"I told you I didn't like him." Asa said between mouthfuls of food. "My instincts are never wrong."
Oma had thought she'd have another long period of depression after her breakup with Asher, but she ended up feeling even better than she'd felt with him. After her little outburst of breaking his TV, she'd smiled all the way back to her hostel room satisfied she'd hurt him to some level almost as much as he'd hurt her. She didn't even miss him, at least not yet.
"You really broke his laptop as well?" Asa hollered with a mouth full of food, repeating the story Oma had already stated more than twice. "I wish I was there!"
While listening to her amusing story, Asa sat before a banquet of junk food, eating and mixing unhealthily. Oma knew she was making up for all the months she'd been on a diet for her sports which she had still been denied of in the end, but even this was too much.
"Asa, what does one even do after breakup?" She asked, now beside Asa and eating her food.
"And I'm the best person to ask because I'm single." She gave a fake cry. "One day I will be remembered and my enemies will be put to shame."
"You're so dramatic." Oma was laughing.
"First thing single people do is laugh." Asa said with one finger in the air like she'd just dropped an indisputable quote.
"That's one thing you forget how to do when you get into a relationship."
*******
On Sunday, the day before, she went to church for the first time in months. She convinced herself it wasn't because she wanted some kind of closure so she could pass her exams. With Asa going with her, she didn't feel like such a bad person.
In the evening, Obi called her for their usual reading session. She sat thinking, knowing Nathi would surely ask about her relationship with her cousin with whom she discussed everything. She wasn't ready to discuss her love life with Nathi, who didn't know when to drop things. Asa had exams the next day as well and she offered to go with her, stating that if Nathi saw her, she'd be too busy facing her to discuss Asher. Oma was elated.
When they got there however, Obi was alone. He didn't look so excited either although he acted genuinely pleased to meet Asa. Oma could see through him. He was bothered about something. Now she wished she hadn't brought Asa, as she would have enjoyed reading with Obi alone.
"Nathi couldn't come." He simply said after the introductions were made. He didn't state why and Oma didn't even want to know.
She did notice that Obi was awfully quiet throughout their reading session but he kept shooting her short glances, as if he was trying to tell her something.
When it was ten o'clock, Asa announced she was going to bed and Oma happily bade her goodnight, happy to have Obi all to herself again so she would tell him everything.
But to her dismay, Obi said he was going to bed as well as Nathi was waiting for him. She sulked and wished he hadn't told her why.
Consoling her, he assured her the next day's exam would be so easy so she could sleep for as long as she wanted.
She was just about to go back when Asa called to tell her Femi was spending the night and was using her bed. She hung up and stayed back in class.
She couldn't read, only think. The realities of all that'd happened between her and Asher came crashing down at once and she began to cry, wishing she'd never agreed to go to this school.
***
On Monday, she woke up with a headache but managed to get to class on time for the exam. She entered the class from the back as usual and did a background check to find her couple friends. She only found one however, Nathi. She was arguing loudly with someone and all eyes were on them. What a start to the day, she thought.
Coming closer, Oma discovered the argument was because of the seats.
"Oma. Come here." Nathi called when she saw her. "These idiots are trying to claim our seats!"
Now, eyes were on her as well.
She quickly moved to Nathi's ear and whispered. "Let's just move to the back. There are extra seats there."
"What? No! I got here before them and I have the freaking right to reserve seats for whosoever I desire." She said aloud.
"I came here before the person you reserved the seats for so I have the right to sit here. If we all reserved seats, you'd have no place to sit yourself." The girl who wanted the seats countered.
"Will you shut up?" Nathi spat with a thick accent, making the girl shudder momentarily. "There are seats at the back of you want to reserve them. I see people reserve seats all the time and I don't complain, so hastily move your flat ass out of here."
"Let's just go to the back. We don't need this before exams." Oma whispered into Nathi's ear again. She was shaking, she hated confrontations. She didn't even like the front seats anyway, she preferred the back way better.
"Stop ruining everything, Oma. This is why people trample you over all the time. The only thing that'll stop three of us from sitting on these seats is if the world ends now. As that's not going to happen, this shapeless thing is getting out." She said, eyeing the girl who was still sitting in the middle of the three seats Nathi had reserved, although looking uncomfortable.
"You cannot do more than a dead rat!" She quipped, desperate to seem unafraid.
With strength Oma had never seen her display before, Nathi picked the girl easily, and dragged her out of the row entirely and threw her bag after her. She sat with her legs spread on the three seats and dared the girl to come back. Embarrassed, she left after calling Nathi a mad woman.
"It's always girls causing drama in this class, fighting over rubbish. Mad people." A boy muttered two rows ahead of them.
Nathi stood up, walked up to his seat, found him and smashed his head on the desk before making her way back. Oma was sure she'd broken his nose. He didn't try to fight back.
"Sit down." Nathi commanded and Oma who'd forgotten she was standing hurriedly sat down. This girl is scary, she thought.
People sniggered around, but no one dared talk to her, or even speak out loud enough for her to hear.
"Why are you shaking?"
Obi asked and Oma jumped, wondering when he'd gotten there.
"I just finished fighting for our seats. You're welcome." Nathi smiled and moved Oma's legs so he could sit at the middle beside her. He remained standing.
"I wasn't asking you." He said sharply.
"You're not shaking." He sat down at the edge instead, beside Oma. She blushed.
"Your girlfriend is mad!"
The boy who's nose Nathi had gashed yelled to Obi.
Nathi's act of bravery ended up being useless in the end. Three of them were rearranged and coincidentally, Nathi ended up sitting at the back right next to the girl she'd chased away.
