Chapter 2 — Trump Card

"Eh, are you the new girl?"

Eniola was about to enter the class when she heard the question. She turned back to check who was talking?

Wow!

She blinked her lashes sharply.

Again and again.

The boy standing in front of her was good looking.

He was like the shining sun and She had the sudden urge to squint. She shook her head at herself.

Stop being silly, Eniola.

She quickly ran her eyes over him. Took note of his wristwatch. It looked expensive. His shoes looked expensive too. His brilliant hair cut, the way his clean and well pressed uniform stood firm on his body added to his serene beauty.

Good. At least they were in the same class.

"Are you?" he asked again. He moved towards her.

That's when Eniola saw her, the social climber trying to steal her Chance.

As a little girl, her mother had taught her how to pick out and disassociate herself from people who were not in her class and the girl beside her smelt exactly like that, below her.

Everyone wore the same uniform given by the school but Eniola knew from the girl's threadbare shoes, the rubber wristwatch and lack of perfume, that they didn't belong in the same class.

"Yes" the girl's voice came out weak.

Timid. Eniola shook her head in distaste. Mama would have knocked her if her voice ever came out like that.

Speak out, mama would have said. You are an Adesanya and the Adesanyas are never afraid of anyone.

Too bad for the girl, Eniola was not about to let anyone steal this boy who had just been dropped right in her laps.

Everything was going well for Eniola and she wanted to call out her thanks to whatever being was watching out for her.

Eniola moved from where she was standing and stood in front of the girl.

"Actually he was talking to me." She turned to the girl and said.

Eniola was shocked at the instant relief on the girl's face.

Okay, what was that?

She was confused. Was the girl not happy the boy was talking to her?

"I'm actually the new girl, not her. My name is Eniola but you can call me Eni"

"Sure Eni, but I was actually talking to her, not you."

He looked behind her for the girl but she was long gone.

He waved at her and left, probably to find the girl.

Eniola wanted the ground to swallow her in embarrassment. She looked around quickly to see if anyone heard or saw what happened but there was no one around. She took a deep breath and entered the class. She wiped her sweaty palm on her well ironed skirt and entered the class.

No one ever looked over her except her parents of course. Her beauty, height, her parents money had made it impossible to do that.

She had learnt how to talk with authority, she didn't feel most of the time from her mother, she had learnt how to give the withering look, the condescending smile and friendly look from her parents, she had learned how to walk right from the models on tv, how to act nice and give a charming smile from her sister and how to move from nice to mean from her elder brother, and her 18 year old self knew how to wield these tools, so no one ever looked over her.

They had no effect on her parents. No charming smile she could give would make her parents think she was anything less than the devil. And given her parents a condescending smile would earn her nothing but a slap. No amount of holding her head up, swinging her hips or walking straight would make her mother blind to her numerous faults, her mother could count even in her sleep.

She could never be her sister no matter how hard she tried and that was what her parents needed.

Simi, never gave me this trouble.

Or can't you behave like your sister and comport yourself.

All the time, it was Simi this, Simi that.

She looked around for a seat. One of her new friends beckoned to her to take a seat beside her.

What was her name again, Chinaza, Chidinma. She couldn't remember. All these igbo names sounded alike and confused her

She dropped her school bag on the chair beside the girl and sat down

The girl sitting in front of the girl who had beckoned her, turned around. "Olanna, is your physics note complete"

Olanna, that was her name. Where in the world had she gotten Chinaza from. She shook her head at herself

"Yeah," Olanna answered. "This is Abigail, she was in the clinic yesterday that's why you didn't see her" she told Eniola

She passed a note to Abigail, who took it from her. It was most likely the physics note.

"Have you collected your timetable from the school secretary?" Abigail asked.

"yes, I did that yesterday. I collected it from the principal. She also gave me a mini tour of the school."

"By herself or she asked one of the teachers?"

"By herself"

She could see the surprised looks on their faces. She smiled to herself. The hefty donation that her parents had given to support the school library and new class buildings had turned the principal's mouth up and offering a personal tour was a small thing as thank you and while most schools would not accept students into the final year, the money had made it a non issue. She hadn't even needed to write an exam. She wondered what look would be on their faces if she told them that.

