(032 - Shutter speed and Small Talks)
Thank you so much for the 2.2k followers 😩✨.
So, someone commented in the previous update that I described the dance scenes so well and with so much experience, then asked me if I dance🤣❤️. The answer is yes. Yes, I'm a dancer. I don't dance as often as I used to, but I still dance sha 🌚.
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𝐉𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐀
(Jidenna Leo Okojie)
I exhaled deeply as the cold water from the shower cascaded down from my head to the rest of my body, unknotting my tensed muscles bit by bit. I ran the fingers of both hands through my wet hair, before bending my neck a little to allow the shower to wash my back properly.
It was painful.. very painful since all the scars on my back hadn't healed up and the droplets of water were like little knife stabs to my back. I didn't wince or anything, I just endured. I was already used to the pain. Besides, the pain of water hitting my back was nothing compared to the pain of being chained up and beaten till you pass out.
That's how it had ended that day. I had passed out, and it wasn't until I woke up in my room that I knew that I had been unconscious for six days, missing the last days of the first half term. And it wasn't until much later that I realized, this is the longest I have ever been unconscious after my father's beating.
My father.
I repeated in my mind and shook my head, not sure if I could call him that anymore.
No Father would inflict pain on a child they gave birth to like that. This man inflicted pain on me like it was a sport... and would call himself a good father for doing so.
How ironic.
At some point in my life, I used to believe him anytime he says that. Used to think I deserve the torture for being a bad kid.
Not until the day I realized that no human being, blood-related or otherwise, should be treated like that. No one deserves to be treated like an animal. That's how Kingsley Okojie treats me, his son... his flesh and blood.
An animal.
It kinda made me wonder how he treats his enemies.
I was no stranger to how the world viewed my father. I've heard the rumors about his brutality and I've read the news online, but I've never actually paid attention to it because they never last. For no reason, the rumors or the news would just disappear after hours of surfacing.
But after what happened last Friday... I'm beginning to wonder what kind of man Kingsley Okojie really was, what kind of things go on in his head, because...
A loud knock came to the bathroom door, bringing me out of my thoughts. I sighed, knowing exactly who it is at the door. And before I could say anything, another bang came to the door, followed by a call for my name.
"Jidenna!" He called me, then banged against the door again. "Jidenna, are you okay? Do you need help? Should I come in?" He asked all in one go.
"I'm fine, Tola," I called back because I knew he wouldn't leave except I give him feedback.
Truth be told, Tola still won't leave even after giving him a response. He was dedicated like that. I can even say, he was more dedicated to me than he was dedicated to anyone else in this house, well... except Kingsley Okojie. He has, of course, been my personal bodyguard since I was a kid.
He was the closest thing to a big brother to me, right now.
And that's saying a lot because I have three blood-related older brothers, including Jideofor. At least I still see Jideofor occasionally. Only God knew where the other two were.
Jidekene was the firstborn and first son of my parents, and nineteen solid years older than I was. I barely knew him, wasn't sure if I'd still recognize him if I saw him.
Apart from the age margin between us, I don't think I ever got to meet him properly. He was schooling out of the country when I was born. When I got older, he only came home once, had a talk with mum, and then left.
I really can't say where he is right now. Same with my second brother, Jidechukwu.
I still have a few vivid memories of him. We used to be close when I was much younger, even with our fifteen years age difference. We were both mum's favorite too. Although he was schooling abroad like Jidekene, Jidechukwu came home quite often. I can remember his last visit. Just like Jidekene, he talked with mum but this one was more heated.
And after that, he left. At first, he'd call to check up on me and mum. But later, he stopped calling altogether. I haven't heard from him in more than ten years.
Jideofor wasn't like the both of them. He was basically Kingsley Okojie's little errand boy. I don't know why he decided to stick with him because if there was anyone who suffered the most at the hands of our father, it was Jideofor. Yet, he still decided to stay and work for the man.
I've never really understood why.
But unlike him, Jidekene and Jidechukwu haven't stepped foot into this house since they left. They never stated their reasons for leaving, at least to me. They just left and never came back...
Not even after mum...
I shook my head to stop myself... and my mind from drifting away... to somewhere unimaginably agonizing. Those dark memories in the deepest, almost unreachable part of my mind. Memories I've kept buried for years.
Come back, Jidenna. Don't think about it. I told myself, taking a deep breath.
I turned off the water from the shower, took my towel from the rack, wrapped it around my waist before I reached out to open the door of the bathroom.
Tola was standing right in front of it, staring right back at me.
Exhaling deeply, I told him. "You don't have to stand in front of my door every time I decide to go into the bathroom." I bypassed him and walked further into my large room.
"You were in there for a long time. I was just trying to make sure you were okay, Jidenna. That's all." He answered me, his baritone voice booming across the room and bouncing on the walls. I sighed, massaging my temple.
Tola has been treating me like an egg ever since I woke up from unconsciousness. Always all up in my face so that I won't hurt myself. But the truth is, I can't hurt myself more than Kingsley Okojie has hurt me.
"I'm fine, Tola," I answered him, but he rose his eyebrows skeptically. I sighed again. "It's not like I slipped and broke my leg or anything," I added, punctuating with a shrug.
