Zara

Breakfast was usually filled with lots of noise, clattering, chattering and mischief. However,  Friday breakfast seemed different. I couldn't place my hand on it, but I felt that something was out of place. Ene walked beside me, swinging her arms deliberately.

"SS3 boys weren't around for breakfast." Mona stated.

"Weird," I muttered. "Very weird."

We were now headed towards the classroom area.  We walked quietly past the girls hostel and headed straight down. That was when it caught my eye. The park. The school park was filled with boxes, beds, lockers and students.

"What's going on?" Ene muttered.

I shrugged dumbly as we walked towards it. I was soon able to make out some faces. I could see Baruwa, beside him was Dandy.

"I think —" Jacqueline stopped her sentence short when all eyes stopped short for the drama. Glory Fashina stood before her boyfriend Wole, hugging him closely. Her red rimmed eyes scanned everywhere and no where. Light tears Cascaded down her cheeks as she muttered.

We walked on. I heard more sobs, saw more tears yet I was — normal.

"Oh my Lord." Ene choked beside me. I turned to her. "The boys... The panel boys.. I think.. They are being sent home."

I looked up instantly. My eyes connecting with familiar ones. Toby. He looked away,  casting his lashes down and turning so that his back was to me. Ene left my side and ran to him. Mona sighed and shook her head, I heard Grace mutter that she was going to class and Jacq agreed to go to. I walked over to Ene. On getting to where Ene stood talking to Toby, I saw his eyes clearly. He had been crying.

"So.. They'll just tell you guys to go home until further notice?!"

"Ene calm down."

"How come you guys are only nineteen?! I'm sure more than half of the people left behind also jump fence.. Why —"

I watched as he pulled her close and hugged her. Ene resigned limply and let the tears in her eyes fall. "Your testimonial will be dented."

She placed her hands around his torso and cried harder. "This is so sad. It's not like you're dying or anything but it's really sad."

Toby pulled back. "Don't."

"I can't help it.." Ene burst into tears,  letting the water flow uncontrollably. I knew how close they were, and it hurt me to see them both in tears.

Toby looked away and moved back, lifting his hands to his face. I stepped forward and pulled the crying Ene into my arms. She leaned in and sobbed. Toby signalled for me to take her away. I did as he asked. I walked with her towards classroom area. And I kept wondering why everyone was getting emotional. They were still coming back right?

"Stop crying now, You'll still see him at home sef."

She pulled away from me. "It's different. Their testimonials.. They'll get expelled from boarding house. We'll barely see them.. It's the last days, We expect more nice memories. This is sad."

"Wait.. I thought they were only being suspended."

"No. They've been expelled from the boarding house. None of them will be coming back.."

I suddenly understood what she meant by different.

I sighed and looked back towards the park. Toby now stood beside Wale and Jerome,  his shoulders slumped and his hands limply flying about, explaining something. I felt sorry for him and I was yet to give a proper goodbye.

I nodded towards the park. "Let's go back."

We both walked back silently. We were suddenly interrupted by a car screeching to a stop. The door of the Honda Civic opened loudly to reveal a tall slender woman in Iro and buba who looked in her mid forties. Her eyes scanned the park briefly before she took out a huge brown rectangular shaped cooler. Everyone's attention turned to her. I walked slowly towards Toby.

Dandy dashed from the east end of the park and headed towards the woman. He prostrated flat on the sandy floor. "Ekaasan ma. Good afternoon ma."

"Big boys.. With Big parents." Ene snorted.

The lady shoved the huge cooler at Dandy. He gripped it effortlessly. She threw a spoon and fork at him also. He caught it.

"Open the cooler." She commanded.

Dandy did as told. Upon his obedience, a lovely aroma of cooked spaghetti attacked our noses.

"Start eating it now. Shebi it's spaghetti you want. You'd eat and be full today!" She snapped.

Dandy moved back wordlessly and looked away in embarrassment.

"I swear this is embarrassing." Ene whispered.

"Chai.. The woman cooked spag." Jerome snickered.

