Twirl

Chapter 17

“God!” she whispered as her body shook with fear. The result was out!
Another message came in.

Esther: Have you checked yours?

Her fingers were trembling. She put the phone aside and buried her head in her hands. Her heart was beating fast. She needed to be calm. She dashed for the door and went in search of Lolade. She found her in the living room, sitting on a couch and facing the TV, remote in hand.

“Lolade!”

“Hmm,” she muttered, her gaze fixed on the screen before her.

“Lolade, waec result is out!”

“Really? Have you checked yours?”

Tomini shook her head and went to sit beside her.

“Come and help me check. I’m so scared. Please,” she pleaded, desperately.

She had a gut feeling she failed chemistry but didn’t want to find out on her own. She had written the exam in disorientation. She was bound to fail.

Four minutes later, Tomini was staring at her phone screen, her heart beating wildly. Her eyes pricked with tears as she felt her cousin’s arm pull her shoulders towards her.

“It’s okay,” Lolade said softly.

“I knew I was going to fail chemistry. E8! I knew I might fail but a part of me still hoped a miracle would happen, someway, somehow. God!” She placed her right palm over her eyes in a bid to keep the tears from falling. It was futile. They rolled down her cheeks. Her shoulders began shaking as her sobs grew louder.

“Tomi, it’s okay,” Lolade embraced her fully. She rubbed small circles on her back as she sobbed.

After a while, Lolade drew back from the hug. She placed a hand on her chin and pulled her head up.

“Look at me, Tomi. You will re-take the exams. You will ace it. You will go to uni. You’re not going this year doesn’t mean you’ll never go. In a few years, it most likely not matter that you didn’t pass chemistry at the first attempt. It won’t matter that you had to wait a year before going to uni. Know that God has the best plans for you. He’ll make it all work out for your good. You’re not a failure. You’ll do it again and do it better. I know this. It is okay. It’s okay.”

They fell into a comfortable silence as Tomini drank in her words. What about her dad? What would he think? What would he say? How was she going to tell him?

Lolade broke the silence, “You’ll show daddy when he comes back from work right?”

“I don’t know.” Her voice was low. Her heart felt heavy and she swallowed hard.

Lolade gave a short laugh. “You don’t know my dad. You don’t. You think he’ll flog you or what? If anything, daddy will buy or do something to cheer you up and make you happy; especially because he knows you wrote the exam days after your mum’s passing.”

The smile on Lolade’s face was contagious. She couldn’t help but smile a little.

***

Esther: Hello Madam

Esther: Why did you leave me on read?

Tomini smiled a little on seeing those messages. She didn’t need to let her problems make her bitter. She should be happy for her friend’s success, she lectured herself.

Tomini: Sorry jare

Tomini: Congrats girl, I’m so happy for you

She replied within seconds, asking if she had checked hers. She said yes and went offline immediately. She didn’t want to share her failure with her. Her friends and classmates knew her to be smart and intelligent; she used to teach some of her mates who had difficulties with some subject areas. Now she had failed chemistry. How was she supposed to let people know?

She busied herself with movies on Lolade’s laptop till night came. Lolade reminded her to inform her uncle of her WASSCE results but she refused vehemently. Lolade didn’t push the subject and she thought she was going to let her be and tell them in her own time.

She was wrong. After prayers the next morning, big mummy asked her to stay behind while her cousins left the living room.

“Lolade showed me your results. Why didn’t you tell us it was out?” big daddy questioned, his eyes trained on her. She lowered her head.

“Tomi,” he called out. She slowly raised her head and met his gaze. “It is alright. You only failed chemistry but it’s better you re-do all the subjects next year instead of merging results and all that. Next year, hopefully, you’ll be in a better state and will be more than prepared for the exams. Don’t think about it too much. Okay?”

She nodded and returned her gaze to the tiled floor.

“Tomini, we don’t at all blame you. We understand what happened. You were not in a good state when you wrote that exam. You’ll re-take the exam and by the grace of God, you’ll do well.”

There was a lump in her throat and she swallowed hard. “Thank you, ma.”

“Alright. Make sure you have breakfast,” big daddy instructed in an authoritative voice. He walked to her and pulled her to his side.

“Tomi, my baby!” He rubbed her shoulder affectionately before ruffling her hair. “I’ll see you later.”

He went to his wife and gave her right shoulder a soft squeeze before making his way to the door.