Chapter 4

Zaria's POV

The term moved faster than I expected and soon it was test week. At Limes Light, we had terminal test four times before the exams start. I had to keep my record intact and prove to Joel that I was still the best, so I had spent all of my time reading like no man’s business.

We were all seated in class, waiting for the physics teacher to come in and start his test. I was chatting with some girls because Physics has always been a piece of cake for me, I wasn’t worried at all about it. 

I looked around and my eyes fell on him. Him. 

He was surrounded with girls and they all had their notes in their hands. It looked like he was explaining some of the calculations to them. I frowned, I had always been the one to explain things to my classmates. Whenever anyone needed help with equations or calculations, they came to me. Why did they go to him this time? 

My thoughts were cut short when the physics teacher came in and asked everyone to go to their seats. I went to mine and settled for the test. 

My eyes flitted in Joel’s direction and I saw the sheet of paper on his table. I rolled my eyes and started reading the questions written on the board. I started to solve the questions without a break. I had to show the boy what I was capable of.

"Stop writing and submit." The physics teacher said after ten minutes elapsed. We submitted one after the other. Knowing the physics teacher, he would mark the scripts and solve the questions immediately after the test. I waited impatiently to see my script, tapping my feet against the floor as I watched him mark. 

Soon he was done and he stood up to solve the questions.

"I would pick two people to solve these questions." He announced. 

He looked around. "Zaria, come out." I stood up and walked majestically to the board, waiting for him to call the second person. "Joel, please come out." He said again. 

Joel stood up and walked to the board. I hissed quietly, why did it have to be him?

"Both of you, pick a marker and start solving the questions. I have divided the board into two, so I give you both ten minutes to solve these questions. GO! " He yelled. 

We turned to the board and started solving the questions. I turned slightly to look at Joel's work. He worked fast, not even sparing me a glance. There were five questions, each carried two marks. 

I looked back to my work and kept writing. We both finished before the time elapsed. 

The teacher stood up and inspected the workings on the board. I saw a different answer to one of the questions I solved in Joel's calculations. I was so confident I had the correct answer. 

"Nice work. Although Zaria, you made the exact same mistake in your test, with that question" The teacher said, pointing to the only answer that was different from Joel's in all my calculations. I was awestruck. 

What the hell?!

"I don’t think so, sir. I am very sure I got the calculations correct." I retorted. 

"No." Joel spoke up. "Though, you could have gotten it correct if you used the right formula to solve the question. You used a wrong formula." He smirked. 

"Look at Joel's calculations, that's the correct answer. He used the correct formula. You tried any way" The teacher said. I looked at Joel and saw a triumphant smirk on his face. I seriously had the urge to slap it off. 

Tried? I had never gotten 'tried' before. It had always been 'Well done' or 'Excellent'. The guy was gradually stealing my spot light! 

I huffed as I returned to my seat. 

When the teacher asked Joel to share the scripts, I felt like I could die. He was already taking my position as every teacher’s favorite. He got to my table and brought out my script. 

I scowled at him as he looked at it with a smile playing on his lips. He then handed it to me. 

"So because you got the highest mark, you are feeling like the boss, abi?" I scoffed. 

"In physics? Really? Almost everyone had a ten, you had the lowest. I thought you would give me a better challenge. Come on, I expect better from the 'best student in this set' " He snorted, making air quotes.

Wait, what?! Everyone had a ten and I got the lowest mark?! What the hell?

It was so embarrassing. 

☆☆☆☆

It was free period for both Science and technical students. The free period was the last period before closing time. Some of us gathered in an open area of the school some students call "love garden". There were round, metal chairs and a table made out of marbles was in the middle of each chair. I was still sulking over getting the lowest score in the physics test. 

"Physics test was simple baje baje, I murdered it. In fact, I slaughtered it." One of my classmates, Tunji, said. It didn't make me feel any better. 

"Oya, baba Tunji, what was your score?" Adaora asked. 

"Omo, you see ehn. I murdered that thing o." He repeated. I knew he was avoiding the question of what he had in the test, I smiled at the thought. 

