Betty hoped her reactions weren't overbearing. Judging from the freaked-out look on Tok's face, she wasn't far from it. But she couldn't help herself. Meeting new people was awesome- exciting. Or maybe she only ached to peel all their layers like a tangerine and know them like she knew her palm. It was an uncanny fetish of hers.
"This is so cool! We're actually in the same school. The same class even! We could totally hang out. Do homework together. You could teach me Economics. You know economics right? I absolutely hate that subject. Gross. Our teacher's Mr pick... I mean Mr Felani. He looks like chopped liver. Seriously, he was- ow!"
"Knock it off Bets! You're scaring the poor girl." Hannah, sitting in the chair on her right, smacked her on the head and turned to face Tokunbo. "Sorry. She's just being... Betty. Can't apologize for the freakiness in her blood now can I?"
"Mind your business, Hannie." Betty retorted running the smacked place and sticking her tongue at the other before turning to face her recent victim.
"I'm sorry if I scared you. It's just,-"
"If?" Tokunbo grimaced.
Betty chuckled in embarrassment, looking down at her shoes.
Good one Betty, she thought, a record-breaker. It hasn't been five minutes and she's already weirded out. Usually, it takes a day.
Sighing sadly before dismissing the sad note and looking up at the new kid again.
"Sorry that I scared you. I just... I can't... I usually can't stop myself from over-expressing."
The latter nodded, but the wariness in her eyes didn't leave. She turned to face the teacher, but not for long.
***
Tokunbo
Sit with us during lunch?
The note was signed at the bottom- 'Elizabeth'.
This girl's nuts!
That was the only conclusion she could reach as she threw glances at her averting her face when their eyes met awkwardly and the girl gave a big smile.
"Might as well give her an answer," Tokunbo muttered to herself. She waved at the girl and shook her head.
It was like stealing candy from a starved village child. Betty's bright face sagged at her reply and Tokunbo couldn't help it.
"I'll come." she mouthed and a familiar feeling of loathing ran through her.
. You're doing it again. Her conscience that sucked being a conscience warned. You're doing it all over again.
Deciding to ignore the so-called voice of reason, she slumped against her seat. She hoped her intuition was wrong. That Betty was safe for her. Even if not perfect.
She turned only once though to see Betty and that was to give a firm no. But strength became liquid at the sight of happiness and mellowed away. Happiness did not occur to her often. But it was good and she was not one to ruin other people's happiness.
She'd prefer they ruined it themselves and try to fit the broken puzzles in never.
You'll regret this later.
"I know."
***
Enoch glanced at the grandfather clock that hung on the pale yellow wall.
"Two minutes until hell freezes over," he muttered tapping a non-rhythmic beat on his desk.
"I hear ya. Can't wait to leave either." His best friend Eli yawned, sliding an arm over his face as he leaned in his chair.
"That's hilarious considering you slept through the entire class."
The latter shrugged and gave another yawn. "The chair is not as comfy as it looks."
"Well, maybe because it was made for sitting and not for snoring your life away," Enoch replied, chuckling at the funny poses Eli did as he stretched.
"Yeah yeah." a brief pause. "How was tour guiding?"
"We're in class Elijah."
Eli gave his friend an 'Are you serious' look.
"Fine! I toured this girl-"
"She hot?"
Enoch fixed him a glare before rolling his eyes. "Nah... Not really. She's kind of... Too young ish? Like thirteen. Maybe even younger self*. Puberty can't have hit yet."
"Wow, someone's been doing their homework. And what are you saying? Betty's like thirteen and Timo-stew wants to bang her."
"Gross!" Enoch's lips curled in mortification.
"I know. I had to set his head straight. A punch to the guy fixed that." he gave a pointed glare to where the 'Timo-stew' sat.
"No I mean it's both gross that Timothy NOT 'Timo-stew',- why the heck do you call him that?"
"You don't know? His mother has a canteen down our street and-"
"Spare me the details. We're deviating."
Eli gasped clutching his chest. "Guy you just broke my heart."
"I'm surprised you have one."
"Have you been dubbing those assignments in Biology? Cause if we ask shorty over there, she'll tell you a breathing dude has a living heart."
"Stop calling your teacher shorty, Eli."
"That's your problem? Shorty doesn't seem to mind."
Enoch pinched his nose, shaking his head then glanced at the clock.
"Few seconds left... Hopefully."
"Where are you rushing at? Haven't seen you this eager in a while. She's back?"
Enoch tensed knowing fully well who the 'she' was. "No. Not sure. I don't think so. We would have seen her around? Right? Or perhaps she is. Maybe she's no longer mad. Or she could be planning something bad. Oh God, what am I saying? I'm rambling again, aren't I? I thought this had ended! Ow!!! Why'd you hit me with a slab?!"
"Sorry. Had enough of your shit."
"Well, a tap on the shoulder would have done the trick!"
"Keep shouting. Shorty can't hear you properly. Get ready for detention then."
Enoch quietened but not after hitting Eli with his slab.
"I promised, well kind of, the girl I toured that I would come to get her for lunch." He stated after a few seconds had passed by.
Eli's face morphed into a huge grin. Wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Down to nilly willy broseph? And you're telling me she's not hot. Trying to keep her to yourself already?"
