'd get the hint and know that I wasn't going to budge but she didn't. Temi snickered knowingly and I smiled.

"I'm not going to move, oh, no vex."

Esther who sat across from me made a sound. Hope you choke, I thought darkly. You can't blame me. Dami huffed and moved to the other side to sit next to her friend. 

"Emma, you." Favour said with a small laugh. 

I turned towards her and gave her a look. Temi did the same. Good to know I have one sensible friend.

"That was wrong of you." Temi states, not caring if she's heard by the other 2. Badass!

The principal's voice that suddenly came from the speaker interrupted us, at the same time Becca came in with Austin. 

"So….Emma, no boo today?" he smiled mischievously, wiggling his eyebrows. Temi tried to hide her laugh behind a cough but failed.

"Don't be unfortunate." I shook my head to hide my smile. Typical of the class clown.

"All right, everyone quiet down!" 

A voice said through he speaker. It's wasn't the principal but the art teacher, Mr. Richard.

"I can see you all are quite happy that exams are over, but I have to remind you all that it is not the end of school." He adjusts his glasses. "I can see books littered all across the school compound. You're going to need them next term. And fix your damn ties and shirts! School isn't over until 4!"

Laughter filled the hall, but no one moved to fix any ties or untucked shirts.

"Now on to the main announcement. You all will be back next week Saturday for the school's end of the year celebration. You will all be on your uniforms, that means NO casual wear and NO formal wear. After the celebration, your results will be handed to you all in an envelope by the teacher that is your class representative." He paused, then smiled like he just heard an inside joke, LITERALLY.

"The results would not be handed to you directly, but to tour parent or guardian. If they are absent on that day, you will not get your envelopes. That would be all. Good day."

And just like that, he was gone. Laughter bubbled through me. 

"Well, that's one way to end an announcement. The white man's way. Quietly."

Some students exited the hall while some stayed behind to talk or due to a lack of a better place to hang out. On my way out with Temi, ran into my brother and David. My guess was spot on.

"Good, I don't have to look for you now. Stay around so that when it's 4 we can go. If I don't see you, I'll go by myself."

David slid to the spot beside me that Wasn't taken by Temi and put his arm around my shoulder. "EMMA!! I missed you." 

"Wow. Ella, is this the level now?" Temi, ever the conspirator, said with hidden excitement. I honestly need to find her a dude.

Smiling, I pushed David away with my elbow and hit Temi slightly behind her head.

"There is no level or anything. And where have you guys been anyways?" I turned to David. The question was directed at him but my brother replied. 

"Here and there." 

I Waited for clarification, but he didn't continue. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Ella, don't mind him. We were in the art room again. The AC was on so the room was cool, compared to this oven," He gestured to the sky.

"And you couldn't come to call me. Well done." I joked 

Temi cleared her throat then chimed. "Us." 

When I checked my watch, it was FINALLY 4o'clock and time to leave. I and my brother were already holding out bags so we didn't have to go back to class. 

"Temi, Emma, see you guys next Saturday. Tell Favour that I'm gone."

We turned in the direction of the gate and left them still standing in front of the hall. I tapped my brother.

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"We can play Xbox!" I half screamed excitedly.

The only times we are allowed to play is after exams or on long holidays. Other times are when we want to be sneaky by playing when our parents are out, then rushing to pack it back up when we hear their car pull up. So far, we haven't been caught yet.

"I'm playing first." He says hurriedly.

I frown. "No. I remembered it, so I'm first."

"You remembered but didn't say it so too bad."

We argue back and forth like this all the way home. There no point in arguing about it anyways because our brother, Chidi, would still bully us and be the first one to play.