Chapter 13

Zoe got bored after reading the comic book, she was done with it within hours of starting it. Raising her head from the table they were rested on. She stood up to leave. On a second thought, she would be more bored at home. So, standing up, she made a decision of reading till after some hours.

Looking at her desk, a smile crawled up her face when she remembered all that had happened that day. She had just found out her soon to become favorite teacher was also her distant cousin. Who would have thought she would ever meet any member of her father's family ever again?

While she was younger, when her father was still alive and wealthy. Her mom, Darasimi had made sure he wouldn't have anything to do with his family. Though he had been away from home for a long time. Darasimi cut him off his entire family, including his siblings who were all abroad.

She made sure they didn't have access to him. And his step siblings here in Nigeria couldn't reach him. Thus, making it impossible for Zoe and her sister Emily to ever know any of their extended family members.

Getting to meet her someone who was no doubts related to her, with arguable resemblance. It meant the world to her; she couldn't help but smiling to herself.

I've got a cousin!!! She hummed happily to herself while jumping playfully to the garden.

She got to the lawn only to meet three people seated on a mat, while another seated on a bench watching them carefully.

Her heart broke as jealousy slipped in. Her cousin was here with other students and not just any student, Julia and Matthew, with Zion!!! Zion who had hyped her and asked her to explain some sums to him.

If he wanted help studying, why couldn't he just ask? She thought as she fumed with anger.

Her heart was on a race to know why. After that, she confirmed Julia must have spoken I'll about her. With the way she had treated Julia in the past, besides she had turned down studying with her. Julia would have told Zion; she was mean and heartless.

Her heart broke as she thought, she bowed her head dejectedly and turned back to leave.

"Cousin?!” She heard Corper Gbenga call, which made her stop in her tracks. She turned to face them and faked a smile.

"What are you doing here?” He asked.

"I wanted to study here, but I can see you guys are here. Sorry for disturbing I'll just leave now,” she said with a small smile.

"No, no, no. You don't have to do that. Come join us,” he said and beckoned her to come.

"Yes Zoe, we need an extra smart head here!!!” Julia exclaimed happily, Zoe winced as she contemplated whether to join or not.

"Zoe, you should!!!!” Zion yelped excitedly making Zoe laugh.

"Okay!” She said as she walked towards them. She sat at one edge of the mat and rested her back on the tree right behind her. She took her Government textbook out of her bag and started reading.

Totally engrossed in what she was reading, Zoe didn't notice when Julia, Matthew and Zion started arguing whether to call her to help solve a calculation none of them could solve or not. They were really scared of how she would react.

Corper Gbenga noticing the cause of rowdiness and confusion, laughed at them and spoke out loud.

"So, it's because you want to ask my cousin for something that's why you guys are being this noisy,” he said out loud, loud enough for Zoe to hear him. On hearing his words, Zoe lifted her head only to find the trio staring at her like kids caught stealing meat.

The look on their face were hilarious as she burst into laughter. "Why are you guys giving me that look?” She asked.

They pinched each other to determine who will tender their request when it seemed Corper Gbenga had given up on them.

Matthew was push forward and that meant he was the one to talk.

"Erm, erm, erm… Zo…Zoee…we...we—” Matthew stuttered.

"What is it?” Zoe asked.

"There's this sum we can't solve. We want you to help check it out,” Zion said finally. Zoe sighed as she took the textbook and found the sum causing all this chaos.

After some minutes, she solved the question and handed the book to them. Matthew snatched it from Julia's hand who in turn attempted to do same. Causing a rowdy and funny scene, especially when Zion joined. Corper Gbenga and Zoe couldn't help but laugh.

After an hour it was getting dark and Gbenga received a call that Zion's driver was around. They all walked to the gate, waved as Zion entered the car. Matthew and Julia were going the same way, so they left Zoe and Corper Gbenga there.

"Where do you live?” He asked.

"Not too far from here. Just two streets away," Zoe asked as she motioned to leave.

"Let me walk you there,” Corper Gbenga said.

"It's getting dark, you should go back,” Zoe resisted.

“Nope, more reason why I should send you home. It's dark,” Gbenga insisted.

After arguments and hesitation, Zoe later agreed to Corper Gbenga's offer. They walked together to the Owolabi's. Grinning and laughing and cracking jokes.

When they got there. Gbenga stopped at the gate.

"So, who do you live with now?” He asked.

"Uhn. A friend of my mom's. The family.” Zoe explained.

"Oh,” Gbenga sighed. "And I hope they are treating you well,” he asked.

Zoe forced a nod and smiled. "I can't complain,” she muttered, loud enough for Gbenga to hear.”

"What do you mean you can't complain,” Gbenga asked. "Please Zoe, you can tell me if anything is wrong. I'm sure my mom would love to help her late brother's daughter,” he added a tone of desperation etching in his voice. It was as if he was awaiting her complaint so he could call the mom straight.

Zoe chuckled as she watched him "I'm fine, Corper Gbenga, I'm really fine,” she insisted.

"If you say so. I'll leave now,” Gbenga said. He turned back and left as soon as Zoe told him a goodnight.

Zoe stood in front of the gate for minutes as she watched her newly found Cousin walk away in the dark.

