Life Of Jiji

All Rights Reserved

©2021 Tena Ifiemi

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airplane mode - fireboy dml ♪

let me love the lonely - james arthur

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SϾHФФŁ ШΛS HΞϾТłϾ. The dreadful exams had just ended and although I was grateful for a means to escape my thoughts, it was very stressful. Sometimes, I'd open my question paper and wonder if the teacher ever even taught us anything like that. Everybody was deep in Christmas Carol and Drama preparations now and with the D day of the play being tomorrow and with me being Mary, there was no time for anything else.

Mr Zaki ended up picking Richard for Joseph's character and although I was rooting for Damian, I really couldn't blame him; Damian was really out of it. I was kind of grateful because at least I don't have to worry about the loud tension between us now that we didn't have to act together anymore. He didn't even seem angry when Mr Zaki chose Richard. He might have even been relieved.

It kinda hurt that Damian and I haven't had a conversation in like, forever. It wasn't like we were beefing or anything but after that day, things were just awkward and neither of us made a move to talk to the other since.

Reya's birthday came and went. It was fun and really eventful. Her friends still managed to surprise her, even though she was insistent on planning her party by herself. My mom really outdid herself on the funding. She baked an amazing cake for Reya and it was blue and white; her favorite colours. There was balloons, confetti, a whole load of gifts and letters from her classmates that made my sister cry as well as a recorded message from my parents.

The party was exclusively for Year 12s but me and Khadijah managed to snag invites. I had to endure watching Mitchel deliver a sickly romantic speech to Reya and then proceed to kissing her. Okay, maybe I only thought it was sickly because this was Mitchel, my second closest male friend we're talking about but did they really have to kiss in front of me?

"Hey Mary where's your mind at? ACTION!" Mr Zaki shouted with a clap and I put one hand around Richard's neck and the other at my back to support my fake pregnancy as he led me on stage. We've been rehearsing with our costumes for the past two days.

"Joseph," I spoke into my mic, "Do we seriously have to go to Bethlehem? I'm almost due and I can barely walk." I complained as Mary.

"Yes sweetheart, it's for the census. Of course we have to go. Sit here let me get our things, we're taking the Beamer."

I nearly laughed at this. They shouldn't have let Mr Zaki construct these lines.

I smile at Joseph, sorry, Richard as he goes before saying, "Such a successful carpenter." Just like my script says I must.

"And so, Mary and Joseph drive off to Bethlehem in his 2019 model BMW for the census." The narrator said and I could see Mr Zaki break into a grin, very proud of his cocky line before shouting,

"AND SCENE!"

When I got down from the stage, Hadiza, Zainab's little sister attacked me,

"Senior Ejiro, can I get your autograph please."

"Hadiza leave me alone." I laughed, "You ask everyday!"

"Only because you're my role model." She smiled.

"Sure." I eyed her skeptically, "What do you want?"

"Why is Senior Damian always looking at you?" She asked with an innocent smile, but I knew better.

God, this girl might be Zainab's sister but she might as well be Khadi's. She was literally just a smaller model!

"What?"

"He's always up there, in the gallery and guess who he's looking at." She grinned before running to catch up with her friends leaving me flushed after following her pointed finger to look up at the gallery.

Why is she even always here!? She's not in the play!

"Hadiza!"

               | Damian Briggs |

It's been weeks since I and Ejiro have talked. There's not even been those times when we've had to say excuse me because the other person was in our way; she has been avoiding me like a plague.

I told Mr Zaki that I didn't want the role anymore. Probably because he was going to give it to Richard anyway and I wanted to save my pride. I still go to watch the rehearsals sometimes, although she probably doesn't know because I watch from the gallery. I wonder if she knows how good she is at this role, Chisom wouldn't have cut it. I try to tone down my pride for being the one to put her up to it.

I hate Richard so much. Even hearing him call Ejiro's character 'sweetheart' annoyed me. He's getting closer to her and I don't like it. He knows how I feel about her and that's why he's doing this. Why he feels the need to punish me this way is what I don't understand. What was going on between me and his cousin ended ages ago and he still keeps saying that I played her.

If anything, Chisom came unto me and she still isn't relentless.

Isn't it perfect, the enmity between her and Ejiro? I will be so perfectly fucked when Ejiro finds out that we have history. If she ever acknowledges this thing between us, that is. That is if 'the thing between us' to her is not just friendship.

Fuck!

I've never felt this way about a girl. Not even when me and Chisom were still friends with benefits. Especially not then. It's the fact that she doesn't even notice how much I like her. I mean, everyone else does, even the teachers. She literally has me following her everywhere.

The memory of that night at the basketball court hovers across to me and I sigh. What wouldn't I do to hold her like that again? I drag my fingers across my face as I can't help but let out another sigh. What wouldn't I do to feel her heart race that way against my own chest?

I told her my mom was dying and she cried. My mom! How much more precious could she even be.

I don't like how out of control I feel.

"Bro! Do you realize that this place is empty? What are you watching?" Mide's scolding cuts through my perfect thought bubble and I groan. "Everyone left for lunch, like thirty minutes ago." He explained, when I looked at the empty hall below me in surprise.

