I See Fire

13 | Boarding school life begins

"Listen Usama." Hajiya Waleeda sat beside him on the bed "You're becoming a big boy. I want you to be clean. Follow them and go to the mosque at the appropriate time and always go out of the hostel early in the morning. Respect your seniors too, ok?"

"Yes mummy." Usama nods. "Will you come to visit me every weekend?"

"That's not how it works darling. There's visiting day but I'll see you on some weekends."

"Ok mummy." He wasn't happy but at least he would see her almost every week.

"Are those bad boys in the hostel too?" She asked, wanting to know which of the boys would be in the hostel with him seeing as she knew most of them and they were very stubborn.

During the second term a group of boys broke some cameras and blamed it on a cleaner until they were caught and forced to confess. 

Actually one of the seven boys snitched on the two culprits involved. They were known to be a group of scoundrels who made noise and attended classes late.

The group disbanded after those involved all got punished with community service for two months and the five didn't help but that wouldn't make them change. They wanted to prove they were cool and strong so they pretended to not be tired and always frowned, flexing their Jss1—11 year old—muscles to prove to their classmates that they were still "mighty".

"Bolu Damilola, Hamisu Bamanaga, Kabiru Osman are in the hostel. The rest are day students."

"Avoid them!" She warned sternly, pulling her ears "I don't know want to get calls from the school because you were caught doing something wrong with them."

"Yes mummy."

"Have you finished packing?" She asked as if she didn't watch him do it. She made him do it so he would have a small sense of independence to let him know she wouldn't always do everything for him.

"Yes." He yawned and patted his full stomach, rubbing the giant dinosaur sticker atop it.

"Ok, it's time to sleep. We have a long day ahead of us."

He jumped off the bed, too eager to see the next day as he left her room, singing. Hajiya Waleeda laid down, staring at the sleeping figure of her husband who'd returned from Kenya only an hour ago so he was too tired to join her in lecturing their son whom they were sending off to boarding school the next day.

If they were being honest, Hajiya Waleeda was the head, neck and body of the house. He was almost absent in their everyday lives. All he did was pay their tuition and gave them feeding allowances and some out to their mother for clothes and mini expenses but she raised them all by herself. Her kind self only made it seem like he had a helping hand so they wouldn't disrespect or hate him.

The next morning came faster than she wished. Her alarm woke her up an hour before Fajr so she stayed awake reading until it was time to pray. She'd showered after seeking her creators guidance in having the will to drop her son in school and also take care of her family for her.

By 1:00pm, everyone in the Mudi household had showered, eaten and prayed. "Make sure you pee if you have to." Hajiya Waleeda shouted as she cleared the table of the aftermath of their lunches of White rice and stew with beef and boiled egg.

Aamanee  helped her clean the table as she took the coolers and used cups while Amira wipes the table with a rag. The men left to wait in the living room.

Usama was fidgety—more like highly unstable—this was what he'd been asking for for almost a year—to join some of his peers in the hostel; he assumed being a boarder meant more time on the football pitch after school and he would finish the Qur'an faster—but no, he didn't know what he was about to face.

In no time they were out of the house, dragging and carrying what they could for the royal last born.

"Take these," Aamanee hands a box to Amira who shifts her hand and passes with his school bag, so she gives Usama one of his boxes "And I'll keep this." She hugs a smaller bag.

"Take it from him before I slap you." Hajiya Waleeda snaps.

"Mummy!"

"Take it." She says, continuing to walk without looking at her.

Everyone enters the car and their father pushes a button to start the car.

"So we're going to stop at chicken republic for Usama to get his sausage shawarma and some meat pie before dropping him off." Alhaji Abdullah announces as if he's seeking their approval when really he was just telling them.

They were all excited as long as they would get some goodies from their parents. The drive through was just perfect for their schedules. In and out they went with their snacks, eating in the car.

They take the time to reminisce about Usama's gagara (please tell me the meaning in English). Everyone took turns with their stories until a sudden silence wipes away everyone's excitement upon remembering Nadine till they reached the gate and dragged all Usama's boxes inside the school.

Speaking of Nadine, no one had told Usama what happened and he didn't ask. For now, they felt it was better to tell him during his third term holiday so he wouldn't get distracted from school. Zayda's disappearance has already bothered him enough even if they'd just lied that she travelled for her "masters". He assumed Nadine was off doing the same.

Alhaji Abdallah on the other hand had a part in of him relieved because no one was ever going to find out that he almost raped his daughter Nadine . He'd already began to force her towards him when Uncle Adeel called to inform him that he was by the lobby, trying to make his way up.

He let go of her, apologizing as if he didn't know what he was about to do. University would come afterwards and she used it to avoid him by going to a far country she didn't make holiday rounds back to Nigeria from, often.

They helped Usama set his bed and arrange his clothes in the locker before heading back or to the reception to receive some advice from all the oldies in the family.

"Bye. We'll miss you." Hajiya Walida says to her child "Remember all the things we talked about yesterday."

Alhaji Abdullah adds "If anything is bothering you call us."

"And read hard so you can get first position and you'll make mummy and daddy proud. Your final exam is what will take you to Jss2 this time so be careful." Farouk finishes off the boarding ted talk for them.

They continue to talk some more with Amira while he takes Usama's two empty boxes back to the boot of the car and dragged it to almost close but leaves and opening since there were still a couple left with them.

Farouk opens the back door after closing the boot and stretches his leg in the back sit and feels something get squished against his open toed sandals.

He pulls out a piece of paper with Amira's name on it. He looks at everyone still trying to put the rest of Usama's boxes into the boot of the car then slips it in his pocket.

They'd agreed if they found a letter, they were to give it to the owners even if she wasn't invited to their meeting. If it was Amira's he found, it'd be Amira he gave.
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-Aisha SafiyanuXO💚