The evening was perfect for Hadeza. She never for once in her life thought she would play the piano in an opera filled with hundreds of people watching.
The front row in the audience was occupied by big dignitaries while the sits in backs were occupied by Hadeza's family and few of her friends and classmates. She had invited them to watch her perform in the opera.
Hadeza thought she'd miss a key on the keyboard as she played on the wide stage. Her blue evening gown felt really tight at her back and her shoes were crushing together but fumbling wasn't a choice, not in front of her friends or worse, her mother. She hummed the keys of the song she played so she wouldn't miss a key.
"Your daughter plays beautifully" Principal Jackson said to Cathay as he was seated beside her.
"I know" Cathay replied in a boastful voice.
Even though the stage was covered in pitch darkness and only the spotlight centered on her. Hadeza could see Eve standing at the backstage recording her perform with a digital camera. She watched the video after her performance. Cathay was the first to applaud her before everyone followed with a standing ovation.
"Where were you, Zee?" Eve asked Hadeza as she escorted her backstage.
Hadeza laughed and sat on a chair. "What do you mean?"
"You were out of touch with reality. It like you were in another world entirely" Eve said proudly.
Hadeza wished her piano teacher Chioma was part of the audience to see her performance but she had given an excuse that she was leaving for her hometown.
Hadeza became more bothered because Alex, the person closest to her, didn't she show up. She had glanced at the seat she reserved for him once in a while as she performed, hoping he would come but he didn't. She got annoyed when she saw Milan of all people in the audience.
Hadeza never waited to walk with her friends after school. She disliked the idea of hanging out in school after classes had ended for the day. She stormed out of her physics class immediately it ended. She was stopped by Milan on her way to her locker.
"Hey Zee!" Milan said in a friendly tone.
Hadeza paused and stared at Milan with a eyes that could rip dry paint off the wall.She wondered why Milan was acting all friendly towards her.
Milan giggled. "You did great, Williams"
Hadeza still looked confused. "What?" She muttered. "You have to stop, Milan" She said strongly.
Milan stuttered. "The compliments or what?"
Hadeza took a deep breath and decided to let it all out. "You and I are not friends. We haven't been friends since sixth grade. So quit the act, Milan" She growled loudly, drawing the attention of other students that passed by.
Milan squeezed her face sadly and stared at Hadeza disappointed. "I'm just being honest"
Hadeza laughed hysterically. "God kill me! You and I both know you're not honest. Lie to my face again and I'll bash your head on that locker like I did in sixth grade!" She yelled.
More students stopped to see what Hadeza and Milan's argument was about.
Milan was embarrassed by the way Hadeza had raised her voice at her and rejected her compliment. She held back her tears because crying wasn't a beautiful sight for an average girl like herself. "Hadeza don't do this" She said under her lips.
"Do what? Embarrass you?" Hadeza chuckled. "I have every right to, Milan. You made my life a living hell for four years straight since the very first day I stepped foot into this school. Four years!" Hadeza waved four fingers in front of Milan rudely. She had no idea Eve and Alex were standing in the crowd watching her.
Alex was gravely disappointed to see this side of Hadeza.
"If you participated in a contest for losers, you would come out second. Ask me why" Hadeza said.
"Why won't she come first?" A boy quickly asked in the crowd.
Hadeza turned and looked at the boy.
"Because she's a loser!" She cried.
The crowd roared with laughter at Milan as Hadeza had just destroyed her will to live.
Milan couldn't believe what Hadeza had just said to her. She breathed fast and stepped backwards to leave the argument with Hadeza. She changed her mind and stopped and faced Hadeza with confidence. She calmed herself and said. "Yeah, you are right about everything but I changed for the better and you haven't. You are like every spoiled child of a billionaire. You think money grows on trees. You think everyone likes you because the sun shines out of your ass but guess what?"
The crowd grew quiet as Milan addressed Hadeza.
Hadeza muttered but Milan didn't allow her.
Milan continued. "You're going to spend the rest of your life thinking everybody likes you because you're a beautiful black girl from a rich home. But I want you to know that that all a big fat lie. It'll be because you're a slut who's just desperate for attention"
A few girls in the crowd made a woo sound at what Milan had just said to Hadeza.
"I-I am not!" Hadeza stuttered feeling quite embarrassed. "I'm not a slut, Milan. Don't ever call me that. Ever!" She cried and pointed at Milan.
Milan squinted at Hadeza and adjusted the tie of her school uniform. "You're not a slut, Hadeza. Just stop trying so hard to be one" The crowd made way for her to pass as she walked away victoriously.
Hadeza felt deeply disheartened and realised what she did was wrong. She wanted to run after Milan to apologize but the school principal came and scattered the crowd. She couldn't find Milan anywhere.
"Okay kids. That's enough telemondo for one day. Go home!" The principal said in a French accent.
"Milan!" Hadeza said under her breath as she searched for Milan in the scattered crowd. She froze when she saw Alex.
Alex was standing at the staircase staring at her, disappointed and sad, he shook head his and walked away.
Hadeza didn't care if Alex was mad at her. She remembered she was angry with him. She guessed Eve must have witnessed the argument she had with Milan. She gasped and headed downstairs to leave the school. She saw Alex standing outside but she walked past him and pretended not to see him.
