Part Thirty B

Shout out to aminaabdullahi__ her comments always crack me up.

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I squealed so loud, I'm sure my eardrums have gone dormant for now. The feeling I had right now was ecstasy. I was so happy that if I'm asked to jump over a flight of stairs right now, I would do so without saying much.

Uncle Bola has just promised to get me my very own laptop before I clock seventeen this year. I was over the moon with happiness. Not only because my entire family came into the year 2020, I was also happy because I would stop stealing and requesting for Kenneth's laptop. I downloaded the writing app, Dreame and the game app, Choices, on his laptop and I don't always have the chance to play with them. But after hearing that I'll get mine soon, I was elated.

I was humming and dancing to Tiwa Savage's All Over, and folding the clothes I brought in from the clothe-line outside the house when I heard the sound of my brother, whistling as he came towards the room we shared. He opened the door wider and let himself in.

He jumped on one of the beds in the room.

"So... For your mind naa, you get laptop soon. Anyways, the earliest the best, cause I can't wait to delete those useless apps you've downloaded on my own laptop."

I sneered at him. He was trying to get a reaction from me.

I wasn't going to let him know how much that piece of good news is making my day, otherwise he would crush my hopes.

He stood up and picked up the soccer ball he always kept in the room, probably going out to play a game of soccer with his friends. He started walking out the door but stopped.

He turned back to face me, he smirked and wriggled his eyebrows.

"I bet daddy won't let you use that laptop until you've finished writing your final and entrance exams."

"Yeah whatever, when I get to that bridge I'll cross it." I retorted.

"Suit yourself!" He banged the door.

I wished Granny was around to hear that, she'll give him a lecture.
My grandmother was the best, though she has her bad times. I never regretted ever coming to the village, in fact, it's the period Kenneth and I enjoy the most.
Eating lots and lots of native food and leftovers.

It wasn't that we were her only grandchildren, but we were I believe, the ones that are closer to home. My dad's brother, uncle Bola, lives in Europe with his family and they only came around once in a long time. Their only surviving sister, aunt Queen, bore four children in her husband's home but they hardly came around too. So that just lives me, Ken, Kathryn, Emerald and Joshua to spend this holiday period with grandma.

Kath, Mera and Josh; as we fondly called them, were uncle Bola's children. My uncle was married to a beautiful Ibom lady, aunt Hossana.

Ding ding

That was the sound notifying me of a new message in my phone.

I picked up the phone from the side stool close to the edge of the bed, then I unlocked it.

A WhatsApp message from that stranger who messaged me some months back. I had saved it as 'Huh?'
That's how weird I can be.

Huh?:
Hi dear

Me: Hello.
How are you doing?

Huh?:
I'm alright, you?

Me: I'm good

I suddenly remembered that I never gave him my number and I don't know him personally, either.

Me: How did you get my number?

Huh?
From a writing club you joined at Mike's College. I'm a 100level student of Mike's College and I came across one of your works that was submitted to our school.

Then it clicked.

I remembered Mike's College, the school I attended a certain Writers' seminar. I was invited by a senior, at that time I was in SS2. The seminar really had a great impact in my life, and for the first time, I felt confident enough to let other people read what I write. I was then bold enough to submit my write-up on the topic ' How can your lifestyle affect your dreams?'.

I had forgotten about whatever the outcome of that assignment was until now, but I remembered leaving my number so they could contact me.

Me: 🤦 That's true.
So can I know you?

Huh?
My name's Femi
I was at that seminar too, but I was amongst the students who were allowed to go through the project submitted.

That's how I came across your write-up.
I must say that was one of the best I read.

Me: Aww
Thanks.

Huh?
So now I guess I have earned the right to say Happy New year🕺.

I chuckled.

Me: Happy New year to you too💃.

Huh?
So there's a writing challenge I'd like to bring to your notice. 'The Rose writing challenge.' It starts on February and continues consecutively till June.

Me: okay??

Huh?
How about I fill you in some other time, I really have to go.

Me: sure.
Take care Femi

I put my phone back on it's initial position. I wasn't thrilled about venturing into writing right now, I had important final exams I needed to pass but I was intrigued about this.
I decided to give him a listening ear, maybe it'll all work out for good after all.

Sadly we had to cut our stay very short because we should be back in the city, and so I could also go back to school. Ken wasn't happy that we were going back home, but he had no other choice. It was either he left with us in dad's car, or come back at his own time in a public transport. But there's no chance that Ken would choose a public transportation over private, he hated travelling by public means.

He was mumbling some words under his breathe and furiously dumping the bags in the trunk of dad's Camry. His black earphones were stuck in both of his ears. I don't think he's even paying attention to whatever music that's playing from his phone.

I unclasped my hand from Granny's and embraced her. It was going to be a very long time before we would come back, or else she would be the one to come over to our house in Surulere.

"Okay, irin ijo aliewu." She called out to me and Ken before we sat down in the backseat of the car.

"Bye ma."

"Bye Maami."

Ken and I bade her, simultaneously.

Then I saw both my parents as they placed a kiss on her cheeks before they joined us in the car.

When dad drove the car out of the small round compound and into the main road, I scooted closer to Ken and removed one the earphones from his right ear.

"How much did Granny give you?" I whispered in his ear.

He narrowed his eyes, his forehead creased in confusion "One thousand, you?"

"Five hundred, and uncle Bola gave me one thousand naira before they left." I stuck out my tongue at him.

He smirked before replying, "Uncle Bola gave me two thousand and mama Idara gave me five hundred naira when I went to her house." He copied my action and stuck out his tongue too.

I left my mouth open, out of shock. He was going home with three thousand, five hundred naira while I had only one thousand, five hundred naira. Half his money. That was not fair but I couldn't change it.

"I hope you two plan on spending that money judiciously?" Dad's voice suddenly sounded, making me jump.

He was looking at the both of us through the rearview mirror.

'How did he find out?' I mumbled to myself.

"Because, for your information, I wouldn't give anyone allowance for one week. Deborah, you know your school is resuming earlier than Ken's, so use that money wisely."

I hissed silently so they won't hear me, but I was truly pissed. I wanted to use part of the money to subscribe and the other part to get myself a small strap bag I would use for the exams, now, that's all in vain.

Dad not giving allowance money, meant that I have to starve for one week when school resumes, if I chose to spend the money the way I had planned.

To distract myself from the anger I felt was brewing, I unlocked my phone and went to WhatsApp. I saw that the name 'Huh?', was still there, so I changed it to Femi, before going to look at my contacts' status updates.

Timothy my classmate, posted a write up that said;
'Pesin go post, my New Year Revolution is to mind my business. Still you go come to realize say na same pesin wey go wan know the meaning of everything you post for status🏃🏃🏃'

I cracked up at that, even showed Ken who smiled too. Then he showed me the status update of some of his coursemates and their New Year Revolution was like, 'Ori mi o! '.

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Yeah that's chapter Thirty. Can't still believe we're really here.

QOTD: Which of the characters do you feel you understand and relate to more?

AOTD: I feel like I understand all the characters and relate to them all in some way.

GLOSSARY::
'Pesin go post, my New Year Revolution is to mind my business. Still you go come to realize say na same pesin wey go wan know the meaning of everything you post for status🏃🏃🏃'

>> Someone would post , my New Year Revolution is to mind my business. Still you eventually realize that it's the same person that would like to know the real meaning of every status you post.

Irin ijo aliewu
>> Safe journey.

Ori mi o!
>>Oh my goodness!

PLEASE VOTE COMMENT AND COMMENT AGAIN. I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU'RE FEELING THE STORY.