Brown Skinned Bet

Chapter I

        Did it hurt? Damn yes,it hurt like hell. Even though I didnt want to admit it,I felt a bit happy for that fact that she'd tagged along,it felt good to have my mother do things for me like pay my fees and escort me to school,it made me feel normal in the least. But yet,she'd just crushed everything.

         "What are you looking at me like for?Are you mad? I'na y'ala?" She questioned fiercely in igbo after I'd given her a long hard stare "Biko je we te'lum inha kam rapuwa this school! (Go and bring this thing let me be leaving this school). Did I come to sleep here?!" She yelled at me.

         Not bothering to argue with her,I turned on my heels and headed for the school block as I recalled leaving the sandals in my locker. I rolled my eyes in anger,fuming with each step I took. She always had new ways of getting on my nerves.

         I climbed up the stairs as SS3 classrooms were the only ones upstairs and we'd been made to move to our new classrooms before we vacated. I headed for my locker behind the class immediately I walked in,the angry part of me wishing the sandals would be gone but the part which honestly needed no form of disgrace today wished it would be intact.

          In that sense,I felt both disappointed and relieved when I picked out the pair of sandals from my locker and slammed it shut. I was just about to storm out of the class when a whimper of a child caught my ears. I looked back confused at first but then my eyes widened when I realised there was actually a little boy seated at the third seat of the first column.

         I approached him slowly,trying my best not to scare him because I'd gathered that I wasnt one who was good with kids. When I finally did though,I felt both shocked and more scared. He sat,clad in a pair of jean pants and a leather blazer,crying out his eyes.

         I looked around the class and well as the corridors and I could well agree with my eyes that noone was here so who'd left their sibling in the class.

        "Hey..." I started,moving a bit closer to him and gaining his attention. "What happened? Why are you crying?" I asked softly,still trying to gain his trust.

        "I....my byother...Dawyl...my byother" he cried and I figured he was too stuck in his cries that he couldnt make good sentences.

         "You're looking for your brother?" I questioned from what I felt I could grasp from his cries. He gave a sad nod,looking up to me expectantly. Well, he was the first kid who I actually got along with and didnr give me the silent treatment so I guessed I could try help him out.

        "And your brother is Daryl?" I questioned again and he gave me another nod. "Okay,Oya stop crying yeah,let's go and look for him,we'll find your brother" I assured him,offering him my hand.

        I smiled as he slid his little hand into mine,wiping his tears off as I helped him off the chair. "Where did Daryl say he was going?" I questioned as I helped him down the stairs,taking one step at a time so he could keep up.

        "He say....he..he say I shwud wait for him but I nor see him again so I went to his ckwlass" he explained in what I could tag the cutest sad voice I'd ever heard.

        "Dont worry,we will find him now yeah" I assured him and he nodded,looking around the parking lot which we were now approaching. I honestly had no idea if I would be able to find Daryl or how fast I would be able to but I just had to assure him.

         After a while of walking around the parking lot in vain,I looked back to the boy in my hands and found him still looking around expectantly in hopes of finding his brother. Just when I was about to turn and head to the auditorium(school hall),a faint retreating figure caught my eyes.