“It's fine.”
The boy said it calmly as he stood, brushing the dust from his clothes.
I stood too and handed him the things I had knocked over.
“I'm Ebube.” He stretched out his right hand.
I hesitated before taking it.
“Doyin.”
My eyes drifted to the logo on his uniform: a white long-sleeved shirt, golden tie, royal-blue blazer and matching trousers.
IMPERIAL COLLEGE.
Fancy.
A very fancy uniform for a school that had come to a funding programme.
“Full name?” he asked.
“Adedoyin.”
I wondered why he needed my full name. Wasn't Doyin enough?
“Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.”
“Where are you headed?”
“Outside. I need some fresh air.”
“Same here. This place is freezing.”
I nodded. I know, right?
We walked out of the hall together and took the staircase down to the ground floor.
“Longford High, right?” he asked, glancing at the name embroidered on my uniform.
“Yes.”
“Where's that?”
“Iyana-Ipaja.”
“Really? My school is actually around there.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. Not too far.”
“Where exactly?”
“Maryland.”
“Oh. I see.”
Fancy, fancy.
My school could never.
“Is your school mixed?” he asked. “Boys and girls?”
“Yeah. What about yours?”
“It's an all-boys college.”
“Oh.”
I looked around, hoping someone would come along and rescue me from this conversation.
“Yeah, it gets boring sometimes,” he continued. “No girls around, you know?”
He gave me a cheeky smile.
I forced one in return.
I didn't get the joke.
“Hey, can I get your number?” he asked. “We could chat sometime.”
He even made the telephone sign with his hand.
I searched desperately for an excuse.
“Um… sorry. We aren't allowed to have phones.”
“I know.” He laughed. “I mean during the holidays.”
He pulled out a pen and a sheet of paper and held them towards me.
I needed another excuse.
“I don't have a phone.”
He stared at me.
“You don't have a phone?”
I shook my head.
YOU ARE READING
Rats, Roses And Paper Bones
Fiction GénéraleDoyin is used to being silent. After a false accusation forced her to leave her old school in shame, she arrives at Longford high ready to disappear. No one knows what she's running from, and she intends to keep it that way. Between low self worth b...
