HURDLES

Chapter Seven

Bella waited patiently for the bell to ring for break period. She constantly looked at her wrist watch as Mr Agbaje, the history teacher rambled on about the flaws in the Nigerian government. She had lost track of the number of times he already talked about that. He would usually start the topic of the day and before anyone knew it, he would resume talking about Nigerian politics and the rest leaving the students contemplating if it was a History or Government class.

Bella looked at her wrist watch again. Ten minutes before break period. She sighed. Why is time not fast today, she thought as she looked round the class at her fellow students. Her classmates were bored to death. Majority of them had their heads on their desks either sleeping or not. Some at the back were busy with the phones they sneaked into school. Some had the most bored looks on their faces. Some looked like they were about to cry. Some scribbled on their notes. Collins was busy drawing the teacher on his sketch pad. Even Mirabel, the class's most serious and intelligent student, wasn't listening. That was how frustrating the class was.

Bella checked the time again as she continuously bit her lips. Five minutes to break, Mr Agbaje was sweating profusely from all the talking. He either didn't notice the students weren't paying attention or decided to ignore them as he carried on with his solo speech on a better Nigeria. This was always the case with his subject and at the last minute he would tell the students to study the topics he didn't cover on their own for the examination.

Three minutes before break. Bella turned her attention back to the novel she has been reading throughout the class. She never bothered listening in history class as she preferred reading on her own. There was nothing to learn from the class anyway except how to maybe better Nigeria. Bella always scoffed at the thought, to her there was no betterment for her country. Good thing Mr Agbaje doesn't care about what you did in his class as long as you don't interrupt his speech in anyway.

One minute before break, Bella slammed the novel shut in frustration. It was a mystery story and Mr. Agbaje's presentation wasn't helping matters. She was stuck reading and re-reading one particular page. She sighed happily as the bell started ringing for break.

"Sir your time is up," Micheal thoughtlessly stood not waiting for the bell to stop. His behavior earned him glares from some of his classmates. Some students panicked while others just ignored him. Everyone prepared for the worst.

Surprisingly, Mr Agbaje simply packed his book and quietly exited the class immediately. Normally he would have stayed back as punishment for interrupting his speech making them loose some minutes of the break. Ten minutes at the least.

Bella heaved a sigh of relief along with other students. She dropped her novel inside her desk and left the class for SS2B.

She was still seething from the previous day's incident. The fact that Claire couldn't read the situation was baffling to her. But she couldn't be fooled easily, Claire must have known but decided to do things her own way just like always.

As she walked towards SS2B, she did all in her power to keep her anger in check. She greeted other students with fake smiles and occasional waves of her hands.

Drawing nearer to the classroom, she could already hear Claire laughing and talking with enthusiasm. At the door, she saw her sorrounded by a group of boys who hosted her.

The scenario only succeeded in skyrocketing her anger. Here she was having fun to the fullest after what she did? She stomped into the classroom and went straight to her desk. The fake smile had long worn off and her spotless face was adorned with a frown.

"Claire, I need to talk to you." She didn't see any need to beat around the bush.

"Bella, that has to wait. I really can't leave right now," she replied not as much as a glance towards Bella. The gesture only took her anger to another level if that was even possible.