Asàké

8

I gasped as a hand drew me backwards.

His firm sweaty hands held mine and drew me to the tuck shop. My cheeks were heating up because of what I had just heard.

That definitely wasn't his mum, right?.

"nawa for you o" wale spoke his hands going every which way as we stood. I turned my head towards the juniors who were laughing and screaming.

"don't tell anyone about what you heard" he spoke quietly and I turned to his face.

"I heard nothing" I said back trying hard not to wander around his face.

"that's better" he said reaching for his pocket. He brought out a stick sweet and pointed it at me.

"here" he said wiggling it. " do you want" he asked and I shook my head.

He peeled the wrapper off and put the sweet in his mouth. He folded the wrapper and tried to toss it in the trashcan opposite us but the wrapper fell on the ground.

He turned to me awkwardly and gave a weird laugh before walking to put it in the trash can. I shook my head and I forced back a smile.

"was that his mum " I asked. I was too curious not to.

"I was wondering when you'll ask something regarding that....yes that's his mum, his step mom actually. His mum left his dad when he was a little too young" he said.

"so he's sleeping with his dad's wife? " I asked surprised and he nodded.

"his dad hasn't been the same since his mom left him, the man is already gone I swear, so his step mom does most of the things for him and gets sex in return" he said.

"I thought they only do that abroad.. This is surprising" I said scratching my nails on the wall.. How could something like that happen to a child.

Wale laughed and tossed the lollipop in the trash this time it entered and he gave a small smile and turned to me. My heart skipped a beat when I saw those dimples popout and his pink lips smiling. I could hear my heart beat.

We're talking about Something important I shouldn't be doing this. I straightened up.

"A lot of bullshit happens in this corner of Nigeria, we teenagers are being pushed to the wall continually by our parents mistakes, our government mistakes. They all affect us" he said his hands in his pocket as he stared at his shoes.

The bell rang and the junior students screamed as they ran past us to their various classes.. Why are they always happy anyway?.

"let's go" wale said and I nodded.

"why were you even going that way? " he asked and I racked my brain for answer. Oh lord the literature teacher.

"the teacher called for me.. Now I have to go" I said turning back to the staff room.

"Chai amebo" he screamed after me.

_______

Although I had been indirectly insulted for coming to the staff room late, I was also given a literature text book to revise on. Mr Richard the literature teacher was a nice man.

Here I was studying while adunni's phone kept on making noise. All the 'kpakam' it was doing was annoying.

"wale is telling me to add you on the group chat" she spoke and I sat up right suddenly interested.

"should I tell him you don't have a phone" she asked again now staring at me. I was reading on the floor because it felt comfortable while she was on the bed.

"tell him na" I said and turned back to my books. If only I had a phone.

"mehn this jist is hot....Amaka and faith are fighting" she said again and I shook my head. That faith girl fought with everyone and amaka was just a topic for another day.

The next morning was a Saturday morning and I woke up late and still didn't make a move to stand up. Adunni wasn't in bed and I hadn't done my chores.

I stared at the ceiling fan thinking of nothing in particular when the door came open with Tobi rolling his eyes.

"you want to sleep your whole life away Abi?"

He said and I chuckled. It's true when they say twins are so opposite from each other. Tobi was the more reserved twin who barely said anything and I liked that about him.

His slender body resting on the door and his hands were folded as he stared at me.

"what are you thinking about at your age" he spoke and I just stood watching my cousin. He was wearing the exact same thing he wore when I first arrived.

"I'm never trying incest so stop looking at me like that" he said walking out "mumu" I said laughing and ran after him.

______

"I no get time for you" Elvis yelled at John and the whole class turned to him.

"na why you con they scream, Nigga chill o" John said and he whistled and turned to the class.

"guy you stupid o, oya wetin be one plus one" John asked his hands adjusting his tie.

"guy e Don do, Abeg leave me" Elvis said his head buried in the desk.

"who you they talk to like that" Alex said joining the conversation he wasn't invited to.

"you guys like fight.. no find trouble" Tobi said finally dropping his comic on the table.

"this dumb fuck they follow me talk.. You know see this werey?" John said laughing.

"make I tell your babe wetin you dey do abi" Elvis spoke and Alex  grew angry,  walked up to him and hit his head on the table and dragged him out of the seat. Everything happened so quickly out of fear the whole class became rowdy as people tried to settle the fight harmony kept screaming as the boys exchanged blows.

Wale hissed and walked out of the class...my heart began to beat fast at the sight of blood. I could see the fear in my classmates eyes as they stared at the boys fighting all of them were dumbfounded and didn't know what to do.

Ayo grabbed Alex and held him back. John then grabbed Elvis who was already bleeding and pushed him to the iron made desks and when he went limp everyone in the class became scared as the screams grew louder.

Just then Mr Phillip and the literature teacher came in with wale by their side.

"what's happening here" mr Phillip asked.