"What you did there was uncalled for?"I grumbled after her as I was limping behind her.
"Watin na concern me,her papa be presidio while my papa be wine tipper. e get papa and me too get,watin na shale*" I stared at her like she had grown another head.
She continued "if not for the people way dey there ni, I for smash her face*" she sneered angrily as she rolled her sleeves up and fumed.
"I hate the riches, they are too proud, arrogant, pompous, nit, foolish..." she said with disgust while kicking some tin on the ground.
We arrived at the chemist shop, the lady checked for any serious damaged but when she couldn't find any. She released me to go home with some prescription and rest for the day.
~~~~~
I woke up late today, I got dressed and ready for school but I was having this bad gut or feeling that something was going to happen but I shrugged it off.
Payback for Saturday.
I entered the school with a bright radiant smile, I didn't care what people were saying or whispering.
As I entered the classroom, I glanced round it but I saw that my chair and table were not at the usual spot. They were nowhere to be found.
"Who the hell took my chair? what happened?" I mumbled to myself. I couldn't ask them.
"Good morning class" Mrs Akin entered the class. The students didn't reply as usual and I was the only one who answered her as the good student I was.
"Have a seat, will you? " she yelled at me.
I didn't know why this teacher never liked me because she never talked gently or calm to me. All that she was good at was to shout, yell or scream as if she was bitten by a rabid dog.
"My chair and table are not here," I said in a small shaky voice.
"What are you saying small girl, I can't hear you. Can't you talk louder?" she bellowed while I flinched and cowered away in fear. Tears welled up in my eyes. I hated been shouted on, it opened the memories. It made me scared.
"I said" my voice wavered, I swallow the lump and continue "my chair and table is not here" I screamed at the top of my voice as tears were falling without holding back.
I was tired of crying, frustrated with being bullied, I just wanted everything to stop. I hated myself for being weak. I hated Zaid and a small voice in my head rolled her eyes at my statement. I hated this school and everything.
I ran out of the class angrily, I heard my name been called but I didn't stop. I couldn't stop, I just wanted to fade away.
I just wanted to escape everything.
I ran through the back door only to find my table and chair been broken in the garbage while there were some words scribbled on it.
Payback to the bitch.
You are unwanted.
Leave.
Unfortunate.
Bad luck.
I knelt on the floor with my hands clamped on my mouth to stop my screaming but it was impossible. I cried till there weren't tears in my eyes.
I would had used almost an hour outside before I walked on my wobble legs to my next class. As I entered the hallway, students glanced at me with satisfaction as they saw my appearance.
I hung my head low in disgrace as I walked to my locker only to be stopped by Becky. She had her cruel smile on her face.
"Do you like my gift?" she asked in her high pitched voice. When she realized I would not reply to her, she clasped my hand tightly with her manicured nails which pierced me. I didn't want to scream or cry but I couldn't control it. Blood oozed out of the injury and she smiled happily before using the hem of my uniform to wipe her nails.
"You think you can escape me?" she asked, "no, you can't because I'll make this school hell for... " she was interrupted by the loudspeaker which indicated there would be an announcement.
"Adiya Amir from SS1 has broken some rules of this school by shouting on her teacher, walking out on her teacher and damaging the school properties. She is to be punished according to the law-abiding the lower class students in the Royals school" The voice rang through the hallway while I gulped in fear of unknown.
"So Adiya Amir surrender yourself or get expel".
Becky turned to me when the speaker had been off with her signature evil smile, "See, this is just the beginning" she said as she intentionally bumping on me and walked away.
I went to the school authorities for my punishment, I couldn't lose my scholarship. I was told to kneel outside the school compound until the last period and do some school services.
And here I was, under the scorching sun, kneeling on the rough ground.
It was almost closing hour when the rain started to pour all it might.
I stood up on my shaky legs and picked the litters, the rain never stopped. After I was through with everything, I went to my locker to take my bag.
I shivered because of the rain and pain.
The school was empty apart from the security men, the bus had left without me. Would I trek from ikoyi to Bombata?.
I closed my locker door only to face Zaid, I cowered away from him but he blocked me.
"Please Zaid, just let me go," I said in my shaky hoarse voice.
He moved closer as he removed his jacket and covered me with it. I inhaled his manly scent hungrily in which I felt relieved and almost forgot all my worries.
He looked at me from head to toe and shook his head with emotions I couldn't decipher swirling in his eyes, "Why can't you defend yourself?, why can't you call me?, I'm always one call away. Why?. You are too foolish, dumb, crazy....? He continued to fire me with questions and abuse.
As he opened his mouth to say another, I shut him to it, " Yes, I know I'm stupid. No need of you telling me, thanks "I yanked my hand away from him as I forced myself away from him, I stumbled back but refrained myself quickly. My head started to spin, I felt tiredness and sickness washing over me. My head continued to pound heavily, black spot clouded my eyes. My consciousness gave away and I fell on a warm surface.
I was free
Was I not?
🌸🌸🌸🌸
Rough Translations.
Watin na concern me,her papa be presidio while my papa be wine tipper. e get papa and me too get,watin na shale = What concern me, her father is the president while my father is a wine tipper. She has a father and I have also, what happen with it.
If not for the people way dey there ni, I for smash her face = If not because of people who were presented there, I would have smack her face.