The Blue Eyebeam

Chapter Two

The time is 2:35PM which means that in few minutes from now, a bell is going to be rung by the time keeper, signalling the end of school activities for that day.

I flipped the book i was reading, a literature textbook. I closed the book and scanned the classroom.

The class was lively, everyone were either chit chatting, the boys had their own clique, they all came together to sit down, playing a mobile online game, Call of Duty. I have always loved the game, it's actually pretty cool.

But whenever i walk up to the boys in my class to hold a decent conversation with them, they brush me aside. I have my own fair share of bullying from the bigger boys in my class. They don't torment me physically, but they mess with me emotionally, spitting out words that degrades a person's esteem.

We were in the last months before our exams that determined our lives. Our free periods were mostly for revision of past questions and past lessons learnt, but my class was a class of excellence, which means that the teachers saw us as the best set that they ever taught. Sss3 was a class filled with bright students, all except one, a boy whose grades were all Cs, Ds, Es and Fs.

The teachers called me *"Olodo", "Block head" The students have their own share in tormenting with words and so do the teachers.
But what they don't do is that i have made up my mind to quit being the dumb kid, the dumb classmate and the dumb student. I studied at nights, registering for online classes and that helped a lot.

And i would write the West African Exams, I won't need help from any one, it's going to be I and my God.

The results for the Jamb exams were coming out this week, and anxiety has been eating me up ever since. But i won't let it dwell.

The bell rings and the whole school that was silent was suddenly noisy, desks were being slammed, students were screaming, teachers were banging their canes on the table.

I didn't even bother to look around the class, I grabbed my bag from my chair and prepared to zoom off.

I was in an hurry to leave that i didn't realize a person was also walking towards me, and i bumped into her, hard.

We both winced as we tried to get ourselves.

"I am sorry, I was in an hurry to leave. I hope you are okay?" I asked her, she was my class mate, Comfort. But conversations between us were rare.

"I am fine, don't worry, I am good. Why were you running so fast? Is anyone chasing you?"

I didn't want to tell her that i was rushing because immediately school was over, one of my classmates, Joshua and his three friends who were bullies like he was ganged up on me and start to inflict me with words and sometimes, they punch and kick me, I doge their blows and do as much as possible to avoid them. Yeah, I mentioned I was bullied emotionally, hehe, I was also bullied physically
Ii was bullied often because i was diagnosed with Dyslexia.

Dyslexia is a common learning difference that affects a person's reading and language processing abilities.

"What's up?" She asked, drawing me out of my thoughts

"I am good, I am sorry for hitting you though." I say

"We bumped into each other, you aren't the only one at fault here. You are sounding so formal, like we aren't age mates or class mates."

"Yeah, right! Good bye then, I want to go home." I say, turning around to walk down the hall to the gates.

I suddenly hear footsteps behind me, and i turned around and it's Comfort.
"Why are you following me? Why are you even talking to me?" I ask her, glaring at her.

I don't have time for any ridicules, I just want to leave this school, go home, take a shower and relax.

"I am not following you. I am also leaving school for my house like you too." She says, still walking alongside with me

Comfort was actually a new student. She enrolled in our school, few weeks into second term.

But I am pretty sure the gossip squads and the gossips about my illnesses would have gotten to her yet. I don't want her ridicules, or empathy, I don't want any!!

"You tend to zone out a lot, what are you always thinking of?" She queers

"Yeah, I tend to zone out a lot, you noticed, a big win for you there." I spat out sarcastically

"What are you on all about? I am just trying to have a conversation with you." She huffs

"Oh, because if I haven't bumped into you, you wouldn't have talked to me. You would have looked down on me just like others did."

"You need to get a grip. If you are always letting people opinions and words to get to you, then you aren't ready for the real life out there." She reaches for the gate and pulls me and walks away.

I reflect on what she just said to me.

I shouldn't let the words of others  pull me down and if i do, then i am not ready for what life has to offer.