LOW CUT

CHAPTER THIRTY; THE EXAMINATION

   
  "Ah! her body is hot o."
"Maybe she has a fever. or is it malaria?"
   I over heard my mum and dad discussing before I woke up in the middle of the night.
"Mummy ...... daddy, good evening."
"It's morning, how long have you been sleeping?"My Dad said.
"Um.. since I came back.. my head is paining me."
"okay, bring paracetamol for her please. "
My mum brought one tablet of paracetamol and a cup of water for me.
  It was a drop of cold water landed on my chest I realized that I was half naked and immediately, I started shivering again.
I felt so weak and tired. I couldn't even breath well because my nostrils were blocked, I had to breath from my mouth.
  "Tomorrow your mummy would take you to the hospital. You need to see the doctor. Your eyes are looking so different."
"hnmm... okay."
"Are you hungry?"
"No, my throat.. is paining me. I can't swallow."
"okay, sore throat."
   My mum covered me with a wrapper and went to bed. My dad still stood there, by the bedside, staring at me. I wondered why he did this but I didn't bother asking because was so weak and tired.
  "How is Chibuikem?" He finally asked.
I didn't respond, I pretended to sleep. I wanted to sleep, I just wanted to forget about Osa School  and Chibuikem.
   "Emeka is tampering with that boys future.. " He murmured before leaving the room. Emeka is my Dad's elder brother-Chibuikem's dad. I wondered how Uncle Emeka is tampering with Chibuikem's future.
 
  I was already in the hospital when it dawned on me that today is Friday.
I felt so good missing School on a Friday 'now, who would copy Mr. Dele's annoying Social studies note on the board for him? '
I thought happily. I didn't bother asking my mum if he called because I knew he wouldn't even notice my absence, he'd just come to the class and be like 'hey, were is Winner Obinna? oh! she is not around , please someone should come and copy this note on the board for me. "
     After taking series of health test, I was diagnosed with malaria.
  "Ah! if I knew it was malaria, I wouldn't have brothered bringing you here! Oh! your dad is so stubborn.. let me just but malaria medicine for this girl to take and go to School, he said no. "
" Well, it's not good to treat malaria without taking a test to be sure-"
" Common shut up your mouth my friend, do you know how much your dad  spent on this yeye (silly) test? 2,000 naira for only malaria test? ah! na wa ooo! not to talk of the money and the time I've lost here. Do you know how many customers I've just just this morning? If they don't see me, Iya  mumbarak would snatch them from me."
  " I'm sorry. " I apologized to her, defeated by her complaints.
    I didn't go to School for a two good weeks. I knew that the examination was around the corner but I wasn't bothered. I was too scared and troubled in my soul to go back to Osa School.
   Hence, I missed my mathematics examination.
  "Ah ahn... Winner you haven't been to School for two weeks now, see how you are fresh." Jeremiah complemented me when I walked into the class room.
"Thank you."
"See your mouth, thank you, if you like smile from now to tomorrow , you have already missed your mathematics examination . You can't take it again. " Cynthia said.
" I can and I will. "
" Okay now, go and take it let me see you."
I dropped my bag and was about to walk out of the class room when Cynthia held my left hand.
"So sorry for the sickness... Rebecca told me that it was terrible."
"Okay, I know.. um.. thank you, I'm fine now."
"Okay."
    When I got to the admins office, I went straight to Mrs. Ade's desk and greeted him.
  "Okay, you are very intelligent, you did well in our test, you don't need any examination again. " He said.
" No, sir, I do.... um.. my mum said she would call Mr. Dele -"
" Eh ehn........ am I Mr. Dele? "
" No sir. "
" Okay... look ... there is nothing I can do for you... "He said after shaking his head for a long time and blinking his eyes meticulously. This is the Muslim assembly co-ordinator that keeps preaching about love and forgiveness. Now, he can't even do any of the things he's preached on.
  "But sir, I didn't look at the question paper, please you can set another question for me-"
" are you mad? with which energy? "
" Sir please just give me my examination. "
" get out! " He threw his cane at me but I was able to dodge it and run out of the office.
    When I got back to the class room, I laid my head on my desk and cried.
I didn't know why I was so unfortunate and unhappy. I can't even get the kind of education I deserve but yet, I have to chop off a part of my body for it. I cried until Lisa came to my sit after break period and asked "Winner what happened ?"
I explained everything to her and to my surprise she smiled.
"You know you are very lucky winner, That exam was very hard... if you see. he questions ehn! but I was there in Mr. Ade's office, I saw him put 30 marks for you and Sola. Sola didn't come to School last week Thursday, so, she missed the examination too."
"Ah! God! thirty over sixty? "
"Yes now !"
" That's bad, that's too low! if I had written the examination, I know I would have gotten something way higher than that. "
" hnmm... okay o na you Sabi. "
" Thank you. "She left.

" Winner! " Rebecca greeted me with a hug when I went upstairs to meet her in her class room when School closed.
"Yes, I was sick."
"I know, your mum told my mum. What happened? you look like you have been crying. "
" Oh! yes, I missed my mathematics test and that stupid Mr. Ade refused to give me my own or set another question. He said they don't do that in Osa School. "
" Oh ! sorry about that. That reminds me, a lot happened in your absence o. "
"Wow! give me gist please. "
" Okay... so, your cousin-"
" Chibuikem! what happened to him? "
" Relax, he was suspended last week. "
" Ah! suspended? for? "
" He was in a fight? "
" With who? Owodé??! "
" No, he fought with a teacher! "
" What?! "
" I'm wondering how you didn't get the information because his parents were in School. "
" What did they do? "
" Nothing. Well, maybe they begged shá( though)."
" But I didn't hear anything."
" Asake even came to look for you last two weeks but I told her you were sick, so, she stopped coming. She's very intelligent ó. She helped me with one of my mathematics class work like that. "
  " Yes but I don't trust her . "
" Why not? "
" I don't know-"
" She is a good girl.”
"How do you know?"
"I don't know... I just trust her."
"Well, she told me that there would be a fight on the last day of this term.She said Owodé would deal with Chibuikem if he comes to school. So, is there a way that you can stop him from coming to School on that day? "
" How? I'm not his mum. "
" Well, discuss with her then. "
" I will. "
   I sat down in her sit . I Suddenly realized that I couldn't run away from this trouble no matter how hard I tried to.