Life Of Jiji

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©2021 Tena Ifiemi

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i'm missing you - sunjae ♪

queen tings - masego & tiffany gouché ♪

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ШHΞЛ ТHΞ  SΞϾФЛÐ HΛŁŦ of the term had kicked start and been running for a week and Damian still hadn't showed up, although I admit it was disturbing, I realized that it was just normal him. But the second week is about to end and I can't help but be worried. It's even worse that people are saying that he's hardly ever been this late.

On top of that, my Literature teacher resigned and the worst creature to ever walk the earth, Ms Maryjane is our new teacher. To call this woman a witch would be a compliment. Why she's so mean is beyond me. To top it all, I don't understand her teaching.

"Aunty Irikefe, you better bring your mind back to my class this instant!"

Speak of the devil.

And who told you it wasn't here in the first place? I imagine asking her and roll my eyes. Literature is difficult enough for them to decide to punish me so.

"Are you insane!? Did you just say that to me? Get up!"

I got up immediately, startled at the way she banged my table. Did I really... Did I really just say something?

"Get out of my class and go and report your self to the principal right now! Insolent girl!"

I had never been to the principal's office. In fact, I have never even seen her up close. The only places I've been to in Hillary House are the reception, Accountant's office and the ladies room. With my whole body practically shaking I told the receptionist why I was there and she directed me to the principal's office.

"Last door on your right."

I knocked and I was let in by the principal's secretary.

"Good afternoon sir", I greeted curtsying out of habit.

"Good afternoon dear, how are you?"

Not fine actually but of course I say, "I'm fine, thank you. I'm here to see the principal."

"Any reason?"

"Umm, yes. My teacher sent me."

He raised his brows giving me a look that I translated to mean 'insolent girl' but he dialed some digits into the intercom anyway and five seconds later I'm in the principal's office.

The office is cold, very cold and I find myself thanking God that I wore a sweater even though it was doing very minimal work in this place. I take in the whole place and I'm awed. There's a whole sitting arrangement of a couch, armchair and center table on a rug in the corner and at another corner is an elegant shelf filled with awards and trophies—mostly gold.

Behind the desk is a fridge and I can only imagine what I would keep in it if this was my office.

Roll call!

"Vanilla ice cream"

"Present."

"Swiss chocolate!"

"Present."

"Cookie dou—"

The sound of the principal clearing her throat snapped me out of my diabeticious reverie.

"Good afternoon ma" I curtsy and she briefly looks up from her work to acknowledge me and with a nod of her head I translate, 'take a seat' so I do.

"Is there any problem?" She asks and I stutter.

"No... I mean yes... I mean, you see, Ms Maryjane sent me here to report myself. She said I should pay attention and I mistakenly asked who told her that I wasn't listening in the first place." I said and the silence that followed was powerful enough to rip my heart out of my chest and place it on the table.

"Mistakenly, you said?"

"Yes ma, I... I don't know when it slipped out, I'm sorry ma."

She finally stopped writing and turned her full attention to me.

"What is your name and class?" She asked.

"Ejiro Irikefe ma and I'm in Year 11." I said.

"Irikefe?"

"Yes ma."

"Tejiri and Oviereya are your siblings. Not?"

"They are..."

"I've known your siblings since they were in Year 7. They're both brilliant and bold. You though, your brilliance I don't know of but your timidity is sure. You're in Year 11 and here you are shaking like you've heard that I eat children. Or did anyone perhaps tell you that?"

I hurriedly shake my head.

"Stop shaking your leg then, its distracting. I can hear your shoes on the ground." I do as I'm told and rub my sweaty palms on my skirt.

"Miss Irikefe, be honest with me, do you regret saying that to your teacher?"

I bite my lip. Is this a trick question?

"Yes ma."

"Really?"

I shake my head, "No ma."

"Then why didn't you come in here ready to stand your ground. Nobody is telling you to be impolite but I'm telling you that you need to work on your self. I see potential in you. If you can just put away this timidity and shyness and face the world head on..."

Her face becoming serious again she picked up her pen, "Go and apologize to your teacher. We're done here."