"Oga! Say your score!" Segun said impatiently.

"I had a six over ten." Tunji answered, proud of himself. Everyone burst into laughter. 

"And you are happy you got a six. Abeg, shift make we hear word." Lyla scoffed. 

"You can't blame him na, six is the highest score he has ever had in Physics. It's not his best subject like all you nerds here. Let the guy be, abeg." Shalewa said. Everyone knew she was defending him because of her unending crush for him. 

"Hey, guys. Come and join us." Lyla called to someone and I groaned when I saw who it was. 

Joel and Charles walked over to us and sat, Joel was directly opposite me. I looked away but I could feel his stare burning my skin. 

"How was the physics test for you tech dudes?" Ada asked them, looking particularly at Joel with a big grin on her face. 

"Maybe we should stop talking about the physics test and talk about something else." I said immediately, I knew Joel could try to humiliate me. To be honest I probably deserved it but I was not ready to admit it to anyone. 

"Joel got the highest score." Charles announced. That earned him lot of "wows" and "nice one" from others while I silently groaned. 

"Nah. I wasn't the highest, almost everyone had a ten. That question was a piece of cake. I think the lowest was eight or something" Joel waved his hand in dismissal. 

Suddenly he turned to me. "Oh Zaria I forgot, what was your score again?" He asked, his eyes boring into mine. 

Fuck!

"That's true, Zaria. You haven't told us your score." Tunji said. Everyone looked at me eagerly, waiting for me to announce my score. 

God, just kill me now. 

"Eight." I whispered. Everyone gasped, it wasn't expected. 

"Oh that's right, you were the lowest. Sorry, I forgot." Joel had an innocent smile on his face. It was difficult to know he was intentionally humiliating me. 

I was pissed but I couldn't do anything about it so I grabbed my bag. 

"Excuse me." I stood up and left them. Lyla ran after me. 

"What happened there?" She asked me. 

"He did that intentionally. He humiliated me!" I snapped, tears threatening to fall. I wiped them away speedily. 

"I'm so sorry Zee. But, come to think of it, you kinda deserve it." Lyla said. My head snapped up to her.

"What?!" I snapped. 

"I am your best friend Zaria, I definitely won't lie to you. You cornering him in class that day was a big mistake. You created a competition and he is winning, so he is kinda justified. You humiliated him, in a way.” She paused and waited for my reaction before continuing. 

“You brought this on yourself. Plus, you are over reacting to the whole situation. You had eight, You scored way higher than some people." Lyla said. My mouth hung open, I couldn’t believe it was from my best friend.  

"Oh so now I am overreacting and I deserve this kind of treatment?! Is that what you are saying? You are taking his side, over mine? I am your best friend!" I screamed. 

"I am not choosing sides...I am just saying --" She started. 

"Lyla save it! I don't want to hear anything from you. You can go back to your new best friend." I scoffed. 

"Zee... It has not come to this." She said, trying to hold my arm but I slapped her hand away. 

"Just leave me alone." I snapped and walked away. 

The bell had already gone and I could see my dad's driver waiting for me in the parking lot. I entered the car and he zoomed out of school. The tears threatened to fall but I closed my eyes and chanted to myself. 

I am not weak! I am a strong , beautiful girl! I am independent! 

Soon we got home and I got down from the car. Immediately, I ran upstairs to my room. I still couldn’t believe Lyla took his side over mine. 

She has a point, you know, my subconscious told me. I pushed it away, I wasn’t going to admit that to myself.  

**

Thirty minutes after I heard a car pull in and soon heard my father's voice in the living room. I continued to play with my phone. 

"Zaria, get down here immediately. We have a guest." I heard him yell. 

I groaned as I got down from the bed and pulled down my top over my short. I came out and started down the stairs.

I got to the end and froze. Father spotted me and called out. 

"Zaria, look who we have here." Father smiled. The visitor looked at me with a sly smirk on his face. 

Oh no. 

"Hello pumpkin." He said in his deep baritone voice. 

"Uncle Sam…" My voice came out in whisper.