I know it's a pretty late update and I apologize.

I hope the length of the chapter makes up for my lateness.

Happy reading!!!

***

Chapter Forty

CYNTHIA

As soon as the driver announces that we've arrived, Sam practically jumps out of the car leaving me confused. Shrugging it off, I pick up our bags and also leave the car.

I walk into the house and see him coming out of the kitchen with an ice-cream and that's when I realize what the excitement is about. He was eager to eat the ice-cream he thought Grace had bought for him.

Nanny sees me looking at him and smiles, "I guess he hasn't forgotten about the ice-cream." She comments and I nod.

I flop on the couch, dropping our school bags beside me. Today has been so tiring but I'm also satisfied with how it had went.

Nanny comes to sit across from me and clears her throat. I know she is dying to ask me questions.

"How was school today?" She asks.

"It was fine. We've got the interest of the students."

"I know already." She waves it off. "Were you able to visit the chief?"

She looks really curious and I can't help being suspicious, "Yes, Nanny. My class-teacher and I visited him."

"Did you by chance see his son? The oldest one?" She asks enthusiastically and I raise an eyebrow.

"Why do you ask?"

"It's nothing." She replies with a small smile.

"Were you able to get his permission?" She asks with not so much enthusiasm and I nod.

"That's alright then." She answers and starts to stand.

"Nanny?"

"Hmm?" She replies absentmindedly.

"Is the chief's oldest son the person you were referring to when you said you used to know someone there?"

I know I shouldn't ask but I can't help my curiosity. And when she gives me a sad smile, I start to think that they might be more than acquaintances.

"Yes he is. We used to be in a relationship." She explains and I'm not so surprised.

"Why did you break up?" I ask then realize that I might be going too far. "It's okay, you don't have to answer." I add.

She chuckles, "That's nonsense." She replies, waving it off and then she sits again and sighs. "We broke up because of my parents. He was struggling to meet end meets and my parents were well-off, they never accepted our relationship."

"We both knew that but we were hopeful. The first time I told them about him, I was just twenty-three years old and of course, they refused outrightly. As an act of rebellion, I became your nanny because I know they will never allow it since they were rich people." She explains and then smiles at me.

"When I became your nanny, I refused to talk to them and continued to date him. For two years, we continued that way. I wasn't in contact with my parents but at least, I was together with the one I loved." She looks at me and her lips trembled.

"Then one day, he disappeared. His number wasn't reachable and he wasn't anywhere I know him to be usually. I was left devastated." She continues and I saw a tear fall from her eye.

"I became your nanny as an act of rebellion but you had grown on me and I had started to consider you my daughter. I decided to embrace my job as your nanny and tried to forget about him but it was hard. It was later that I discovered that his mum fell critically ill and my dad paid him a lot of money to get his mum treated- but on the condition that he must end things between us." She adds sadly. I go to sit at her side and embrace her.

I never knew Nanny had such a sad love-story.

She looks at me and smiles then she pats my cheek gently and lovingly, "I have never for once regretted being your nanny for these past twelve years. It's a joy to watch you grow to the fine lady you are becoming." She tells me and I smile.

"But after all these years, you still haven't gotten over him, right?" I ask and she chuckles but doesn't respond.

I hug her instead and she hugs me back. I had wanted to ask her about our monthly allowance because I haven't written my name or what I would contribute but now is definitely not the time. I enjoy the warmth of her embrace until she finally releases me and stands up.

"I should fix you and Sam a quick lunch, go upstairs to change your clothes." She tells me and I nod. She pats my cheek with a small smile again and head towards the kitchen.

With a heavy sigh, I also stand up and head to my bedroom.

***

We've just finished dinner and Nanny is back to her cheerful self. She has been moody since we spoke in the afternoon and I was grateful when she finally began to speak normally during dinner.

I had volunteered to do the dishes and she had said she would help. Now, we stand side by side in the kitchen with me washing and rinsing the plates and her drying it off with a napkin.

"Nanny, I told you my classmates have started to volunteer to contribute things and I'm in charge of writing their names and what they want to contribute but I haven't written my very own name."

"Then write your name." She replies and I give her a flat look.

"Fine, how much do you need?" She asks and my happiness starts to build.

"Are you going to help me now since you just told me that your parents are well-off?" I tease and she chuckles.

"My parents were well-off. Now, my dad lives on the money I send to him monthly. He squandered his wealth on drinks and gambling when mum died." She explains nonchalantly and my mouth forms a surprised 'o'.

