Dedicated to Timilehin06, the Adaku of our time 😂😂. She just started a very amazing teen fiction, One More Boost and you should all check it out because I'm sooo loving the book ❤️❤️
To be seen is a little bit unsettling,
For you soul to be bared to another.
~Adam~
The sharp impact of sunlight streaking into my room and affecting my closed eyes made me mumble something incoherent before turning to the other side. The one where my eyes wouldn't be affected by the sunlight.
But who drew the curtains by the way?
"Wakey, Wakey, sleepyhead."
Came Mom's voice in a sing-song tone and I frowned, wondering why the hell she'd be waking me up when I just slept like 5 minutes ago. I dragged my duvet over my head, convinced that I was dreaming and wanting nothing to disturb my perfect sleep.
"Korede, this is the fifth time I'd come to wake you up to this morning. Do you want me to wake you up with cold water?"
Ooops. Do people talk this much inside dreams too?
I was about to drift off completely, my eyelids closing when mom screamed my name and that woke me up instantly. I jerked to a sitting position, feeling a splitting headache and the sharp impact of sunlight made me close my eyes again. Someone should please close this curtain again. I opened my eyes gently to see that it was dawn, obviously from the sun.
Mom was sitting at the edge of the bed and she was looking at me suspiciously. I'd expected her to be dressed in her nightwear but she was dressed in a short fitted gown, her face freshly scrubbed and all the trace of sleep gone from her face. She must have been awake for quite some time.
"Good Morning mom."
"Afternoon, young man. It's noon already."
Ehn? My eyes darted towards the direction of the huge wall clock on the adjacent wall and that confirmed it. It was 12:05.
I overslept. Thank God it was a weekend self. What happened? Why did I sleep for this long?
"Did you stay up late last night? This is so unlike you."
Hmm? Did I stay up late last night?
Yes, I did. The memories of what I'd done last night came flooding back. I'd wanted to complete a piece I'd been working on for weeks but instead, I found myself reaching for my sketch pad, and what?
My eyes automatically went to the floor to see my sketch pad laying on the floor beside my bed with a pencil near it. I reached out for it just at the same time mom reached out for it and I surged forward, reaching for it with all my strength.
"Hey, calm down. Why that much strength? Did you sketch something I shouldn't see?"
She asked when I picked the sketch pad and I gripped it in my hands tightly. She started to reach for it again and I had to hide it behind my body.
"Mom, I'm a teenager. There are things I wouldn't want you to know or see."
She leaned back with fake shock written all over her face.
"Ehn ehn? Mi o mon oo. It's just now that you're saying is that I'm realizing."
I released a shaky breath, my mind wrapped around why I did not want mom to see my sketch pad.
Around the things, I'd sketched last night.
Or probably faces.
"Anyway, freshen up and come down for breakfast, Nah, it's brunch now."
She said and walked out of the room. It was only after she'd closed the door after her that I brought the sketch pad to my front again and with something like shaky hands, I started turning the pages.
Kunmi's face stared back.
The crossover night at the stadium.
Her lighted up and excited face.
I released a shaky breath as I turned to the other page again.
Her face in the Arts Gallery.
I kept turning the pages to see random sketches of her. Some real, some unreal, and I remembered how I'd worked vigorously last night, turning page after pages till I've made like 6 different sketches of her and how I'd ended up going to bed around 4 in the morning with something like a contented smile on my face.
Wait, let me just retrace how I'd ended up making sketches of her. That'd be because I'd spent an awful period thinking about her these past days. Thinking about her was just like a worm or weed that I couldn't rid myself of no matter how hard I tried.
What then do I blame for this new and sudden change?
Well, I guessed it's just normal to think about someone when you start spending quality time h them.
But does that guarantee them invading one's thoughts like this? Yesterday, when I was working on the week's art piece, I'd found myself trailing off, pencils frozen in a particular spot, thoughts all over the place.
And especially filled up with the face of a particular girl.