"What if you had?" He questioned back, shutting the still opened door of the bathroom before coming to stand in front of me. "Do you know how many people die or get injured in a year because they slipped in the bathroom?" He asked, quirking his eyebrows inquisitively and I shrugged.
I don't know.
"Over two hundred thousand people, Jidenna." He answered his question. I let out a puff of breath from my lips.
"Thank you, Tola but I'm fine," I told him, then continued. "And I need to wear something before you clean my back up, so if you'd excuse me..." I trailed off suggestively, but he didn't move a muscle, only staring back at me.
"Except you want to see me completely naked which would be extremely weird," I added. He rolled his eyes back at me, muttered some incoherent words but made his way out of my room, shutting the door behind him.
I couldn't help my lips tugging slightly in a small smile.
No doubt, Tola cared about me. On the outside, he might be this huge and muscular bodyguard who never smiles, but I knew him. I've seen the way he always is anything I'm subjected to Kingsley Okojie's affliction and torture, even though there's nothing he can do about it. Just like I said, he was like a big brother to me.
But there was so much his care could do. My subconscious reminded me, making the smile disappear from my lips.
His care couldn't fill the void.
I've tried to fill the void in the past. Being friends with Hilary, Kizito, Dawn, and Semeeha helped a bit but not totally. In all honesty, being best friends with TK hasn't helped much either. So truth be told, Tola cannot fill the void, no matter how much he tries.
And lately, I've been feeling the void getting larger and deeper.
Lately, I've been feeling so alone.
I exhaled, putting on a pair of joggers just as a knock came to the door of my room. I knew it was Tola, probably trying to check if I was done.
"You can come in now," I answered and he did, walking in with a steel tray that contained everything he'd need to clean up my back. He didn't have to say anything before I got on my bed and laid face down, my back exposed. He sat on the bed as well, dropping the steel tray on a stool.
This has been a routine since I woke back to consciousness. Tola coming to dress my battered back every morning and evening. My entire back was so unrecognizable, filled with thousands and thousands of slashes as if it was a knife that cut through my skin. I even stopped looking at the mirror to check it. That's how hideous it looked
And then, there was the pain.
The undiluted and raw agony I haven't stopped feeling. There's nothing else you can feel, but pain, when there are slashes like this on every part of your back, all the way up to your neck and down to your lower waist.
Just pain.
The kind of pain that no amount of painkillers cannot relieve.
"Do you want to bite down on something?" Tola asked me, his voice cutting through my thoughts. I looked at him over my shoulder. "For the pain," He added as an afterthought.
I shook my head
"I think I can take it," I said, trying to form hard guy. But Tola saw right through that, raising his eyebrows inquisitively. "I said I can take it," I repeated.
"You cried this morning, Jidenna... and every other time that I dressed your back." He reminded me of those embarrassing moments. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Well, now I'm getting used to the pain," I answered. "I can take it," I added, lying down completely on the bed, my head facing the other side.
I fisted the duvet beneath me, knowing for a fact that no matter how many times this goes on, I can never handle the pain... will never get used to it.
"Alright, if you say so," Tola said. I wasn't looking at him but I bet he had shrugged.
The man didn't even give me time to brace myself before he began to pour the methylated spirit all over my back. Yes, he poured the entire bottle... and I felt the sharp and painful stings from every slash it touched pierce every part of my back.
"Fuck!" I groaned out, almost leaping off the bed.
"I thought you said you could take it." Tola teased.
"Shut up!"
I screamed, throwing my head back into the pillow to muffle the uncontrollable groans that kept spilling out of my mouth. My eyes began to water as I let out a painful growl, burying my teeth into the pillow to stop me from screaming so much, my hands fisting even deeper into the mattress.
I'm not going to cry...
I'm not going to cry...
I'm not going to cry...
I kept reciting in my mind even though beads of tears dropped from my eyes and soaked the pillow.
"Take a deep breath, Jidenna," Tola said, soothingly this time, trying to calm my already heightened nerves. I growled lowly, punching in the bed with the pain still overwhelming.
"Why aren't they healing?" My voice came out more cracked and shaky than I wanted it to. I didn't have to look up for Tola to know that I was in severe pain...
...that I was crying.
"They are healing but they will take time." He answered. I heard the clanging on metals and I knew he was about to start cleaning me up. Taking deep, calming breaths, I turned my face to the side so that I could see what he was doing.
"The slashes from the whip reopened from older wounds on your back." He continued, glancing at me for a bit before he picked up the cotton wool with his glove-clad hand.
"It's not just going to miraculously heal overnight. It will take quite a while." He said, cleaning my back softly and gently. "Which is why I still think you should take a break from school. Don't resume tomorrow." He added after a moment of silence.
I almost sat up at that, but I couldn't. I had to stay put.
"Take a break from school? Don't resume tomorrow?" I asked incredulously, chuckling in sarcasm afterward. "It's been a little over a week, Tola. I was unconscious for six days and out of those six days, I missed three days of school for the first time. Thank God all these is falling during the mid-term."
I haven't put on my phone since I woke up. I don't even want to imagine the number of messages TK must have left for me.
