Chapter 7: Chapter 7

~Jade~

'Good day Mr. Chairman, a panel of judges, accurate timekeeper, Co-debaters, and my fellow student. My name is Wura Adegbite and I'm here to speak against Sex Education in schools. Firstly, I'll like to define Sex Education, Sex Education is...'

I blocked out what she was saying to focus on the notes on my lap. It was on Friday and I was sitting in front of the whole school. Uthman was sitting adjacent to me, arms folded across his chest. Our panel coordinator was sitting in our midst. After Wura and  Gabriel had given their speeches on the topic, there was going to be a panel discussion between myself and Uthman. I turned to look at him, he was engrossed in the book he was holding, his pen in between his lips. He looked up and saw him looking at him. He smiled in his cocky way and waved at me. My eyebrow must have raised in mock disgust because he made a broken face. I shook my head and turned back to my ravening thoughts.

Chill baby, Uthman's got nothing on you.

"With all the above, I hope I've been able to convince you and not confuse you that sex education should be banned in Secondary school. Thank you."

Wura's voice dragged me out of my reverie as the whole hall erupted in loud applause. Wura smiled and took her seat beside Uthman, the latter smiled at her and she blushed. Damn right. Mr. Chris, our panel coordinator took the cue

"Hello guys, so we'll start our panel discussion between Mister Gbadamosi and Miss Jadeshola Badmus now. Can you guys give it up for the team you're supporting?"

The hall erupted in shouts of #TeamJade and #TeamUthman. I swear I could hear Hana's voice screaming. I smiled and looked at Uthman. He had that smug look on his face.

Whatever.

"So, Uthman, you think sex education should not be allowed in school, why do you think?"

"Well, my partner said it all already, whether we are taught these things in school or not, we'll know them either way. A teacher will come to teenagers' classes and start teaching them about sex? It always ends on an awkward note. We always end up knowing nothing but then, our interests are already piqued, we can guess what the result of that will be."

"Practice, of course, "I replied and he looked at me from the crowd

"And what happens when we are not taught about these things at all, our interests are piqued also and we end up practicing anyway."

He was looking at me with a blank expression on his face. I broke the eye contact and looked at the crowd

"I think sex Education goes a lot way in our education. We're not only in the world where we can easily access all this information online but also, we're in a generation of hormonal teenagers. We practicalize everything. Why not learn this thing in safe hands instead of relying on misguides on the net."

"Oh really? What about the awkwardness? What about the stigmatization of the female gender. Not everybody can be badass and not allow boys taunt to get to them."

Yeah right, it was pretty obvious that he was talking about me

"And is it awkward? Why do boys taunt? Because we are not vocal about it of course. If we can make it a normal discourse, if we could stop stigmatizing girls on their periods, if boys could see girls and just see girls and not just objects they can use anyhow, then it's not going to be awkward."

"So you're saying you're so comfortable with me whispering the D and P word in your ears in class?"

"Not whispering, you nutcase. And that's what I was talking about just now, that's taunting girls, how could you even think to include that into our argument, totally irrational and disheartening."

The both of us said nothing for a while, glaring at each other before Mister Chris cleared his throat.

"I guess we've come to the end of the discussion. We should.........."

Yeah, of course, Lakeview had it coming and there, they have it. I don't give a flying fuck who wins this. The winner could go to hell for all I care. Bullshit, I stood up and left the hall while Mister Chris was still talking. My insides were boiling, I needed fresh air and silence. Hana knew better than to follow me. I was halfway gone to the basketball court when someone pulled my hands, I turned back, it was Uthman, I pulled my hands back as if scalded by a hot iron.

"What now? You were so sure you'd have a comeback for whatever I say and now, you couldn't even stand common abbreviations? And now, you're acting girly?"

I bit my inner mouth to keep myself from screaming.

"You know what, I have nothing to say to you because the argument ended in the hall, they announced you as the winner, right? Good for you, now fuck off."

He smiled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Really? Jade? Curse words? So unlike you."

"When you're with someone who irks you, then you say things you don't normally. Now leave me alone, please, Sir."

The idiot before me just burst into laughter.

'Jade, I've never seen you this worked up, what could have made you this worked up?' He paused a little 'I guess we're all hormonal teenagers like you said'

He said and walked away. I stood there shaking, the intensity of my anger threatening to make me fall.

I hate Uthman. I do hate him.

