Special seventeen

Church Girl ⛪

          Don't just be a church goer,
             be a church lover.

  
Joanne  you'll have to go to church on your own, you're wasting precious time, mum said.

I'm almost done, i replied pleadingly, walking past her, a comb on my right hand and scandals on my left.

Mummy micheal let's go before we get to church late, dad hollered.

She knows her way, he continued all set standing by the door.

Joanne I've dropped your transport fare on the table, mum stated before i heard the sound of the door.

Damn! why do my sunday mornings always have to be like this.

That's why i had arranged my dress yesterday evening only to wake up and realise it had a stain i didn't notice yesterday.

And it had now resulted in me ransacking my bag for a good dress.

Everything seemed to have a comma.

Finally, i found a blue off shouldered ankara gown.

Tight to the chest with a full length to my legs with plinting.

Perfect for a thanksgiving sunday .

I combed my natural hair with force and regretted it immediately with the way it felt like i was ripping my head off.

It's at times like this i wish to relax my hair, but just when i had bought the relaxer, i remember how long i have endured and decide to persevere.

My natural hair is going to eight years now.

I dropped the comb and took a ribbon to bound the hair together.

I admired myself in the mirror, this was one of the few benefits of a natural hair.

My hair looked so full, and it was curly like i had added attachment to its tip.

Joanne, princess said walking in. 'Have mum and dad gone'.

Yes they have, where were you?,
I thought you had gone with them, i said assessing her and once again i was proud of my sister's taste in fashion, she is the fashionista of the house.

I was at the back yard, i like your hair, princess said admiringly.

Thanks baby, i replied smiling. 'You're are looking good too'.

This day's we've been quite close, ever since i opted for change, probably because i decided to overlook some things.

But I'm glad i did, she's more like my best friend now.

I also promised to never go late to church again.

What's time?, i asked picking up my bag and searching for my wrist watch.

7:20, we should get going,service starts by 7:30, princess said getting up.

I took the keys and we went out locking the door properly.

We probably looked like twins except that i still looked more mature than her.

As we stood by the road side waiting for a taxi, i saw benedicts dad's car and he stopped before i could turn away.

Joanne and princess how are you, come in,  he said halting his toyota camry.

Good morning sir, Good morning ma,  we chorused receiving a 'warm "morning to you too my dears"from benny's mum as we took our seats at the back with no other person but "benedicta" herself looking overtly engrossed in her phone.

And once again i wished i hadn't given my dad my phone, i comforted myself knowing that by tomorrow the exam will be done and dusted.

Morning!,  princess said to benny, she sat in between i and benny.

She never really liked her, she use to say benny was to full of her self, and with the way she treated me yesterday, it only proved to be true.

She averted her gaze from her phone for a second and was like 'princess how are you'.

I decided to close my already wounded pride and greet first afterall it's her father's car.

Good morning, i said to her and i got a 'Joanne how are you', she said to me in a condescending manner before focusing on her phone again.

Princess looked apalled and furious but i only smiled i wasn't going to let her get under my skin.

We may not have been best of friends but we were still friends, shared some secrets together and helped each other once in a while.

I remembered yesterday when my dad had told me he had seen benedicta.

I was excited and genuinely happy, i wanted to see her and hear all about school life, I didn't have any ounce of envy because the short period i had spent knowing God and building a relationship with him i won't trade for anything.

I wanted to change my character towards her and ignore any bad attitude.

Flash back...

Benny when did you get back, where you trying to escape gisting me about school life, i had said after being taken aback a bit by her new appearance, gold hair, long eyelashes, long nails on
a very short gown.

Joanne, oh you didn't gain admission, she said giving me a pitiful look. 'Sorry am busy, won't have time for all that now'.

She said before giving me a wry smile and turning back to her new friend who was just as flashy, they probably met in school.

I was surprised at her retort, she had said it like i was begging for her attention.

My old hot tempered rude self would have known the right answer to give her that will put her in her place but right then i just had one thing in my mind, if things had been different and i was the one who gained admission and she didn't.

Would i have done the same thing to her?

As i laid on my bed that night, i decided that most probably i would have done the same.

I would even have said 'I told you to be serious but you were unserious  and that's why you didn't get admitted' but then i would still want to be friends with her and tell her every detail about the uni.

I cried because i felt bad but i also thanked God for creating a clean heart in me.

At least now when i gain admission, i won't look down on anybody because i know how it feels.

End of flash back...

Thank you sir, I said as we got down from the car.

You're welcome joanne, benny's dad said and his wife flashed us a smile.

Awnn, they are so nice unlike their daughter.