Ajoke

Chapter 1

I woke up in a dark room and kept trying to find my way. 

As I tried to find the wall of the room I felt a ping on my left foot, gosh! “na so old age dey take start”? 

I recalled the usual pain I felt every now and then. 

My name is Sola. I am 34 years old, a Nigerian, and this is my story. 

Rewind to 18 years ago when I was still a young boy, life was beautiful, carefree and sweet. That was when I met my first love, the one I broke, I could still remember her smile, her sweet voice and tender touch. 

AJOKE ; A Queen, a beautiful goddess I call her.

I still remember when I first saw her after all those many years, it was May 2007, my mom decided to bring me back to my country; Nigeria so I can get to know and understand my culture and people. 

I felt the necessity of her decision because I barely remembered anything from home.

I bought the idea of coming back home, born into a wealthy home of Mr and Mrs Folakojo, I was the proud son of my father, a father who took pride in the achievements of his precious son. 

I prided myself in this fact and that was how it began, my journey to my mother's land Nigeria.

It was a bright day, while my mom and I got to the school to meet with the principal of Lozi High International Academy, a well-known high school in the beautiful city of Lagos.

My mom, in her usual light manner, took me by the hand and led me like a child with a huge smile on her face as we walked down to the principal's office for the proper information about my intending admission.

I kept looking at the infrastructure they had, I was impressed, I thought to myself, it's not that bad, I might just like it here like I did in the U.S . 

While in the principal's office, he sent for the female senior prefect through  one of the students who had come in to gather data about an impending essay competition. 

Approximately three minutes later I turned around only to find  the most beautiful dark-skinned girl I had ever laid eyes on, walking straight  into the office with a sort of calm and royal air. 

I kept staring like a lost goat who needed help from his owner to locate  shelter.

I smiled like a little musing boy who had been offered a special brand of candy ... my mom nudged my left arm “Sola, what's wrong with you” she said, “she's greeting you boy!”  

That was when I regained consciousness and greeted her too, with eyes as soft as a dove, smile as beautiful as that of the queen of England, I leaned  my right  hand for a shake. 

Hello, I said as we made eye contact. Something about her seemed so familiar but I could never recall ever meeting her or seeing her before. 

Just right there, my mom said, " don't you remember her? she's the daughter of the principal, your friend, Ajoke" the girl you never seem to want to let go off when u were 5, she was your fighting buddy... 

“Oh!!! now I see” I thought to myself, how then did I not know this gorgeous queen used to be my good friend. 

Her father, the principal then asked her to take me to the class for I was to be admitted to SS2 A where she was the prefect; this is getting interesting I said to myself as my mom got up to leave. 

Mom kept talking to the principal while I continued to steal  glances at the beautiful princess who was walking beside me. 

At this point, I guess I started getting the side look, barely inaudible opinions and comments from students and teachers too... 

Mom finally said goodbye to us and left in her car, while I stayed back to attend classes which I felt were not relevant at the time.

Ajoke, the girl everyone admired in school, the girl who had all the boys wishing they could have access to her or have her as their girlfriend. 

Wow! Soon I started asking questions about her. 

I wanted to know everything about her until the day her friend Rita approached me. 

Rita was literally Ajoke's aide-de-camp, you'd always see them together, laughing at people. 

I liked that she had Rita because she was a good friend. On this fateful day Rita calculatedly moved up to me and what she had to ask was the biggest shock to me. 

"Why haven't you asked her out, don't you like her as much as these other guys do? 

You know you guys would be perfect for each other right? Rita, I thought, was one of those people that understood easily, talking to her was not the issue I responded to. 

What if she doesn't like me as much as I like her?  I asked. 

What if she rejects me? I'm not sure I can handle that kind of  rejection from her I said, besides, I wouldn't want to destroy the little relationship I have managed to build with her. 

That was when Rita revealed to me what had been said behind my back. 

She laughed and said “she obviously likes you a lot, okay maybe I can help” she said.

“What if I help you talk to her, bring her to you so you guys can have time alone to talk” she added, unconsciously twisting her braids with the forefinger of her left hand. 

I was very happy she was willing to do this for me, so I accepted the offer. 

Two days later, at the cafeteria, I received a call that some dude in SS1 wanted to see me, so I went. 

When I spotted him, I knew he was one of those guys that had been asking Ajoke out, I realized it had to be about Ajoke. 

I asked, what's the issue, you wanted to see me? Tobi, who was heavily built, stood up and pointed at me, and said, leave Ajoke alone, she's mine! 

I was forced to ask him if she already said yes to him, but he said no, that was when I told him, “then no can't do boss, I can't leave her, not for any reason, not for anyone!”.

With the meanest stare I could muster, Tobi stood with awe, he turned and looked at his friends who also had these stupid looks on their faces.