The Heart's Journey

In School Already!

                 It's been one week I had lived in Nigeria. What a twist! My former school, Beckford was preparing for their final examination and look at me starting the same class afresh!
Anyways, Julius and Adaobi did their best to familiarize me with every nook and cranny of the place we were. And yes, the sun. My skin colour has already started changing. My mum has warned me to apply sun creams but that didn't help- I kept forgetting. Why should I even forget? I met new people also- not my age mates precisely. Elderly people like Julius and Adaobi's parents. I guess that's all for now.
So what's next? I need to be preparing for my new school - British Spring College, Awka. Tomorrow was the D-Day. Sorry, I didn't begin with that.
                     My dad bought me the latest items out of town. He always mentioned of this market, "Onitsha Main Market", which I was sick and tired of hearing. "I bought your sports jersey and canvas from Onitsha Main Market", he said. "Of course, I was excited. Who wouldn't be? I will be a boarder. No longer stick only to Adaobi and Julius. But there was a problem, yesterday I took my time to study the handbook carefully. "Hanging around and holding hands with a girl"- one week internal suspension". I laughed when I read that. I guess all my days in school will be spent in internal suspension.
                         The hands of the clock ran as fast as Flash. Can you imagine that? I looked at the clock and it was 6pm. I went downstairs to where I had kept my box. I was really eager to make my way there fast. I found out that my box wasn't arranged.Who did I even expect to arrange it? I didn't keep any maid around so I arranged it to the best of my abilities and went to read a novel.  I checked through my mum's shelf till I found this 'Purple Hibiscus' by Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie.
Since I was a child, grandma bought me 'adventure series' by Enid Blyton.
"Castle of Adventure, River of Adventure and all of that". So, let me check out how good Nigerian authors are. I switched on the library lights and started reading. It was already 8pm when I was done reading. I was deeply touched by the story and went to my mum's room. "Dinner must be ready by now", she said dashing out to the kitchen.
                          I just looked around, for the first time I took proper notice of the room. I looked at the pictures hanging on the wall - My mum and dad with a small child. "That must be little me", I said, smiling at how small I was. It must have felt hard for them living without their only child.
As I was still in thoughts, my mum called me. "Sam! Sammy! Dinner is ready." I had to go. "Little Sam, I promise I will be back to see you some other time", I said to the picture, before hurrying downstairs.
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                      The resumption date came as expected. After filling my ears with advices from my parents. We set out on the journey. My mum was filled with emotions. I could understand her pain- I was leaving so suddenly.
I waved at her as I entered the car with my dad. "Remember to call me on call days", I shouted as I entered the car. "I will baby. Just take there", she said, wiping away her tears.
                        It didn't take long before we arrived at the school. My dad filled my ears with more advice as if  I would remember every single thing. "Be a good child". That was the only word I grabbed. We managed to see Julius and his parents at the secretary's office. "Take good care of my son," my dad told Julius.
I felt embarrassed when he said that. He was telling my set mate to take care of me. Julius just smiled at me and told me to follow him. I dragged my box along still maintaining eye contact with my dad till he was out of sight.
                        "You know. You're lucky that you're a senior here. If you were a junior boy. You wouldn't get much of a freedom", he said as we moved down to the hostel. The school was a hilly place- Some part sloppier than the other. By the time I was down at the hostel, my uniform had been soaked with my own sweat.
                          "Seems we're having a new student", the hostel parent on duty, Mr. Chuks said as he beckoned us to come to him. "What's your name, boy?", Mr. Chuks asked. "Sam", I quickly replied. "Sam, can you bring out your box for check in", he said. I wanted to ask him how many more check in would be enough to satisfy them but decided to keep that in my head. "Don't talk sarcastically to your elders",my father's advice ringed bell in my head.
I quickly obeyed Mr.Chuks, after all I didn't smuggle drugs.
                         My room number was given to me immediately- Room 101. I checked the members already in that room. They were only five so I guess I made them six. I entered into the room and just immediately they bombarded me with questions. "Hey guy, what's your name nah? Are you an American? Is it your dad or your mum?", they asked as if expecting me to answer all at once. Julius immediately entered. Thank God he was there at the right time. "His name is Sam. You guys should not disturb him", he said and they left me alone.
From the look of things, it felt as if he had authority there. "Hi, my name is Dominion", one of the boys said, bringing out his hands for a handshake. "Oh! Dominion. It's a pleasure meeting you", I said, shaking hands with him. "It seems you already know me. Tell me, have my fame spread round the whole America?", he asked playfully. "Don't be silly. Julius told me about you", I confessed. He turned to Julius and gave him a surprised yet knowing look.
Julius averted his gaze and tapped me."I'm in the opposite room, 102- incase you look for me and besides unpacking should be the first thing you do. Not talking with some people you don't know.", he said and left.
                            From the look of things, he still had that unreasonable grudge against Dominion. Fortunately for me, my room mates helped me to unpack and dress my bed in the appropriate style. I was feeling comfortable with my roomies. I got used to their names. "Dominion, Oliver, Jeremiah, Pascal and Peter."
For a fact, they were fun guys. That night I laughed my heart out. Their jokes were crazy and insane. Tomorrow, I will meet the girls. I needed to get much sleep.
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                             The defeaning noise of the bell woke me from the scary dream I just dreamt.  My clothe was soaked in a pool of blood. I looked to see where the blood was flowing from. Lo and behold, it was from Bliss's eyes. "I'm sorry, Sam. I could have told you.", I heard her say.
I heaved a sigh of relief when I found out it was all a dream. I made the sign of the cross and went into the bathroom to have my bath
                           After bathing, I dressed up ready for school. Dominion was still sleeping, so I did him a favour to wake him up. "Good morning sleep head. If you behave like this. I bet you would run late". He woke up, stretched lazily and jumped down.
"We're senior students for a reason Sam. We don't care about being late", he said going into the bathroom.
I quickly remembered what Julius told me on resumption. "You won't get much freedom of you were a junior student". Those words made sense now.
                          "If that's how being a senior student here is. I can't help making my own rules", I said to myself. The assembly was quite long and boring. The wobbling  movement of my legs indicated that it ached badly. It was as if I would just sit on the floor but as God had it. It was soon over! I found it stressful to look for my names in all classes of Year 12. The long white list pasted at the front door of every class wasn't helping. Disappointedly, I entered one class, Year 12 Gold. "I guess it's time to make a name for myself afresh", I said as I entered into the class.