Chapter 3. My Eyes Lock With The Boy Behind Me

Katherine's POV

"Hello" a group of five girls came around my desk. They introduced themselves as "Elena, Brenda, Linda, Shade, Shayo" And they each welcomed me. Elena was the headgirl of the school. She was a plump,small eyed girl with short hair, plump chest and wide mouth. They are all nice and friendly. And they even complimented my beauty. Elena was sitting next to me but on the next row. The other girls left,leaving just Elena with me.

"We're free now" she said

I replied with a nod. I felt I needed to pee.

"Where is the toilet please?" I wrote down in a note and passed it to her. She read it and smiled at me.

"Come with me" she stood up

All eyes were on me as we moved out of class. I sighed with relief when I was out.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked

"Yes"

We walked down the hallway

"Elena" a familiar voice called at her. We stopped and turned to face the person.. It was Mr Joel.

"Where are you going?" He asked when he got to us

"To the ladies Sir" Elena replied

"I needed help to get to the toilet so Elena offered to help me" I said

"Oh! So nice of you Elena. You're a good girl" he said

"Please make sure you show Kate around during lunch okay?" He said

"Yes Sir" she answered

He looked at me with a bright smile on his lips

"I hope you are enjoying our school?" He asked

"Yes Sir" I said

"Its good to hear that from you. Please go ahead"

He walked into a class. And we continued walking too.

"Elena..what's the next subject?" I asked

"Literature/Physics/Account. You're an art student right?"

"Yes, I'm taking literature"

"Don't worry I'll help you with the time table" she said

"Oh thanks Elena"

She stopped in front of a white door

"This is the ladies toilet, go in. I'll be waiting outside"

"Okay" I twisted the knob and went in

Wow! Elena was such a nice girl! She deserved that position given to her. The headgirl in my ex school was mean and rude. She doesn't care about anyone but herself.

Then I thought of that girl that didn't stop staring at me in class with her two friends. Don't they get tired of staring at people?

I hate it when someone stare at me. It makes me nervous.

I did my thing and went back to Elena. The bell rang and her expression changed.

"Are you okay Elena?" I asked

"Yes but I'm sorry Kate, we have to race back to class. Mrs Salako, the physics teacher is a tough woman. We get punished for coming late to class" she explained in a rush

"Okay"

She walked ahead of me and soon we were running to class.

Katherine's POV

The next class was literature. Elena and some other students already left for Physics and Account class. I glanced sideways and my eyes locked with three girls. They all looked away at the same-time.

Perhaps do I have something on my face that won't make them stop looking at me like that?

I felt a presence next to me and I looked. Cullen had taken Jamal's seat.

"Hello" he said

"Hi Cullen"

"I noticed you need someone beside you" he said

I rolled my eyes

"I'm fine alone.. Cullen"

"Sure?"

"100%" I answered

"Have you noticed students around won't stop staring at you?"

I nodded

Exactly! And its freaking me out! Big time!

"Those three girls.." He pointed to them. They are the main lookers! I wish they will stop stating at me!

"And that guy behind us" he whispered

I looked back.

My eyes locked with the black boy behind me. He was the only one sitting at the back with no partner.

He looked away and stared out through the window. "Angella, Caroline and Elizabeth" he pointed respectively. The girl I saw when I wanted to sit beside Jamal was Angella.

"They are mean girls. You have to be careful around them. Now I know they already have their eyes on you"

"Me? Why? I barely know them" I said to Cullen

"You don't have to know them. Angella Benson is the most popular girl in Empire"

Oh! Like i knew it! Angella is another Cynthia in Empire High School.

"Don't worry I'll be your black knight in shinning armour if they try to bother you"

Cullen said

He raised his hands on the table and tightened his muscles.

I smiled at him. Damn it! I don't need a protector or a bodyguard! That might sound too harsh if I say that to him.

"So.. Who.. Is.. That.. Guy?"

I stuttered

Cullen lifted his brows

"You mean Jeffrey Adams?"

I don't know his name but I gave him a short nod.

"That guy.."

He did the tsk tsk sound

I suddenly became desperate to know Jeffrey Adams. There was something strange about him. His expression was distant and he looked unhappy.