"It is just an advice, Jidenna. But it's the best one I can give you right now." He paused the cleaning. "If anyone notices you are in pain in school, don't you think it would spark some sort of suspicion?" He asked me and continued to dab my back with the wet cotton wool.
"I'm pretty sure I can be very subtle in school. It's not like I'd have a reason to go shirtless, or someone will just open up my shirt to see the slashes." I answered him and he exhaled, continuing what he was doing.
I winced when he touched a deep spot.
"Besides," I continued, my face contorting into a deep frown. "I think my Father eliminated all chances of suspicion when he decided not to take me to a hospital but instead, had you clean the cuts up for me. Cuts he inflicted." I couldn't stop my voice from sounding so bitter and venomous.
Tola stared back at me for a moment and I held his gaze. Then he looked away, sighed, and told me to sit up. He took the three bandage rolls from where they were seated on the tray and began to lose them one by one.
"I'm sorry I couldn't stop him." He whispered after several minutes of uncomfortable silence, rolling the bandage around my middle. When one finished, he clipped it up and picked another.
I sighed.
"There was nothing you could have done," I answered, exhaling deeply. Rubbing my hand over my face in frustration, I added, "I'm just so tired, Tola. I don't know if I can continue to live like this. I don't think I can take it anymore."
"You have to endure..."
"Endure?!" I repeated, cutting him off sharply. "I have to endure this kind of pain for the rest of my life? Why does being his son hade come with so much pain? Is it natural? Is it until I die in this house? Tell me, Tola!" I screamed, hitting the bed with my fist in complete frustration.
Tola looked at me, shaking his head slowly.
"There is nothing that can be done about your father, Jidenna. You of all people should know that." He whispered. Wasn't sure if he meant those words to have a double meaning in my head, but they did. It felt like he wasn't just talking about the abuse.
It felt like there was something more. But I was too tired to even try to decipher it.
So instead, I scoffed.
"That's right." My lips quirked in a small, sarcastic smile. "Because he is Kingsley Okojie and he's so unstoppable, right?" I asked rhetorically, but still expected some sort of response from Tola.
But, he didn't answer. He stared back at me, something between sadness and pity marrying his expression. He was sad for me, pitying me. I exhaled, looking away from him as I threw my hand over my face.
I was tired. Exhausted.
Mentally, Physically, Emotionally, and even Psychologically exhausted.
I can't get used to the pain. I just can't.
But I can't do anything about it either
Tola and I didn't say anything to each other till he was done covering up the slashes. I didn't say anything to him as I stood up, walked to my sofa to pick up the long-sleeved hoodie sweatshirt sitting on it, grunting slightly when I threw it over my body,
"Where are you going?" He asked me. I picked up my phone from the bedside table.
"Out of this house," I answered monotonously, shoving my feet into my slides.
"Should I drive you?" He asked again.
"I'll order a Uber," I answered back in the same tone as I made my way out of the room. Tola didn't argue or try to stop me.
He let me go.
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I can't tell why I decided to come to this park.
Maybe it was the serenity, the beauty of it, or the beauty of seeing children running around the trimmed green grass, laughing and playing with no sort of care in the world.
Or maybe it was just because it was a place away from my home.
I wasn't sure if I could still call that place my home anymore. That's place was just a mere building with a very dysfunctional family living in it. If there was any word greater than dysfunctional, that's the word that can be used to describe the Okojie family. Truth be told, we weren't even much of a family anymore.
The one person that has been breaking this family apart from day one was Kingsley Okojie. And yeah, Tola was right. There was nothing that can be done to stop him.
Not when the only person that fought so hard to keep the family together was gone. Dead.
My mum.
Not again, Jidenna. Come back. I chided myself, taking in a deep breath.
Struggling not to allow my mind go down that dark part for the second time today, I allowed my eyes to wander around the park as I walked through it, feeding my eyes with things that could distract me.
Like some kids riding the carousel, or the ones that kept rolling around in the grass with carefree happiness while their parents tried to stop them from getting their outfits dirty.
Or this particular kid that had an easel set up in front of him, with a white paper that had colorful strokes on them. He was painting the scenery, capturing it on paper with beautiful strokes of paint.
After reaching to bring my phone out of my pocket, I began to take pictures of everything I was seeing. Though I wish I had a good camera to capture all these, I was satisfied with how my phone camera was bringing out the picture quite well, capturing the kids having fun. It was Saturday evening, so this place was relatively packed.
I couldn't help the ghost of a smile appearing on my lips as I stared at the pictures I took, wishing I was back to being a kid again.
Life was much easier... simpler when I was a kid. I wish I could go back to that age and time... a period where I had my mum with me. Things were so much easy then.
I walked further into the park, taking more pictures of any scenery that captured my eyes.
My mind was relatively clear. The energy of this place was gradually making me forget my sorrows for the time being. I know I'd still have to go back home at some point, but just for the few hours I had to spend here, I needed to bask in this feeling. The feeling of doing the one thing I loved the most.
Photography.
If only I had a camera.
