Life Of Jiji

All Rights Reserved

2020 ©Tena Ifiemi

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ł ÐłÐЛ'Т ЛΞΞÐ Λ wristwatch to tell me that I spent a lot of time in Reya's  room watching her punish my classmates...and Zainab. She had given them like 14 different really mean things to do before Ms. Angela barged into the room and had to beg her to stop. And when I say beg, I mean beg!

After they left, I didn't know how to go back to my room. How was I supposed to face them after my sister had done all those mean things to them. The way Reya punished them, it seems their dispute goes way back. Or does it? Chisom did mention Reya, didn't she? It was something about Reya and me planning one outing I knew nothing about. But it had something to do with Mitchell...

"Jiji, are you not going to sleep?" Reya asked me. She had gone to her locker to collect her bonnet and now she was coming back to the bed.

"Um, Ms. Angela brought something from mommy." I told her. I just hope this delays my going back for a while.

Reya's eyes lit up, "Seriously? I thought she was ignoring the cries of our stomachs till visiting day!" I shake my head at her words and pass my bag to her. Luckily, the things could be shared equally so we did just that.

"Oya go and sleep." She said and I cringed. I really wish I could just sleep here but I've never been known to know how to share a bed except its a master sized mattress and me and the other person are laying at opposite edges and there's no extra bed in this room so...

"Go and sleep ehh I'm tired." She said yawning and rubbing her eyes. I swear she looked even more exhausted than the souls she just finished torturing. When I still didn't move she raised her head from the pillow and stared at me.

"Jiji, don't tell me you're afraid to go back there." She said looking at me like she did those girls just a few minutes ago while she punished them and I flinched back. "Are you serious?" She got up and came to stand in front of me.

"Get up!" She sounded so serious, I got up immediately. "Let's go. Let me see if they would even dare say anything to you."

When we got to my room, Reya threw open the door and dragged me inside with her. She really had to drag me, because when we got to the door, I could swear my feet got stuck to the ground. Much to my dismay, my roommates were not sleeping like I prayed they would and when we entered everyone stopped what their doing.

"I'm sure you're happy you'd finished insulting me before I surprisingly showed up, right?" Reya said smiling at them.

Her calmness freaks me out, I swear.

"Anyways, I've come to drop off this sister of mine and I'll be on my way."

The room remained quiet for minutes after Reya left before Ayo broke the silence. I wanted to laugh at how they were obviously waiting for Reya to make the journey back to her room...or at least away from hearing distance.

"I'm sorry Ejiro." Ayo spoke. "But I really wish you didn't tell your sister. Most of us—"

"You seriously think it was her?" Chisom turned to Ayo. "Nah, she's to chicken for that."

This girl must really hate me. We had never really bonded, no. But I didn't think we had anything against each other. I didn't think me and any of the girls had anything against each other for Christ sakes! I had never even gotten into a fight with anyone! The way life just goes and fucks you up is unbelievable.

"But, I know who did!" Chisom continues and rushes out the room making a beeline for Room 16. Kadijah's room. Before any of us could think anything about it we heard a loud slap from there.

Scrambling out of bed, three of us looked at each other, forgetting the punishment matter for the time being. We were still contemplating whether to rush out or not when Kadi's voice rang out.

"Next time you dare try that nonsense with me, I'll slap you twice as hard na rantse da Allah !"

If that isn't surprising, I don't know what is. I honestly thought it was the other way round! A lot of other insults were thrown back and forth and then finally it stopped. Not that I was watching but the hostel finally went quiet as it should— its almost midnight after all.

Chisom did not return to the room that night.

I would know because I couldn't fall asleep. I tormented myself with thought after thought and at the end of it all, I just laughed at myself. I felt guilty watching Reya punish them like that so I excused myself from the room lying that I wanted to drink some water. That was when I told Ms. Angela that she had to come and stop Reya. I know Chisom said all those things about me and the rest of them probably contributed to it before I started listening but I couldn't stay mad at them.

I could practically hear my sub conscious laughing at me. Did you, Ejiro Tonia Irikefe really think you could have genuine friends? Ha!

But is that what I was doing? Unknowingly flirting with the guys? Does she think I like Mitchell? And does this have anything to do with what Mitchell was saying today? What's the history of my set girls' and Reya's conflict anyways? And Damilola, what's her part in all of this. Try as I might, I couldn't put anything together and my body finally gives in to the exhaustion and shuts down.

Next morning was as awkward as can be. Chisom came back after morning devotion and after bathing and dressing up, she left again. The rest of us didn't say anything to each other either. Probably why we got early so quick. I didn't know how to ask Nini to help me with my hair as she always did so I didn't. I walked alone to the cafeteria for breakfast which was quiet as well until the boys caught the vibe.

"What's going on?" Mide asked. Looking at us girls all at once.

