NOTE: The town name has been changed from 'Barnawa' to Mansur.
Chapter 20
January 2010. A new decade to celebrate.
Unlike everyone else, my only celebration was that I was back to school. Everything else was grief.
I have been running for 20 minutes now. And guess why? Because I was late for school.
If there was anybody to win a trophy for late comers, it should be me. Coming to school on time was a miracle for me. My house was about 35 minutes walk and no matter how I try to go to school on time, I still end up being late and I find myself on the late comers line during assembly time. And that's why I was the disciplinarian, Mallam Ibrahim's best friend.
Zainab lived close to my house but she was on the lucky side because mama Halimat had a car and she drove her to school every morning before going to work.
I finally got to my school street and it was crowded because both my school and the primary school opposite mine resumed today.
I walked into my school compound and to my surprise, assembly had not yet started. Even though I was ten minutes late for it.
I spotted Mallam Ibrahim by the gate with his long cane, rushing student to get to the flag stand, where our Monday assembly was held. Then he turned around and found me before I could escape him.
"Ah Miriam." He said in surprise, "Happy New year. No cutting of grass today."
"Hallelujah." I waved my hands jokingly and rushed to the assembly side. At least for the second time in history, I was not on the late comers line.
I rushed to get to my class line and immediately stood at the back, even though we were meant to line up according to height. And I was one of the shortest.
The assembly started with the national anthem and then everything else followed.
It has been 20 minutes since we stood under the hot sun for assembly and the principal, Mr Adebayo, was just about to start his speech- which was another extra one hour of hot sun. He was a Yoruba man, the first non-hausa principal we had. The only reason why the school chose him was because they wanted to create 'diversity'.
He started by apologising about the strike and how it was affecting our education. He talked about how there was no inter-house sports this term because of the strike. I could hear most of the senior boys groaning and the juniors cheering because they don't have to suffer under the hot sun, practicing for a match pass that won't add any value to their lives.
As Mr Adebayo continued his speech, he went on to talk about the unnecessary new rules that keeps coming up every new term. And most of the time, instead of talking about the new rules, he goes further to expand the old rules. Most of which had to do with our uniform and appearance.
Our school uniform was the colour of our school flag; white and burgundy red. We wore white long-sleeve button up shirt with a burgundy red collar, and a burgundy red skirt or trouser. Depending on your gender of course- unless you're both. The informality with the uniform was that Junior students wore t-shirt uniform while Seniors wore long-sleeve shirt uniform.
There was one thing I hated about the uniform. We wore berets. It was burgundy red as well and it was compulsory to wear them on Mondays and Wednesdays. The only people that didn't have to wear berets were the Muslim girls, as long as they had either a white or burgundy red hijab on.
The principal goes on to complain about how girls having school skirts above their knees is an abomination. Then he explains about how some students buy shirts from the market that looks like the school's shirt. This time, we had to strictly wear the school's shirt with the school's name, Mansur Government Day Secondary School, and the logo on the left shirt pocket.
I was exhausted from his complains and folded my arms. I looked away from the stage and spotted Miss Rosey at the left end of the assembly ground. Good thing I didn't have to run away from her anymore, now that Davina found a way to settle us. Sadly, I never thanked her for it.
Miss Rosey had a new hairstyle. This time it was a brown version of her 'Etta James' blonde hair. And now that Mr Audu was no longer existent, she was toasting other male teachers that stood around her.
I shook my head at her and suddenly, I heard Mr Adebayo talking about Mr Audu. I cut my attention from Miss Rosey and listened to the principal talk about Mr Audu's death. Some people were in shock as they had not heard about the news before today.
"So can we do a moment of silence for Mr Audu." Mr Adebayo concluded.
We all bowed our heads and remained silent. To me, there was no such thing as 'moment of silence.' Because it could never be a complete one. Right now there are some people that can't stop coughing, while some others were kicking their legs and couldn't stand in one place. Cars and motorcycle horns from the road didn't help the matter either.
