CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: UNEXPECTED FIGHT
Suddenly, one of the girls lunged forward and slapped Victoria across the face.
"Ahhh!!" The shriek escaped my lips before I could stop myself.
The surrounding students fell silent, their heads turning in unison to observe Victoria, who instinctively placed her hand on her cheek, shock written across her face. She then turned slowly to glare at the girl who had struck her.
"Eh! Eh! You should have minded your own business jejely, and this wouldn't have happened," the aggressor sneered, showing not an ounce of remorse.
Jejely—a Yoruba word common in Lagos—can mean gradually, normally, or independently. In this context, she was implying Victoria should have minded her own affairs calmly, on her own.
"Does that give you the right to slap me? You didn't do it by mistake—you did it deliberately," Victoria asked, her voice steady but sharp as her gaze pierced the girl before her.
"What now happen? You made me annoyed, so I had to do it," the girl shot back, equally defiant, refusing to show any sign of contrition.
I couldn't help but wonder how Victoria would handle this. If it were me, I wouldn't have hesitated—I would have retaliated immediately.
Victoria, however, remained composed, her eyes narrowing as she repeated firmly, "Does that give you the right to slap me?"
"What now happen eh? What now happen?" the girl jeered back, clearly unfazed.
What is she waiting for? I thought. If I were in Victoria's position, I wouldn't have hesitated.
"I will have to slap you. Fifty-fifty, no cheating," Victoria declared, referencing a popular Nigerian idiom, implying fairness and balance in retaliation.
"No, try and do it now, I will—" the girl began, only to be interrupted by Victoria's swift slap across her own back, demonstrating the idiom in action.
The crowd gasped and then erupted into laughter and cheers. "Yeh!" some shouted, others giggled uncontrollably.
Hmn… this must be Victoria's notorious side, I thought to myself.
The girl touched her cheek in disbelief, while Victoria gave her one final, unwavering glare before walking away from the throng.
"Hey! Come back here!" the girl yelled after her, anger still simmering.
"You want to start another fight, abi?" I interjected, stepping into the fray.
"That is how Gift is—always looking for trouble like it's a hobby," another girl muttered, shaking her head.
So her name is Gift. Ironically, it didn't suit her at all. Usually, I'd associated that name with calm, untroubled girls.
"Hey, shut up and mind your own business! Nobody called you into this," Gift snapped, glaring at the girl she had been feuding with. She then turned her eyes on me, threatening, "And you—leave before you're next."
"Moi?" I asked in French, genuinely surprised.
"Yes, you!" she said, nodding at me.
"Try touching me and you'll see whether I fight back or let you go," I replied calmly, meeting her gaze without flinching.
"See, don't cause any more trouble," Victoria admonished me, pulling me away from the escalating scene.
"I loved the way you slapped her back," I said as we sat under a tree, a small smile on my face.
"I know she deserved it," Victoria admitted, nodding. "But sometimes, one doesn't have to retaliate immediately."
"Yeah, but not when the other person is clearly in the wrong," I said firmly.
"Exactly. She bullies anyone who can't defend themselves," Victoria explained, her eyes following Gift, who was towering over the other students. She must be about 5'5"—impressive height for a junior school student. I looked at myself and almost laughed. I may have a strong frame, but I'm barely 5'0.
Perhaps I didn't notice her height before because I never consider stature when I'm ready to confront someone.
---
After the house mistress had inspected our portions and allowed us to go for breakfast, Victoria and I returned to the hostel. The floors were dry and sparkling, a relief after our labour-intensive chores.
Water had not started pumping yet, so we changed into our house wear over our nightwear, a convenient compromise until we could bathe.
As we finished dressing, Morayo appeared at our corner, ready to head to breakfast.
"I heard what happened outside. Gift causing trouble again?" she asked casually.
"Why not?" Victoria replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Let's go," I urged them, noting that everyone seemed ready for breakfast.
The three of us walked out together.
"She enjoys trouble like it's a sport," Morayo remarked with a smile.
"I gave her a slap she won't forget. She'll learn not to treat me—or anyone like me—like that," Victoria said, pride evident in her tone.
I smiled, absorbing the dynamics. Sha—a Yoruba term implying 'anyhow' or 'at will'—perfectly captured Victoria's fearless attitude.
Pap and Moi Moi were served in the dining hall for breakfast. Enjoying every bite, the sweetness, and the satisfaction made me appreciate that all the hard work in our portions had not been in vain.
"You're a good friend," Victoria suddenly remarked as we ate.
"As in… how? Wasn't I always a good friend?" I asked, puzzled by the sudden compliment.
"You have always been a good friend. I'm saying this because of the way you supported me just now. If it were others, they would have just stood there, watching their friend fight alone," she explained, smiling warmly.
"Well, I'm like Floral too, right?" Morayo chimed in, nudging me with a grin, reminding me that loyalty and solidarity were traits shared among our little circle.
We all laughed lightly, sharing a sense of camaraderie and relief after the morning's chaos.
---
The atmosphere in the dining hall slowly returned to normal. Outside, Gift lingered, still fuming but hesitant to challenge Victoria again. The rest of the girls resumed their breakfast, murmuring among themselves about the unexpected confrontation.
I watched Victoria for a moment, impressed not only by her courage but also by her composure. Boarding school life was never dull. Between environmental duties, school parents, and inevitable skirmishes like this, every day promised a story worth recounting.
And today was no exception.