I was saving up to buy one for myself. I might be the son of an insanely rich senator, but that doesn't mean I had anymore. I had an allowance, yes... but Kingsley Okojie has always been keen on making sure I was still very dependent on him. Was even sure Jideofor was just as dependent on him as I was.
The man had our lives in his hands.
"Yeah, I like that pose!" A voice cut through my thoughts, a very familiar voice. At first, I thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me but when the person spoke again, I was quite certain it wasn't.
"You know you can be a model, right?" The voice went again and I looked around to see where it was coming from. "Look at you going all diva on me." The voice continued, followed by a little girl's giggle. I soon got the direction where the voice was coming from.
It was coming from my far right. The owner of the voice was standing there and in her hand was a camera.
A real Camera.
She had her back turned to me so I wasn't even sure if she was who I thought she was, but there was something uniquely familiar about her. She wasn't just familiar because of her slim physique or melanin complexion. It was because of her strong stance and the confident aura that oozed from her.
That confident aura that I was very much familiar with. She had to be the one.
I didn't know I had started walking until I got to her. She hadn't even noticed I was close to her, still speaking to the little girl who she was taking pictures of earlier. Before I could announce my presence, the little girl had noticed me and placed her attention on me.
My lips tugged in a smile, and I waved. She waved back.
Noticing that she no longer had the attention of the girl, She turned around, following her gaze till her eyes settled on me. I involuntarily sucked in a sharp breath.
Her gaze was piercing. It has always been piercing, but now her eyes seemed to hold some sort of depth in them, a kind of depth that would make you catch your breath several times just by a look. My heart was beating at a very rapid pace, thudding heavily against my rib cage...
Just by being under her gaze.
"H-Hi," My voice came out in a very embarrassing stutter, which the little girl found funny because she giggled. I visibly cringed.
If she was shocked to see me here, she didn't show it at all. She didn't seem fazed about my stutter either, giving me a very calculative once-over as if she was assessing me. I looked at her too, taking in her outfit.
Wow.
She was wearing a white long-sleeved top over a jean dungaree that ended as shorts, exposing her dark slim legs all the way to her feet that were clad in white and grey Nike kicks.
(Adela's outfit)
Her hair was in neat braids, probably done towards the resumption of Monday. I noticed that she still had the nose piercing with a silver-studded nose ring at the corner of her nose. Her lips were even coated in deep burgundy lipstick, complimenting
her dark skin.
She looked different from when she wore her school uniform.
Very different. Beautiful, dare I say.
I suddenly felt self-conscious, knowing that I had not looked at my reflection before leaving the house. Basically, I was probably looking like a walking dead and had no idea.
I had to fight the urge to wipe my face with my hand.
"Aliyah," She called, finally looking away from me to the little girl, flashing her a smile. "Why don't you go to mum and dad, hmmn. There is something I have to do." She said. But the little girl, Aliyah didn't seem happy about that, pouting and folding her little arms across her chest.
I found the gesture very cute.
"But Adela! The photoshoot!" The little girl whined, stomping her foot on the floor stubbornly.
"I know, I know," Adela answered. "Don't worry, we'll continue the photoshoot later. I promise."
"I'm going to deduct this delay out of your payment," Aliyah sassed, flipping her pigtails gingerly. Adela laughed but nodded anyway.
"Yes ma'am. You are the boss." She answered, giving Aliyah a mock salute. Aliyah huffed and catwalked away like the little diva that she was. Yes, the girl that didn't look anything more than six years old catwalked away, leaving Adela with me.
When I looked back at her, I found her already staring at me. I nervously pulled on the sleeves of my hoodie, trying to hold her gaze. But her eyes kept boring right into mine like she could see right to my soul.
"Hi," I repeated, trying to break the awkward silence. For me it was awkward, I wasn't sure it was for her. I don't think she has ever felt awkward in her entire life.
Not Adela.
"You're certainly the last person I expected to see here," She finally spoke, her voice surprisingly calm and soothing. She glanced away from me for a moment to scan the park with her eyes before she looked back at me, her eyebrows quirked.
I didn't know how to respond to that, so I just kept quiet. She bobbed her head to the side as if she was waiting for me to speak, but I was tongue-tied. What she just said was the first sentence she'd ever say to me after I had indirectly accused her of wanting to get the information about Hilary's brother so that she could use it against me.
That was the last day I had gone to school, the same day Hilary permanently shut me out of her life... and the same day Kingsley Okojie had tortured me for failing my tests.
I suddenly began to wish I had not approached her.
"Uhmm... I..." I stuttered, not able to form the words in my mind. In fact, I didn't haven't any words in my mind.
"How are you?" She suddenly asked.
Now, that caught me off guard.
I stared back at her, amazed. Adela has always been one to shoot fire and brimstones, targeted at me from her lips. If she wasn't calling me a fool today, she'd call me stupid tomorrow, or an idiot... or blatantly tell me that I wasn't as important as I seem and I mean absolutely nothing to her... or anyone for that matter.
Now she's asking after me... asking how I am.
Like she cared.
Are pigs flying? I asked myself, looking at the sky. The sky was clear, no pigs.
"You are shocked I'm asking after you, aren't you?" Her voice tore through my thoughts like a knife. I blinked, looking at her. The expression on her face was impassive, but her lipstick-coated lips were tugged in a very slight smile, it almost felt like I was imagining it.
