Guys, first and foremost, I am 😮😮😮  by the rankings below for this book.

I want to thank everyone who has been reading, voting and supporting me. This is all your doing and I am so grateful.

Who said Nigerian Youths are lazy,eh? Na we sabi book pass. Thank you for sticking around and I know with more of your support, this will be one of my biggest achievements. I love you all so much.

I am so emotional right now😭😭 and it's tears of joy o.

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The Yuletide season had taken a toll on Selah, creating mixed feelings inside her especially the Christmas and New year's day when she washed plates of uninvited guests who came to the house.

She was glad it was over and she'll go back to school again.

Her dad called her one evening while she was packing her scattered clothes into her box.

'When did you say you're going back to school?'

'Daddy Thursday,' she replied and smiled.

'hmmm...no qualms.'

She left the room quietly and started washing the clothes she had postponed for laundry in preparation to travel back to school.

'Uwana!' she called her younger sister.

'What?' came the harsh reply.

'Please can you give me this your white bag, let me use in school.'

'No. What do you use your money for? Buy bags and clothes with it.'

'Issokay, trader. Thank you.'

'Mtcheww...mbok skittard,' Uwana added and walked away; making Selah more angry.

Selah counted the days she had left at home; getting more excited to leave and see her friends again.

The day had finally arrived and Selah woke up around 05:00am to have her bath and prepare for her trip. The sounds from her box and the light she put on woke her dad up but it didn't bother her. The faster she left to school, the better for her.

The sky became clearer and by 7:30am, the family gathered to pray for her. She hugged her sisters for long and then her mom. She was going to miss them so much, despite her sisters evil acts.

'Make sure you read your books and have first class. Nobody likes a girl that is not intelligent. Save money too.'

'Yes mummy.'

'If you like, when you get to school, throw your phone away so that you will have excuse for not calling. You always have excuses up your sleeve.'

Daddy do and come outside biko let's go her thoughts kept rambling.

'Now you have blacked out on me. Let this woman keep talking, after all I am traveling far away, abi?

Jesus, since when did she become psychic?

'Jesus! Mummy,' she yelled and frowned, this time for her mom to notice.

She got into the car and her dad drove off. She started another to-do-list of her pros and cons, cancelling names of people she didn't want to be friends with her. It was going to be a different ball game entirely. She won't take nonsense from anyone and she will mind her business; composure and maturity.

'How much is your school fees?' her dad asked.

'Daddy I don't know. I'll have to check when I get to school.'

'Kod nwed mfo. Akok ami awisi k'peke anye ke eto.'

'Yes daddy.'

'I will pay money into your account for your upkeep. Manage it well and save as you can.'

'Yes daddy. Thank you.'

'Thank God.'

Seriously? You're welcome would have sufficed.

She got to the park, paid for her ticket and her dad helped her carry her stuff to where her bus was loading passengers.

'I'm going. Take care of yourself.'

'Yes daddy.' I love you she said in her heart and hugged him, watching him walk to the car, start it and drive off.

The journey was sluggish. She had slept more than twice and still. the woman's shoulder again, who didn't even shake because she was resting on someone else's too.

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Thank you everyone that has been in support of this book from day one. I am pleased to say that you are my inspiration.

Please don't forget to read this chapter and vote or comment. It matters. Let's keep up the good work. This book is slowly taking a turn. God bless you.

In this chapter, you'll come across my native language, the new thing I have introduced in my book and I interpret:

*Kod nwed mfo. Akok ami awisi k'peke anye ke eto*  means  Read your books. We don't pluck the money from trees.

*mbok skittard*  means  Please go away or get out.

One love ♥️♥️

Joy Akpan 😊