Life Of Jiji

All Rights Reserved

©2022 Tena Ifiemi

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*this chapter is dedicated to @saysarah. I was supposed to do this like three chapters back but my brain is fried, so... Memory loss and stuff like that, y'know.
Anyway, thank you for always reading, voting and commenting and not giving up on this book and always motivating me ❤ *

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I sighed, massaging my forehead as I forced myself to read another topic. I was tired and I knew I needed to take a break but I refused to let up. It happens. When you've read so much and to the point that your brain just refuses to make sense of anything when you try to keep pushing.

Mitchel always says that it means I have reached my saturation point.

It's not even revision week yet and we've not even done this topic in class so what's my deal, right? The truth is, some days, I'm not sure either. I don't know what I'm trying to prove but what I do know is that I'm not doing anything wrong. Studying to get better grades and do better at school generally didn't hurt anybody, right?

Okay, maybe I want to prove something. Maybe I want to be more than the untalented, unintelligent random person that I am. Maybe I wanted to earn my mom's pride. She always says she's proud of me, but like what for? It's the same thing I thought about when I accepted to audition for Mary at the Christmas play, but she couldn't make it.

If I get better grades, maybe I can even get dad to smile at me this time? Going upstage to receive an award of some sort with my parents cheering me on had always been a fantasy of mine anyway. And  yeah, IGCSE is coming up and if I want to 'prove myself', I think that's a good opportunity...even though its in June and we're still in February.

"What?" I asked, turning when I notice a pair of eyes on me.

"First of all, I just want to say I admire this new resilience, no...um, tenacity, yes. Well whatever it is, its good but I think you've reached your..."

"Don't say it." I warn.

Mitchel laughed, "...saturation point, I said it. What're you gonna do?"

I wrinkled my nose at him but smile, Mitchel was so serious these days, it was a rare occurrence to see him joke around.

"Keep reading."

Mitchel snorted, "I see the way you're hugging your book these days. Who're you trying to impress? Damian?"

I fought the urge to blush as I rolled my eyes, "Does someone always have to be doing something because they want to impress your species? I can't by chance be doing it for myself?"

Mitchel raised both hands just a little above his head at both sides of his face, "Sorry, expensive joke I see, but seriously, even you know that at this point you're just deceiving yourself." He reached out and closed my book. "Take a break."

"Like you take breaks. Set an example Mitchel, I sit beside you."

"I do take breaks. When I can no longer take any more physics, I do something lighter, like Maths. Besides, it takes longer to reach my saturation point."

I start to laugh. It starts small, but it begins to grow little by little. It doesn't get too loud but it carries on long enough to annoy Mitchel, "What's funny?" He demands.

"I'm sorry, but did you hear yourself?"

"Um, yeah? What?"

"When I can no longer take any more physics, I do something lighter like maths." I mimic in an over exaggerated deep voice.

Mitchel rolls his eyes, "Your break is over." He opens my textbook again to a random page and pushes it even more towards me than it already was.

"Yes ma'am... Oops, sorry, wrong gender." Mitchel glared at me before proceeding to completely ignore me.

Khadi was right, it was fun to annoy people...sometimes.

When the bell rang for prep over, I was happy. Satisfied would probably be a better word, because I managed to cover a little more than half of that new topic before time. I packed my books into my bag and waved Mitchel goodnight before heading out of the class. I was actually heading to Damian's prep room when I saw him moving in my direction.

I can't help the smile that stretches my lips as I decide to stand still and wait for him to reach me.

"Hi Jiji."

"Hi Damian, stop calling me Jiji at school."

"So I can call you Jiji when we're not at school?"

"You only see me at school, smarty pants." I playfully stick my tongue out at him.

"You know we live in the same city. Right Jiji?" He whispered that last part directly into my ear and I visibly shivered. "You keep forgetting that." He carried on, in that same deep...unsettling voice.

Flustered, I push him away. "Um, I...I'm not allowed to go out." I looked down at the road.

I could hear both Damian's steady breathing and my rather uneven one. He nudged me slightly, "You okay?"

I smile up him, angry with myself for worrying him, "Yes."

His features relaxed and I snaked my hand into his. He grinned, securing it properly.

"So, have you been campaigning?" I asked him.

