Vagrants

Chapter 37

Few months later...

In the past month, I've been highly commended by teachers and few parents to whom their children had said good about me. These parents wanted me to take private lessons for their students and I agreed. Even when I refused, they insisted that I got paid. So I taught about 5-6 students privately and their parents paid me 7000 naira upon agreement.

The Principal allowed me to start teaching the SS2 and SS3 students because he knew I'd be in the best position to help them with their upcoming external examinations.

This present month didn't go well for me as it was now evident that I was pregnant.

"Why is your stomach big ma?" One of the students from the junior class asked.

I ignored him when a girl asked.

"Are you pregnant ma?"

I wanted to reply with "Can't you see?" or "Do I look like a fat person with bloated tummy?"

But I knew they were young students so I replied calmly.

"Yes." I smiled. "Do you want to feel the baby?"

They nodded so I placed their hands on my belly and they giggled. It warmed my heart. How cute and innocent, they were happy to know that a life was growing inside me.

The SS1 students were nonchalant about it, they knew it was normal for women to get pregnant so they minded their businesses but that was not the case for their seniors.

"Does that baby have a Father abi he doesn't?" They had asked.

"Whether he has a father or not that's none of y-our business." I stuttered.

"Then he doesn't have a Father!" Someone laughed.

"Because she is stammering and her facial expression shows that she is embarrassed." Someone else laughed.

I felt very uncomfortable more than I did when my mother found out about the pregnancy. These were secondary school children and for them to be laughing about it makes it even worse.

Mr. Akinola walked in. He came late that day which was annoying to me.

"So it was sweet abi? You opened your legs wide and he dumped the baby there and ran away?" One boy teased.

"Hey you! Have you gone mad? Is that how to treat your teachers?" Mr. Akinola yelled.

"She is not my teacher. She is just training us."

"If you know what's good for you, you'd treat her with respect and mind your business." Mr. Akinola hissed.

"You know about the Father abi? That's why you're supporting her."

"Yes! Yes, I know him. He's my very good friend. Now shut up!" He lied and I sent him a thankful look.

They kept quiet but I couldn't teach them. I felt very uncomfortable so I told Mr. Akinola to take the class while I sat down and thought deeply.

Damba had put me in this mess and he was definitely going to pay for it. If I find him, I'd make sure that he suffers and then I'll murder him. This suffering is too much to bear. I have 6 months to go and I don't know how I'll cope in the long run.