Behind The Gate of Lakeview

~Six~

'I don't know. I don't think so.'

Even as I said it, I found myself thinking if it was possible, not just K with the A sleeping with Caleb but my mates doing stuff like that behind closed doors. With the research on sex education, I carried out, 65% of girls lost their virginity in Secondary school and we're supposed to be in our final year. I looked at Hana, maybe the only saints in my school were the both of us but then it was really hard to think that my classmates are already active sexually. Hana was writing a column related to Sex Education to be posted on the school's board so she was really into knowing about our mate's supposed sexual life even more than I. I was going to stand in front of the whole school to advocate for teaching sex education in schools when I don't believe in it. Not like I don't believe in it but for topics like that, girls were always at the receiving end. A typical example of when we did Reproduction in SS1, only God can remember the amounts of taunts and jests girls got after all. Maybe it's a good thing I was talking about it, I could actually........

'Jade, you're spacing out again. God!'

I touched her hand.

'Mabini simi, ore mi'

She laughed, throwing her head back as she does normally.

'Really? You just spoke Yoruba in school, did you know? You're supposed to be the pacesetter to other students and you're speaking Yoruba in school when it's not Yoruba period?'

'Shut up the door

'Owa Lara I

That got me laughing. What? My best friend murders language anytime she speaks it.

'Hana, if you can't speak Yoruba correctly after almost six years of living in a Yoruba-speaking community, how on earth did you pass exams? Olodo.'

She looked at me scornfully.

'Iwo Lomo oo. The only thing I know is that my Yoruba is better than yours.'

I laughed again.

'In your dreams, baby'

Just then, the bell rang signaling the end of our free period. Our mathematics teacher entered immediately, earning groans and hisses from my classmates.

'God! This man does not get a chill pill at all. Let me quickly finish the novel I'm reading.'

Hana muttered beside me. I turned to look at her.

'Really? You want to read that obscene romantic novel during class?'

'Not obscene but hot.'

She stuck our tongue at me and I laughed silently.

'HanaJade, can we have some peace for once?'

Our mathematics teacher cautioned as he proceeded to write the day's topic on the board. I watched Hana put the obscene novel in the middle of her mathematics notebook. I shook my head. Our teacher started explaining some stuff, serious students were already jotting things down, others were doing other business. I willed myself to listen while thinking.

Cheers to another 45 minutes of absolute boredom.

                                  ******

                               ~Uthman~

I just finalized our points with Wura who obviously can't stop wanting to touch me or even touching me, a brush of arms, calculated collides. I couldn't help but smile sha. When I left, Daniel was waiting for me.

'I saw how the girl was swooning over you. Oh my God! Why am I not you?'

Those were the first word my best friend said to me.

'Oh shut up dude'

He rolled his eyes.

'If only Michelle would  be willing to get this physical with you.'

Yeah, Michelle, after her brief moment on the school's field, she's changed, not so subtly, she now left lingering touches, doesn't mind us linking arms. I did not want this but I couldn't hurt Michelle. When I think of love, I think of a complex feeling. I wonder who the first girl I'd like would be. Maybe when I was ready to be in a relationship, I'd consider Michelle but for now, NO.

'I know that look. Uthman. What are you thinking about?'

'About how senseless you are, obviously'

'Gbenu sound

We started walking towards our class, he put his arms around me, smiling mischievously,

'What now?

'What do you think of K with the A Ass?'

I shrugged his hands off immediately.

'Damn, Daniel. You're mad! How on earth did we become friends?'

'Question oo'

'Aah, God! You're so corrupt. I can't allow you to ruin my life

He burst into laughter.

'You can't get any more corrupt than you're right out. Just come out clean and get a girl. Damn, get a life. When you have a girl, things like this becomes much easier.'

I shook my head. Daniel is canceled, for life.

                                  ***

Hours later, I was at home reading a story to Moji. Aunty Bola was cooking in the kitchen and Dad, as usual, was at the hospital.

'Why don't you like mum?'

Moji asked suddenly, I was startled, the book nearly dropped out of my hands.

'What?' I looked at her. She looked back, eyes uncanny and blinking. My sister was reminding me more and more of Jade.

'What do you mean?'

'You don't like my mom.'

'I do'

'No, you don't. You don't call her mom. You don't talk to her unless necessary.'

'Moji, let's read the story we're reading. You're too young for all these.'

'I'm not too young to know my mom is not happy in this house.'

She stood up and left. I stared at her retreating back. My sister was grown now, I couldn't keep things away from her anymore. She was right, her mum wasn't happy but I was not happy here either.

Mom died when she was giving birth to her second child, my younger sister who followed her immediately. I remembered that day clearly. I was eight, Dad had gone to his hospital on that day. It was a mom who prepared lunch for me. I remember her rubbing my hands against her belly, feeling the baby kick, I already named her Eniola. Then mom said she was going to the clinic for a check-up. I remembered I wanted to follow her but she insisted otherwise. I remembered waving to her from the balcony. I remembered her smile as she waved. That was the last time I saw her smile. That was the last time I saw her. I was still in the render painting my color book when a car honked and our gatekeeper opened the gates. I stood up early, expecting my mom but it wasn't her, it was never going to be her again. It was my dad who got out of the car surrounded at both sides by his friends and our families. His eyes were bloodshot. In his eyes, I saw the pain, I saw the unspoken words. I did not lose my only mom that day, I lost my dad and the little boy who waved farewell to his mom.

A very emotional ending here, right. Thank you guys for reading my story. It means a lot. Please and please, remember to vote for my story. It means a lot.