Life Of Jiji

All Rights Reserved

2020 Tena Ifiemi

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"ЯΞЏΛ! JłJł!" ł HΞΛЯÐ mom shout as I struggled to pull my box out of my room. Today is going to be my first day at Mel. Which is apparently what the students of Meliora Academy call their school.

I'm a bit nervous that soon, I'm going to be one of those students. Would I make friends? Do I even want friends? Would people even want to be friends with me? Forcing the ugly thoughts to the back of my head, I stop at top of the stairs and wonder how I'm going to get my heavy box downstairs. Segun, our driver usually does it but he's on a few weeks break for his mother's burial.

"Dafe, please help your daughter bring her luggage downstairs. We're running out of time." After mom said this was when I noticed her presence at the base of the stairs and the sound at my back made me realize that my dad was indeed behind me. My heart beat faster as I hurriedly stepped out of the way. Did I ever say I don't have a good relationship with my siblings? My relationship with my dad is much worse.

"Good morning daddy." I greeted.

He was dressed casually in a loose-fitting tee and Nike shorts while my mom was fully dressed in a green pantsuit which looked really good on her. Mom was the one dropping us off at school why Dad was staying at home which should explain the choice of clothes.

"Jiji greet in Urhobo! I've told you this a lot of times." My mom said.

"I'm sorry, Omamo urhioke." I greet again, bowing my head just a bit in cultural respect.

"Good morning Ejiro." He simply said before picking up my box and taking it down the stairs.

I followed behind him, giving enough distance between us and when I got to where my mom stood, I greeted her; in English though because although mom forces me to greet my dad and our relatives in Urhobo, she doesn't really mind which language I chose to greet her with.

Breakfast is rice and stew. We normally would have had something lighter, like cereal or tea and sandwiches but since we're travelling mom decided it would be best if we eat rice so we wouldn't get hungry quickly. I personally agreed with her, I don't know when next we'll be able to eat again and I don't want to starve till then. After breakfast mom logged into Skype on her iPad so that we could talk to TJ before we start going to the airport.

"Hello family!" TJ's voice came accompanied by his tired looking face and I realized that with the time difference between Nigeria and Canada; where he's attending college we probably just disturbed his sleep.

"I can see that you guys have no regard for my beauty sleep" He said causing my mom to laugh and say 'shut up jare'. Reya asked 'Which beauty?' to which TJ widened his sleep deprived eyes, feigning hurt. Knowing that we had disturbed his sleep was making me feel guilty and my sensitive self wanted to end the call and let him rest.

"Hello TJ!" I called out , moving closer to the screen."

"Hello Baby of the house." He greeted back and I blushed. I personally think I'm a bit to old to be called 'Baby of the house' even though I'm the lastborn. "How are you Jiji?" He asked.

"I'm fine. You? You look stre-" I was about to comment about how stressed he looked before Reya pulled the iPad out of my hands.

What they talked about, neither me, my mom or dad knew because she left the living room. By the time she came back, mom had been tapping her heeled foot on the floor, annoyed, as she had taken a lot of time. Dad had already put all our luggage in the trunk so after a peck goodbye from my mom, he went back into the house and we started our journey to Port Harcourt Airport.

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The 1 hour, 10 minutes flight to Lagos was pretty smooth. I slept of while listening to music with my headphones. It surprised me that I actually slept, the flight wasn't long and I slept well last night so...

At the airport, we went to SPAR to buy snacks and provisions that we would smuggle into the hostel. Yes, it's not allowed but we need to survive don't we?

When we were done there, we sat on a bench outside and waited for our Uber to arrive. Then we headed for Mel. The distance from the airport to Mel was not short as I expected and the Lagos traffic was definitely not helping matters. Spending too much time on the road always made me restless and I would've started acting out if Reya did not suggest that we play rock-paper-scissors. That too got boring and a few minutes after we ended the game, I was ready to scream when Reya squealed.

I looked up to see that we were indeed driving along a large grey fence with beautiful well-cared-for flowers adorning the sides. When we reached the large entrance gate, I looked up and saw the long horizontal slab carrying the name Meliora Academy.

"Okay, you both. Phones, gadgets..." Mom demanded passing us her handbag and looked back from the front seat were she occupied to make sure we followed her instructions.

I switched off my phone and dropped it into the bag and Reya did the same, after taking her sweet time to say goodbye to all her chats...one after the other. I saw as mom's jaw ticked in annoyance and unable to keep her neck in such a position for too long she turned back and sat straight leaving Reya to do her thing obviously not having the energy to start arguing with her. I was about to open the door and get down from the car but someone from outside opened it for me instead.

