Jennifer and I have been best of friends since we were 3 years of age, It was the same year her parent moved into our building as tenants since we were the closest family around, her mum had inquired from my mum where I schooled and that was how our closeness began as we attended the same school from nursery to college, while in high school, we always took the same route home as we both lived in same compound.
Sometimes people mistake us as siblings because of how fond we were of each other, if Jennifer was at a place, trust me to be somewhere around, while Jennifer was the outgoing extroverted type, I was the shy one who preferred we stay indoors, we were like the perfect couple as we complemented each other's ups and down. Jennifer would always force me to tag along with her to a friend's birthday party which in turn helped add to my friend's list or else she would have been the only name on that list, while I was the one to remind and force her to study ahead of our exams, which sadly I'm not as persuasive as she is, as she is, she would always end up trying to cram all that we have been taught throughout the term in just a few hours to our exams, which of course always ends up bad, the sad look of defeat written all over her face when she came out of the exam hall was a proof to that effect even before results were out.
"I'm not as smart as you" she would always say in her defense as to why she didn't do well in the exams, and I would only remind her of the time she had spent either visiting a friend or doing other "fun stuff" as she would always say, because to her reading was boring and her brain only process reading as a time to take a nap, I wasn't happy with her attitude concerning her academics and had tried different ways to make her take her study seriously but she wouldn't budge.
So one day while trying to do our assignment, I held on a serious look and didn't mind her jokes which was her way of making me help her with them or give her my notes to copy, "What is the problem?" She asked as she knew I was not one to hold on to a serious face for too long, especially at her funny jokes.
"I overheard the principal giving instructions to our teachers to repeat any student that fails this term's exams" I replied with a worried look, "this better work," I thought to myself.
"Why? They haven't repeated anyone before", she responded with a confused look, "then why is it a private school, our parents pay huge sums for our fees." she continued, I think I succeeded in having her full attention and concern. I was the senior prefect, there was no way she wouldn't believe me. If I were auditioning for a movie role, I'm sure I would be selected for my excellent performance holding on to the serious face.
"I don't know why the new implementation" I answered, "I'm especially worried for you because if you fail this time, you are repeating SS2 class."
I saw her face also replicating the serious look she teased me about earlier as her countenance changed, sending her into deep thoughts.
"How can you help me?" she asked, and it felt as if those words had fallen off a strange lips, where is Jennifer and what have you done to her? I was almost tempted to ask but I kept my act and we started strategizing on reading plans to adopt.
We would read after school and more during the weekend, quizzing ourselves with questions from what we read, and in a few weeks we started exams, this time when we came out of the exam hall, rather the defeated look I was already tired of seeing, she had a bright smile plastered on her pretty round face, as we confirmed if we indeed answered the questions rightly.
The time for the result came and for the first time, Jennifer had a B grade, she couldn't contain her joy, at first, it was the fear of not repeating the class, but after determining in her heart to overcome the habit of not studying, for the first time she passed with better grades, but I had to tell her the truth because even those that failed will still be promoted to the next class after all its a private school, so I took advantage of her excited moment to reveal the truth, she looked at me in disbelief that I pulled her legs just because I wanted her to take her studies serious, next, she started chasing after me with a ruler in hand, I ran laughing so hard, she held a fake displeasure on her face for making her go through all the stress of studying but she was grateful I did take that action and helped overcome her phobia for reading. From then henceforth, she never took her study time to play anymore.