Her Mistake

∆ THIRTY FOUR ∆

Dedicated to Iyanuoluwa-Temi

My lunch came out forcefully from my mouth. The digested food rushed out my mouth into the school's toilet for the second time today. First, it was my breakfast of yam and egg. Now, it was the hibiscus tea and jollof rice I ate at school.

"Sorry." Joyce patted my back as I continued to gag. "Zara, hurry with the water!"

Zara brought a bowl of water and passed it to me. I was bending over, clutching my upset stomach as my digested lunch came out. I used the water to wash my face then set the bowl down beside my glasses on the floor.

"I think you should go see the school nurse." Zara suggested. "I think you're suffering from food poisoning."

"Food poisoning? What did you eat?"

I ignored Joyce's question and knelt on the tiles of the toilet stall, facing the toilet, just in case I had to throw up again. My stomach was empty again, making me hungry. "I'm hungry."

"You're hungry and you keep vomiting the food. Let's go to the nurse." Joyce told, her voice full  of concern.

I took off my tie and stretched it out for one of the two girls to hold. As expected, one of them collected it but I  didn't know who. I unbuttoned the first three buttons of my shirt. This made the yellow tubetop I was wearing underneath come in view.

I reached for the flusher and turned it so the contents of my regurgitation which came out my mouth could disappear down the toilet. Still kneeling, I sat on my kneeling legs, my right hand on my stomach the left on my lap.

I could still taste the vomit in my mouth and it tasted horrible. "I need mints." I whispered, more to myself than any of the two girls.

"Or is it your period? Some girls tend to vomit when they are menstruating."

Period?

Joyce words reminded me I hadn't seen my monthly visitor. And a month had gone by. I shrugged it off when my subconscious told me; it was probably just late.

Deep down I found it hard to believe, for my period was hardly ever late. I could even say, it was never late, rather it came early and I was lucky enough to be part of the few females whose monthly period lasted for three days. I hardly had irregularities with my period.

"Let's go to the nurse." I announced. They took each side of my arm, helping me up. When I was stood, I did my buttons leaving the first one undone.

Joyce picked my glasses from the floor and gave it to me. I took out the purple protective case from my skirt pocket, kept the glasses inside the protective case then returned it back into my pocket.

We made our way to the sick bay together. Classes were going on so I didn't have any of my schoolmates staring at me inquisitively. Only Mr Jackson who saw us asked why we were outside during classes and we told him our reason.

I was made to sit on the plastic chair in the sick bay alongside Zara and Joyce.

"What's wrong with you?" The school nurse asked. She was in her white nurse uniform and there was a stethoscope round her neck.

"She's been vomiting since she got to school." Zara answered for me.

The nurse who was seated in her chair shot a glare at Zara. "I didn't ask you." She gestured to me and reiterated her question. "What's wrong with you?"

I repeated what Zara had told her. "I have been vomiting since I got to school."

She nodded. "What's your name?"

"Tobiloba Oyesile." Zara answered.

"Did I ask you?" The nurse shot at Zara who uttered an inaudible apology to the slender nurse. She went on to write something into a book. "Do you feel any pain in your body?"

I shook my head sideways."I'm only hungry."

She nodded taking in my answer. "What did you have for breakfast?"

"Yam and egg?"

"And for lunch?"

"Hibiscus tea and Jollof rice." Zara answered, fiddling with a tie. She laced both her tie on her neck and the one in her hands together.

A very displeased frown appeared on the face of the nurse. The nurse's light skin face turned red showing her irritation. "Leave! Just leave!"

"I'm sorry ma."

"Go back to your class!" Her voice was stern. "Your other friend will take her back to her class." The nurse referred to Joyce, pointing a finger at her.

Zara left the sickbay leaving Joyce and I with the nurse.

The nurse continued with her questions. "What did you eat yesterday night? And when did any form of discomfort start?"

"There is actually no pain whatsoever. I just keep vomiting. I ate fried rice for dinner, yesterday."

The nurse continued asking me questions back and forth till she came to a conclusion and said I was just reacting to something I ate. She gave me drugs which I took then Joyce and I left the sickbay for our classroom.

"So you've been vomiting? No wonder you weren't in geography class." Anna told me while fanning me with a notebook. "Sorry."

It was break time and we were all beside the toilet just in case I had to throw up again.

I was seating on a small chair in front of the window beside the entrance of the toilet. I mouthed a thank you.

"Have you been to the school nurse?"

I nodded.

"She said Tobi is just reacting to something she ate. She gave her drugs and she hasn't thrown up since then." Joyce explained.

"Sorry Tobi." Chukuwa who was seating on a stool in front of me said and I nodded with a weak smile.

"Where is Daniel?

Anna shrugged while answering my question, "I don't know."

"I saw him running downstairs with some guys in our class. They had a ball with them." Joyce stated.

"He's playing ball?" I arched a questioning eyebrow. I was somewhat hurt. I had told Joyce to inform him that I was sick. Joyce's feedback from him was that he said he was coming to check on me. I had been expecting him since it was break time but he hasn't come.

"Most likely." She uttered back.

Zara hissed as she walked towards us. She was just coming from our class. "The day your boyfriend will have sense is the day elephants would be able to fly."

Anna, Joyce and Chukuwa laughed while I frowned. "Stop it, Zar-" my cheeks blew up making me palm my mouth. I ran into one of the bathroom stalls to throw up again.

Glossary
1) Hibiscus tea - zobo