The past few weeks at school had been unbearably frustrating for Timi. At first everyone was overly kind and helpful to him. They asked how he was doing and offered their help if needed. But after three weeks, everyone started acting like nothing had happened and they expected Timi to act the same way too, but he didn't. He was failing his classes and was barely involved in his schoolwork. He stopped watching football and didn't even play with his friends anymore. All he wanted was his brother back but he knew that he was gone forever.
Timi sat on a bench at school during lunchtime, alone and oblivious to the fact that someone was right beside him. It was Shade, the smartest and most beautiful girl in his class who he had had a crush on for a long time. "Hello, earth to Timi?" she said playfully.
"Shade, when did you get here?"
"Oh, not long, just a few seconds".
"How have you been?" she asked genuinely concerned about his state of mind.
"I'm fine, I'm okay, Never better" Timi lied.
She sat beside him, placed her hand on his and said, "I don't know what it feels like to lose a close relative but I'm sure it hurts. If you ever need anyt...." The school bell suddenly rang signaling that lunchtime was over and classes were to continue.
"Thanks, but I don't NEED anything from you or anyone else" Timi replied coldly as he walked into his next class. Shade watched him leave and was saddened by his outburst.
After school, Timi walked home slowly and came across his friend, David. Him and other boys from school were on their way to the field to play football and he asked Timi to join them. Timi said no quickly and continued walking but David ran to him and placed a hand on Timi's shoulder.
"I know you are sad but you can't keep living like this. You have to get on with your life and try to be happy and I know for a fact that nothing makes you happier than playing football" David tried to convince him. After a few back and forth banter, Timi agreed to play and went with them to the field.
As Timi got to the field with his friends, he felt like he hadn't been there in forever. The smell of the grass, the feel of the ground beneath his bare feet and the heat of the sun made him feel good and slowly, his mood was becoming bright. Then, out of nowhere, a stray ball flew through the air and struck Timi on the head, knocking him out and sending him on a journey through memory lane.
He remembered when he was little and Ayo first taught him how to kick a ball. Ayo had bought a brand new ball and decided to teach 10 year old Timi how to play. At a young age, Timi and his brother and sister had lost their father and Ayo immediately took over the role of being a father figure and a good influence on his siblings. He had to mature very quickly and before he turned twelve, he was already a lot more responsible than most adults.
As Timi kicked the ball, he was very excited but he missed a kick, tripped over the ball and fell. He hit his head and he could feel a pinching pain on his side. Ayo quickly ran to him and picked him up.
"It hurts" Timi said with a tear in his eye.
"Yeah, playing football will get you hurt a lot in the future" Ayo said.
"Why did you decide to teach me how to play football when you knew I could get hurt?"
Ayo placed a palm on the side of Timi's face and said to him, " In life, everything you do involves taking risks, even the things you're supposed to enjoy and sometimes you might get knocked down but you have to find the strength to get back up again and do what makes you happy"
"What if I can't get up? What if I'm too hurt?" asked Timi
"You don't have to worry about that because if you can't get up, I'll always be there to help you up, little bro. Always"
Always, always, always. That word ecohed in Timi's head until he drifted back to the present.
"Timi, are you okay?" David asked
"Urghh, yes I'm.... I'm alright"
"Can you still play?"
"No, my head hurts. I'd rather go home. Thanks anyway"
Timi got up and left for home, unable to play, not from the pain of being hit in the head by the ball, but from the pain of remembering that he'll never play football with his brother again. He fought to hold back his tears but it was a fight he lost.
As Timi walked home, he saw a boy being bullied by three other bigger boys. They pushed the little boy on the ground and laughed at him. This infuriated Timi because it reminded him of a similar situation and he instinctively ran to the boy's aid. He shoved one of the bullies to the ground but immediately, the others pounced on him and beat him up. The little boy whom Timi had tried to help ran to save himself as the bullies had shifted their attention from him to Timi. After they had kicked the daylights out of him, they left him bruised and whimpering in pain on the ground.
So far Timi had had a terrible day. He was rude to Shade, a girl that he likes, he was hit on the head by a ball, he cried from remembering his dead brother and he got beat up by bullies. Now, he was limping home with torn clothes and bruises on his body.
He stopped by the roadside as he realized that if he was going to keep his promise of revenge for his brother, he would have to learn how to fight so he could be ready. But where would he learn how to fight? He thought. As he kept walking, he remembered how good a fighter Ayo had been. So good that he likened him to Bruce Lee and Timi wondered who had taught Ayo to fight like that. He thought, and thought, and thought until finally he remembered their uncle, Uncle Kayode, his father's brother.
Uncle Kayode was a retired soldier who after he had served in the military, became an intelligence operative (spy) for the N.I.A. Uncle Kayode had a reputation in their family of being the toughest and the best fighter in their household. If anyone had taught Ayo how to fight, it had to be Uncle Kayode. Timi was sure of it and he decided that as soon as he was healed up, he would go to his uncle to confirm if he ( Uncle Kayode) was the one who taught Ayo to fight and if 'yes', would ask to be taught himself.
A few days later, Timi felt much better and after school decided to go to Uncle Kayode. His home was quite far, but Timi ran all the way there. It took him more than an hour but he arrived at his uncle's house.
He stood outside the gate of the house, very ready to gain the skills he needed to fulfill his promise to his brother, his promise of Revenge. He pushed the doorbell and waited anxiously.