"Pretty much, yeah," I answered, my voice coming out rather croaked, my hands shoved into the pocket of my hoodie. Adela chuckled lightly, adjusting the strap of the camera on her shoulder.
"You weren't in school last week. I had to ask." She shrugged, taking her camera in her hands again, and began to take shots of random things. And while she was doing that, I realized that she just told me she noticed I was absent from school.
"You noticed," I noted, and she brought the camera down from her face, giving me a look.
"I'm pretty sure everyone noticed that the head boy was absent for three days straight." She stated shrewdly, shrugging again as she took another shot. "It has never happened before." She added.
"Wow." That's all I could say.
I was still quite surprised that she, of all people, had noticed I wasn't in school for three days. If everyone in school had noticed, I can bet anything that Adela could have been genuinely oblivious to it. She has made it completely clear that I wasn't even on her radar.
Which was why her noticing was a shocker.
"Besides, you look like crap." She suddenly said, bursting my bubble.
I blinked again, her words catching me off guard. It wasn't only what she said that caught me, but how casually she had said it, punctuating her words with a nonchalant shrug as she rose her camera to her face to take more shots of the park.
Out of nowhere, I felt my lips tug in a small smile.
Now, that's Adela. I chuckled silently to myself.
"Which means, you might have probably been under the weather all this while." She continued speaking, glancing at me briefly. "That explains the hoodie and sweatpants." She added, turning away from me again.
Now, I couldn't stop the smile from stretching further on my lips. I was finding her analysis pretty amusing. All she had to do was give me one look, and boom, she's spitting remotely legit facts about how I've been for the last one week.
Adela wasn't completely accurate... but she wasn't wrong either.
"What's funny?" She caught me smiling. I shook my head, deciding not to hide the smile now that she had already seen it. "My analysis was wrong." She stated and again, I shook my head.
"Not quite." Was my simple answer, smiles still tugged at the corners of my lips. She didn't say anything for a moment, peering at me distinctively with her hands protectively clasping her camera.
"So, are you going to answer my question or not?" She asked brows tugged upward in inquisition.
She asked a question?
Adela must have seen the confusion in my expression because she rolled her eyes at me.
"How are you feeling, Jidenna?" She asked, my name rolling off her lips so articulately and fluently. This was the first time she'd be calling me by my first name, just my first name. It sounded different coming from her.
"I'm okay, I guess," I answered.
Yeah, I'm fine. I'm great. My father just beat me to unconsciousness and my back still hurts like a bitch after one week.
But of course, I couldn't add all of that. I wouldn't dare. I was scared of Kingsley Okojie more than I was scared for my life. If anything about what's going on gets out, I'm as good as dead anyway.
"You guess?" Adela asked, looking at me quizzically.
"You are acting like you actually care," I answered, taking my hands out of my hoodie pocket to fold across my chest. Adela looked a little shaken by what I said, but it only lasted for a nanosecond... almost as if I hadn't seen what I saw.
Wasn't even sure I knew what exactly I saw.
"I don't care." Came her monotonous reply as she turned away from me, followed by a momentary silence. I don't know why, but I felt a pang in my chest. Wasn't sure what I was expecting. It's Adela for God's sake.
I quietly watched as she took shots of the scenery, then casually scrolled through the pictures she had taken on her camera. I watched as she frowned slightly like she wasn't satisfied with how the picture came out.
She brought it back to her face and took a few random shots. I was itching to ask her about her camera, but I kept quiet.
"Why are all these pictures blurred out?" She muttered more to herself than to me. She rose the camera back to her face and took another quick short, but hissed in frustration when she saw the outcome.
"It's probably because you are using an incorrect shutter speed." I found myself saying before I could stop the words from rolling out of my mouth.
Adela stopped short and turned to look at me, an expression of shock on her face. She squinted at me, giving me a thousandth scrutinizing once-over before meeting my eyes again, obviously wondering how I knew that.
"What do you know about cameras?" She asked, turning her entire body to face me fully.
"Quite a lot actually," I answered with a shrug, and she made a sound like she didn't believe me. It was quite insulting, yet very amusing how she has basically written me off in her mind.
I moved closer to her, stretching my hand out.
"May I?" I asked, requesting for her camera but Adela looked quite skeptical to hand it over to me. "I just want to help you reset it. I promise I won't tamper with any of your pictures." I assured her.
She held my gaze for a moment before she finally handed the camera over to me, delicately if I might add. She seemed to care about it a lot. I mean, who wouldn't? This brand of camera was very expensive. If I owned a camera like this, it won't leave my wardrobe.
I checked through the settings and just as I predicted, the shutter speed was incorrect.
"Come look at this," I beckoned to Adela, not wanting to adjust it in a way that she wouldn't be able to know how to use it. She came to stand beside me, and I began to show her how to adjust it.
"Your shutter speed is very slow," I told her, indicating it to her on the screen. "The faster your shutter speed, the less the chance of your camera shaking, especially if you are holding it," I explained to her, glancing at her to see her reaction. To my surprise, she nodded, listening to me.
So, I went on.
