When we got to the class, the Maths teacher was already there. We were late though and I honestly thought that he would comment on our lateness and probably pass a few sarcastic comments or even insults on us for not being serious but surprisingly he only nodded when we greeted him not stopping his teaching which made me conclude that he was either in a good mood or didn't have time to display his usual behavior.
We all took seats at the front since the back seats were surprisingly all occupied while the front seats were all empty. I was surprised to see Kaira in class. I still hadn't decided how to approach both her and Chiamaka now that I knew the truth.
I just wanted to know one thing, why?
I listened to the rest of the class with rapt attention while Alesscia seemed hell bent on distracting I, Ubaro and Ifeanyi but failed miserably.
By the time the Maths teacher left, she showed me a dress design she had sketched while class was going on.
"This dress is really gorgeous but were you really not listening to anything the teacher said?" I asked.
"Don't bother. Maths is really easy. Even if I miss a gazillion maths classes, I would still be sure of an A. Besides I think I could wear that for graduation."
"Speaking of graduation anyway, what color are we wearing?" I voiced out too loudly a couple of my other classmates heard it.
"It's true. What are you guys even planning to wear?" Someone announced gaining almost everyone's attention.
"What do you guys think of blue?" Angela asked.
"Last set wore that," Alice said countering her suggestion.
"What of pepper red?" Another person suggested but received the same kind of response Angela got.
"Lilac?" Another suggested.
"Lilac will look childish and won't fit most people. Just imagine Temi or Ola in Lilac. It won't make sense at all."
"You guys should fashi choosing color. Let's just come with our school uniform, we'll just wear a robe on top of it," Chima suggested.
"Really?" Angela asked. "And how do you think you'll look?"
"It will mad. Don't you see how we drip in the school uniform on normal days now imagine how we'll be on that day. We'll just be dripping anyhow," he said earning total silence from the class.
"What if we wear black?" Alesscia asked breaking the silence.
"Nooooo. Abeg no. Even if we are mourning," Someone replied.
"There's nothing wrong with black," I said not really intending to have joined in their discussion before. Everybody seemed to fall quiet for quite a while before I thought I heard someone say, "The queen has decided!"
"Actually there is a big problem with black. I really don't know how you don't know that but there is no way I am wearing black to my graduation..." Adanna started saying but I interrupted her.
"You aren't the only one graduating you know."
"Neither are you. And I don't know what makes you think you can actually make a better choice than the rest of us just because you are Ami's daughter or..."
"Where did that even come from?! I was just freaking asking what was wrong with the color black. I never mentioned Ami and I don't know why you did and what is even your fucking problem. You are just jealous that...."
"Jealous of what?" She asked scoffing. "I'd rather say that I don't have a mother than be proudly saying that someone like Ami Tara is my mother. She could basically do anything to get a few bucks. I mean someone who could..."
"Shut the fuck up!" Ifeanyi said almost yelling.
"Why don't you try shutting me up? Or better still Alya could try to do so. Besides why are you even standing up for her? Last I remembered you broke up with your girlfriend because of her even though I really don't see why you would choose her since..."
"Can you please stop this?" Alesscia said interrupting Adanna.
"Stop what? What exactly am I doing? Alya Chizitaram, I have been meaning to ask you though what's your father's name? Do you even have one because having Chizitaram as a surname is like either you aren't normal or you..."
"White won't be bad. Actually black and white or maybe pepper red and silver. Black and gold. Any of the three," Ubaro said interrupting Adanna.
"That's actually nice. Maybe something like a touch of white," Angela said.
"And we haven't decided what we're doing for the night party. The theme of the party and all..."
"Abi graduation that is in five months or another one. You guys should rest," someone said just as the next teacher came into the class. I gave Ubaro a grateful smile before getting my bag to source for my note.
****
I didn't notice or see Alda until the lesson was over and the whole class was rowdy with students all trying to leave. I left my bag behind as I saw her exiting the class. Going after her was made really difficult for me since all the SS3 students were in that one class and there was quite a crowd.
At that moment I remembered why I hated crowds so much. After struggling past different bodies, I finally made it out of the class. I was sure that the length of time it took me to get away from the class was enough for her to have gone really far.
I searched around taking turns at different ends of the hallways not really sure which she could have taken. I didn't know if she was still in the hostel or if she was a day student at that moment.
When I was about to loose hope, I spotted a dress which looked quite familiar to the one I thought I had seen her wearing earlier. She definetly was no style queen and really wasn't the hugest fan of fashion so it was not impossible that she would have been wearing a lemon green shirt and red bell bottoms trousers with orange stilettos.
And to top it off she had pink braids.
I didn't have enough time to cringe at the mismatch of colors as I decided to focus on my main mission which was to catch up with her before I lost her again.
I took a turn trying my best not to take my eyes off her but that was the moment students chose to crowd that particular path. I tried making my way through the crowd bumping into a couple of people as I threw random apologies and moved on before they got a chance to utter a word.
I had almost reached where she was when I bumped into someone. I quickly muttered an apology without looking at the person as I continued walking. A hand placed on my wrist prevented me from further movement.
I struggled to free myself not looking back at who was holding me all in a bid to not loose Alda. Eventually I lost sight of her.
Enraged I spun around ready to lash out at whichever idiot prevented me from getting to her.
"What's your problem?" I yelled as I turned around.
"For someone who shouldn't be yelling, you do yell a lot."
And right there holding my right wrist was none other than Auti Shakes. Talk about wrong timing.