The second school was a Private secondary school in the rural area of the native village of Nnamadi. It was painted in sky blue and royal blue, which automatically dictates the school uniform. It has a wide compound and is alive with the chatter of students during break time. The gigantic mango tree near the library casts cool shade where groups of friends gather to eat snacks, gossip, while the majority are in the field centered at the school environment. At one corner of the quadrangle, three close friends, John from the Science Department, Lukman from the Arts Department, and Wale from the Commercial Department, sat on the low cement bench that circled the assembly ground flagpole.
Their uniforms, though alike in color, were marked by the books they carried: John’s physics and chemistry texts stacked heavily in his arms, Lukman’s literature novel peeking from his bag, and Wale’s business studies notes folded under his elbow as it is a revision week.
As the sound of the football played carried from the sports field which they also viewed from afar, their friendly chatter quickly turned into an argument about the future.
John, confident and slightly proud, declared that Science students were destined to be the richest as in the future, they will become engineers, doctors, and inventors, shaping the world. Lukman rolled his eyes and countered the motion that Arts created leaders, thinkers, and voices that the world couldn’t ignore, then Wale laughed insisting that Commercial students would be the real winners, since they deal with money and business, which lay at the heart of everything.
Their relentless debate brought so many students towards them, who watched with curiosity and amusement at the fiery exchange. The argument, although playful, carried an undertone of ambition as each of the friends was determined to prove that their path would shine the brightest in the future. So life took its turns, and they grew to have what they wished for. They couldn't see one another as they departed after school days, but they were only connected through social media. John became a successful scientist, Lukman became a successful writer and Wale became a wealthy business tycoon.
Then one afternoon, John was strolling through his social media page where he saw Wale putting on a surprise post. John saw him sitting in an airplane filled with the cabin as it soared above the clouds, and the late afternoon sun reflected, like a painting in the sky, with strokes of orange and gold. All passengers, including Wale, sat back in their seats, some dozing lightly and others peering out the oval windows at the endless horizon. The atmosphere was calm as the flight was cruising smoothly at thirty thousand feet.
Then, from the middle row, Wale stood up, looking nervous as he glanced at the flight attendants, who smiled knowingly and, with a subtle nod, handed him the microphone.
Wale said, “Ladies and gentlemen,” his voice crackled softly through the intercom, and continued.
“Sorry to interrupt your flight. But today, right here above the clouds, I want to ask someone very special the most important question of my life.”
They all gasped, and soft applause filled the cabin as passengers turned their heads. Wale's girlfriend, seated by the window, froze in disbelief as he knelt in the narrow aisle. The glow from the sunset spilled across her face, making her eyes shimmer with tears as he opened a small velvet box with the diamond ring catching the light like a star.
Everyone erupted in cheers, some brought out their phones to record, and even the pilot announced congratulations over the speaker. At thirty thousand feet, surrounded by strangers but united in joy, the airplane became their stage just like a floating chapel in the sky where love was sealed above the world. "Congratulations on your union," John typed with a smiley-faced Avarta.
Then he said, “What is this doing here?” with laughter, being a person who never exposes his private life, but agrees to the fact that humans are not the same, and decides to pay Lokman, and then later Wale a surprise visit using the address he collected from them six months ago when they chatted as the map.
It was a quiet Saturday afternoon when the Alarm came from the aluminum gate, which rang. John, who had not seen his childhood friend in years, stood outside with a wide smile. He hadn’t called ahead, hadn’t sent a message, he wanted the surprise to be complete. When the gate finally opened, Lokman stared in shock. Gone was the boy he remembered, who used to wear a uniform, but his face never changed, even with the grown moustache, sideburns, and goat beard. Now he stood tall in a crisp designer outfit with a gold wrist watch catching the sun, and the keys of a sleek black car dangling loosely in his hand.
Standing beside a brand-new vehicle that seemed suitably modest. John carried himself with the calm confidence of a man who had tasted success as his cologne lingered in the air with a sharp and commanding fragrance, as he spread his arms and laughed warmly but still Lokman was speechless which underscored something
“I just thought to drop by,” John said, as if it were nothing, but his eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of showing, and without words, how far he had come. “Did you plan it? “ Lokman said after a few minutes of silence, and he gave John a tight hug, welcoming him in.
They exchanged glances as they were stunningly proud realizing that the boys they once were had turned into men. “Wale is here,” Lokman said firmly with a burst of laughter. John couldn't believe his ears and eyes and said, “How come? This is more than a coincidence, maybe we were meant to meet again. “ he replied as he walked in. “To discuss wealth, success, and fulfillment,” Wale answered, who was standing holding a cup of wine with a bright smile.