Someone with a head on her shoulders

WARNING! THIS CHAPTER IS SENSITIVE

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"WHO CAN TELL ME, what you'll use to solve this mathematical problem?"

As soon as that question left Mr Lekans mouth everywhere became extremely quiet. Not like I was expecting anything different, like I said my school wasn't really filled with the brightest students.

Then he started calling out names

"Daniel" he strained out.

Daniel stood up immediately, he looked somewhat determined to answer the question.

"Sir" he started "I don't know the answer" he boldly voiced out, then a grin broke out on his face. Yup I was definitely expecting this.

The class that was once quiet went into a fit of laughter's. You see Daniel was... would I call him...the jokester of the class, though he was actually really smart he just loved playing around. I'm pretty positive he actually knew the answer to the question to begin with.

"Everybody keep quiet!" My maths teacher yelled making the class revert back to absolute silence.

He only glared at Daniel and told him to seat down but not before calling him a 'stupid boy'.

"If no one can answer this question, none of you are going out for your lunch break" everyone groaned at this.

"Sir haba na, you can't do that" A girl, I think her name was Miracle called out.

"Ehnn? Oya watch me na" he smirked. I honestly believed he would go through with his words as he has done it before in the past.

Sighing in a low voice I decided to raise my hand. I really didn't mind being held back on my lunch break like the other's, I mean I didn't have any friends to begin with that I was dying to see or anything, but I was actually planning on going somewhere when the lunch break begins. And I plan to keep to that.

"Yes Rica, you have something to say?" He looked surprised though that I rose my hand, because I never and I mean never raise my hand in class. Only when I'm asked specifically that I answer.

"The answer is Pythagorean theorem" I mumbled.

"Even after one month she can't still speak out loud" I heard a voice Snicker beside me.

I didn't even bother to look I already knew it was Runke.

"Correct" Mr Lekan beamed.

"Are you people seeing your mate, somebody with a head on her shoulder. If you like ehn, you people don't brazen up. It's until you see yourselves pushing wheelbarrow in the future that your eyes will open. Mtchew nonsense" As you can see Mr Lekan was that one teacher that insulted his students without any care in the world. Although our school had a policy for no beating and no insulting from teachers. My math teacher was one of those teachers that didn't bother to abide by it. He was fearless I would give him that.

As he was about to add more to his speech about how unserious most people in the class were the bell rang signalling it was time for lunch break. Praise Jesus!

'Thank God' could be heard from every Corner of the class.

"See these children o, you're happy you're leaving my class abi? Don't worry I hope you people know you're having me again the period after your lunch break?" Groans left the mouths of almost all the students in the classroom.

( *abi* is a type of Nigerian slangs used In place of the English word 'Right'- I will be using it a lot, so it would be nice if you could take note of it, thanks)

Mr Lekan only laughed then dismissed us all.

Immediately I started packing my books in my bag and hug my bagpack on my back. I'm sure you're wondering why I was bothering to carry my school bag while I could just save myself the stress and leave it in the classroom. Well I've tried that before and let's just say I had to get a completely new school bag the next day. My classmates weren't exactly really the nicest.

"Miss Okafor" I heard Mr Lenka call out my name as he was about to leave the class...well more like my surname.

I turned to him curious as to why he was calling me, some people that were still in the class also did the same.

Releasing a small smile he spoke "I'm happy that you're back" after that he left.

I stood still in the same spot that I was in shocked by his words. After a short time I released a very small smile of my own happy that someone actually missed my presence, well there was always a first for everything right? I mean even my own parents didn't miss me, I knew that because they didn't even bother to visit me once in the month that I was away... sometimes I get the feeling that they aren't even my real parents to be perfectly honest, so Mr Lekans words came to me as a surprise.

...

"Rica! Jesus Christ what do you think you're doing! Come down from there" turning back slightly I saw that it was my mother that just entered my room.

"I'm tired of this house, I'm tired of you people" I muttered with a shaky voice, putting one leg out the window while the other one was still standing on the edge.

"I said come down from there right this instance young lady!"

I was standing on the edge of the window in my room already prepared to jump, I was mildly confident I wasn't going to be able to survive the fall, afterall my room was at the very top floor. Already a suicide note was placed neatly on my bedside cupboard but I'm sure my mom hasn't seen it yet.

"See this stupid girl o, so you want to jump and kill yourself so people will start pointing their fingers at me saying it's my fault bah?. Ungrateful child!" A tear slipped out of my eye at my mother's words. Of course Mrs Okafor would always be self centered even till the very end, only caring about what others would think of her as a mother, and not how her own child thought of her.

Releasing a small sad smile I removed my other leg from the edge of the window and then I fell.

.....

"....ca"

"....ica"

"Rica!"

I was jolted up from my sleep by a voice.

I rubbed my face with the back of my hand to remove the sleep from my eyes.

"Yes?" I responded although I haven't gotten a good look of the person's face.

"Are you okay?" It sounded like a male voice.

At the question I removed my hand from my eyes to see the person that was talking to me.

Who on Earth would be bothered about my well being?

"Rica? Rica are you hearing me" Dili snapped his fingers in front of my face, a look of concerned graced his face. And yes you heard that right, it was Dili the Golden boy of the school. Why on Earth was he here? In the library of all places? This was my safehaven so to say, and no one really comes here during lunch break.

"How do you know my name" yes great going Rica, the first thing that comes out of your mouth had to be that.

A beaming smile slowly took over his face, he's dimple's shining ever soo brightly. Swoon. He was quite the looker if I do say so myself.

"We are in the same class Rica, of course I know your name" he chuckled as if he found the question funny. I honestly almost forgot that we were actually really in the same class.

"Oh" was my bright response.

Abruptly a look of surprise took over his face. Confused I scrunched my face a little.

"Why are you crying?" He suddenly asked.

"I'm not cr..." I didn't get to finish my statement because as I touched my cheeks just to confirm, it turns out that tears were actually on my cheeks.

Oh right almost forgot about 'that' dream.

"It's nothing" I muttered.

He gave me an unapproving look like he didn't believe a word I said. Once again he had that look that seemed like he knew something about me that others didn't, like he knew more than he was letting on.

"What are you doing here?" Realizing how rude my question sounded I immediately used my hand to place it over my mouth. I mean he did have every right to the library as much as I did, it was a general library afterall. I'm just surprised he came here that's all.

He didn't look offended though as he spoke.

"Well I've been looking for you everywhere"

My eyes widened on their own accord at his words.

"Looking for me?" I asked just to confirm that I heard him right.

"Yes" he responded with a smile, he really was a cheerful person. Unlike me.

"Why?" Still not understanding the boy I asked.

"Because I wanted to ask you to be my friend"

Different emotions engulfed me all at the same time, confusion, disbelief and more confusion. Ok so it was more like only two emotions that I was feeling.

From Dili's question I wouldn't be surprised if he was actually on some kind of high end medication.