(013a - Therapy And Tutorials Part 1)
A part of this chapter would probably infuriate you to your bones. Just in case you break your phone from anger, issnur my fault🏃🏾♀️. I sha know, I've done my part by warning you 😌.
P. S. A big Congratulations to Rihanna_Adedeji for the completion of her BLOCKBUSTER BOOK; "Perfectly Imperfect 🥺🥺❤️❤️🔥🔥. I'm so going to miss my babies.
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𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐘
(Hilary Idara Eghosa)
Whispers.
But they were too loud. The whispers were too loud but I still couldn't focus on what was being said. I couldn't hear it.
How can people be whispering and it would be too loud?
I stirred on the soft bed, humming to myself, trying as much as possible to open my eyes but they felt too tired to even open up. I felt tired myself.
At that point, the whispers increased in volume and became clear. I could hear the voices clearly. I could make out all the words from the familiar voices.
"She's moving already!"
Was that Dawn speaking?
"Thank God! Should we call the nurse? Where are those lazy nurses sef?!"
That's definitely Semeeha.
"I think you guys should keep your voice down. She hasn't even opened her eyes yet."
Now that voice? It sounded very familiar but I just couldn't place who owned it. I knew it wasn't Kizito. Kizito's voice was way deeper than that. But I still couldn't place a face to the voice. I was too tired.
"Why exactly are you still here? What are you still doing here?" Semeeha fired at the owner of the voice while I still struggled to open my eyes. "And where the hell is Kizito!" She yelled.
"Jesus, Semeeha. Can you bring your voice down?"
It took me a moment to realize that I was the one that said that, causing everyone to stop short and look at me. I was trying to sit up from the bed, using hazy eyes to look at my friends at either side of my bed, as well as the figure at the foot of the bed.
"Hilary!" Dawn lunged at me while Semeeha stood still, looking at me. Dawn pulled me into a hug and pushed the both of us back to the bed. I groaned, my body suddenly aching as my vision began to clear.
"Dawn, please," I mumbled a plea for her to leave me alone and she both quickly stepped back, muttering an apology. After she stepped back, I was finally able to notice the person standing at the foot of my bed.
Simi.
With his arms folded across his chest, his eyes were on me, intently on me with a more or less worried expression gracing his features. I looked away from him, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Though, I couldn't help but ask myself what he was doing in this place. Why he was by my bed?
What am I even doing here too?
I wasn't able to answer that question in my mind because Semeeha started ranting.
"Do you have any idea how scared we were when we heard you slumped!" She started, her voice brittle and at the same time, orotund. I frowned, wondering what she was going on about.
"S-Slumped?" I stuttered out. It was then the memories started coming back. How I had walked into the building where the indoor pool was. How I had frozen at the sight of water.
How all the events of the accidents rushed back to my mind like a tidal wave. It was all I could recollect but it was enough reason for me to have collapsed.
God...
"Yes!" She screamed back, startling me a bit and causing me to flinch. "What are you doing to yourself, Hilary?! We keep asking if you are okay, you keep lying to us and now, you slumped!" She snapped.
"You should stop shouting," Simi stated calmly but Semeeha glared at him, pointing at him.
"I am not talking to you, so shut up." She yelled back at him and I gasped a bit, looking at Simi who still had his eyes on Semeeha, stolid look on his face. If he was offended by Semeeha's insult, then he was doing an excellent job hiding it.
"Semeeha, that was very rude," Dawn said, her voice laced with disappointment and her face still in shock at how Semeeha had yelled at Simi. "He brought her here. You should be a little nice." She stated calmly while my brows furrowed at that revelation.
Simi brought me here?
"I don't care. He should mind his business next time." Semeeha replied without any remorse, speaking like Simi wasn't standing few feet away from her. She turned to me again, ready to continue her lambasting.
"What if no one was there to help you, Hilary?" She started with a question, her eyes still blazing. "Why can't you tell us if there is something wrong with you? Why do you always have to keep things to yourself? Why are you being so difficult!"
"Semeeha!" Dawn snapped, shutting Semeeha up. "Can you be a little bit considerate about Hilary's health instead of bombarding her with so many irrelevant questions? You didn't even ask her how she is, or if she's okay." She deadpan, surprising me with her outburst.
"Oh wow," Semeeha scoffed. "So apparently, I don't care about my best friend." Dawn rolled her eyes when she said that. I stopped myself from actually doing the same.
Trust Semeeha to be dramatic.
"You know that's not what I meant." Dawn began, but Semeeha was already on her way out of the ward, with the three of us staring at her retreating form. I sighed, shaking my head.
