"Say I gotta get up and get on my way.
Leave the negativity way behind me.
Say I'll never ever settle for less."
- Maher Zain.
___
It was the Monday of my 5th week. I walked out of the art class to get my Agric science note in class. Our class was being used by the Food & Nutrition students. So, science students wanted to use the Art class for the morning lecture since the art students had no subject.
I walked back to B class after taking my note in class. I was about entering when someone was also about coming out. We almost barged into each other as I used my hand to cover my face in a way of protection in case I get pushed. I noticed the guy pushed his hands forward in a gun-like manner and made a "Psh" sound with his mouth as he walked pass me. Then, I lowered my hands and looked back to see the dumbass that barged into me. I turned back to meet a staring Demmie.
Oh! So, he was actually expecting me to look back. LOL. I thought.
I just smiled to him as I remembered our chat on Friday evening and how he had replied me with 'blah blah blah'. He typed up to thirty of that. He's a psycho. He smiled back and I think I heard him say "Good morning."
Did he just let his pride slide?
"Yeah, Morning." I replied as I turned back and entered the class.
• • •
After the afternoon assembly was dismissed, I was going to class when the Proprietor called me and I went to meet him. I went on my knees to greet him and I stood up after he answered me. He told me about the importance of afternoon lessons. He said he thinks I should join because it's very important especially for someone like me, after failing Chemistry twice. I nodded and said I'll talk to my dad which I know I won't, since I know he won't let me do it.
Mr. Makinde gave me #200 again, for the bike transport fare after the lesson. I thanked him and went to class. Soon, we finished the lesson and it was a bit late already and I still had to take bike. While I was on the bike on my way home, I thought of the things I should tell my mum and dad as to why I was late from school. Later, I got down from the bike at my bustop and I walked tiredly to my house. The gate wasn't locked from the back because as I was about knocking the gate, it opened itself.
Dad and mum were in the first sitting room. They didn't even let me talk before Mum hugged me. I was a bit surprised because I thought they'd talk to me.
"It was bike you took right?" Dad said to me and I told him yes. He told me how they were worried and it was getting late, so he had called Proprietor and he explained everything to my dad and also told him he gave me the transport fare and since then, they've been praying I should get home safe.
"Pele dear. God will not suffer you ehn. Please, don't take bike again oh." Dad said.
"Jor oh. If the bus can't bring you, don't take bike again oh! Evening lesson is not for you niyen. Just don't take bike again, okay?" Mum added.
"Okay, mum." I answered reluctantly.
Overprotective set of people, I thought.
"I'll discuss with the Proprietor, maybe he'll allow one of the buses to drop you off everyday, even if it involves paying extra money." Dad said and I thanked him. I walked to my room to change and to meet my brother who was cooking in the Kitchen.
• • •
Back home in the evening, Mum was speaking to me but I didn't hear a word.
"Demilade?" I jerked up at my mum's call of my name.
"Ehn? Yes Mum?"
"I've been talking to you but you weren't paying attention. You're okay?"
Typical mothers. She looked really worried. How I love my Mum!, I thought.
"Yes, just a bit tired." I lied as I faked a smile and feigned a yawn.
"Oh my! Sorry dear. Go in to rest." Mum said as she patted me and I saw a look of care and concern on her face.
"Thanks Mom." I faked a smile to her and hugged her slightly. Then I walked into my room. I slammed the door shut behind me as I landed on my bed in a mood I didn't understand.
I just couldn't explain what happened but I felt an urge to cry. At that moment, it was like tears were the best answers to my problems. Almost immediately, I felt my cheeks becoming wet. It felt like everything was falling apart. Nothing seemed to be going my way. I just felt sad and empty. My mates were in the university already and I was there, repeating S.S.S. 3. Who could have thought something of such could happen to me?
"Be strong, Oluwademilade." I said weakly to myself as I took my journal and just opened a random page. The page I opened read a message I had designed weeks back.
It read: 'Crying doesn't mean you are weak. It only means you've been strong for too long.' I stared at it over and over again. It was really meant for me and for my situation. I had to get through all that I was feeling.
When I was done crying, it was like it took away all the hurt I felt. Soon, my eyes started closing. I thought about the Biology test we were to have the next day but I was too weak to read. Well, only God knew when I slept off.
• • •
I was in the Library. I was sitting with my friends but when they started disturbing, I went to the other side opposite them to sit. I was reading or should I say preparing to read my Biology textbook for the test, but things were not just getting in my brain. Why? I was angry.
The Food & Nut. students were in our class, which means Lydia was supposed to be in class but she was here instead. The guys told her to help them buy some stuffs from the Café which delayed her. Sometimes, I feel she does things for them more than she should and soon, they'd start taking her for granted. I just couldn't bring myself to tell her yet. As long as it involved Demmie, she'd definitely have an excuse. I hoped she realizes sooner.
I used my hands to block my ears as I tried to concentrate on the book I was reading. It started getting in. I really hoped to score 100% in the test because I scored 65% in the last one due to a mistake or the other. Almost immediately, someone touched my shoulders with his/her hands. Somehow, I guessed who the person was before I even faced the person and I was right. It was Demmie.