"If you are shooting on a tripod now, you can leave your shutter speed as slow as you want it to be and that's because the tripod is balancing the camera.-
But if you are holding it..." I trailed off, adjusting the shutter speed to a faster pace for her to see. "Your hand is not exactly stable yet, so you have to increase your shutter speed. Now that I have increased it, let's test run." I said, raising the camera to my face. I quickly brought it down, thinking that Adela might not be fine with me using her camera.
Looking at her, I found her staring at me with a look akin to awe.
"Hope you don't mind me using it?" I asked anyway, raising the camera for emphasis.
"No. Go ahead." She answered, her voice coming out in a whisper.
I didn't think too much about it as I continued, bringing the camera up to my face to take a picture of where she had taken before, to compare. After getting a good lightening, I took the shot and looked at it. Satisfied, I showed it to her.
"See? Look at the difference," I said, alternating between the blurry picture and the one I just took. Adela collected the camera from me and looked at the picture. I watched as her eyes widened slightly as she took in the picture.
Then she rose the camera to her face and took a shot for herself.
"Oh wow!" She sounded surprised as she looked at the pictures. I felt my lips quirk in a smile as she glanced away from her camera and looked at me, a small smile stretched across her lips.
"I guess you do know about cameras." She muttered, looking at the pictures again. I chuckled, folding my hands across my chest.
"Why does it shock you so much that I know about cameras?" I had to ask, cocking my head to the side as she stopped looking at the pictures to look at me again, brows quirked in question.
"Do you think that low of me?" I teased.
It was honestly meant to be a joke. I was just teasing her. But Adela seemed to take it seriously, her eyes widening in disbelief. Her mouth opened like she wanted to speak, but closed it when nothing came out of it. It was like she forgot what to say... or didn't know what to say in the first place.
What caught my attention the most was how her expression contorted into one of remorse.
"I-" She began, but trailed off to take in a deep breath before she continued. "I don't think low of you, Jidenna. What makes you think I do?" She askes, her voice softer than I have ever heard it, calmer.
I decided to indulge her.
"You insult me at every given chance you get," I answered, and she looked on. When she didn't say anything, I continued. "You are extra mean to me. I'm very sure you are not mean to everyone else, but you take an exception to me."
"For valid reasons," She retorted, her voice still calm. "I insult you because you deserve it and I won't be inherently mean to you if you were doing a good thing." She added matter-of-factly, indirectly talking about all the shit that has been going down since the beginning of the school year
And yup, she had a point. A very solid one for that matter. I had nothing to counter it.
"But I DO NOT think low of you." She continued, maintaining for former stance, and for reasons I couldn't place my finger on, I believed her. "I don't think low of anybody. Why would I do that? You just didn't strike me as a photography enthusiast."
"You don't strike me as a photography enthusiast either," I told her, and she shrugged.
"I guess we don't know much about each other than what we portray at school." She stated, and it was my turn to shrug.
"You can say that." I agreed. No one knew anything about me, not even my supposed best friend.
"For what it's worth," Adela started, pausing the take a deep breath, "I'm sorry I made you feel that I think low of you. I really don't think low of you, Jidenna... honestly."
Well, butter my butt and call me biscuit. Did Adela just apologize to me? Like, a literal apology.
"Did you just apologize to me?" I had to ask, to make sure it wasn't the ear wax that was deceiving me. She rolled her eyes but had a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"Yes I did," She confirmed and my lips stretched in a smile. "But this is the last time you are ever going to hear me apologize to you." She added. Now, I couldn't stop the chuckle that left my lips, throwing my head back as I laughed softly.
Typical Adela. I wouldn't expect any less.
When my laughter subsided and I looked at her, I found her looking at me, that smile still on her lips. It was the first time I'd see her smile directly at me. It used to be glares and laser-filled eyes that could kill you on the spot. Now she was smiling right at me.
For the first time in almost two months, I felt I was doing something right by making her smile at me.
"Come," She said, nodding towards a direction as she began to walk. I followed her. "There is a place in this park that I would need your good eyes for." She said, leading the way. I smiled, noticing that she had complimented me.
"You just complimented me," I told her.
"Not gonna happen again," She threw back and I chuckled, shaking my head.
As we kept walking, I realized that we were leaving the playground area of the park and getting to a more quiet place, the noise fading away as we walked further.
We got to a very spacious part of the park, a part I have never noticed before but wished I had sooner. It was a closed unit, but Adela maneuvered her way through the human-sized space in the barbwire gate. She was slim, so she could pull through easily.
Me? Not so much.
"I might cut myself," I told her, speaking from the other side of the gate. Adela rolled her eyes.
"You are wearing a hoodie." She answered. "Even if you cut yourself, big boy like you can't handle small cuts?" She teased me. I sighed, still not sure if I'd be able to go through without inflicting pain on myself. I'm already in enough pain as it is.
"Come on." Adela urged calmly. "It's big enough to let you pass through." She assured me.
I exhaled again and decided to go for it. But I couldn't go through it without having to twist my body in a way that made my back hurt. I tried to stifle the groan that almost escaped my lips into a wince, throwing my hand to my side in reflex.