•••••••••••

Zoe slept really late because she was determined to finish a season of a Korean film she was watching. Nature had it way as she ended up waking, after ignoring the insistent cry of a poor alarm clock. Waking up some 25 minutes to 8 am, Zoe had rushed to do all she had to do, but she still got to the school's premises pretty late. The assembly had ended, and she was sure she would get punished. She groaned as she walked briskly into the school compound.

The punctuality prefects had all gone to their classes, it was the corps members who stood there punishing late comers. She started running into the school compound when one of the corps members called her.

"Hey!!! Come back here,” he called in his thick voice. Zoe shook her head in displeasure and upset, as she turned back and started walking towards him, sad because she had never been that late to school before. Never, Ever.

"I'm very sorry sir. Please, I'm a final year student and I have Mathematics this morning. Please let me go,” Zoe said pleadingly, making a move at putting up a puppy face so the corper would let her go, but apparently that didn't work.

So much for all the Korean films she had watched!

The corps member who was not buying her learned babyish tactics, was about to say a word in response when he felt a hand on his shoulders. Gbenga was right behind him and walked to his front, in full view so Zoe could see him properly. She smiled as she sighted him, she would have greeted him cheerfully but not in this situation.

"Please let her go,” Gbenga pleaded on her behalf.

The Corper shifted his gaze from Zoe, glanced at him and back at Zoe.

"Okay, but are you guys related?” He asked. Zoe groaned as she rolled her eyes.

Is it that obvious?!?!

"Yes bro. That's my cousin,” Gbenga said proudly, and Zoe blushed.

"Wao. Gbenga's cousin,” the corper exclaimed, getting we the attention of others. They all surrounded them with words like.

You look so beautiful.

Aww, you guys are alike.

I hope he's taking care of you.

Zoe got sick of this but there was no way to go, so she signaled Gbenga to help her out.

"Guys please, let the girl get to class. Her classes must have started.”

At this point, Zoe scurried away from the corps members and ran to her class. On getting to class, she found the class noisy and rowdy. Students jumping around with worried faces. She entered the class and walked straight to her desk. Only to find Matthew, Julia and Zion waiting like a husband waits in the hospital's hallway for his wife's safety and his baby's delivery.

"What's going on here?” Zoe asked genuinely confused.

"Welcome Miss Zoe Adeleke,” Zion said playfully. "Let me help you with your bag ma'am,” he said as he walked behind her, slowly removing her bag from her shoulders. Zoe had a puzzled look as she couldn't help but smirk.

"Yes, my lady,” Julia said.

Even you?

"Let me help you dust you chair,” and true to her words, she dusted the chair with her handkerchief. It seemed unbelievable, Zoe couldn't help but smile in wonder. While Matthew was smiling from ear to ear too.

Zoe sat down on the dusted chair with suspicion filled in her eyes.

"Okayyy,” she dragged searching their eyes, ,”What happening?” She asked.

"Let's get straight to the point,” Zion asked as he jumped into his seat beside Zoe, sitting very close to her that she could feel the hot steam of breath coming from his nose. “Were you able to answer question three in the mathematics assignment.”

Zoe burst into laughter unable to believe her ears.

"Don't tell me you guys did all this just to ask me for my assignment?” She asked. The others were slightly embarrassed as the went red.

"Okay, I was able to do it,” she said.

"Really,” they exclaimed in excitement.

Zoe brought out her note and explained the sum to them and asked them to do it on their own.

"It's just like the question you guys asked yesterday, just a bit technical and confusing,” she said as she brought out her water. They were busy doing theirs as she gulped down some water, she was tired.

"Yeah, I just saw that. I just missed a step that's why I couldn't get it,” Matthew said. Zoe smiled. She knew Matthew was very smart too, she always struggled with him for some prizes, especially in Government and Mathematics.

"That's mathematics for you. You miss a step. You get the answer wrong.”

The maths teacher came immediately after they were done doing their assignments. After the class she asked for their assignments. Surprisingly, Zoe, Zion, Matthew and Julia were the only students to get all the questions. They were acknowledged and the teacher promised to give them gifts.

Things like that were very common to Matthew and Zoe, but Julia and Matthew were really excited they got to be in the teacher’s good heart. She had been really surprised that Julia got the questions right and made sure she came to solve the third question which was must difficult question herself.

Julia did excellently well, making the teacher proud. Little did she know that Julia had her new friends to thank for it.

"Thank you so much Zoe!” Julia exclaimed as soon as the teacher left the classroom, she was so so excited.

"It's nothing. Besides you did all the work yourself,” Zoe said.

"Yes, but you explained to me. I'm so grateful Zoe,” she appreciated. Zoe nodded as she gathered her books for the next class which would be holding in the school art class.

Julia stood up to leave the class when Zoe held her hands.

"Err, Julia," she called, Julia sat back as she stared at her. "I just want to say I'm sorry for how I treated you in the staff room the other day. You don't deserve does words.”

"No problem, Zoe. Because of your words that day, I was determined to be a better student. And if you noticed I haven't been doing those things you said I do,” She responded, Zoe nodding her head in positive.

"But then. I'm glad you came to apologies. It's really nice of you, my friend,” Julia said. Zoe winced at her last words as he sneered and motioned to leave.

"Don't try your luck to hard Julia. I only apologized.”