Life Of Jiji

All Rights Reserved

©2021 Tena Ifiemi

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essence - wizkid & tems ♪

in your eyes - the weeknd ♪

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"ШHЏ ΛЯΞ ШΞ PЯΞPΛЯłЛG for inter house sports already when it's not even this term?" Ayomide asked randomly as we had lunch.

"They postponed it. It was supposed to be this term." Richard says.

"What I want to know is why Richard is the only boy on this table." Khadijah says and the boy in questions sends her a heavy scowl. She just smirked her usual Khadijah way in return.

"Are you serious though?" I asked, turning to Ayomide to let her know I was referring to what she said but it was Katherine that replied instead.

"Yes nau. This school just wants to stress us for no reason." She complained.

"Apparently it's not for no reason sha. I heard that there's a very special guest coming. Like, very, very special." Ayomide told us, leaning forward with her eyes wide open like she was telling a bunch of little children a story filled with fairies and magic. "In fact, I know the special person but I'm not telling." Ayomide said in a puerile way. [Oh how it pleases me to make most of y'all look for the meaning of puerile]

Khadijah hissed long and hard, "Do you really think that bothers us?" She asked but she was still the one who pestered Ayo for her 'secret' minutes later. If I had to shake my head every time Khadi did something stupid my head might have fallen off by now.

I'm sorry if that was graphic...

"Ayo!" Someone called as we walked to the hostel after lunch. Four of us girls simultaneously turned to the source of the voice but I guess one of us already knew who it was.

"Ayo, can I talk to you please?" Kene asked and I could see the calm and composed Ayo I've known the past few days start to break.

Ayo is admittedly a very strong person. Ever since the day she caught Kene cheating on her  and broke up with him, she hadn't said anything in that regard. Yes, she spent most of her time alone but she never seemed sad and whenever I saw her she was always smiling so I was shocked to see the dynamic emotions displayed on her face just at the sound of Kene's voice. They hadn't talked since the break up, that I knew so I guess I could understand her reaction to an extent.

"She doesn't want to talk to you." I found myself saying and recoiled almost immediately. Where did that come from? I avoided Kene's eyes.

"Yeah she really doesn't." Khadijah jumps in, "So get your ugly ass and face out of here." 

I smiled even as it shocked me that Khadi spoke up for Ayo even though from what I could see, she had actually been warming up to her in the past few days. I don't really know but for some reason, Khadijah developed some kind of hate towards all my former roommates after that incident with Dami's phone. She was against it when I started talking to Ayo again. She says I'm too forgiving.

"Guys, its alright." Ayo says and I'm actually not surprised and I can also swear I saw Kene relax. Determined to continue disliking the boy, I frowned in confusion at that. "Y'all can go. I'll come to the hostel later."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Katherine asks and Ayo nodded. I gave Kene one last look as if that would convey the message in my head, 'you better not do any rubbish' before turning back to the hostel way with the rest of the girls.

"I actually feel really bad for Ayo." Khadijah says when we get to the room. "I don't even judge how vulnerable she might be at the moment. That Kene is a very shitty person." She said the last sentence with malice. "How can you be with someone for two years and cheat on her with Chisom... With anyone."

I paused in the act of unbuttoning my shirt. Two years!? I didn't know it was that deep! Meanwhile, Tolani giggled,

"Why did you say Chisom like that."

"Like what?" Khadi feigned innocence. Even I knew what Tolani was talking about.

"Like he could have cheated with anybody but not Chisom."

"He's shitty for cheating on her at all but if someone cheated on me with that girl I'll take it very personally. That'll be an insult to my whole being."

"Wow." I said laughing at how serious she was. "But seriously you guys, I want to know more about this Ayo and Kene stuff."

"What Ayo and Kene stuff?" Said Mercy as she burst into the room dramatically: one hand on her hip and one hand in the air clutching a caprisonne pack.

"Where they really dating since junior high?"

