𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐨 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 2022

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆

"Social studies is the study of..."

I was back in school, and back to my full Health and in all honesty, I couldn't stop thinking about him. It never even occurred to me to ask for his name or number and he never asked for mine.

"Maddylen Adeyemi Coker! I see you got yourself lost in cloud 9. Come back to earth, please,"

Miss Gbemi our social studies teacher said. She's in her late twenties with copper brown eyes, flat nose and slightly pointed lips. Her natural hair was dyed to a Golden brown and she always wore it to a tight ponytail. She was currently dressed in a Brown and black patterned blazer with a white inner and Black pencil trouser. She snapped her fingers at me to get my attention saying.

"If you know your 'cloud 9' is more important than learning, then why don't you just stop wasting your parent's money and quit school!" She said sternly.

I just looked away from her in response, not wanting to say anything. She was the meanest teacher in all of the junior block, always blunt at every point in time. Never for once had she stopped to chose kindness over truth. Just when I thought it was over and she was just going to walk back to the board and carry on with the teaching, she said,

"Is that a stray tear I see? Please, such a cry baby. Crying isn't going to help you learn how to read, dummy!"

I had no idea she had seen the stray tear that I unknowingly let escape my eye lead. I quickly wiped it off, putting my head down so my face is completely hidden from her. She hissed loudly saying,

"Sure, olodo. Better raise your head from the table and listen to the rest of the teaching, that's if you would even understand,"

These were her words, exactly while leaving my table to continue the teaching. I just simply ignored her letting my head lie where it was as I cried my eye out without making any sound. She wasn't the only teacher who treated me this way,  none of them were particularly nice to me when I gained admission into Oceanviews secondary school, and it just got worse when they found out about my disabilities in JSS1 third term.

I've been bullied one way or the other ever since,  and Miss Gbemi had made it her soul missions to constantly remind me that I don't belong here. It was disheartening to know that people didn't want to associate with me because of my reading disabilities. I had no one to call a friend, no one to assist me with reading, no one even wanted to be paired with me any time we had group assignments. No matter how hard I tried to be friendly, to look appealing, it was all to waste because my classmates including my teachers wouldn't even look twice at me talk less of acknowledging my existence.

I got used to their maltreatment over time, got used to the fact that I would never have a friend, got used to the fact that I would always be labeled "the class olodo" I got used to the fact that I would always be a loner. Even after getting used to it in JSS2  it still didn't make it hurt less. There were times I was publicly humiliated in the cafeteria, at the School gate, in the school laboratory. Whenever I was with new people. As long as students from my school were there, then there was no escaping route for the humiliation, it was guaranteed!

The ringing of the manual bell by the timekeeper in the senior block brought me out of my thoughts. I sighed, dipping my hands into the pocket of my school uniform to get my handkerchief. I wiped the tear that already stained my face turning my eyes red. I blew my nose Before I gradually raised my head from its position.

I noticed the class was empty. They all must have gone for another class. I would have checked my timetable to see which class it was but then I remembered, I can't read. I sighed bringing out my audio recorder.

I have one of all of the 16 subjects I was offering.

Yes, you read right, I offer 16 subjects which are Mathematics, English Language, A Nigerian Language (Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo), Basic Science,  Social Studies, Fine Arts/Creative Art, Agricultural Science, Civic Education, Christian Religion Studies, Physical and Health Education, Business Studies, French, Computer Studies, Home Economics, Music, Basic Technology.

I make sure to have separate voice recorders for all 16 subjects because I didn't want to get them mixed up if I had two or one. I needed to organize it to the point that I labeled each of the recorders the days and times that I have the subjects that are recorded in it.

Since today was Tuesday and the time on the clocks in our class says 10:08 am, I pick up the recorder that had the 10:08 am on it. I played the recorder and was the voice of our Agricultural teacher that came out. I stood up and took the recorder also my textbook and went to my class.

The class we used for Agriculture was in another building entirely.

The school Is structured in such a way that there were 6 buildings altogether, 3 for the juniors and the other 3 for Seniors. One out of the 3represents the cafeteria and the other two is where we have classes. I got to the second floor of The third building entering the first class. Low murmuring that was heard in the class while the teacher was teaching, instantly died the minute I walked into class.

I took in a deep breath fearing the worst as our teacher slowly turned to look at What caused the whole class to be suddenly quiet. She saw it was me and I could immediately see how her face sharply contorted into a look of disgust and disdain. It was always like this. She just looked away from me and carried on with teaching the class.

As I passed by her, she muttered something loud enough for the rest of the class to hear.

"Eh rii, wobi oshey woobi buredi to jasomi. Shoor "
Translation: look at her, she how she is swollen like bread that fell inside water.

I cringed walking fast to go have my seat at the back of the class while my classmates were laughing. After the laughter had died down she continued the class and everyone went back to focusing on the class.

2 hours later, the bell went again and we all filled out of the class one after the other. Some went back to our classroom which was on the third floor of the second building while some went to the cafeteria directly. I went back to my class instead. I didn't want any trouble at all even though trouble was like my Shadow following me everywhere I went.

I got to my class and I was glad most of my classmates chose to eat at the cafeteria instead of in class. After all, it's Lunch Time, so most people would want to eat in the cafeteria. I took my seat which was at the center of the class. I brought out my food and utensils about to dive in.

I opened my food-flask only to find it invested with sand. I was heartbroken, Crestfallen in fact beyond compare one of my classmates must have done this and I can't go and report.

Who Will I report to? Who would listen to me? How am I suppose to table my complaints? In the first place, when all they are going to say is.
"Next time don't leave your food in the class," I was too hurt to even say a word.

I packed my books in my bag and emptied the content of my cooler in the dustbin before putting it back in my school bag. Without thinking twice I carried my school bag left the classroom sneaked out of school And headed home.