When a national strike shuts Nigerian public universities and millions of students return home, where is Joy's brother?
Joy has two parts of the day she never thought could change. Mornings, when She and her flat neighbor Faith would turn the apartm...
No one has uttered those four words to me before; 'I hate my mom', especially someone as old as Akunna.
Once I was close to acting out those words, but I did not air my dirty laundry to outsiders, no matter how bad things got with her.
Culturally, I have rarely met a Nigerian child entering adulthood speaking about their mom the way he did.
I guess we learn new things every day.
"Okay, Akunna. Why are you telling me this?"
He moves closer to me. "I am just tired of everything. My dad wants to leave my mom, and everything is her fault. That woman will destroy her home with her hands."
"But - "
"Wait, Joy. Am not done,"
My ears tingle at his words, and I do not bother to object.
Akunna does not continue, and I clear my throat. I wished he would appear from upstairs, but Brian's annoying face was nowhere to be found.
"Akunna, I am sorry about what is happening to you. But know that everyone has family problems, but that does not mean we spread it to strangers."
"Honestly, I have only told Brian this, but you are right." He covers half of his face with his hand. It was not to hide his face in shame but to massage his dried skin.
"Oh no, I have been here for three hours already. Gotta get back to that hell hole," Akunna rises, and I get up too.
It was about time.
"Bye, Akunna." I close the door after him before going to the dining room.
Brian is still somewhere in the house, so I pick up his lesson note on the dining table and begin to write down questions I was now sure would cause him trouble during his examinations.
Later, I hear footsteps approaching me before I see Brian sitting on my right.
"Sorry I am late, I was – " He points to the door, and I narrow my eyes at him.
"You were?"
"It doesn't matter," His body stretches as he makes some satisfactory noises.
"Really? Well, I have been waiting for you for a long time when I could be studying for my exams. Does it still not matter?"
"Fine then. I was shaving." He folds his arms, and I look at his face closely. There was usually nothing there.
"In the last quiz, you gave me, I failed most of the questions on logarithm," He takes the book from my hand and goes to the exact page. "There,"
"No, I do not consider 60% as a failure. That is progress from when I started teaching you,"
His pink lips curve. "You are just saying that because you are the teacher,"
"I don't care. Try and finish this exercise, please."
"Thank you."
I want to check my phone for any message from my parents, but then Mr. Nosy would probably use that as an excuse not to focus.
Instead, I watch him solve the questions.
Now that he is up close, I scan his body. His light skin is clear, except for a long diagonal line passing from his triceps downwards.
"You have made so much progress, Brian. I think I will tell your mom about it."
Suddenly, his pen draws a similar scar to that on his arm, but on the open page.
"Why did you do that?"
"Why would you lie to my mom about that? We are not making progress,"
His eyes remind me of how I felt in the first days of going to school alone, with my brother being a fresh high school graduate.
"I know there is a lot of pressure to be the best, but I believe she would like to be proud of this." I place my hand on his shoulder but redraw it when he stares at the hand.
There is silence between us until his face slowly loses its hardness.
"I understand you. I want to learn at my own pace without being pressured. Do you get me?"
I nod my head. "I do."
Moments pass, but he does not pick up the pen.
"I saw you and Akunna speaking with one another." Brian sits up straight, and my breath hitches.
I know there are cameras all over the house, but it is chilling to hear it from him.
"Yes, I was. What about it?" I analyze the authenticity of his polo shirt.
"Did something bad happen to his mom?"
"No, nothing is wrong. Akunna was telling me something," My jaw tightens when I remember what he said.
"Okay then. Anyway, let us not be distracted. We have so much to cover." A smile lightens his face, and I do not know when my mouth starts to spill.
"Did he also tell you about it?"
"Joy, about what?" He comes nearer.
"Well, you are his neighbour, so I guess he also told you. I do not think he should be saying that about his mother, but here is what Akunna told me."
Brian sucks his lips in until they suddenly disappear as he listens to my words without breaking eye contact.
Staring back at him only made me more aware that I was doing something wrong. Yet, I continue. If Akunna told me, Brian should also know. I hope he does.
"And that is what Akunna told me about his family," When I finish talking, Brian nods before focusing on the notebook.
"So, we were talking about logarithm..."
"Oh. Yes, we were," I agree, but Brian does not look at me any longer after I spilled all the dirty details of his friend, Akunna.
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