Between The Brackets

TWO

"Victor, Tolu and Maria."

"Good, good." I wrote down their names. "Go tell them that the Igbo-Yoruba witch is calling them."

Tireni looked like he was having a hard time containing his laughter.  

I wrinkled my nose at him multiple times. "You think I don't know what you people call me? Why won't I know?"

"Nobody calls you that!" He guffawed.

"Uh-huh." I threw my head away playfully. 

When the laughter had died down, I turned to him. "Have you considered my twenty minutes after-school lessons? I keep my word."

A ghost of a frown appeared on his lips. "I have to go to my next class now or I'll be locked out."

I lifted up my left sleeve to have a better view of my wristwatch. "You have four minutes till your next class."

"I have to be early." He countered.

"What subject?" I folded my arms and leaned on the first desk in his class.

"Agriculture." He murmured.

"You do Agriculture? That's good. Are you doing well?" My eyes remained on the tense boy before me.

"I'm doing okay." 

"You know, when my son tells me he's doing okay, I officially know he doesn't like where he's at." 

"I'm alright with where I'm at." He said.

"Good to know." I said, not believing a word.

"Yeah. Can I leave now?" He asked.

"Why don't you want to help yourself?"

"I'll be late." He avoided my question.

"You have three more minutes." I countered.

"It is not enough time to get there."

I walked to the class telephone and checked the poster beside for the Agric lab number. After a few rings, the call was picked. "Hello?"

"Pardon Tireni Olaitan, I'm holding him back."

"Kedu ihe o mere n'oge a?" What did he do this time?

"Nothing." I replied.

"Ehnn? I dighi-ekpuchi Onwe-ya, gi onwe-gi? I mara na I dikwa nma." Hope you're not covering up for him, you know you're too nice.

"Don't worry, he didn't do anything." I glanced at the boy.

"Okay." He said. "We're doing something important today so be quick please."

"I will." I placed the handset back on the switch hook and turned to Tireni. "We've been given time."

He frowned.

"It's just twenty minutes after classes. Have you never enrolled for after-school help?"

"I'm okay actually." He said.

"Do you know I can make you do after-school lessons with just one phone call?" He didn't say anything. "Okay. What do you want to be in future?"

"I don't know yet."

"What do your parents want you to be?"

"A surgeon."

"Do you know the type of grades you need to be a surgeon?" I asked.

"...Yes ma."

"Why aren't you trying to sit up then?"

It seemed like he wasn't going to answer me with the seconds wasted in silence.