That same day Damian resumed, he was able to grab and fill a form and the next week he had been screened. The screening process was scary to say the least and I'm saying this because a lot of people were screened out. A lot. They looked at every single one of your records. Your name is permitted to be in the disciplinary records a maximum of only once and it has to be only a mild offence —most guys were wiped out for this reason— and also, you have to have maintained an average of 85% and above from Year 10 up till now.

That last bit seemed a bit unfair because I don't think a person's book intelligence determines their capabilities in certain areas. I mean, what does it matter if the Cafeteria prefect gets a high average or not? Anyone with a sense of responsibility could do it. But then maybe I'm just being ignorant.

I'm glad Damian passed, and Tolani and all the people I was rooting for but I couldn't help but think that if I had wanted to be a prefect, I would not have passed because I'm just not smart enough. I can't believe I was satisfied with my last average at the time, narrowly making it to 80% when my mates were busy crossing 90. One of the reasons I must up my game, I guess. Can't go around missing opportunities.

"I should be asking you. Ghost campaign manager." He replied with a smirk.

I narrow my eyes, "What do you mean 'ghost campaign manager'?"

He chuckles, "Well, you're my campaign manager but you appoint other representatives in every class so you don't have to talk to people."

"Uh huh? It's a genius idea."

"I agree, but that's what makes you a ghost campaign manager." 

"Well, not all of us are bold and talkative."

"Talkative!?" Damian exclaimed incredulously. He looked so offended, but I was so amused I almost couldn't stop my laugh. "That's unfair! Take it back, right now."

"Nope." I say, increasing my speed.

"Hey, where are you going? Come back!" He called after me and when I heard him behind me, I increased my pace even more, so much I was almost running.

I hear him laugh and before I could comprehend what was happening, I felt weight on my bag and then I couldn't move.

"Wha—" I started to protest when I tried moving my feet and pushing myself forward to no avail.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked again, with a laugh in his voice.

"Damian!" I complain but I'm laughing even as I keep struggling. When he finally releases me, he has to place his hand on my arm to steady me otherwise I'd definitely have been propelled into the air.

"Take it back." He insists.

"I take it back." I finally give in and he flicks my nose.

When we get to my hostel gates, I almost don't want to go in and grudgingly tell him goodnight because that was the only option. His hand lingered on mine and I could sense what he wanted to do. He just wasn't doing it because he didn't know if I'd be fine with it. He probably doesn't know how much I enjoy hugging him.

"Night Jiji."  He finally says and waited for me to go in before walking the rest of the distance to his hostel.

Almost as soon as I entered, Amarachi pulled me by my arm, "You people want to make the whole school jealous, abi?"

I smile, coming up to whisper in her ear, "The same way you and Mide be making me jealous."

Amarachi blushed and placed her palm over my mouth, "You cannot say that!" She whined even as I could see the tint on her fair cheeks despite the darkness outside.

"You started it." I shoot back and she rolls her eyes.

"Fair enough."

I thought it had ended there but I got to my room to find out that the discussion of this night revolved around me...and Damian.

"One half of the equation has arrived." Mercy announced as I enter the room. I roll my eyes at her, already knowing what she was talking about since I heard them from outside.

Amarachi grinned as she followed me inside the room. The way this one would carry this gist, she might end up dozing off on the floor in her day wear. "But aren't Damian and Ejiro the cutest."

She says and I marveled at her audacity. If I wasn't so nice, I'd have outed her just now.

"Do you know I did not even know they were dating? When did you guys even start talking?"

At this, I flushed, "We're not dating."

"That's a lie!" Mercy exclaimed and I had to tilt away from her voice.

"Be calming down please." I give her a sideways glance, "and no, I'm not lying. We're not dating. Why would I lie about that?"

"Hmm, you guys look like you could be married sha, but I'm not going to say anything."

"But you like him, ba?"

I refused to answer and concentrated on arranging an already tidy layer of my wardrobe. "Let me rephrase. So if someone wants to go for Damian now, what would you advice?"

My head snaps to the person that asked the question. I glare at Mercy as I answer, "Don't. Damian is not interested in girls generally. Especially girls that live in Lagos, his mom doesn't like them." I had snapped out of my jealousy and added that last part as a joke and the girls roared in laughter.

"I don't live in Lagos." Tolani states wiggling her eyebrows at me.

I decide to indulge her, "Well, where do you live?"

"Ibadan."

"That's still a no-no, sorry."