Adela noticed.
"Are you okay?" She asked and I looked at her, removing my hand from my side. Her face held a little bit of concern as she peered at me.
"You winced." She noted and I nodded, looking away from her.
"I'm fine," I lied through my teeth. I could feel her eyes on me, obviously not buying my lie. To be sure, I glanced at her and found her staring intently at me. I consciously tugged the hem of my hoodie down, just in case the bandage around my middle was visible.
"You are in pain." She stated pointedly, holding my gaze. I looked away from her, but it was pretty much too late. Adela had seen right through me and it scared me.
It terrified me how she was able to easily tell that I was in pain. It also made me feel like she was paying very close attention to me. Either that or I wasn't as subtle as I thought I was.
"What did you want to show me?" I asked instead, trying to change the topic.
"This way," She said in a heartbeat, nodding towards a direction. I was grateful that she didn't prod further on the previous topic, happy that she wasn't being pushy. I followed behind her when she began to walk and soon enough, we got there.
I was in awe.
This part of the park was beautiful... heavenly, and It made me wonder why it was a closed unit. It looked different from the entire park, having a special outlet to the beach and the sea with the yellow sun sitting at the horizon.
There were trees around, lots of trees, tall palm and masquerade trees that served as shade to the benches under them. And flowers, lots of flowers layered across the park, different species and different colors.
This place was unarguably the most beautiful part of the park. Quiet, Peaceful, and Quiescent. An embodiment of mother nature herself.
"I knew you'd like it." Adela's voice tore through my reverie. I looked at her, watching as she took in a deep satisfying breath with a wide grin stretched across her lips. "I come here most of the time to take pictures of everything, and myself." She told me.
"How did you discover it?" I asked her. This was my second time being at this park, but still, I should have sighted this place. Something should have drawn me to this kind of peace.
"I have an adventurous heart." She replied simply, throwing a smile my way and I found myself smiling back. "This is my space place. Every time I want to come here, I make sure I'm not being followed. My sister doesn't even know about this place." She said.
Yet, she brought me here.
"But you decided to bring me here." I voiced out my thought, looking at her. She looked back at me but didn't say anything. "Why?" I asked. She shrugged, smiles still tugged at the corners of her lips.
"I told you," She said, dropping her camera in my hand before walking further into the garden while I stayed put. "I need your eyes." She added, throwing a glance at me from over her shoulder. Again, I couldn't stop the smile that crept up to my lips as I began to walk into the garden.
Her giving me the camera meant she wanted me to take pictures, so I did. I took a picture of everything I found fascinating; like the yellow rose flower beds, the sun sitting daintily on the horizon and reflecting on the water body, the clear sky with streaks of yellow and blue.
Everything about this place fascinated me and drew me in and I was so grateful to Adela for showing it to me.
Speaking of Adela, I brought the camera down from my face and glanced around for her. I found her sitting on one of the benches under a palm tree, reading a book. I was about to look away, but for the first time, I was giving her a second look. I wasn't wearing my contacts so I have to move a little close.
And that very second, there was something about her that just drew me right in.
The evening sun was the brightest sun of all, reflecting more rays of light. At that moment, it felt like Adela was drawing all the rays to herself, giving her a kind of glow I have never seen on anyone. It looked like the ray of sunlight was being absorbed by her skin and then, bouncing out in waves I have never seen before.
I couldn't look away.
I've always referred to her as dark-skinned, but now, the light was making me see her way better, projecting her in ways I've never seen it... ways I've never noticed.
Adela had an alluring shade of deep brown to her skin, oozing rich melanin. You know when people just go into the sun, taking pictures of their oily faces and calling it "sun-kissed"? That's a big lie. Adela is the real definition of sun-kissed... pure and flawless skin glowing in the evening sun.
She's Pretty.
Adela is Pretty.
All the while I was busy fawning and basking, she was oblivious, eyes still fixed on the book she was reading, the shadow of the leaves from the palm tree reflecting on her face.
I couldn't help it. I brought the camera back to my face and subtly started taking several shots of her from several angles. While on the seventh shot, she rose head and noticed I was taking pictures of her.
"You don't even know how to be discreet," She said, a smile stretching across her lips. I brought the camera down from my face and smiled back.
"Well, I've taken six pictures of you before now and you still didn't notice." I pointed out. She scoffed, crossing her hand over her chest as she smirked.
"Who says I didn't notice?" She asked me. I didn't know how to answer that so I just kept quiet. She chuckled at my expression, stretching her hand out to beckon to me.
"Let me see them." She said and I gave her the camera, before moving to sit beside her on the bench. She began to scroll through the pictures, starting from the ones I had taken of nature before she got to the ones I took of her.
I watched her eyes widen.
"Wow." She gasped out, blinking rapidly as she stared at one of the pictures. She didn't say anymore, just slowly checked through the pictures, repeatedly. I didn't need any soothsayer to tell me that she liked them.
"You really... really have a good eye." She said, finally looking away from the pictures to look at me. I chuckled, remembering what she had said earlier about complimenting me.
"I thought you said you would never compliment me again." I reminded her and she breathed out a peal of soft laughter.
"Last time." She said and I laughed again.