"I have the monthly allowance your parents sent me. I bought groceries and some foodstuffs from it today but there is still about forty thousand naira remaining. I'll hold on to ten thousand naira in case of emergencies so you can have the thirty thousand naira to do whatever you want." S

"Thanks, Nanny." I squeal excitedly.

"You are welcome, dear. Now you can really write your name." She responds with a smile and I chuckle.

After helping her with the dishes, I go back to my room to check the list of names and the things they volunteered to contribute. I write down my name and think of what I can do with thirty thousand naira. I finally decided on the noodles but I know it won't be enough for all the households in the town.

The chief had given us our permission and the number of households that are there in the neighbourhood. There are thirty households there so we have to bring enough for thirty families.

I glance at the list again and smile when I see the things the boys promised to contribute. I look at John's name and smile too but I then notice something.

Wole had promised to contribute bags of rice, beans and garri and that's exactly the same things John had promised to contribute.

Is it coincidence?

I glance at the other names and see that there are also some that promised bags of rice and beans too and I roll my eyes.

It's just coincidence.

I drop the list in my bag and settle in the bed then I allow my mind to wander back to Nanny and her ex-boyfriend story. Her act of rebellion had thrown her my way but it was at the cost of her relationship with her parents.

I wonder how her ex-boyfriend is fairing now because I certainly didn't see him in his father's house.

But they still have a chance right? If I end up seeing him on Saturday, I'll definitely give him Nanny's number.

What if he's married? My subconscious says and I groan.

I drift to sleep still thinking about them and end up dreaming about a younger Nanny and an imaginary boyfriend living happily ever after.

***

The next morning, after dropping Sam at school, I ask the driver to drive me to the nearest supermarket so I can get the cartons of noodles for the children. I had texted Grace about the development and she had said her mum had given her the clothes and some money to buy things for the children too.

I told her to use the money to buy cartons of noodles so we will have enough to give the people and she agreed.

We are now at the entrance of school but due to the cartons of noodles that have to be carried into the school, I asked the driver to drive into the school compound.

On getting inside, I see Grace leaning on her car with an anxious expression on her face. Her car isn't the only one present as I see some other cars with familiar faces that I identify as part of the people that volunteered to contribute something.

As soon as I alight from the car, Grace approaches me.

"We have a problem." She announces and I raise an eyebrow.

"These students are here with what they promised but we discovered there's nowhere to put them. Today is Thursday and it has to be kept somewhere until Saturday but that somewhere is where we don't know." She explains and I groan after realising she's speaking the truth.

"I didn't think about that and we have only five minutes until assembly." I glance at my watch.

"Do you know if your class-teacher is around? She might have a solution." She suggests.

"I don't know. I just arrived. Maybe we should check the staffroom." I answer her and start to head towards the stairs.

"Let me go alone, it would be faster that way." She says and I nod.

After few minutes of waiting, she arrives with our class-teacher just as the bell for the assembly rings.

The others who are also waiting by their car doesn't look too happy that the assembly has begun but the class-teacher heads straight towards me.

"What's happening?" She asks.

"We just realize we have nowhere to keep the things we brought for the project."

"Bring them down to that empty classroom along your corridor, we will find something to do to it later." She answers immediately and I nod, breathing out a sigh of relief.

I turn to the others to tell them but I see that they are already bringing the stuffs out from their cars with the help of their drivers. I had bought fifteen cartons of noodles and used the rest of the money to buy some rolls of bournvita, milk and sugar. Grace had also truly bought the noodles too and she and her driver are bringing them out from their car.

Lanre and I do the same and we had to make five trips to the car before we finally bring everything into the classrooms

By the end of the trips, I look at the classroom and see that it's starting to get packed with foodstuffs. I quickly bring out my book to tick out the names of the people that had brought what they promised and out of the twenty names that I have, five had brought what they promised and two out of the people on Grace's list have also bring theirs.

"Is it alright to leave these things here without any protection?" I ask our class-teacher as soon as the others except Grace, I and the class-teacher are left in the classroom.

"No, I doubt it. Go to my office, you will see a small padlock in one of my drawers then bring it. That should work till the end of today when we will get a bigger padlock." She says and I nod and rush out of the classroom to get it.

And then we head for the assembly hall.

***

MICHAEL

"Henry! At this rate, we are going to be late to school."

"I think we are already late." Wole tells me, glancing at his watch.

"Whose fault is that?" I ask him with a raised eyebrow.

He shrugs, "Definitely not mine."

I glance at the rest and they are not even paying attention. Femi seems strangely out of it for some reason - I'm thinking it's because he is still in the honeymoon phase with Grace and there's Peter who is just annoying. As usual.

