Between The Brackets

SIX

"You should have seen the look on his face." I muttered to Tayo. He dedicated his Saturday to studding the bags in all the right places while I came to help after house meeting ended. 

House meeting was horribly boring. It was basically my main and I repeating "don't be lazy" in a thousand different ways. So, what's the point?

"How did you break it to him, did you say sorry I'm a coward but I ruined our special day because you see, your father- oof!"

I drove my elbow into the side of his stomach. "I sat him down and told him how beneficiary an increase in my salary would be."  

"I thought we talked about lying a few days ago." He glared at me before rolling his eyes. "You know, I bet he caught you all dressed up and on your way out and you couldn't say anything about it." 

True.

"It's true, isn't it?" He took my silence as an answer.

"Not exactly. He woke me up in the middle of the night," due to my nightmare, "climbed into bed with me" after cleaning up the mess he made by splashing cold water on me, "and I woke up after a while," I never sleep after he wakes me up. "had my bath and prepared to come here so he caught me all dressed up and in my room."

"Can you imitate the face he made?" He asked.

"It was something like this." I gave my best imitation of it before Tayo facepalmed me and picked up the next bag. 

I rolled my eyes before doing the same. There was silence for a while before I muttered. "He started getting all whiny and uptight, like tell me one Nigerian parent that puts up with..." I met Tayo's glare. "Okay, okay. Fine."

"Good, now move away before I rub this glue all over your face."

I glared at him. "I wasn't going to say this before, but you look like Papa Ajasco in those clothes." 

He gave me a pointed look and I walked away with my hands up in surrender. Mrs. Ekwaba received me and pointed out what help I could be to her. 

The week had gone normally. The new definition of normal in my life. The only difference was the twitching of Korede's fingers were increasing but I didn't want to look into that. In fact, we hadn't talked since I drove off after our talk. The calls from my parents had increased and so had my ignoring them. 

The only good news I had was Tireni picking up in my class. I told him he's a tiny bit not lazy anymore but the truth is he had gone a mile from being lazy. Just a mile. He asked questions in class and he finished a whole topic we were to treat together, by himself. I'm very proud of the boy...not that he knows. All I talk about is how his rival's work is always neater and he doesn't take more than a minute to solve a question. 

It's official. He dislikes me. The good news aside from the good news is, I don't care because I don't get paid to care. If only I could get paid to care, people would think I came from dreamworld.

A lot of teachers came to help so I wasn't surprised when we were met with fresh snacks in the teachers' lounge. 

"You look horrible." Demi commented.

I flashed her a taut smile. "I look like you." 

"Ada!" She hit my arm lightly, clearly not taking offence. I guess she thinks I'm joking. Not that I keep grudges but it's her fault people are giving me pitiful stares, more so today than before. It's a known fact how many times I've turned down coming to school on Saturdays. Now that I'm here, it gives the wrong but right impression of whatever drama I'm going through.