Ìrètí [Completed]

2| SCHOOL

"Ireti, are you going to attend Modupe's birthday this Saturday?" Islamiat asks me as she arranges her books in her locker.

"Her birthday?" I say as I lift my head from my desk. "Didn't she celebrate it on Monday in class?"

"That was just class celebration. The real deal is on Saturday at Bliss Hotel."

"Bliss hotel?" I say, squinting my eyes.

Though Modupe's family is financially stable and she's not poor as people like me, I don't think her parents can give her the money to throw a party at an expensive hotel like Bliss Hotel.

"Yes. Her boyfriend is sponsoring it. She invited her friends and some of our classmates to the party. I got invited too." Islamiat says as she zips up her bag.

"I wasn't invited." I said losing interest in the discussion.

Modupe can never invite me to her party. She doesn't like me. More like she hates me. Well, apart from Islamiat who seats beside me in class, none of my classmates like me. Not like I care. Well, maybe I do. A little.

"Oh. I heard that her boyfriend will pay for all expenses on that day. I wonder where he'll get the money from. You've seen him before, shebi?" Islamiat asks with that look in her eyes that shows she's ready to gossip.

I nod at her in reply. Though I'm not in the mood for talking, I really need to get my mind off the negative things I'm thinking of right now. Moreover, I always enjoy when Islamiat tells me things like that. It's funny to watch her expressions and gesticulations as she gossips.

"He came for our inter-house sports last year. He's fine ehn. I heard he attends ASA. He spends money on Modupe like kilode. I'm even jealous. But he doesn't look like the son of a rich man. It's like he's earning his own money. Do you think he's doing Yahoo? I heard some boys in ASA do Yahoo." Islamiat says, gesticulating.

Accord Boys' Grammar School Akure, ASA, is a boy's only public school. The boys there are exposed so I'm not surprised that some of them are into Yahoo.

"He doesn't look like someone who's into Yahoo. But well it's not like we'll know" Isliamiat continues. "Modupe said the party will be fun and lit."

I roll my eyes at that. I don't like parties. They bore me. Actually, in my sixteen years in this world so far, I've only attended two parties and apart from the eating and drinking, I wasn't really interested in the activities.

"They're even planning to swim in the hotel's pool. I've never been to a swimming pool before not to talk of swimming. I really want to go to the party but my dad won't allow me" Islamiat says in a sad tone. "I'm no longer a baby. I'm sixteen. I don't know why my dad still controls everything about me. Very soon, I'll graduate from this school and enter university. I wonder if they'll follow me there. My mum even told me if I get admitted into FUTA, I'll be going to school from home. I won't stay on campus. God forbid. I won't even choose FUTA at all. I can't school in Akure. I'll choose a school far from home."

I look at my friend with a slight smile on my face.

Islamiat Alabi, my only friend in school is the type of person we call butty or Ajebutter. She's one of those over-protected children. She's the last child and only girl in her family with two elder brothers. She's very naive and too innocent for her age. Even after spending five years in public school, she's not sharp at all.

Her parents control and monitor everything relating to her. Her dad still brings her to school in the morning and pick her up after school. She's not allowed to go anywhere they don't approve of and her going for a birthday party at some hotel with a group of teenagers alone is definitely what they won't approve of.