Despite the fact that I'm supposed to give him space, I couldn't just watch my best friend and say nothing.When I got to school the following Monday, he was already in class and as soon as I spotted him arranging something in his school bag, my heartbeat doubled. Why should I allow this happen? We've not been on good terms for three days.
" Hi, Matt" I greeted first. " I know I've really offended you........." I didn't give him a chance to reply my greeting, but before I could complete the sentence, he touched his index finger to my mouth, keeping me mute.
" Honestly, I should be the one apologizing. I realized the words you said weren't the only reason I got upset. I'm upset because you did far better than me, and I shouldn't be. I really am sorry for been an asshole"
" You know you shouldn't be using such a word. " I warned happy and relieved.
" Yeah, I just couldn't help it. There's no other words to qualify how I behaved. I really overreacted. " He replied." How was your weekend by the way? Last weekend was the longest weekend of my life"
" You have no idea! It was so boring for me too. "I replied.
" I know you're dangerously prepared to claim this award, so are you prepared for the next part? "
" You're kidding right? Dangerous was the exact same word Georgina used too. "
" Excuse me,who? " Matthew quickly searched for Georgina and focused on me again.
" You heard me, Georgina, don't be surprised. We had a lengthy conversation on Friday. "
" Really? I thought you guys were too proud to walk up to each other. "
" First of all, I'm not been proud. Secondly, you both don't talk much either, and then , she was the one who walked up to me. " I lowered my voice now, it was almost a whisper. "And she told me she likes me."
" What? " Matthew was caught off guard.
" Yeah, I was swept off my feet too."
" So, what was your reply?"
" I was too befuddled I couldn't even give a reasonable reply, I stupidly uttered 'what do you mean?',when I intended to tell her something else, she told me to forget about it and changed the topic,and I thought it was best to let it slide "
" And what was your resolution over the weekend? "
" Truth is, I didn't even think about it over the weekend."
"Well, if I were you, I would have. It's one of two options, it's either she genuinely likes you, or she doesn't, you have to figure that out because if you get too engrossed and the latter is the case, then you'll be in trouble. "
" Though, she doesn't seem like someone who's joking, I mean she looked me in the eyes and told me she liked me, but what do you mean by trouble? "
" Well, what I mean is...... Wait you should see the handwriting clearly written on the wall. She's trying to get you distracted, she obviously wants to be the student of the year too. "
I thought deeply. Matt could be right. Some people can stoop to anything to achieve whatever ambition they set out for, irrespective of whoever pays the price. If I got too involved and starts developing feelings for her, I might start losing concentration. And I want to become student of the year, no room for distractions.
"I really need to be careful. " Was all I said.
The bell rang and I went to the assembly but I was brooding all through. I caught glimpse of the principal talking about how some people in our class got disqualified and how the rest of us should put in more effort.
And here I was losing concentration without even developing feelings for her yet.
Yes Georgina was very pretty. The type of girl anyone would describe as perfect, she was the type you called 'figure 8". Although I haven't known her much, I know she's intelligent and beautiful, brave and smart and a good adviser, but what if she was trying to outsmart me?, I wouldn't let that happen.
I avoided her for the rest if the day and my plans were to avoid her for the rest of the week, at least as from the following day we were supposed to be involved with the next part of our competition, but to everyone's dismay, the culinary assessment was not in any way we imagined and by the end if the day, I was sure the assessment was designed against me.
It was Mrs Ojelade, our yoruba teacher who came into our classroom on Tuesday morning for the briefing of the culinary assessment.
" Good morning, class."
"E Káàárò ma. " We replied in unison in yoruba language. We could be really nasty when we want to be.
She smiled. " Though , little Yoruba could be entertained, I want you to know that this is not a Yoruba class. "
Oh, she just made a mistake, my classmates would give her a hard time not differentiating little and excess.
" Yes, ma" we all replied.
She took out her marker and started writing on the white board. " We're going to be having eight groups. Each group with a population of five candidates. "
Wow! I never even thought about that.
" Group A will be cooking Ofada rice with assorted stew." Almost everyone wanted to be in group A immediately.
"Group B will make Pounded yam and Egusi soup." With the way Mrs Ojelade even pronounced the delicacy, everyone fell in love and group A lost it's fans.
" Group C will be making moin-moin and Eko."
"Eko ke?" Someone called from behind.
"No debate,it's what group C will make."Mrs Ojelade countered.
Are you kidding me? I'm almost sure none of us knows how to prepare solid pap. The moin-moin was okay,but the solid pap is enough to disqualify group C,and I quickly prayed I don't fall in that group.
"Group D will be preparing Yam porridge," Mrs Ojelade did not leave room for any counter talk now. Sue continued." Group E will be preparing Àmàlà dúdú with Ewédú and gbègìrì,and of course you'll prepare omi obè too." I wasn't sure I wanted to be in this group too." Group F,yours is to be making Àmàla láfun and Èfó rírò. The seventh group are to make èwà àgòyìn with yam."
