My Nigerian Fairytale (Completed)

Chapter 42-Empathy

   My first paper in the principals office is English which I scale through fairly easily, but then comes Physics which has me sweating buckets in an air conditioned room. Luckily that passes without much casualties.

   By prep Tobi sits me down and revises the Physics exam questions with me.

   "Why am I doing this?" I ask petulantly.

   "I want to make sure you did well," Tobi says tiredly. We have been arguing about it since prep started, "Miracle cooperate with me, he says rubbing his forehead."

   "Just do something else guy," Richard inputs. They've been watching us with interest since we started fighting.

   Tobi groans and finally picks up his Biology text book, "Okay something else. Happy?"

   I nod my head with enthusiasm and he smiles.

   "Are you sure he will actually teach her with the way he is looking at her?" Richard stage whispers to Emmanuella, "I think he should be teaching Chemistry since that seems to be their main interest."

    "Tobi don't forget to teach her about reproduction. Really explain it," Emmanuella says and the whole table burst into snickers. Tobi drops the biology book and picks up Mathematics, we both avoid each others eyes as we try to ignore the snickering baboons around us.

   The week soon runs into Friday and with the end of their exam Emmanuella, Tobi, and Emmanuel dedicate the rest of the day teaching me. Oddly enough Emmanuel is actually a patient teacher, Tobi is the get-it-immediately-and-stop-asking-stupid-questions impatient kind of teacher though he tries to be patient with me, but I can see it on his face that my questions and confused looks are eating away at that patience.

   "Its very easy na. This 2 is going to divide 10," he trails of at my blank expression. He rubs his forehead, "Where is your head at today?"

   After an intensive class with Emmanuella on Biology I don't think I have space in my brain for Math. Mostly because I'm distracted, I've been trying to ignore it since I started the tutoring but the more Tobi explains the more pressure I feel.

   Amelia had dropped a passing comment in the bathroom today and suddenly the pressure seems all the more real.

   "The guilty shall receive their punishment, " she was saying to her friends when I passed, "No be fail dey go fail last last. Some people really shouldn't aim higher than they deserve," they giggle and I walk on like I didn't hear anything but the knot in my stomach has been tightening ever since then.

   "Is it worth it?" I ask softly, "What if I still fail?"

   Tobi grips my hand, "Stop listening to what that banshee says."

   I smile at that, "Its not about what Amelia said. There is a lot riding on this."

   "Okay look at it like this. You have Emmanuel and Emmanuella, the over achievers as your tutors. Do you think those scary siblings will accept this kind of negative thinking from you?"

   "True, " I mumble.

   "Then you have me, " he says, "Who has a lot of faith in you. I know and believe that you will surpass your expectations."

   We smile at each other, Tobi's warm grip seems to be transmitting comfort to my heart and I really like it. We are suddenly interrupted when a shadow looms over us. We both turn to see Pelumi awkwardly standing at our table, he shifts around a little before finally looking at me.

   "I heard what happened and thought I should help the little way I can, " he hands me a book. Its an old notebook, the edges terribly bent.

   "Its my SS2 jotter. Everything you need to know on Mathematics is in there, if you read with it I'm sure you would pass," he walks away immediately before I can say anything.