After the principal ended the moment of silence and the assembly, I turned around to leave for my form class. As I turned, I see Kabir standing in a distance in ss2 class lines.
I sighed. Miriam remember, it's all over now. No more baby feelings anymore.
****
After assembly, I was on my way to my form class for attendance when I stumbled upon Zainab in our block.
Typically, Zainab was a rule breaker. As a Muslim girl, she didn't cover her hair with a hijab neither did she wear her beret.
She was walking to the opposite direction with a group of girls from the science classes. Suddenly, we made eye contact and I smiled and waved at her. She frowned back in response and looked away.
She passed beside me with the girls and I looked at her in confusion while I was still walking. Was it that deep? Yes we had a fight on Christmas Day but I thought time healed everything?
I shook my head and entered my form class, 'Arts 1'. Most of my classmates were inside as the girls were gisting in one corner and some of the boys were playing with paper planes that kept flying around. It was ten minutes before the bell rang for the first class and our form teacher was not around.
I sat on the nearest window seat and stared into space, still wondering why zainab was taking things too far.
"Miriam!" Mary Barau, one of my class friends, called my attention from the sit directly behind me.
I usually call her by both her name and surname because that was the only way I could identify her from all the other one million girls called Mary in my school. And in this world.
"How far?" I replied, staring at her thread(medusa) hair rather than her face, since she was not wearing her beret.
"I am still in shock at what the principal said at the assembly." She said in surprise, "Mr Audu? Dead?"
Hearing that over and over again kept bringing back memories of the morning I saw Mr Audu lying dead in his house. How he was stabbed multiple times on his chest with his blood shot eyes-
"I don't even want to think about it." I replied immediately and shook my head.
"I know." She grimaced and looked at the class door behind me before she hissed, "I can't believe I'm back to seeing this witch's face."
I turned around to see one of my classmates, Peace. She was trouble wherever she went. The reason why she was trouble was because she could say very mean things with that little mouth and deep voice of hers. Her mouth can kill more people than Adolf Hitler. And she was a pastor's daughter.
She always felt like a queen because she was made queen of red house's royalty match-pass in last year's inter house sports competition.
Peace had two friends called Atika and Doris. They were her sugar ants, always following her about. You know how there were always those rubbish 3 mean girls in movies who always thought they were all that, but they're only there to look very stupid? That was what Peace and her sugar ants thought they were like. Except they looked more stupid.
Doris was a science student while Peace and Atika were in the same class as me. Atika didn't really like speaking English and mostly communicated in Hausa, just like some of my other classmates, even though they all knew how to speak English well. Even Peace that was Igbo knew how to speak Hausa well because of her. Basically everyone in Barnawa knows how to speak Hausa except for me.
Peace and Atika cat walked into the class and they sat on the middle row while laughing like unnecessary mad women, probably hoping somebody will give them attention.
"We're back to seeing some useless faces." I complained to Mary Barau while taking my eyes off them.
"With their yeye trouble." She eyed Peace then turned to look outside the window before banging it, "Maimuna!"
Maimuna, who was wandering about in front of the class from outside, looked at her and grinned before rushing to enter the class. I looked at her as she entered to hug Mary Barau.
She was a very small and fair Jss1 student with one of the longest hairs. She was one of the few Fulani students in this school. You know how in every new school year, there was always that one cute Jss1 student that was every senior's pet? This year it was Maimuna. She was Mary Barau's school daughter as well as one million other seniors.
"I was looking for you senior Mary." Maimuna said.
"I told you not to call me senior Mary." She argued and pinched her cheeks, "Only call me school mummy."
I rolled my eyes.
"Okay school mummy." She nodded and turned to me, "Hello, senior Miriam."
I gave her a small unbothered smile and she turned back to continue talking to her school mother.
I looked at her in her oversize school uniform and big school bag. This was exactly how all the Jss1 students looked- big clothes and big bags. They were in that situation were they wore the 'you will grow in them' clothes. Just like Hamid's uniform.
