Part Thirty-one

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My desire to go to school on time today will not be a reality, and it's all thanks to my dad. The man woke up this morning, on the wrong side of the bed. So, he decided to take his frustration out on me.

"David, I hope you really studied for your exams, let nothing prevent you from taking advantage of that scholarship." He couldn't mind the news he was watching, he's more interested in talking my ears off, before I go to school today.

I looked at my mom, telling her with my eyes that I can hardly take in his talk about scholarship this early morning. Sometimes, I regret accepting the offer but when I think about it further, I realize that I will benefit from the scholarship than he will. He's managed to ruin my mood, I couldn't find the appetite to continue my breakfast of bread and hot chocolate drink.

Ikenna snickered from where he sat beside me on the dining table. I gave him the stink eye, then rolled my eyes at him. He wasn't going to school for now, it was only SS3 students that were permitted to start. I passed the leftover bread on my plate towards him, then took my Dunlop bag from the couch in the sitting room.
Using the handkerchief I left in the bag, I cleaned my mouth before going to stand beside the couch dad was seated on.

"Daddy I'm leaving, my transport fare." I looked at my shoes while I spoke to him. It doesn't matter that he's being a thorn in my flesh, I'll still take my allowance and t-fare.

He looked at me from head to shoes before taking out some notes from his pocket. He counted three hundred naira out the money, and handed it to me.

‘You still gave me better money after all.’

I thanked him, announced my departure and made my way into the street. The time on my black leather watch said, 8:12am. Morning lectures, we were told would start by 9am on the dot, and from my house to the school is approximately twenty minutes on foot. So, I chose to trek to school this morning.

The air was chilly and the weather was cold. The harmattan wasn't fully out but it was in motion. I didn't bring a sweater along with me, and I wasn't cold anyway. Besides, the long-sleeved shirt and jacket I wore with a white polo inside the shirt, was enough to protect me from the cold weather. Walking the dull road that led to my school was an experience I've never had before. The streets were too quiet and almost empty, except for passerbys and few traders who opened their kiosks.

It was the New Year, many people haven't returned to the daily hustle of city life yet. They're still enjoying and spending the money they earned the previous year, with their families and friends. I wondered why Mr Adetayo, our Principal, instructed that we begin lectures this quickly. I got closer to the school, on the street before the street GCH was located, was Hassan's house. It would not be bad to drop by and see if they've gone to school already.

I arrived at the third house by the left side of Ijegun Street. Only four families resides in the compound. The house painted brown, was a duplex built into four compartments to contain four families. The Danjuma's house was the first floor by the right side of the compound. I pressed the white button beside the glass window with my thumb, to sound the bell and alert the occupants of the house. Ten seconds later, the door opened.

Hassan stuck out his head from behind the door.

"Oh! Come in naa, what are you doing? Do you want special invitation." He started scolding me like an older brother.

The house wasn't as cold as outside was, in fact, it was warmer. Then I remembered that they had a heater installed in the house. Hadith and Mr Danjuma are allergic and react to cold weather, so one of their relatives abroad had it fixed.
We walked into the large sitting room, where the rest of the family were gathered.

"Ina kwana Mr Danjuma, Mrs Danjuma." I greeted.

"Ina kwana David." Mr Danjuma greeted, holding out a teacup for his wife to pour the tea.

"Salamu alaikum, David." Mrs Danjuma said.

I didn't know that, so I did not reply. She smiled knowingly at me.

"Hiya." Hadith greeted me from the couch at the right end of the room.

There were three long couches, chestnut in colour, a black transparent glass table in the center, the wide flatscreen television, florescent lights and the black chiffon curtains which gave the room, a homely feeling.
I sat down beside her and whispered, when I noticed her parents weren't looking.

"You're not coming today."

"No, the weather's too dull I might just sleep throughout the lectures. Big brother will cover for me though." She winked at Hassan who rolled his eyes at her, while packing some books in his bag.

She looked even more beautiful in the yellow hijab she wore over her hair, on top of the black jumpsuit she was putting on. Hadith always wore a black hijab over her hair during school days, today is one of the rare days I've seen her wearing a different colour.

