chapter 9

Its two months after the arrival of Sadik in Royal secondary school and their examination was just a week ahead. Because of the anniversary, the students were not given continuous assessment. Their examination will be marked 100 percent and will be announced during the ceremony. Sadik and Peter had been preparing so hard for the examination. Sadik tried his best to avoid coming across Fatima. And the more he tried to avoid her, the more he felt so attracted to her.

Before their examination started, all the students were randomly given numbers irrespective of their class. The students were to sit according to the number in the examination hall. The school brought that system in other to reduce communication between students of the same class during the examination. The school examination hall is very big enough to contain all the students in the school. There was a large space in the hall which divided it in two parts the north and south wing. The seats in the hall were arranged in such a way that the students in the south wing will face the students in the north wing. Some classes write their exams in the morning while others in the afternoon.

The school examination started on Monday. Sadik and Peter walked to the examination hall. Sadik was anxious because it was the first time he will be writing an examination in Royal secondary school."Don't be scared Sadik, just try and concentrate" Peter tried to encourage Sadik."Thank you Peter, I will try my best" Sadik responded."Okay let's go in Sadik before the examination supervisors arrive "Peter suggested and they walked into the hall. Sadik sat on a front seat in the north wing while Peter was somewhere in the middle. When Sadik raised his head, he unexpectedly made an eye contact with Fatima who was sitting in the front seat in the south wing and he quickly looked away. He felt something he hasn't felt in a while. It was a desire he can't stand. It was like every atom of his body was disorientated when he saw her.

He tried his best not to look at her for the second time. But when the exams started, Sadik could not take it anymore. It got to a point where he stopped writing and kept looking at Fatima as she was writing."Just see how beautiful she is" Sadik thought in his mind. When Fatima looked up, she saw him looking at her but this time he didn't look away. They both stared at each other for almost 5 second and they both broke the eye contact. Sadik felt like there was a kind of connection that exists between them. It was like they had known each other for thousands of years. He felt like they were involved in a kind of communication that only the two of them could understand, and the hundreds of students surrounding them did not know what was happening. Suddenly, an emotion of happiness was ignited within Sadik and a smile broke on his face.

After the examination, Sadik went to class to Study more. He was alone in the class. He studied for 3 hours and he decide go to the mosque to pray when it was 2 O'clock. When he was done praying, he moved to the hostel to change into his house uniform. As soon as he entered their room, Peter jumped up from his bed."Where have you been Sadik? I've been looking for almost everywhere" He asked."Oh not everywhere, you would have found me if you really searched everywhere" Sadik joked."Where did you hide yourself?" Peter questioned."I've been in the class reading" Sadik replied."Oh you are so selfish, why didn't you look for me so that we will go together?" Peter nagged."What did you say you were doing?" David asked."I was in the class reading" Sadik replied." Please stop wasting your time" David laughed and he walked out of the room."He's a jerk you know, don't mind him" Peter said."I know he's a jerk more than you do" Sadik replied and Peter laughed."I'm going in the evening again, in case you want to go" Sadik announced."Of course I want to" Peter responded.

In the evening around 4 O'clock, Sadik walked out of their hostel to go and study. On their way to class, they met Sarah and Mary."Hey Sadik, where are you guys going to?" Sarah asked."We are going to the class" Sadik replied."And what do you intend to do there?" Mary asked."We have something to take care of "Sadik responded."Oh sounds greats, we are our on way to the clinic" Sarah said."Who's sick?" Sadik asked."Is Mary, she said she's having a stomach pain" Sarah answered."I wish you a fast recovery Mary" Sadik sympathized."Ok we will meet later" Sarah concluded. Sadik and Peter went to SS2 C and studied there. They studied for almost 2 hours and left when it was 6 O'clock. Sadik went to mosque while Peter went to the hostel.

The school examination was Finally over, and they have three days left before the school will be closed. Throughout their examinations, Sadik felt an attraction growing between him and Fatima. They kept looking at each other in the examination hall and each time they come to pass each other. Sadik had a feeling that he will be welcomed when he talks to her, but when he remembered that she always embarrasses whoever talks to her, he felt discouraged. The school had been preparing for its 20th anniversary before the conclusion of the examination. And the students were engaged in extra-curricular activities after their examination since they have covered their syllabus for the term.

One Tuesday evening after their examination, the students had all worn their track suits prepared for the sport. When they got to the field, he saw Fatima playing hand ball. He moved close to the hand ball court and watched her playing. When she was playing, she also turned and look at him. And she kept making mistakes in game because her attention was also not in the game. When she made a funny mistake, they looked at each and laughed. Sadik could not believe everything happening was real. It was like those kinds of dreams that you will wish you never wake. Even thought they had never spoken to each other, they were involved in a communication thousands of words could not express.

