CHAPTER FIVE

***Uniport (University of Port Harcourt ) premises . Class room***

Grace had excused herself to go pee.

Rose watched as queen Victoria and her vicky - devils entered the class room scanning the room and taking their seats.

She watched in admiration as Anthony walked in and almost laughed as the guys all wanted to shake him and the girls all wanted to throw themselves at him but one look from Victoria made them bite their lips and sit still.

She watched as Victoria flung herself at him and purrs "miss you baby" and how frantically he fought to disengage her from his Greek-god body And Victoria pretended not to care.

She hoped Grace would come back in time as the class calmed ,before Mr Bamidele would begin sharing the test scripts. She didn't want her to be late for her first test.

.

Victoria couldn't keep her hands to herself and Anthony had a look of disgust on his face. But everything changed as soon as Grace walked back in, her hair in a bun, a pretty face all too visible and the air smelled of her perfume as she strolled right in ....passing him and sitting .

.

.

Rose was used to having men stare after Grace. She was pretty. But when she followed Anthony ' s eyes, she knew his was one of pure admiration and he was the only one who didnt turn away and his pen had slipped away from his fingers and he didn't notice. But his eyes held on.

.

Rose quickly looks at Victoria, then she knew.

As soon as she noticed Victoria ' s eyes had turned to red slits and her fist folded to show anger.

Rose ' s heart skipped......"Damn!!! Grace is in trouble"!!!!

*

Mr Bamidele checked his time. .

'Your time starts now!'

The classroom was quiet and every head was bent over their table and writing, except one. His head was bent, hand un-moving and he was still for a while.

'Anthony? Dude it's being fifteen minutes already and you haven't written a thing, are you okay?" The voice beside him asked . When it got no response he nudged him

"TF dude? ?? You know if you don't write nothing, I don't write nothing mehn. Anthony ?? '' the voice continued

'Is there a problem Mr James ?' Mr Bamidele asked from his chair .

'Er no sir. Not at all. Was just asking for a spare pen. Gotten it sir " James smiled and bent over his work, not without stepping on Anthony 's feet.

'Ouch James. That hurts "...Anthony shifted his feet.

"Guy time dey go. Wida you?. I no read for the test. Start writing so I can dub".. James queried, covering his mouth to stop Mr Bamidele from noticing as he spoke in the nigerian pidgin dialect

"You never read for anything. But hold on! Gimme a minute ." Anthony said through closed lips .

Anthony shifted on his sit. How could he tell James that he has gotten completely blank.

Like blank. Nothing . Nada.!!!!!

He knew it. He knew the answers. When he wasn't feeling the skin of a random beautiful girl and sinking into her warmth, he is buried head in his books. He didn't have brains for nothing.

But for first time , nothing was coming. He was blank. All because of that girl that walked in . And all he could think about was her face and the whiff of her perfume that bathed the room.

He blinked once. Twice . Trying to clear his fogged mind. James impatient tapping wasn't helping either. Victoria ' s stares boring into his back was making him uncomfortable and the fact that she kept sliding her feet up and down his left legs was disconcerting. He didn't need a soothsayer to know that Victoria was only in class because he was in class and he could bet his balls she wasn't writing jack either and neither was her sidekicks.

He stole a glance at the girl causing the commotion in his head. She was focused on her work. Biting her lower lip, eyes squinted. A lock of her hair dangled at the side of her face, he was tempted to reach out and tuck it behind her ear. He didn't realise he was smiling at the way she was calm and focused and cute ,until he felt another pain on his already throbbing feet.

'Ouch James. . What's wrong with you mehn? ,"

"Anthony ... time is almost over for the test. Your paper is blank . Mine too. And you are smiling and you are asking me what's wrong with me? ?, wait lemme answer that ....."

James thought for a second ....

" Everything. !!!!! " He exclaimed under his breath.

Anthony sighed. James was his closest friend. He is a good guy and a good friend but he was dumb when it came to books,but he always would be the last man standing beside you when trouble hits and everyone else runs.

Anthony tore his eyes away from the girl. Shook her out of his head and faced his empty test sheet. He faintly heard Mr Bamidele call out ..

"Twenty minutes to go"...

"Well James, I hope you can write faster than your mouth or at least try to keep up ??"

"Dude, just write." James got into a dubbing and writing position.

Anthony smiles and twisted his pen between his fingers and then touched it to his script and began scribbling. He didn't stop until the timer went off.