6. preparing for the mathematics contest

Sir Tony entered the class and greeted the students, the students responded to him equally, he told everyone in the class to remove all books that was not related to study of mathematics from their desks, the students did as they were told and then the class began.

He introduced the day's topic and gave the students examples and class work. After the class, he informed the class that there will be a national mathematics contest in the month of April which is sponsored by a milk producing company cowbell.

He told the class that those who were interested in participating in the contest should see him immediately it's closing time.

When the bell rang for closing ,more than half the class filed towards sir Tony's office including Jesy and Peter. The price for the winner of the contest was so juicy that everyone wanted to try out their luck.

"I heard principal's son participated in his set and he got to semifinals", Joy told Paul.

"Really, that guy is really a genius, I want to be like him", Paul said.

Sir Tony soon had their time and called for their attention." Every body keep quiet and listen to what I have to say "he instructed.

He told them about the cowbell sponsored mathematics contest, the criteria to apply , registration fee and the benefit for each stage.

Some students drew back when they heard the registration fee to be paid.

"Well as for the registration the school has decided to sponsor the best four students ", sir Tony said to appease them.

They all returned to their state of excitement and he told them that there would be an internal examination set by the school's mathematics teachers and the best four will be registered for the competition. He also told them the date for which this internal examination will be held and the location which was the class beside his office , thereafter he dispersed them to go home and continue with his work.

All the students went out some,to go home others, to go continue their private and group discussion in class. Jesy stayed behind in the office because sir Peter , her mentor asked to see her.

She sat in the chair facing the door of the office and waited for him to come .

She glanced at her mentors table and squirmed as her hand touched the dust on his table, " his table is always piled with books in disarray and always dusty..",she said to herself.

"Who are you talking to? "Sir P asked her. He wore a blue long sleeved packet shirt and a cream trouser and had an unmatched bow tie on, his stomach bulged out like a pregnant woman because of his unhealthy habits of drinking alcohol.

"Talking to myself but thank God you heard me, why is your table not organised and clean like sir Tony's own?", she asked frowning at him.

"Is that not why I have you as my daughter, to help me organise and clean my table?" Sir P replied.

Jesy didn't say anything more, she knew it was a waste of time and energy to argue with him , she just went on to ask him why he told her to wait.

Sir P sat down on his chair and told her he told her to see him because they had something crucial to discuss.

"And that is",Jesy asked him worried that she might have committed a crime and was reported by one of the teachers or her classmates.

Sir P caught the look of uneasiness in her eyes and told her to relax ,he went further to ask her if she has heard of the upcoming cowbell mathematics contest, she replied that sir Tony already told them about it.

"That's good to hear", he said. " Are you also aware that it's only four people that will be sponsored by the school to go for the competition" he added.

"Yes I am", Jesy replied.

"This is what I want to say to you, remember our goal from now on and that's for you to be the best in everything you do and participate in. Therefore, as you go home today prepare thoroughly and diligently for the internal examination, I know you will surely be among the four best but, what I want from you , is for you to be the best among the four of you",he advised.

Jesy replied that she was going to make him and her family proud. They discussed of other issues and sir P kept on teasing her about her relationship with Peter, even sir T sided with him and Jesy had no other wise choice but to give up arguing with them.

Before going home, she arranged her mentor's table and cleaned it even though she knew before noon the next day it would be returned to a disaster.

.....................................

On getting home, Jesy broke the news about the upcoming competition to her family and everyone was so excited about it, they all urged her to be studious and to prepare very well for the contest who knew maybe she could gain a scholarship from it ,that would be a very good news to their father.

Jesy entered her room, took off her uniform and changed into her casual clothes, then she with to the kitchen to serve herself dinner. After eating she stayed in the sitting room a little while to discuss with her siblings and mum and not until they heard their father's voice did they disperse each to his own destination.

