That Incident

ONE

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𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘚𝘈𝘋 𝘏𝘈𝘐𝘙𝘓𝘌𝘚𝘚 𝘎𝘐𝘙𝘓

I sighed as I looked out the car window. I wondered if I had actually expected the school to change after my months of absence (three months). I had missed a term in school. It just looked the same. As quiet and serene as Pamvielle High. There was little noise regardless of the number of people scattered around the vast compound.

The parking lot was filled with cars and people. All bubbly and full of life. Maybe a few were stuck in melancholic mood like me. Maybe. Parents waving and kissing their kids. Some scolding.

"Aubree." My mum called my name. I had completely forgotten that I was seated in the car with her. Her right hand lightly patting my head.

"Don't call me that." I whispered.

I had come to hate a name I had loved so much.

"Lota, are you sure you want to go to school today?" She asked in Igbo that seemed to battle with her strong English accent.

I chuckled.

"We are here already. What more can I do?" I said watching students clad in their pressed red and black uniforms all beaming and talking.

Girls with skirts swishing around their ankle as they walked. Boys with loosened neckties swaying from side to side. Life was moving on fine—to my dismay.

"You have no earrings on and your..." She was saying when I wasted no time stepping out of the car. I didn't want to hear any lecture on fashion sense today.

Aubree, the girl that seemed to care and value her look so much, cared less.

She was Lota now.

The quirky girl with no hair and a straight face. I couldn't believe I had gone from the girl who was so happy and cool to this sad hairless girl. I missed my thick pitch-black hair. I missed having to have them made in long fat braids, cornrows or sleek bun.

I stared jealousy at the school girls wearing well-maintained braids and cornrows. The way it glistened in the morning sun. It was a whole different level.

"Bye, byeee." I said holding unto my almost empty school bag. It only had few notebooks Alisha brought over to the house. I had tons of notes to write and Alisha was a darling to help me write some of them.

We gossiped about people in school every time she came around. She did most of the talking though especially when I was awfully quiet. All I could was to nod and ask few questions like:

Did Mrs Oluoma really give the test?

We have transfer students?

"Lota..."

"Sir Levi, please drive my mum to work. If we leave her, she might make me change my mind about going to this school. Bye, Mum." I said walking away.

I always talked to my mum with an authoritative voice which she didn't mind at all. I sometimes called her by her name which was very uncommon in Africa. It was like a disrespect.

Alisha had said that if she ever called her mother by her name. She would probably be beaten to a pulp or given a severe punishment.

Breathe, Lota! I said to myself as I approached the hallway. I could deal with this. I didn't have to be so scared of people anymore. Students stared at me like I was some ghost. Whispers rented the air.

"Is that Senior Aubrey?"

"She cut her hair?"

"I heard she had health issues."

Yeah, this is what happens when you disappear without a trace.

Aubree Okali, one of the top three elite students in the school had poofed into thin air and appeared all of a sudden. I felt my hands trembling. To think that the people from that night probably went to the same school with me and were probably staring at me too.

They probably be like... she survived!

It's all probably.

That's a quite a bummer for them. A bummer for me. I wanted to die but I don't know why He stopped that and let me go through this pain. The pain of that incident. I called it that incident. Mrs Ujam said that one day or some day, I will open up about about it. And it's crazy I can't open up to her, she's my therapist. I can't even open up to my own mother.

"Aubree!!!"Alisha's high pitched voice called out loudly. I spotted her outside the staff room holding a pile of books together with someone I didn't want to see just yet.....Fred.

Why did I have to see Fred now. His amber colored eyes meeting with mine. His lips slowly curving to a smile. The skin around his eyes crinkled as he smiled warmly.

  "It's Lota, now." I mumbled as she shoved the books into Fred's arms and gave me a warm bear hug.

Why is she acting like she hasn't seen me in decades? Oh, yeah...I haven't been in school for a quite a while. 

Three months didn't seem like quite a while though.

"Lota! I've missed you so so much!" She shrilled ignoring what I said.

She wore her black Mary Jane platforms which did a great job elevating her cause she's a shorty. She also had her short Korean girl type of skirt and a pantyhose on.

One thing Alisha has never cared of is punishment cause she always violates the dressing code. I've wondered why she has not gotten suspended for violations of the uncountable rules set out in the code of conduct of the great Pamvielle high.

Well. Alisha's mother is in the management board of Pamvielle High, I guess that points out the reason why.

I coughed. A sign to tell her to back off. I honestly don't know what's wrong with me. Like I'll be asking myself that question too: what's wrong with me? 

Alisha's my bestie and of course she's excited to see me in my school uniform and in school. Rather than in those comfy old Spongebob pajamas she has seen me in, all the time she visited me at home where I felt more like myself.

I felt more like a returnee—like a Nigerian in diaspora coming back to her hometown after years.

Oh Christ, I wish I could go back to those pjs. I just wanted to shut myself in my room without meeting any human especially guys. They were the reason I was in this state. I wished I could be alone.

Being with people now suffocated me. I wanted to be all by myself.

  "Aubree..." Fred called my name. His voice as calm as it has always been. I looked up at him like some meek sheep to its shepherd.

Is he going to tell me how much he missed me? Or is he going to ask why I never talked to him after that night?

I can't believe I'm really eager to hear him out. An outpouring of excitement which I hoped that you wouldn't tell from my face.

  "You...you cut your hair?" He said cocking his right eyebrow at me.

I faked a smile, "It's Lota now."

My eyes went to my shoes in disappointment. I couldn't believe that's all he could say. The first question he could ask was this. After I wasn't online for months. After my phone had been on airplane mode for months.

This was all he could ask.

I cut my hair and I'm loving my new look! One job I'm bad at doing is lying wholeheartedly to myself.

"Fred, you can submit the books. I'm taking Lota to the class." She said with her left hand gripping a hold of my right hand and dragging me along with her.