S.S.S. 3 AGAIN

Chapter Six

"Ehn? Yes Mum?"

"I've been talking to you but you weren't paying attention. You're okay?"

Typical mothers. She looked really worried. How I love my Mum!, I thought.

"Yes, just a bit tired." I lied as I faked a smile and feigned a yawn.

"Oh my! Sorry dear. Go in to rest." Mum said as she patted me and I saw a look of care and concern on her face.

"Thanks Mom." I faked a smile to her and hugged her slightly. Then I walked into my room. I slammed the door shut behind me as I landed on my bed in a mood I didn't understand.

I just couldn't explain what happened but I felt an urge to cry. At that moment, it was like tears were the best answers to my problems. Almost immediately, I felt my cheeks becoming wet. It felt like everything was falling apart. Nothing seemed to be going my way. I just felt sad and empty. My mates were in the university already and I was there, repeating S.S.S. 3. Who could have thought something of such could happen to me?

"Be strong, Oluwademilade." I said weakly to myself as I took my journal and just opened a random page. The page I opened read a message I had designed weeks back.

It read: 'Crying doesn't mean you are weak. It only means you've been strong for too long.' I stared at it over and over again. It was really meant for me and for my situation. I had to get through all that I was feeling.

When I was done crying, it was like it took away all the hurt I felt. Soon, my eyes started closing. I thought about the Biology test we were to have the next day but I was too weak to read. Well, only God knew when I slept off.

• • •

I was in the Library. I was sitting with my friends but when they started disturbing, I went to the other side opposite them to sit. I was reading or should I say preparing to read my Biology textbook for the test, but things were not just getting in my brain. Why? I was angry.

The Food & Nut. students were in our class, which means Lydia was supposed to be in class but she was here instead. The guys told her to help them buy some stuffs from the Café which delayed her. Sometimes, I feel she does things for them more than she should and soon, they'd start taking her for granted. I just couldn't bring myself to tell her yet. As long as it involved Demmie, she'd definitely have an excuse. I hoped she realizes sooner.

I used my hands to block my ears as I tried to concentrate on the book I was reading. It started getting in. I really hoped to score 100% in the test because I scored 65% in the last one due to a mistake or the other. Almost immediately, someone touched my shoulders with his/her hands. Somehow, I guessed who the person was before I even faced the person and I was right. It was Demmie.

Just somehow, we've been talking since we got to school that day. In the morning, I had glue stuck to my fingers and I was trying to remove it outside the class when he told me to come and meet him, that he'll do it for me. After disturbing and I didn't answer him, he excused me. I had removed my right earring to remove the glue with its sharp edge. In the process of taking my Mathematics note in my bag when the Maths teacher came in, the hook of the earring fell. I searched for it to no avail. Some of my friends even joined in the search but still didn't find it. Then, I had no choice but to remove the other earring from my ear. You should know what would come up after that. Demmie teased me like hell. He told me if I had come to meet him, he could have done whatever it was I wanted to do.

Still in the Library, I turned to face him as he was standing behind me with a slight smile. "Uhn?" I said.

"Please, I need your chair." He replied.