UNEDITED READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
"Listen Nne..."
"No you listen to me, I went against my mother's instruction and advice on boys and relationships and was willing to risk it all for David, what did he do to me? He made me a joke," she waved her head s...
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My desire to go to school on time today will not be a reality, and it's all thanks to my dad. The man woke up this morning, on the wrong side of the bed. So, he decided to take his frustration out on me.
"David, I hope you really studied for your exams, let nothing prevent you from taking advantage of that scholarship." He couldn't mind the news he was watching, he's more interested in talking my ears off, before I go to school today.
I looked at my mom, telling her with my eyes that I can hardly take in his talk about scholarship this early morning. Sometimes, I regret accepting the offer but when I think about it further, I realize that I will benefit from the scholarship than he will. He's managed to ruin my mood, I couldn't find the appetite to continue my breakfast of bread and hot chocolate drink.
Ikenna snickered from where he sat beside me on the dining table. I gave him the stink eye, then rolled my eyes at him. He wasn't going to school for now, it was only SS3 students that were permitted to start. I passed the leftover bread on my plate towards him, then took my Dunlop bag from the couch in the sitting room. Using the handkerchief I left in the bag, I cleaned my mouth before going to stand beside the couch dad was seated on.
"Daddy I'm leaving, my transport fare." I looked at my shoes while I spoke to him. It doesn't matter that he's being a thorn in my flesh, I'll still take my allowance and t-fare.
He looked at me from head to shoes before taking out some notes from his pocket. He counted three hundred naira out the money, and handed it to me.
‘You still gave me better money after all.’
I thanked him, announced my departure and made my way into the street. The time on my black leather watch said, 8:12am. Morning lectures, we were told would start by 9am on the dot, and from my house to the school is approximately twenty minutes on foot. So, I chose to trek to school this morning.
The air was chilly and the weather was cold. The harmattan wasn't fully out but it was in motion. I didn't bring a sweater along with me, and I wasn't cold anyway. Besides, the long-sleeved shirt and jacket I wore with a white polo inside the shirt, was enough to protect me from the cold weather. Walking the dull road that led to my school was an experience I've never had before. The streets were too quiet and almost empty, except for passerbys and few traders who opened their kiosks.
It was the New Year, many people haven't returned to the daily hustle of city life yet. They're still enjoying and spending the money they earned the previous year, with their families and friends. I wondered why Mr Adetayo, our Principal, instructed that we begin lectures this quickly. I got closer to the school, on the street before the street GCH was located, was Hassan's house. It would not be bad to drop by and see if they've gone to school already.
