Your fairy godmother is your heart sustaining you.
~Adam~
I was in my room playing a video game when I heard a loud yell followed by whimpers. My body jumped by itself and I removed my headphone, instinctively looking out of my window.
Dad's car in the compound confirmed my worst fear. The music I was listening to did not allow me to hear his car come in. I hated dad being at home, I preferred him away, on business trips; that was when mom would fully relax, that was moments when I'd feel like I have a mother.
I still waiting for any other sound. I heard nothing and I was about to go back to my game when I heard another whimper followed by the sound of a slap. I jumped up from where I sat on the bed and I walked out of my room.
'Your son is at home, you shouldn't do this in front.....'
That was mom's voice and I instantly felt my heart shattering like someone was hammering a nail into it; slowly and painstakingly. I walked quietly to the stairs and I could see him dragging mom by her hands towards the direction of the guest room. None of them saw me and I wondered for a moment if I should go back to my room and pretend I heard nothing as I have always done. They were almost by the guest room's door when I started walking down the stairs, my eyes and fingers on my phone and pretending I was engrossed in it.
'Mom, please get me a glass of water.'
The footsteps stopped abruptly and I did not need to look up to know he had let go of her hands and that she was trying to compose herself as she walked into the kitchen to get me water. I walked past dad to sit in the sitting room.
'Son, I thought you would be having your siesta by now.'
I heard his voice behind me and I felt my inside recoil. I was saved by a mom who returned at that perfect moment and I gulped the water even though I wasn't thirsty. Mom sat beside me and we all fell into an awkward silence until dad cleared his throat and announced he was leaving for the tennis court. I watched mom stand up and follow him to his car like the perfect wife she is.
Most times, I don't even know who I hate more between the both of them. The monster of a father or the puppet of a mother?
'What do you want for dinner?'
Mom asked me when she returned, her voice laced with excitement. I ignored her, focusing instead on the video game I was playing.
'I asked you what you want for dinner,'
She asked again, pettily. I wished she'd snap and get angry at me for ignoring her but she did not, she could not. She has never done that and she probably never would.
'Anything.'
'Anything like wh...'
'Anything!'
I snapped at her and I immediately regretted my action. She was looking at me as if I had grown two heads and instead of apologizing, I stood up and walked into my room. I leaned on the door, my eyes scanning the entire length of my room for a more needed distraction and I couldn't think of anything except for a sketch pad laying on my study desk. I ignored it.
You have a perfect one though. It's laying in your wardrobe.
I groaned and put my hands to my ears as if that would block my subconscious and it laughed at my stupidity.
Better go and take it before all these weights you're carrying pull you down.
I started walking towards my wardrobe before I could help myself.
Yeah. Just this once and get rid of this overbearing weight.
I could hear Ed Sheeran's Shape of you from my headset laying on my bed; apparently, I had turned the volume higher than usual and before my subconscious could get a mind of its own, I took the headset and put it on.
Maybe listening to loud music would rid my ears of the sound of his palms connecting with her skin but it did not help, it was even like the sound was playing the music, I could hear it in the music.
I was out of my room before I could stop myself. I heard mom asking me where I was going but I ignored her and I walked out of the house and out of the compound. I had it at the back of my mind to walk but I broke into a sprint once I was outside. That seemed to do the trick because all other thoughts faded into the recesses of my mind when I started running. It stayed that way until I heard someone yell my name. I stopped abruptly and I turned back, my hands automatically moving to lower the headset to my neck.
It was Aminah and her mouth opened in a small surprise O when she saw me, a huge small plastered on her face.
'Oh, Adam. I thought it was someone that looks like you but it's you. How're you?'
Her voice was laced with excitement as usual and I tried as much as possible to match her tone.
'Good. What are you doing here?'
'Oh, I'm here to spend the midterm break with my Aunty.' She then turned someone beside her and that was actually when I noticed she wasn't alone. 'This is my cousin, Fade, Fade, meet my friend, Adam.'
The Fade slapped something invisible on her cheek and my eyes followed the movement. For a moment, I wondered if that was how Dad's palm hit mom's cheek. The sound in my ears was back instantly and I moved back.
'Oh. I have to go. I.. We'll see on Monday.
I did not wait to see her befuddled expression before I broke into a jog, my earpiece back in my ears but even with that, I couldn't block out the sound.
I just kept running.
I wondered how long it'd take to run to the end of the world.
*******
I was irritable throughout the weekend and my mood did not change even when I walked into the class on Monday. Kunle and Sophia were used to my incessant mood swings and they knew better than to irk me more but Aminah had no idea as she kept trying to include me in their conversations. It was a free period and we were all clustered around Sophia and Kunmi's seats, Sophia was sketching a wallflower at the back of one of her notes
'That reminds me, Adam, do you remember my cousin you saw me with on Saturday?'
