Rita walked into her newly assigned classroom with her head hanging low, dragging her feet as though the weight of the world was on her shoulders. The familiar buzz of chatter and laughter from her classmates seemed to get quieter as she stepped inside. The bright walls and neatly arranged desks felt foreign, too clean, too perfect. It was as if the universe had decided to remind her that things were changing, and she wasn't ready for it.
And then, as if fate itself had decided to make things even more awkward, Rita felt a soft tap on her shoulder.
She spun around quickly, almost stumbling over her own feet. No way… She thought, rubbing her eyes as though the scene would somehow change.
"Good morning, Ritty!" A cheerful voice greeted her, almost too brightly.
Rita blinked, unable to immediately register who had spoken. She rubbed her face with the palm of her hand, trying to shake off her morning fog. And then, *boom*—there she was. Anne. Standing in front of her with a friendly smile that was almost too perfect.
Great. Just great. Rita muttered under her breath, not loud enough for Anne to hear "Even the devil is trying to make friends."
Anne chuckled, not the least bit phased by Rita's unfriendly look. "Aww, come on, Ritty," she said, her smile not fading for a second. "No hard feelings, right?"
"Anne, same to you," Rita said, forcing a smile as she extended her hand. "Good meeting you."
Anne grabbed Rita's hand with excitement, shaking it firmly. "I'm really glad we're in the same class, Ritty! This is going to be so much fun!" Anne said with an infectious energy, her brown eyes sparkling with optimism.
Rita couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, her thoughts racing. Can being friendly with Anne be the best option here?. she wondered. Or am I just setting myself up for another disaster?
But before she could overthink it, Anne was already taking charge of the situation. She grabbed Rita's bag and placed it on a desk right beside hers. "You can sit here," Anne said, smiling at Rita. "I saved you a spot!"
Rita stared at the bag on the desk for a moment, taken aback by Anne's sudden act of kindness. For a brief second, Rita felt a tiny spark of warmth in her chest. She smiled, her face softening. "Thanks, Anne."
After some few sessions of classes...
T
he bell rang suddenly, signaling that it was time for a break. The classroom erupted into chatter, students rushing to the buttery, some heading for the doors and others gathering in clusters by the windows.
"It looks so good seeing you two get along," Evelyn chimed in, walking over to Rita with a teasing grin. Her eyes danced with mischief. "I knew Anne would warm up to you."
Rita flashed Evelyn a playful grin. "Eve, I miss you," she said, reaching over and playfully scratching Evelyn's hand, just as they used to do during their lunch breaks. It was one of their silly habits, a way to signal their secret bond of friendship.
"Miss her no more, 'cause I'm here with you!" Anne said, her voice dripping with mock cheerfulness as she picked up Rita's idle hand, squeezing it in a friendly gesture.
Rita rolled her eyes. "Anne, you can't replace my dog talk, talk less of my best friend!" she muttered, trying to gently flick her wrist free from Anne's grasp.
"Rita, I gotta go see my mum—see you later!" Evelyn said, smiling and waving as she quickly darted out of the classroom, clearly not interested in the new dynamic between Rita and Anne.
After Evelyn left, there was an awkward silence between the two girls. Anne shifted in her seat, inching her chair closer to Rita's with an almost calculated calmness. "It's nice being with you, Ritty," she said, her voice soft but firm. "I'd love it if we could get to know each other better. I mean, I know we're in the same class now, so it's only natural, right?"
Rita gave Anne a sharp look. Didn't she see the signal? I'm not in for this, Rita thought as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She wasn't used to people getting so close so quickly. It always felt rushed, forced. But she didn't want to be rude either.
"I'm Rita Adeleke," she said, sighing and trying her best to stay polite. "Anything else you'd like to know?"
Anne's eyes lit up with excitement. "Well... Yes, actually. I'm curious—tell me more about your parents."
Rita froze for a second. That question was a bit too personal. She tried to keep her cool, but the topic of her parents always made her uneasy. Yet, there was something about Anne's eagerness that made her want to answer.
Before Rita could respond, Anne distracted her by fiddling with her books. "I see you like novels," Anne said, flipping through the pages of Rita's book of self written Novel. "Do you write, too?"
Rita hesitated for a second. Her inner voice whispered, Answer her. Don't be rude.
"Yes, I do," Rita replied, a little reluctantly. She wasn't sure where this conversation was going, but she felt herself getting drawn in.
Anne's smile grew wider. "I write, too!" she said, pulling out a book from her bag with a beautifully designed cover. "Maybe we can collaborate on something? We can write a story together!"
Rita's eyes widened as she examined the book in Anne's hands. It was stunning. The cover was glossy, the colors vibrant, and it looked like something straight out of a bookstore. "Wow, this looks beautiful," Rita exclaimed, reaching out to touch it.
Anne laughed, handing it over to Rita. "I'm glad you think so! It's one of my personal favorites."
Before Rita could respond, the door creaked open, and Mrs. Owoteni walked in with her usual no-nonsense attitude. "Good afternoon, students!" she said, her voice echoing in the classroom. "Let's get started with today's lesson."
As the teacher began to speak, Rita stared down at the book in her hands, her mind racing. Is this the beginning of a new chapter? she wondered. Maybe Anne isn't so bad after all.
Then suddenly, "Rita , the meaning of probability"
Her heart jump into her mouth, just before she starts to eat , Anne whispered to her.
Only for her mouth to the moving.
"Correct, a round of applause" this bring back to life
" Anne isn't so bad after all"she concluded