Just somehow, we've been talking since we got to school that day. In the morning, I had glue stuck to my fingers and I was trying to remove it outside the class when he told me to come and meet him, that he'll do it for me. After disturbing and I didn't answer him, he excused me. I had removed my right earring to remove the glue with its sharp edge. In the process of taking my Mathematics note in my bag when the Maths teacher came in, the hook of the earring fell. I searched for it to no avail. Some of my friends even joined in the search but still didn't find it. Then, I had no choice but to remove the other earring from my ear. You should know what would come up after that. Demmie teased me like hell. He told me if I had come to meet him, he could have done whatever it was I wanted to do.
Still in the Library, I turned to face him as he was standing behind me with a slight smile. "Uhn?" I said.
"Please, I need your chair." He replied.
"I thought you were seated on one the other time?"
"Yes. I got chanced."
"Can't you take another chair there from Rachel?" I pointed to three empty chairs which were arranged as one and Rachel was sitting on them.
"Please–"
"So, where will I sit?"
"You can manage a chair with your friends nah."
"Really?" I looked at him, almost smiling. He wanted me to manage with someone else while he sits comfortably. I was going to say no but I changed my mind. I stood up and handed him the chair. He smiled and thanked me before walking to the end of the Library. I went to class to bring my own chair to read.
• • •
"Hello? I said I'll score a higher mark than you!" I said, facing Demmie.
"And I said that's impossible."
"Oh really? Do you even know the points I wrote?"
"Where's your note?"
"Submitted it already."
"I'm going to get it." He said as he wore his bag on his back. I rushed to the English teacher who was about to go. I took my note and gave it to him. He collected it and said he'd mark it and bring it for me tomorrow.
"Demi! Are you writing WAEC ni?" Lilian shouted from Jetemi's seat. She must have seen the essay I wrote when I submitted my note. I wrote two pages of a higher education notebook which I still thought wasn't enough, but I shortened it due to the fact that the teacher would have to mark others' notes too.
I smiled to Lilian, since I didn't have a reply for her. Demmie walked up to me and searched for my English note on Jetemi's table. We submitted our notes on her table since the teacher sat opposite her to mark the notes on her table. I told him I already gave my note to the teacher so he went to my locker, took my Chemistry JAMB series and refused to release it. I also went to his locker and searched for one important note to take too but I didn't find any.
"Where's your English note?" I asked him.
"Ask Lydia." He said.
"Lydia! Demmie's English note?" I called out to Lydia who was beside the yet to leave English teacher. Suddenly, she frowned a bit.
"Demmie? His note is not with me." Lydia replied.
She was probably tired or something, I thought.
I managed to get back my JAMB series from Demmie. Rachel called him to collect his note from her but I collected it instead and checked his score before giving him back his note. He scored six out of ten.
"Let's see if I won't score higher than you." He said.
"In your dreams." I replied him and walked away.
Our English teacher had given us an essay to write and he told me he'd score higher than me. That was how the argument all started and he requested for my English note which I refused to give him. I overheard Fiyin telling our English teacher once that Demmie and Sarah were the best students in English in our class. Obviously, that was why he thought he'd score a higher mark than me but then, he had no idea who he was dealing with.
After our evening class which was English, everyone took their bags and started leaving. I think I once said my parents didn't want me to take bike so they paid for my bus fee which meant after our evening classes each and everyday, one of the school buses will drive me alone back home. I was with the girls beside the school gate, though we weren't out yet. The girls were talking about Fiyin being Jetemi's crush and of course, Demmie being Lydia's crush. I folded my hands and just faced them, listening to their discussion and laughing to the funny things they said.
Suddenly, someone pushed his or her knee into the back of my knee which made me go down. I didn't fall anyway. It was a popular stuff we do in school especially on the assembly to frustrate the person in front of us. I looked at my left side and saw Fiyin going. He was obviously the one who did that. Someone touched my cheek from the back again and when I checked, it was Demmie. He also didn't act like he was the one and didn't look back as he walked out of the gate with the guys.
Dami, Demmie, Fiyin, Jetemi and Ella, one other girl from B class share the same home route which wasn't too far from school so they walk home together after the evening classes. Sometimes, Fiyin's dad would drive everyone of them when he comes to pick up Fiyin and his younger brother who was in J.S.S. 3. Jetemi doesn't walk with them 99% of the times. She said they don't notice her and somehow, Ella doesn't want the guys to talk to her.
Ella is this tall girl from B class, also a friend to Lilian. Somehow, I noticed she beefs me low-key. She'd always say she was supposed to be the Library prefect but the school was partial. She represented the school in the last spelling bee and no, they didn't qualify. She's a bit fair-skinned but pimples and blackheads have destroyed her face. I also noticed she gossips a lot. Summary is that I don't really like her that much.
My mind flashed back to something. When Demmie touched my shoulder in the Library, I sort of felt a spark run through me. Before my decision, even if we shake hands, I never felt anything. Why now, after the decision?, I thought. He even started talking to me just after.
___
Hey guys!
Thanks alot for standing by me. Honestly, I can't list everyone's name but for my silent readers also, thank you. You guys should please endeavour to vote for me and share this story to others you know that love stories. It means a lot to me. Once again, thanks loves. We are now at 85 reads and 67 votes. Thank you so so much. Y'all mean a lot to me. Don't forget to comment your ideas about this chapter.
- Tao.