𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐄𝐃, 𝐊𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐀

[6] DOUBLE THE CURSE

“See his goshi.”

[Goshi: Forehead]

“Like Hausa watermelon.”

The two people behind our two-seater giggled quietly to themselves as Naeto passed by our row and headed straight to the back, where Ehi and Denola were sitting as well.

I pressed down on my lips to hold back my brewing laughter.

More like egghead.

“No be small Watermelon.” Beside me, Ene laughed lightly.

She sneakily took out her phone from a hidden pouch in her school bag while keeping a stealthy eye out for the bus attendant, Aunty Dorcas. Only Ene Ogenyi would consider taking her phone to school on just the first day. No wonder she’d insisted on taking the inner seat.

The RCA customized coaster bus moved roughly through the bumpy roads of Khoffri District. Our driver always avoided the high expressway because of the early morning traffic and road palava. Instead, he opted for shortcuts that mostly involved bad roads and always has us bouncing in our seats as he zoomed through the busy city, only stopping momentarily for pickups.

[Palava: Troubles]

“SS3 had better be good on us,” Ene said absentmindedly, typing away quickly on her phone.

I stretched out my legs and yawned subtly. Ogechi had almost brought down my door in the name of waking me up this morning.

“Can’t even believe this is our last year. JS1 feels like yesterday.”

“I’m telling you!” Ene briefly spared me a glance. “Still haven’t decided on a university?”

I held back an eye roll.
“Can we not talk about this university thing now? It’s only the first day biko.”

Ene stopped whatever she was typing and turned to me with a slightly raised brow.

“Aunty, do you think time will stop for you? JAMB will be here in a blink oh. Keep doing madam NFA.” She added the last part offhandedly before returning her attention to her phone and left those words to pierce at me.

NFA.

No future ambition.

Ene didn’t mean for it to hurt and I knew for certain that she’d have taken it back in a heartbeat if she knew how much her words burrowed into my mind and had hit hard on a sensitive spot. But then, she didn’t.

Truth was, above all things, I feared that those words were true. My reality, that is.

Unlike Ene, I didn’t have my whole life figured out. From the age of 9, she’d started dressing as a lawyer during career day. Her father had already secured a spot for her at a prestigious university outside the country and with her brains, it was indisputable. I, on the other hand, couldn’t even make up my mind on a career, speak-less of university choices.

In a society like ours, career was everything. To be a respected member of the world or at least, a successful one, you needed to have a career or skill. And as far as overthinking went, it didn't qualify as much of a skill or career. I would know, I googled it.

Everyone else around me seemed to have their plans for the future all figured out. My friend, Malik, specifically ran me through his step-by-step life plan to achieving success in the realtor profession. Then when he asked me to walk him through mine, I searched my mind for an answer but it was all like staring at a blank white board.

Well, I liked astronomy. It was addictive to me...but as a career, Ogechi wouldn't be too pleased with the idea. She'd once told me that those who studied the stars and their constellations were witches and would burn in hell one day. No Nigerian parent wanted a child who could spew a thousand gibberish about stars and space. Even though Daddy had never said anything against it directly, sometimes I could see in his eyes that he wanted me to be something more than an astronomy junky. A lawyer would be perfect in his books or any other occupation of high status to fit the family resumé. That much was clear when he'd quietly met the Vice Chancellor of Academics in RCA to switch me to arts in my senior class.