Life of a Nigerian Teenage Girl

THIRTEEN

Erika Idowu
The drive home was totally quiet, nobody said a thing till we got to my house where Ini, me and bro Tayo dropped. Benson's eyes followed me as I got down from the car but I did not even act like I saw him.

When we got inside mummy Tayo was standing at the door like she was ready to attack.

"What's this woman's problem today?" Bro Tayo muttered to himself but I kind of heard and was wondering the same thing.

As we got to the door, she stopped us from entering. Part two of drama today again or what?

"Where are you three coming from?" She asked us like she did not know we want to beach. We told her before going ooo and she said ok, now she is doing anyhow.

"The beach na". Bro Tayo said looking around to see if anyone was watching. "Don't embarrass us na" he added.

"Beach.... eyin omoyi! Shey e so fun mi pe e ni wale lana?" She asked angrily. See problem ooo, I thought Bro Tayo told her ooo. Jesus!

T: You these kids! Did you tell me you won't be coming home yesterday?

"Me I thought bro Tayo told you ni ooo, that's why I did not say anything". I defended myself quickly putting everything on him. He deserved that much and even more.

"Abowaba loro tiyin. You! Ini, your parents came and created a scene in my house, shouting at us for harboring you on our house for this long without trying to bring you home or talk sense into your head". She said, I see the cause of all these problems. Ini's parents.

T: I will come back to your own matter.

"Did we do wrong by helping you? I though I told you first thing this morning we should go to your house and beg your parents, o wa ta ere ba mi". She yelled at Ini who was quite intimidated by her. "Before I open my eyes and close it, start running home". She added.

T: You dragged me in the mud.

Ini without thinking of picking anything, she started running home. I'm sure she would have to face the wrath of her parents at home while we face that of our mother's.

Pulling our ears, she dragged us inside and asked us to kneel down. I started shedding crocodile tears because I cannot get into another trouble.

"I swear it is bro Tayo ooo, he said he told you, I even asked him". I lied.

"Ah, Eri!" Bro Tayo shouted surprised at my very clean lie.

"No shouting please. Eri, enter the kitchen and wash the plates you were supposed to wash. Iniola ni ohun o ni fo, and I couldn't argue with her because it was your punishment". I wanted to cry, that girl is a witch, ordinary plate she cannot wash for somebody.

T: Iniola said she would not wash it.

Not arguing with her to avoid another wahala, I just entered the kitchen and started washing the plates. I could hear her yelling at bro Tayo and eventually, she banned him from any party or hangout until he leaves her house for University.

"No wahala, shebi it is kuku till December or January". Bro Tayo said and went to his room. He can be so rude.

After washing the plates, I also went to rest, not after fighting Iniola for being so wicked to have left that amount of plates for me to wash.

"So is me that should wash that plenty plate for you abi? Dey play". That was all she told me before leaving the room, I just went to sleep because, I was so tired.

Next day was Monday, as expected Cecilia punished me unnecessarily, she asked me to clean the entire laboratories and even lied against me for breaking a beaker which I did not even touch.

Thank God for Benson who saved me from the situation when he told the principal that he had seen it break in Cecilia's hand during practicals. Me I'm not kuku a science student before.

They even punished her for asking me to clean all the three labs, all the way from arts. It was considered too great a punishment considering all I did was not attend assembly.

Funny enough, senior Sade told me that Cecilia asked me to help her get a book from the library and that I should not come back without it, that's how I missed assembly ooo. I know she was only taking out her anger on me.

Plenty things happened sha, including how Benson and bro Tayo punished Biobaku for what happened on Friday, maybe they were trying to earn my forgiveness but not so easily.

Benson had told them in class that he would be buying lunch for the first person that tells him what happened on Friday and even eat together at the cafeteria, Omoh, the way they all started talking was amazing.

She was called to emergency assembly where her suspension was announced because other students testified to how she had been a big bully in the school. I felt fulfilled.

As I was going back to my class from the assembly, Benson quickly came to meet me. I rolled my eyes as he stood in front of me.

"Eri, are you still angry at me?" He asked.

"Angry, for what now?" I asked fully aware of what he was talking about but the truth is, I was angry at myself for thinking he liked me and getting my own hopes up.

"I know everything I said at the beach annoyed you. Trust me, I did not mean it. Something was annoying me!" He told me.

"And you thought to take it out on me?" Now I was disappointed in him. If he was angry at something, he could have just confided in me.

"I thought that would help, there is no way I could tell you that I liked you when my mom sent me a message that night that I was going to New York to further my studies. That would mean leaving you behind". He explained.

Wait ooo.... he liked me but he was going to New York, good and bad news. Actually both were good news but to me he was leaving and that was bad.

"But you wrote mock na".

"Yes but I won't write WAEC again" he said and I just nodded lightly.

"It doesn't matter Benson, actually, I don't want to date yet considering my age. You can go but promise me that when I come of age, it won't be too late".

"I promise". He said.