Behind the Smiles

By Joy Chidera Ezugwu

Behind the Smiles tells the story of Nene, a teenage girl from the slum, who worked blue-collar jobs with her mother to put food on their table.

Her glittering academic prowess made her dream of a future she thought impossible until the doors of Royal Bliss Academy swung open.

A scholarship, her only hope of a degree, came with a heavy prize: the fate of the school fell on her shoulders and that of another. They must win a competition or she would pay the ultimate prize.

• Language: English
• Publisher: COMMUNE WRITERS INT'L
• Release date: Jul 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9791222430850

Book preview

BEHIND THE SMILES

(Tales of a High School’s Jolly Moments!)

A Novel

JOY CHIDERA EZUGWU

PRAISES FOR BEHIND THE SMILES

The story was so clearly described that I could visualize every single scene as I read, and so interesting that I couldn’t drop my phone till I was done. – Chimdi Favour

I love the grammar construction, most of it had me checking my dictionary. I also love the simplicity. It is easy to read and comprehend. The story line is quite catchy too. Keep up the good work. – Author, Rita Nnamani

I like the author’s use of words. The correct use of words to describe a particular situation. It’s an excellent novel that will thrill youths and I recommend it for youngsters, teenagers and young adults. – Dainz Books 

Interesting  piece. Teen fiction is one of my favorites. Highly recommended to everyone. – Author, Enigwe Golden Princess

I decided to start reading books to develop my vocabulary, grammar and reasoning. Behind the Smiles is the first book I picked and I’ve completed it in 3hours. It’s a good book for every teenager and adults starting the reading journey. – Okanlawon Baliki

Copyright@ Joy Chidera Ezugwu 2022

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing from the author.

DEDICATION

To God Almighty for his wonderful creation. And to every youth out there, working tirelessly to achieve their dreams!

GRATITUDE

I give thanks to the Lord for the successful completion of another book. My gratitude also goes to my family members, friends, well-wishers and every single person that contributed to the success of this story; I love you all.

FOREWORD

As a teenager, I read many books. Some however, stood out- and still do so till today. For many authors, teen literature is a brave attempt. Books in this category are forced to tread the delicate line between patronising teenage readers and appealing to the all other readers. It is in this interesting terrain that the book, Behind the Smiles is sited.

As she explores the themes of love, friendship, fortune, social class, diligence, and many others, the author takes us on an interesting journey into the lives of youngsters and the events that seek to shape them.

Somehow, this piece manages to amalgamate the concepts that apply to teens and adults alike, while resonating with the elements of good writing.

As you would discover in this book, the lives of these teenagers offer us an introspective lens into our own lives regardless of our age, and offers insight, motivation, and entertainment to just about any reader.

I believe this would be one of those books that stand out in a teenage reader’s mind and reverberate with the older reader’s heart. The writer, Chidera is certainly a blossoming talent to discover.

Do have a fruitful read.

Igwe, Ozioma Peace

Chapter 1

Royal Bliss Academy was a beehive of activities as students went about their various activities happily. It was their first day in school for the session. The first day of every session was always a day to remember as students entertained themselves with stories of new events and a host of other things.

When one talked about a school exclusively for the rich, and indeed, the most sought after secondary school in Nigeria, Royal Bliss Academy always came to mind. For one, it was situated in Independence Layout, the most beautiful and aesthetically equipped area in Enugu state. Again, it was marvelously structured, such that its beauty alone was enough to mesmerize anyone. Stories had it that the Royal Bliss school uniform was the most beautiful in the country. Unlike students of other secondary schools, students of Royal Bliss were also hardly ever seen as most of them had their parents or personal chauffeurs drop and pick them from school every day.

As expected, the standard of education was high- high enough to justify the outrageous school fees that kept the average family in Enugu State from contemplating whether or not to send their kids to the school. The fact that the school comprised only of the elites in the society didn’t stop its director from instilling discipline in every affair concerning the students. Discipline was the watchword of the school, and whenever the director had cause to punish any student himself, it was no joke as he always gave the punishment without looking at anybody’s face.

This distinct first day was exceptional as the school’s rank had just been promoted by so many strands: repainting of old buildings, reequipping of the laboratories, among others. These changes had brought a transformation to the school. The most prominent strand was the newly built student’s library that was acclaimed the biggest library in the state. It was surrounded by beautiful bougainvillea flowers, making it look more exceptional and breath taking.

The students went about greeting their old friends and classmates, chatting and laughing terrifically, as they headed for their various classrooms. As the rowdiness of the environment gradually subsided, it was time for the day’s lessons to commence, and for teachers to resume teaching for the  new term.

At the turn of this new term, it seemed the latest final year senior students  were  particularly  joyful. The students were ecstatic to think that in a matter of months, they would be done with secondary school. Majority of them had already  started thinking of what it would be like to gain admission into the tertiary institution, and had started asking questions about universities and the whole new world that lay before them.

There was so much to admire in the present final year class. One was their glittering academic prowess. Interestingly, their entrance into the school had coincided with remarkable revolution and restructuring of  the architectural framework that had contributed to the present state of the school. Their collective zest, enthusiasm and willingness to learn had also  endeared most of them to the school authority, so much  that almost all school administrators and teachers knew them all by their names.

On this first day of the new session, these final year students  weren’t only cheery to be back to school just for their studies; they were also excited because their class was literally  where things happen. There was always one new thing or the other to chat about.

Soon enough, classes began in earnest. The first subject for SS3 students was English language, and Ms. Ugwueze, the jolly English teacher began with a quick revision on Concord in English Language. Some minutes into the lesson, Mr. Armstrong, the History teacher walked into the class with two students – a boy and a girl. He whispered some words to Ms. Ugwueze who smiled and nodded. Mr. Armstrong then proceeded to announce

Good Morning boys and girls! Forgive me for interrupting your class.

These, he continued, while gesturing at the boy and girl, are your new classmates. They have just been admitted into the school on a scholarship. I trust you all will have a good time learning together.

This said, he led the new students to two vacant desks in front of the classroom and when they were seated, he thanked Ms. Ugwueze, and left the classroom. As expected, all eyes were fixed on the new boy and girl. Their admission was most unexpected; especially because this was the final year class and the school had a strict no admission policy for Examination classes. As a matter of fact, no new students had ever been admitted into the SS3 class in the history of Royal Bliss Academy.

These new students were undoubtedly different. The boy, Nnamdi by name, was a very skilled artist. Naturally talented, he could draw whatever he could envision in his head precisely the way he envisaged it. About 2 months before, he took part in a drawing vie alongside over nine hundred people and won. This feat had yielded him the scholarship to attend Royal Bliss. The girl, on the other hand, got her scholarship through Academic excellence. She had always been very brilliant right from the outset and when a senator representing her district launched his scholarship to sponsor a promising but indigent student, she was selected for her sterling records. As the morning classes continued, both new students tried to adjust to their new environment. They were now students of Royal Bliss and it truly felt surreal!

When the regulator’s bell chimed at noon, it was time for the first break. Students headed to the cafeteria to buy the various things they wanted to eat. The cafeteria was top notch—a large space, beautifully polished with neatly

Reviews for Behind the Smiles

[Joy Chidera · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Behind the smiles is an interesting read. Simply put: one of those books that has something in it for everyone!