Apes.

Warm-up exercises ended in 20 minutes, we didn't do much, but my lazy ass is already tired and breathing like I just ran a marathon. I am so out of shape and I refuse to exercise no matter how much my Mom stresses over it. All the students start filing back inside the school.

I take a quick look around to see if I can find anyone from my group, none. I shrug and make my way inside too. Once inside I notice that a section of the lawn opposite the hall has been marked with chalk and divided into 4 rows like a 100m race track.

Some sacks were set beside the makeshift track, maybe for sack race or something.

Students that came inside before me were gathered in front of the hall and I didn't know why so disobeying my parent's constant advice to not follow the crowd, I followed the crowd, literally. I laugh a little and a student walking beside me gives me a strange look, I return it back, mind your business.

When everyone had gathered another coach got up front with a Megaphone. I'm a little surprised because it's my first time seeing one. The coach looks like he wants to start speaking but the crowd is noisy so I think he's waiting for an opening, Nigerians and noise, he should just start talking, I think to myself.

Almost like he heard my thought, he starts talking and the noise stops, "Good day students, this is the first official sports day for the semester. We don't always have them exactly like this one, but, today is an exception, to welcome our new students. The basketball, volleyball and badminton are for the senior's only, meaning if a junior is caught handling any equipment or on any of the courts, they would be punished".

"The lawn marked with chalk is for the junior students only. Enjoy the day, and when you hear the bell that means that sports is over." He turns of the megaphone and walks away, the students start to disperse.

I turn to start making my way to the senior's side when someone places a hand on my shoulder, its David. What is with this guy?!

"Emma! I saw you looking around outside, I know you were looking for me. You can relax now that I'm here," he says with a free smile.

"Do I know you?" I say with my best fake confused expression but I can't hold it for long before laughing. He pinches my cheek, "See? You can't deny me. I know you want me." I snort,

"Please. I want you to leave". He presses a hand to his chest and gasps, feigning being hurt, "You're breaking my fragile heart. Don't you know that I'm soft?" I laugh.

We're at the badminton court now so I stop walking and find a place on a bench nearby to sit, he does the same. "I haven't even said anything hurtful", before he could reply my brother walks up to us and sits beside David.

He leans forward and gives me a pointed look, "So you came here to sit down, while your mates are having fun."

David chuckles, I inhale deeply, is it by force to have a twin!!,

"This boy, why won't you leave me alone. And who says I'm not having fun, big head",

"Coconut head",

"Big head",

"Coconut head". I don't reply this time so he smiles and says "Ha! I win." despite my irritation I smile too, shake my head and whisper, "Idiot."

*************************

After a while I'm already tired of sitting on the bench I look around and see that other seniors are hanging around too. We can't play on any of the courts because the final year students have been hogging all the space.

Nobody wants to be the hero to ask for a spot because nobody wants to be punished, from what I can see they're right to stay away. They all look like a bunch of angry hormonal apes, the girls included too.

In answer to everyone's prayers, a coach comes up to the courts with a megaphone and announces, "SS3 students, you are all needed back in your classrooms immediately for extra classes", he turns and walks away, Thank God for exams!.

Suddenly everyone around starts clapping, laughing and cheering. The mood is infectious so I get up, laughing and join in too. The seniors look pissed off by it but they can't punish all of us no matter how much they might want to.

One of the apes passing by suddenly slows down and looks straight at me, giving me a sour look. My laughter dies down but I still have a smile on my face and his frown deepens.

What's his problem? I'm not the only one cheering. My brother is doing it too and he's not even interested.The ape speeds up again and soon he's out of sight, David saw it too but he doesn't say anything, my look probably is to blame for the unwanted attention.

My hair is black, really black, natural and full, braided all back, full eyebrows that looks carved, full long lashes, small nose and small lips, slightly round face. The glasses and skin colour is just an added bonus, like an ad that says, "Stare at me and don't look away until I stare back."

I'm not beautiful and i don't believe I'm ugly either, people say I'm cute but i don't see it myself. what i see is average.

I'm thin but not too thin and not too packaged either, Thank God. In general I just look different. At this point in my life I already realize that I'm weird.

I prefer playing action games to dress- up games, I don't act like an idiot when an insect comes close to me, like most girls that shriek when they see an ant or something. The only exception is spiders. spiders are evil demons.

I don't want big boobs or a huge ass, like most girls desire, like "Why ask for excess package?!". I'd rather be without the attention of guys than with their attention, you never know what bad omen you would attract someday, strictly speaking from past experience, so I'm generally sour to most guys. David is sensible so he gets a pass.

Even among my siblings, I look different, i don't look like my twin either but there are a few similarities. My sister keeps asking me which side of the family I'm from as a joke, as if i would know.

By now all the seniors are gone so I quickly move forward and pick up one of the badminton rackets, Favour picks up the other one and waves at me from the other side of the net and I smile and wave back.

Some of our classmates gather round the court and the rest move towards basketball and volleyball courts. Now I'm aware then everyone is watching me, I can already feel my hands starting to shake a little and I let out a nervous laugh.

My eyes land on David and he smiles and gives me a thumb up, my brother just laughs at me like the idiot that he is, as though he can see the fear clinging to me.

David suddenly stands up and picks up an extra badminton racket and comes to my side of the court, "Your eyes were begging me to be your partner", he bursts out laughing, "You're just mad."

My brother shocks me, picks up another racket and joins Favour on the other side, making it a team game.

A coach, female this time, comes to stand by the net and asks if we would like her to officiate our play, everyone agrees.

The coach moves to sit on a long legged chair, at the left side of the court, cards, score board and markers in hand and a whistle around her neck. She makes it feel like a real game.

We all get into a stance and I imagine that we're in a game, I'm going to enjoy this!, i think to myself before the coach blows the whistle.