I wasn't even going to answer but Kunle came to my rescue.
'You saw Adam during the weekend?'
'Yes. You know I spent the midterm break with my Aunty. Adam lives in their estate too.'
'Oh wow, small world, isn't it? Lagos is this big and you guys manage to run into each other.'
'I know, right?'
It soon became a conversation between the both of them and I was glad for that little sanctuary. Sophia and Kunmi were silent as usual. It was only Kunle and Aminah that were doing all the talking and eyes contacts. I never actually saw it coming. Kunle liking Aminah not to talk of them dating. It was during the Summer coaching for SS2 that Kunle told us he liked Aminah. When he told me there was a girl in the picture, only one girl came to my mind but it sure wasn't that girl.
'Adam, why are so quiet today? Are you alright?'
Aminah asked and I immediately felt four pairs of eyes staring at me quizzically. It was Sophia that first looked away, to continue her drawing.
'I'm fine..'
'But you don't look fine. And when I saw you on Saturday, you did......'
'I said I'm FINE!' I replied, practically yelling. Sophia looked up at me again and I took calming breaths. 'I'm fine.' I replied again, this time, more calmly than earlier.
'I'm going to the Arts Studio. I should be back before the next period.'
I did not wait for anybody to reply before I stood up and walked out of the class to my little sanctuary.
********
~Kunmi~
I was watching Nickelodeon with my younger brother who seemed to be obsessed with The Thundermans. He'd pretend to have all their superpowers and he'd go around jumping stairs and causing a commotion in the house.
Maybe the world would be a better place if we all have superpowers. I'd just wave my magic wands and change myself.
Imagine something as simple as a magic wand transforming everything.
Just like the ugly duckling.
I heard the sound of heels on the tiled floor and I did not need to turn to know it was mom but I did anyway. She was dressed up for an owambe and with the way she was dressed, I'm sure the bride's mother would feel threatened.
'Mom, where are you going all dressed up?'
I heard Mayowa's voice and I was momentarily lost with my eyes searching for her in the sitting room. It was only after mom sat down and positioned her phone in front of her face that I knew she was on a video call with her. I returned my attention to the TV.
'To Bola's wedding. Do you remember her? You guys used to play together when you were kids.'
'Oh wow. Mom, is she not like 21?'
I heard Mayowa reply, her voice full of astonishment.
'And so? Even 20 year old get married. Just do quick and bring the fine boy you're always uploading his pictures home. I can't wait to invite my friends to my daughter's wedding.'
'Mom, I'm just 19.....'
The ears blocked out the rest of their conversation. I don't know any fine guy Mayowa was always uploading his picture. She's never discussed her boyfriends with me. She's never discussed anything with me.
'Have you spoken to your sister since you left?'
Mom asked and I did not wait to hear Mayowa's reply before I stood up, wore my flip flops, and walked to my room. I knew where mom was going with her question and the last thing I needed at the moment is an awkward video conversation with my sister.
My sister.
*******
It was a literature class and our teacher, a petite woman who always seems to have a permanent smile plastered on her face was teaching us prose and its forms.
'So what do you guys think about fairy tales?'
She suddenly asked out of nowhere. We were not even doing anything related to it.
'Or better still, can someone define what a fairy tale means?'
Several hands shoot up and the teacher singled Tolase out.
'In literature, a fairy tale can simply be defined as a traditional story written for children that usually involves imaginary creatures and magic. Its first use can be traced to the 17th century.'
Miss Bolanle smiled and nodded.
'What's your overall take on fairy tales?'
She asked again and the whole class started chorusing;
'Amazing'
'Brilliant'
'Dreamy'
'Magical'
'Interesting and childlike'
'Overrated and delusional.'
The whole class turned in the direction of the voice. It was Adam.
'Why do you think so?'
I propped my head on my right palm so I could see him speak. He shrugged.
'They misled us as kids. They made us believe there were fairy godmothers, magical animals who'd turn your life around, and magical wands whereas we don't have anything like that. Stuff like that ain't possible.'
Miss Bolanle started to say something but a female student whose name I couldn't remember beat her to it.
'The whole idea of the fairy tale was to serve as a means of escape from our sad reality; just like Alice in Wonderland. I guess fairy tales served as some sort of wonderland for us.'
'And what happens when we return from the wonderland....'
Adam started to talk and the female student interrupted him.
'The memories stay with us forever.'
'And still, they don't do anything to help our situation. We return to our realities when we're done reading the books and we realize no fairy godmother will turn up to change our lives and we don't have a magic wand to change us into princesses. The only person we have is ourselves. Maybe if we had read more stories like that while growing up, we wouldn't have spent our days fantasizing about magical lands and creatures when they simply did not exist.'