The ball went out of play and fell close to Sadik. Sadik bent down and picked the ball. As soon he got up, he saw Fatima walking towards him to receive the ball. He started feeling nervous when she got close to him. He smiled and handed her the ball. She was also smiling when she received the ball. When she collected the ball, she turned and headed back to the court. When she was about to enter the court, she turned and looked at Sadik again before going in.

Suddenly Peter appeared before Sadik."Oh my God, I can't believe what I have just seen" Peter said surprisingly."Have you seen what happened?" Sadik happily asked."Of course I have, and from the way she looked at you, I think she really likes you" Peter Said. Sadik smiled without saying anything more."I don't think you will like to play, but the players in the football field are looking for you to play with them" Peter announced."Is just like you said, I'm not going to play" Sadik responded."Well, you better go there because you are the only boy watching this girls' game" Peter advised. "You should go there before other boys will notice you" Peter added and he held Sadik by the hand and pulled him to the football field.

As soon as Sadik got to the football field, both teams started arguing that he is to play on their side."Alright let him decide which side he wants to play for" Anas suggested."Okay you should choose Sadik" the head boy said. Sadik kept quiet and looked at both teams for a while and finally chose Anas's team.

When it was 6 O'clock, Sadik and Peter moved to the hostel and changed into their house uniform."What program are we having tonight?" Sadik asked Peter."I think it will be a film show" Peter answered."Okay let me go to the mosque and pray, we will meet in the dining hall" Sadik concluded. In the night after their dinner, Sadik walked into their room and found Peter trying to sleep."Aren't you going to the film show?" Sadik questioned."I don't think so, I'm so sleepy" Peter replied. "Okay that means I will have to go alone" Sadik said."Okay you shouldn't bother yourself waking me if you come back" Peter concluded."And why should I bother waking you?" Sadik inquired."Because you might come with some good news about Fatima" Peter laughed. Sadik smiled and left the room.

The film show usually takes place in the school examination hall. Students who were interested in watching movies used to be there and those who were not remained in their hostels. Sadik went to hall and found out that the film show had already begun. The film show was made possible with the aid of a projector placed in the middle of hall and two big speakers that were audible to even those who were not in the hall. He looked around to see if Fatima was around but he noticed her absence. He only saw her two friends were there."She must be close since her friends are here" Sadik thought. He went close to a small boy who was in JSS1."Hey do you know the title of the movie we are watching?" Sadik inquired."Yes I do, the name of the movie is 'my date with the president's daughter' " the boy responded. It was the first time Sadik had ever seen a projector, he sat down and watched the movie with amazement. After about 10 minutes, Fatima walked in from the door behind wearing a white dress even though students were not allowed to wear anything other than their class uniform or house uniform. Most of the students turned and looked at her for she's broken a law. Sadik turned and looked at her with an excitement, she was indeed so pretty."I wish the boarding house master will come here and deal with this arrogant girl" the JSS1 boy said. Sadik glared at him feeling like smashing him."Is not your fault, you are too young to know what's good" Sadik said in his mind.

Fatima walked and Sat with her friends in the middle. Sadik moved from his position to place where he can see Fatima and sat there. The film show continues, and the good thing about it was that he caught Fatima looking at him about 3 times. They kept making eye contact throughout the film show. When a funny scene occurred, they both laughed and looked at each other. The incident there removed all the fears in Sadik's heart and gave him an immeasurable courage feeling like he was going to be welcomed. And he was somehow sure that she was feeling what he was feeling at that time. What happened there was beyond articulation that made Sadik wished he will remain in that moment forever.

The time moved faster than expected. It was 9 O'clock and all the female students were required to go back to their hostels."Sadik I didn't know you were here" said a voice ahead of him and he discovered it was Sarah trying to leave."Hey Sarah, I thought you didn't come too" Sadik replied." I was here since the beginning of the film show. I sat at the front sit maybe that's why you didn't notice me" Sarah explained."So how was the movie?" Sadik asked."It was so interesting even though this is the third time I'm watching it" Sarah answered."Oh really?"Sadik said."Yes of course. It's 9 O'clock already, let me go back to the hostel" Sarah responded and she walked out of the hall.

Sadik saw Fatima's friends leaving without her and he thought he' has finally gotten a chance to talk to her. He moved to the door where the female students were going out and stopped there. And at last, Fatima was coming to leave the hall. As she approached him towards the door, his heart started beating fast, and the closer she got the faster it beat. They were looking at each other when she got closer to him. She looked like she knew Sadik was going to talk to her and her face was bright as the moon.

As soon as Sadik was about to say something to her, someone interrupted."Hey Fatima, I didn't know you will come". When Sadik turned, he noticed that it was the head boy. Immediately, Fatima's bright face turned to red like the setting sun and Sadik quickly walked forward and left them. When he walked a few metres away, Sadik turned back and saw Fatima looking back at him. She looked like she wished to talk to him. Sadik walked back to the hostel happily and went straight to Peter's bed. He was about to wake him then he decided he will tell him what happened in the morning.