When I get back to class, Literature class is already over and it's lunch time. My class was already empty so I just packed all the books I'll need into my bag and head out. I hate walking alone more than anything but I guess today, I don't have a choice. Maybe if Damian was here...

"Ouch!"

From the sound and the resultant pain that shot through my forehead plus the other voice that featured in that 'ouch', I could tell that I had bumped into someone. Our foreheads taking the fall.

"Sorry..." I start to say, raising my head to find that I'm standing face to face with Ayo. I sigh. "Hi, long time."

I see the mix of shock and confusion in her face as I say the words.

"E...Ejiro...Hi...sorry." She stuttered. "How come you're still in class?"

"Maryjane sent me to principal." I said wondering why I even started this conversation. It was awkward as hell.

"Oops... Sorry." She chuckled. "I would have said that you Art students are suffering but for you guys it's just the witch. we have Mr. Aderemi, Mr. Mark and Ms. Bunmi."

I don't reply but I realize that we have been walking together as we're out of the classroom block by now.

"So... How've you been." Ayo asks and I nod,

"Good." And as after a brief second of consideration, I add; "You?"

"I've been better." She says but I don't ask.

Five seconds of loud silence later, she blurts,

"I broke up with Kene."

I turn to look at her with such a speed, I would've broken something, "Oh my God..."

When she raised her head, she was crying, tears sliding down her beautiful caramel toned face in torrents. I hate seeing people cry because I'm a very useless shoulder to cry on.

I pat her shoulder awkwardly, not really knowing what to say. "I'm so sorry Ayo. Both for the breakup and for the fact that I don't know what to do." I say.

She sniffs and turns to me, "I saw him and Chisom... I saw them in the Chemistry lab... They..."

"What the hell!?" I whispered my shock. How could Kene do something like this? Not that I'm surprised, since I've never really liked the boy but still...

As we're about to enter the cafeteria, Ayo hurriedly wipes her face with the sleeves of her cardigan and puts on a smile so genuine looking, you'd never believe she just cried.

"Hey, Ayo!" We heard a voice call out and my inner demon almost unleashed when I found out that it was Chisom. Like, What!? Should she still exist? I look at Ayo sharply and she shakes her head,

"She doesn't know that I know. I'll explain later. Can we eat together?"

I bite my lip, "Sure, why not?" I said.

I saw Kene's eyes follow us (or rather Ayo) as we went to get our food and I roll my eyes. Ayo barely eats her food upon my attempts at forcing her and ends up wasting most of it and when we're done, we drop our plates and head to the hostel together. As we got closer to the hostel gate, Chisom appeared from Godknowswhere and pulled Ayo aside by her arm.

"Who are you walking with?" She asks and Ayo brings her face closer to Chisom's, squinting.

"I can see that you're not blind so I don't know why you would ask that." She says and continues walking. I nearly laugh but I notice Chisom glaring at me so I stifle it. Besides, there's drama brewing so I rather just watch quietly.

"What?" Chisom asks.

"What?" Ayo mimics her, "Look Chisom, you kiss whoever I want and I walk with whoever I want." She says and the look on Chisom's face was pure gold. I wish they allowed phones in thus school. I would have taken a picture and framed it. That's when I see Kene at a distance. When he catches my gaze, he turns and walks away.

We leave Chisom standing there and walk into the hostel. We both take off our shirts in the common room and throw it into our class laundry basket. Every class has one. Any of the laundry staff usually comes to get them every evening.

"Thanks, Ejiro for walking with me today and eating with me too. I know you're still mad—"

"No." I say, cutting her off. "I'm not."

Ayo smiles, "See you later."

Afternoon prep is just ending when someone runs into the class.

"Damian is back!"

And immediately, it's as if someone pressed play on a tape called 'market place'.

"Damian is back?"

"Are you serious?"

"Finally, guy!"

"Mr. Latecomer!"

"Where is he?" I find myself asking and Mitchel raises a brow at me. I just shrug.

"Hillary house. We probably won't see him until dinner." The information carrier said and that was that.

"Bye then," I told Mitchel, hurriedly packing my books into my bag. I need a shower.