"I'm so sorry about that," Dawn was speaking to Simi. "Ignore Semeeha. She's always dramatic." She added.
"It's fine." Was his quiet response. He had not said anything more since Semeeha had legit told him to shut up. I get it, he was our classmate because of... circumstances, but that didn't give her the right to be so disrespectful. He was definitely older than her, with nothing less than two years.
"Hey," I felt a dip in my bed and looked up to see Dawn seated beside me. I mustered a small smile which she returned. "How are you feeling?" She asked and I shrugged.
How am I feeling?
I don't know.
"I'm okay. Or at least, I will be." I replied and she nodded, keeping her smile on her lips as if it was a way of telling me everything would be alright.
I collapsed just at the sight of a pool, causing me to relive every single moment of the accident. Every painful and excruciatingly long moment of that night.
I don't think everything will be alright in a pretty long time.
"Are you hungry?" Dawn asked. It was that moment my tummy dimmed it fit to growl... loud. I felt so embarrassed. If it was only Dawn that was here, I wouldn't care. But a third party was.
A third party I have hardly said ten words to since I've known him.
Embarrassing.
"I take it that you are," Dawn said, in between chuckles, then stood up from the bed. "I'll be right back." She added and I sat up, alert.
Right back?
Was she going to leave me here alone with Simi?
But I couldn't ask those questions out loud because she was out in a flash, actually leaving Simi and me alone in the ward.
No one was in the ward except the both of us. Not the nurses, or the health prefects even. Everyone was still on the field most likely. It was just the two of us.
Awkward...
I glanced at him and found him looking at me, causing me to look away immediately. Even though I was looking down, I could still feel his gaze on me. I felt extremely self-conscious under his gaze, goosebumps springing out from my skin. There was no duvet to cover me, so I just laid there, still in my jersey and my socks still on my leg, with my hands wrapped around myself.
I'm pretty sure I looked extremely awkward.
"How are you feeling?" His calm voice broke the rather uncomfortable silence, causing me to look at him. The passive look he had on was gone. I could see a hint of concern in his features now.
When he cocked his head to the side, I remembered he asked me a question.
"I'm okay." Was my simple reply, looking away from him while hugging my body even more.
"You gave us quite a fright back there... me especially." He said again, moving away from the bed to come close to me. He pulled a chair out from the other bed beside me and sat down. That made me look back at him, seeing him watching me.
He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but as if he had second thoughts, he closed it back. I knew he wanted to ask me what happened. But I barely knew him, I couldn't tell him that seeing the pool had triggered me, making me relive the worst day of my entire life. I felt a shiver run down my spine just by thinking about it and I hugged myself even tighter.
"Are you cold?" He asked instead and I rose my brows in confusion.
He didn't wait for me to answer him before standing up and walking to the locker that stood at the other end of the room. He pulled a blanket out and walked back to me. I watched him as he unfolded the blanket and gently threw it over me, adjusting it around me.
I couldn't help the small smile of gratitude that quirked at the corner of my lips.
"Thank you," I muttered and he nodded, settling back on his chair. Then I remembered that Dawn had said he was the one who brought me here and I have not thanked him for it.
"Thank you for bringing me here," I said and his lips stretched in a small smile, a small smile that made me look at him in an entirely different way.
This was the first time I've ever seen the guy smile, not like I've been paying attention to him before now anyway. There was a way his face lit up, some sort of glow that appeared, just by that small smile.
He had a pretty beautiful smile.
My vision might still be a little hazy, but I was able to notice that little detail about him.
Then I noticed his eyes' color.
Amber.
His eyes were amber in color. The sun shining from the window just a few distances made it more obvious.
Wow.
It was different... Unique.
Or maybe he was wearing contacts.
"Staring is creepy." His voice coated with amusement startled me back to reality. I blinked, feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment.
"Sorry," I muttered. I heard him chuckle lightly, but didn't say anything more. At least, his chuckle dissipated the awkwardness that would have come with me being caught staring at him.
I wanted to ask him if it was his real eye color or he was wearing contacts. A lot of students wore contacts in this school. Some recommended most only wore it for fashion. But I don't think I can ask him that. I doubt we have gotten to that level. He knew that which was why he didn't prod to know what made me faint.
And I was reminded all over again why I was here in the first place.
"Hilary!" My head jerked to the entrance of the room immediately I heard my name, from that voice. My mum's voice. She was walking in with my Dad and Coach Danny.
"Mummy!" I called out, dashing off the bed with a speed I didn't even know to rush to her. She gathered me in her arms, hugging me.