"Let's go. It's almost nine o'clock." Hassan's voice sounded behind us.

"Alright I'll see you tomorrow. Good bye Mr and Mrs Danjuma." I acknowledged before walking out.

"Wait!" Mrs Danjuma called out before Hassan and I could step out of the house. "Here David, consider this a New Year gift from my husband and I."

I opened my palm, she placed one thousand naira note in my hand.

"Thank you Ma." I smiled at her, gleefully.

"You're welcome." She walked back to the sitting room.

...

It's been more than one hour since Hassan and I arrived in school, there hasn't been any class till now.
The time said, 10:05am now, and all we've achieved so far was gisting and noise-making.

Not everyone resumed today, but it's as expected. There must be students who would never start on the first day of resumption, even though there's an exam the following day. Instead of eighty students in class, there were only twenty I've counted so far. Some might come by twelve o'clock, latecomers are a norm.

I was surprised to see that Daphne Okoro was even in school. As the high and mighty she was, I expected her to give herself extra days to cruise around. She was sitting and talking with Jade and Amara, with some other friends that I couldn't care to know, but she wasn't looking gaiety as she usually would. She simply smiled and nodded at whatever was being said. I waved off the bad feeling, it could be because her closet, badass friends were not in school today.

Nnenna also came to school, she looked different in the new hairstyle she made. She had her brown hair weaved into small cornrows, which accentuated her oval-shaped face. I wondered why I didn't notice how beautiful she was before. Perhaps because she always dressed in long skirts and shirts, like a sister in the Lord. She hardly looked in my direction, whenever our eyes met, she was quick to look away. But I noticed how free and chatty she was around Hassan and any other person that comes around her. Why she was avoiding me, I couldn't tell.

I made up my mind to confront her about it before leaving today. So I wrote a short note;

See me at the computer class. I'll be waiting.
David
P.S: Tear the paper after reading.

The computer class was the closest to our class. Since there were no other students in school except for SS3, that were all in the class by the way, the computer class was the only place to get some privacy. After I rolled the paper, I tossed it at her.

It was a direct hit, I was happy at that. I saw her open and read the letter, before I stood up and left the class.
When I went to the computer class, I saw a girl hunched over one of the desk. I recognized her hairstyle and black shoes to be Daphne's.

"Daphne...?"

She looked up immediately. There were tears in her eyes.

"Hey Daph, what's wrong?" I knelt down before her and took her hands in mine.

She was still shaking.

"Daph, tell me what's wrong? Why are you crying?" I asked again, rubbing my fingers on her skin.

"Do you think something's wrong with me?" She asked.

I was taken aback. Why did she suddenly feel this way about herself.

"No, you're just a normal teenage-girl who's dealing with life the way she sees best. Don't ever underestimate yourself."

She wiped her tears.
I offered my handkerchief, for better effect.

"Thanks Dave. I like you."

I smiled, "I like you too."

Suddenly she placed her lips on mine. I gasped out of shock and she used the chance to deepen what would have just been a peck on the lips, to a kiss.

I pulled her out.

"Daph?!"
But before I could say anything further, I saw a figure walk out the door.

"Excuse me." I ran out to see that it was Nnenna. She must have seen what happened between me and Daphne, then misinterpreted the whole thing.

I needed to explain.

"Nnenna!" I called but she just ignored me and walked into the class.

I walked into the class too, to talk to her but it was too late, Mrs Ogbonna was already in class. She's probably here to teach Chemistry.

I really don't understand why today's brought such bad luck my way.

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David dey kolo bah?
Nnenna caught him kissing Daphne, what would happen now?

You asked for Drama, you've got it😁.

And for those of us that are confused whether Daphne's Yoruba or Igbo. Her mom is from Igbo; hence her middle name 'Ugochi' and her last name 'Okoro' because her dad never married her mom. But her dad's a Yoruba. So stop thinking too much.

If anything else is bothering you about the story, please let me know, that's why there's a comment box. Don't bottle things up.

QOTD: Do you want school to resume?

Stay safe...