Family Matters•••[COMPLETED]

Chapter Seven

Umar's POV

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen! I'm professor Kennedy Walters, the Vice Chancellor of this Great Institution, the one and only university of every child's dream..."
*scoff*
"... the one University in the Nation that's never picked as second Choice, lest you've decided to sit at home for a couple of years till you decide to choose wisely..."
*coughs*
"The same institution produces thousands of first class graduates every year, men and women of high academic and moral standards, disciplined and well trained in each of the courses they've chosen to give back to the society through. I'd love to stand before you to praise these people more, but time, unfortunately limits how far we go sometimes, despite our zeal... now, I'm pretty sure that come four, five, or six years, your names would appear in the appraised book of records"
"AMEN!!!!" everyone but me, must have chorused that. I flinched in surprise, as I readjusted myself in my seat, it felt like the force from the enthusiasm around them was gonna blow me away, everyone seemed so content and relaxed, like the time they'd all been waiting for had finally come, they watched Professor Kennedy with such awe and glee not even bothering what the future held in store for them. I looked nervously around for Tik, the hall was so full and I was unsure I'd find her, I slumped back in my seat disappointed, playing with the gown they gave us to wear. I felt someone tap me, and I looked towards the direction to see a boy that seemed slightly older than me with a grin so wide I was scared the sides of his mouth were going to start bleeding. I continued with what I was doing, paying him no attention, I really wasn't in the mood to speak to anyone, if it wasn't Jones or Jibreel, or Tik, or any other person I was familiar with. These new faces were making me sick and I wanted Nothing more than for the matriculation ceremony to be over. I felt him tap me again, and I just couldn't help but feel like the guy was dumb, couldn't he just get the hint that I didn't want to talk to him, much less anybody!

"Hi, my name is..." I didn't even let him get to the end, I didn't care about his name and that was final!
"I don't care about your name, shut up!" I could hear my voice, it sounded rude and harsh, but I just didn't care, if it kept people away from me then I'd feel better.
"Oh!... I'm so sorry, it's okay though, my name is Jibreel by the way, I'm also in Cell Biology and Genetics. I hope we get to know each other better. You seem really cool"
The boy chattered away effortlessly, like seriously, was this dude gay or something?... "I hope we get to know each better", I quietly mimicked him. why on earth would a guy use that line with another guy? I rolled my eyes suddenly feeling very tired and irritated, then I stopped and turned to him,
"wait, what did you say your name was again??" I asked, obviously startling the innocent guy, he looked at me and next thing I know, his mouth was forming that weird grin

"I knew you'd come around,... I'm just sooo very much irresistible, trust me, no one's ever able to say no to me"
He said, rubbing his invincible beard,... well, this guy really was something uh!... irresistible my foot! What on earth was he thinking?

"Are you gonna tell me your name or not?!" I asked for the second time, getting impatient

"Oh, you're the feisty type! I like it. My name's JI-BRE-EL, very much nice to meet you, sexy!"
Oh Allah, what had I gotten myself into, did he just call me "feisty"?... never had I ever imagined that I was gonna have an encounter with a gay dude for the rest of my seemingly miserable life, could things get any more worse?
"Hahahahaha!!!.... I got you! I got you!!... I bet you were thinking that I'm gay! You should have seen your expression man! Did I call you sexy?... ohhh... that line is getting really stale, I'll think of something better next time, chin up. I knew you weren't as hard as you appeared to be. What's your name by the way? Or should I just stick with sexy??"
Jibreel asked tapping his chin, honestly it would have been easier to accept that this dude was gay. I just stared at him for a while, then I sighed in defeat and told him my name.
"Hmmm Umar, such a nice name. You know the second rightly guided caliph right? His name was Umar too! Umar Ibn Al Khattab!! Yeah, that was his name, ohhh... I long for the day I'd be in the company of the prophet Muhammed may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and all his companions, and we'd be eating pizzas, no... shawarma,... Umar, do you think the prophet would enjoy eating shawarma?... ooorrrr.... pounded yam and soup with assorted meat and vegetable soup, I think he'd prefer to eat home-made delicacies, ...
"There's only one way to find out, ..." I said cutting him off
"Why don't you die already man? If you're lucky enough to make it back, you can always let me know what the prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him would have preferred! Aarrrggghhh!!! You'll just talk me to death!"
He began to chuckle, then gradually he was laughing so hard! Making sounds like a chicken, various heads began to turn in our direction and I just couldn't help but feel so embarrassed, the guy sure knew how to attract people's attention. If he didn't bear the same name as my best friend, I'd have been tempted to punch out the living daylights from his body.
His laughter subsided and his face immediately became serious,
"I'm sure you also think that I'm a chatter box and what not, I wouldn't blame you, I am and at the same time, I'm not.
"I don't mean to pry into your personal affairs man, but you just seemed so sad, everyone here is happy and over excited cos they got the opportunity to be chosen into this awesome institution, and for some reason, you aren't. I had to do something to take your mind off whatever it was that's bothering you, even though it wouldn't last long. Even though I had to draw so much attention, I'm sorry about that, but consider yourself lucky Umar, do not let the fear of anything or anyone hinder you from moving forward in life, let those fears be the one to shape you into who you wish to become. Cos my friend, time would go and wait for no man, worrying so much wouldn't solve anything, you can push everyone away,but you can't push the future anywhere, you have to drop those worries so they don't make your future life burdensome. You have to trust in God and believe that He'll guide all your affairs, you have to be stronger than your fears! I don't know you man, but I just feel so attracted to you, no homo man, none at all, I'll be here if you ever need me."
By now, my mouth was just opened widely...He finished, patting my back and looking sincerely sorry for me, I felt pitiful but it didn't hurt, he was right, Tik was right, I had to deal with my fears, it might not be easy but with the help of those that loved me, God first, I'd overcome them.