Everyone is still laughing when Khadijah enters the room. She raises a brow in question as she stalks to her wardrobe, "What's up."

"We just got Ejiro to confess that she likes Damian."

Khadijah smirked, amused, "She confessed?"

"Well, technically." Katherine piqued in, "That bit was obvious sha, what I don't believe is that they're not dating."

I groan, "Are we still on this?"

"That reminds me, Ejiro what did you get your boyfriend for his birthday?"

"Khadi, you're not helping matters." I complain, "And what birthday."

Amarachi's eyes widened dramatically, "Don't tell me you forgot about it."

I begin to panic, "I didn't even know about it!"

Everyone gasped. Very loudly.

"What!? When is it!?"

"Wait, she's serious?"

"Everybody knows Damian's birthday, guy."

"Yeah, and he doesn't even talk to the majority of us."

I'm about to burst from my frustration at them for not just going straight to the point when Ayomide walks in, momentarily distracting me, "What's going on?" She asks.

"Ejiro does not know her boyfriend's birthday."

I groan and lay on the floor from my sitting position.

Ayomide chuckled, "Put the girl out of her misery please. Look, she's even turning blue."

They turned to me as if just noticing me afresh, then Tolani spoke, "You should have just asked y'know."

I'm just about to strangle her when Khadijah starts to speak.

"Calm down child. Damian's birthday is so special because it only happens once every four years."

Wait, what? I'm embarrassed that it took a while for me to reason it out but when I did, I was up on my feet.

"His birthday is on the 29th of February?" My eye muscles were being stretched to their full capacity at this point, "Is this a leap year? Oh my God, today is the 24th! It's just five days more! What am I supposed to do?"

I took deep breaths and sat down again, "What am I supposed to do?" I ask again more calmly.

"Do you have any gift in mind?" Amarachi asks me and I shake my head. Why didn't he tell me? I hate stressing over stuff and I know that I would not be able to help stressing over this one.

Ayomide spoke next, "Well, seeing as he only gets to see this day once in four years and you're his girlfriend..."

"I'm not his girlfriend though." I tell her and she sighs.

"Y'all are in a situationship then?"

"No—wait, what's a situationship?"

"You guys are not officially in a relationship but you do relationship stuff."

"Examples of relationship stuff?" I demand.

Katherine took it up, "Kissing, feeling underneath each other's clothes, hea—"

"We're not in a situationship." I say quickly hoping I didn't look as horrified as I felt as I had a fleeting flashback of large hands on my once little body.

Ayomide looked annoyed and Mercy looked like I had made her lick salt, "You freaking, prudish...you can't be serious!"

"So what have you both been doing? Holding hands? LMAO!"

"Shut up." Khadijah said harshly in a tone that actually made everywhere go quiet. She looked at me and I looked away. I hate the way, Khadijah looked at me sometimes, like she could see through my eyes, like she could read my mind, like she knew everything I refused to say.

"Sorry." She said, calmer now, "But all that is beside the point y'know? The sooner we start thinking, the sooner we can help her. Besides, I'm tired." She yawned.

I wondered how she could fake a yawn so well and if it wasn't fake; perfect timing!

Mercy frowned, obviously still offended, "If you're tired go and sleep." She fired back.

Khadijah sighed obviously unbothered so I'm impressed when she apologizes again, "Mercy I'm sorry nau. I'll make it up to you, you can have my chicken tomorrow."

"Leave me alone. You're too rude. And don't bribe me with chicken! It's annoying because you're only offering because you don't really fancy it."

I started to get worried. It was true, Khadijah could be rude sometimes and she crosses the line most of the time but I don't want my roommates to fight. At Mercy's outbursts, Khadijah began to look uncomfortable. It was a new look as well and I could tell that she wasn't expecting it either. The tension was thick and nobody was talking when we heard a knock at the door.

Mercy stood up and went to open it. I had a feeling it is was Zainab; she was supposed to meet me later and even though because of Mercy's mood, I hoped she hadn't chosen this time to show up, I couldn't erase her from the door front.

"What do you want?"

Zainab hesitated, "Um, sorry, ehrm, I came to meet Ejiro."

"You mean Senior Ejiro?" Mercy raised a brow and I sighed,

"Mercy please just let her come in." I plead and she nods for Zainab to enter before heading straight to her bed.