*****

~Uthman~

If looks could kill, I'd surely be dead by now but it was worth it. I wasn't going to say the D and the P-word but I just wanted to show the bitch that even she could easily come apart with words like that. In the end, weren't girls all the same? After she'd ran out of the hall, Mister Chris had announced that the winner would be announced on Monday morning. I was not even interested in winning this, not at all. But it was worth it actually, seeing that look on Jade's face even though I'm nearly 100% sure that I'm going to earn a stern warning from the principal. I stood in front of the SS3 block, watching the Students move out of the hall in twos and threes to the school park.

"That was so mean."

"That was so awesome."

I turned back to see Dan and Michelle walking towards me. They both said that at the same time and they stopped to look at each other, surprised by their contradicting views. Dan crossed his arms over his chest

"Really? Michelle, you think that was awesome."

"Yes of course, as long as it puts Jade in her place, I'm okay with it. And oh my God, I live for that expression on her face."

She laughed and moved closer to me, maintaining eye contact.

"That was incredible. Well done."

Daniel scowled behind her.

"That means you don't have a problem with Uthman whispering those words into your ears?"

Michelle turned pink and quickly averted her gaze. At least, Jade was furious, this one here was blushing all colors. She murmured something and left hurriedly. Daniel shook his head and moved closer to stand beside me.

"That girl is so obsessed with you. You'll probably assault her and she'll still be smiling at you."

"What?' I turned to look at him, he was looking straight ahead. "What kind of comparison is that?"

"Just trying to buttress how crazy she's about you."

"Oh come on, Michelle is just Michelle, it's not that deep."

"Yeah, sure." He replied solemnly, still not looking at me

"Why do you look so off?"

No answer

"Is this about what happened in the hall?"

No answer

"Do you feel bad for Jade?"

He turned quickly, a little too quickly.

"What? Of course not. Why should I?"

"So, why do appear to be angry at me?"

"Dude, I'm not angry at you, I'm just wondering that Jade always manages to bring out your best and your worst. I never thought you were going to offer words like that in front of the whole school. Damn Uthman, you're more like my friend now."

I burst into laughter. My friend is crazy.

"I thought you said it was mean."

"Yeah, to the rest of the world, Nah, to us.' He patted my back. 'I'll like to see more of this you in the coming days."

Yeah, right. Talk about being crazy.

******

The highlight of the whole issue, Jade started ignoring me, not ignoring me specifically but pretending I wasn't there, not like we were talking to each other before but it sucks now, instead of blatantly talking down to me, she was keeping her distance. On a norm, Jade would have asked me if I was talking to her because I was crazy or not, or anything, something. This new facade of Jade sucks, I wasn't used to it and it made everything boring. This new Jade made the game sucks. Jade was announced the winner on Monday and I glanced at her on the assembly ground, her eyes gave nothing away, not a flicker of joy or excitement. Okay! Good!

After the assembly, I went to the principal's office because he'd asked me to see him. He was flipping through some files on his desk when I got there.

"Good Morning Sir."

The formal, clip, that's how we've been raised.

"Morning Mister Gbadamosi, have your seat."

"Thank you," I replied and sat down, minutes passed and he said nothing. I was beginning to think he's forgotten I was there when he finally spoke.

"So, I heard about what happened on Friday during your panel discussion and I must say, I'm disappointed in you."

Yeah, I expected that much. I knew I was going to get reprimanded though I'm very sure I wasn't going to get any punishment, Lakeview doesn't punish Jade or me.

"You should know, as the head boy and the school's Ace that Lakeview takes great pride in morality and uprightness. We don't care about what you do behind closed doors as long as you don't tarnish the school's image."

Yeah sure, you don't give a fuck about what we do as long as our facade is strong. What a joke.

"I'm sorry sir, I should have known better."

"Yes, I hope that doesn't repeat itself."

"Yes Sir."

"You can leave now."

"Thank you, sir."

I stood up and left. I bumped into someone in the anteroom causing the books the person was holding to fall. We bent down simultaneously to pick the books. I glanced up to see it was Jade, she snatched her books from me and walked away without a backward glance. I groaned inwardly and walked outside. I was still outside when she walked out of the principal's office, she walked past me as if I wasn't there. Well well, the trouble in me walked after her.

"Jade, I'm not invisible you know, just say anything you want to say, we've been through uglier times together."

No reply. The Jade I know would have said something like 'Are you crazy? Do I know you?'

"Oh come on, Jade, those words ain't even supposed to irk you like this and you shouldn't ignore me because of that."

She stopped and turned abruptly that we almost bump into each other.

"I'm not ignoring you, I've just realized you're not that intelligent for me to give you my attention."

And she walked away. I smiled. The bitch would always be the bitch and Jade will always be Jade.