As the holidays began, Rita immersed herself in her preparations for the upcoming BECE exams. Every day was a mix of study sessions, practice tests, and self-reflection on what she'd learned. She knew how important these exams were, and she was determined to do her best.
One afternoon, as Rita sat in her class reading through her revision notes, Mrs. Oshisoya, the French teacher, walked in. The class grew silent as she began to speak about their progress in preparing for the BECE exam.
"So, students," Mrs. Oshisoya asked, "How ready are you for the BECE exam?"
Julie, a girl sitting in front of Rita, confidently raised her hand and said, "I'm 150% ready for the exam."
Mrs. Oshisoya didn't hear her clearly and continued speaking, but Anne, who was sitting nearby with a few of her friends, caught the comments
****
Then after the teacher left the class
****
"150% ready?" Anne scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You, the one who's always reading novels instead of your notes? Oh really? Well, if you're so ready, let's see it!"
Julie, now looking a little nervous, sat still as Anne continued.
"Bring out a BECE past question book and do at least 15 questions. If you're truly ready, let's see you work through them."
Julie hesitated for a moment but then, in a bid to save face, pulled out the past question book. Rita watched as Julie, along with some of her friends, worked on the questions.
---
Rita sat quietly at the back of the class, her fingers nervously drumming on the desk. She watched as Anne took control of the room, her voice clear and confident as she spoke to Julie and the others.
Julie, who was sitting in the front row, looked uneasy, constantly glancing down at the past question book that Anne had handed her. Rita couldn't help but notice how Anne seemed to have a firm grip on everything.
It should have been Rita standing at the front, explaining things, guiding her friends through the problems. After all, Rita had worked hard to understand the subjects—especially French—and had often helped her classmates when they struggled. But today, it wasn't her. It was Anne, standing at the front, acting as if she was the one with all the answers.
Rita's stomach twisted in knots. *Why is Anne always the one to teach?" she thought bitterly. "I've been putting in the work, too. I deserve to be the one in charge for once."
Julie and the others were focused on Anne, hanging on every word she said. Rita couldn't shake the feeling that Anne was showing off. She wasn't just teaching; she was trying to prove something. It felt like Anne was using her knowledge to make herself seem superior, and that stung.
As Anne marked the work, Rita's jealousy grew. "Why is she the one everyone looks up to?" Rita thought. "Why can't they see that I could teach them just as well, maybe even better? Anne's not the only one who knows this stuff."
Rita had always been quiet, preferring to help her friends behind the scenes. But now, she felt like she'd been overlooked. All this time, she had been quietly putting in the effort, doing her best to learn, to improve, and now here was Anne, standing at the front like she was the one who deserved all the attention.
Julie handed in her work, looking down at the floor in embarrassment. Rita watched as Anne took the paper and looked it over, scanning it with a practiced eye. "She's acting like she's better than everyone else," Rita thought, the bitterness creeping into her thoughts.
"Not bad," Anne said, her tone casual. "But I think you'll need more practice for the next test. Tomorrow, we'll work on math."
Rita's frustration boiled over. "I could have done better than that," Rita thought angrily. "I could teach them just as well as Anne, maybe even better. Why doesn't anyone see that?"
The jealousy ate at her, a knot of frustration growing in her chest. Why did Anne get all the attention? Rita was smarter, more capable—at least, she thought so. But today, it felt like all her hard work was for nothing. She had never asked for the spotlight, but she also didn't want to be ignored. She didn't want to watch as Anne took over, acting as though she was the only one who could lead.
Before she even realized what she was doing, Rita's hand slammed against the desk with a loud *"BANG!"*. The sudden sound made everyone in the room look up, startled. Rita froze, her heart pounding in her chest, realizing too late what she'd just done.
Anne immediately stopped speaking and turned to face her. "Rita? Is everything okay?" she asked, her voice concerned.
Rita didn't answer at first. She kept her eyes fixed on the desk, her fingers now tightly curled into a fist. Don't look at her, she thought. Just don't look at her.
"Rita?" Anne asked again, stepping toward her, sensing something was wrong.
Rita quickly glanced up at Anne and, with a quick breath, muttered, "I'm fine." Her voice was quiet, and she looked away immediately, not wanting to say anything more.
Anne didn't press it. She simply nodded, though Rita could feel the weight of her gaze lingering. She turned back to Julie, continuing to explain the question without acknowledging what had just happened.
But Rita couldn't shake the gnawing feeling inside her. Why am I not the one helping? Why is it always Anne?. The question circled in her mind, consuming her thoughts. She gripped the desk harder, wanting to scream but holding everything in.
The silence stretched on, and Rita's frustration only grew. She was angry with herself, with Anne, with the entire situation, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything. So, she stayed there, quiet and tense, until the bell rang, signaling the end of the day.
Without a word, Rita gathered her things, stood up quickly, and left the room. She didn't look back at Anne or Julie. She just walked out, her heart heavy, knowing she hadn't said anything to change what she was feeling. Maybe I'm overreacting, but why does it always have to be her?
As she exited the classroom, Rita didn't feel any better. In fact, she felt worse, but at least she didn't have to look at Anne teaching anymore.
.