Dedication,

To my four-eyed wifey, my soul sister, my constant in the chaos — Hameedah:

Thank you for always standing beside me, even when I made zero sense (which was... often).

Your glasses may see the world clearer, but your heart sees me clearer.

You’ve been my peace during storms, my co-author in this wild story, and my reason to keep turning the page.

This book? It’s ours.

To my second precious wifey — Asmaa:

Your presence is poetry, and your laughter could heal nations.

Thanks for keeping it real, loving me loud, and adding sparkle to every dull classroom.

You’re one of the best plot twists my life ever wrote.

To my homies — the Guyz, the chaos crew, the legends:

Thanks for every laugh, every inside joke that made zero sense to outsiders,

and every time you almost got us in trouble... but didn’t.

(And for those times you did? Worth it.)

To the man, the myth, the maestro — Mr. Bello:

SEC wouldn’t be SEC without your footsteps echoing through the halls like judgment itself.

Thank you for building a home, not just a school.

This book is as much about your legacy as it is about our mischief.

And to the Physics king, the brain-breaker, the man with the formulas — Mr. Mc Paul:

Even when the equations flew over my head, your passion hit me straight in the heart.

You didn’t just teach Physics, you gave it personality.

To everyone who lived through these SEC Days with me:

You are etched in these pages, in ink and in memory.

This is our story, told loud, told true, told with love.

This is for all of you.

To us.

These are our SEC DAYS.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS!

First and foremost, all thanks to God, The ultimate author of my story, who kept me alive and somehow gave me the patience to write this book and survive all the distractions along the way.

To my family: thanks for putting up with my weird writing hours, my sudden disappearances into a world of words, and for always reminding me to eat something besides chocolate biscuits. Your love and support kept me grounded, even when my brain was floating somewhere between school memories and daydreams.

To my best friend and four-eyed wifey, Hameedah: thank you for being my personal cheerleader, editor, therapist, and partner-in-crime. Without your constant “You’ve got this!”, "get your lazy ass to work", "you better start writing this minute" texts and hilarious pep talks, this book might still be stuck in my head.

And to my friends, who made school life one big hilarious mess of unforgettable moments, Thanks for being the crazy, loud, and loving squad that filled my days with laughter, pranks, and endless inspiration. Thanks for creating memories with me. You made every chaotic SEC day worth writing about.

This book is as much yours as it is mine. Thank you all for being part of the adventure.

The clock ticked softly in the background as the aroma of Jollof rice and fried plantains filled the small dining room. I was sitting at the table with my family\, just a regular weekend dinner. My brother was busy telling one of his classic “back in my day” stories\, like he was even grown yet *eye roll* my sisters was picking at their food without much enthusiasm\, and mum was quietly watching us all.

Just as I took a bite of the spicy rice, mum cleared her throat, and the room went a little quieter.

“Ah, Ameenah,” she said, looking straight at me, “I have something to tell you.”

I swallowed my food, suddenly a bit nervous. Mum rarely made announcements like this during dinner.

“You know your SS3 final exams are coming up, right?” she continued.

“Yeah...” I replied, trying to keep my cool.

“Well, starting Monday, you’ll be attending extramural lessons every Monday to Friday . They’re meant to help you prepare better for WAEC.”

I blinked. “Every week days?

Mum nodded with a smile that tried to be reassuring. “Just until the exams are over. It’s going to be tough, but I know you can do it.”

My brother gave me a thumbs-up from across the table, and one of my sister, the youngest one to be precise 'Asmaa' chimed in, “At least you’ll get extra help. No more blaming teachers!”

I sighed, putting down my fork. Weekdays freedom was officially on hold, it seemed.

But deep down, I knew mum was right. This was serious business. The kind of stuff that could change everything.

So, I took another bite of the rice and tried to mentally prepare myself for what was about to begin.

Monday

The sun was still stretching its first golden rays across the sky when Mum pulled the car up to the gates of SEC. The air was crisp and carried that unmistakable scent of early morning, fresh paint, wet grass, and a hint of excitement. My heart hammered against my ribs as I stepped out, clutching my bag tighter. Today wasn’t just any Monday. It was the day I officially joined SEC as an SS3 student preparing for WAEC.

We approached the main entrance, where a few students milled about, their voices echoing through the courtyard. That’s when I noticed her, a girl kneeling just inside the gate serving punishments it seems, her arms crossed and eyes fixed on me like I’d just interrupted some secret meeting. Her glare was sharp, unapologetic, and honestly, a little intimidating.

Mum smiled politely and said, “Excuse us, please. Could you help us find the proprietor’s office?”

