9:28am
Sunday, 23/09/11
Zaria, Kaduna State.
The day arrived and Aunty took me to school. Maami couldn't follow us because she wasn't strong and Hanif had tests in school.
I was really glad to leave home after a long time. I was all smiles when I waved them goodbye.
Maami had called Ya Miimi's college guardian a week ago to inform her I was to start school in a week's time. So, she was by the gate side to receive me. Aunty would not be allowed in.
I got in after another 30 minutes lecture and advice from Aunty. I nodded several times to show my attention. She gave me some new naira notes to share with Ya Miimi. I thanked her and gave her a tight hug. The tears I felt in my eyes made me break away. I didn't want to be called a baby.
Finally!
I released the breath I held for too long. This meant a new life for me. I was gonna start afresh.
I stepped in through the very giant gate as I dragged my big box along. I was grateful to the young gateman that helped me with the rest. He handed them to Ya Mimi as soon as she approached me. I thanked him and he nodded, then we headed towards a table which had a middle aged woman behind it.
"Good morning Ma" Ya Miimi said with a little bow and I followed suit. She answered with a dry smile and opened a big book.
"What us your name and admission number." She asked
"Fatima Munir Sahib-Khan, 30302" I replied.
"SS1? " I nodded and she scanned through the pages.
She found my name and showed me to confirm, then asked me to sign on a little space. I did and she allocated me to Amina hostel, room 2, bunk 12.
Some girls were called to help with my things. I and Ya Miimi followed from behind, empty handed.
"How did you leave everyone?" She asked suddenly.
"Fine." I replied shortly and the rest of the walk was in silent.
Ya Miimi was in a different hostel, Emotan House. I was glad I'd live a totally free life.
We got into my hostel and Ya Miimi helped me arrange my things. She guided me on how to keep them safe. She asked if I wanted to follow her to her hostel to rest and I hesitated to answer. I wasn't too much of her fan
"If you want to stay here, toh. I have assignments to do. You know tomorrow is Monday." She said as she stood up to leave.
"Wait. Let's go." I said bit into the chocolate I took out from my locker.
Yumm...chocolates are the best!
I gave her a stick and she thanked me.
We strolled down to her hostel while a few people passed by. Ya Miimi had told me earlier that if I saw any of my seniors, I should greet them to avoid trouble. So, I only had to answer a few questions.. My name, class and day of birth.
When we got into her hostel, we met a group of her mates at the entrance.
Ya Miimi stopped to say hi and I stood there in wait.
"Kai. Come here." A hoarse voice addressed me.
Ai dai my name is not kai
I pretended not to hear her and began tap my feet with my head hung down.
"Iyyeee.. Wonderful cassava.." The senior clapped in a dramatic way and the rest, except my sister completed it for her.
"...shall never be a rogo."
"Deena, come." Ya Miimi called and I went.
"What was that? Didn't you hear her" She said in her calmest tune.
"Who" I pretended to be clueless.
"Are you maadd??" The first girl almost slapped me.
I shifted away and kept a mock sorry expression.
"Get down on your knees. You're stupid." Another girl instructed and I did, reluctantly.
"Wait, M. Khan. Is this the Deena you've always talked about.." Yet another girl chirped in.
Ya Miimi walked away without a word. She looked like she wanted to cry or something.
I spent hours under the sun, on my knees. I cried, but refused to persuade them.
Nemesis exists.. Wallah I won't forgive them.
Later on, a very fair skinned girl came to me, she said I was free, she was petite, but looked like a senior girl, so I thanked her and attempted to get on my feet but couldn't. My knees were frozen. She helped me up and I winced a little.
"Come, let's go." She said, her hand still around mine.
I gazed quizzically at her and she understood.
"OK, I'm Tamma, your bunkmate. I'm the head girl of the college." She smiled proudly
"I'm Fatima" I returned a small smile.
"I know" She said as we step out of the hostel.
I'm never coming back here again..and wallah Ya Miimi will know.
"They told me what happened. This is a boarding school, please adjust your ways."
"Thank you" I wasn't in the mood to talk.
"Hey..cheer up. This is your first day."I gave a little smile and she continued.
"Seriously, don't allow them to wrong you. Just do whatever they want, except if you can't. And I promise, you'll enjoy your stay here. Welcome to college life." She grinned and began to swing our hands.
Arghh
"Thanks Senior."
"I told you I'm Tamma. My name is not senior." She halted and faced me.
"She's not even smiling" She said with a frown.
I was about to give a sweet smile when she started to tickle me. I laughed so hard that I almost fell, then I began to shift away, but she followed me. We broke into a run and the laugh wouldn't just go.
I fell on a heap of wet sand and still, I could not stop. She joined me there and we laughed on.
I caught her unawares with a tight hug and she froze.
"Hey.. Hey hey"
She eased herself out of the hug and looked closely at me. I was a little teary.
"What happened?" She held my shoulders.
"Thank you.. Than.." I couldn't finish
"For what?" She looked confused.