After talking a little, Maimuna hugged Mary Barau one last time and said, "Bye school mummy. I'll come back during long break."
I groaned. This was the problem with having school daughters- they were like puppies, always following you around.
They bid each other goodbyes and Maimuna was about to leave the class when Mary Barau shouted, "Don't forget to bring your snacks to me during break!"
"Okay!" She grinned and walked to the door.
I shook my head. Honestly, the whole school mummy and daughter thing in my school was bull. And most seniors enjoyed it for the benefit of taking the junior's food, without trying to look like a bully.
Seniors secretly used this because there was one thing about these new generation juniors, they were spoilt. Any tiny incident, they will go and report to the principal. And without thoughts, the principal was always on their side and will find a way to punish the seniors at any cost.
Everybody knew why the principal didn't like the seniors- We have grown wings. The moment we get that title 'senior', we are no longer students but administrators of the school. We raise our heads so high like we own the school. Meanwhile, we're only just students.
As Maimuna walked out of the class, she bumped into Vitamin D. Not the medicine- an actual person. His real name was Dogo but his rap name was Vitamin D and most students called him by that name. He was one of those boys in school that think they will be the next M.I or Jesse Jagz.
He calls himself Vitamin D because he believes he gives everybody energy through his music. But to me, his songs sounded like a mixture of a car's spoilt engine and an angry teacher's voice. That was how bad they were.
He was a malo boy by nature. And the number one rule breaker. Wears hausa cap to school sometimes and always has his school shirt unbuttoned with his collar up. He wore white anklet socks, even though they were not allowed. And he always, I mean ALWAYS, sags his trouser. For some reason, I don't understand why junior boys considered him as their 'role model'.
Unlike most 'rappers', He was chasing girls- a girl, instead of girls to be chasing him.
Maimuna apologised fearfully and shifted for Vitamin D to enter. He wasn't concerned about her as he had his eyes on one person the whole time. It was Peace.
He was a science student but he came to my class every time. Like every single time. Just to see Peace. Yes she was his crush. But in a very frustrating way.
"Peacy Peace." He whistled and rubbed his hands together and slowly bounced towards her.
Peace glared at him before hissing and turning away.
He came to sit on her table and leaned close to her. She ignored his presence as she had all attention on her phone while blowing her chewing gum.
He immediately took her phone away from her. She groaned and hit the table in annoyance. And he didn't flinch but just smiled at her.
"It's time for us to talk." He cleared his throat, "So how are you?"
"If I tell you can you afford it?" She hissed.
The whole class roared to her response. But that didn't bother Vitamin D.
"How much?" He smirked.
My attention was cut from those two weird love birds when I saw our form teacher, Mr Zamani, entering the class. Everybody was about to greet him but he brought his index finger to his lips, gesturing that we should keep quiet.
He tiptoed towards Vitamin D, who was backing him and talking to Peace. Peace looked at Mr Zamani and sat up immediately. Vitamin D didn't notice and was still talking when Mr Zamani stretched out his hand and slapped the back Vitamin D's bald head.
"Who's that bas-" Vitamin D groaned and didn't finish his sentence when he saw who it was.
"Yes I'm that bastard." Mr Zamani said and pointed to the door, "Oya get out of my class!"
Vitamin D eyed him and dropped Peace's phone on the table before passing him. Mr Zamani slapped his head again for eying him. Vitamin D held it in annoyance and glared at him before walking out of the class.
"You!" Mr Zamani pointed to Peace, "If you want to live to see 50 years, avoid boys like that. Or else you won't survive to see the next 2 years."
Mr Zamani was not just our form and English teacher, he was the father of our class. Always made jokes and gave us advise. He was the only teacher that most students could be free with.
He turned and shook his head at a sleeping Aliyu, one of my classmates that sleeps a lot. I don't know if he was actually sleeping or daydreaming about nonsense, but he just stayed still with his head on his desk.
"So Good morning my pupils!" Mr Zamani kicked Aliyu's desk and walked towards the teacher's desk, "So what are your New Years resolution?"
