Ella ✔️

CHAPTER 10

Second by second, minute by minutes, hour by hours, day by days, week by weeks; it began to dawn on me, that Art was really gone. I was hoping that at some point in time, she would jump out of a hiding place, and tell us she was only joking and we were in a reality show. But, such never happened.

Science was losing it more and more, he had stopped coming to school also. His parents had come to school, but he was nowhere to be found, and Soma and I dared not speak. The matter became so serious, that his parents took the matter to the police, and they were searching for him. According to Soma, he won't even step out of the guest room, whenever I wasn't there. He barely ate. I was worried sick and kept on going there from time to time. He ate very little whenever I arrived, then he, Soma, and I would talk. His mind was mostly not in whatever we discussed, he'd stare into blank space mostly, seldom replying whenever we asked him a question. He had become lean and pale, but little did he care about himself. There was nothing Soma and I hadn't tried, but he was simply not ready to walk out of his pains. Sometimes he'd mumble, 'No, I don't deserve to be happy yet. I haven't paid for all my sins, I've not gone through enough pain'. Soma and I would try to talk to him, but he'd always stand up and walk out.

I had little or no time for myself. All I could think about was Science and how he was faring. I didn't even know when the girls went back to school, but I noticed the group had become quiet. I tried reading the chat, but there wasn't much time. They weren't talking about anything serious. But, they did ask of me often, and made sure they said their goodbyes and wished me well, their last day at home. I did miss them, but what could I do? I was also not myself.

My family became super nice to me and provided me with everything I wanted. They began to harbor thoughts that I was probably suicidal also. Whenever I sat down to think of it, I'd laugh. Why didn't I kill myself after my rape incident, it's now after a friend death I'll want to do that? I acted like I didn't notice their strange niceness and moved along with. It was only Tofunmi that acted herself, and I love it.

It was Friday night, and there was no party for me to sneak to, so I had to stay in and spend some time with family. We were all seating in the sitting room, waiting for 'The Johnsons' to begin. Tofunmi was tapping away on her phone, the twins were gossiping and laughing, my Dad was also busy with his phone, while my mom was watching 'My Faltmates' - the comedic TV series they showed before 'The Johnsons'-, and I was lost in my world.

The school had become super awkward. The triplet, Soma, and I played and talked less. Some people were still normal, unmoved by her death. Zara - one of the causes of her death - was super fine and happy. It was only the triplet, Soma, Science, and I that were really affected by her death. Our teachers also tried their very best not to speak about her...

"We look like a very regular Nigerian family, but there is nothing regular about any of us," the voice of Efe, from 'The Johnsons' brought me out of my thoughts, reflectively making me look at the TV.

My lips immediately spread into a wide smile as the movie began. That was the only moment of my day I was happy and smiled a genuine smile.