Beyond Hate

Seventeen

"ehn?! Na lie!" Karen shouted.

Mona raised a brow upon hearing her voice. I sat up from my slouched position and placed my book aside. I'd been reading nonstop as the final exams were fast approaching. We had not gone on a mid term break because of the tight schedule and late resumption. The test had come quickly and unexpectedly the week before and the announcement that exams were in two weeks had pushed me to read more.

Glory Fashina dashed out of the yellow house, Temi and Morayo were hot on her heels. They approached Mona's corner, panting and excited.

"you people. Who's finer in Michael and Tobi?" Morayo blurted.

Mona raised a brow. "Michael frying pan face?"

I burst into silent laughter as I jabbed her. Mona broke into laugh. "what? Is not true? He has this kind of... Pan looking face. I didn't say he's not fine."

I shook my head lightly. "why are you asking sef? "

"we're seeking top five finest boys for set."

"and Michael is among?"

"yes, is he not fine?" Glory queried, now looking perplexed.

Moray laughed. "no!"

I zoned them out completely but they were persistent. "OK. This is the top five o."

I looked up to see Karen now standing there, smiling broadly and speaking. Karen? ".....Toby, Fuhad, Michael, John and Ibrahim."

Mona opened her mouth agape, she shifted her book aside and focused on them. "wait. Your list has some k-legs and crooked nose. You didn't add Ehis. Forget that he's a nerd, he's hot and fine. You didn't add Jerome...."

"ehn?! Nobody is talking about him o. He's just fair. If you look at him well, if he's dark hell be ugly." Mirabel, the assistant head girl shouted from my corner. She was reading partners with my bunkmate.

Mona looked towards her. "Madam Deputy. Have you looked in the mirror, imagine that you're fair. You'd look like that troll in Merlin." Mona winked to lighten up her insult. "OK. My point is.. We shouldn't be judged based on the skin colour. If you're fine, you're fine. There's nothing like if. Jerome is fine. Let's face it. Stop imagining him to be dark. It's not his colour."

"he's not that fine to me o." Morayo called. "OK. Ehis is finer. But he doesn't do well to bring out himself."

"he's on the low. Thank you."

"Well, I personally think Jerome is finer than Michael. But he doesn't make the list though. Dandy is finer and has a good body. He makes the list before both Michael and Jerome." I piped in.

They all exchanged looks, weighing my words.

"no o. No. Jerome is way finer than Dandy...."

"I heard my baby's name!" Betty walked through the threshold demarcating Sapphire house from Topaz house. She was dressed finely in her red checked gown and her perfect gold coloured slippers. Jerome's babe. She smiled dazzlingly at us and raised a brow. "Jerome what? "

"Jerome looks like a fucking chimpanzee," Mona said dryly. "now can you shift so your elders can discuss."

Betty bent and tapped her head lightly. Mona withdrew with a light laughter. She always did that, hide insults with dazzlingly smiles and hysteric laughter. I couldn't help but laugh too.

*******

Jerome smiled as my hands grazed his softly, tightening the watch around his wrists. The moment it was done, I patted him softly. "all good."