I didn't want to feel emotional or cry but everything that has been happening from the beginning of the day till now was just too much for me to handle. From what Jidenna pulled in class to reliving the worst day of my life just by a trigger. I wasn't okay and I knew it.
I was probably the most traumatized person on Earth right now.
"It's okay baby. It's alright." My mum cooed softly, hugging me closer to herself.
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Therapy.
I am going to be in therapy for at least, four months.
When my parents took me home last Friday, they began to ask questions. I told them all I wanted them to know, leaving some specific details out. I couldn't tell them about the rumors that had been going on because I knew they'd take action by going to school to complain.
Fainting in school had attracted more unwanted drama and attention to me. I was tagged an attention seeker, that I fainted because I wanted to gain pity. I saw it. I read all of it on the group chat. It was pretty hard to ignore.
Telling my parents everything would only attract more drama to me and the situation of things would get even messier. I didn't want that. The only thing I could tell them was that being around the pool triggered the memories of that night and I couldn't take it.
That only meant I won't be swimming for a very very long time.
So, they immediately booked me an appointment with our family doctor on Saturday. After going through series of tests and talking to her about what was going on, I was diagnosed with Acute Stress Disorder. Before then, I have never heard of ASD before but that was what I was diagnosed with.
After looking it up on the internet, I realized it was in many ways associated with PTSD but not as bad as it. That didn't make it any less scary. The doctor prescribed medications for me and recommended therapy. My parents were still trying to get a good enough therapist for me but for now, all I needed was to take my drug and keep calm.
It was hard to keep calm.
"Miss Eghosa, can you answer the question on the board?" The voice of our physics teacher, Mrs. Khadija, startled me back to reality, making me remember that I was in the Physics lab, having Physics class.
I could feel everyone's eyes on me. Great.
"M-Ma?" I stuttered dumbly, eliciting mocking chuckles and snickers from some of my classmates.
"Answer the question on the board." She repeated, her passive expression making it difficult for me to calm down. I looked at the electronic board, squinting to see the question.
What is the Difference between Centripetal Acceleration and Centrifugal Force?
One way to shut these guys up is by getting answers correctly in class, a way to show them that you know what you are doing. That very easy question made it very possible.
"Don't waste my time, Hilary!" The woman snapped and I flinched, opening my mouth to answer the question.
"Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration an object experiences as it travels a certain velocity along an arc, while a Centrifugal force is the imaginary force an unrestrained object experiences as it moves around an arc," I answered in one breath.
The room was dead silent.
"That is correct." Mrs. Khadija said and I breathed out a sigh of relief I didn't know I was holding. I was about to sit back down when the woman suddenly snapped back at me.
"But next time, if I catch you not paying attention in my class, I'll send you out!"
Oh wow.
"Don't mind her," Semeeha whispered to me as I sat back down, ignoring the snickers coming from behind me by two girls. "She's just bitter because she doesn't have her own children." She added and I shot her an incredulous look, shocked at what she had just uttered.
"That's too much," I whispered back to her harshly and she shrugged nonchalantly.
"You know it's the truth." She muttered back and I shook my head, not saying anything else because I didn't know how to answer her.
Low-key, I kinda agreed with her. Mrs. Khadija was the meanest teacher in the school. She hardly smiled at anyone, always snapped because of little things, and was downright... God forgive me... heartless. Then a rumor started going around in JSS3 that the only reason she was - in Semeeha's word - bitter, was because she didn't have children of her own yet.
We didn't know how far it was true, but that's what everyone believed.
I had no issues with the woman because I was, and she knew that I was, one of the best in her class. But everyone, especially Semeeha, absolutely hated the woman.
Semeeha called me later on Friday to apologize for the way she overreacted in the infirmary earlier that day. Holding a grudge against Semeeha Malik was like fetching water into a basket, it was pointless and a complete waste of time. So, I didn't bother holding a grudge. I didn't even have the strength to.
Besides, she showed me she was actually sorry by ordering a mini food tray consisting of a lot, and I mean a lot of goodies, sending it to my house yesterday.
It was something normal between all of us. Anytime either of us had some sort of fight with the other, we came up with this ritual where the one who is at fault would send a "Peace Offering" to the other as a sign of apology. Dawn was the one who came up with it and this ritual has been existing since we were in JSS3.
Semeeha was the only one who would go the extra mile with her peace offering. From food trays to tons and tons of snacks, you'll just see it at your doorstep after she has done or said something offensive to you.
One time, she actually got Kizito a pair of Nike Dunks Low Pro. It was the latest pair of kicks at that time and people had not started wearing it in school, or most likely in all of Lagos, causing Kizito to break a record in the history of Crestview.
