Joy to Joy

Chapter Eighteen

Dorcas has not asked for my suggestion in solving the question on the Arithmetic of Finance. With the answers to the questions, I obey the teacher's instructions to give her the answers if she asks for help.

But when she gets an answer unidentical to the solution in the textbook, she does not ask me anything.

"Do you know how to solve this question?" I ask her.

"I can do it on my own." She does not look up from the notebook, so I continue to watch.

"Are you guys still in question one? We are in number six." Mr. Emmanuel's voice rattles us as he is our front.

"Please ask her, Sir. She doesn't want help."

"I do not understand the question." Dorcas finally drops her pen.

"But that is why Joy is here."

To make her fail?

"If you think your final exams are like eating rice and beans, keep wasting time. Is the JAMB mock form not out?" The teacher waits for an answer from the class.

"Yes. It is." In excitement, students behind us chant in response.

"Dorcas, I have tried, haven't I?" The response he gets is not from Dorcas.

"Yes-o. If Dorcas wants to fail, then let her."

With a smile, Dorcas stares at her notebook.

"Well, if you want to dent your record Dorcas, the ball is in your court. Joy is one of my best students, and she can help you."

This man should move on to someone else, as many whispers at his statement. Dorcas turns to me as his statement. Did he mean that?

"The same Joy does not mind her business."

"You are doing the same right now," I respond to Ade before taking the notebook forcefully from Dorcas. I try not to ignore how she is about to attack me, and I quickly solve the questions as she watches silently.

For lunch, we all get to eat in the dining hall. After class, Dorcas packs her things like she is about to miss an examination.

"Dorcas, wait. Before you go, can you help me understand what we should read for the mock economics examination?"

"But it is time for lunch." She looks at the time on her black leather hand watch.

"Oh yes. But we can talk about it during lunch."

She shakes her head. "I am not going for lunch,"

"Why?"

"I am fasting."

"Okay, I understand. Is it a church thing?" I make hand gestures.

"A what?" She asks.

"I mean, is your church fasting? I think you mention one time that your church is -"

"So, I cannot decide too fast on my own, bah?"

I raise my hands in the air. "I wasn't trying to do that.

When she leaves, I sigh.

It is not the first time my friends are isolating me. The last time was when Faisal and I got caught gossiping about Dorcas's family divorce.

Things have changed since that, mainly because Dorcas now focuses on making goals for herself, which is why many of us secluded her.

Faisal's actions should not be a shock. He did the same to me when our text messages about Dorcas got leaked.

Now, all I cannot do is count the months. The maximum of six months is all we need for many of us to become high school graduates.

And before Faith leaves for the United States.

She took everyone by surprise. Faith had let me spit in her face about my admission and scholarship while she was making her visa application.

To think this was compensation for all the guys she bagged while I constantly got heartbreaks. No matter the padding I did under my school shirt, everyone knows there are two main fruits; the melons that shake, and the oranges that don't.

I did not go for lunch later but called my mom to pick me up. When I see her, I pray to God before entering the car as she has the same look in the evening, like when she almost collided with a pissed taxi driver.

After dropping me at the entrance gate of the house, I watch in dismay when she accelerates until she and the car disappear. I start a new prayer for her to arrive safely at her destination.

"For in Jesus' name, I have prayed."

"Amen." Someone grabs my shoulder from behind.

"Jesus!" I try to elbow the person when I see Faith running away in laughter.

"Why did you scare me?"

"Why did you scare me?" Her voice raises a pitch as she mocks me.

Hissing, I enter the gates of the house. She is trailing behind me, so I hasten my footsteps.

"Joy, How was school?" She asks in anticipation.

"Mind your business," I reply before she grabs my school bag. That is when I take my attention to her. "Faith, why can't you leave me alone? What do you want?"

She grins. "I want to show you how it feels to be on the receiving end."

Faith is in a loose-sleeved shirt and washed-out blue jeans she wears at home.

"So, what should I do about it?"

"I got a full scholarship three times greater than yours." She approaches me.

"Look. Faith, you can be jobless, but I am not. I have things to study for, so leave me alone before you see the other side of me,"

"I am so happy the tables have turned." I could see she was not lying. Her yellow cheeks are beaming.

"Then why are you here? If you have gotten one small achievement in your life – wetin concerns me. It is your life, and if you do not appreciate it, do not bring me out here to fill your ego." I try to walk away, but she takes a step further.

"At least I am satisfied and appreciate all my parents do for me, but you? You only get satisfaction from others' pain."

"So, is that why you did this? To punish me?" I fold my arms.

"No. Maybe it looks that way, but I am not trying to punish you. I don't do this usually, but I hope you have learnt to stop belittling others with your little achievements." She gives me a dirty look before walking away to the apartment.

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