I turn to Kunle, the only one standing in my room. "Can you please go and check what is taking Henry so long? I thought we have discussed all this yesterday."

"I will do so right now." He responds and leaves the room.

I settle in to the chair I'm sitting on and the other three are flunked on my bed. Femi is sitting on the edge of the bed, his mind out this dimension. Wole is lying down, his phone in his hand and Peter is sitting on the bed and resting against the wall, scrolling through his iPad.

Needless to say they are all in their own worlds so I clear my throat to gain their attention.

They all turn to me except Peter who keeps scrolling through his stupid iPad.

Annoying idiot.

"Anyways, what and what needs to be picked up?" I ask them.

"Well, Granny is really into philanthropy so she hadn't hesitated to give me a lot of money when I told her about it." Femi explains.

"How much are we talking about here?"

"Five hundred thousand naira." He replies and I nod, impressed.

"That's cool. You have it with you?"

"Why would he have that amount of money with him? Have you heard of something called a bank account?" Wole responds for him, earning him a hard glare.

"And what are you putting down, Mister?" I ask irritably.

"Stuffs from my stepmother." He answers in a voice that is very different from the one he used when he replied instead of Femi.

I know his stepmother is kind of a sensitive issue for him and they don't really get along. Not from lack of trying from the woman's part but then I wouldn't also blame Wole because the circumstances in which she had ended up with his dad was fucked up.

The sole reason the only thing he would be bringing forth is the foodstuffs is because he wouldn't speak to his father. They haven't spoken for years now even though they live under the same roof.

"I think he means bags of foodstuffs." Femi adds in his stead.

"I know that, Femi." I tell him flatly and he only shrugs.

"So we will be going over to his stepmum's shop to get the foodstuffs." I note mentally. "How about you Peter?"

I stare heatedly at the only person in the room who hasn't said a word and he finally deems the iPad less important and looks up.

"Five hundred thousand." He replies monotonously and returns to his iPad.

"Yeah, we know you are loaded." I roll my eyes and turn to the rest of them. "Now, all that is left is for Henry to finally arrive so we can get going."

"Why didn't we just do this yesterday? I'm sure first period is almost over by now." Femi comments.

"Well, for one we all had football practice till six in the evening yesterday." I look pointedly at him, glad I'm able to remind him if he has forgotten so easily. "And two, you have got to admit that we were all tired after that. I bet you will agree with me that venturing into the market by past six in the evening, trying to figure out how to spend the amount of money we have presently isn't a good idea."

"I actually agree with him." Wole backs me up.

"Thank you."

"I miss Grace." Femi suddenly blurts out.

"Well, even if you are in school, you are both on different floors so you won't be seeing her." Wole reminds him.

"Maybe I should just transfer classes so I can be in her class like Michael did with Cynthia." He muses out loud. Peter let's out a loud snort without looking up from him phone but Wole is having none of it.

"Really? At the expense of your Grandma having a mental breakdown? What do you think will happen if she finds out that you quit business class and switched to Art class because of a girl?" He asks, clearly unimpressed.

"Guy, chill. I wasn't actually going to do it." Femi defends, looking a bit amused.

"Well, don't even think of it." Wole says and goes back to pressing his phone.

Another episode of Wole being Wole.

"Michael, your daddy doesn't know that you have switched class yet, does he?" Femi asks innocently and I try not to hate him for just ruining my day. I hate being reminded of the fact that I still have a Dad and he just did.

"What do you think? He would have flown over if he found out." Wole replies on my behalf.

He didn't lie. He would have flown down to Lagos from Abuja and I don't think I want to know what he would have done to me when he arrives.

I start to feel the onset of a flashback coming so I clench my fist tightly, trying to stop it from invading my mind.

Thankfully, Henry and Kunle enters at that moment and I'm able to divert my attention to him.

"What the hell have you been doing since morning?" I ask as soon as he walks in.

He looks at me with a very offended face, "Language, young man. And I was making preparations for you. It's not everyday that you decide that you want to go help some people at a village." He scolds.

Yeah, well...

"How about Tayo and her mother? Are they settled in their new apartment?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Yes, they moved in yesterday. Kunle already enrolled Tayo in a school like you asked." He confirms and I nod satisfactorily.

"Good."

"Henry, can we leave now? We are already so late for school." Femi asks him. I know his eagerness is only because he wants to see Grace. Seriously.

"Yeah, as soon as the truck arrives." He responds.