"Hadeza!" Alex called.
Hadeza quickly unlocked the chained she used to bind her bicycle to a rail. She didn't want to talk to Alex. She looked back and saw Alex walking towards her. She stared at him from head to toe. She regretted having him as a best friend. She didn't mind losing him.
Alex blocked Hadeza as she was about to climb her bicycle and leave. "What wrong with you, Hadeza?" He asked strongly.
"Can you leave me alone?" Hadeza said.
"I think you're acting a little immature" Alex said.
"I'm not acting" Hadeza lashed "Did you come to see me perform on Saturday? No. Did you promise me that you would come? Yes. Did you come? No, you didn't. You didn't even care to ask"
Alex stroked his hands through his hair. "Is this what it's all about?" He asked. "The attitude since morning. Acting mean to Milan"
Hadeza smirked and lowered her face and began to ride her bicycle. She saw Alex didn't care at all about anything she said.
"Hey, where are you going?" Alex cried out as he followed Hadeza as she rode her bicycle on the side of the road.
"Leave me alone!" Hadeza said calmly at first and pedaled faster on her bike.
Alex still managed to follow Hadeza even though she tried to get away from him.
"Look I'm sorry I couldn't make it, Zee"
Hadeza stared at Alex from the side of her eye with disbelief" Even Milan of all people came but my closest friend didn't"
"Hadeza, I said I'm sorry!"
"Quit apologizing. You sound stupid"
"Zee!"
Hadeza stopped and looked at Alex and poked him in the chest with her finger and said. "Sorry for yourself"
"Hadeza!" Alex mumbled.
"Just stay away from me" Hadeza shouted angrily and pedaled away. She didn't hear Alex voice anymore neither did he chase her again. It wasn't long after she pedaled her bike on the busy road, she crossed a t-junction and suddenly a speeding vehicle hit the back tire of her bicycle.
The car kept speeding. Alex stopped walking as he saw what happened.
Hadeza lost control of her bicycle and crashed into rubble of metal junk by an electrical store close-by.
People standing around the store rushed outside to check on Hadeza. The store owner came out and went to see an unconscious Hadeza lying on the floor. She was bleeding from the back of her head.
The last person Hadeza saw before she fell asleep was Alex. He was running to meet her.
Alex knelt beside Hadeza's body and cried at her to wake up.
Hadeza prayed she wouldn't end up being paralyzed or even worse. Dead.
"Hadeza, come on!" Alex shouted.
"Someone call an ambulance immediately" The store owner shouted.
Cathay's days had been different and difficult for her since Hadeza's tragic accident. She became gloomy, self isolated and more green.
A month ago, the doctor informed Cathay, Hadeza suffered from an internal bleeding in her body and an injury at the back of her skull and she would require surgery but even after Hadeza's surgery the doctor said Hadeza's case was serious and she would remain in coma for a long while before she recovers fully.
"Do you mean she'll be in coma?" Cathay asked the doctor as she wiped a tear from her left eye.
"Yes, Mrs. Williams. She's in coma" The doctor confirmed.
Cathay sobbed and said. "She's my only child, doctor and she's all I've got" She looked at Hadeza who was lying still on the hospital bed in her ward. Hadeza's lips looked like she was smiling under her oxygen mask. Her hair was shaved entirely. Cathay thought Hadeza looked like a soldier in the army.
A month had passed and Hadeza was still in coma at the hospital. Hadeza's friends visited her with flowers when they had the chance. Eve had brought a giant bouquet of flowers and a get well soon card.
Some days when Hadeza was awake she could guess which of her friends were speaking by the sound of their voice.
"Five minutes" Hadeza heard a nurse say to someone.
"I'll be quick" Milan said.
Hadeza recognized Milan's voice immediately. She wondered why she had come to see her.
"Hey!" Milan whispered loudly as she sat on the edge of Hadeza's bed. "I just came to check if you're getting better. Everyone in school misses you" Milan exaggerated. She placed her hand on top Of Hadeza's hand and continued. "I've been taking a musical class. I really loved your piano performance and I got inspired"
Hadeza was stunned. She was so happy for Milan. She wished she had the strength to say at least thank you to her.
Milan leaned forward to Hadeza's face and kissed her on her forehead. "Get well soon, Williams. Love you" She gripped Hadeza's hand tightly and let go.
Hadeza was surprised and regretted her argument with Milan. Milan was really a good person. She thought.
Milan stood from the bed to leave; Hadeza quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her close.
Hadeza's eyes opened and her heart beat raced in her chest. She had never felt so alive like this before.
Milan turned and stared at Hadeza with so much joy on her face.
The nurse, who had showed Milan Hadeza's ward, stepped inside the ward to tell Milan that her time was up. Her eyes widened when she saw Hadeza awake.
Hadeza waved at the nurse.
The nurse rested her hands on her chest and dashed out of the ward and came back a minute later with Cathay.
Cathay covered her mouth and smiled brightly at Hadeza. She was so happy her daughter was awake.
Hadeza stared at Milan then at her mother. Pain shot through her body when she turned her head, she was glad to see her mother again.