Chapter 11
The bell's shrill ring sliced through the air, signaling the end of the class. Mr. Philip gathered his books with a quiet efficiency, his movements a stark contrast to the chaos that was about to erupt. As he departed, the room detonated into a cacophony of laughter, chatter, and shouting. The atmosphere was electric, the students' excitement palpable.
But just as the noise seemed to reach a fever pitch,The principal, appeared at the doorway, her presence a sudden and effective brake on the chaos. Her eyes scanned the room, her expression stern and disapproving. Some students, caught up in the moment, didn't notice her at first, but as her gaze swept over them, they quickly fell silent, their faces falling into line.
"Is this how you all behave?" The principal's voice rang out, her tone firm but disappointed. "Is this how you make such a rucus in class?"
The room fell silent, the students' faces frozen in a mixture of guilt and embarrassment. Her gaze swept across the classroom, her eyes searching for someone. And then, they landed on me, her eyes locking onto mine with an unmistakable intensity.
She beckoned me to come outside, her gesture economical but unmistakable. I stood up, feeling a sense of trepidation wash over me. As I made my way towards her, all eyes turned to look at me, curiosity and speculation written across their faces.
As I approached the principal, who stood at the entrance of the classroom,her gaze met mine, and I felt a slight pause, as if the entire room had held its breath.
The principal's voice, low and smooth, sliced through the tension. "Don't you all have something to do?" The words were a gentle nudge, but the students sprang into action, their bags rustling, books thudding open, and zippers zipping with a fervor that bordered on chaos.
As the noise subsided, the principal's attention turned to me, their eyes narrowing slightly. "Sarah, once the classes are over, you'll head to the library. Your tutor is waiting for you there." I nodded, the words etching themselves into my memory like a promise.
The principal's lips curled into a faint smile. "I was passing by and thought I'd mention it. How's the class going, by the way?" I murmured a response, "It's fine," the words feeling like a whispered secret.
The principal nodded, her eyes lingering on me for a moment before she turned to leave her footsteps echoed through the hallways.
*
*
I sat in the classroom, my eyes scanning the timetable etched on the crumpled paper in my hand. Chemistry was next, and I was waiting for the teacher to arrive. But as I glanced around, I noticed the students around me were already stirring, gathering their belongings and filing out of the room. I remained seated, confusion etched on my face, wondering if I had misread the schedule.
Just as I was starting to feel a sense of unease, a girl hurried past me, her voice barely above a whisper. "Chemistry is in the lab." The words were like a spark, igniting a flurry of movement within me. I swiftly gathered my things, shoving books and papers into my bag with a sense of urgency. I joined the stream of students flowing out of the classroom, my feet carrying me along with the crowd.
The hallway was a sea of chatter and footsteps, a cacophony of sounds that enveloped me as I trailed behind the students. My eyes scanned the crowd, trying to get my bearings and make sure I was headed in the right direction. The lab, the girl had said. I followed the throng of students.
As I stepped into the lab, the sheer scale of the room took my breath away. Rows upon rows of sleek, modern workstations stretched out before me like a vast, uncharted sea. The air was alive with the hum of anticipation, students chattering and laughing as they searched for seats. I scanned the room, my eyes scouring the landscape for an empty spot. Finally, I spotted a trio of vacant seats nestled between two clusters of industrious-looking students. I made a beeline for the seats, my bag slung over my shoulder, and plunked myself down on one of the seats,relieved to have secured a spot.
I set my bag on the table,running my gaze over the room once more. The chemistry teacher hadn't arrived yet, and I wondered idly if it would be a male or female instructor. The lab was noisy, creak of chairs and chatting students, Just as I was starting to feel settled, a chair scraped against the floor beside me, and I turned to see Jo, the guy who had helped me out when my phone was snatched the day before.
"Is this seat taken?" he asked, his voice low and friendly. When he caught sight of me, his expression changed from query to recognition. "Sarah!" he exclaimed, his voice rising in surprise. I smiled back at him, feeling a sense of pleasure at the unexpected encounter. "Hey jo," I replied, my voice warm with gratitude.
We exchanged a few pleasantries, and I asked, "You're having chemistry too?" He nodded, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Yeah, I am." I smiled, intrigued by the coincidence. "I didn't see you in my class," I said, my voice trailing off. Jo's eyes met mine, and he chuckled. "We're a big class, so they split us up into different sections. We're in the same year, but different classrooms."
I nodded, understanding dawning on me. "That makes sense," I said, my eyes lighting up with comprehension. Jo nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's a big student population, so they have to divide us up."
As we sat in comfortable silence, I couldn't help but notice the way Jo's eyes seemed to hold a deep sincerity. And then, he spoke up again. "I'm sorry I didn't call you like I promised," he said, his voice tinged with regret. "I was busy with some things." I waved a hand dismissively, feeling a sense of relief that he hadn't forgotten about me entirely. "No, it's fine," I said, my voice softening. "Really, it's fine."