The following day Godwin sat to tell Peter what he sought to know about Lovett’s escort to Godwin’s house the previous day.
“Guy, that girl doesn’t fear anything” Godwin confessed. “Do you know that she held me as we walked the streets. I wasn’t comfortable actually but I had to maintain” Looking towards Lovett’s direction. She was with a friend down the class room. They were checking something.
“I have noticed it too. Likewise most other babes in love, they doesn’t shy or care about anything”
“What a girl!” Godwin said with admiration, smiling as he recalled and memorized things she did.
“You guys make me wish I had a lover. You are a good example of true lovers. Perfect definition of true love is what you share”
At the other side of the class was David studying. David has been acting very cool since resumption. His friends believed he was touched by the last term’s result. He did not believe that those twins will do him anything until their results proved him wrong. So this term he decided to stay calm and focus. He doesn’t go out like he does before and doesn’t waste much time in any gathering.
Near the window, some girls were plaiting while the other two compares their new sandals. The last group were those talking about what happened to Solomon the previous day. They were angry that the SS 2 needed someone to remove cobwebs and wasp nests from their roof and the only people they could think of was the SS 1 and not just that, they came specifically for the prefects so that they will hit them hard.
Mr. Stones has become an enemy to the SS 2. They don’t go same path and when he goes to their class he acts as if the whole school power was in his hands. He believes him alone can handle all of them, even without Mt. Jonas his chum. He act recklessly without thinking about what will happen after school. He wanted everyone to know that he doesn’t fear anyone. Yet the SS 2 continue causing troubles day after day.
“You don’t have to behave as if you have seen a devil whenever you see me in the class” Mr. Jonas said. He noticed how unwilling and reluctant the class use to be whenever he comes in.
“Look, C.R.S is the simplest subject. It reflects in your daily lives. You see it in churches. It’s something you can avoid. It’s not difficult like those science subjects you will be required to cram formulas….”
“See that! Mathematics teacher would say his subject is the simplest. Every teacher takes his subject to be the easiest. They expect us to know all not considering the fact that we have about twelve subjects to offer and we must try to meet up” Some guys near Godwin complained.
“You understand me right?” Jonas continued. “C.R.S is as simple as knowing that when a man gets cash, house and cars the next thing on his mind is...?”
“Nyash!” A boy from the back shouted before the teacher would complete his statement. Those who heard him busted out a thunderous laugher.
“You say?”
“I said lass” He lied. The laughter increased but the teacher did not noticed why they laughed. He perhaps thought they were laughing at the boy for answering the question wrongly.
“As in wife?”
“Anyone”
“You don’t know what you are talking about. I said when a man gets cash, house and cars the next thing is… ?”
Many of them raised their hands but the boy in particular did not show any sign of having the idea. The teacher permitted one of them to speak.
“Family” The person said.
“Good! That’s how it is. Use your common sense. It’s just the way you think about things normally. How you plan your day and the rest. Mathematics is not hard, that’s if you want to know. It’s unlike government, literature, English and the rest. Once you don’t know it you don’t know it. You can’t guess or try by your own imagination, you get me? So that’s it. Try your best, with time you will see what I am talking about.
You may be thinking I am saying this only for encouragement, yes it is an encouragement but I am a good example of it. I worked hard during my school days, when I was like you otherwise I wouldn’t have ended up like this. I was one of the best students in my school. I come first every term, I’m not bragging, that’s just the simple fact. It gives you a good name and you become a special student among your mates. You will become happy. Nobody hate good things. Not even a crazy person. Ok, let’s see, who doesn’t want to come first in this class?” The teacher asked but only Peter raised his hand. Everyone got surprised. Perhaps he didn’t hear the question well.
“My friend I said who doesn’t want to, not who want to. Get that” The teacher corrected but Peter’s hand remained hanging. Now, it was more confusing. Why should he raise his hand? What could be his reasons?
“Is he well at all?” Teacher asked amazed.
“He has brain failure or maybe cancer of the sense and feelings” somebody said making the noise increase.
“Shiii! I don’t want that noise” The teacher ordered walking towards Peter “So you said you don’t want to come first, what’s your reason?”
“Because it will stop me from becoming who I want to become”
“How? explain further”
“I realized that everyone that scores first eventually becomes a teacher”
“Says who?”
“That is what most of our teachers says, that during their school days they were the best students, they come first, they are this they are that and after everything they come to teach”
“I hope that’s not an insult?”
