SWEAT, STRIKES AND STRAY STRANDS

                                    

                                          
ABIDAT
We made it back just before the game started, and once again, I found myself scanning the crowd for Armaan. I spotted him with the rest of the team; he seemed to be giving them instructions, probably going over strategies and tactics.
The school's senior football team was a mix of 5 SS3s, 4 SS2s, and 2 SS1s. From the SS3s, we had Armaan and Aliyu, who was popularly known as "Aliyusquie." He was a Fulani boy from Yobe, and he certainly looked the part.
On one of the school's Instagram gossip blogs, he had been voted among the top 5 most handsome elites. His sun-kissed skin, light brown eyes, and pink lips made him stand out. His hair reminded me of Baba's-full and likely soft. But despite his good looks, he was known to be a bit of a flirt, though he mostly did it in jest. He had a lean frame, but his thick calves looked like they could crush a person.
Another SS3 on the team was Samuel, who was half Igbo and half Korean. He looked like every other Korean guy-slim, with medium-sized eyes, pale skin, and blonde waves. Despite his appearance, he spoke Igbo fluently, like the back of his hand.
The fourth SS3 was Anderson, an African American with dark brown skin, gray eyes, and a smile so sharp it could cut glass. He had lived in Jordan for most of his life, and moving to Nigeria had been a drastic change for him. Although he wasn't racist towards us-he wouldn't have dared, considering he was darker than half the school's population-he made no secret of his dislike for the country. Nevertheless, he was sweet, though a bit tough. I had never spoken to him, but Laila had chatted with him a couple of times.
The last SS3 was Ahmed Berat, a Turkish albino with Alexandria syndrome, which caused him to have nearly white hair, pale skin, and purple eyes. Apart from his eyes, the only other part of his face with any color was his lips-they were so red that the first time I met him, I thought he was wearing lipstick. Despite his albinism, he was bulky, with arms that looked like they could crush me with a single touch. He was... cute.
From the SS2s, we had Muhammad bn Amir, an Egyptian immigrant who had difficulty with English. His accent was so thick that most of what he said was impossible to understand. He had come to NBI during SS1, and most of the girls were drooling over him. With his light brown skin, matching hair, and freckles, he was undeniably attractive. I had been paired with him for a couple of projects, and he was a funny guy, always wearing a mischievous grin.
Another SS2 was Muhammad ɗan Liti, better known as "Small." He matched his name-probably the same height as me. A typical Hausa boy from Katsina, he was extremely cute, like a baby, with doe eyes and a baby face. But his appearance was deceptive; he was the fastest boy in school. He represented the school in inter-school competitions and had brought home many medals, which explained why, no matter what mischief he caused, he was never expelled.
The third SS2 was Christian Omega, another Igbo boy. Christian wore glasses and was a typical nerd-braces and all. Although the pimples had disappeared, the braces remained. Sometimes, I wondered why he was on the team, not that he wasn't strong, but he was incredibly strategic. Anyone would mistake him for a simple, elegant boy with manners, but once he got on that field, there was no predicting his next move. One minute he was dribbling to Small, and the next, he was scoring at the post. He made both football and studying look hot, with his pink eyes inherited from his albino mother and his dark, bushy brows and hair. He practically looked like one of those Wattpad nerds I had been reading about.
The last SS2 was Fuad Siddiq, a typical Kano man with dark skin and a low-cut hairstyle. He could have looked like a gangster if not for his slim frame, siren eyes, and thin lips. He also had a scar running from his nose to his ear, the reason for which remained unknown.