"He hardly ever spoke to anybody. He walked up and down with his nose in the air and sour expression on his face. So students gave him a nickname.. GHOST. Actually, Jeffrey was never interested in being friends with anybody" Cullen said

I glanced back at him, he was still staring out through the window.

"Some students said that he attends the school on welfare while some got to thinking that he was from an orphanage home. But I think Jeffrey is hiding like that.. So people won't question him about his financial background" He added

Well I don't think that expression on his face was pertaining to those ideas.

There was more to it. And I wondered why he had such expression on his face. The door opened and a young woman entered the class. She was on blue jeans and black top. She must be the literature teacher.

Cullen stood up

"Attention,Greet the teacher" he said

"Good Morning Ma" They greeted

"How are you all doing?"

"Fine ma" they chorused

"Please sit down Cullen" she said

"Life of a captain" he whispered

Oh! Cullen was the captain of the class.

"I can see we have a new student" she said as she moved closer to my desk

"What's your name?" She stopped two desks to mine.

I stood up to answer

"Katherine Adebowale"

It wasn't hard to say my name this time.

"Can.. I call you Kate for short?"

"Yes Ma"

"Nice.. and i like your shoes"

She said and walked back to the Rostrum in front of the class. Everyone stretched their necks to take a look. And I almost laughed at the sight of long necks. I know my shoe was beautiful. Banjo brought it from Italy. He brought so many stuffs... Some of which my other brothers sent through him to deliver to me.

"I'm Miss Shola, the literature teacher"

She wrote literature on the white marker board.

"Sit down Kate" she said

And I settled back in my chair

"She's fond of complimenting students outfits.. Mostly shoes. I think she's crazy about them"

Cullen jolted down in a piece of paper.

Miss Shola wrote "POETRY" on the board. It was one of my favorite Genre of literature. I'm more familiar with poetry than other genres.

"So what is poetry?"

She asked

I wet my lips, looking down at the tips of my fingers. I pondered if I should raise my hands to answer the question. First day at a new school.. They might think I'm showing off.

No one answered the question. I bit the inside of my cheeks hoping someone would just answer the question. But none, then I heard my name.

"Kate.. Can you help us out?" Miss Shola said

My heartbeat accelerated

Why did she call me?

Oh my God! How do I answer it without stammering?!

Everyone was silent

Angella's POV

I hated this aspect in literature. I was more familiar with Prose and Drama. I just have few ideas concerning Poetry. I knew Miss Shola was going to call the new girl. Its her way to testing new students to see if she's worth to be in the class. Katherine would have to answer many questions from serval teachers. It's Kate testing period 1,she would be taken to the lower class if she doesn't pass the Test 2 which is written.

I wonder why she was in Class 3.. Usually they don't admit student into Ss 3. And I got to thinking that Kate's Parents must be rich.

She stood up to answer Miss Shola's question. Now let's see what you've gat Katherine. I hope she fails.

"Poetry.." she stopped

Oh! There she goes stammering like Father Moses. She's probably his descendant. Or was she trying to put up an act?

"Poetry has no universal definition like some other fields of learning. Nevertheless, it can be defined as an imaginative rendition that gives powerful expression to experiences, ideas and feelings in a metaphoric language"

She stopped

Miss Shola smile at her

"That was amusing" she said

What was so amusing? Mtchew.

"Now Kate..tell me how Williams Wordsworth defined Poetry" she said

Wow! She won't get that! Only a Genius would remember Wordsworth definition of poetry.

Kate was silent

Kindly give up and sit down with shame.

"Williams Wordsworth defined poetry as the spontaneous overflow or outburst of powerful feelings recollected In tranquility"

I opened my old note

Unbelievable! She got it right!

"W. H Aiden?"

"He defined poetry as a memorable speech"

"W. B Yeats?"

"Emphasized the emotional aspect of poetry when he declared it as truth seen with passion"

"Thomas Hardy?"Miss Shola asked again

"Uhm.. He pictured it as emotion put into measures"

Then it ended

"Wow! Very..very.. Good" She said

"Honestly I didn't expect -"

She was interrupted by a clap. It was Cullen who started clapping and other joined in except me. My girls clapped too

"Wow! She's a genius" Caroline whispered and winked at Me.

