When the Spotlight Fades

While in the university, there was this lady, also in my department, who lived a flashy lifestyle, had a car she drove around the whole school and would always carry herself like she was more than who she was. Her pompous lifestyle was what made her popular.

Every time she walked into the hall, especially when she'd knowingly be the last person after every other students were seated, all dressed as if she was attending a beauty pageant, her high heels knocked on the ground and made noise, attracting the whole class, and all eyes would look in her direction.

She always made sure she became a centre of attraction, and she tried her best to ensure she was well-known around the school and to all lecturers that taught us, and the ones who didn't.

The truth was, she had a good business, adding to her splurge spending, and at the same time, was going out with most of the lecturers who cared to see what was under her skirt. She has other friends whom they flock around together with in her jeep, going to parties and enjoying life.

Almost everyone had realised her flashy lifestyle. "Beauty without brain," they'd gossip around. I discovered she has always been involved in examination malpractice all through her levels and never was she caught. And even if she was, she had a way of sorting herself out with the lecturers in charge and that's the end.

Some of the male lecturers wanted to have her. You know some of these Nigerian lecturers - where it's like their lives depended on sleeping with these girls but in another way, they become mean when it comes to grading their papers.

On this day, she was joined into our group where we were to present on the stage in front of other students before our exams started. We were in the 400 level then. Three groups had presented and it got to our turn when the unexpected happened.

Mr Andrew called, "Tina, come forward and present for your group."

I knew something was about to go down.

"Sir?" Her voice quivered, somewhere between offence and disbelief.

"She wasn't expecting that, right?" I said as I turned back to see the look on her face. She was puzzled and couldn't understand why he would call her of all people available.

"J.K., wait for it..." I said to one of my friends as I shifted my seat, positioning it to get a better view of the stage, "Let's see what she has to say," I calmly said as I swallowed back my saliva.

"Why would Mr...erm, what's his name called again...why would he call her?" Another student said, stuttering behind me and feeling sad as she was disappointed by the turn of events.

The truth was, we had already arranged for who would volunteer to speak for us so we could be assured of good grades, but it turned out that though students like us make plans, it's the lecturer's will to do otherwise and who dared question them? Except you want to repeat that course.

"We are waiting for you," Mr Andrew said as he beckoned with his hand as a sign for her to hurry up. But it seems he just wanted to make fun of her in the presence of over 250 students in the hall.

I could feel the invisible sweat rolling down her neck already. I was smiling mischievously. God knows how I'd wanted to watch such a drama and not that I would be told of it later. That kind of thing hurts when you aren't there to witness the beautiful moment.

"Ahh, Busayo, you are not good," J.K said as she gently pushed me, staring at me with an 'I-cannot-wait-to-see-what-will-happen-next' face. We both giggled silently so we don't attract others' attention.

We watched as Tina mounted the two steps before standing on the stage facing everyone. Mr Andrew was also waiting for her as he put his hands on Akimbo, resting his back on the long chair, expecting what she had to deliver.

"She will fumble. This will reduce our marks," our group leader said as she frowned her face. Not because of her actually, but the fact that Mr Andrew couldn't pick a good choice. It was obvious everyone, including a few lecturers like him, had known that all she had was her lavish lifestyle and nothing in her brain. So, he wants to embarrass her. That was his intention.

I could see through his heart as he had this silent and wicked smile. But who cares! I was waiting for the real show to go down.

At this point, the murmurings had begun to get louder until Mr Andrew ordered the hall to be silent.

Tina stood like a statue in the front with her red high heels as she felt nervous. Her legs were colliding as if they were disagreeing with each other, and her fingers were playing around as she moved slowly to the left and right like someone who was about to do a cultural dance.

"Erm...the....erm...," she stuttered as she moved slowly, taking a step at a time.

I managed to hold myself from laughing, but my friends beside me could feel my body vibrating from laughter within, and they also were trying to control themselves.

"Go on, Tina, we are waiting," Mr Andrew said clapping his hands and she jolted back to reality staring at every corner of the hall and looking up at the ceiling as if words were waiting for her up there. Tina couldn't speak a word for over 5 minutes and we felt so disappointed that she couldn't defend our group.

We watched as Mr Andrew hissed, picked up his pen and wrote something down. "I'm giving this group 2/5. Next group, please," he angrily said.

"Imagine a whole big girl of the school couldn't say anything but stood there like a statue," I heard someone silently say under her breath. The class roared in laughter.

I wasn't even bothered by the score we got. I just wanted to see something and that proved the point. Not all that glitter is indeed gold. Everything ended and we all went home to get prepared for the exam fully.

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