That Incident

NINETEEN

❦

𝘞𝘏𝘌𝘕 𝘞𝘌𝘙𝘌 𝘠𝘖𝘜 𝘈𝘕𝘋 𝘛𝘙𝘐𝘛𝘖𝘕 𝘊𝘓𝘖𝘚𝘌 ?

It was five in the morning when my mum pleaded I call my grandpa and thank him for the gift. She stood in the middle of the sitting room drying her wet lustre hair with a towel. The television blared. A male newscaster dressed in suit was giving a weather forecast for the day. Funny how no one listened to weather forecast in Nigeria. Maybe I was the one of the people counted as a few that listened to weather forecast.

Most cloudy and there was a eighty percent chance of rain. Rain in harmattan. Probably not going to happen.

"Lotachi, please call daddy and thank him. He most especially picked that scarf for you. You don't have to take the things he says to heart. He's that way." She said in a quiet voice as droplets of water fell from her hair to the rug.

I frowned as I pushed the last spoon of the cold breakfast of cornflakes into my mouth.

I'm not like you that tolerates everything

"He doesn't like me, mum. Remember I am an offspring of the man he was against you marrying. The same man that left you. Now I understand why he doesn't like me...."

"Stop talking nonsense. You are my offspring. Only mine. I gave birth. I carried you for nine months. I breastfed you."

But I'm a product of his sperm, I thought.

"Just please, my baby. Do this for mummy." She said. I could understand what she was trying to do. Just like a typical African woman making efforts to bring her family together. Mothers were powerful indeed. Women were powerful too.

"Okay, mum." I said nodding as the alarm clock went off. It was time to bathe. A new day at school. I needed to give Triton the answer to the question he posted on his Instagram story. He asked about a novel I had read and I couldn't wait to tell him the answer in person. He had also promised a gift too.

I couldn't help but wonder what my conversation with my grandpa was going to be like. Was he going to talk to me like that man's offspring or his granddaughter?

❦

"Triton! Triton!" I called after him as he was heading out for break with a group of his new friends. Zac and Femi were his new friends. Those guys that were actually good for nothing. Always going on and on about girls and soccer.

I ignored the look Alisha gave me. She looked at me in disbelief.

Triton turned to look at me. A smile plastered on his face.

"I know the answer to the question. It took me a little bit time to figure it out but I did anyway." I said thinking to myself. My voice was a little bit high pitched as usual. I noticed that everyone in class had paused whatever they doing or saying and stared at us.

"Can I hear it?" He said drawing closer.

The silence. Why was everyone not minding their business?

"You don't want to love—your eternal and abnormal craving is to be loved. You aren't positive, you're negative. You absorb, absorb, as if you must fill yourself ..." I recited it like a poem. Triton nodding his head as if in satisfaction. I had not given the answer yet.

"It's from Sons and Lovers by D.H Lawerence. It was said by Paul to Miriam. It was one of the classics I read when I was away from school. I have it pasted on the wall of my room." I said.

"You are correct." He said with a clap.

"Where's my gift?" I asked excitedly.

"I will give it to you when we are alone. People are watching." He said walking away while the class murmured and awwned.

That was so cringe. What was so wrong if he gave me the gift right there?! Why do we have to be alone before he gives it to me? He makes it sound so special.

"Wow! That was a whole new drama between you and Mr Triton, the guy you once hated."

"Alisha, the word hate is a whole powerful emotion. I disliked him because I thought he was a flirt and all proud. He's kind of flirtatious though." I said.

"Well, then. You had a intense dislike for him which turned to L-O-V-E."

"Shut up, Alisha." I slapped her shoulder lightly.

"We need to talk, Aubree." Fred said walking up to me. He was dressed shabbily. His shirt untucked and his afro hairstyle untamed. Good heavens!

"What if I don't want to talk to you." I said but he was dragging me along with him outside the class to the corridor filled with people.

"Aubree, since when were you and Triton close?"

"It's none of your business, Fred." I replied sharply.

"Aubree, you can't get close to that guy. I can't stand it. I like you..." He was saying. I could feel something was wrong with the way his hands were shaky. His eyes were red. His breathe smelt funny. Smelt of burnt weeds. Burnt weeds!

"Have you been smoking? I thought I told you to quit the habit." I whispered.

"This is what you do to me, Aubree. I'll be in shambles without you. You are the only..."

"You have a girlfriend. She can help you. She has already warned me to stay away from you which I have always done but you keep coming to me. I have go cause I don't want anyone to pour me acid all because of you.." I said walking away.

Fred had really quit smoking the last time. I knew him very well to know that once he quits a habit. It's a quit. Something was wrong. Something I didn't know of.

I thought about what he asked. Did Triton and I seem close?