"Thanks foe making me laugh this hard. I mean, it's been a while." I finished with a small sniff.
"God. Ok, just get up." She helped me up and we continued on our way with the presence of awkward silence.
We got to our hostel and she said it was almost time for lunch.
"Here's a bucket of water, freshen up. " I nodded.
I took out my pink giant towel and made to leave the room.
"Come. Change here." She said and I gave a shy look.
"Oh. You're shy" She chuckled and left the corner.
I quickly changed into my towel and carried the water with great struggle.
I wonder where she's gone.
The bathroom had better been named 'super public toilet'. It had this strong bad odour that wanted me run back to the corner.
I took a very quick bath and rushed out.
I met my bunkmate on her bed with her eyes glued on some notebook. I dried up my body with a small towel Ya Ali gave me.
I dressed up in a blue check caftan that was given to me by the school the previous week, when I went for registration.
"It's now fitting you." My bunkmate remarked and I grinned.
We left to the dining hall with my plate and cutlery in my backpack. She said I wouldn't be allowed in without them.
It was a large hall with many large tables and benches neatly arranged in rows and columns. A big food flask was on each table, I knew they contained food. There were hundreds of people around, but it was so quiet you'd think they were all dumb.
Senior Tamma accompanied me to the dining master to get a table. He allocated me a table after he'd confirmed my names and admission number.
My table was almost filled up with students who either looked a little older or younger. They stared at me and I wondered if I looked like an alien.
I sat close to a boy who looked calm. He gave me an awkward smile and I returned a wider one.
A few minutes later, a bell was rung, which I guessed indicated that lunch could be served, because literally everyone rushed to the flasks on their table. They struggled for something I did not know.
"Take" The boy I sat next to brought forward an oily hand with a chunk of black stuff on it.
"What's this?" I stared in for a better look.
"Meat. I helped you." He looked happy.
"Oh. Thank you.. Just add to your share." I was definitely not gonna eat that thing.
"Thank you." He gave wide grin and threw it into his mouth.
The food was served on every plate and everyone began to dig in.
"Where's the stew?" I asked in a confused tune.
"This is jollof o" He said in between chews. He seemed to be a foodie.
Huh.. Jollof?
"Seriously.." I was cut short by a senior guy who roared at us.
"Get up you. Who are you talking to?" He pointed towards me.
I got up and pointed at the boy who looked like he just saw a monster.
"I'm sorry, senior please." He bagan to plead. He looked terrified.
"Shut up. Both of you climb on this table and put your plates on your head." He said in Hausa accent.
Is that even English
"I'm new here. We're sorry." I simply said and he gazed for a while before he stomped away. He was a bit of a giant and had this long black belt rolled around his palm.
We sat down and the boy heaved a very big sigh.
I tried to eat the food, but couldn't. It was very tasteless and dry. The appearance was explanatory enough.
I gave the boy my food and he gladly finished the whole thing. I was amazed at the size of his appetite.
We introduced ourselves and he said his name was Fadil Muhammad. He was in arm A.
After lunch, my bunkmate came and we left the gall. She said it was time for afternoon prep. She was going to take me to her class for that day, since I was yet to know any of my classmates.
We got to her class and walked in casually, then a girl whose face looked familiar dragged me to her side.
"Who is your mate here?" She asked in a dull tune.
"Sorry, good afternoon." I said in my favourite innocent tune.
"Just kneel down. Imagine fah, this was the same girl I told you about the other time. She's very rude, I swear." She said to a girl that sat next to her.
"You better be careful. Don't even fall into my trap. And kneel down properly before I descend on you." I almost chuckled because she failed to look serious.
"Haba na. Please, Deeja. She's a newcomer fah." My bunkmate interfered
"Teach her manners then. Out of my sight." She hissed, a very loud hiss.
I rolled my eyes and muttered a thank you.
I walked over to my bunkmate and she asked me to go apologize and after that, she taught me how to take excuse whenever I wanted to go into my seniors' class.
Fast forward.
I settled in gradually and learnt things like cold baths, late nights studies, and punishments like laying flat under the sun, among others.
Tests period came and I did well. Everyone prepared for the midterm holiday and Ya Miimi came to my corner to help me with my things.
The midterm was going to last for just a week and so there was no need to pack a lot. She said she had called Aunt and she promised to come pick us in the morning. She was glad because that would be the second time she would go home by a private vehicle.
"Come and sleep over at my place, so that we wouldn't have to look for each other." She said as she stood up to leave.
"No. I'll sleep here." I didn't even look up. I was still grumpy with her because of my first day. How could she not save me from the hands of her mates. I was her blood sister.
"Of course. We haven't been on good terms since after Abba's demise. It just gets harder everyday." She said and walked out.
Eyeroll.. Whatever
I wasn't concerned, because I was already used to it. They all treated me like a murderer.
I lied down with a heavy sigh. I was exhausted from the day's labour.
I smiled as I thought of what tomorrow had for me. I couldn't just wait to see homies again.
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_a. penner