CHAPTER 2

~Matilda~

"And we are here! Just in time." I said immediately as I stopped the car.

"Yay!!!!" Melody screamed in excitement.

"Okay, no yay Melody, this is serious. Remember what I taught you?" I asked.

"Of course... When you're feeling trapped and your backs against the wall, look for what is there, not what you want to be there." She answered.

Melody recited the one phrase she had managed to learn from the phrases that keep our family together. The one phrase which tightens the bond we share as a family, the one phrase that has kept me going. And even though I knew I was already running late for my prefectship inauguration, I took my time coaching her on a few things about the school and it's survival tactics.

"This is a jungle, Melody, and it is no place for a naive nincompoop. Keep your chin up at all times even if you look ridiculous at it, it'll show you can handle yourself. Stay away from boys. If you allow them, they will ruin your bright future, so get rid of them, they are useless. If you see a perfect person other than me having a clash with a student, stay out of it, it's best you don't get involved. Keep yourself out of plain sight, blend into the background until you're strong enough to stand your ground." I coached and watched as my little sister took in all my words of wisdom, piling them up for later use. She looked at me with a determined, bright smile on her face paying rapt attention to every word.

"And lastly, paint your picture, Melody. Don't be thrown off by other people. Like it or not, there will be people out there to distract you and throw you off course. Don't give them the satisfaction of watching you lose focus."

And as if she were reading my mind and calculating the time, we said the phrase, "Our future is up to us."

Together. I smiled brightly at her through the mirror. I got down from the car and turned round to the other side to help her out as well before locking the car.

With both our bags on our shoulder, we walked hand in hand, heading straight for the Assembly hall. Thanking my lucky stars that the Assembly had not started yet, I quickly helped my sister to her line, which was the line for the JSS1 girl (Junior school secondary one).

I rushed back to my line, dodging the crowd of students that were trooping in for the assembly that was about to start. A few minutes later, all the students were all standing in the hall, singing the hymns 134 from our songs of praise ( SOP). All the inaugurating prefects were standing behind each line of class from JSS 1 to SS2. Seconds later, we said our morning prayer and recited the national anthem. After that, the principal of the school came up to the podium to address us.

"Welcome new and old students to Wesley Academy, where each student is a unique individual with special gifts and talents - we hope that with motivation, encouragement, and hard work that all our students will discover their talents. I look forward to walking with you all in this great school that I have established. Good luck on your academic journey, and welcome once again to Wesley Academy."

Everyone gave a round of applause to her short welcome speech. Once she raised her hands, the whole hall fell quiet again. As her voice boomed through the microphone at the podium, all eyes were back to her.

"Now, as you all know, it's a new session, which means we have new prefects that were formal 'Acting,' but now they are ready and willing to take over the post that was formerly occupied by our now graduated SS3 students. Students, please put your hands together as I introduced you to your new prefects.

Joel Makinde Benson - Head boy.

Mason Oluwantoyin Martins- Deputy

Zoe Babajide - Head girl

Matilda Olatunji - Deputy

Thomas Mofe Damijo -Social and Assembly prefect, boy

Daphne Okeke-Social and Assembly prefect, girl

Aurora chiagozia -Health perfect, girl

Noah Umaru- Health prefect, boy

Michael Bamidele- library perfect, boy

Zaytun Bello - Library prefect, girl

Ivy Umoh -Sanitary prefect, girl

Daniel Bassy -Sanitary prefect, boy

Muyiwa Campbell- Punctuality prefect, boy

Rebecca Adetola - Punctuality prefect, girl

Chloe Babajide -Sports prefect, girl

Samuel Dawson- Sports prefect, boy

Timothy Anderson- Timekeeper.

These are your prefects, do well to respect them, and it will be reciprocal..."

All 17 of us were lined up behind her as she continued to address our juniors and the rest of our classmates. After what felt like forever, the assembly was over; we all filled out of the hall one after the other, with the SS3 students going out first. As much as I wanted to, I fought against the urge to see my sister just to be sure she was okay. Instead, I headed from my class with my two close friends on my sides Daphne and Dorothy.

"Did someone throw a slumber party at my house this weekend?!"

"No, Daphne, no one did. It's a new year, a fresh start. Don't get all white girls wasted when the session has barely begun."

Dorothy Chided Daphne, and I couldn't help the slight chuckle that escaped my lips. Dorothy and Daphne had been my friends right from birth. I remember how our parents used to tell stories of our birth every Christmas. Those were the best Christmas celebrations I ever had.

Daphne's full name is Maryan Amaka Daphne Okeke; she is from a wealthy family where everyone and everything was at her beck and call. Her dad is Nigerian -Igbo, and her mom was American, hence why her complexion was warm ivory. The combination of both her parent's origins.

Her bra length black hair is plaited and packed into a high ponytail; her face is slightly moist due to the sweat that had accumulated on her face. Her face is natural and bare with just a cherry flavored lip gloss gracing her slightly parted lips. She is also cladded in our school uniform, but hers were getting a little too fitted on her, probably because she had added weight over the holiday.

Dorothy, on the other hand, is also mixed as well. Her full name, Makenzie Adeyemi Alima Dorothy Rabiu. Complicated right? I know even I don't understand her family history. But if there is one thing for sure, Dorothy is the mother of our little group. With the heart of an angel, she is always looking out for us all the time, even when we don't do the same.

Her skin tone is golden beige, and the glitters of sweat resting on her skin made her skin shimmer under the sun; she was indeed a sight to behold. Her hair is done in Bantu knots with two-piece falling out on each side of her ear. Her uniform fits her perfectly, bringing out all her curves in all the right places. Her pleasantly plump lips are graced with a strawberry lip gloss, and her slightly pointed nose had a nose ring in it- much to my protest if you ask.

We shared so many things together, from food to our deepest darkest secrets. We were like the three Musketeers, the unstoppable 3; the only thing stopping us right now was the fact that we didn't have a relaxed outfit or swords to go with it. Our school uniforms were cool enough to pull off the look, so it was doable. The pouted face that Daphne had on is just adorable, and if my calculations are correct, then I'm guessing Daphne was trying to persuade Dorothy.

"Oh, c'mon Matilda, can't you say something to convince Dorothy?"

"Hmm, alright, Dorothy?" I called.

"Noo!" She shouted.

"I tried" I said to Daphne, who looked somewhat disappointed at my lack of persistence than heartbroken. I raised my hands in a mocking surrender as we approached the Seniors secondary school building. I tried defending myself by saying.

"What?? Urr, don't look at me like that. In my defense, I did talk to he---"

"Really, by saying her name? You barely said two words to her."

Daphne exclaimed incredulously. She shakes her head in disapproval of my statement as we all started climbing the stairs that led to the last floor. After a while of climbing the endless stairs in comfortable silence, Daphne spoke up again, saying.

"So, are we seriously going to ignore the slumber party conversation?"

"Girl, what is it with you and parties? Give them a break before they break you."

"Honestly, Daphne, Dorothy is right. We can't go clubbing and partying as we used to. We are prefects now with an actual reputation to keep."

She sighs, dejected knowing we both had a point, and she might as well drop the subject already.

"Urgg fine, you guys are such a buzzkill. I just wish things could go back to the way they were when we were happily going to clubs, parties and not bothering if we were going to be prefects or not."

Daphne responded as we finally reached the last floor. I could perfectly understand her point of view, but it was unnecessary. Once we were close to the entrance of our class, which was Science class, I said to her.

"You're emotional. It's understandable, but unnecessary. Don't focus on the past Daphne, you're missing the present and future we are looking forward to."