CHAPTER ELEVEN; The Best Student in the Class

I came to School today feeling reluctant, wondering why I have to be in School after everything Chibuikem told me concerning the Schools 'christmas Carol'. I am still in shock and amazement till this very moment, 'why? How come?'

I kept wondering to myself in disbelief. To survive in a public School,one needs to brace themselves up for surprises other wise, even a teenager would be diagnosed with heart attack here.

Last week Friday,after sweeping my class room and successfully dodging the School fellowship leader, I went to the back of the Junior Section to find Chibuikem there with a group of boys as usual, this was his usual routine every Friday. I didn't bother investigating on this or asking him questions because I trust him, regardless of what my parents think or say.

We were walking home as usual when I brought the topic up childishly" um , Chibuikem, so, what would you be presenting when we are having our Christmas Carol on Friday next week? Well , I'll like to present a dance or maybe, sing one or two songs-" He interrupted me with a loud shout, followed by laughter" oh! Wow! She is looking for Christmas Carol in Osa School, ha ha ha." He said to students passing by on the street while laughing out loud he immediately stopped a student coming from the opposite direction and asked him the same question that I asked him a while ago and the student decided to be so sarcastic" Oh well, I'll like to do balle, I love balle, I'll wear my red pop socks and my white leggings." He answered in a girly voice as if he was trying to imitate my voice. How dare him?, I wondered what was going on, I mean who wears a leggings on a pop socks unless he is sick and this guy doesn't look sick to me at all.

Chubuikem tapped the student playfully on his shoulder and continued laughing while walking away from the scene , I had no choice but to follow him because I needed an explanation.

He looked at me and smiled before answering my questions "You know, you just reminded me of me when I was in Jss 1. I was so naiive and expectant. To be honest, I've missed Christmas Carols so much , that I didn't even remember that there was a thing like that until you said it. Look things here are far different from those in the private Schools, here we just hang in there and hope that time flies really swiftly so we can leave this place. Most times, it's the friends you have that keeps you going. You should be asking when you would get your first term report card, you'll see your performance for first term, during the open day for second term, that's if it doesn't delay." I opened my eyes wide in shock when he uttered that last statement. Wow! This is interesting. Now here is the annoying part of it all, when I told my parents all these, my mum said "well, you would still,go because,you aren't doing nothing at home, you can stay in the Library in school." And as usual,my dad agreed with her. I was so upset when they said this , I started wondering if they truly loved me.

Now,I'm sitting in my chair and resting my head on my desk while enduring the heat and noise in the Class room. I can't go to the library because it's locked. I have no choice but to stuff my head in my School bag, once in a while , to reduce the noise coming into my tiny ear drums. It was that bad, no culture,no manners, this is the first place that I've seen students eating and dumping refuse on the floor, I wasn't brought up like that, I was trained to put it in a waste bin or in my pocket or desk then trash it when I can. If I eat and dump it on the floor, I'll fell like, I had just dropped something that is a part of me on the floor. This feeling makes me really uncomfortable.

Like really uncomfortable.

Finally, I know a teacher is about to walk into the classroom, because I can see students running into the class room from the corridor, they did this whenever they see a teacher coming with a cane while they are outside their class room"chilling". I was surprised this time because Cynthia actually joined them even after I told her not to. I honestly don't know what to do to this girl ' I'll just mind my business ' I thought to my self.

They students in my class room finally settled down and acted as though they weren't outside the class room or making noise a while ago.

"Settle down every body." Mr. Mohammed said, even after everybody has settled down. I just signed and rolled my eyes to myself. " What is wrong with all of you?, the weather is too beautiful for you to be making noise, I'll ask the class captain to write the names of noise maker before I leave. The whole class grumbled and murmured because they know,"we know" how partial the class captain -Kehinde can be,when it comes to names of nose maker ,her assistant -Divine is so much more better than her when it comes to writing names of noise makers. "Keep quiet please,Mohammed said while opening the register he's been holding since he walked into the class room.

So as we all know,School is not a competition,but we have to acknowledge and appreciate these who have done outstanding well in their academics performance so far.

I would not be giving any award because this wasn't backed yo by the government and I also didn't inform the principal about this so.....it's just my idea...I want to encourage you all to keep to your studies." Mr. Mohammed started with a short speech. The moment he said this,I just sat back in my chair and didn't even bother myself because, I assumed that Kehinde, the class captain would emerge the first position. I mean this is how it is right? The class captain-the leader is always the best. A little part of me was tingled with hope, I just thought to my self ' could it be me? Can I be the best student in this class?' To get the answer to this question, I have to just listen and relax despite the cold sweat that has broken all over my body and the goose bumps despite the heat in the class room and plus I had a a lot of happy butterflies in my stomach.

"I'll start with the tenth position, because the population is too much,it took me a lot of time to organise this ,please clapp for me." He demanded childishly and we all called and chuckled for a while, He's quiet funny and friendly too. He is one of the teachers In this School that I know that without flogging a student in a day, they'll be all right. I wondered if He was nice to us because he is out class teacher but no, the students in the other classes reported that he is friendly with them too.

" The tenth position is Dupe Chika , her percentage is 69.4, please give her a round of applause,while she stands. Please I'll like to see your face." The girl stood up and I watched how the whole cass hailed and applauded her with my mouth wide open, I didn't even know it was opened. Muini had to get my attention by tapping my head as usual." Hey , you can just get my attention without hitting me,please don't do that again." I warned her arrogantly. When she was chastened, I told her the reason for my previous reaction.

"Wow! In my former School,69.5 is the percentage of the last student in the class. I'm surprised that the percentage of the tenth position,out of Two-hundred-and-two students is just 69.4. That's so terrible."