"Oh for God's sake." Enoch breathed out, his palm on his face. "No Eli. No. She's really skinny and looks like she'll snap any second. She's practically a wall. Didn't I just tell you that she's thirteenish?!"
"Betty's thirteen...ish too!"
"Did you take tramadol this morning?"
His friend frowned at the question."What has that got to do with anything?"
"Betty's fifteen, you raccoon-bredded idiot. And may God forgive me she looks like an unbalanced fowl." With that Enoch flew out of his seat with Elijah hot on his heels yelling profanities.
***
"Is that her?"
"No Eli. I said really skinny. That girl looks like she weighs two fifty pounds."
"Right. And she's... Hot."
"Is that the only thing on your mind right now?"
They stood at the door to Tokunbo's classroom watching the students troop out.
"Maybe."
"Your libido never ceases to amaze me."
"Well when you put it like that, I feel like Superman. I'd rather a girl say that though."
"Gross. I'm surprised you haven't lost it yet." Enoch whispered shaking his head.
"What? My mind?" Eli grinned
"That and your V card."
"Wel,l you never know." Eli's grin widened.
"What is that supposed-"
"Hey! This is Betty's class. Where she at?"
Enoch's eyes shot up as he peered into the class looking for his unbalanced fowl.
"Of course." he scoffed. "Let's go, Eli."
"No more skinny girl?" The latter pouted his face squeezed in a stupid frown.
"I know where she is. More like who she's with."
"Wow. Voodoo magic!!! Have any magic mirror I can borrow?"
Enoch gave a short laugh and then hit his friend on the head. "I would. But I don't give it to knuckleheads. Don't want it breaking when it sees your ugly face."
"Hey! The girls don't think that. Or do you milady?" he asked a passing girl and threw her a wink.
"No way pretty boy." she hissed walking faster.
"See! she agrees."
"For your mind. She shot you a 'no'. As in 'not going out with you ever' kind of No."
Eli paused to mull over it, then gave his signature shrug. "Who cares? The bland ones always say no."
Enoch rocked back in laughter. "Only you Eli. Only you. Now let's go find that backstabbing sister of yours."
"Hey! That's the second and last time you'll insult my sister."
"Awe.... Look who suddenly cares? Is big brother getting mad?" Enoch teased then let out a yelp when Elijah charged toward him. "Run for my life!!!"
***
Well, this is awkward.
Tokunbo shifted uneasily beneath Victoria's icy pools. Now she regretted not staying in class, but she was left with no choice when Betty grabbed her and raced to lunch. Now she sat before Betty's best friend wondering how their relationship ever happened.
Victoria was the cold stark irony of Elizabeth. Literally. After the frosty 'I'm Victoria' she had said ten minutes ago, no other word had escaped from her. Only deathly glares. And Tokunbo wasn't sure how long she would last before she became a block of ice.
Betty on the other hand was oblivious to the tension between them. The girl could chat her lips off. Or her brains. And Tokunbo was filled with mixed emotions - hot and cold.
Be strong Tokun. Derin was worse than this and you handled it. Her conscience urged.
"Vicky," Betty called breaking Delamotar from her ice.
"Yeah?" Vicky's tone was a tad warmer.
"Your food is getting cold."
The latter shrugged in response before pushing the food warmer aside.
"What is it?"
A flash of pain crossed those icy eyes at Betty's question.
"Boiled rice and fried plantain."
"Girl, are you kidding me? How can you not eat that?"
"Here" she pushed the food warmer towards Bets. "You can have it. I'll get a yoghurt later."
"You're the best!" Betty chirped eagerly and wasted no time diving to eat.
Tokunbo watched the interaction closely. Then watched Vicky more closely.
"What does Tokunbo mean?" Vicky's icy voice reached her ears.
"From overseas." she tried to sound calm and collected.
"Are your parents from there?" The dark girl stroked a circle on the cafeteria table.
Tokun shrugged in reply. Her family history was weird and she wasn't one to divulge her family background. Besides telling it always brought headaches.
There was a brief silence after that.
"Betty's my best friend. Mine! I do not share and do not try to replace me." she stated squarely taking Tokunbo aback.
"Well that was straightforward" she muttered glancing at Betty who seemed to be lost in the world of food.
"You think? Then this should be easy. I know the likes of you. Trying to make use of other people's generosity. Betty's gullible doesn't learn from her mistakes and thinks everyone in the world can be besties. But I swear, when you hurt her, I will do ten times much worse."
"Well put me in prison and call me crazy"- Tokunbo mumbled before raising her shoulders confidently.
"Bravo Judge Judy. You seem so certain I'll hurt Betty. All I've done is sit down and do nothing. I've barely said anything but my name. Funny how a few words tell you the entire history of a person and even the intentions they haven't thought about not to mention carried out. What are you? A Seer?"
"Shut up!"
"You and I aren't going to get along well, I see."
"No shit."
"I'll have you know Vics-"
"Don't call me that."
"Whatever. I have no intention of replacing you. Not sure I'd stick around. She's quite a handful. So please retract your claws. Mama's not here to battle."
Surprise filled those cold eyes. Without another word, she turned to face Betty who in time had just finished the whole flask and was gulping water greedily.
. "Betty you unbalanced fowl!! Save me!!" A scream pierced through the school cafeteria, making Betty spit water all over the table, drawing everyone's eyes to the spectacle. Two guys were running their way.