This new development was a bit terrifying, thinking about someone this much was terrifying, someone occupying this major part of my brain was terrifying.
But I couldn't stop, even if I wanted to. I found myself thinking about her every single time, found myself glancing at her in classes and thinking about her at odd times. Like, yesterday when I was supposed to be working on a piece I was to submit on Monday.
This must be because of that day at the Gallery, when she'd looked at that painting I made a long time ago and she'd proclaimed the boy in the picture to be sad.
I'd felt seen, which was unsettling.
And also a first.
I was used to this, to how people see me, a carefree and happy boy so someone that I've not even known for six months, reading meaning into my piece like that was unsettling.
Unsettling.
Well, it's not like she technically called you sad.
Yes, she did. Basically.
Or basically, she read the message I did not even know I was passing in my work.
I ran my hand through my hair and down my face, a little bit disoriented and frustrated.
This new development was totally...
"Korede, come and eat ooo."
Mom shouted from downstairs and with a groan, I stood up and entered the bathroom.
A few minutes later, I was sitting in the dining room while mom dished out cornmeal and Akara. This has to be a typical food yoruba eat on Saturdays because mehn, I don't even remember the last time we ate something else on Saturday mornings.
"What happened to you? You look a bit disoriented."
She stated as she took her seat opposite me. Dad wasn't at home so it was just the both of us and it was home.
I shrugged as I took a spoonful of pap.
"Nothing, probably because I slept late and woke up late."
"Are you sure? Abi the girls in school are bothering you?"
I raised my eyebrows.
"Don't worry, it's because you're a fine boy. Who wouldn't want a fine boy?"
I scoffed as I took another spoonful of pap and for the rest of the breakfast, I listened to mom lecture her fine boy on girls.
This woman ehn.
***********
~Kunmi~
It was heat day and all the students were geared up, all the houses interested in winning even though it was crystal clear that the main competition was between Blue house and Red house. They were always dragging the trophy, with blue house winning by an airs breath most of the time. The students and parents were seated on the bleachers, placards in hands and cheering for their houses.
The only event left was the track event and the two houses, Red house, and Blue house were tied to the same point. The track event was going to be the determinant and, from the housemaster yelling instructions at their athletes, none of the houses were prepared to lose, not even greenhouse that already lost because what's the point of competition with a house that has 8 points already when you have 3.
Well, hope is a very strong thing.
The blue house and red house kept getting tied with all the junior races and what was left now was the senior race. The next race was the 800 meters senior boys race and that was Adam's race. He was wearing his spike in an unusually calm manner, as if he wasn't able to run a race that would determine, to a considerable extent, the victory of our house.
"And how are you this calm? Ain't you a little bit afraid of losing?"
Sophia said, crouching down to his level to help him with his running shoes. I'd followed them to the field from the bleachers, carrying glucose and water. That's the only duty for students not interested in running or anything.
"Why do I have to worry? I'm pretty sure I'm going to win. I've always won."
Sophia cackled before hissing.
"All these bragging won't get you anywhere."
He shrugged just as he stood up.
"It'll get me everywhere."
I rolled my eyes. Look at this boy showing off.
"You think I'm showing off?"
Hmm. Did I say that out loud again?
He was looking at me, eyebrows raised and a look of mock hurt on his face. I nodded slowly.
"Well."
"Oh, come on Kunmi, you should at least take my side."
"Well...."
The coach started yelling for the 800 meters senior boys and he jogged off, but not before muttering;
"We'd continue this conversation after I win this race."
I shook my head, a conscious smile on my face.
What a pompous show-off?
I held my breath from the moment they took their positions till they got to the finish line and he won. In no minute, my other housemates had piled all over him. My suppressed breaths came out in a rush and I bent my face. I looked up minutes later, to see Sophia looking at me, a little smile on her face.
"That was quite an expression."
She started plainly before her shoulders started quaking and she burst into full- laughter I take two steps backward because, for a bizarre moment, I thought she might be going mad. Because why else would she be laughing in a situation like this?
