Part Fifty-five

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°
Nnenna's POV

After the meeting which used up two complete hours plus, was concluded, everyone began to disperse the hall. The major number of students choose the colours red-wine, gold and black for our graduation ceremony theme, the lesser number insisted on black and magneta-pink. Since majority carries the vote, it was decided that the theme colours of the occasion would be red-wine and black. Personally I agreed with the minority, but our choice couldn't count. So, we had to forgo.

“Ehm! How has the NECO exams been going?” Peace Adike said, referring the question to me.

“Huh...” I stuttered, not really prepared for her question as I was more worried as to why I haven't seen David lately.

“NECO, are the supervisors giving you guys any problem?” she queried further.

“No, not really. Although for my own papers, I'm not encountering any difficulties except when we wrote physics and mathematics. Asides those two, all papers were walkovers,” I related.

She smirked knowingly, “I trust you naa, you have smashed all of them.”

“My sister, I did my best. The Almighty will do the rest.”

“Yes yes, that's sure. Anyways, I'm learning a skill. Hairdressing, I'll learn that for six months and practice on my own for the other six months, then I'll apply for JAMB.” she told me, but I wasn't really interested to know.

“Okay, that's good shaa. The Almighty is your strength.”

She left her desk and walked away with some friends, giving me the opportunity to properly scan the hall, for David.

Then I saw Hassan heading towards me, I zipped up my bag and hung it across my shoulder. He was going to tell me why I haven't seen David around and I had no doubt about that. After the usual greetings and acknowledgement, he presented me with a small white polythene.

“David said I should give this to you, he would have done it himself, but I'm certain something very important came up.” he told.

I stared quizzically at the object in his hand, like I was observing to see if it was in a perfect state.

“There's a letter inside where he probably wrote his reason. Anyways...” he shrugged and looked around “I've done my part. Have a nice day” he kept the white polythene on my desk.

We waved goodbye and he left to meet with a group of boys. I didn't know what was in that bag, but I was more curious than anxious, to know what on Earth it was that David gave me. I left the hall for the library without sparing a backward glance. Few of my friends have accused me of being too secretive and going off to read on my own, they would always say that I act like there's a first position in external examinations. To be very honest at this moment, I cared little to nothing about what they would think if they saw me walking off to the library.

Once I settled down in a comfortable spot, I brought out one exercise book from my bag. What I saw when I looked into the polythene, left me speechless. A blue box containing a new Android phone. A white folded piece of paper was also inside. Trust David to always be one to write letters. Words indented on white paper using a black ink, scribbled by artistic writings. Due to the kind of people I was surrounded by and the environment I was in, I didn't have the heart to bring out the phone and inspect it further. Instead, I put the letter in the midst of the pages of the book laid before me.

Dear Nne,
  
   I really didn't mean to write this in a letter, I would have loved to speak with you in person about it seeing as we were meant to meet later today. Unfortunately, something came up—a situation beyond my control. I'll tell all about that sometime elsewhere.

  Actually, I wanted to give you this present in person. I didn't mean to eavesdrop on Hassan and Hadith while they talked about your birthday, I simply couldn't help myself. Please do not attach any meaning to this simple act, I've wronged you and I know. And yes, this is not a bribe for your forgiveness, it's simply what I want to wish you a happy birthday with.

  Do accept my gift, it would definitely be of help to you in the nearest future. Happy birthday beautiful ♡. May lines fall in pleasant places for you.

P.S Here's my phone number 0904...67....2 keep in touch if you want.

Yours friendly,
David.

I couldn't help the blush that appeared on my face while I was reading the letter. Of course, I imagined it was David reading those words to me. What was wrong with me? How had I gone from distasting the very floor he walked on, to worshiping them?

Another problem I had to deal with was how my mom was going to react once she found out about this phone. Mom was not one to cross paths with. I don't like to admit it, but she was too strict for comfort. If she wanted to know about every little detail, you're entitled to inform her. She could make decisions about what I should put on, when and where I can go to and what time I should return. Even decisions about the people you went out with, she'd like to make. To not be scared about how she would react was plain bluff.

I tucked the letter away—inside the polythene and packed both the book and the polythene inside my bag. It was time to head home.
David had managed to remind me of what I had forgotten for sometime since today. Since I was not one to count the days to my birthday, I hadn't realized that it was today.

Sure, I remembered when mom and my siblings decided to sing me a song to wake me today, and mom prayed for me right after. We celebrated with a small cake that mom baked and she promised something special for dinner tonight, but in my honest opinion, David's gift had beaten whatever she had in mind to the top. The joy of having my own Android phone, I'd eventually get to know that joy which my mates who owned phones knew.
I wasn't going to let anyone take that joy away from me.

After I led my footsteps to my house, I found out that no one was presently at home. Probably mom hasn't returned from work, or she must have left with a friend and Tochi and Stephanie aren't back from school either. I retrieved the house key from Gold and unlocked the door. Before I undressed, I rummaged through my bag and brought out the nylon containing the new phone.

‘Oppo A51’ was the name boldly imprinted in blue colour on the cover of the phone carton. It must have cost David a lot of money to get this phone, and how did he even afford the money to buy such phone for me when I'm aware that he doesn't come from a wealthy family. I would definitely ask him this the moment I get to speak with him.
.
.
“Mummy, this is the birthday gift my friend gave me.” I refused to let the tension and anxiety of how I was feeling show, as I waved the white polythene.

“What's that?” she inquired whilst licking off the okro soup from her fingers.

“It's a phone,” I simply stated, observing her features for any disapproval, disinterest or anger.

Two hours earlier, I was going over my books on Agricultural science which was the last subject I would write for NECO exams in my school, when mother returned. As per guessed, she had stayed later in her workplace today because they had to prepare a special cake for a client.

