It's been a long long while😁

Monday January 21, 2019

              When the bell for the lunch break rang, Tokunbo simply placed a book on her lap and her head on her desk. Around her were loud slams of chairs and wild chatter as her classmates trooped out of the class while she stared unseeingly as she fought the wars within.

                After her father had left the house that stormy Saturday, she had fallen to the floor in a heap of Bones and flesh, staring at the hand print on her mother's face as she tucked the baby to sleep.

                "He's wrong." Her mother stated as clear as day.
 
              She hadn't said a word. What could possibly have said?
 
             "Your father is wrong Tokunbo. He wants what is best, I know. But he is doing it wrong."
 
              How would you know? Tokunbo wanted to ask. You don't get to feel like this. You don't get to feel like us.

              But she remained silent, her eyes watching her mother's figure walk towards her and kneel beside her. Two copper brown eyes met, one filled with pain, the other with fear. 

              She closed her eyes as her mother patted her forehead.

                "You are my daughter." Rebecca sighed. "It pains me to see you like this, unhappy and drained. You are not a monster Tokun."

              Tokunbo couldn't take it. She shied away from her mother's touch, turning her face away. She didn't want to see the look of disappointment in her mother's eyes. She didn't want to hear the pain in her words.

              Defeated, Rebecca stood up. Her sigh conveyed that she had officially given up on father and daughter.

              "Your father ran all his life. Until he met me. I wouldn't let him run from me. How grateful he is for that I am sure." Her mother's steps retreated and her words followed. "You need people in life Tokun. Whether you like it or not. So instead of cowering like the coward your father was, Face your mistakes and conquer them. Your father found his happiness, you should find yours."
 
              And with her words haunting every inch of the room, her mother left.

                "Face..." Tokunbo sniffed and tried to focus on the book.

                 I don't deserve happiness.

                 "Hi!!!"
    
              A silent scream escaped her lips as a loud male voice jolted her upright. Her book slid of her lap to the ground and her spine stiffened.

              Was the guy before her crazy? What was the need to shout if he was standing right in front of her anyways?! He grinned so wide she thought his face had to hurt.

                "I couldn't for the life of me recall your name. Remember me?"

                 He did look familiar. Chocolate brown skin, vibrant dark eyes and gelled aristocratic hair. But it didn't matter. She needed to make him leave.

              The crazy guy however ignored her silence and grabbed a chair so he could sit right in front of her. "We met like last week. Your friend was... Chasing you or so it seemed. You crashed into me-"

             She closed her eyes to keep back from talking to him. If he was going to use that as an excuse to get her to talk, he had gravely underestimated Citadel High's murderer.

               "...Sorry about the fall. But that isn't the first time we met."

             She frowned and looked at him. What on Earth did he mean? Was he one of the Skies?

             Wouldn't that be sorely disappointing?
  
              He grinned as if understanding the confusion on her face. "Yeah it's been over a year now. You like just attended one meeting. I guess the argument you saw that day really put you off? I'm sorry but we ArithMeths aren't like that really. Taofeek just had a bad day-"

            ArithMeths?

               "Oh..." She sighed and stared up at him in recognition. "Asher."

             Oh fishballs!

            She shouldn't have said a word! She had been carried away trying to remember who he was that she forgot not to speak. The dude was obviously encouraged by her reply. She was losing control. Fast.

              Asher smiled and leaned forward. "You remember! So, how about you tell me your name?"

              As if he didn't know.

             Schooling her features into a stoic demeanor, she leaned forward to pick her book of the floor when quick virile make hands snatched them off the ground before she could.

                "Give it." She hissed angrily watching as he read her name off the front cover.

                 "To-Kun-Bo." Smiling, he stretched a hand out. "Hi Tokunbo, it's nice to meet you."   

                What was this sick game? There was no way he didn't know who she was. Everyone knew who she was.

                "What do you want?" She spat, slapping his hand away.

                 Asher, unaffected by the fury radiating of her, leaned back into the chair with the stupid irritating smile on his face. "Guess."

                 Her eyes ached to roll in their sockets. "What? You made a bet with your friends that you could get me to talk? Well good job. Congrats, you've been graced with my words. Have fun on your way out."

                And while she was certain she had said those words with full menace and utmost bitterness, the fool before her burst into wild laughter like she had just cracked eggs on her head.

                "Whoa. Good one Tokunbo. But it's wrong. Also drop the act, last I recall, you were pretty sweet."

               Act? Is this guy insane?!

              Mockery. That was it. This itch of a guy was here to mock her.

              "Go. Away. I won't say it anymore."

                "Oh don't be hostile dear Tokun-"

                 "Shut up! Shut up! I don't know what sick games you're playing, but don't mess with me whoever or whatever you are. Go away. Leave me alone! Go and find your information else where. What do you want to hear?! If I killed Andrew? Well if you must know, I certainly did. I killed him. Happy? Satisfied?"

                She had to give herself some credit, she hadn't risen to her feet throughout her rant. She had sat there, in control, gripping her desk like life depended on it.

             "Whoa, did she just-"
     
               "I have never heard her speak before! And we're in the same class!"

                "That's not important, did you hear what she just said? She just admitted out loud that she killed Andrew!"

              Cold harsh reality washed over her. Her knuckles relaxed in defeat. If there was any hope that the rumors about her would die down, it was squashed to bits now. She watched in a tumble weed of pain anger and helplessness as the students who had gathered at the class window whispered furtively among themselves. Her eyes closed tight and when they opened, they met Asher's sympathetic ones.

              Oh keep your fake pity!

              He leaned forward, dropped her book on her desk and whispered. "I can make it all go away."

              "OMG it's Asher."

              "What on Earth is he doing with her?"

                "I can't see well from this angle. They're not kissing are they?!"

                Tokunbo tried to block their gossips and focused on the recent harbinger of evil in her life. He was so close she could feel his breath on her hair.

                 "I want to help."

                  A dark chuckle slipped from her lips. "And what can you possibly do? Wake Andrew up from the dead?"

                  "I wish I could." Asher replied. "I can't."

                  "Now please, Leave." She deadpanned tightening her hands in a fist.

                   Of course the fool was unaffected. He slid his hands over one of her fisted ones. "Life isn't about the pain we endure or the mistakes we make, it's about what we do about them."

                  Hissing, she snatched her hands from his hold. "Go and be motivational somewhere else. You've caused enough ruckus to last me a life time!" She gestured at the onlookers who multiplied by the second. "They will never forget. And they will never leave me alone."

                  Asher nodded pointing a finger at her. "Exactly. So instead of getting all down and negative on the energy they're giving you, how about you actually use it?"

                   Oh no, he had definitely moved from being a fool, to downright insane.

                   "Trust me Tokunbo. I'm here to help you. I want to help you surf these dark clouds that enclose you."

                     Nothing made sense. His words made no sense. Yeah she wanted a happier life. She wanted a fresh start. But what on Earth could some kid like Asher do for her? Nothing. He could do nothing!.

              "...Your father found his happiness, you should find yours..."

             A person like Asher would definitely know a thing or two about happiness. He looked like he reeked of it.

                 Am I seriously considering this?! This is madness Tokun.

                 "Why should I trust you?" She mumbled weakly.

              Asher smiled, but before he could say a word, a figure sauntered into the room and it took a long long time before Tokunbo recognised the house looking girl as Vicky.

                "She's dead." The dark girl muttered bleakly and dropped to the floor like a rock.

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