he’d shamelessly like to be called, when he wasn’t drunk, which was more than half the time. A recreative farmer, whatever that meant. Perhaps it was just a pair of words he’d picked

d for his first day back at Hillway High. He’d remembered these very halls, whenever they came here from their primary school then, and he would chase Obi across them. They used to have graffiti on them, inappropriate drawings that they might have painted over. And then placed these huge metal lockers against. Everywhere seemed to have changed, but also not so much in a way. “So—“ He turned to Obi, adjusting the locks on his section. His brows were furrowed together as if struggling with a puzzle. “Obi” He called louder, and he let out a hum. He might have been excited for Ola a week ago, but not so much now. He seemed like a different person, within these walls. Hair braided down, and a masc suit underneath his backpack which was clutched to his chest. Ola’s eyes managed to scan around the room full of other eyes that looked at him. Some in familiarity, and others in surprise. Most of them, felt familiar from primary school but none of them ever came up to him. Obi heaves a sigh, finally winning the battle with his locker which only just needed oiling. And then he looks to Ola with a lopsided smirk. “I’d show you around, but there’s not much time before first period” He held his books on his hands and Ola just scoffed. Of course. Obi’s eyes darted across the busy hallway with just a handful of people, yet the chattering seemed to be a bit loud. He had something flash in his eyes, that made Ola step back. Was he embarrassed to be seen with the new guy that seemed to spike so much morning conversations? Some of which, he couldn’t even tell were good gossip. He’d passed by a bunch of frizzy girls that went on about how his buzzcut seemed to fit him. Ola, but nothing more. Was he not more than just his hair, to these people whose faces he still remembered from childhood? “It’s okay” He replied, to Obi who just stood there, waiting for a response in a lopsided gait. And then he nodded, brushing past his best friend. Were they even still that, after ten years apart? And just then, Ola takes his eyes off Obi and it lands on Fiyin, just across the halls. She’s crowded with a few people and she looks different. But that radiant smile is still there, crawling to the corner of her lips the second they lock eyes. Ola tried to smile back, but not soon enough as she walked past him, not uttering a word also. He felt his shoulders deflate, as he looked to Obi who’s already a distance from him. And then before he could make out anything, someone suddenly jumps from the corner of the lockers and throws himself at Obi. Ola felt the urge to step up, as his best friend gets punched in his belly. Muttering something in his ear, the person who seems to be a bully, pushes Obi to the ground with a piece of paper falling next to him. “Hey” It’s only Ola that makes a move. And his voice echoed through the halls that had now gone quiet. The maskless bully turned around in a 90’s varsity jacket as Obi got up from the floor. “Do you have anything to say to me, newbie?” “Mide” Obi placed his hands against his chest that’s rising and falling. He clenched his fists and then releases it. “I don’t need you fighting for me—“ He said, taking a step back. And then he walked away just as the sound of the bell graced the halls. The students flooded out the halls and covers both the bully and Obi, and they’re just gone. Like nothing happened. Ola let his hands fall to his hips as he sighted the piece of paper that fell from Obi’s hands. Fallen, no, he tossed it away from the bully. He bent forward, holding up the scrunched paper and what he saw, made his eyes widen in terror. Not terror that’s exaggerating, but surprise. And he’s sure more than ever, that was a highschool bully. This place never ran out of those. “Faggot” He read off the paper with an exasperated sigh and then he tossed it in the dustbin. The clock struck just in time for another bell. The final one that indicated the beginning of the first period. It was just the start of the day, and he already hated it. Walking to the corridor, with two ends, he halted. “Mathematics. Where the fuck is mathematics?” He muttered under his breath. There he was, he was doing this. Not in Houston, but in Hillway High. He had to get used to this feeling. This feeling he got whenever he thought of how his life had radically changed over the past few weeks. He had to get used to the fact that things had changed. - He knew he couldn’t just slip into making friends that easy. He knew, but he remained optimistic. He sat a table, with a lunch plate Mary had packed. He didn’t like being treated as a child, but if he dared to reject it, he’d get the story of his life about how she got up at five am to make sure he has food to eat. Besides, she wasn’t about to just give him money to spend on chin-chin, and junkfood. Mary knew more than that. A shadow crept from behind him. And he looked back to see someone, not Obi. And not Fiyin too. It was Abdul. Yes,

e con