We all turn to look at him after that statement, including Peter.

"What do you mean truck?" I ask, voicing out the question that I know is on everybody's lips.

"Well, I listened to what you said about Tayo and her mum's room and I put them into consideration when I was coming up with the list of what we would be getting."

"And that list involves a truck?" I ask, bewildered.

"You did say there were thirty households right?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, that's your answer." He responds, without batting an eyelash.

Before I can ask what kind of crazy list he came up with, a very loud horn that can only belong to the vehicle we were just talking about blares.

"Okay, guys. That's our cue to leave." He mentions and immediately turns to leave. The guys start to stand one by one, all of them wearing an amused look.

I really hope I didn't do wrong by putting Henry in charge of this.

***

CYNTHIA

By the time we get back to the assembly ground, there are just few minutes left until it is over and when I get to my class, I don't find Michael in it which is a surprise.

The first teacher enters the class and he is still yet to arrive, when the second teacher leaves the class and he is still not around, John comes over to sit beside me.

He keeps my company throughout the last lesson before lunch but it doesn't stop me from wondering why Michael isn't in school today.

When the bell for lunch finally rings and the teacher leaves the class, almost all the students in the class rush out to stand on the balcony. I glance around with confusion and throw a questioning look at John but he only shrugs in response.

I go out of the class and see that it's not only students of my class but of other classes too. There are a lot of students leaning on the railing and looking down at something. I decide to check out what it is and when I do, I gasp.

Michael and his friends can be seen coming out of a full-loaded truck and they are unloading what is in it. I see mattresses, gas cookers, pots, utensils, food items amongst other things.

I hear someone groan beside me and turn to see Grace, an anxious expression on her face.

"What are they doing?" She asks.

"What do you think? They bought things that were not included in what we are supposed to give them. Look at them, they even bought mattresses." I say incredulously.

"It's to probably make them sleep more comfortably." She says but still with anxiousness.

While the others are still unloading the truck, I see Michael look around in search of something and then his eyes land on me. I'm surprised that he managed to find me amongst the students that are still struggling with each other to see what's going on downstairs.

"Cynthia! Grace! Come downstairs!" He shouts and I groan and hear Grace whimper. On hearing Grace's name, Femi stops unloading and stands beside Michael, looking at our direction too and when he sees us, he waves with a huge grin on his face.

"Girlfriend, what are you waiting for?! Come downstairs!" He cries out and my eyes widen. It can't compare to Grace who looks like she is going to faint. Every eyes on the corridor is now staring at us and it's thanks to the thoughtless boys who are now grinning and watching us expectantly.

Grace starts to shrink under the scrutinizing of the others and I pull her into my classroom. I realize John is nowhere to be found.

"You look like you are going to faint." I tell her and she jerks her head up suddenly, her eyes full of panic.

"He just practically announced to the whole school that I'm his girlfriend." She says and I look at her pityingly.

"But they know already? Why do you look so surprised?"

"By they, you mean the SS3 students. But now SS1, SS2 and SS3 students have probably all found out. If I was being harassed before, I'm going to get killed today. Did I tell you that I received three threat notes already?" She says and I groan.

"Look on the bright side, this floor is for SS3 students so that means they are still the only ones that know, right?" I say with a small smile and she sighs.

I stare at her, not knowing what to say any longer. She looks really frightened. Why the hell will they do something like that without thinking?

Her phone starts to ring and she brings it out and glares at it. I glance at it and see that it's her boyfriend calling.

"Now, he remembers he has a phone." She says drily and doesn't pick up.

"What's all this ruckus?" An elderly female voice asks and the both of us look up to see our class teacher standing at the hallway. She gives the both of us a questioning look.

"It's the boys, Michael and his friend. They brought a truck full of things that we are meant to take to the neighbourhood." I explain.

"A truck?" She asks with surprise and both Grace and I nod. She says nothing and glances outside.

"Excuse me, ma." A student says, appearing in front of her.

"Yes?"

"The principal just sent for you and the both of them." She says and points at the two of us.

Grace and I exchange curious look and my class-teacher sighs.

"I really hope the both of you have not gotten me in trouble. Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to help you guys after all." She says quietly and massages her temple.

"Well, what are waiting for? Let's go." She says and walks out of the classroom. Grace who was already anxious now looks more anxious - if that's even possible - and I don't know how to react.

We follow my class-teacher as she leads the way to the principal office and I realize that I've never been in it before. Not even when Frank's father came with policemen to take us to the police-station.

My class-teacher knocks on the door and waits expectantly.