"Don't mind me." She said in between laughter and I raised my eyebrow. I watched as she bit her lips, definitely to keep herself from laughing but she failed woefully. She ended up erupting into another fit of laughter, hands grabbing her stomach and she, doubling over.
I took two more steps back.
Because I couldn't watch someone laughing like this for 2 minutes and not laughing myself, I soon found my lips stretching into a smile, before I started laughing.
Now, we were both officially mad.
Sophia looked up, I could see tears in her eyes. She took calming breaths, opened her mouth to talk before bursting into laughter again, her face in her palms.
My laughter trailed off because it's kind of exhilarating to watch Sophia like this. I've never seen her like this with anyone, not even Adam and Kunle.
"I have no idea why I started laughing but what about you, why were you laughing?"
I shrugged and folded my arms over my chest.
"It's impossible for me to maintain a straight face when someone is laughing right in front of me."
"It's exhilarating, isn't it?"
She asked just at the same time they started calling the 800 meters senior girls. We both turned simultaneously towards the start line to see that Aminah was already there. The latter looked up and she waved vigorously at us, her face lighted up in her huge Aminah smile and I found myself smiling back while the girl beside me scowled. I turned to look at her just to realize that she was looking at me.
"Wait, Kunmi, who are you rooting for? Aminah because she's your friend or Sohpia because she's running for your house?"
I swallowed because I did not even know who I was rooting for. I was torn between loyalty to my friend and loyalty to my house.
"The fastest runner."
I answered with a smile and she answered back with a smile of her own.
"And the fastest runner is going to win."
And she sprinted off just at the same time Adam got to where I stood. He flopped down on the floor, panting and drained. I smiled before I sat down beside him. Look at someone who said running was exhilarating.
Exhilarating ko, exhilarating ni.
"You won!"
"Of course, do you now see that I wasn't bragging?"
I scoffed before laughing. This boy and showing off sha.
"Yes, you weren't."
"You see? I told you."
I shook my head just at the same time he reached out for the bottled water that I was holding.
"I did not collect the bottled water from the other girl because I wanted to drink this."
He said just as I handed it over to him and I frowned, wondering why he would do that when it was the same bottled water.
Could he mean........
My thoughts got cut off when I heard a loud yell from the whole student populace and I jerked to a standing position only to see Aminah face down in the middle of the field.
She'd fallen while running.
***********
I sat beside Aminah that was laying on a bed in the sick bay. She was brought to the sick bay after her fall and the nurse had quickly attended to her. She ended up with bruises, partly severe ones, and a sprained ankle and it was very obvious that she wouldn't be able to run in a week which was the main interhouse sport. Kunle left after the nurse finished treating her wounds to get refreshments from the stuck shop.
"How're you feeling now?"
I asked her, still worried that she might be in pain because I guessed the fall was pretty epic from the students' screams said exaggerated recounts.
"I'm just grateful that my face isn't bruised. Mehn, I can't even imagine."
She answered and I smiled. Looked that I was worried for nothing.
"But how did you even fall? Did you trip or something?"
"Nah, my vision just got a little blurry and I felt dizzy. I guessed I must have overworked myself or something. I wanted to win."
I nodded slowly, a part of my brain wanting to believe what she was saying and a part of my brain overworking and coming up with schemes that Sophia must be involved in this.
But that's not possible, right?
"But now, I won't even be able to run again."
She continued and she sat up with a groan escaping her lips.
"But now that I can't walk properly, I'm going to overwork Kunle. He won't even know what's coming for him."
She said, her eyes calculative as if she was coming up with schemes and I chuckled. This girl never fails to amaze me.
Someone drew the curtains behind us and I turned back to see the trio; Adams, Kunle, and Sophia. Adam looked a little bit worried and Sophia was looking at Aminah with an undistinguished and a new interest.
"Are you alright?"
Adam asked, his tone a little bit worried.