Just two days ago, when I was watching The Thundermans, I still fantasized about how beautiful the world would be if we all had superpowers and magical wands and now, Adam was saying Magic and superpowers won't save us. The only person we have is ourselves.
'So Kunmi, what do you think about fairy tales?'
Uhm? I was momentarily lost and I blinked once or twice to make sure it was my name I heard. Miss Bolanle repeated herself and I sat up straight.
'I... I think...' I cleared my throat. 'I think they are necessary books to escape realities for a while. Books like that served as companions for most of while growing up.'
She nodded and she started to say something else to the class. Classics were like my sanctuary while growing up. I was especially fond of Cinderella and Thumbelina's story. I fairy godmother would appear or a swallow would turn up to fly me out of my big yet empty childhood.
Miss Bolanle excused herself from the class even though we still had like 20 minutes more and the class broke into loud murmurs when she left. I started packing my books when I felt a presence in front of me. It was Adams and he had a small smile on his face.
'So you must have loved fairy tales while growing up?'
I don't know if it was a statement or a question but I nodded anyway and he dragged the chair in front of me closer so he'd sit.
Are we about to have a conversation?
'I read a lot of them too. They were like an escape room from realities and I liked Peter Pan until I realized they were just fables.'
I nodded slowly and from the way he was looking at me, I knew he expected me to say something so I cleared my throat and said the first thing that came to my mind.
'What was your favorite fairy tale then?'
'Ugly Duckling.'
He replied in less than a heartbeat and he paused for a while. When he realized I wasn't going to say anything, he continued;
'It was one of the most honest fairy tales to me. No unnecessary magic, no magical creatures, no unnecessary drama. Have you read it?'
I shook my head. I've read it but I really can't remember anything in the tale. I preferred stories like the sleeping beauty and all.
'Oh, it's a tale about a very Ugly Duckling who believed he was the ugliest creature ever. He never actually saw for himself, he just listened to others who told him he was ugly and unloveable. He believed people's words and he never listened to himself. It took him so long to realize he is the most beautiful swan ever.'
Maybe it was the way he said it that pulled my eyes to his. He was looking at me with an intensity I've never seen before. I cleared my throat and looked away.
'I loved the Little mermaid too. It was sad and real, unlike most fairy tales.'
What? He likes the little mermaid because it was sad? I hated the story. I read it when I was 8 and I felt really sad for the little mermaid who gave everything up for the prince and she still couldn't have him in the end. I opened my mouth to ask him if he liked it because it was sad but he beat me to it.
'What were your favorites?'
I did not think twice before I blurted out;
'Cinderella, Thumbelina, Sleeping beauty and Snow White.'
He chuckled and that sound replayed itself in my ears over and over again.
'They all had Prince Charming.'
He stated and I did not even know if it was a question or a statement.
'All girls want a prince charming and everybody wants a fairy godmother.'
He rolled his eyes and moved back a little.
'So sad there is no prince charming or fairy godmother. The only godmother we have is our heart sustaining us.'
I looked up at him again and he was still looking at me.
The only godmother we have is our heart sustaining us.
Giiiiiiing
The bell went off and the next period was Music and Visual Arts. He stood up and dusted imaginary dirt off his trousers.
'I'll see you later.'
I watched him walk out of the classroom and I reached for my bag to pick my music note.
He believed people's words and he never listened to himself. It took him so long to realize he's the most beautiful swan of them all.
I wanted to tuck those words into the deepest part of my heart so nobody except me would be able to reach it. If only I could believe those words.
While walking to the music studio, I felt like Thumbelina with magical wings sewn to my back.
I felt like I could fly.
Hey Prince Charming, Cinderellas, Thumbelinas, and Sleeping beauties😂 🤗🤗 😘Hope we're all fine? Sorry for the late update. I had things to do yesterday.
So they had a conversation and it was about fairy tales 😂😂😂 I did not know until I started writing. I read a lot of fairy tales while growing up. Ugly Duckling was one of my favorites probably because it was my first fairy tale sha. I loved it. It's one of the most real fairy tales I've read.
My second favorite would be The Little Mermaid even though I was psychologically disturbed by that book as a child. It was a fairy tale and it wasn't a fairy tale at the same time. I expected a godmother to show up and make the prince realize it was the mermaid that saved him but that did not happen and the mermaid ended up turning into bubbles. Aah. Mehn. I was disturbed by it. It was a fairy tale that did not have a fairy tale ending. O break heart mi 💔💔.
And to be candid, I was delusional after reading most classics, I was looking for a godmother everywhere 😂😂😂 godmother ko, godsister ni.
What was your favorite fairy tale and why? I enjoyed reading Cinderella, Thumbelina, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and the Seven Dwarfs and Beauty and the Beast, and a couple of others but they just did not resonate with me like the first two I mentioned.
I'll see you on Tuesday. Till then, do take care of yourself and be fine.
❤️❤️🤗😘😘