As Zainab followed behind me to my own bed, I saw Khadijah go to sit on Mercy's bed and all the non-roommates  started to head back to their own rooms. I hoped Khadijah sorted things out with Mercy. The idea of a room feud didn't sit well with me.

"So, what do you have?"

"Ejiro, Damian is definitely going to win this thing. Take it from me." Zainab said in an excited voice.

I grin, I can't help it, "Shh, don't jinx it. What do you mean? You know there are two people apart from him also contesting, right? What are the stats in your class."

"Well, all my roommates are definitely voting for Damian, and everyone else basically."

"Well, there has to be at least a group of people against him." I press. I just wanted to be sure.

"Ejiro most of my classmates don't like Ebuka. Boys say he's wicked and my class boys are very influential. Only a few people are going for the other person, I'm not sure his name, so its fine. You should be concentrating on the other classes."

"Okay, okay." I say, dropping it. "What's that you're holding?" I nod at her hand.

"Oh." She smiled, "I found someone to make some posters. Look."

My mouth dropped, "Wow! Who made this?"

"I might have a few contacts." She said with a smug look.

I shoved her slightly, "Shut up jorh. Is it free?"

"Just 500." She winked at me, "Nothing you can't afford."

"Stop whining me Zainab. I'm saving up for something important. Can I pay maybe next month?"

"It's alright. She owes me a favor actually." She says, "What about Year 7? You know they're new and small and don't know anybody. The first person that goes to them and talks to them nicely, would have their undying support for life."

"Your sister is handling Year 7." I tell her, "She was my best bet."

"I trust Hadiza to use her big mouth to good use. But you actually need to show for this one." She says placing her hand on mine, "Maybe have Hadiza latch unto you and just sprinkle that your Ejiro niceness to go round."

"What!? It's time for you to go to your room abeg." I say, laughing. "Ejiro niceness." I repeat, shaking my head.

She did go because it was actually lights out but not before repeating her advice about the Year 7 girls. I knew I would do it, it seemed like a good enough idea. A couple of Year 7 girls shouldn't scare me, right?

I pull out a novel from under my pillow to read till I fall asleep when Khadijah settles on her bed beside mine.

"Khadi, have you guys settled?" I ask, eagerly.

Unexpectedly, since I didn't think my voice was that loud, Mercy answered, "Yup, I forgave her and she's giving me her egg roll on Wednesday."

I laugh and Khadijah glared at me. She made Khadi give up something she really liked this time and what would probably make it even worse for Khadijah is that Mercy is not even a big fan of egg roll.

As if reading my mind Khadi mumbled, "It's the fact that she's not even going to appreciate it that kills me the most."

"Sorry, not sorry." I say and she just rolls her eyes.

Few minutes later she turns her head to look at me, "So?"

I wrinkled up my forehead, confused. "So what?"

"What are you getting Damian? You have limited time remember?"

"I'm trying not to stress about it but I'm clueless. What do boys like? I've never had to buy a gift for a guy before."

"Wait. Will his parents be sending a cake?"

I thought over it very well, "I do—" I was going to say 'I doubt' but Khadijah cut me.

"Even if they send, one can never have too much cake and besides, a cake from you will make him smile more. Are you up for it?"

"Sure, I could ask my mom to bake a red velvet cake. He loved it the last time."

"I'm not even going to ask why Damian has already eaten your mom's cake."

"Well, it was visitin—"

"I said I'm not going to ask Ejiro and I didn't."

I blew out my cheeks, "Right."

"I'm trying but I'm not getting any ideas. I've never had a boyfriend before..."

—I don't even bother to correct her.

"...but you can always ask Ovieya. She's basically a party planner."

I sighed, the last suggestion giving me a headache, "Thanks Khadi but lets pick this up tomorrow, okay? I'm tired."

She rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone immediately. I discard the book I was planning to read and pull a sleeping mask over my eyes. The rest of my roommates were still wide awake but sleep demanded to see me now.

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counting stars - one republic ♪

le temp - tayc ♪
 
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Hola! Salut! Hello! Anyeong!

It occurred to me last minute that some people may decide to get offended about that whole 'His mom doesn't like people that live in Lagos...or Ibadan' stuff. Please, Ejor, Biko, it was a joke. It's not even my joke. It's Ejiro, very insensitive girl. Please attack her not me,🙇🏽‍♀

Anyways, comment ça va? Estoy bien?