She greeted her dad and told him of the contest, he encouraged her to do her best and make herself proud by coming out the best, he didn't put pressure like every other person did ,he just advised her to do what she loves doing and be the best not for anyone but for herself.

When she was done discussing with her dad ,she entered her room and went straight to their book shelf to collect book 1 to book 2 mathematics textbook, she planned to finish the textbooks before the internal examination ,which was fixed in three months time, after their normal mathematics class examination.

She arranged the books on the textbook and took out a rough note ,then she started solving late into the midnight to become the best , not for anyone like her father said ,but for herself because that's what lady boss's do, they work and be happy for only theirselves.

.....................................

It's a new day and a weekend today ,Jesy slept very late so, her mum left her to sleep a little longer.

When she woke up the sun was set fully and the light shone so brightly into the room.

She got down from the bed, wore her fluffy bedroom slippers and walked straight into the bathroom, she planned to do her chores quickly , eat and go to school to read in an empty quiet class but, when she was done brushing her teeth and bathing ,she found out that her mum had instructed her younger brother favourite and her elder brother Alvin to do her chores.

She thanked them whole heartedly ,joined the family to eat breakfast of scrambled egg, bread toast and Lipton tea ,washed the dishes after they finished eating and then off she went to school to read.

"Sister Praise is coming today ,so come early o",her brother told her through the sitting room.

She replied that she knew and promised to come back early after all she also missed her sister who has been away for service ,she would be coming back today and she knew that she will be getting new outfits as well so naturally, she was excited.

"Young lady, where are you going",the gate man who accosted her asked.

She told him she was going into the school area to read, he allowed her to go and instructed her to be careful as it's a very quiet area during the weekends and it's quite lonely for a girl to stay but, who would have known that when she got there ,she found her pals sitting quietly in the class studying.

They were as surprised as she was ,when they saw her, others were happy but Joy was brimming with anger and hatred for Jesy .

"So you came to read too",Joy asked her and pretended to be happy to see her, she even offered for her to come sit beside her but Peter, already dragged Jesy to his sit and this angered her the more because, she had a crush on Peter but he doesn't seem to notice her at all only,the bitch Jesy.

"Do you have the cowbell mathematics contest past questions?" Peter asked Jesy.

"No I don't, is this the past question..",Jesy asked him.

Peter replied that he's neighbour who had contested for the exam the previous year gave him.

Jesy was proud of he's determination and prayed silently in her mind that all her friends will qualify for the contest with no ounce of envy unlike some people who had just one plan in their mind everyday and that's to ruin Jesy so she can be seen by the love of her life.

They stopped talking and focused on studying and solving difficult mathematics questions and when it was getting late they all dispersed , Peter and his twin escorted Jesy home while Joy went home herself with nobody to escort her ,she felt so bad but hid it from them carefully as she already had her plans.

The trio as they walked together to Jesy's house ,talked about their class mate Goodness who was bragging that he would become the head boy of the school.

They laughed about it and when they got to Jesy's house they bid her farewell and told her of their plans to wait behind after school hours to read and if she was interested to join them.

Jesy agreed and they parted ways, she entered the house and not long after her sister's uber vehicle was heard outside, everyone ran out in excitement to hug their sister ,her mum was the most happiest among them and her dad was just proud of her being a fully certified graduate .

They entered the house and helped her carry her luggages ,after much pleasantries and the family eating dinner together apart from their dad who usually sat on his own to eat his food , sister Praise retired to the room to sort her things.

"Take this clothes, bags and shoes",she said to Jesy.

Jesy accepted them with so much excitement and tried them on each, some fitted her nicely others seemed loose in her body and she planned to seam fit them to her size.

"Where's my own?" Favourite asked their elder sister.

Sister Praise gave the boys all the hoodies she brought and everyone was equally happy ,they allowed her to sleep and went about with their own activities.

The next day ,Jesy came to school wearing the new earrings her sister gave her and all the girls in the class admired it .