The weather was cool as I woke up in the morning. Chilly that I had to cover myself with the blanket after uncovering myself. There were rays of light entering the room from the half-closed glass window. I could barely hear the bird's lyrics as they were singing with different undertones. Already, I had to get up from the bed since the rays of light reentering the room speaks loudly about the time. Frenetically, I jumped out of the bed. Though, a look on my face would tell you that I wasn't happy by leaving the bed then. I couldn't imagine how I felt as I bent down to arrange my slippers before putting them on.
"Oh, God!" What's happening to me? I screamed aloud as I noticed pain all over my body.
I can't even tell how I incurred such pain. All I knew was that I was about to bend down, my head was aching, and I couldn't move my joints freely. I managed to stretch myself once again. Then I recalled that I wasn't beaten the previous day. I have no one to question, and neither can I question her. I staggered to the bathroom, where I brushed and freshened up.
On getting out of the bathroom, I saw a written note on the floor, and it reads
"Rose, try to tidy the house before going to your graduation. Remember what I told you about Damian! I'm already on my way to buy goods for my shop. Behave yourself".
Since that was my mum's usual way of telling me to do something in her absence, I already know she wrote it. While reading the note, I showed a smirk on my face. Why would she still include Damian in her note after all the advice she rained on me the previous day? Anyway, she might be the only one that knows her reason. Immediately, I trashed the paper and started tidying up the house, since that was her bone of contention. As fast as I could, I finished the house chores and made sure that everywhere was neat.
I was just having this inner joy in me since that was the day my school would be throwing a party for us since we finished our Senior School Certificate Exams. I knew I would see my schoolmates, and we would catch fun to the fullest, as that would be the last day we would gather as schoolmates under school authority. And the school party always used to be colorful because of the several activities the student performs for their outgoing students. Glory to God, my iron lady, already bought clothes, shoes, and a scarf for me. I can make myself up, and I already have perfume that I'll wear once I get dressed up. When I rushed to the room to check the time on the wall clock, it was 11:30 am. We were told that the party would start at 1 pm.
"Why is this watch wasting my time? What has it been doing since the morning that It's yet to be 1 PM?" In a way, I wished it was already 1 pm so that I would join the other students and catch the fun to the fullest.
Furthermore, I went inside and brought out my "costume" so that I would arrange how best to put them on. I was ecstatic about the event and what my mum bought for me. Not just that my mum turned out to be a different person recently, but I know she loves me and always wants the best for me. Though I don't even know my dad, mummy never allowed me to feel the absence of a father in my life. I pray she'll live long for me. Later, I packed the clothes inside the house and decided to take a nap before going to the party.
"Jesus Christ! What just happened to me!!" I screamed as I jumped out of bed. Nature played a prank on me. It was already 1:30 pm as I looked at the wall clock. Where could I start? I was already 30 minutes late. Only God knows whether I bathed my body as I rushed in and out of the bathroom in a twinkle of an eye. Wore the clothes as fast as I could and even forgot to open my mum's make-up kit. All I know is that I wore my clothes, shoes, and perfume. That's how I hurried out of the house.
Just as I imagined, the school was already crowded, and the party was at its peak when I got to the school. I didn't know whether I should start to cry. My mates were already seated in the hall watching the wonderful performance of the younger students as they entertained them. I managed to sneak into the hall and sat with my classmates. I had never dreamt that I would be late for the party. Furthermore, I couldn't imagine how people were gazing at me as though I were just odd in their midst. The embarrassment was extreme. I activated such an "I don't care" mood just to avert their embarrassing gaze from me.
Janet, who couldn't just keep calm as others did, laugh for some second and said
"businesswoman, you finally decided to show up? We thought you were not going to make it"
Her words did hit me differently. For a few seconds, I searched my mind to find the best savvy to reply to her, but it seemed like nothing was saved for such an uncongenial utterance. I overlooked her. But because of her loquaciousness, she couldn't allow that one to slide. She said again
"Rose, I thought you won't make it".
"But finally, I made it to your greatest surprise. Aren't you shocked?" I replied angrily.
"Yeah! Though you came late. It's as good as though you didn't come. Most of the presentations had been made earlier."
"Better late than never. If you don't mind, can you please face your front or you're still enjoying the presentations they made earlier?"
I replied to her in a fury, since I couldn't allow her to push me unbalanced.
Already we were about to create a scene since other people got interested in the unfriendly discussion.
She threw such an embarrassing smirk. I felt she was winning at the moment. Though I knew, she was unable to fight me. I had no punchline to use and make people focus their attention on her. The boys in our midst were beginning to laugh at us. Some people even found it interesting that they left the main performance that was going on and was watching us. Though I'm not such a person who easily picks a fight with someone, I was tempted to. Janet was already getting on my nose.
"Janet! You need to mind yourself. I didn't come here to see you or listen to your trash, We're here for the party. If you don't face your front, I'll give you what you're looking for here and now!" It wasn't easy for me to threaten her, but that was what I could do on the spot.
Instantly, there was a thunderous ovation in the hall. People were shouting and clapping, I looked at the stage to see that school choreographers were performing. That's how we fused all our focus with them. Some people even got up from their chairs just to watch all their performances and enjoy the fun of them. That was like an answered prayer to me. Even Janet got interested in what was happening on the stage.