Èwà àgòyìn seemed to have some fans too,but even the cheerings died down, Mrs Ojelade made no attempt at saying any other thing.
Didn't she say there were eight groups? Why did she stop at seven? What happened?
" What would the eighth group be preparing?" Someone finally asked.it has to be a guy,one of those of us who qualified for the culinary.
"Will they be making, èwà-àtàgbàdo or what?" Another person queried.
" Or indomie?" That person like me,was beginning to think the last group's recipe had no significance.
" Group H will not be making èwà-àtàgbàdo,neither will they be cooking indomie,what they'll be preparing is.........." She intentionally trailed off again and I knew this woman was supposed to be a screen writer ,she knew exactly how to put people in suspense."......they'll be making Nigerian jollof rice and salad."
You've got to be kidding me. Everyone was thrown in awe. No one imagined there would be any other rice on the menu besides ofada, considering the fact that all previous seven dishes are yorubas,but then rice may not be a local dish,but it's generally accepted by all tribes in Nigeria,and if you ask a hundred yoruba people what dish they wanted,even for free,the greatest percentage would go for Nigerian jollof,so why didn't we all think of it.
Now I wanted to be in that group, because more than all the other dishes,I was a veteran at cooking jollof rice. I don't want to be in group B anymore. I know what I want and I'll be going for it.
" So,when do we get to peer ourselves?" Busola queried and everyone started to cheer and talk to show they were in support of the question. There will be a lot of quarrel because I'm not sure anyone wanted to be in some of the groups,as much as I'll like the be in the Èfó rírò group,I don't want to be in any òkèlè ,besides pounded yam. Of course if I didn't fall in group H,group B would be my fall back group.
"Well,rather fortunately,or maybe you'll consider it unfortunate,you don't get to peer yourselves." Then who was going to peer us? I thought.
" I have forty carefully squeeze-wrapped papers here and five of each carries an alphabet which happens to be the determinant of who and whom falls in each group. So your fate lies in the paper you pick,and I'll like to warn you sternly,I don't want to hear any murmuring or cursing or proving stubborn because you don't find yourself in the group you dreamed to be.
" If you ask me,the fact that you fall in the least group you want to be,makes it more fun,and life atimes is not a bed of roses,it could sometimes be laced with thorns."
It was at this juncture that she requested the forty qualifiers to step out one after the other each picking one piece of wrapped paper from a plate shaped paper in her hand. I wonder how we didn't notice it earlier.
" If you find yourself in group A,please fall out." We've returned to our seats now.
I saw Georgina fall out,so did three other girls in my class." This is a ladies group,I'm thinking you'll take control of the show." Mrs Ojelade commented. Now one else stepped out. " Who is the fifth wing of this group?I'm sure there were five A's included in those muscles papers." Mrs Ojelade sounded furious.
Everyone was looking at everyone and at that moment it hit me that I haven't even opened my own piece of paper to check what group I fell in. Maybe I was too excited or maybe I was overconfident that of all the groups,I couldn't fall in group A, group B or H was my target but have I forgotten that I didn't pick that paper knowing what was in it? I opened it and my expression turned to that of someone who just realized he'd defecated all over himself with houseflies flooding all over him. "This can't be happening." I muttered. I suddenly began to perspire,but bent on not making my disappointment show,I walked majestically out of my seat. I couldn't rush, because my legs were wobbling so I fashioned it up. How the hell did I fall in group A?
It dawned on me that I wasn't disappointed to be in group A because they were preparing ofada rice,and now fully because it was an all ladies group, supposing I wasn't there,but because Georgina was in the group and that wasn't going to help the fact that I've chosen to avoid her.
" So you're the husband of many wives,why did you keep us waiting? I know weddings where the bride keeps the groom and the audience waiting,how did you end up as the latecomer?four women came earlier than you. Learn to be punctual, okay?" The whole class burst out laughing and murmuring Andy realized that the fact that I was the centre of the humor and in front of the class ought to make me laugh too,so I smiled broadly trying not to make my mouth look like that of someone who just tasted vinegar and aloevera mixed together. If I didn't smile,it'll look like I considered the joke more of an insult than humor. I'm the only one who knew the jokes on me.
But why should I be laughing? Of all the forty qualifiers,there were thirteen girls and I got to be in a group of five with four of them. No other guy? Why didn't I just pick another paper? Maybe the one next to the one next to the one I picked was an H,and I should have picked it instead,but at this point, there's no going back.
From the corner of my eyes,I saw Matthew looking concerned. He's been my best friend for years and he obviously knows when I'm in discomfort even if I'm trying to hide behind some opposite emoji,or trying to mask it.
" So,choose someone to be your group leader." Mrs Ojelade informed.