"I'm fine. Were you guys worried?"
"Not exactly, I knew you'd be fine."
Sophia answered as she sat down on the stool right in front of Aminah and my mouth did drop open.
Like the fuck?
"Why did you have to fall? We should have had a clean and clear competition."
What's this girl saying now?
"Injured person and you're still talking about competition. Shey won fi shey e ni?"
Kunle said, patting her on the shoulders before sitting beside Aminah on the bed and helping her sit up. I followed Sophia's eyes as she watched their every movement.
"Kunle, shut up share and since you're fine, I'm leaving."
And she did stand up and leave.
Emèrè ni babe yìí.
We remained in utter silence for a minute or two until Adam stood up from where he sat too.
"Kunmi, we should leave now. Let's leave the couple. I think Kunle has been sending me a cryptic message since Sophia left."
What?
I burst into laughter and I looked at Kunle who looked bewildered.
"Ode, when did I.....?"
"Don't worry. I understand. You guys should... Well, it's not every day you get to be alone in the sickbay so....."
"Adam, what are you saying?"
Aminah asked with a coy tone while Kunle looked like he was going to hit Adams if he should say one more word.
"I mean, I just......"
"Shut up and get out there."
Kunle finally found his voice just as Adams walked out with a shrug and I followed him while shaking my head.
These teenagers ehn.
************
~Adam~
"When you hear Allegory, what comes to your mind?"
Our literature teacher asked, just after she finished writing the topic, literary devices on the board and highlighting some devices under it;
Allegory.
Motif.
Irony.
Personification.
Tolase's hand was up before any other person and Miss Fola nodded at her.
"Allegory is a literary device in which characters, places or events are used to deliver a broader message about real word occurrences and issues."
"Good. Any other answer?"
Miss Fola asked again, moving in between the rows and only the sound of her shoes could be heard in the almost eerily quiet class.
"A story about stories."
"A story about the hidden message."
"A literary device used to sugarcoat things......"
The whole class turned to look at me and even Miss Fola stopped right in front of me. It was only then that I realized that I was the one that talked. God! That was meant for my mind alone.
"Adam? That's what you think about allegory?"
Not exactly. The whole class's attention was on me now and subconsciously, I turned to look at Kunmi who was looking at me, her eyes vibrant, eagerly waiting for me to back up my illogical assumptions. She was sitting just two rows away from me, with Tolase sitting on the chair separating us.
"I understand the whole point of allegory, a story with a hidden meaning but why don't we just hit the nail on the head. Instead of writing about animals revolting which is impossible, why don't we just write about the Russian Revolution?"
"Oh wow! Did you just insult George Orwell's Animal Farm?"
Miss Fola asked, her face compressed into a fake shock and I smiled.
"Of course not, that book is one of my all-time favorites. I'm just saying it doesn't hurt to be a little blunter."
I finished with a shrug. Just two days ago, I'd had this same conversation with Mister Adiza, the Arts instructor. Except that it wasn't about allegory in writing, it was about allegory in drawing and painting. Venus, cupid, folly, and time, an allegorical piece made by Agnolo Bronzino had led to the conversation. The piece was made around 1454 and to date, artists still don't know the real meaning of the painting. If the artist hadn't made a complicated piece using allegory, this wouldn't have been the case. The whole idea was getting to me more than I wanted to admit.
And that would be because even though I hate to admit it, I was doing that same thing in my drawings.
Leaving cryptic messages.
My drawings have undertones of hidden messages.
"I kind of agree with what Adam said. Why don't we just be blunt in our writings instead of beating around the bush."
Tolase said, raising her hands to make the air quotation signal.
"But some things are better said and written in a form that's not their true form. We wouldn't have enjoyed reading Lord of the Flies if the writer did not make use of that much allegory. Imagine Jack as a commander of a real-life army, Piggy as a nerd, Ralph and Simon as something other than what was portrayed in the book, and Roger as a murderer. The book wouldn't have made that much impact and......."