Semeeha was who you'd call a free giver. That, or it was just because she's stinkingly, dirtily, roll-in-the-mud rich.
"Who can solve this equation on the board?" The woman asked, causing me to look back at the board. I wrote down the equation and began to solve it in my notebook, just in case she decides to use me as a scapegoat again.
In a matter of thirty seconds, I was done solving the question, noticing that a few hands had gone up but the woman wasn't calling anyone of them. She had her eyes set on someone at the back, at the end of the big lab.
"Simisola Jordan!" She called, her voice loud and clear as day. Everyone that had their hands up initially brought it down as every single person in the room had their head turned to the back, including me, to look at Simi.
For as long as he has been in this class, Simi has always been her main target.
"Yes ma'am." The guy in question answered, his voice calm like he didn't just know what was about to go down. He knew quite well what would happen if he missed any of her questions. He goes through it practically every single time we had this woman's class.
"Solve the equation on the board." The woman fired.
"I can't see the equation," Simi answered.
The entire class sparked up in low chatters and whispers, clearly confused by his reply. Even I was confused because the board was very clear. I have sat down at the back several times and could still see the board. Besides, it's an electronic board. No matter how bad your eyesight was, you could still see it.
"If you can't see the board or the question, then why are you seated at the back?!" Mrs. Khadija barked, but Simi didn't even flinch. He only maintained a neutral look, staring back at the woman. From the scowl on her face, she was annoyed that she didn't get a reaction from him.
"Come to the front and solve the equation." She said, beckoning for him to come to the front.
I watched as Simi stepped out from his desk and slowly made his way to the front of the class, collected the pen from Mrs. Khadija before turning to the board. I knew he could feel everyone watching him, waiting to see if he'd solve the equation even though deep down, they knew he couldn't. Though, I still hoped he'd be able to, let him surprise all of them.
But, He didn't do anything.
He just stood there, holding the pen, eyes on the board. He wasn't solving the equation.
"You are wasting my time!" Mrs. Khadija snapped and that finally got a reaction out of Simi. He dropped his hand that was hung over the board and hung his head down.
"I can't solve it." He muttered.
"What did you say?"
"I can't solve it ma." He repeated, raising his head to look at her. "I'm sorry." He muttered. Mrs. Khadija flashed him a disdainful look, even I felt it before snatching the pen from him.
"You are a Failure." She spat out right in Simi's face, her voice filled with so much venom and bitterness. The class plunged into a deafening silence.
Just four words.
Just four words had my mouth hanging open in complete horror and repugnance, and I wasn't the one those words were said to. The guy who was even at the receiving end just stood on the same spot, staring back at the woman who had hurled such damned words at him with a stoic expression. He didn't reply to her. He just stared.
Those words were too much.
No matter what, they were just too much.
And she wasn't even done. She kept spilling scorching fire and blazing brimstone from her lips, hurling more insults at the guy.
"I don't know why your parents are wasting their hard-earned money on a blockhead! Complete waste of resources!"
Haba!
Low chatters sprang up from the rest of the class, everyone murmuring at the same time. It was hard for me to pick up what they were saying, but my eyes were still fixed on Simi who didn't move from his spot, still staring at Mrs. Khadija.
"That was too much," Semeeha muttered beside me. For Semeeha to say that was too much, then it was too much.
How can someone outrightly... so insensitively, say words that carried so much weight to another person? Without any remorse whatsoever. Those words carried so much weight, a weight I knew I wouldn't be able to handle if those words were hurled at me. I looked back at Simi to see his reaction, but there was no reaction coming from him.
He just kept staring at Mrs. Khadija.
But I could see all the emotions in his eyes. They were blazing, thunder rumbling, storms brewing...
Yet he was keeping it in. He was keeping it all in.
How!
The warning bell for the change of period went off, signaling the end of the physics class. My eyes were still on Simi, I watched as he walked away from the woman back to his seat, picked up his things, and left the class without saying anything else. I was still very mortified at what had happened seconds ago.
Before, I said I have never had a problem with the woman. But now, I'm part of the multitude that absolutely despise her.
Mrs. Khadija is Wicked.
It was the way the words kept rolling down her tongue unremorsely for me. This woman didn't flinch as she legit washed Simi to dust, in front of the entire class. It suddenly made me realize how I have seen this scene repeatedly but never paid any attention till now. Most teachers would call him out to stand in the front of the class, just to embarrass him in front of his "juniors".
Pure cruelty.
If I was the one these things were happening to, I'd have dived headfirst into depression.
Made me wonder how Simi was able to bottle it all up, all this while.
