Beauty For Ashes (Chapter 3)

The Literature lesson was such an enjoyable one,’ I said to Nkechi who was sitting nearby. It was break-time and mouths were munching and crunching on snacks. Some students preferred to eat at the class to having their fill at the cafeteria. I had found all noshes back at the cafeteria boring and uninteresting, and I couldn't dare pick from the menu of cooked food back there. I dreaded food made outside the confines of my home. The consequence from the few times I had eaten out were appalling reactions in my gastrointestinal tract. The spices were always too harsh on my system. So, today I just sat there, my mouth idle till I decided to speak.
‘I’m sure you think so. Whatever’s boring is so enjoyable to you. You disgust me,’ Nkechi snarled with her cat-like eyes staring maliciously at me. I couldn’t understand why she had decided to be a thorn in my flesh.
‘Enough of this, Nkechi Adams. The poor girl was just airing her views,’ shouted the boy just behind her. It was Osazee, the Osazee who took it out on her all the time like he was Superman taking on the bad guy.
‘My dear Osazee, I see you have become her hired lawyer. Or is she your new girl, huh?’ she said with that contemptuous smile of hers on her face.
‘Hey! It’s okay. There’s no need for a quarrel. I think the best thing to do is to quit talking to you,’ I said courteously.
‘Ese is right. Silence is the best answer given to a fool,’ Osazee chipped in.
‘How dare you call me a fool?’ thundered an enraged Nkechi.
‘Yes. And you can’t do a thing about it. Chicken!’ Osazee thundered back.
‘What the hell is happening here,’ shouted Lisa, obviously attracted by the noise.
‘Mind your business,’ bellowed Nkechi.
‘Hmmm, it’s my duty as the class prefect to maintain law and order. So this is my business.’
‘What happened, Ese?’ Lisa asked me. I then told her all that had just transpired between Nkechi, Osazee and I.
‘So that is the cause of this pandemonium,’ said Lisa. ‘Well I’ve noticed that Nkechi hates Lisa, and I l wonder what the cause of this hate and bitterness is. Anyway, all this has to stop. We need tranquility here,’ she continued. Without another word, she walked away.
‘Who does she think she is? I wonder what gave her the effrontery to speak to me that way,’ Nkechi said, her eyes burning with rage. I quietly walked away, leaving her encaged in her fury.
Lisa was so sweet-hearted that she hated nobody but she couldn’t help despising Nkechi who always bragged about her father being a senator. Who cares? I always thought to myself whenever she spoke proudly, parading herself like a peacock.