CHAPTER 51

"The classroom was filled with the clamor of students, with Hamza at the center of it all. Suddenly, a loud voice interrupted the commotion. 'Why is there so much noise? What are you all doing here?' The words echoed across the room, shattering the boisterous atmosphere like an alarm. Everyone dispersed hastily, and Hamza, bewildered, was quickly nudged by David, who urged them to move safely to their classroom.

Arriving at their destination, Hamza and his friends were out of breath. Trying to make sense of what happened, Hamza asked, 'What exactly just occurred? Why did we all run?' His face expressed confusion as he looked to Abayomi for an explanation.

Abayomi chuckled and glanced at Hamza, clearly amused by his confusion. 'That was Mr. Wahab,' he explained. 'He's a stern and feared teacher. The noise we made probably caught his attention.'

"Hamza grasped the situation and turned to David, inquiring, 'So, did you get what we talked about ?'

David wore a smile on his face as he replied, 'Yup, I grapped it from the beginnig. Still, I can’t fathom the transformation from the Hamza who sings soft songs to the one who can rap on the streets. You really outperformed him.'

'Hehe, I don’t even understand it myself. It just felt like it was within me, waiting to come out,' Hamza confessed, clearly perplexed by his sudden turn in the rap battle against Segun.

Abayomi, feeling out of the loop, had to ask, 'Hey, what are you guys hiding from me that I don’t know, eh?'

'Do you really want to know?' David teased Abayomi, who anticipated the prank, suspecting it was payback for his past teasing. Chuckling, Abayomi encouraged, 'Oh, come on, bro, spill the beans.'

With a triumphant smile, David revealed, 'Alright, here's what happened: since Hamza doesn’t have an Instagram account, I suggested that we create one for him. Then we recorded his rap performance and posted the video online to start building a fan base.'

Abayomi, impressed, commented, 'That actually makes sense. I never thought you’d use your brain in that way, hehe,' teasing David once more. They continued bantering until the teacher entered the classroom. The rest of the day continued as usual, and soon came to a typical end."

"As the bell rang and the class ended, the buzz of chatter filled the air as everyone prepared to head home. All eyes, however, seemed fixed on Hamza, who was engaged in conversation with his friends. The recent rap battle and his strong response to Segun's insults had attracted a crowd. Nearly everyone in the class gathered around Hamza, bombarding him with questions. Despite the attention, Hamza wore a persistent smile. He appreciated the recognition his talent was receiving, clearly enjoying the acknowledgment from his peers."

Kennedy’s expression was visibly sour after Hamza not only won the rap battle but also gained popularity across the entire class. He couldn't wait for the inevitable heartbreak he anticipated for Hamza, wanting to relish Hamza's misery. Distressed by the constant sight of Sofia and Hamza together, he sought a way to express his frustrations. Walking in the opposite direction from the crowd, he eventually found Sofia waiting there.

He approached her, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Hey, Sofia, how's it going?"

Turning to face Ken, Sofia's face showed a subtle smile. "I'm good. What about you?"

"I can't say the same. When are you going to end things with Hamza? It's frustrating to see you two together," Ken expressed his frustration about Hamza's constant presence with Sofia, coupled with the failure of his plan to embarrass him.

Sofia chuckled, gently holding Ken's face. "Don't worry, Ken. There's a time for everything. He'll get what's coming to him. Please don't get too anxious," Sofia said, trying to pacify Ken from doing anything impulsive that could risk their plan.

Understanding Sofia's message, Ken nodded in agreement. "Don't worry, I won't do anything to jeopardize our plan."

.....

Unaware of the brewing scheme against him, Hamza bid farewell to his classmates before heading downstairs with his friends. As they walked, a thought crossed Hamza's mind, prompting him to address David, "Hey, bro, remember the Instagram thing we discussed?"

David responded reassuringly, "Of course, I've got it covered. What time should I come over tomorrow?"

Hamza thought for a moment, then replied, "It's up to you; just come early so we can make progress. See you, guys," waving at his friends who waved back, before heading home.