"And the writer wouldn't have been able to expatiate on the evident themes in his book. Like the thin line between evil and goodness. The fact that we're all embodiment of evil and goodness. That we're all capable of evil and that there's a beast in all men. Triggers are the only thing separating the evil man and the good man. Jack and Roger would have never thought they were capable of that much evil and savagery until the plane crashed."
Someone interrupted Tolase cutting her off and even though the whole class turned back to look at him, I did not need to turn back to know that it was Alex but I did anyway.
"I mean, they were just young boys on a flight to an excursion and they ended up stranded for days on an island while killing, torturing, and partaking in savagery things. They would have never done that if they weren't triggered, if the plane hadn't crashed, in they were in the safe comfort of their homes and familiar spaces."
He concluded with a shrug, his voice trailing off to a wistful tone and I could tell that this was more than allegory or lord of the flies to him. It could be personal but it's none of my business so I turned back, arms crossed over my chest and suddenly wishing that the period would end soon.
Not happening, it's a double period and you're still in the first period.
"I'm sitting on the fence sha. I'm a fan of any device that would make me enjoy reading a book and I think allegory is doing a great job at that."
That was another girl, a classmate that I couldn't remember her name.
"Well, Lord of the Rings is greatly perceived to be allegorical and it was only after the book got published and readers from all over the globe started pointing out the allegories in the book much to the dismay of the writer who detests Allegory and he felt that allegories reduce the impact of the writers of the message are trying to convey."
I butted in again, even though I'd internally concluded that I wouldn't say anything again.
"I guess it all boils down to what the writers want. Some might like allegory and some might not but in the end, almost all literary and artistic piece uses allegory because they always almost have some sort of hidden messages."
A familiar voice said with a note of finality and I turned to look at her. She looked bewildered, almost as if she couldn't she just said that. Then she looked away from me when our eyes met, which meant she must have been looking for me when she said that, right?
"Yeah, in the end, Kunmi has summed everything up for us. That's always how it is."
Miss Fola said and she walked to the front of the classroom while clapping her hands. That drew our attention to her.
"I know it's a double period but I have to leave now...."
The class erupted into loud cheers and she smiled.
"But, I'm going to give you guys classwork."
The noise died down immediately.
"Read and analyze the allegory in the poem, I wandered lonely as a cloud. The good news is that you can do it in twos and threes but no noise."
She concluded, waving her index finger in the air before walking out of the classroom and the class immediately picked up the pace of their shouts and loud whispers again.
"Hey Adam, mind us working together?"
I looked sideways at the voice. It was Tolase and from her sitting posture, she only needed me to say yes before she'd jump up and drag her seat to mine. My eyes flickered up to see Kunmi engrossed in reading what I assumed to be the poem in her textbook, eyes furrowed in concentration and I looked back to Tolase who was still eagerly waiting for my answer.
I closed my exams focus textbook and I picked my notebook before standing up.
"I'm sorry, I'd just work with Kunmi."
She nodded slowly, disbelief written all over her face as she stared at Kunmi then back to me. I could care less as I walked over to where Kunmi sat.
I just wanted to know what's in her head.
But who was I fooling?
Not me.
4159 words??? Wow. I was supposed to go on but then, I had to stop here. It was getting too long.
I enjoyed writing this chapter 💃💃 mehn. Adam, Adam, Adam 😂😂🥂💃 And then Sophia, always Sophia 🥂🙌
Sorry that I bored you with talks about allegory, lord of the flies, and lord of the rings. I just really missed literature classes and the vibrant exchange of brilliant words and all. My best subject and it always has the most interesting classes. Hope you've read lord of the flies sha? It's one of my best books.
Do you succumb to the school of thought that there is only a thin line between goodness and evil? That there's a beast in all men, that circumstances and triggers are the only things differentiating a good man and an evil man?
Anyway, see you on Monday Or Tuesday.
Lots of love ❤️❤️