“No no no. Just giving you reasons why I don’t want to come first”
“See, let me tell you, this teaching everyone underestimate is the best occupation the society needs. Without teachers there will be no doctor, lawyer, pilot, politician and all that. Don’t see teachers as failures or as people who are unfortunate. It’s our country that doesn’t value our importance. What we know we share. It’s from the little you learn from us that makes you what you all become in the society”
The teacher talked for some time before he kicked off the lesson. After him another teacher came in. They had up to five lessons that day. Although It’s been up to a week and some days since the lessons started but they have not seen some of the teachers resume. Maybe they have some things they have not settled or they totally stopped teaching there and that would surely be as a result of delay or poor salaries. According to the students, they usually refers to the new teachers as people who has no other alternative in life. And they leave the school after some months. They don’t stay long. Presently hey have about twelve subjects but they receive not up to ten. They always have the issue of no teacher for a particular subject.
Somebody told Mr. Stones that Godwin and Lovett went home together. He was furious about it. He called Godwin out and flogged him mercilessly and threatened to deal with him as long as he continue to see him with Lovett. This time he doesn’t report any case to anyone especially the one that concerns Godwin and Lovett, he takes immediate action, all by himself. Godwin started noticing changes in his assessments. Mr. Stones fails to record some of his assessments while at times he writes below his real score. These were becoming unbearable.
“Peter, I am beginning to get tired of this school. I will drop out if this man doesn’t stop frustrating me”
“And what reasons will you tender to your aunt? For you know she will definitely seek to know your reasons. Will you tell her lies? No! For she may come to the school to confirm and rectify things for you and there she will hear something different which they will make to sound stupendous. And again you can’t tell her the truth. She may not absorb it plainly. So let’s pray he stops it or leave the school”
Godwin could not talk again. He became quiet, thinking about what Peter said. He was right. There’s no other way out other than resolving it in school. But there’s no sign that things will change anytime soon.
Lovett showed up, not looking bright. She took a seat where she saw space close to the boys.
“What is it” Peter asked. Godwin was just staring at her with a dull but inquisitive look.
“Nothing” She said hiding something.
“No, you can’t say that. Look at you”
“Lovely what’s it? Talk to me. You can’t hide things from me”
“It’s one SS2 guy” She finally blurted out. Though she finds it difficult to talk to Godwin about other Intruders so that he doesn’t feel insecure. “But don’t bother yourself, it’s not a cumbersome problem”
“But it’s still a problem. So what did he do?”
“I said I can handle it. Don’t bother yourself”
“You shouldn’t have looked so worried if it were easy for you to handle. Stop covering up and tell me what I seek to know” Godwin spoke now from the depth of his heart. He sounded very serious that Lovett could not insist further.
“He is not allowing me have peace” She started calmly “He has been disturbing me and the worse is that It’s now that I am avoiding him I see him almost everywhere. He is like a spirit. The only safe place for me is just this class but I’m sure that if he don’t see me outside for some times he will come here”
“Since when has this been going on?”
“Since the beginning of this term”
Godwin and Peter looked at each other. It’s been a long time though.
“Three weeks of running from a zombie kind of person. You will show me when you see him” Peter said.
“What are you going to do? You can’t fight him” Lovett advised.
“We need to tell him what he don’t know” Godwin answered indignantly.
“That’s not the essence. You know the guy is our senior, not just by class. I’m sure same is applicable to his age, size and strength. You don’t start what you can’t finish. You may be causing more troubles for yourselves at the process. There are many ways of killing a rat. But in this case we won’t kill the rat we will use the rat to our own favor”
“Which way?”
“I have an idea. It’s perfect! You will like it. This is the idea. Since Mr. Stones is an enemy to the SS2, he will hate to see Lovett and the guy together. He will be jealous and would want to make trouble with the guy and maybe from there the truth will be revealed”
“He looks like a bad guy, perhaps a cultist so it’s going to be a jeopardy to me”
“That even makes it better. He being a bad guy or a cultist will makes it smooth. He too will fight back, bad guys can fight relentlessly for love. So before the truth comes out Mr. Stones would receive what is not good from him”
“You are right but I am scared this may result to something else”
“Yes, like what if he starts demanding things I can’t give?”
“Not when his head is filled with how he can get Mr. Stones out of his way. And not all bad guys are concerned with such. Sometime all they want is closeness. Don’t worry I’m with you. Be updating me and I will be telling you what to do”
Lovett saw one of her friends going out she excused herself to follow her. She left hurriedly leaving the boys there.
“Peter, I’m not comfortable with the idea” Godwin complained in whispers.
“How?”
“You know what closeness can do. This guy now may turn out to be very good to her and gradually she will start developing feelings for him. You can’t trust yourself sometimes let alone someone else. Anything can happen. You can’t use the only food you have as a bait to catch mice and same way you can not use your wife as a trap to your enemy”
“You are right but I assure you that nothing will happen. Don’t panic”