Toby laughed lightly and Wale snorted. "My father is going to kill me today. Ex military man."

Wale was not joking. We were all talking lightly while watching Dandy plead with his mom in a low whisper when Wale's father arrived in a Mitsubishi jeep. His father was tall and thick, wore a long lace shirt over lace trousers. Wale rushed to prostrate for his old man when the man jacked him up and slaps ensued.

We all watched sadly,  some crying in the process. Wale tried to Dodge some of the blows that came but his father overpowered him.

"Please sir!" He screamed as his father slapped him again.

The school security men soon interrupted. Thankfully the man calmed down. Wale sat stiffly beside a tree and looked emotionless. I felt a shiver run down my spine. I hoped Toby's parents weren't brutal. After some minutes of waiting, his father arrived. My breathe hitched as Toby walked up to him and Ene walked behind him. On getting there, his father eyed him warily and a discussion ensued. My breathing calmed as His fathers hands remained on his sides. He wasn't going to hit Toby.

****

TOBY.

"I'm so sorry." Jerome whispered beside me. I swallowed. The parents were held up at the assembly hall, talking with the principal while we waited in the park. Jerome had been by my side all the time, and although I really appreciated it,  I didn't tell him because I was too sad to.

"Just look out for my cousin and Zara." I muttered.

He nodded meekly. I wondered how things would be now. With me gone and half the boys who brought the fun. It was terrible. I watched as couples cried their eyes out, only leaving each other when parents and teachers approached. I missed Zara already. And I had to laugh at the fact that we weren't even a couple yet.

"Hey." I called out. Jerome turned to me.

We were both seated on the green and white cemented seat. I leaned on it's solid back and spoke. "Can you help me find out if Zara likes me while I'm gone. I really like her and the chic sends me mixed signals."

He looked bewildered. "Guy you're about to be permanently kicked out of this beautiful hell hole and you're thinking about a chic?"

"Urgh! I know.. I know.. Look I just want to know ok? Just help me find out. Please." I clamped my hands on his shoulder. "Gee, promise me you'd help me find out."

Jerome closed his eyes and sighed. "Fine. Fine. I'd find out. I promise."

"Hey! When You make a promise..."

"...you must fulfil it. I know. I know. I promise in the name of our friendship — see guy,  you're making me sound like a girl."

We shared a laugh after his outburst. Our laughter rang out through the trees and across the noisy park. Jerome. He was a special person to me, always had and even today, no matter where he is, he still is. Although I wanted to query him about our friendship before I left,  I didn't because I was scared that I already knew the answer. I was so scared.

"So you really like her?" He murmured softly. I nodded.

"Hmm.. How did you even fall for her?"

I sighed. "Don't know, it just kind of happened. I always saw her with Ene and I guess I just fell."

Jerome nodded. "Wow.."

"Have you ever genuinely liked someone?" I queried suddenly.

Jerome nodded reluctantly. "I guess so.."

I sat up. "For real?!"

He nodded. "Yeah.. But.. She didn't appreciate me."

"How?"

"Well, I did something for her, something... I'd never do again. See ehn Telemundo can make you do rubbish."

I laughed. "How?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose and turned to me. "I did something nice for her, something that was from my heart and the girl.. Threw it at my face. It just set me off."

"Unrequited love?"

"Hmm. Something along those lines."

"Who's she?"

Jerome laughed lightly. "You can't know her. She eh.. Left, in SS1 second term."

I raised a brow. "I came in SS1."

He laughed. "You can't know her. I'm sure."

My father upon his arrival, announced that if we weren't called back to school in two weeks, I'd be changing school. I didn't want to  though. I had so many memories in Regan, so many to make. When my Father came around so we'd go home, I saw Jerome bow his head to sob. I saw him. And I sobbed too. If this was really the final time we'd both be in the boarding house, it was worth the tears. So I cried quietly at the back seat of my Father's Hummer Jeep. I cried quietly till I slept.

***

Boohoo... Toby my love 😶😶 He's going!