The phone whistled out and Val hurried to fetch it under a mess of test papers, all too conscious of the other teachers' gaze on her. It was a message.
FOLU: Remember, 6:30 p.m. My Place. Don't say it skipped your mind, my love.
The ceiling fan creaked with each turn it made, though it wasn't doing much to eradicate the heat causing discomfort for the teachers at Orchid Seed High.
Pressing a finger to her temple, Valentina deleted his message from the screen. She'd rather he didn't exist for now. That she didn't have a boyfriend. Maybe this might work on him.
Flipping the notebook to the last page, she clapped, giving the air little fist bumps in utter glee. The two teachers at the back of the staff room, Obiye and her bestfriend Sekinat, glanced at the woman with expressions of annoyance.
She bent her head, “Sorry, sorry. It's just that I've finally finished marking the assignments.”
The women merely nodded, uninterested and returned to their work. Which Val was sure was just watching silly videos online, given by how Obiye laughed as she threw groundnuts into her mouth, head bent and glued to Sekinat as they laughed at whatever was on Sekinat’s phone. It wasn't even break time and they were taking time off. Well they could do that since the principal wasn't lurking about.
“Ah-ah. Valentina, that's a lot of work,” said the mathematics teacher, Ms Pauline, peering at the mountain of books on Val's desk which amounted to at least one hundred, “When is the new Geography teacher resuming again?”
She went blank for a moment, trying to register the fact that Pauline was talking to her. The red haired woman did not speak to her, only on rare occasions like school events or on some important matter. And that time she saved Val from making the wrong entry into a student's record file which would have earned her a free invitation to the principal’s office. She was like a guardian angel in her first teaching year, bringing her snacks when she hadn't even ask for them. Gradually, Val realized she was just another human being Pauline had crossed paths with five years ago.
They weren't friends no matter how much she wished they still were.
They had grown apart since then, barely acknowledging each other's presence, because doing so was just too weird. At least for Val it was.
Today was one of those random times Pauline talked to her, noticed her existence. And as always, she was dumbstruck. No, it was as if her mouth had made a secret pact not to open.
“. . .Hello? Ms Ude!”
“Huh? Oh yeah, the Principal said they'll be here this week.”
“Hm. Do you know their details?”
“According to the principal, who the person is going to be isn't certain yet. ‘Nobody is serious about working these days. Stupid idiots everywhere.’ That's what he said,” Val concluded after what she thought was the best worst impression of the older man's snappy and aggravating voice. Unfortunately Pauline didn't find it funny. She nodded and returned to her work.
Valentina hoped they'd come sooner. This term's coursework was beginning to become the pain she'd predicted it would be.
The clock ticked twelve-twenty five. It was her smoke break. She went out and crouched behind the school farm, flicking a lighter.
“No smoking!”
She jerked, eyes widening at the agriculture teacher's sudden appearance. “What do you mean? I always smoke here.”
The man pointed at a wooden signboard that clearly wasn't there before.
“Let me guess, new term, new vibes?”
He didn't answer, scowling and disappearing into the farm house. Her eyes shut for a while and she cursed, going back to the staffroom. Yesterday it was that damn printer he decided to move to his office that already had a printer chanting “A little change in scenery is good for the work environment. New term, new vibes!" now he was taking away her smoke break, the little time she had to herself when she was allowed to not feel useless, a failure. To hell with Kosoko, she thought, flopping in her chair.**
A young boy, the prefect of the senior class she teaches came to inform her of the time. She let her head fall limply against the chair. Looking out the window, there was a faint bellow in the sky. She hoped it was a sign of rain. At least it'd drive away the dry heat.
Gathering some teaching materials, she trudged to class. The noise greeting her as she wrote the topic on the whiteboard.
“So who can tell me what a coast is?
The noise doubled. A laughter rang out. Perspiration gathered on her forehead despite the cooling weather. Working was always like this. She comes to class, teach students who might as well be furniture, give tests, they fail and then afterward, deal with angry parents. You'd think things would change with new sets of students but it was the same goddamn routine.
She'd tried to tame them with words but it was a pathetic attempt which lead to her nursing a swollen leg all night because a male student had lashed out and pushed her down a small steep path. She made a complaint. The student claimed it was a mistake.
“You should ve kept your lecture to yourself and do your work” Sekinat had advised. The rookie teacher was every shade of shock when everyone said variations of the same sentence to her. Even Pauline. The student was the wrong her, she was at fault. Then later over the years, she grew to care less of the kid's chaotic tendencies. She thought it wouldn't bother her much if she focused on teaching.
And Val loved the art of teaching. Her father used to be a teacher, her mother a reputable professor. So naturally, their daughter followed their footsteps. She was quite a good teacher, so as her university lecturers used to say and past tutorees admired her patience with them.
But practicing what she loved in this place was brain numbing and her patience had run thin a long time ago. And oh, how many times She'd considered quitting but the job searching process was a nightmare she didn't want to relive. And the pay was higher than the other private schools but not by much percent.
