Saint Patrick's College

Chapter Six

Scratch that she wanted to know more than just the how, she wanted to know the when, the who, she wanted to know everything she could possibly know about the girl that died in the bathroom. Was she sick? She had to have been. Food poisoning? Adaeze couldn't stop imagining a girl alone in the bathroom clutching her stomach in her last moments.

Her chest tingled.

The second period bell went off and as if unbothered, her classmates begun gathering their belongings to make their way to their next class.

What the heck? Why didn't they care? Didn't this girl have any friends, family? Anyone that would feel the ache of her death?

"Who do you think it is?" Ayomide asked as she collected her things into her bag. She like everyone else was nonchalant about the whole thing. Were they used to things like this? Was there just a dead body every Monday morning?

"The only person that didn't make it to class today. Or do you see Ogechi anywhere?" Segun asked.

Ayomide did a sweep of the class then shrugged. "What makes you think it's her, what makes you think it's someone in our class?"

"I'm with Ayomide, it could be anyone from any class." Adaeze felt inclined to add. She didn't want to appear too shaken up even though on the inside she felt frightened, saddened for the girl that would miss out on prom and graduation and would never get to go to her dream college.

"I know what I'm saying, it's Ogechi," Segun said too confidently. He spoke like he was talking about a football team he was sure would win the match. Like Ifanyi when he was sure Barcelona would win the match against Norwich city.

"Even if you're right—" Ayomide started saying.

"Like I was when I said someone had died." He added as he walked them out into the hallway lined by lockers and clustered with kids and police officers. They walked past walls lined with posters for school events. The one that caught Adaeze's eye was the poster for the drama club it was bloody and gory and called for thrill seekers. Well, at least she knew what club she wouldn't be joining.

"Even if you were right about that, you might be wrong about this."

"Wanna bet?" He reached into his pocket and produced a one-thousand naira note.

Ayomide had a fierce look in her eyes.

Alright, that was the line. "Guys!" Adaeze called out.

They turned to her. "A girl is dead and you're betting?" She couldn't wrap her head around it. Was this what people were like around here? "Don't you wanna know what happened?"

"Of course, we do, but we're not going to get that answer right away." Ayomide said.

"If ever." Segun added with a shrug. "All we know is that things are weird right now and they're going to keep being weird for the next couple weeks until a cause of death is found and the case can be closed." He stopped at the foot of the stairs. "Now I've gotta go, I've got chemistry and I believe you two have literature."

They waved him off.

...

The lunch scene at Saint Patrick's College was divided into factions. Each class had their section of the cafeteria. Within each faction was a hierarchy. SS1 students for example had their lead table, the popular table for Saint Patrick's best of the best of the SS1 class. Unsurprisingly, the overzealous girl from class was one of the familiar faces at that table as with the boy with the faded hair who was yet to throw on his blazer. Adaeze made a mental note to learn the girl's name. If she was some sort of queen bee, Adaeze would be better off getting to know her and getting on her good side. As for the boy she would steer clear of him.