There has never been any ambition I nurtured in my school then other than this post, the Senior Prefect. I will not say that I worked hard for it but a better part of me believes that I merited it. I had no rival in my class or rather I never presumed the possibility of any. Apart from my Jss1 first and 2nd term, I have always taken the 1st position, that was after that little guy Chike who took it for the 1st two terms was promoted automatically to Jss2. Since then I took over the office of the 1st position of my class and I took it for my birthright.
I was loved by many, the seniors, the authorities, the staff except my classmates who found me to be arrogant. As for being arrogant, I don't really know I summarized them as jealousy perhaps they may be saying the truth. I was intelligent, smart and I know that I am beautiful. I never wore my uniform rumped I would rather skip school than come with rumpled uniform. I handled the prefectship of my class for long time because I always took first. I have authority in my class to a great extent, I say to someone "give me this", he/she does, and another person "stand up! and he/does.
I intimidated my class members with my qualities which I believed or rather thought were better than them. Many have challenged me academically but I always see myself at the top. When everybody gets zero,I get one and when everybody gets 100, I score 101. Anyway, its not my fault. I always walk with pride whenever I match up to climb the stage for my academic performance which always of course has to be 1st. We offer 17 subjects of which 5 of them were selected for prize giving for those who excel as the best in them. Those 5 subjects were my priority because I would love to take all the prizes meted out for them. I can't forget that particular year I was the best in all of them, that year made me the exceptional celebrity I enjoyed. Many senior girls wanted me to be their school daughter, as I entered JSS 3 many junior girls wanted me to be their school mother but I chose only one, Vivian, a very innocent girl.
My name is Amara Obadike, a name acquitted with intelligence no other could challenge or rather I thought no other could challenge. I have enjoyed the monopoly and autonomy of 1st position till my SS1. Normally, the academic reports of the previous year is called at the opening ceremony of the new academic year and that's when prizes are given. I have seen new students join our class since I entered JSS1, so seeing another new face join us in SS1 shouldn't be a thing of concern because I must always excel.
Things began to fall apart that particular day our biology teacher entered the class with out test result. She normally arranges them according to scores, so probably whoever paper remained last in her hand would be the highest and I have enjoyed being called last even by other teachers. Names were called till papers remained about 3 in teacher's hand. She called the 3rd person and then called me. "Who the hell must have passed me as such" I wondered to myself. It wasn't Sandra who always struggle for the 2nd position with Jude but both names have been called. Big wonder, it was our newest comer Austin. It would not have been a thing of concern for me if he did that only in biology which I already presumed he was good at and which I already thought would be the only subject he would excel more than me, but it downed on me right that he wasn't making mistakes when he scored higher than me in English, Geography, Physics and Mathematics which I thought was my birthright. God! It wasn't funny anymore. My classmates rejoiced when they saw that someone was passing me. I swore to struggle to the end but I really met my greatest shock then. Upon opening my result for the 1st term, tears flip my eyes when I saw 2nd. "How come? Was the question I asked myself often. It spread among my class members that I lost the 1st position. I consoled myself with the idea that I have two more terms to make up for the annual result. The first term passed.
The 2nd term began as normal and I doubled my effort to make sure I took back my position but right before me it was going futile. There was something special in this boy. He joined our class with qualities exceptional to mine. I know maths, its true but in him I saw another creature. I remember those times when everyone would fail an example on the board and I would be called upon to answer it of which I always came out successful. For the first time I failed a maths on the board, I felt like entering the ground when teacher proclaimed my answer incorrect. My class members chuckled. This boy Austin never struggled or bragged like I always did to answer any uneasy question esp when many have attempted. Teacher called him up, he went up without any calculator. I prayed he would fail so that no one would be given the credit. Trust my maths teacher Mrs Nwaforaku, after Austin dropped the marker and stood by, the whole class was waiting for the teacher's appraisal as the teacher was looking at the board. She shouted with a bold voice "CORRECT!". Oh my God, one can't imagine the type of effusive applause and standing ovation that was given to Austin as he walked majestically and gently back to his locker. Indeed it was the first time such thing happened. As for the applause, it usually happened but for the standing ovation, it was unprecedented. I buried my head and cried. That particular attitude of Austin answering certain calculations off heart gave him the name CASIO, gotten from CASIO calculator. So guys and of course girls used to call him AUSTIN CASIO. even as he played he was hailed Casio. Before I could get it, certain things and functions I usually performed as the most brilliant were little by little shifted at his discretion. Some teachers though not all would now circulate their notes through him, that privilege I enjoyed. He took the 1st again. That was 2nd term.