Mr zamani was and has always been the only teacher that calls students by the term 'pupil'. And he never made the mistake of calling us anything but that.
"To burn down this stupid school." Aliyu replied as he sat up on his chair.
Mr Zamani stood behind the teachers desk and shrugged, "I want to burn it down too but then I won't make any money."
The bell rang immediately, causing everyone to groan. Mr Zamani threw his attendance notebook on the table and opened it.
"Nobody should leave the class yet." He said while staring at the book with hands on his waist, "I hope Simon and Agatha have come back with their real surnames."
The class chuckled and looked for Agatha and Simon's trouble wherever they sat, because we knew what he meant.
Mr Zamani always made fun of students with English surnames. Some days he looked at the attendance book and saw surnames like 'Agatha John' or 'Simon Peter' then he's like "Go back and ask your father to return his real surname."
And yes, there was another Simon Peter other than the one in the Bible.
Mr Zamani believed that every single Nigerian from the highest sky in heaven to the bottomless pit of hell has a tribal surname. Do you know the sad part about this? He was our ENGLISH teacher.
I looked round the class, realizing Zainab was not around for attendance. I turned to face Mary Barau.
"Where's Zainab?" I asked her.
"You didn't hear?" She said. "She has moved to science 4."
"Science class?" I asked in surprise and she nodded.
I looked away in surprise. Zainab was not even that smart to be a science student. What if she left because she didn't want to see me? I know Zainab, she can take things to the extreme.
"Alright pupils!" Mr Zamani called our attention while removing his pen cover with his mouth, "Sit down! I'm taking attendance."
*****
I sighed and stared outside my room window. This time, I was eating gala. A snack I bought everyday after school.
Ever since David's death, I sit and stare outside the window to have a peace of mind. It's the only place in this world that was not too noisy and frustrating.
I stared at mr Audu's house. Dark as always. For the past two weeks, there has been a To Let sign on it, asking people to buy the house.
"I wonder how Kauna feels when she sees this." I whispered to myself.
"I already see it." Kauna said, causing me to turn around.
She was standing by the door while holding her diary.
"Oh." I said and patted the space beside me, "You can come and sit."
She didn't say anything but just silently walked into the room and sat on the bed beside me.
"You been sitting here every day for three week." Kauna complained.
"I know." I smiled and stared outside the window, "It's called my peacemaking view. Can't you feel it?"
Kauna remained silence, trying to feel the peace I felt everyday. I breathe in and out the peacefulness like I was meditating.
"No." She replied.
"Then I guess I'm the only one that understands this."
She didn't respond and I turned to look at her. I saw her looking down at her opened diary. I slide my hands to have a look at it. She drew a small girl and a mother with a giant old man behind them. P.S It wasn't a professional drawing. It was the regular children drawing with line bodies and circle heads.
"Is that you, ummah and abba?" I asked.
She shook her head, "It me, ummah and God."
"Nice." I nodded and frowned, "But who said God was an old man?"
"I just thought he was." She shrugged.
Till date, I don't know why the society has made us believe God was an old man with a long grey beard and white gown. It made sense that he has lived from beginning of time but do you really think God will be an old man?
"Miriam?" Kauna cuts me and I looked at her, "Can you teach me something today?"
"Like what?" I asked, "Not sling-shots again."
"Anything." She replied, "Abba come back from school and teach me anything. Like how to read and write."
I sat down there and thought for a while before I said, "For your age... there's so much to learn. But when I was very little, the first thing I learnt how to read was the Bible."
"The Bible?" She asked, like it was an impossible thing to do.
"Mhmm." I nodded, "My nanny always made me and my sister memorize bible verses so that I will learn faster."
I didn't wait for her to say anything before I reached out for my bedside drawer. I brought out my bible and placed it on my lap.
"Have you ever read one?" I asked.
She nodded, "Ummah use to read some page for me. How come your bible is big?"
"Was it supposed to be small?"
"Ummah own was very tiny."
