Her classmates began to turn back in her direction. She wondered if Temi had told everyone. She tried to mask the look of pride that flew through her veins but an intense stare by the girl in front at something behind her caused her to turn too. She was met with Grace who sat pretty confident glancing through her purple watch and that was when she knew that it wasn't her who was receiving the acknowledging stares.
She felt a pang of hurt.
"Please give a deafening round of applause for Temiola Angel Adelaide, Grace Williams and Ifechi Stephanie Okereke"
Her world felt illuminated and for a moment she decided to bask in that joy from her seat until she saw Grace walking towards the stage. 
She hurried after her and soon she was standing behind a shy Temi. She wondered if the goosebumps on her skin was from the standing AC or her excitement.
"Congratulations, the three of you, you have represented D champions academy well."
He handed them their medals and three envelopes. 
"We also wish to recognise an exceptionally outstanding performance of one of our three champions. A girl who joined us just two months ago and she is already doing great things. Ifechi Okereke, the entire school honours you today, we are are proud of you"
The hall was silent for a second. Then a girl screamed, followed by a clap and two more claps and soon, the whole hall was clapping and the sound was like thunder hitting the roof.
She couldn't keep her cheeks from smiling even if she wanted to. This felt so good to be true. This was heaven.
~
"I told you that you'll become famous" Emmanuella told her later that morning, after Ifechi had been greeted and waved at by yet another junior student.
"Senior Ifechi, I like your hair" an SS1 student told her as she strolled casually returning from the canteen, her snacks in her hand. 
She paused at first, and then the girl hopped off cheerfully, happy after Ifechi,with an uncertain smile, had replied 'Thank you'. There was nothing special about her hair, Ifechi knew this. It was just cornrows, no styling, no gel, just plain cornrows. It was even a week old.
Emmanuella had told her to get used to it because she was surely going to receive lots of compliment now that she was very popular.
But she wasn't sure she wanted to be popular, not if it meant being looked at everywhere she went. 
Over the week, she started to gain even more popularity. Junior students greeting her as she passed, classmates waving and nodding at her, boys and even some junior girls offering to carry her school bag.
The attention from the male species was more irking than flattering. 
Most of her set's guys were perverts, and she would have known earlier if she wasn't invisible. Someone once called out "dayumm... girl why you hiding that booty in dem ugly long ass skirt."
It was Gabriel from class C. A tall, dark hottie with a horribly fake American accent. He was one of the school's 'male ashawos' as Anita had called him and he had been shamelessly ogling her back side. 
When their eyes met and she gave him a stern look, his nasty response was to lick his lips in mocking satisfaction and wink at her.
Ew
But there was one person she didn't mind his advances. 
"Wifey!"
She turned. He had started to call her that now.