"Mm hmm." She nods as she sips her juice. "To be honest, their breakup makes me not want to believe in love anymore, y'know? They were like the power couple." She said with a sigh. I want to say it was a 'dreamy' sigh but I really don't know.

"You even believe in love." I heard Tolani mutter and wrinkled my forehead.

All I know about love is from the books I read and it seems all rosy and sweet. Although I know that's all fiction, I've not had any reason to think love doesn't exist. My parents are still together after all.

"Why do you cover up so much. Who actually wears pyjama trousers?" Khadijah asked and I knew she was talking to me. I swallowed.

"Do you always have to be so random?" Tolani criticizes her.

I had since noticed that I dressed different from other girls in the girls' hostel. It was a hostel, with only girls in it. Most girls, if they bother to even wear a shirt, don't wear anything underneath except their underwear. In fact, inside the rooms it was basically just boobs and panties. Don't ask me how I manage. I didn't think anybody would notice that I always don the complete outfit: top and bottom. Or a gown with a dressing gown over it.

"Anyways as I was saying." Khadi said. "Ayo and Kene were the power couple."

"Are you crazy!" Mercy threw her empty caprisonne pack at Khadi. "I was the one saying not you."

Khadi dodged, "Shift jare. If you like don't change out of your uniform." She said. "And pick up your litter would you? We don't raise pigs in here."

"Bruhhhhhhh!" Tolani said and I even heard myself saying,

"Damn" under my breath but of course Khadi heard it.

"Ouch." Mercy says finally putting down her school bag.

"Did you just say what I think you said." I found Khadi on my bed in a second, invading my personal space.

"What?"

"Do you know that's a swear word?"

"What if its a swear word?" I asked, bored. I didn't know where Khadi was going with this but I really didn't want to indulge her.

"You never swear."

I frowned. "Of course I do."

"No you don't. I've never heard you say it."

"Yeah, say 'what the fück'." Tolani said coming to the other side of my bed.

"What the fück." I said and they all gasped. Mercy even made a show of falling to the ground as if she had fainted.

It was that moment Niniola chose to push open our room door and walk in as if it was the most normal thing ever.

"Where is Ayo?"

Apparently that question was directed to me and my roommates but none of us answered. When she realized that we were going to remain mute, she hissed and banged the door as she exited the room. Khadi hissed as well just as Tolani burst out laughing. I admit, I let out a little chuckle too whilst shaking my head.

Just then, Ayo burst into the room and sat on my bed sniffing. When she brought down her hand I noticed that she was crying. But I wasn't the only one that noticed.

"Awwn baby girl." Khadijah cooed and to my surprise she wrapped her arms around Ayo and helped her clean her face which was now flushed from all the crying.

"Why? Why did that day have to happen?"

"Ayo." I whispered.

"I have never even thought of cheating on Kene! Why would he do that to me!?" This girl was going to make me cry.

"What did he say?" Khadi wanted to know.

"He said he was sorry and that he wants me back. He says Chisom kissed him and not the other way around." She said between sobs. "And when I asked him if this was the first time he'd be cheating on me he fell silent."

She herself went silent after that and I thought she wasn't going to continue as she even broke out of Khadi's hold and wiped her tears properly.

"I still love Kene." She says matter-of-factly. "And I hate myself for it but I don't think anyone can blame me either after all we've been through. Chisom is not the only girl Kene has cheated on me with..." And her voice broke again but she continued, "I can't do it anymore and I swear it hurts so bad and its going to take years to get over him but I don't think I want to be his girlfriend again if I can't trust him."

"I'm with you all the way, girl." Mercy said.

"You're so brave. I swear I have never seen this side of you before and I'm more sure than ever that he doesn't deserve you." That was Tolani.

"Ejiro are you crying?" Khadijah looked at me incredulously.

I jerked up, "What!?" And truly I could feel a tear slide down my cheek. I quickly wiped it off, embarrassed.

Ayomide laughed through her tears, "Awwn."