Although I couldn't believe that the dude that almost pissed the living shit out of me, was the one so effortlessly putting broken pieces of me together, I shook his hands in gratitude and I smiled, a real smile for the first time in months, and I could feel some wight being lifted off my shoulders. We turned back towards the podium, where the MC was announcing that it was "the breakfast" segment. We were instructed to form a queue and move to the back of the hall to get our packages.

Two hours of dining and entertainment passed and the ceremony finally came to an end.
Jibreel and I walked out of the hall, we decided to go to the mosque some metres away to meet our families. He was expecting his dad, two sisters and an older brother. Whereas my mom had invited almost everyone we knew, from family members to friends to neighbors to friends' friends and family's friends... the mosque organized spaces with tents and chairs where families could hang out.
I offered Jibreel to come sit with us with his family. They were really nice people and he had beautiful sisters Ma Shaa Allah. I introduced him to my mom and Tik, my Grandma, Grandpa, and few of our relatives that cared to know him. Dad called that he couldn't make it but he would be home during the weekend to celebrate, I had gotten used to his absence already, even on occasions like this, work still took precedence over anything else. Like he hadn't made enough money! If he would just resign from the damned work and over the company to someone else... or better still sell the whole thing off to someone I didn't care to know...
"Umar! "... mom's voice cut me out of my thoughts, I looked to see her beaming at me with pride, her gaze moved from me to Tik, and back, she seemed so fulfilled. I smiled openly at her, getting up to respond to her call
"What's up momma!?
"I asked what you wanted to eat! I've been calling your name since, you seemed lost. Everything okay?" she asked Slightly worried
"Everything is just as fine, mom, I was just thinking of some things, Alhamdulillahi we're here mom. ... so what did you cook? The breakfast they served in the hall didn't even fill me one bit, I'm sooo hunnngggrrryy"... I said rubbing my tummy, mom pinched my cheek and laughed.
"I trust you my boy, always with a healthy appetite... well, there's Jollof rice, fried rice, moi moi, plantain, spaghetti, sausages, salad, beef, turkey, boiled eggs... for the swallows, there's eba, amala, fufu, pounded yam, wheat meal and there's also egusi soup, pepper soup, vegetables and ogbono, ewedu, okro soup... whatever you want Umar, where do we start?"
She finished, beaming satisfactorily, this woman and her food were gonna be the death of me
"Mom!! Are we feeding the whole school?!!" I exclaimed
"Well, I could work on that" she replied thoughtfully
"I'll have just jollof rice, fried rice, sausage, spaghetti and turkey"
"Did you say "just" little brother?" Aatikah teased coming up from behind me with a plate in her hand
I hugged her and feigned an innocent look
"Yes sis, I don't want to eat too much, I'm watching my weight you know, I'll just eat this and come back for swallows in few minutes"
I finished pecking her on the forehead, I really missed her today. I smiled inwardly as I heard her chucke as I walked away...

So that's it people. I don't know if you'll love JI-BRE-EL, but I hope you will cos, I know you can all guess that we'll be 'reading' more of him... let me know if you like his character tho, I'm gonna have to work a lot on him... please vote, and comment.
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