CONFLICTED

Chapter 36| Resolution

~Lyrics to go: Memories by Maroon5

Chapter 36: Resolution

Christopher

Six months earlier: November

Annabelle and I had it all planned out before today. We figured the only way out of the school premises before closing and once we were in already, was bribery. I had to bribe the security men to be allowed out of the school with Anna, and together, we could go on our perfectly planned date at the special place I've chosen.

Tobi found a vacant spot in the parking lot and drove into it. Our eyes met in the mirror as usual, and that gave me the cue to alight. Quite frankly, I was getting used to his odd character. We never had any casual conversations when he drove me to school and I could tell straightaway that he didn't like his job, with his stoic face and minimal exchange of words.

It was a bit reassuring that he was only a designated driver for my dad. He was called on when my father had to get to the hospital but was too lazy to drive himself, or to take me to school because my father didn't have the time to take me—–and pigs would have to develop wings and fly if I expected him to let me drive his car myself.

Tobi was in his early twenties by my guess, and wasn't particularly gorgeous but not so ugly either. He had one of those faces where he looked Yoruba at first glance. Hair in low cut, plump lips, big nose, ebony skin, oblong face... Not exactly sure what it was, but his features screamed his tribe. I'd never heard him speak any other language besides English and you best bet that it was my father's doing.

Amongst many other things, I didn't understand why my father barely spoke his native language. The few people he addressed in Yoruba were his mother and his sister, aunt Monica, and a few of his few friends.

I was rather optimistic in learning the language as I grew up, but I had many reasons to give up trying. My father preferred I addressed him only in English and other people made weird faces when I tried to speak Yoruba—–you know, that look they give when a white boy was speaking a language foreign to him and messing up the intonation with some weird accent. Regardless, I understood the language and knew numerous proverbs to top it off.

Also, Kelvin___that fucker, would not fail to laugh hysterically at my futile attempts. He was a renowned polyglot himself, having mastered four languages including English, our lingua franca. He learned his native language growing up, thanks to his parents making it imperative that they conversed in Igbo at home. Living in Lagos since birth made him catch on with Yoruba and he grasped French really fast from the school teacher who immigrated from Togo.

I alighted the car and Tobi drove off right after. It was going to be a lot easier to get mixed up in the crowd and sneak out before first period began. So I cursed when I glanced down at my wrist watch and found I had only fifteen minutes left.

As planned, I left the lot and hurried to the senior school to change out of my uniform in the lavatory.

Once I was in mufti, I grabbed my phone and sent Anna a quick text saying I was in school. She was online as well so I waited patiently at her typing... notification.

[I just changed out of my uniform in the ladies. I'll be out soon. Mind you, taking my sweet time to put on this suffocating uniform and ripping it off ten minutes later better be worth it.]—from Anna♡

[It'll be worth it, trust me. You go on, okay? I'll meet you outside.]—to Anna♡

I could almost picture her misery, putting on uniform and leaving her hostel like every other morning only to take it off in the school bathroom, all for a juvenile delinquency. But it would be worth it. It had to. I finally got a chance to be with her, just the two of us. It was all I could ask for.