The group leader had to be Georgina,but how do I point to her? At that very moment I looked at her and pointed,I realized I was the only one pointing to her,the rest of them were pointing to someone else,the same person and that person was me,what the........? Are you kidding me right now? Is this some kind to f dream? I found myself in a group I don't even want to be and out of the blues,I was made the group leader? I don't even know how to prepare ofada stew. Of course the only reason I'm not seriously concerned with the ofada was because it was simply a rice. I can always prepare it. I didn't even know at that moment that you had to pick it in riddance of dirts and stones just like you did beans. It truly is a local rice.
Busola ended up as the group leader of group B,with another girl and three boys. She was all smiles, obviously she wanted the pounded yam group.
All other groups had one girl or more, except group H,they were all guys and to cap it all that was the very group my friend ended up.
Irrespective of the cost,I'm going to make sure I try my utmost best. I was in a group I didn't want to be,but of course I'm not ready to lose the competition.
Mrs Ojelade was right. You never know what to expect,but the more you find the wind blowing against you,the more of a fighter you become,and you don't become an hero because you repeated something you're used to doing. You're an hero because you became a Victor even after taking big risks and doing things nobody else did,things you probably never did.
And that's exactly what I want to be,an hero for the ofada group. What was Google meant for by the way?
"Three groups are going down!" The whole class grew quiet when they heard Mrs Ojelade say that." So you don't want to try to be okay,you have to strive not to fail,and maybe even because me the winner. You're going to be judged in percentages,the last three groups with the least percentages leaves the competition. Am I communicating?"
" Yes ma'am" that chorus wasn't as thunderous as our class used to be. Even thirty yes-mas should be louder and heavier than that. Of course she was communicating and that's exactly why was moody.
"You don't only need to make a tasty delicacy,you need to add a lot of morals to it,learn to coordinate yourselves and be tidy. These will surely earn you more points and therefore boost your percentages.
" The culinary assessment will be coming up next Wednesday to give you all enough time to prepare all you need to prepare. Especially the Èko group,so good luck to you all." Mrs Ojelade packed her things and left.
I was left looking in the middle of four ladies,with one of them crushing on me, probably wanting meet drop off from her list of threats.
" So,we should prepare fast. You know we'll have to pick the ofada,and we're buying so much, we're cooking a lot,you know there are lots of teachers." Georgina reasoned.
" Oh,yeah. Let's make an analysis of all we need to buy, so we'll know how much everyone brings tomorrow. I believe we have savings because that's what the school expects." I can't believe I was saying that with a tone of authority. Wasn't I the group leader? Wasn't I the assistant head boy by the way?"
Of course,our parents will give us the money." Nancy said with her sing-song voice.
" Alright, I believe you girls know all we'll be needing?" I queried.
And of course Georgina knew it,and thankfully Ruth and Nancy does too.
" Now,let's get to work."
" Considering how many stomachs we plan to feed,I think sixteen cups(dericas) may not be too much." Georgina suggested.
" We're not throwing a party,are we?" Ruth exclaimed. " That's going to be too much." That's a quarter of a bag?"
" You don't know what's called competition,do you? We need to give it our best,both the quality and the quantity,trust me,that sixteen cups may just not be enough." Georgina argued.
" Oh yeah. I suppose she's right, we'll be better safe than sorry." I supported Georgina.
" Of course that's going to enlarge the budget." Ruth complained.
" Oh,I see,money is what you're more concerned about. I pity you. We could as well just report you, you're not interested in the next level of the competition. Of course I'll rather do this with three others than get disqualified at what I'm very good at." Nancy shot,and Ruth kept quiet.
The next thing they calculated,I was agape,but I didn't complain. Of course we wanted to make a large stew that's going to carry the day with both the taste and the quantity.
I was hearing crayfish,ponmo,onions,smoked fish,bell pepper,red pepper, tomatoes,oil,salt, bouillon to mention but a few.
" I was thinking we should add locust beans but I'm not sure everyone likes it,and it could make us loose our favor." The last girl in the group,Modupe,spoke for the first time.
"You're right,not everyone appreciates 'iru'." I said and she fixed her gaze. I suddenly felt uncomfortable,even after looking away,I could feel her gaze on me. Is this really happening?
"I was thinking we should but these moin-moin leaves,you know,it's going to make it more presentable and local,you know in a positive way. That's the way it's normally served,you know." Ruth seemed to fall in with us now.
" Thats a brilliant idea. And we'll be buying tinu-eran and sardines." Georgina added.
" And then we'll buy turkey or chicken, egg and fish to place atop it." Nancy was the one who suggested this and no one objected,not even the once controversial Ruth.
I wouldn't be surprised if we calculated it all and we're at approximately a hundred thousand naira.
I kept watching as they made the analysis of how much of each ingredient we'll be buying and the approximate price of each.
When they added it up, thankfully it wasn't too close to a hundred thousand naira,but it wasn't too far away either.
We shared the money equally and no one seemed to have a phone with the price. With that we dispersed
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YOU ARE READING
STUDENT OF THE YEAR
Teen FictionDifferent classmates are competing for the award to become student of the year, many worked hard but some are desperate to win, irrespective of whatever it takes!