March 3, 2025 / ODUSOLA AYOMIKUN 

  

                       The New Girl 

          Registration wasn't stressful, as everything had been taken care of about a month before. The Principal was Uncle Kay's childhood friend anyways, so she just had to be at the school in person, but unfortunately wasn't able to attend school until three weeks into the term, 'cause she suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized for two weeks. The remaining one week was mandated by her Aunt for her to rest and heal well, and all that she soon became tired of and longed to return to school.
          When the day finally came when she resumed she got admitted into Grade 12A, with a seat at the back of the class. She hated having to sit at the back but she couldn't complain for her's was the last empty seat. She entered the class and after she'd intentionally taken in a keen view of the class with a couple of staring faces she'd never seen. She sat quietly in her seat and began studying the items she got from the registration office.
          For the next couple of minutes Ann observed the items she got from the secretary, she gazed at the beautiful folder which had some colourful souvenirs, a student ID card; with the name 'CHAPMAN' carefully arranged in a circular fashion around the school logo; it was a beautiful colour design and also a file with the same emblazoned message also in full colour. She also had some additional customized envelopes, some stickers and pen. The items were nice and instantly she thought the list of people she would write.
"Hello, are you Ann?". She heard a voice over her head and immediately she lifted her head to see who it was.
"Hi" the speaker smiled as she gazed at him with an unfamiliar gesture.
"Hi, how can I help you?" The fellow had on a flaunt smile, she supposed he's also a member of the class.
"Oh Hi, I'm Adam and I guess you are Ann".
She raised a brow when he mentioned her name. " Yes, I am and how did you know my name? I just got here! "
"Oh yes I know you just resumed today and the name; Nike told me, she informed me of her sister who would be joining our class today".
"O.....kay" she said as her shoulders relapsed as a gesture of she knew Nike's abilities, from their tightly bond friendship during the holiday and the past 
three weeks.
"You are welcome to school and it's nice meeting you in person" he smiled with a coy smile flickered across his face and hand out for an handshake, she gave no response other than accept his handshake.
"I heard you were admitted at the hospital" he was calm. 
"I'm so sorry to bulge in your personal affairs, I'm so sorry if it seems that way".
          She gazed intently at him for a while and at the other members of the class who were busy chatting and minding their individual businesses and here is Mr Nice, who can't help but continue smiling. His look was gentle and friendly, he looked at her from the corner of his eyeballs which were behind a lens.
"It's not a problem, thanks for asking".
"Julian Dehinde!" someone else called in the opposite direction.
"I guess that's you, I'll see you later" he said withdrawing to a nearby seat.
"Yes ma'am" she answered the elderly woman who just walked into the class.
    She couldn't help but run a scan on the new entry. The lady who could be described as a woman of a gigantic size, which she presumed looked much chubby 'cause of her swollen cheeks and weight. She had on a black suit badged 'CHAPMAN', which fitted her quite well, an ebony with shinny black skin. A 
quick glance at her suggested her to be a woman of a firm nature. Her gaze travelled more often from the notepad in her hands and then resting on Ann who 
was standing before her.
          Other members of the class stared at the new entry girl and the woman in front of her.
"Are you Julianne Dehinde? "
"Yes ma'am, I am"
"And you're from the Dr Kayode Dehinde? " She asked after about five minutes of her scribbling in her notepad.
" Yes ma'am" Ann nodded in response. Ok alittle to clear confusing, She was christened as 'Julianne Adaobi Dehinde', but she preferred being called Ann.
" Good, see me in my office during break " She declared briskly before she turned.
 "Excuse me Ma, where is your office? " She asked almost immediately and all eyes rained on her. Gosh ! She felt she shouldn't have asked such question but it was only logical to have asked for directions to somewhere she didn't know, she would be a magician to have known the strange lady's office.
"Ask around" the strange lady said nothing else and left. Who could she be for goodness sake! How could she say that to a stranger without declaring her 
identity! not alone her name. She was by then beginning to have second thought about the school, whose hospitality she'd rate so far to be below average. She wondered from all she'd heard about the school.

Note:

The story is a draft from an original novel written by same author.