MEMOIRS OF A GOOD GUY

CHAPTER 1

"Ayo be fast na" The deep growly voice hissed behind me.

"Yeah i'm trying my best"I said as i fiddled with the keys to a door. A door that was labelled "EXAMINATION QUESTIONS. REQUIRED PERSONNEL ONLY"

Yep. You probably guessed it. I was about to steal exams questions.

But how did this happen? I asked myself that as the doors opened and we were plunged into an array of carefully sealed documents.

"Start searching for our necessary subjects"He said.

And as I started bringing out sealed envelopes tagged Mathematics,English... I asked myself again how did this happen?

It was then I recalled that fateful day. The day I would live to regret. The day it all began.

**********

My alarm rang for the the fith time.

"Pasito a pasito, suave suavecito
Nos vamos pegando, poquito a poquito"My phone chimed.

"Oluwa o! Ayo please turn off that thing"My brother,Tunde,whined as he dragged himself off the bed.

"That song has been played so much it's stuck in my head"

"Yeah remind me to change my alarm tone from Despacito" I said as I got off from bed to turn it off.

I sighed. My first day as an SS3 student. Finally the university life is just within my reach. Which one would I go to? Unilag. Maybe. UI. Well..Uncle Jide went there. I don't think I would be going to any of the Eastern Universities. Although UNN would
be a good option cause...

"Hey I think you should get ready for school"Tunde said interupting my thoughts.

"Abi" I replied half-heartedly.

I got on my knees to say my morning prayers.
That took about five minutes.
Then I went into the bathroom.
As I brushed my teeth,I looked at myself in the mirror.
Well I would say my looks are pretty much on the average. I had dark skin with dark brown eyes and a pretty broad nose. My ears were humongous. When I was very little,the kids at school called me Jumbo. My mom told me that I would outgrow them. Apparently,she lied.
My hairline seemed to be receeding. Hopefully,its just my imagination and I wont be completely bald by twenty-five like my cousin Wale.
Tunde says I look like Wesley Snipes.
My body?Let's not go there. I was as skinny as hell with no muscule tone.

"Ayo,your food is getting cold. Mummy is getting angry"Bola,my sister,announced at the bathroom door.

Time to stop admiring myself.
I was done in record time. Thankfully,my uniform was ironed by Tunde.
He looks nothing like me by the way. He's handsome
with his thin nose,his small ears and his teeth were so white you could probably get blind by looking directly at them.
Genetics is unfair.
I passed the sitting room and looked over to the wall adjacent to the television,and there they were.
My prizes.
Acquired over the years.
Best in Basic Science,Social studies,Mathematics throughout my junior school.
Best Student in Physics,Chemistry,Math and Biology for two years running.
Somehow,The Best In English Language prize eluded me. No thanks to Chiamaka Iloh.
I look at them every morning before I go to school as motivation.
If Dad was here,he would be so proud of me.

"Ayokunle!!!!"My mom shouted making sure she stretched that last vowel.

"Mummy I'm coming"I tried to say firmly but my voice quivered.

I joined my siblings at the dining table and settled down to eat.
Club sandwich and tea.
Yummy.
I reached for one piece and a hand slapped mine softly.

"Kilo ndamu e? Won't you pray for before eating?"My mom said looking at me sternly.

"Sorry ma"

I said my prayers and got down to business.
Looking up,I think I may have caught her smiling.
My mom is a really amazing woman. Ever since Dad died,she has managed to raise us on her own with her meager salary as a lecturer in the University of Lagos.
She's beautiful,Tunde and Bola got her looks. They all had the same thin nose and light brown eyes.
But now her countenance has changed over the years.
Her hair once jet black was now streaked with grey.
Her once flawless skin was now sprinkled with wrinkles.

"Oya it's six twenty-three. Go and drop your plates. We are leaving now before you get late for school"

"But Mummy I'm still eating,Tunde said with his mouth full.

"You will see who will drive you to school na"She said rolling her eyes.

Tunde heaved a deep sigh and tried to stuff the remaining pieces of food inside his mouth. Too bad he was a slow-eater. I had finished eating eons ago.
As he rose up to go and drop his plate,I said"Help me drop mine too. Thanks"

"And I should help you because?"

"I'm your big brother"

"Big brother that cannot give someone twenty-five million,is that one big brother?"He said grinning.

I forced a smile. Tunde and his dry jokes sha.

Moments later,we all got into mom's green Toyota Camry and zoomed off.
As we drew closer to school,I couldn't help but sense this feeling of dread.
I made the sign of the cross as soon as we stepped out of car.

I read the sign in front of the school," AVANTI HIGH SCHOOL..WELCOME BACK"

But for the first time in six years,I didnt feel happy going back to school.