"Um, Ejiro... There's something I need to tell you." Mitchel said, stopping me.

"Night prep?"

He nodded and started packing his books too.

I spent a while in the shower and when I came out, they were already ringing the bell for dinner.

"Hmm, isn't that your special occasion perfume?" Zainab asked coming into my room. Yeah, we don't stay in the same room. I share a room with Khadijah, Mercy and Tolani.

"Which one is occasion perfume, this girl?" I said, putting the Oriflame Eclat perfume back into its box.

"If you like pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about." Then she whispers, "It's because Senior Damian is back bah?" I turn around quickly to make sure nobody heard her.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I deny, rubbing vaseline on my lips.

"Otoke! Is that Vaseline I see on your lips? Are you planning to kiss him this night?" She asks and I have to laugh.

"Zainab shut up abeg. come and help me pack my hair."

Five minutes later, I'm done and everyone is complimenting styled braids Yeah, Zainab is that talented. I've told her that I'll open a beauty mall for her someday.

"Senior Ejiro your hair is fine." I heard someone say and I turned to see Zainab's little sister who was in Js1, Hadiza.

"I did it for her." Zainab said with a glorified smile. Hadiza just rolled her eyes, stuck out her tongue and walked away with her classmates.

Zainab gaped at her, "Can you believe that?"

I just laugh.

As I walk to the line to get my food, I scan the crowds for Damian when I bump into someone's hard chest.

"Ouch!" I cried, the pain from the impact shooting through my arm and it soon feels numb.

"Are you okay?" The very familiar voice raises his eyes to meet mine, holding my arm.

Damian.

"Ejiro?"

"Damian!" I exclaimed, my voice depicting my excitement.

His hair was cut neatly and the shiny curls betrayed the fact that he had gotten a perm and that he had a very good moisturizer which was not allowed. The perm, not the moisturizer. I noticed that he had a new scent. The kind that'll linger even after the person leaves.

I notice that I'm staring when my gaze goes down to his face and our eyes meet. He clears his throat, scratching his head.

"Hey, what's up?" He asked and I nod with a small smile.

"I'm good." I said. "I was..." I started but he had already turned away.

Throughout dinner, I tried to catch his attention but he didn't even look at my table. I watched how he laughed and caught up with every body on his table. He looked happy, in like the indifference I saw when I bumped into him. And then finally, he looks up and our eyes meet but he looks away almost immediate. My mood was deflated and by the middle of prep, I started writing 'stupid girl' at the back of my jotter.

To think I had been so enthusiastic about him resuming.

When prep was over, I take of the rubber band Zainab used to style my hair, letting the long braids cascade down my back. I didn't see Mitchel so I look for Khadijah to walk with to the hostel when someone pulls my hand.

"You untied it? I was going to tell you that you looked pretty."

It was Damian.

"Good to know that I look ugly now."

"What?" He furrows his brows, a confused frown marring his beautiful face. "Ejiro, that's not what I meant." He said.

I just shrug and keep moving.

"Hey Jiji, are you okay?" He asks and I grit my teeth.

"Stop calling me that." I snap.

I have no idea why I'm behaving this way but I'm tired and I want to go to bed. I blame myself for having such high hopes. I thought we had gotten to that point of friendship when he would actually look excited to see me but he didn't even care. I wish I could go back in time and not answer his calls so that I can stop myself from liking him.

As a friend.

"But..." He trailed off. "Well, goodnight." He resigned, shoving his hands in his pocket with one last look in my direction before walking away.

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Otoke, — łТ'S a Korean exclamation. Basically 'Oh my Goodness!' or 'Oh dear!"

Abeg — ТHłS translates to 'please' in Nigerian pidgin English.

Bah — łТ'S just one of those things. I swear I don't really know how to explain it. 😂 It's there for emphasis or sometimes, to turn a statement into a question (I just realized this as I was typing)
synonym  shey? Ko? Abi?

And since I love y'all so much, I want to recommend the best series ever: True Beauty😊 Download with subtitles.
Beware, ʟєє soo һo is already taken🙂

See you🤗

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ʟoνє, ТΞЛΛ ❤