Richard sighed and threw his hands in the air. "I've been looking for a way to ask the same thing!"

"Same", Kene said turning to Ayo.

My heart thumped painfully in my chest. Would Mide hate me because of how my sister punished Amarachi? What about Kene? Oh my God, do they think I'm also flirting with their boyfriends? Everyone might hate me now. I'm the newest girl in the class and I'm already causing so much trouble!

"Are you okay?" A voice cut through the voices in my head followed by a comforting hand on my shoulder. I turn to see Damian looking straight at me. I've never been able to keep eye contact, so I dart my eyes to the half eaten breakfast in front of me.

"You look like you're about to faint."

"Headache." I say, when he wouldn't leave. It wasn't entirely a lie, my head actually hurt. Probably cause of my lack of sleep.

"It doesn't seem like you're still eating this." He said taking my tray from in front of me. "You've not touched it for hours." He said, obviously exaggerating.

He was right though, I actually haven't touched my food since the first spoons of oats I ate just before I lost my appetite. But he shouldn't know that. Damian doesn't sit at my table. His table is three tables away from mine so he wouldn't notice something like that except he's been watching me?

"Let's get you to the sick bay."  He tells me and helps me up.

He drops my tray first and I start to follow him out when I feel a pair of eyes on my back. Turning, I see Chisom staring daggers into me. I feel my heart sink into my stomach. Will she spread rumors that I'm flirting with Damian too?

I start to turn back but Damian puts a firm hand on my shoulder and leads me out. It was when we got to the T-junction that would take you to either the sick bay or the class block that I started to rethink the decision of telling Damian that I was having a headache.

"Um, Damian?"

"Hm?"

"We don't need to go to the sick bay. I feel okay now." I tell him even though my head is protesting.

"That's a lie." He says without looking at me.

"What?" How could he say that! I'm not lying!

"Its just paracetamol Ejiro. What's there to be afraid of? No syringes involved I promise."

He finally successful convinced me to follow him to the sick bay and while checking my vitals, the nurse on duty decided that my temperature was higher than normal. I say decided because I don't want to believe her. Besides, how is 38.9°C high? Isn't the normal body temperature 38?

"No it isn't." Damian says.

Hiding my shock that he heard me I grumbled under my breath, "Don't judge the dumb art student."

"You're not dumb. You're just scared."

And that is true in more ways than one.

The nurse takes my right thumb and starts cleaning it with an alcohol wipe. She brings out a tiny blue plastic tube-like thing and I want to ask her what its for when she opens it to reveal a small (super sharp looking) needle. I tense and Damian grips my arm immediately.

"You said no needles!" I whisper screamed.

"I said no syringes." He corrected just as the nurse pricked my finger. I winced, but the pain only lasted a second. Damian gave me a look as if to say, 'See! It wasn't so bad.'

With her gloved fingers, the nurse pressed my thumb just beside the wound she made with her evil needle and a drop of blood leaves my finger and lands on a small white plastic thingy.

"What are we doing?" I asked her. If she's about to use my blood for rituals I need to at least find out if I get a share of the money.

"Malaria test." She says simply.

"I don't have malaria!" I protest but she doesn't answer me, she just keeps staring at the white ritual material and then finally;

"You do."

"Ehn?" I asked. English be damned right now. Damian chuckles beside me, reminding me of his presence and a blush mildly.

The nurse dispenses the dreaded yellow tablets into my palm and my stomach churns at the smell. I should definitely have eaten more. After the nurse informed me of when to come for my next dose, I left for the class with Damian, which was awkward. Awkward because we did not say a thing to each other just like when we left the cafeteria. Damian and I hardly ever talked since his late resumption which should explain why we don't have anything to say to the other.

I sneak a glance at him. Would he hate me too? When everything gets out...would he think I'm trying to lure him with my flat chest too? You're permitted to laugh at that.

It was later in the day that the malaria kicked in and during Biology, Ms. Chioma told me to go to the sick bay since I could barely keep my eyes open. Maybe it was the fever but when I got there, the nurse sounded like she had been expecting me, leaving me wondering whether my blood was actually safe.

I slept till it was snack break and when I woke up I saw Ayo, Niniola, Amarachi, Nengi and Katherine sitting around me. The pain in my head worsened. Where they here to kill me? Get revenge on me for what Reya did to them?

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Long chapter! I know...

Leave as much comments as possible, I want to know what you think about all of this. Everyone is telling me how they want to murder Chisom😂😂 Don't worry, I'll feed her to my dogs for y'all.

How was your day? Hope you're staying safe, washing your hands...you know the drill

And yes, we finally saw Damian again. How was that? Please hold the shipping for a while😂 Y'all have been shipping every boy with Jiji since Mide. How do you feel about that now?

See you in Chapter 13!
Bye for now...

love, T!