Austin was an enigma to me, he associated with everyone, played, joked and made noise with everyone. Sometimes slept during lectures but answers question when awaken. Everybody loved him. I wasn't in speaking terms with him. I knew he had no problem, infact I was the problem. I hated seeing him for snatching away what I thought was my birthright, in fact I was just jealous, but for once he never struggled for position with me, I was the person struggling for it. One major incident that showed me another part of him was that time I was given the chemistry note by our teacher for the class. I was meant to handle it at most two days and circulate it but it has lasted for four days now and my classmates began to complain. It was Jude who raised it up in the class " Amara when are you going to release the chemistry note " he openly asked. I knew I was done with it but I answered flippantly "till I'm done". Then Austin stood up " excuse me dear, please its getting late when are you going to bring it out". I knew he was trying to be as cool and gentle as he could but I decided to ignore him and made to leave. Then I knew he wasn't such an easy person. He rushed before me held my arm and raged. His face turned "red". He barked " how dare you?" Are you out of your mind, do you think you can walk away from anyone as you wish?. Then I knew he wasn't joking. I was really scared. I have never felt intimidated before but this time, I saw myself compelled to obey. He looked at me in the eye as he barked. " do you know I can give you a dirty slap and nothing will happen ". As for this particular threat, I couldn't say whether it was true but a better part of me believed it was true. After a hard look of rage he ended " you have before recreation tomorrow to render the note to the class less you'll forever know me with this other side of me". He released my arm and walked away. I felt humiliated for the first time before my classmates. I noticed the looks in their faces, it was that of joy. As if it wasn't enough JohnPaul started laughing boisterously and many others joined him. It was horrible on me. I went out of the class towards the junior staircase. I wept.
The next day just as I was ordered, I brought the note to school and gave it out even before the recreation. Something in me was telling me that I had conceded defeat, but I know it was overwhelming. Since that day, I decided to stay alone. I noticed the look on Austin's face when I'm talked about. I knew he felt sorry for what he did and his humility drew my admiration. On Monday after the incident that took place on Thursday, I know I didn't report him even though some of my friends asked me to, I saw no need, I didn't. I was in the class when Austin came up before the class. His face looked apologetic. He demanded for audience which was granted him then he began " dearest classmates " he was the first to address the class with such hospitable address. He raised his face " I have come to apologize to you all, first to you all and most especially to my dear classmate Amara. What I did, I did out of impulse and anger which should never and I had to embarrass someone before you all, I'm really sorry. Please forgive me." Why the apology I wondered because I knew he knew that what he did pleased the class and many must have congratulated him, so why the apology. He then faced me " dear Amara, I wish say in a special way that I'm sorry for the way I behaved the last time. It was unfair and uncalled for. Please from your heart forgive me. And I wish to say that this would never repeat itself again. " He barely finished when the maths teacher came. She saw him standing and was like whether there was a problem, he motioned negative she then announced " Austin and Amara follow me immediately. " I wondered what might be the reason for the summon which I read in his eyes was the exact thought he entertained. When we got to principal's office, he addressed us " We have been given invitation that our school will be participating in the quiz competition for the national best school award. We are going to embark from the regional level to the state level and then to the national. The best school would be awarded Federal school. The competition would be on four subjects Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and General subject. Sequel to this, the school board has appointed both of you to represent us. From next week you will begin your intensive lessons on these subjects which will be sponsored by the school. So you dispose your mind and get ready for this understood? " both of us kept quiet. It seemed as if we knew what it entailed. He asked again " understood?" We answered "yes sir". He then dismissed us.
...........season 02 loading..... Next weekend.....
