What's my sin?

Chapter 12: Back to the hood

"Kenneth!" I heard my shrilled scream precede me amidst others unaware that I had at all. In a twinkle of an eye Kenneth came tumbling down disappearing from our sight. There was chaos as we all became scared. No one could muster the courage to go and report, call for help or bypassing the gateman to go out of the school.

"What are we going to do? " Ese whispered to me getting me out of my shocked state.

"I don't know o" was all I could muster.

"Let's go inside fast" she pulled my hand dragging me into the school building. Just then the school gates opened and the proprietor's car drove in. I didn't wait to see mama get down before Ese pulled me in. We instantly joined others in the class rehearsing a drama for the party.

"Where have you both been? " my teacher questioned as we took our seat. 

"We went to the sick bay ma" Ese blurted out before I could think of an answer. I nodded in support as she looked at me for confirmation.

"Who is sick? " at this point I left Ese to reply. I still had no answer to give. "I ma" I looked at her but she didn't acknowledge me.

"What's wrong with you? " she came closer feeling her temperature with the back of her palm.

Ese feigned weakness and I looked at her in wonder. She almost convinced me with her acting. "my stomach was aching me" she held her stomach. I looked at my aunty searching to see if she believed the fallacy.

She did "Okay take care ehn. Just relax". She looked at me. "Come over here, we need a role for the wicked stepmother. What an irony! I looked at Dara but she didn't  get the hint. I sighed,  it wasn't like she would anyway.  Martin would. I looked at him and he smiled. I smiled back.

"You would come inside... " my teacher began explaining my role as I nodded in understanding. I could so relate, it was a role I could play out perfectly. I got into action.

"Wow, that's splendid " she clapped when I was done. I smiled. All I did was think about what my step mother will have said and it was easy imitating her role. "You will be the one to play out that role". She continued "you can go and sit now." she faced others and slammed her palms together.  "Now the next scene".

"That was nice" Ese said as I got back to my seat. I smiled and took a second to catch my breath. "I thought of my step mom" . She widened her eyes "I didn't know it's that bad. You must have a strong heart to withstand that. Trust me, I will have plotted evil for her. " I snickered. "I trust you"

She pulled me in for a side hug " sorry dear".

"it's fine. When I'm sad I think of where I went on Sunday and know I'll go back there someday"

"Really? . That's true, you haven't told me about that". I began filling her in about the adventure, happy to be able to tell it to someone finally.

"Wow,  I hope you go back there.  See how you are happy "

"Ruth and Ese quit talking.  I'm explaining something here" we completed ourselves immediately and I smiled still happy about my storytelling skills. 

We were engrossed in the rehearsals and forgot about the guava fall when a junior came in "Senior Ese and senior Ruth, mama is calling you. " my heart stopped and we looked at each other. I swallowed as Ese held my hand. We went downstairs towards her office.

We stopped and did the sign of the cross before opening the door.  Kenneth was sorted on the floor with his leg bandaged behind several others from the scene. How my siblings had escaped eluded me. I can't remember if they were at the scene though but they were definitely at the playground. 

"Join them" she directed us to where others stood. We waited for a while as she continued working on her desk. The door opened and my siblings also came in with some other boys from other class excluding  Charles. "Join them" she repeated as we all watched in silence awaiting our fate.

Finally she raised her head and looked at us when we were complete. "I was told you were all involved in the incident that brought about his injuries. " she pointed towards Kenneth who was still whimpering on the floor.

"I wasn't there.... I wasn't the one... I told him not to" everyone began to rabble incoherently. "Shhhh.... " she hissed us into silence. She looked at me.  "were you or were you not? "

"We didn't tell them to climb the tree ma".

"That wasn't my question"

I looked down at my feet.  "Yes we were there". I looked back up "but we didn't climb the tree". I raised my hand in protest hoping that will help. 

She scowled "Of course you didn't but your voice was the loudest wasn't it? " I avoided her eyes. "I heard you right as I was driving in to school. I saw him fall down." we all kept quiet.  She continued  "Now tell me why none of you could come and report but rather decided to cheer them on? " she pointed towards Kenneth and Caleb who climbed the tree.

"Now as for the both of you" she gestured towards the culprits. "You are both going to be in charge of cleaning the whole school, both up and down as soon as we close for a week.

"Now as for the rest of you" she faced the rest of us. "Go and kneel under the sun, Mrs Akinade will come and oversee you. Go now". We all trooped out one after the other  in guilty silence. "The Adesolas, wait behind".  I swallowed as I stopped in my track. "good luck" Ese whispered in jest as she went out.

"Help me make certain those children kneel under the sun for an hour.  I'll be right there. The Adesolas are coming to join them also.....thank you". The dropped the table phone and looked at us. 

"I'm dissapointed in you all,  how could you get yourself involved in such." we had nothing to say and awaited her judgement.  "For that you will not be allowed to go with the school bus this afternoon. You will take a transit bus with Mrs Titilayo today. Go out of my office.".

I didn't really understand the magnitude of the punishment until late that afternoon. We went out of the office and joined others under the sun. Asides from the sweating, it wasn't really much of a punishment to me as Ese kept me busy with discussions that made me laugh all through.

"You can go inside now" Mrs Akinade finally said. We stood up, dusted ourselves and stretched our arms from the pain.

The school bell rang for break. "Let's go to the reception" I suggested remembering my promise to stop by. "Okay" she followed me. We assisted the teachers in feeding the children and changing their diapers. I was so glad to spend my break period with Ife and the kids that I forgot I have to eat my food also.

The bell rang for the end of break period and we both went back to our class to join rehearsals. Rehearsals went on till the closing period when our punishment started. We looked on as the school bus zoomed off leaving us behind. I had tucked in ife safely and instructed her brother to hold on to her as I placed her on his lap. I tucked Caprisone into her hand and gave him biscuits also assured she will be kept busy with that till she gets home.

We sat down on the school culvert waiting for Mrs Titilayo. Our proprietor came out ignoring us and got into her car  with Charles before zooming off.

"Is our house very far? " Kingsley asked

"I don't know, we always sleep in the bus most times. But I don't think it is. You will enjoy it." I said with false hope which didn't sink in for me too.

"Let's go" Mrs Titilayo came out of her office locking it. We carried our baskets and followed her kicking the dust beneath our feet.