Giving him, a half-assed smile, I took the hand he offered me and got to my feet, "And you came back for me? Aww, Mide." I joked.

"No need to try to look chill, I know you're miserable."

"Ouch." I replied as I followed behind him.

We had to go to the classroom block first to get my bag, before moving towards the cafeteria. Truly, everyone had left and the roads were empty except from a few teachers who were closing early.

"Where are you going?" Mide asked me when I made a different turn.

"Hostel." Mide hissed and pinched the bridge of his nose like he was having to deal with a very annoying toddler. It amused me.

"Would you get your sad ass here, right now! I didn't teach you to starve yourself because of a girl."

"Says Amarachi's boy toy." I mutter even as I followed him.

Despite myself, I almost laughed when I saw him look around frantically if anybody had been close enough to hear. I wonder when they would decide that it's good enough time to finally tell everyone. Amarachi doesn't even know that I know.

"I just realized that you've been calling me chicken all this while when the whole class still doesn't know that y'all have been dating for, what? Six months now?"

"Shut up."

I smirked, satisfied. Not following Mide to the line, I took my seat instead since I really wasn't in the mood to eat. Kene was already there and I turned to see him, staring at the exact table I came here to stare at.

Ejiro's table.

She was there, eating her food slowly and carefully, like she always did. She is so pretty, it's almost unbelievable. Ejiro isn't dark but she isn't fair either, just a perfect mix of both complexions. Her hair was packed high up into a bun today and I've never seen her look so serene.

I saw Khadijah whisper something to her and the laugh that followed, though I couldn't really hear had to be the best thing I'll see today. Then Khadi looked directly at me, and winked. I ducked down my head and placed a hand to my chest. God, that girl is weird and creepy as hell.

Can she stop doing things like that? Last week, she accosted me in class saying that she knew how I felt about Ejiro and that if I didn't make a move soon, Richard will. She's still weird though, as annoyingly true that statement was.

Of course, Kene was staring at a totally different girl though.

"Your girl did talk to her." Kene said, probably noticing that I was paying attention to him.

"Yeah?"

"She's relentless, it's driving me crazy! She hasn't gotten over me, I know, but she's very determined to."

I let out a long sigh, "I don't want to say, I told you so, but dude, you know Chisom is bad news. When she wants something, she gets it and for some reason she wanted to ruin your relationship."

"Guy, I'm tired of hearing all that, okay? Both Amarachi and I have done shitty things to each other in this relationship but I love her and she loves me, that is usually enough."

"Maybe she's tired off both of you having to do this to each other. Kene, you seriously have to move on. Ayo has made her choice."

"Yeah, she has." Mide joins us. His words come with a tone that makes Kene turn to him with a glare.

"What's that supposed t—"

"No matter what fucked up relationship you people had, you cheated on her with one of her best friends! Does that really seem cool to you?" Mide said, his tone icy.

I thought it was my pity party. Guess that'll have to wait?

"Did you just call my relationship fucked up?" Kene raised his voice and some heads turned towards our table. When I saw Ejiro turn slightly, I wanted to sink into my chair.

Mide gave a short, very cynical laugh, "She broke up with you bro, you don't have a relationship."

I gripped Mide's shoulder, "What are you doing?" I bit out but Kene was already getting up. I really didn't want a fight so it was a relief when he just said 'fuck you' and stormed out of the cafeteria.

"What was that for?" I asked Mide almost immediately.

"It annoys me the way he keep justifying his actions and making Ayo look bad in the process, doesn't he realize what he's doing?"

"Fair enough."

"I managed to get you to come here and you're not even eating." Mide said later.

"Um, yeah, that's not why I agreed to come." I follow Ejiro with my eyes, and as soon as she starts to near the doors, I get up.

Mide, slaps his hand on his forehead when he finally catches on and I've already left when I hear him say,

"Lord save us from girls."

Please do.

"Ejiro." I called making her to freeze right where she was. I watched the exchange as Khadijah winked at her while Ejiro glared back at her. Ejiro slowly turned around before walking even more slowly towards me.

"Hey." She said, her shy smile warming my heart.

"Hey, bro! Snap out of it, move your ass to the hostel."

I groaned. This was the second time Mide had to rouse me from a day dream today. And just like the first, Ejiro had already left.

"Mide what is happening to me." I whined like a teenager in diapers. Mide laughed, slapping my back.

"It's the hormones." He grinned and I gave him a slight push. We were just leaving when Chisom appeared right in front of us.

"Baby boy." She cooed, placing her hand on my chest. I'm pretty sure it's not allowed in school, but Chisom's nails were painted silver.

I picked up her hand and let it fall back to her side, "What do you want?"

"Chill, what's up with you? Just wanted to remind you about Carol tonight. Stay tuned for my surprise." She winked before walking off. Following her direction for a brief second, I saw Richard glare at me and sighed.

I didn't even do anything. Doesn't he see that she's the one that comes to me?

"If you ever want a chance with Ejiro, you really need to stay away from that girl." Mide tells me and I exhale.

"You think I don't know?"

I want to ask, does anyone actually listen to the songs I put up before the chapter?

... Oh God! The next chapter can't come soon enough! (」ﾟﾛﾟ)｣

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