My steps steady and slow, attention diverted, eyes lowered to the ground filled with watery determination and different questions about the uncompleted story.
I asked myself several times ' if I were to be the boy, what would have I done? '
Probably kill myself before the angel coming to my rescue. I won't even bear it. Not in this lifetime.
Am I just so lucky to be born with a golden spoon in my mouth and especially, my parents are alive and well.
' That boy... '
A light tap on my shoulder caused me to flinch which consequently, brought me back to reality. Then I noticed we were already standing in front of the headmaster's office. That's reality.
"O ko ni lati kan mi ( You don't have to touch me)" I glared at him. I hated that he touched me. I hated it alot.
"Mo wa bẹ-b-binu, Emi ko tumọ si ... Mo n pe ọ s-ni ọ-opọlọpọ awọn igba ṣugbọn, o-o ti p-padanu ( I am so s-sorry, I don't mean to... I was calling you s-several times but, y-you were l-lost)" His voice was shaky and weak with his eyes looking down.
I had asked myself once ' was he scared of me? or am I so scary?'
I didn't give say anything just passing by him, hitting him a little with my shoulder like he was just a barrier blocking the road I had to break apart. Like he was just nothing but an invisible fence I had to step upon so I can cross over to the other side. He isn't important. he will never be important to me. That's what I told myself, at least.
I entered the office without knocking or asking for permission to enter.
The office was the same... although I expected nothing. The headmaster was on sit buried with a lot of things... probably, books or files that are piled up on his desk. He raised his head from whatever he was doing when he heard the door opening. He smiled broadly before getting up from his sit to walk up to me still, with a broad smile. A smile that makes all the hard strokes dancing on his forehead disappear.
" Oh! You're here!" He held out his hand to pat me on the head. Gentle. very gentle.
" Were you busy, sir?" I pointed to the mess on his table with an almost invisible crook of an eyebrow saying ' We shouldn't be in a mess of a place to meet up' But he never got the message that I physically telepathed.
" Oh, About that! Give me a minute to clean up the mess" He gave out a nervous chuckle before turning into a vacuum cleaner or a robot programmed for cleaning. In a twinkle of the eye, everything was back to normal. Books back in the decaying shelf that is giving out a glowing red flag that is about time to return it back to its manufacturer, papers that were flying around were arranged and clipped by a rusty clipper, pens and pencils were properly arranged in a plastic tea cup and files were arranged properly on the manageable table.
" You can both take your sits" He pointed to two plastic chairs in front of his desk.
We both went forward and had our sit and looked straight to the man whose eyes is metaphorically the sun itself.
Actually, I didn't look at his face but something more that I couldn't tear my eyes away. His lips. How can someone have such lips? Even I don't.
It looked like a canoe. A small canoe.
A canoe which ends opens and closes producing whatever sound. Probably a frog groan.
" I both called you to my office...." He trailed off and gave us each a paper to look at. " I want you both to be the first that get to see it"
" Oh" The human breathed out softly before continuing" Thank you sir"
The said person smiled " You are welcome"
While me, I just stared at the paper like I was holding a human head in my hand. That was so sudden.
"You can get going for the lessons"
I didn't understand what he meant, I just said a 'mn'. Apparently, I was lost in that filthy paper though it was pure white in colour. But, the content was so filthy. Very much.
I just got up from my sit as if I was possessed. True, I was. By the spirit of that filthy paper. I carried one foot after the other like a robot till I reached the exit where I might be free to scream all my heart out. As a matter of fact,I did just that.
" Ibanujẹ pupọ! Kini idi ti bayi Kini idi ti ko le jẹ nigbamii Ahhhh! Nitorina didanubi (Very annoying! Why now? Why can't it be later? Ahhhh! So annoying?)"I screamed out hitting my head on the wall several times, maybe it could help in clearing my mind and free it.
" Mama, kilode (Mommy, why)" I, myself, didn't even know why I mentioned my mom. I never knew.
" Keji"
I knew that voice and I didn't answer it. I just went on banging my head on the wall, harder than the first. Because if I didn't do that....I don't know what I could have done. I just know I had to keep on doing it till I was clearly satisfied with the result. Pain. A painful pain.
" Ẹkọ ni ẹtọ Lẹhinna jẹ ki a lọ si ile rẹ fun ẹkọ naa. Rii daju pe o kọ mi daradara (Lesson right? Then let's go to your house for the lesson. Make sure you teach me very well)" I tore my forehead from the wall and walked straight without looking at the human.
" Uhm, K-Keji ..."
"Kini (What??)" My voice was loud and angry from being frustrated and annoyed. Can't he feel that I hate him alot? Is he numb? Dumb? Deaf? I tried telepathing it to his senseless self clearly that " I HATE HIM"
" O n lọ ni ọna ti ko tọ (You are going the wrong way)" His fingers were intwined nervously like he always does whenever he's anxious or nervous.
Instead of feeling angry, I got embarrassed that my cheeks went fifty shades of red. I grumbled and stomped my feet in annoyance before walking on the right path.
Let's see how he will teach this poor failure.