"Hilary," Semeeha called to me and I looked at her. She already packed all her things and I was still seated. "Are you not going to the next class? It's mathematics o, don't even think of skipping it." She said. I stood up and began to pack my things.
"I'm not skipping," I told her, beckoning for us to move out of the room when I was done.
"You were thinking about what happened back there," Semeeha stated, looking at me with a raised brow. I shrugged.
"It was too much. Everything Mrs. Khadija said to Simi was uncalled for. No matter how bad a person is academically, it is your duty as a teacher to put them through. That woman is heartless, no offense to anyone." I rapped out, making a turn that led out of 𝑳𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒐 building and into the hallway that leads back to the classes.
"In as much as I despise that woman, I also feel Simi isn't even trying at all to get better." Semeeha pointed out and I looked at her with a raised brow, wondering what she meant.
"What do you mean?" I asked her. She rolled her eyes sassily and sighed.
"Isn't it obvious?" She questioned rhetorically and I looked on, waiting for her to continue. She did. "He keeps sitting at the back of the class. He hardly pays any attention and is lacadestical about learning. Why won't he remain dumb?" I grimaced at her use of words.
"Semeeha, that's pretty harsh." I chided softly, even though, low-key, she was right.
"But it's the truth." She maintained and I kept quiet. "He has repeated twice. That's is enough to give him a wake-up call. Yes, I don't agree with Mrs. Khadija degrading him like that in front of the entire class, but if that doesn't give him the major wake-up call he needs, then he is definitely not going to graduate with us." She stated matter-of-factly.
I sighed.
Semeeha was telling the truth. And that made me feel so bad for Simi.
Only God knows how he is feeling right now.
"Hilary." I heard my name and turned towards the direction it was coming from then I saw the health prefect, Adela walking towards me. It was then I noticed we had already arrived by the hallway that led to our class. My eyes focused back on Adela as she neared me and I flashed her a small smile in greeting.
"Hey, what's up?" I greeted her and she nodded, muttering that she was okay. She threw a wave at Semeeha who hardly gave her a reply back. Adela ignored Semeeha's pompousness and turned to me.
"I was asked to call you. The Principal wants to see you." She told me and my brows furrowed.
The Principal wants to see me? Why?
"Did he tell you why?" I asked and she shook her head and then shrugged. The final bell for change of period went off and everyone that was in the hallway began to enter their classes.
"I should get going," Adela told me and I nodded in understanding. She waved at me before she made a turn back and went to her class. Semeeha who had been standing beside me, mute since Adela came to us decided to speak.
"Let me get to class before Corper Toseen gets there first. Bring your things, I'll drop them for you." She offered and I gave them to her nodding the appreciation. She walked off the class while I made a turn towards the administration building which was quite a distance from where is class was located.
On my way, I couldn't help but think of the possible reasons why he had called me. Did he find out about the rumors going around? That would be disastrous because then he would have known about I and Jidenna's relationship and the school frowns against dating between students. I just prayed that wasn't the reason.
On getting to the office, I met Gigi just leaving and she told me to go in. I prayed internally before I knocked on the door, hoping that I wasn't in trouble.
"Come in." Principal Isaac's voice boomed through the closed door to my ears. Taking a deep breath, I turned the doorknob to open the door and walked in.
The scenery I found immediately I entered wasn't one I had expected... or thought of. But at least I wasn't in trouble. That, I was sure of.
But it didn't make this scene any less... confusing.
Simisola Jordan was seated. And beside him was a woman he looked a lot like. They had a striking resemblance but the one thing that gave it all away was the similar Amber-coloured Iris. The eye color gave it all away.
She was his mum... which only fuelled the confusion.
I couldn't help but ask myself.
What exactly am I doing here?
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That wasn't fair💔.
Writing that particular scene about Simi, showing you guys how much he gets ridiculed in class actually broke me😪. If I was the one that got spoken to the way Simi got spoken to, I'd just crawl up in a hole and die. It was just too much!
Most teachers, especially in this country don't know their job description at all. They are supposed to help children to learn. That's supposed to be their job. But its the same children they are supposed to help that they will destroy with the words of their mouth. Mrs Khadija, like Hilary said, is Wicked. She'll kuku pay, eventually
I don't even want to imagine how Simi was feeling, being embarrassed and humiliated in front of the class like that.
Question of the Day: Why was Hilary called to the Principal's office? Why do you think Simi and his mum are there? Let me know what you think in the inline comments.
I should be in bed right now. Sha, don't forget to VOTE! COMMENT!! SHARE!!!
Kisses... and good night❤️.