by Tyler Majaga
CHAPTER FOUR
THE LESSONS GO ON
JMS High had welcomed us with open arms and for the past two weeks since we had started junior school, I had enjoyed every moment of it, despite the few challenges I had there and there with academics and the social life of the school. Bagomotsi and I had already, despite all these, blended in with the school environment and we had managed to get rid of Timothy and Kago, even though we did talk to them at times. Soon enough, however, Kago’s parents found the going tough and decided to send him off to a boarding school in the north-eastern part of the country in the Bobirwa sub-district. That was the last we heard of him.
Winona was still giving me trouble as she had not told me if I should take the baton yet or not. At times we did meet during lunch time and chatted but she avoided the issue by all means possible. The talk would be about getting to know each other and all the other common issues of interest. During swimming practice, Bagomotsi, Neo and I had the best of fun and we had already made new friends. Masego, who had joined the school ballet team, usually paid us a visit and if she did Bagomotsi left us and joined her. Then they would talk and add a little kissing there and there. This usually got him in to trouble with the coach but he just did it anyway.
As for Botho and Neo, their relationship wasn’t really working and all that was left was an inevitable break-up, as Neo spoke about it most of the times when we got personal. There was deep trouble in paradise and the girl was hurting; she was suffering and was beaten by this relationship. All I hoped for was a solution to their problems because it was quiet obvious she loved the guy. Despite this, Botho and I had become friends over the past week and even though we were not best friends yet, our friendship was growing, more especially since Bagomotsi spent most of his time with Masego. They were still happy but I was not so sure anymore.
I honestly started to think of Masego as a different person. Even though she did have a good time with Bagomotsi every time I saw them, she appeared to be losing interest on the guy. I mean, the passion that usual lit her face up when she saw him no longer persisted. She was getting bored of him and I could see it; even a blind man would see it. There was this guy she usually spent some time with and she seemed to be even happier when she was with him. I didn’t want to think nothing more of their close association but something was up.
Cecil Madiame was the guy’s name and he was somewhat popular in school and a very good dancer. Just like Mark, he had a dance group and they called themselves The Halo. They were like JMS’s pride and sensation. But their spell also went beyond the borders of the school, their fame almost nation-wide due to their winning streak in national dance competitions. The boy was not really as handsome as you would expect him to be, his money power being the keeper to his seat in the ‘Mr. Popular’ council. Was she a time bomb waiting for the right time to ignite right in my best buddy’s face? Only time would tell.
It was a Friday of the second week since we had arrived in JMS High and we got to learn from the seniors that this day in JMS was like the best day as it was a weekend kick-starter. Students got so excited and couples met in the school park or the park near the school for sweet, long and cozy kissing sessions. Those who didn’t date had only one choice of destination: home. Students referred to them as 'Uncle Nerd’s Nation' and I didn’t want to be classified as that since Bagomotsi was safe with Masego and Botho with Neo or all those girls he had under his wings.