The bell for afternoon prep rang then and that's when we decided to  finally have our siesta. Khadijah let Ayo take her bed while she herself paired with Mercy. Crazily enough, none of the hostel staff came to coerce us into getting up and we slept till Zainab came to wake us to come out for dinner.

I felt tired when I woke up and when I got the cafeteria Richard commented that I look like I just woke up. I wondered if he meant that I looked tired as I was or that I had drool all over my face even though I took a bath just before leaving the hostel and I don't even drool in the first place. Dinner was yam and egg sauce and I especially liked the egg sauce. I snuck a peak at Ayo to see if she was eating and smiled when I saw that she was. Next my eyes carried me towards Kene and I didn't even know when I started bad-eyeing him.

A pair of fingers snapped in front of my face and I jerked back to reality just as my eyes cleared and Damian came to focus in front of me.

"Take it easy with the glare, Jiji. You might just injure the poor boy."

"I wouldn't mind."

"Mmh feisty. You going to spit fire next?" Damian said with a playful grin and I shoved him in the tummy. "Yeah, so I wanted to tell you something." Damian said when he finished laughing.

"Oh." I said getting up and following him to a corner.

"Yeah, so my auditions are tomorrow." He said and glanced behind me. I saw his eyes darken in those few seconds before he blinked and brought his eyes back to my face. "You'll be there, right?"

"Why not?" I asked in reply and he grinned again. "Let me see the skills you've been claiming to have." I teased.

Damian blushed and then put his hand to his chest. "Ouch. You think I'm claiming to be a good actor?"

"Well we'll know tomorrow." I said and practically sashayed off. It was only when I had got to my seat that I had the decency to feel stupid for it.

"So like, you and Dee Dee, huh?" Ayo said immediately I sat down.

"What?" I asked.

"Who the hell is Dee Dee?

Ayo laughed, "Don't mind me, I don't even know where that came out from. So, you and Damian, huh?"

"You talking to me?" I asked her and she wrinkled her forehead.

"Don't you dare. You think y'all would do your hanky-panky in secret and nobody would know?" She asked and I blushed severely. Khadijah and Katherine laughed.

"Seriously though, Ejiro. We've been seeing you guys together a lot."

"What are you talking about?" I asked and Khadi shook her head.

"Cut the BS girl. Damian is a fine boy...the hottest of them all so we certainly won't judge you." Khadi said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked feeling more and more flustered. "Damian and I are friends that's all."

"Damian isn't just friends with anyone but if you want to keep telling yourself that, it's okay."

"What do you mean by that."

"What she means is that none of us here can have Damian say we're his friends. We're basically all just classmates to him." Katherine said. "That boy is on another level. He hardly even talks to us girls except maybe Chisom."

Of course, I thought and rolled my eyes.

"Seriously though, I'd be shocked if you guys were actually together because I don't think he's ever even dated anyone. Or at least anyone in this school. " Ayo said.

I laughed, "You guys make him sound like some kind of thug. Do you think he's scary too?"

Katherine hissed, "No nau. But that boy is sexy, no cap. Abi you're his friend? Kuku help me set compass nau."

"Abeg shut up jare." Khadi said cutting her off.

"Khadi!" I gasped. "You're mean." I told her but she just smiled and whispered into my ear.

"I'm shipping you and Damian." And then she winked and turned to Katherine. "I was joking. Oya take, you can have my chicken."

•••

"Are you even going to read throughout this prep?" Mitchel asked as he peered up at me from the book he was reading.

It was like I didn't even hear him at first. I was still thinking about what the girls said on the table. Did they really think I liked Damian? Did I like Damian? That wouldn't even be possible. I think he's a really nice person and I love spending time with him but we're friends, that's all. And was I really practically the only girl Damian talked to? If I was, then... what did that even mean?