"I like your hair, who did it for you" Eniola told Abigail.

There was nothing special about the hair but giving complements endeared people to you at least that was what mama said.

The girl smiled shyly.

"I go home every Saturday to make the hair, my mother's hairdresser does it for me"

Maybe she would follow her the next Saturday, she wanted to change her hair style.

"I will go with you next Saturday"

"My mother is the one that signs me out"

"Your mother?" She raised her eyebrow in distaste. "At your age, your mother is signing you out of school, how old are you, sef?"

"no, no, no, your parents have to sign you out from school, that's why "she scrambled to explain.

Without even trying, she had proven her superiority. What had mama said again?

Never give your mates an explanation. Mama voice rang to her.

Well, she definitely was not calling her mother to sign her out, so that was out of the book. Until, she found another way to get out of school without her mother, her hair would have to wait.

Abigail waved another girl over. "Helen, come over"

The girl sauntered over to them.

Eniola raised her eyebrows, this must be the school queen. She watched as people turned aside to talk to her while others waived, definitely the school queen.

"Hey, she greeted Abigail" and turned to Olanna.

Eniola saw the way she refused to acknowledge her. Power play, well she was going to win this one.

Hey, Olanna, I didn't see you at morning assembly, what happened?"

"Mr.Dom called Michael and I to the lab to help him pack the equipment from the physics lab. The school is having the lab fumigated"

"Again?" Abigail asked

"Obviously, the rats have returned" she held Helen's hand. "Helen meet Eniola

Eniola sighed, this Olanna girl didn't know anything about power. Introducing her like that, made her sound like Olanna's girl. She wanted to glare a hole through the girl's head but that would just make her look silly.

Helen was probably waiting for some sort of greeting from Eniola.

She wasn't going to give it her, that would just make her win. The extended silence would soon make it obvious that she wasn't planning on greeting her.

The two other girls shifted uncomfortably in the chairs looking from one girl to the other trying to figure out what was happening

Don't bother your little heads. she thought, you will never get it.

"Enole, Enola" Helen looked. "What sort of name is that?"

"A Yoruba one, dearie." Eniola gave her condescending smile. "Helen" she said it like she was sounding the name out. "Don't you have a native name, while will your first name be english. Aren't your parents proud of where they are from?"

"They are, they are from Calabar"

Got you, Her mother was right, never give an explanation to your mate. Her mother been right left her mouth sour. She hated when her mother was right and her mother was always right.

"Calabar?" She feigned been shocked. "Ntoko people, so you eat dogs?"

"No, I don't"

She turned to Olanna."My mother says Calabar people are wicked and heartless and what would you expect from people who eat dogs." Olanna nodded as though she agreed with her. Eniola wanted to smile but that would spoil the charade, the girl didn't even have a chance.

"No wonder you are fat, why are Calabar girls always fat?" she asked Abigail. The girl stared at her. Shit had gone down so fast she didn't actually expect the girl to have answer

"I'm not fat" Helen whined

Of course you are not, she mimicked her. Cry baby. Eniola could already see her way to the top at this school. It was always so easy.

She spoke louder to draw others attention "Oh, I didn't mean that, I know you are chubby, or plus sized but not fat"

Was the girl about to cry for something so small. Well, it didn't matter she was going to use it to her advantage

"Oh my God, are you crying?" She placed her hand to her chest. She had everyone's attention in the class now.

They were looking at them. She moved closer to her and hugged her." I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to say that. I swear, I am"

The girl pushed her away. "Don't hold me"

She turned and walked out of the class

Eniola looked at Olanna as if to ask what did I do wrong. The girl shrugged.

"I didn't mean it" she whispered loudly making sure those around her heard her.

Olanna patted her hand.

Abigail said "don't mind her"

She nodded her head. She actually didn't mind, Queen bee had just shown herself to be a tantrum throwing child.

She sat down on her chair.

The teacher entered the class and began the roll call

Things were so easy.