Fury crashed over me and I clenched my fists.

How come she knew all those definitions?

"Kate take your seat" Miss Shola said

And she sat back in her chair

Now what was she feeling Like?

"Please what's the name of your previous school?" she asked

Are we to discuss about Kate in today's class? Rubbish!

"Linda Girls College"

"So I guess you were a straight A student?.. Please be honest"

Miss Shola studied her

Well it easy to lie about stuffs like this since there are no evidences backing it up.

"Yes.. Straight A student. I scored A in all other subjects but I never scored higher than B in mathematics" Kate answered

"I like you Kate. You're honest. Well Mr Joel showed me your report card from your previous school. And I saw B in mathematics. Keep that record up in our school too"

Now Miss Shola thinks she's some kind of Book Goddess 'Efiko'. Kate was just a pompous show off.

My records are not so bad. I am a Straight B student but I never scored higher than D in mathematics. I hate Mathematics. And I was never friends with it.

Everything about Kate gives me concern. Her beauty, intelligence and composure. I hope Joseph doesn't fall for her. Silly Cullen was already making friends with Kate. Its none of my business if she decided to be friends with everyone but not with Joseph James. He's my boyfriend! And I can't stand him looking at another girl.

Two things I won't let Kate take away from me, Joseph and my recognition as the most popular girl and prettiest in Senior Class. I would deal with her ruthlessly if she takes them from me.

"From the definitions Kate gave one can sum poetry up as Passions, emotions, feelings, speeches, truths, thoughtfully articulated and conveyed in a condensed language. We've treated this topic but I'm surprised none of you can give me atleast one definition. Anyways let's continue. Types of Poetry"

She wrote down on the board.

After class that day, some girls went to Kate and demanded for more explanation about poetry and other Genres of literature. I listened to her as she explained to them until other students came in with the next teacher. Kate seems shy at first but when she started into work all of a sudden she was entirely different and confident.

And on several occasions in English Class, I caught Joseph staring at her.

It shouldn't be what am thinking!

•••••••••••••••••

Katherine's POV

My parent weren't home when I came back from school around 5:00pm. Nanny Patricia said mommy went to see a friend who was celebrating her birthday today. I didn't need anyone to tell me Dad was still at work attending business meetings. I ate dinner with Pat and told her everything that happened at school. Actually, she warned me to stay away from Angella and her friends to avoid trouble. Exactly! I don't want Daddy yelling at me again for being a bad girl. And i keep praying over and over again that Angella won't be like Cynthia.

I sat writing on my bed. I really like my room. Fresh pink and white sheet on the bed,framed photographs on the dressing table on and pink painted walls. Its my little sanctuary and I take comfort in it whenever mom was away from home during my holidays. I sat writing in my diary Brother (Okunola) in Manchester sent it to me as a gift on my 16th birthday. And it been a while I've written in it.

"I am glad to be in Empire High School but nothing can be compared to Linda Girls College. I can believe how much I missed everything and everyone.. Especially Senior Faith. I sent an apology letter to Principal Joy during holiday but I hope that someday they will get to know the truth. Dear Diary, only you, mom and pat believed that I was innocent. Dad doesn't and I feel he hates me now. He seized my cellphone thinking I stayed up chatting with Charles and Senior Faith. What do I do to make him trust and believe me again? It Sad. I'll try to be happy in my new school. Well, I met some nice people today,Elena, Cullen, Jamal and others. I think someone in my class wants to be like Cynthia.. She didn't stop staring at me like I had shit on my body. I'll do my best to avoid her. And there's Jeffrey.. He looked Sad and unhappy. I think there's something bothering him. It none of my business but I feel sorry for him.. and I don't know why.."

I flipped pages in my diary. My eyes caught a page where I wrote my purpose of attending Empire High School.

"To read my books, mind my business and pass my SSCE"

I turned to the back page of my diary and I saw my favorite poem which I had written in it.

"Ulysses By Lord Alfred Tennyson" And i had picked a motto from a line in the poem.

"To Strive, To Seek, To Find and not to Yield"

I can do this! I have to prove to my dad that I am a good girl. Then i kept my diary in place and went on my kneels and prayed to God to softened my dad's heart towards me. And take every hindrances in my way...