"Ejiro." Mitchel called again and as I turned to him the first thing that was about to come out of my mouth was,

"How do you know if a boy likes you." But then I wondered if that would be appropriate and if I should really be asking a girl that instead. So I said, "Yeah?"

"Where is your mind?"

"Nowhere." I answered as I opened 'Othello'; one of our literature texts and started reading. I saw the suspicious look Mitchel gave me before he turned back to his own book. I always wondered why Mitchel preferred to sit with me when two of his classmates where in this same prep room until I asked him one day and he said it was because he knew they'd distract him. Awon valedictorian.

I had become acquainted with the fact that Mitchel was really smart a long time ago but every time I saw someone come to him with a book and pen to ask him to explain something to them—even his classmates—it marvels me anew. I liked that Mitchel didn't have that uptight character that smart people were famed to have though. He was very friendly and would happily talk to you even if you were his junior.

"Reya's birthday is soon." Mitchel suddenly said.

Without looking up from my book, I answered, "I thought you said I should read. Now you want to distract me."

"Ejiro nah!"

"So why are you telling me that. Surely I would remember my sister's birthday." I said but in actuality, I really didn't. Not that I didn't know when she was born, I did. It just never crossed my mind even though it's approximately one week from now.

"Are you guys still having your cold war?" He asked and I chuckled.

"Cold war?"

"Ovieya said you guys were talking but from the way you're sounding..."

"Ovieya said that?" I asked very amused. I didn't even know when I said Ovieya. I don't think I've ever called her that.

"Well aren't you guys cool?"

"Ovieya is the one beefing me. Why don't you ask her?"

"She told me that you both had settled everything!" Mitchel said massaging his temples, clearly exasperated.

Imagining and ensuing argument between my sister and her boyfriend since she had clearly lied to him, I tried to salvage the situation.

"Well she was there the day I fainted, she waited for me to wake up and she walked me back to the cafeteria. She even asked me if I was okay. So... I guess we're cool." I told him even though that was weeks ago and Reya hadn't spoken to me since then.

Mitchel didn't say anything in reply. He just hummed.

I then realized that even before the fight, Reya and I still didn't have a relationship so why should we now? Mitchel was bothered over nothing. I know it was because he felt guilty for being the cause of our fight that day but the sooner he sees that Reya and I 'not talking' did not start that day, the better.

"Ovieya thinks you're hiding something. Maybe that's why you guys don't bond?"

"W-what?" I stammered, my heart palpitating painfully. I wanted to squeeze my shirt on my chest to calm myself down but I realized that might be too weird.

"Its nothing I guess. Don't mind Ovieya, probably just looking for an excuse for everything as usual I guess." He said in a rush. "I'm sorry for saying that."

He probably saw how uncomfortable that made me feel. I basically just exposed the fact that I am hiding something. He will tell Reya and she will try to find me out. No. No. No!

Immediately prep ended, Mitchel grabbed his bag and stood up. "Goodnight Ejiro." He said and I smiled and waved in reply.

He was the first to leave the room.

Just then Richard walked up to me, "Ready to leave?"

I nodded.

Throughout this week, Richard has been asking me this question. We would then walk together until we reach my hostel gate and he'll say goodnight. I don't know when we became so close if I should put it that way, but I can actually say Richard is a nice friend. Apart from Damian and Mitchel and even Mide, I guess Richard is another guy I can actually bear to be around.

He's cool.

But tonight as Richard walked me to my hostel gate, I couldn't help thinking about what Mitchel said and even Richard's calmness couldn't calm me down.

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To set compass for someone : this basically means to help the person hook up with another person. 😉

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Hey everyone.

If anyone is even there still...

You probably weren't expecting this update. I wasn't either since I'm still knee deep in exams but my friends have been pestering me.

"Update! Update!" They said. So here I am.

I really wish even half of you guys weren't ghost readers so I can actually feel like I'm talking to someone. 🙁

And!!! I just realized that we're in chapter 30 and this book hasn't even begun. 😬

Please comment.

Do it for Damian.🤧