Oma was placed in front, two rows away from Obi. The boy beside her kept advising her to stay away from Nathi because she was bad influence, but still somehow managed to end his speech by asking her for Nathi's number.
When she refused, he asked for hers instead. She rolled her eyes and ignored him for the rest of the day.
Although they'd been rearranged, the question papers were yet to be shared and the invigilator had disappeared. People revised with their new partners, while some laid down their heads. She joined them and laid hers down.
Someone threw a little paper at her. The note read,
"if you ever need help, just turn around. Good luck."
She didn't need to look to know whom it was from. She turned to the next page and wrote,
"Stop throwing papers at me! They'll think it's exam malpractice. And turning back to look at you the last time almost cost me my whole exam!"
She wrapped the note and passed it back to him. She watched him open it. His face lit with excitement as he read it, and with a little laugh, he tore it and began to write on another paper.
His lips spelled out what he was writing and she couldn't tear her gaze away from it. She found herself smiling sheepishly, happily waiting for him to finish writing and pass the letter to her.
He'd learned to write with his left hand and although he was born right handed, his handwriting with the former was more artistic. He claimed he saved it for special occasions, but he was using it now. She didn't want to think too deep into it.
He looked up and smiled at her when he caught her looking. Her heart beat faster. She suddenly felt so conscious.
What was happening!
She read the note.
"Cost you your whole exam?
Even if you fail everything, don't worry. I'll marry you and provide whatever you need.
On a side note, you look pretty today."
She felt chills run down her back. Was he doing this on purpose?
She tried to still her hands that were now shaking but couldn't. She knew he was joking, but she couldn't bring herself to not take it seriously.
"Lol. Sometimes you say stupid things!"
She wrote back, because she had nothing better to write.
She breathed in and passed it to him quickly, avoiding his eyes. He watched her closely and his smile slowly disappeared.
Seconds later, the paper arrived again.
"Is everything okay? Did I say something wrong?
You also didn't tell me why you were shivering before. I hope nothing is wrong."
His handwriting was scrawnier this time, proof he'd switched hands again to write faster.
Before she could write again, the invigilator came in and announced they'd wasted time already and began to share question papers.
She threw the paper back to him, empty and waited for her own exam.
Oma nearly had a heart attack when she saw the questions. They were so complicated and not at all what she'd expected. It was her favourite course for God's sake.
She took in a deep breath and bent her head to say a little prayer. She stayed in that position for minutes, trying to get her jumbled mind to cooperate. She froze when something fell on her back.
It was a small paper. Once again, she didn't need to look to see who it was from. Her heart was pounding, but this time it was from fear. If she was caught they'd all think she was cheating. She opened it with shaking hands.
You'll be fine, don't worry. Xoxo
Behind the note was a miniature outline of all the answers to the questions, written in a way only she, Nathi and Obi could understand as they'd studied together, so even if she was caught, no one would ever be able to prove she was cheating. She couldn't be more grateful.
After the exam which had gone smoothly, she rushed at Obi who was outside and gave him a bear hug.
"Thank you so much."
"You're welcome."
He said, hugging her back.
Nathi was still writing so they still had more time alone, but now she had him, she didn't know what to say or where to start from.
"How have you been?" He asked politely, leading her into an empty class.
"I have so much to tell you..." She began.
"Me too." He said, making her shake with glee. He laughed and commented on how weird she was acting.
Unfortunately, before she could start telling her story, Nathi began to call signalling that their little heart to heart was over.
Nathi came into the class they were in after Obi gave her directions and immediately started talking about how stupid and annoying the girl she'd sat beside was. Oma rolled her eyes.
She zoned in and out of the conversation which was now only between Obi and Nathi who was sitting on his lap. She could have left and neither of them would notice but she had nowhere else she really wanted to go to.
"OMA!"
"Yes!" Oma responded with a start.
"Have you even been listening?" She asked with disgust.
"Asher said he's scared to talk to you after you broke his things. I never knew you had it in you, girl. Good job, show him who's boss." Nathi said with real admiration.
"And what on earth does he want to talk to me about?" Oma spat. She knew Nathi would bring him up at some point, but if Nathi knew the whole story, she definitely would not expect her to speak to her bastard cousin.
"Take it easy. I know what it looks like. He told me everything. Chill."
"He told you everything and he's still scared to talk to me? Tell him not to even bother coming near me." Oma said, looking away.
Nathi stared at her for a few seconds before suddenly bursting into laughter.
"Oma, he was joking about the mystery girl stuff. He wanted to see how far he could push you because you were nagging him too much. He definitely didn't think you'd break his things."
Oma couldn't take this mindfuck.
"That's what he told you? That he was joking?"
"Yes. He said he knows he took it too far. He asked me to apologize to you and verify when it was safe to call you." Nathi said.
"That's messed up." Obi said, shaking his head. Nathi turned to him.
"What's messed up about it?"
Obi turned to Oma.
"You're definitely not going to take that from, are you? He's not worth it."
Oma left the class minutes later when Nathi and Obi began to fight about what he'd said.
As she walked home, she discovered he was right. It was messed up. She definitely wasn't going to take it, she kept telling herself.
She stopped at a hair salon and asked to get her kinky hair flat ironed. As she sat watching herself in the mirror while the stylist rough handled her hair, with the smoky heat which straightened her hair beyond recognition, she tried to convince herself it wasn't because that was what she knew he preferred...
But then as she left, she passed her hostel and took a school cab down to Asher's lodge...