When I was done expressing my shock, I noticed Muini had been glaring at me the whole while. " See your mouth like rat! Do you think it's so easy, if it is why aren't you the tenth position. Do you know how hard it is to get that kind of high score?!" She spoke to me calmly but bitterly with her hands folded on her chest like an adult scolding a child. I didn't bother explaining to her , I felt her pain. She isn't dumb, she just wasn't well thought. One thing was certain for me, I knew that it was possible for me to emerge the top in the class room. So,I just sat back in my chair and relaxed.

Mr. Mohammed had already gotten the the sixth position by the time I started paying attention. The girl was well celebrated, I didn't bother about her name because I didn't hear it clearly because of the cheers form the student I think it's because she is popular. " The second position is Ebubechukwu Ekelemchix The while class stood and jumped for joy. Her sit mates at the back lifted her hands up and celebrated her like she was the first position. They haven't seen anything yet!

He finally got to the first position and I knew it was me because...I felt it, I mean, I didn't hear my name from the tenth to the second position. One thing is certain, I am not a failure, I am a winner. THAT'S MY NAME!

" This person is a girl, she resumed very late,she missed all her first test, buy guess what?"

"What?!" The whole class asked in unison before the place became as silent as a grave yard. I know I'm the one. He should just say my name. " She cleared all her second test,and 90 in her overall score in all the subjects the most shocking fact is that she actually got 60/60 in her mathematics exam. This has never happened before in the history of Osa community Junior Secondary school." He looked at the whole class mischievously.

' Can he just mention my name already?' I thought to myself. " With a standing ovation....I mean stand up. Let us applause and appreciate none other than the one and only

"OBINNA WINNER ADA !!!".

When I heard my name, I sighed,then smiled and looked around in shock while my class mates jumped up ,clapped and shouted for joy. Before I knew what was going on , Muini was already lifting me up, that girl wanted to carry me, I protested before she left me . She didn't stop shouting and jumping at all, she did these while pointing at me as if you say' the best student in the classroom is my sit mates, how awesome is that?!?!' I stood up and smiled at every body. I was shocked to see the students who sit at the other end of the class room, directly opposite me,the first row from the entrance door, standing on their tables to take a good look at me. Right now,I feel like a celebrity, no a star. Just when I was taking it all in, I heard them singing for joy "stand up,stand up, for the champion ....stand up!"

This is so remarkable! 200 plus students singing for me? That's a whole School in some places.

I am so happy I could literally puke rainbows."Alright Settle down, please Winner, meet me after School closes. Well done! you have done incredibly well. " Mr. Mohammed Chimed in and interrupted the celebration. I nodded in agreement to what he said and he immediately picked up his register from the table and left the class room with the kehinde the class captain trailing behind him like an abandoned puppy.

The moment Mr. Mohammed left the class room, I heard the bell, for closing? I wasn't sure yet. The students were shouting and rejoicing as usual after hearing the bell. Their celebration instantly stopped when they saw the prefects ordering g and directing the students to lick up their School bags and head downstairs for the 'afternoon assembly ' oh! no! not again, not this time.

when we got down stairs with our bags , we tried really hard to arrange ourselves despite the dust on the assembly ground.

The vice principal-Mrs. Ibitoroko finally came out to address is with a very long speech. Telling us that we should be extra careful this Christmas holiday and that we shouldn't leave our houses without informing our parents or guidance.

The principal- Mrs. Akinkunmi finally came out to address us for the first time. He voice is really small but harsh and d

strong . I didn't hear her clearly at all. I managed to judge from her tone and countenance that she was angry and warning us about something.

Suddenly, the Students started clapping and shouting for joy. I looked around in surprise and wondered what was going on. I was even more surprised when I heard students from behind me also shouting and clapping too, have they gone loco? I decided to move forward and find out for myself.

"Um, please , what did she say?" I asked a girl at the top of my voice when I got to the front. she answered and said " We have closed! no School tomorrow!" she began to laugh and squeak like a happy child.

Mrs. Ibitoroko and Mrs. Akinkunmi said good bye to us after asking Mr. Dele O. A. To pray for us. I found Chibuikem at the senior Section assemble ground and I decided to wait impatiently for him at the School gate because I was so excited to tell him that I emerged the top in my class.

He finally walked up to me after the Senior Session assembly was over. I smiled at him and we started walking home. I am so so excited that we have finally closed from School for first term. But Ik a little disappointed that there was no Christmas Carol.

" Chubuikem guess what?!"

" Ah?! Winner what is it ? you and your unending surprises-"

" Well, I'm the first position in my class! "

" oh! okay? but how did you know this? " He asked calmly, no sign of excitement at all from him.

" Well, our class teacher , Mr. Mohammed came to the class and announced-"

" Wait he did what?! is your principal aware? he is not supposed to I mean how?-"

" What do you mean by that? can't you be happy with me for once? you are supposed to say congratulations! " I asked him irritatedly, I didn't like his calmness.

" Winner, look,this isn't a private ,School, here ,students envy and kill even because of ordinary class work how much more the results. Well done , you did well. But it's for your own good."

"What?.... they... they... they kill?" oh my God -"

"That's what I'm saying, but just be very careful. "

For the rest of the Journey, I was very quiet . I kept thinking about what he said.

When I got home and told my parents, they just worsened it by telling me that Mr.Mohammed did wrong. My mum even said that she was going to report him when School resumes. I didn't bother begging her because I knew that's futile when it comes to my mum changing her mind. " Any ways congratulations. I am very proud of you my baby girl! keep! it! up! " she finally said to me.

At night, I kept thinking about the whole scene in School. I felt for the first time , a tiny bit of "like for Osa School".