She stared at the little devils, made eye contact with a few who didn't care that a teacher was standing there. Discipline by teachers were against school law, Val stood by that rule but right now she wanted to whip sense into their heads. And Geographical Science wasn't that hard a subject.
A shy hand shot up from the front seats, and Val pointed at them to speak.
“It relates to a beach... water?”
Val tried not to grin to smile too much. At least someone wants to learn for once. “Hm, you have an idea, Renee. A coast is a feature...”
***
The window wiper swished back and forth across the mirror. It was almost 7.p.m and Valentina couldn't wait to be home. The wheels bumped over potholes and she sighed at the palm trees which were once standing tall now bent over. Thank goodness she'd gotten the groceries from the supermarket before the rain's intensity doubled.
The traffic light turned red and she stopped driving. The phone whistled. She glanced at the phone in the compartment. It whistled again. Sighing she grabbed it, opening messages. Her mouth tightened. Of course it's him. Folu was the only one she chatted with (well she did communicate with her colleagues but only on school affairs.)
She slowed to let another car cut of a street. That was when she spotted the person standing under the downpour, head covered in a black furry hood, typing vigorously at their phone. She should've minded her business and drove on but her chest squeezed and on impulse, she diverted to the pedestrian walk, the windows gliding down. Before she said anything, the person stepped down. It was a young woman.
“Lucky avenue?!”
Val answered in the positive and let her in. She knew that area fairly well, the pet store was right after it. The "passenger" put her suitcases in the boot and slid into the back seat.
“Gosh, sorry. Your car's all wet now.” the passenger's intonation was different from how a Nigerian would sound like.
“Oh, it's fine. It's fine.” She drove in silence after that. After turns and bumps, they were at Lucky Avenue.
Val helped with the luggages into the compound, following the passenger up the stairs until they got to the third floor of the apartment, stopping in front of the fourth door. The Passenger made to unlock the it but then it swinged apart on its own. They moved backward as water flowed out, like washing up a bay. But this wasn't the beach, why on earth was the room filled with so much water?
Val stared in disbelief. Was this the place she was living in? Since Val moved into the area she had never heard of a nearby house flooding. Even the ceiling was still intact so what?. . .
The passenger walked further into the house not fully entering, peering into it. “What the fuck?” she exclaimed, seemingly out of words.
“Ah, new tenant, you are here already?! I did not know you would would come so soon.”
Her gaze fell on the person talking. It was Baba Tope, the Landlord of this prestigious apartment. He was well known for his harsh temperament, best seen in it's full glory at certain times, when an offortunate resident would be his victim. A horse to beat on and on until they paid him his rent. Thank God her own landlady was different.
“But I called you this morning, Sir. Also sent you a text that I was coming into the country today.”
“Em, yes. That you did. You see, I did not know that this will happen.” He was twisting the cap on his head. “The people wey fix the zinc no finish am. Them suppose come today but rain con fall. I say make I clear the water by myself, but it go take time. Just wait small, ehn?” (The people responsible for fixing the roof didn't finish the work. They were supposed to come today but the rain fell. I decided to clear the water myself but it will take time. Just wait a bit.)
The passenger covered a hand over her face and groaned into it. Val was shuffling behind them, wondering if she should just leave now or wait. “Where am I supposed to stay now? Okay, let me help drain the place---”
“No! No, no, no. That's not your job. I will do it. I will call some boys to clear this place, and by tomorrow, your house will be as dry as the Sahara desert.”
“Tomorrow!” said both women.
“Let me go and call them now. Don't do anything.” Baba Tope ran out, flushing water toward them.
The passenger was having a tussle with her phone, hitting the screen with vigor, muttering something in Yoruba. Then she was on a call, pacing back and forth.
Val still didn't know why she wasn't leaving. But she was already late for her boyfriend’s dinner appointment, might as well waste more time. She wondered if the man would get it then.
The call didn't seem to have ended well. The woman's fingers tapped against the railing. “This really can't be happening. I have a goddamn job I need to report for tomorrow. I need to prepare. I don't have the time for all of this.”
Val observed her distressed self for a moment, then spoke. “You can spend the night at mine? That's if you don't mind.”
“What? Really?”
Val shrugged. “It’s just a suggestion. You don't have to listen to me.” This was absurd, the woman was a stranger.
“Thank you. Thank you so much. I appreciate it,” the stranger enclasped both hands, touching her forehead as if in a prayer.
“Er, there's no need for that. Valentina. I'm Valentina Ude.” She offered a hand which the other woman shook.
“Adeola and it's really good to meet you.”
The key jingles as Valentina turned the car on, “We should hurry. The rain's picking up again.”
“I forgot to ask, how much am I to pay you?”
“Zero.”
“Huh?”
“I'm not a cab driver.”
“You’re not?” Adeola chuckled, “you got me fooled real bad.”
Val’s laugh was small. God I hate this life.
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