"But honestly though," She continued, looking at the pictures from the beginning again with so much awe and adoration. "These are beautiful. You captured everything so beautifully. You have an artistic eye and it's so shocking." She kept complimenting and I felt my heart swell for happiness in my chest.
For the first time in a long while, I felt proud of myself... felt like I was doing something right with my life for once.
"You should have a camera, don't you?" Adela asked, looking at me, and much to her surprise, I shook my head.
"Actually, I don't. At least, not yet." I told her and she made a sound of shock. "I'm still saving up for one," I explained further.
"Saving up?" She repeated, still surprised. "Jidenna Okojie is saving up to buy a camera." She added, emphasizing my surname. That way, I knew what she was thinking. A boy with a stinkingly wealthy father, saving up to buy a camera when he can easily ask his father for the money.
Not in this case, I can't.
I chuckled bitterly.
"Well, some of us like to buy our own things with our money irrespective of our father's wealth," I told her instead. She hummed, nodding her head slowly.
"Good point." She agreed, giving me a dainty smile.
"What about you?" I asked, and she quirked her brows in question. "How did you become a photography enthusiast? How did you get your camera?" I asked her. She chuckled as if a memory came to mind.
"It's actually a funny story." She answered and I listened with rapt attention. I could use a whole lot of funny in my life right now.
"My dad is the kind of person that picks up random hobbies out of nowhere and then gets tired of it midway." She began, chuckling again. "So, this particular year, he was having a phase where he legit told my mum that he'd quit law and go into photography."
My eyes widened.
"Did he?" I asked.
"Hell no! My mum would kill him." She answered and I laughed, urging her to go on, enjoying the story. It was the way she was being so carefree with me, speaking to me like she was speaking to one of her close friends.
"Still, he decides to buy tons of cameras. Different brands, different kinds. He just bought them. Can you believe the phase didn't even last up to six months? He had to sell most of the cameras."
"Oh wow." I mused.
"He left three at home sha." Adela continued. "So last year, I kinda developed an interest in photography, so he gave me one of the cameras as a gift to explore. And here I am."
"And you are enjoying it?" I asked.
"What's there not to enjoy about capturing the beauty of God's creation around you?" She answered my question with a question. A small smile formed on my lips as I took in her words, nodding.
"Besides," She continued, throwing her head to the side to look at me with a smile of her own playing on my lips. "I can tell you enjoy it too." She said and I nodded in a heartbeat, taking in a deep breath.
"I do. I really do." I whispered and she hummed, relaxing against the chair.
We rested in comfortable silence, basking in the serenity of the world around us. It was then I was able to think and realize that this was the first real conversation I'd ever have with Adela. A conversation that had nothing to do with school, or how much a douchebag I am.
And I liked it. I really liked it. Somehow, I didn't want it to end.
The iPhone ringtone filled the air and I sat up, watching as Adela took her phone out of her cross bag to answer it. She spoke briefly to the caller before hanging up.
"That was my mum." She told me, getting up from the chair. "I have to leave." She added. I tried to mask my disappointment. Just when I didn't want it to end, the universe decided to burst my bubble.
"Oh, Okay." Was I could say, mustering a small smile while trying not to sound as disappointed as I was. I was enjoying her company a lot, finally seeing a side to her that I never thought was there.
I noticed that she left her camera on the chair even as she stood up.
"Are you not going to take your camera?" I asked. She looked at it seated on the chair, then shook her head.
"Nah." She answered and I frowned, wondering why she'd want to leave it here. "Hold it for me." She added and my eyes widened slightly.
"What?"
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not dashing you. Just help me hold it for the time being." She said, adjusting the strap of her cross bag on her shoulder. I was still surprised that she decided to keep it with me, but I nodded anyway, promising myself that nothing would happen to it.
"Jidenna," She called and I looked up to meet her eyes. "I said you should hold it for me. Didn't say you couldn't use it while it's with you." My eyes widened again.
Is she being serious? She wants me to use her camera?
"Are you serious?" I couldn't contain the excitement in my voice. She smiled, shrugging.
"See you in school on Monday, Jidenna." Was all she said before skipping off.
I stared at her retreating figure till she was out of my sight, now holding her camera. Then, I looked down and stared at the camera in my hands. I couldn't contain my smile, allowing my lips to stretch into a very wide grin as I just kept staring at the camera.
And the truth is, I don't think I have ever smiled this hard... or genuinely, since my mum passed.
I don't think I've ever been this... happy.
𝐀/𝐍
This is actually the first time I am writing a chapter that shows Jidenna's genuine happiness. Every other chapter with his POV showed his sad, miserable side😢. But now, look at him, genuinely happy all because Adela left her camera with him😩.
Before you start overthinking, he has not started tripping for her 🌚. All of that was just his artistic eyes seeing flawless beauty. And for once, Adela didn't exactly insult him. Let somebody shout Hallelujah 🙌.
I don't know when the next update will come, but don't worry it's all about Simi and Hilary (I've missed writing about them🥺). Let's see how our main anchors are progressing in their friendship.
Till the next time I see y'all, don't forget to VOTE! COMMENT!! SHARE!!! ✨❤️