My mom took me to school as usual and gave me a word of advice as usual that I will never get use to it.
And I ?
Holding my food basket in my left hand and carrying my taffetta school bag on my bag staring at the school like its an haunted house that was founded in the village five hundred years ago by the warriors of our village during the peace offering after a victory from a war before the white came inside the picture.
It was said, at midnight, there was a screech coming from the house and in the day, blood stains on the footpaths to the house and on the unattended graves at the back of the house.
" Morenikeji"
That voice sounded so familiar with so much familiarity. Instead of thanking the voice from drawing me back from my own made up horror movie, I walked away inside the place worse than esu palace.
Finally i was inside the school... shivering like the withered leaves from the igi osan during the dry season.
I felt slow and steady footsteps behind me and I decided to ignore it since I got my issued to settle.
" Morenikeji, welcome back to school"
Who can speak English so well if not from Ọpọlọ funfun. He was walking towards me with a brief bright smile and a cane in his hand which he was going to on late comers before giving them punishment to till the grass.
His dressing was complicated and different from ours. He wore a pair of black baggy pants that has a long rope... what did they call it.. Suspenders. Yes, Suspenders. A black strange rope tied around his neck.
I ounce asked my self whether that rope isn't killing him or isn't it suicide?
A blue shirt tucked inside the pants doing a bad job in hiding his pregnancy. Sleeves rolled up probably due to the unbearable heat in my country. Gold hair.... Who in the world has a hair made of gold? Styled weirdly. And his eyes... which is metaphorically the sun itself.
" Good morning sir" I felt my stomach cringed as the footsteps behind me got closer.
" Ho- Sonya good timing my boy"
Great. Just annoyingly great.
This is how my day will start from. Wonderful day indeed.
" Good morning sir"
That human walked a few steps to my side before bowing his head in kowtow.
" Morning. After school, I need you both in my office. Am I clear? "
For what sir? With this human? Sir this is cheating!!
I didn't dare say those things or I will be signing my dearest death wish with my own two hands.
" Yes sir" We both said in unison before staring at each others face.
Copy copy.
And I think I said that loud enough for anyone to hear when I heard a laugh.
" Ok go on to class."
That was my Green card, I walked away heading to the classroom without looking back at either the white frog or that annoying human.
My feet worked faster than my total senses, not knowing what is holding install in class.
I wish I stayed and came with that human.
Apparently, I stood at the entrance with all eyes on me and mine on them as Well. Doing a vivid staring contest without knowing it.
What?
" Miss Keji fi inuure wọ inu yara ikawe ki o joko si ile-iwe mi (Miss Keji kindly enter the classroom and settle down for my class)"
A man whose hands are stained with the white from the chalks gave me a curious look before smiling at me. It was genuine.
It was the first genuine smile I have gotten from my teachers apart from the white frog. It was so nice and genuine.
If I say, this man was an angel in human form, no one will believe me.
I was taken by surprise that I didn't know when That human appeared out of nowhere and stood right beside me.
That smile is one of a kind.
That man was young and very handsome. But bald. That the sun was reflecting on his head like a mirror. Two tribal marks each like cat whiskers on his cheeks beautifying his creamy brown face.
When he smiled, that was the whitest teeth have I seen in my whole entire life.
Is he eledunmare himself?
guessed I said that aloud again.
" Mi-"
" Oti ye mi sir (Understood sir)"
I felt myself smiling. I knew I never smiled to anyone apart from my sweet mom. His smile was like chicken pox which spreads through contact.
Everyone eyes widened and that includes myself and I think that human to.
I practically had to tear my eyes off him and forced my feet to my 'seat' or else I will be doomed for.
Hypothetically speaking, I will probably disown my biological father and go for him.
His voice was deep and low when he talks now he has started teaching.
He was my Current affairs teacher and my life mentor.
His name is Esugbemiro. In short, Gbemi .
He never told me what his surname was. I strangely found my self weirdly attentive in all the classes we had and today was a bit faster than I thought it would be.
Did anyone tamper with my melancholic schedule?
I kept on asking myself till the end of school for the day.
We only had four subject today and all the teachers were new and nice especially Mr Gbemi.
If I didn't understand a thing, he knew about it and would explain again and again till I understood everything without me asking for it.
My mom was right about something she told me earlier "Awọn aja nigbagbogbo wa pẹlu rẹ titi di iku rẹ laisi awọn adie. Awọn agutan jẹ ọrẹ ati alaanu lakoko ti awọn Ikooko jẹ buburu ati eewu Dogs always stay with you till your death unlike chickens/Awọn eniyan ti o ṣeto wa ti yoo ṣe iranlọwọ ni run tabi ṣaṣeyọri ayanmọ rẹ ni igbesi aye ati pe diẹ ninu awọn ti o jẹ awọn ti se dei nino aye re tabi fẹran apanilerin ninu awọn iṣẹlẹ aibanujẹ. Paapa julọ wọn jẹ diẹ ninu awọn ti yoo wa pẹlu rẹ ni gbogbo ipin ti igbesi aye rẹ ati pe diẹ ninu wọn yoo duro diẹ ninu awọn ipin ki o fi ọ silẹ ati pe diẹ ninu awọn yoo wa fun igba diẹ ki wọn pada si lati duro diẹ ninu wọn yoo lọ ( There are set of people who are going to help in Mar or achieving your destiny in life and there are some that are canon fodders or like the clown in ones tragic life. Most especially they are some that are going to stay with you throughout the whole chapter of your life and there are some that will stay a few chapters and leave you and there are some that will leave for sometime and return to stay and some will go)"
Mr Gbemi is among the people that stayed with me.