"Ah, you must be Ejiro. Your mom already informed me that you would be joining us this session." The woman babbled as she helped me out of the car. "Stand well let me see you." She said and my head spun.

Ejiro you are not a child so stop behaving like one.

Oya stand let me see you well...

"Jiji, my dear are you alright?" Mom asked, her forehead drawing lines in confusion. I nod and she proceeds to introduce the smiling woman in front of me.

"Okay Ji, this is Ms. Angela. She's one of the hostel parents. Make sure you tell her if you have any problem o and if you ever need to speak to me even on weekdays, tell her okay?" I nod and she continues. "If you run out of provisions..." She reduces her voice, "Tell her, I'll give her money to get more for you. Don't tell Reya oh, she doesn't always get these favors" She winked and I smile.

Mom waves of the ever-smiling Ms. Angela before gripping my shoulders and looking straight at me. I try to keep her gaze but that has never been possible for me with anyone so I look at my feet.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay Ji?" She asks and I nod. "Are you sure? There's something you're not telling me. I'm your mother. You can talk to me." She prompts and I try to talk my self into not tearing up.

"I'm fine mom" I say and immediately hug her tight pressing my face into her shoulder so her dress could dry up my stubborn tears but I couldn't get away with just that because apparently mom sensed something and pulled me back to face her. I tried to duck but she held my face and the tears began to flow faster.

"Jiji-" She broke off the look on her face making it hurt even more. "What's wrong nwa m?"

"I'm just going to miss you, a lot. That's all." I tell her. It wasn't entirely a lie, since I would miss my mom a lot but as to her question; I did not answer it. Mom finally left after I took my time convincing her that I was going to be fine and persuading her to leave and I finally walked into my hostel for the first time.

Mel has four hostels. 1 each for senior girls and junior girls and 1 each for senior boys and junior boys. Its going to take me some time getting used to the fact that there were going to be boys around. I've always gone to an all girls school so it both thrilled and scared me that I was going to be in a school where there will be boys as well as girls.

"Come this way, come this way." I heard and I followed the voice to come to stand in front of a dark, stern faced woman with very heavy makeup.

"Good morning ma." I greeted and the woman looked at me for a long time as if from studying me that way she would be able to tell my full name, date of birth and where I'm from. It was very uncomfortable and I had to look down at my feet.

"Good morning. I can see that you're new here. Where are your parents?" She finally asked.

"Umm... my mom just—"

"Ma, this is the girl I was telling you about. Ovieya's sister." It was Ms. Angela that thankfully came to speak for me.

The scary woman, adjusted herself in her seat and looked closer at me as if she had not spent the whole time doing just that. "Oh, now I can see a small resemblance." She says and I internally roll my eyes. "How is your mummy?"

"She's fine, thank you." I told her and she nodded.

"Your boxes and buckets are over there." She said gesturing to a corner with her head. "Ms. Angela already had them checked." She said and I gaped at her. I'm almost very sure that I visibly paled. How would she check my box without me being there? I know its protocol for students' luggage to be checked for contrabands in practically all boarding schools but I should have been there to witness it, right?

"Relax dear, you and your mom were talking outside for a while and she told me to check you personally so that you can just unpack and rest when you come in. But, if it makes you feel any better, Ovieya was there while I checked."

"No, its okay. Thank you." I said. I was still a bit uncomfortable but since my mom trusted her so much, I let it slide. Besides, she said Reya was there. Didn't she?

"Good morning Ms. Ayoola. Good morning Ms. Angela." Two voices greeted together beside me and I turned to see a pair of identical twins.

"Good morning dears." Ms. Angela replied smiling as usual.

"Dami, Nini." The woman who I just realized was called Ms. Ayoola said, eyeing them even more intensely than she had looked at me. "I'm very sure you recall that I am Mrs. Ayoola and not Ms. Ayoola." She said and the girls visibly rolled their eyes.

Shocked, I turned to look at Mrs. Ayoola but she was writing in a book and she hadn't noticed them. I sighed in relief on their behalf because quite frankly, the woman looked dangerous.

"Good morning Mrs. Ayoola." They both greeted again emphasizing the 'Mrs.' title with so much intensity I almost laughed.

"It's afternoon." The woman said without even looking at them. I did not hear what they said next because Ms. Angela wanted to show me to my room.

"This way." She said stepping in front of me. She was carrying my bigger box and buckets while I carried my back pack and rolled my small box while walking behind her.

"This is your room." Ms. Angela said when we stopped in front of a door just as her phone rang. "Ejiro, I have to go now. I hope you can manage from here." She said before hurrying off. I look up at the tag that was nailed to the door, 'Room 18'.

Well, hello Room 18. Nice to meet you?