"Come in." The old female voice carries out of the door and my class-teacher opens the door and enters. We follow suit.

The principal is seated at her table and she is going through some notes, whatever they may be. Without looking at us, she asks us to sit down. The class-teacher does but Grace and I stand since there are just two seats in front of the principal anyway.

She finally drops the notes and raises her head to look at us.

"Since this morning, students have been coming into the school with all sorts of things from food items to provisions and from what I just heard, even Michael Bankole and his friends just entered the school with a truck full of essentials. May I know why?" She asks without any preamble.

"I'm very sorry ma, this is all my fault. I came across this neighbourhood on the outskirts of town and saw that the children there looks deprived of food so I decided to take food items there but it was beyond my power so I-" I start to say but Grace interrupts.

"We both decided to involve our classmates because we came to the conclusion that they could help us with something, anything." She completes and gives me a reassuring look.

Is she dumb? Why would she want to implicate herself by saying she's involved too?

"The both of them approached me yesterday saying the same thing and I realized that it is actually a good thing so I decided to help them." My class-teacher adds and the principal nods.

"So, everything that has been brought into the school is going to be taken to a neighbourhood on the outskirts of town?" She asks again.

"Yes ma." We chorus.

"What's your name?" She asks me.

"Cynthia Williams." I reply.

"You were the one who started this whole thing?"

"Yes ma." I answer but I'm beginning to get scared. What if she asks me to be disciplined for carrying out stuffs like this in the school without her permission.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" She asks and I look at her with surprise. I glance at Grace and see the same expression on her face.

"Does that mean we are not getting disciplined?" She asks and the principal smiles.

"Of course not. Both of you are doing a good deed and it would be wrong to discipline you because of that." She replies and I breathe out a sigh of relief. "What can I do to help?" She asks again.

"We are still arranging how to get a bus to carry the students to the neighbourhood because some of them are interested in going there." My class teacher says.

"You are saying you need a bus?" The principal asks.

"Yes ma." She replies.

"Fine then, you are given the permission to take the school buses, the two of them. When will you be going to this neighbourhood?"

"Saturday."

"I'll arrange for the drivers to be present then. You don't have to worry." She replies assuringly.

"Thank you ma. It's really appreciated." My class-teacher says with a grateful smile and we nod in agreement with our class teacher.

"It's the least I can do." The principal smiles. "Cynthia?" She calls my name and I look at her expectantly.

"Make sure you take pictures. I want to see them."

"Of course, ma." I reply with a small giggle and she smiles back.

I've never thought I'll be in front of the principal, chatting to her about taking pictures and her offering to help me in something that was meant to start as a minimal project.

And the way she looked at me - like a proud mother - I'll never forget.

***

The next day, almost all the people who had written their names and had promised to bring something have fulfilled them. Even Dorcas had brought the money in cash.

School is about to close and we are all in the previously empty classroom. My class teacher, Grace, Femi, Wole, Peter, Michael and I are trying to divide the items into thirty places.

"This is going to be hard. How do we divide bags of rice? It'd have been better if there were enough bags of rice for all of them." Wole says and my class-teacher sighs.

"We have no choice, we just have to. I brought a de-rica and congo to measure them just in case. Grace, go and get them for me." She says and Grace heads out of the classroom.

I go through my list and discover that I have a lot of cash with me now.

"Ma, I have up to five hundred thousand naira with me now." I say.

"That's good. Divide it into thirty places." She says.

"Ma, I was thinking we should give each household twenty thousand naira but to do that, we should have six hundred thousand naira." I reply.

"What do we do then? We still need a hundred thousand naira."

"I'll contribute it."

"I'll donate it."

Michael and Peter says at the same time and immediately throw each other glares. I give them a dry look and shake my head.

Why do they act like mortal enemies when they are supposed to be friends?

"It's okay. You can both contribute fifty thousand naira each." She diffuses the situation just as Grace enters the class room with the things she was sent to bring.

She looks around, noting Peter and Michael who is still glaring at each other and Femi and Wole who looks so done with them. She then turns to me, "What's with the atmosphere?"

"I don't know."

"Are the bags available?" My class-teacher asks.

"Yes ma." Femi replies and brings out a carton that holds different sizes of nylon bags.

"What are we waiting for then? Let's get started."

***

I hope you liked this chapter.

Updates will be slow for a while. I have a lot going on and trying to write chapters in between will take time that I do not have currently. I apologize in advance.

The next update might be soon though, that chapter is almost complete.

Don't forget to share, vote and comment 😘.

Until next time.

See yah!!!