The following day rushed in, and Hamza sprang up with anticipation, knowing that David was due to visit. As he readied himself, he decided to check his system. It had been a while since he last accessed it, and the very thought brought the system window to life.

System Data

- Name:Adekunle Hamza

- Age:17 years

- Vocal Level: Beginner 7

- Composing Level: Beginner 3

- Dance Level: NIL

- Acting Level: Beginner 2

- Instrumental Levels:

- Guitar: 7

- Kambali: 5

- Flute: 4

- Performance Points (PP): 9,089

- System Level 1: [9,089/10,000]

- Note: The player should level up for more features and functions.

Seeing his performance points nearly reaching the limit for an upgrade, Hamza was astonished. He was thrilled about what potential upgrades the system might unlock. He hadn't used the system much recently as he was still figuring out its functions, but gradually, things were starting to make more sense. Each of his skills - be it in instruments, acting, or vocals - seemed to require reaching certain points before they could advance to a higher level. Upon achieving beginner level 10, the skill would move to intermediary level 1. He anticipated the journey to reach those levels, understanding that it wouldn't be easy and might take some time. Still, he was excited to see what the future held.

An interruption in the form of a voice from outside the room alerted Hamza. "Brother Hamza, your friend is here." Upon hearing this, he quickly got ready to meet his friends, who were sitting in the living room having a conversation with Adekunle.

Adekunle, in the midst of a conversation with David, spotted Hamza standing and playfully said, "Hamza, come, sit. I was just asking your friend here why you've been grinning all week." Adekunle chuckled, intending to tease Hamza.

Seeing this, Hamza glanced at David with a look that said, "Don't you dare say anything, or I'll get you." With a chuckle, Hamza replied, "Oh, it's just that I've been getting to know everyone in the class. They saw the video of me singing, and they seemed to like it. That's why I've been smiling." It was a cover-up for the real reason, which was his growing feelings for Sofia.

David chuckled at Hamza's protective look, deciding not to press further.

Adekunle found Hamza's effort to mask his budding emotions rather amusing. He was aware of Hamza's fib but chose not to expose him. Rising from his seat, he said, "Alright, if you say so. You guys go do your thing."

Hamza, relieved that Adekunle hadn't pursued the conversation further, asked David cautiously, "You didn’t say anything, right?"

David chuckled at Hamza’s visible relief. He knew Adekunle was already aware of Hamza's emotions, yet Adekunle enjoyed teasing him. "Of course not. Why would I snitch on you, bro?" he responded, extending his hand for a shake. Hamza reciprocated the gesture.

Feeling more at ease, Hamza guided David to his room, giving him a brief tour before saying, "Let's get down to business." Suddenly recalling, he inquired, "Have you managed to open the Instagram account for me?"

Shaking his head, David explained, "I was planning to do it at home, but I realized it'd be better if you were present to choose your username and set it up the way you want."

Hamza agreed, saying, "That sounds like a plan, bro. Why don't we do that first?"

The process of opening an Instagram account wasn't particularly difficult. Within fifteen minutes, the account was set up, yet it lacked a display picture. David suggested, "Why don’t you snap a picture and upload it? I've seen several people impersonating you on Instagram, so it's essential that your account is distinguishable as the original."

Hamza agreed, "Sure. How should we take the picture?" He looked to David for guidance since he wasn’t sure about poses or being photogenic.

David chuckled, sensing Hamza's uncertainty. After scanning the room, he spotted Hamza's guitar and got an idea. He turned to Hamza and said, "Grab your guitar and sit on your study chair."

Hamza did as instructed and sat on the chair, waiting for David's instruction on what to do. David, who seemed like an expert, guided Hamza on facial reactions, style, and everything required. Within 5 minutes, they found a picture that Hamza liked and used it as his display picture. After reposting the videos Hamza had made and tagging Johnny Drille and Johnny the blogger, they posted a new video of Hamza rapping against Segun. With that done, Hamza turned to David, saying, "Now that's out of the way, let's start with our main business."