She bought condiments for a quality okro soup, which was my favourite food, including large stockfish and much chevron. Celebrating birthdays in our home wasn't a big deal, especially after my dad died. Mom had to cut down on most frivolous expenses so she could meet our needs, and honestly, I appreciated her for that sacrifice. Cooking the okro soup, in a way was to celebrate my birthday and also to provide food for the family for the next two days. Only Chidinma, Deborah, Hadith, Adams and Timothy knew about today being my birthday.

They discovered it when Dinma was going through all our classmates personal details from our form-mistress' register files. Gladly, Timothy forgot to taunt me about it and Dinma wasn't in school today. Hadith and Deborah silently wished me a happy birthday while Adams got me a novel by Francine Rivers—‘The Atonement Child.’ I was surprised to know that he actually remembered our conversation, when I told him about my obsession with novels especially ones written by Francine Rivers. He admitted to having three books all written by her and promised to get me one.

So that was how I got a phone and a new novel in one day, as birthday gifts.

“A phone?” she fixed her questioning gaze at me.

I nodded in reply, too scared to give the wrong reply.

“Wait first, ka m richa nri a,” she instructed and went back to her food.

I kept the phone on the center table in the living room and went into the kitchen to continue my chores for the night.

Twenty minutes after she was finished, she called me into the living room.

“Bring that phone,” she ordered. I obeyed like a zombie.

She brought out the carton and inspected the cover carefully, “Í si na onye nyere gi ekwenti a?”

“Enyim nwanyi...” I had to lie, cause honestly, being honest would cost me a lot this night.

“Which of your female friends would give you a phone, in secondary school?”

“Her parents came back from Dubai where they bought some phones at cheaper prices, so she gave me this one because she's using an iPhone and as a birthday gift.” I lied even more.

Mom would never spare me if she found out that I got the phone from a male friend, even though nothing was going on between us, she wouldn't believe me.

“Nnenna, I hope you're not lying to me?”

“No ma,” I maintained my stand, this was not the time to back down.

“Why I'm saying is because of stolen phones. Alright, I'm going to keep this phone in my custody until you finish your exam...”

“B... okay ma,” I reluctantly handed the phone to her, giving up the need to counter her order. If keeping the phone would make her stop with her incessant questions, then let her have it.

That night, I went into the room Steph and I shared in a foul mood. I didn't get to keep the phone I was so happy about in my possession, but on the bright side, mom was right. It would have distracted from preparing for my final paper.
.
.
The long-awaited day finally arrived. We entered for the exam and came out three hours later. I was calm within myself because I knew that I tackled most questions with every diligence and accurately as I remembered.

There was no teacher in the hall to give us final advice and guidance on what the real world was all about, so some of us started sprinkling water over everyone. Students like Jude Adeleke, Timothy and Peter Dare, tore their shirts and used it to clean the marker-board.

Dinma was the only one who came to hug and congratulate me for finishing the examinations, Deborah stayed away. Whatever was eating her up was what I couldn't tell. She was angry that I always went off to the library on my own, fine! But the exams were over, the sooner she got over it, the better for everyone. I really wasn't one who read in the company of others and my friends would only serve as a source of distraction for me, despite they were bookworms as well.

Since we were playing the OYO game, I decided that I wouldn't speak to her either. There arose some commotions at the corner Johnson and few other students gathered. They were talking about the JAMB results.

I had no idea the results were out already.

“I can check the JAMB result with my phone?” Ummah inquired.

“Yes, just text your name and registration number to this number using the phone number you registered with, your result would be sent to you in few minutes.” Johnson answered.

“Thank goodness, now my mom can't force me to check and print it out at a cyber-cafe, the same way she did with my elder sister. I'll just jejely check with my phone once I go home and get my registration number.” Jade said.

“As in ehh, da thing dey tire me.” Adams added with a sigh.

I managed to get the number they were using to check the results from Ummah, I would check mine using my mom's phone. Well, since I had registered for the exam using her number. I strolled the school grounds on my own, everyone else was busy getting together and leaving the school in groups and with their cliques. Here I was, alone.

Whatever dragged my feet to where David was standing with Daphne, I failed to understand. She had her hands on his arms and he cupped her face with both of his. Immediately, the scene of the kiss they shared flashed before my eyes, reminding me of why I started disliking them. She looked as though she was laying a compliant and he was trying to console her and let her know that everything was alright. But I knew better than to trust both of them being together.

I hid beside the window of hall. I was outside while they were only the ones left inside, so I decided to stall and eavesdrop on them.

“... should know I love you too Daph, and you should try giving yourself more credit. You're not a bad person, we all have our worst and down times, but those moments are not enough to judge us.” David said to her.

That was when it dawned on me that no matter how much David praised and claimed that he loved me, I was always going to share his loyalty with Daphne. Boys were really not to be trusted, call me senseless but that was how I felt at this point. I began to see reasons with what my mom said. If mom was able to pull through without any man by her side and at her age, why should I be expecting any man to value me when I was worth nothing.

My final decision—pass all subjects to gain admission into the university, become successful in future. David was a past and has become history in my life from this moment onward.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Did I break someone's heart with this chapter?
Do you think Nnenna's mom made the right decision by keeping the phone in her possession?

This well, is Nnenna's last POV for this book. Look out for the book 2.

GLOSSARY
Ka m richa nri a -- Let me finish eating.
     
Í si na onye nyere gi ekwenti a? -- You said who gave this phone to you?

Enyim nwanyi -- My female friend/girlfriend.

Thank you for reading, voting and commenting. ❤. Please vote on this chapter as well.