"There are different sizes." I said and flipped open the book, "Do you remember any bible verse?"
She looked at it and shook her head.
"Alright." I flipped the Bible pages, "I'm going to show you my favorite one."
It was not just my favorite, but the easiest one to remember. And that was why I decided to show kauna.
As I passed some pages, I said to Kauna, "Just in case you're wondering, the letters in red are Jesus' words."
She didn't respond again as I continue flipping and immediately stopped at 1 Corinthians 13:4. Then I held the book up.
"Before we read." I said, "This is probably one of the most popular definitions used in the world for Love."
She nodded.
"So this is how it goes," I read, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud-"
"I thought love is God?" She asked.
"Yess..." I trailed off, "but remember there's no single definition for love." I said and brought the book closer to her, "Want to continue learning?"
She nodded and we read together, "It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. "
I noticed that I was the only one reading and so, I stopped reading and allowed Kauna to read the rest.
"It... it a-a-" She stopped struggling to read and looked down and apologized, "Sorry."
"There's nothing to apologize for. We're all learning little by little."
I finished up, "It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
She stared at me after I was done.
"Did you like it?" I asked her.
She nodded, "I see why ummah tell me God is love. He is everything we just read. Every time she use the word 'love' she replace it with 'God'."
"How is that possible?"
"You can try it with what we just read."
I frowned in confusion and read the verse again to understand what Kauna was saying.
"God is patient... God is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast..." I stopped reading and slowly put the book down. I have learnt more from Kauna than I have in the past 15 years of my life.
"Wow." Was all I could say.
Kauna didn't say anything but climbed on the bed. I looked at her in confusion as she went to lay on her side of the bed and backed me.
"Kauna?" I called. She didn't respond.
I sighed and rolled my eyes. It was about time to play the 'good' sister role. I stood up and went to sit beside her.
She was looking down and I held her head to face me. She was not looking too happy but she was not crying either. Where did this sudden change of mood come from? Well it was obvious.
"You miss ummah right?" I asked.
She nodded in her sad state.
"You know you can always cry?" I said, knowing that I have never seen her cry before. She shook her head in response. I didn't say anything but just looked away.
"Miriam can you sing for me?" She finally spoke up.
I looked at her in surprise and chuckled, "You've heard my voice before. You know I can't sing."
She didn't say anything but just looked away. I sighed in frustration before I gestured that she should give me more space on the bed.
She moved inside and I stretched my legs on the bed and rested my back against the wall. I put my hand on her face as she rested it on the pillow.
I started humming to the song that inna Hauwa sang for her the first day they came to my house. I remember the song but I forgot the way she sang it.
"That's not singing." Kauna said.
"Manage whatever I'm doing." I said. And she didn't reply.
I continued humming, and she just rested her head on the pillow and shut her eyes. The truth was, I didn't know the full lyrics to the song inna Hauwa sang. That was because my Catholic Church didn't sing regular praise and worship songs like other churches do. So I was blunt.
I just continued humming to the tune of the song because it is much easier when you don't remember the lyrics.
My mind was far away for a moment but I was still humming. Then I slowly stopped when I turned to look at Kauna, who has already drifted off to sleep.
"Thank God." I muttered to myself.
I slowly moved away from her and stood up from the bed. Before I could take another step, Kauna said, "Thank you ummah."
In surprise, I turned to look at her peacefully sleeping with her eyes closed. But then... she just called me ummah.
I looked away. This was not good at all. There was no way I was going to let kauna call me ummah again. There was no way I was going to replace inna hauwa in her life.
I knew how bad she needed her mother but I never did anything about it. It was high time I had to do something.
And there was only one thing I needed to do. Find inna Hauwa.
_________________
END OF CHAPTER 20
Not the best chapter so far😪 But I had to make sure Miriam gets back to school. I apologise to those who thought this chapter was going to be about Hamid and Miriam, I'm taking my time with them😂
Also, I may be a bit slow in updating the next chapter because I have A LOT of school work to do. Please bare with me xx