The girl’s eyes flicked from me to Mum, and for a brief second, her expression softened. She gave a curt nod and pointed down the main corridor. “Go straight ahead, then take the first left. You can’t miss it.”

“Thank you,” Mum replied warmly.

As we walked, I stole a glance back at the girl. She stood there watching us, like she was already sizing me up as the new kid in town. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for the silent judgment of my soon-to-be classmates.

We reached a large wooden door, polished and bearing the letters “Proprietor’s Office” in gold. Mum knocked gently before stepping inside.

The man who greeted us was taller than I expected, with kind stressed eyes behind a pair of spectacles a cap i later learned covers a pretty smooth always bald head and a smile that instantly puts one at ease.

He greeted mom immediately she stepped in, turned out they were friend way back from University days and he was pretty much a family friend,

“Ah, OMG!,  you must be Ameenah” he said,

"its been a long while, oh look how grown you are, you were this little the last i saw you, do u still remember me?"

"ermm no, you feel familiar but im sorry i really dont remember you" i said timidly

"aww, i know you wont, wat of your siblings?", he asked

"they are fine"

 “Welcome to SEC. here we train people to be successful and be good role models and ambassador of the society” he said with a big smile showing his white set of straight dentitions.

"Thank you sir" i said with a smile

Mr. Bello gave me a reassuring nod. “I’m more than just the proprietor or your teacher,” he said with a playful seriousness. “I’m your Godfather here. That means if you ever need anything aside from studies; advice, help, or just someone to talk to, you come find me. Deal?”

I smiled and nodded, feeling the weight of his words. It wasn’t every day you had someone like that in your corner at school.

After some paperwork and a quick test to assess my placement, the usual routine followed, photographs, ID cards, and introductions. The school buzzed with energy, but I felt grounded, knowing I had the support of people who cared.

As Mum and I left the office, she squeezed my shoulder. “This is just the beginning, but you’re ready.”

And with that, the doors of SEC didn’t just close behind us, they opened wide for everything the  year would bring.

Walking into the classroom felt like stepping into a whole new world. The walls were plastered with math formulas and motivational posters, mostly the kind that tried to make algebra sound less like a curse. At the front, standing tall and confident, was Mr. Bello himself, already leading the class through a math problem like it was the easiest thing in the world.

He looked up when I entered and gave me a nod. “welcome to class Ameenah” he said, voice calm but firm. “Take the seat at the back, center row.”

I scanned the room and found it: the very last seat in the middle, sandwiched between two strangers, a boy on my right and a girl on my left.

I slid into the seat quietly, feeling the eyes of the class flicker in my direction for a brief moment before returning to their notes and books.

I tried to break the ice by leaning toward the girl next to me. “Hey, I’m Ameenah.”

She glanced at me but didn’t say much, just a small, polite nod before turning back to her notebook. I realized she wasn’t really interested in chatting.

Turning to the boy on my right, I gave it another shot. “Hi, I’m new here. What’s your name?”

He smiled warmly. “I’m Abdulmaleek. Don’t worry, I’ll catch you up on everything you missed.”

True to his word, Abdulmaleek spent the break explaining the math lessons from previous weeks. He even lent me his book, flipping through pages and pointing out the key formulas.

“Here,” he said, handing it over. “If you have questions, just ask. I’ve got you.”

It felt good, not just having a seat, but having someone beside me who made the new school feel a little less scary.

Mr. Bello wrapped up the lesson with a reminder. “Remember, math is like life, sometimes confusing, but with patience, everything adds up.”

I nodded, thinking that maybe, just maybe, SEC wasn’t going to be as intimidating as I first thought.

After class, I tucked the borrowed math book into my bag, feeling a little lighter. Abdulmaleek smiled again. “If you want, I can help you study before the next test.”

I nodded eagerly. “Thanks, man. I’ll need all the help I can get.”

The girl on my left, still quiet, packed her things slowly. I caught her glancing my way once or twice but said nothing. Her name was Idaya I learned later from Abdulmaleek, and she was just being well a little defensive as i was a new student probably

As the classroom emptied, Mr. Bello called out, “Remember, if you need anything, my door is always open.”

Everything went on pretty normal, just i being the new girl, having classes and Abdulmaleek was with me, every time, we talked a lot and turns out we had a lot of things in common

Finally school was over and i was asked to go home together with a girl who lives on my street, i didn't even know, her name was Aisha.

As i walked down the streets of SEC I felt the weight of a new beginning on my shoulders, but also the promise of new friends, new challenges, and maybe, a little adventure.

The week rolled fine