GWEH (Go Away)

4. Walk A Mile In My Shoes

I toughed it out and held my tears even though I wanted to cry.

"Never again," I sniffed and made up my mind to walk to school. I checked the time on my phone and realized that I nearly had one hour and a half to get to school, and if I were to walk, it would take about two hours. I know this because I usually walk from school whenever I only have a one-way fare, which was enough to bring me to school but not from.

"Tammy, babes," Nieko called, waving me to him. He was still by the car. Why this boy nuh leave me alone? See, people already start chatting, say me and him inna things, and poor me never even smile pon him since I came to my senses.
I hissed my teeth and cut my eyes at him, then started my hike to school. I know I will be sweaty by the time I reach school.

And I would be lucky if I reach before the exam starts.

"Why today off all day?"

***

I know I said I wasn't going to cry, but I barely made it on the highway, and I started bawling out my eyes.

"I must succeed in life," I vowed, brushing away the unwelcome tears. "I need to lift myself up so that I will never be trampled upon again." Sometimes I wondered why I went to sixth form instead of looking a job right after grade eleven. Maybe then I would be able to fend for myself.

It seemed like I was walking forever. I took my phone from my matey bag and checked the time.

Who am I kidding? At this rate, there is no way I will make it to the examination in time.

I returned the phone to my bag and decided to run. I made sure that my matey bag was secure, and just as I was about to start my marathon, the matte black car I had seen earlier pulled up beside me and slowly stopped a bit ahead.

I halted in my tracks, feeling panicked. Maybe I should cross the road, I thought. I looked from the car to my surroundings, wondering if I would get kidnapped.

The person came out of the car, and I realized it was someone I had seen around my neighborhood. I think his name is Johnson, Jason, or some J name. I don't know much about him because, as I said before, I stay in and keep to myself.

"Tammy, come in," the tall, dark-skinned man said, waving me to him.

"Excuse me?" I look this man up and down. He looks well put together: pants at his waist, a button-up pink shirt, clean white sneakers, and a big stylish belt buckle. He overdid it with the excess jewelry around his neck, on his fingers, and on his wrist.

"Come inna the car Tammy let me drop yuh a school," he said before hopping back in his vehicle.

The smart side of me said not to go, but I was so desperate. I pray I don't get taken away today. I walked slowly to the car and made it to the back seat, but the man spoke from the open window.

"Watch yah. My girl comes round the front."

I did not say anything but dragged my foot to the other side of the car, looking around, hoping someone saw me when I entered the vehicle, just in case I ended up not making it to school.

I got in the car and put the seat belt on. I was nervous, so I sat upright with my spine straight as an arrow and looking dead ahead.

"Sterling High, right?" he asked.

I nodded and side-eyed him as he shifted gear into drive and joined the traffic.

"Wah grade yuh inna?"

"Upper sixth form," I mumbled like I can't talk.

He makes me nervous, I am not going to lie. And if I am being honest, I will admit that he is good-looking, too, but that is just face value, and that isn't worth anything these days.

"Eee? Suh yuh a big woman then man. Mi hears what your father said to you," He told me, and I finally looked at him. I wasn't sure if I should cuss him off or cry.
"Stop look suh, everybody heard, I just so the thing go still...Give mi yuh number," he said, dropping his phone in my lap. His smartphone was unlocked, and he had a picture of a cute baby boy on the screen. I knew the child. It was then I realized that he was one of the warboats in my neighborhood, baby's daddy.

Give which number?

In which world?

"Mi nuh have nuh phone," I answered, returning his device to his possession. I saw that we finally made it out of the traffic and were just a few minutes away from school. I prayed that he would drive faster because it seemed like he was operating below the speed limit. I was grateful, but the ride was uncomfortable.

Remember earlier when I hoped someone saw me getting into the car? Well, now I hope no one saw me because I don't want me and his baby mother to have things. I'm afraid of her and her generation because they love acid people.

"That the least. Mi know weh yuh live," He said and dug into his pocket, taking out his wallet. Why this man can't focus on driving, I wondered. He took out some money from his wallet. It was a few thousand dollar bills, but I never cared to see how much. "Here," He said, stretching the money to me. "this can bring yuh a school fi the rest of the week and get you lunch."

"Mi good," I said. I was thankful when I saw that we were close to school.  "You can stop the car right here, please," I asked, and he complied, looking a bit upset. "Thanks for the ride."

"My girl, why you a move them way deh?" He asked as the car came to a stop. I  tried to open the car door, but it was locked. And I panicked a little inside. "A help me a try help you out. Mi a try save you from going to that waste man fi the rest of the week. And if mi get my way, you nuh ago need fi nothing."

"Jason or whatever you want. Thank you for the ride, but with all due respect, keep your money. I don't have any more tests for the week, and I can walk home."
I never take man things, and I'm not going to start today. My granny already warned me that when you take man things, they will want something back. I just have to go hustle this week and sew some uniforms.

"Alright, what time do you finish? Mi a come to pick yuh up," he persisted.

"That's not necessary, am sure you are a busy man." I tried to open the door again but it was still locked. Mi nah lie mi fraid suh till mi did wah peepee.

"Bae, mi never ask yuh nothing about that. What time school dismiss?" He insisted.

"I finish at 3 p.m.," I lied. Exams finish at 12:30, which would give me enough time to leave and walk home before he sees me.

Thankfully, he bought the lie and unlocked the door, wishing me good luck on my exams. I ran into the school and found the bathroom. When I got through relieving myself, I stayed in the bathroom stall and cried before giving myself the confidence-boosting peep talk for the second, maybe third time today. I finished up in the bathroom with more than thirty minutes left, so I went and found an empty classroom to try and relax until it was time to go to the exam.

When it was finally time, I went into the test, said a prayer to the Most High, and then began answering the questions to the best of my ability.

(1300 Words)