Chapter Three: Scholarship (1)

"Good day grandma." Jane greeted her grandmother as soon as she entered their little house.

Mama liya smiled seeing her granddaughter back from school.

" Oh my dear, you are back.

How was school Jane?"

Jane sighed and slumped on the chair.

" It was fine, especially because of my friends.

" You know what Mama liya, I wonder what I will do without my best friends, they are always there for me. I just wish everyone can be like them honestly. Maybe the world would have been a better place."

"Of course my dear, I do understand your words, but unfortunately people are different."

Mama liya replied her.

She moved close to her grandma and asked, " Why is our situation this poor Mama, even the government can't help us, not to talk of our families.

"Why do they hate us that much?"

Mama liya looked at her granddaughter's eyes welling up and replied her,

" Hush my dear, it okay. I know you are just worried about me, but don't worry.

" I will be fine, just for you. "

She consoled Jane, but deep inside she was also hurting.

Her little granddaughter was suppose to be enjoying her life as a teenager, rather she was busy thinking about ways to solve their current predicament.

She also knew she can't hide her Jewel from this mean world, cause struggles and pains are also parts of living.

" I will try and work hard on my academic studies, get educated fully, and wealthy.

"So, I can help you and take care of you, cause you are the only one left for me, and I don't want to lose you. "

She said with a shaky voice.

Mama liya hugged her granddaughter and whispered in her ears,

" No, you won't lose me okay." Jane nodded and hugged her grandmother tightly, afraid of letting go.

~~~~~~~

Next day at school.

Mart was running at full speed towards his and Jane's class. Stepping into the class at last, he heaved for breath, inhaling and exhaling loudly.

" What's up with you Mart?" Mabel asked seeing Mart's action.

Jane also commented, " Yeah, what's with the rush, or are you in trouble?"

After 2 minutes of breathing harshly. " Guys this is good news, you won't believe what I heard. There is going to be a scholarship, which will enable students to study in Lagos or in the advanced cities of Abuja. Isn't that amazing?!"

The girls mouth was curved in an " O" shape

" Wow and wow, and oh my goodness!!!!" The three blurted out.

" This is so cool." Viva voiced out.

" Yeah right. I mean, this will be a chance for me to achieve my dreams and help my grandma."

Jane smiled, thinking heaven was on her side.

The other students were curious about what the four best friends were discussing, and soon the news about the scholarship was spread to every nooks and crannies of the school.

Jane was in her own thoughts, hoping she would be given a scholarship to further her education which will enable her to help her grandma, but she also knows that she needs to work harder, since it will be a tough competition. Then, she decided to take extra lessons from Viva and read more by herself.

"Hey Viva, can you take me some extra lessons after class?

"You see, I also want to improve academically." Jane asked Viva with full hope.

" Hummm, my girl wants to be serious this time. Don't worry, I will support you."

Mart chirped in, making Jane to rolled her eyes. "Shut up, before I smack your head and stop teasing me. "

Mart stood akimbo and stared at Jane in a ridiculous way.

" So, you have finally gat the gut to talk to me back hun?"

Viva and Mabel just chuckled.

" You guys, chill ok." Mabel piped in.

"Sure Jane, I don't mind taking you extra lessons." Viva sessed.

Their conversation was overheard by Mira's lackey.

" Boss Mira, I overheard Jane and her friends conversation about the scholarship program coming up.

" It seems they have a plan of winning it."

Jime, a lackey of Mira reported what he overheard about Jane and her friends plan on the coming scholarship program.

She smiled conceitedly.

" Ohhh, is that so? Then, I guess it pay back time. I will make sure she and her friends pay for every insults they said to me."

Jime asked Mira, " So boss, what should we do now?"

"Oh that, you don't worry. Just follow my orders." Mira curled her lips up in an amusing way, thinking about how her plan will work out so well..

~~~~~~~~~

Two weeks later.

The scholarship program had been released, making the students to buckle up and improved themselves.

As for Jane, positivity runs in her mind seeing how she had improved well during these past two weeks. She was hoping for a chance to set her life and her grandmother's life straight.

Even her friends were amazed about how good she is catching up.

" In two weeks, we will be doing the scholarship exam. Oh, am so excited!"

Viva squealed.

Mabel joined her. " Yeah, me too."

Mart and Jane chroused together,

" We too."

" Oh wait guys, let's talk about our plans when we get to the city, or haven't you guys thought about anything?"

Mabel asked curiously.

"Well, as for me, am just going to further my education more and be a surgeon." Viva cheeped happily.

Mart smiled.

" My own plan is to become a painter, you girls know how much I like painting. "

The three girls grinned. " Yeah, we know."

"What about you Jane?" Mabel directed her gaze to Jane.

"Hummm, I haven't really thought about that but wait, I would love to go sight seeing and yes to look for a job, so I can save up and help mama liya." She uttered in a determined tone.

"Awwwwn. " Her friends warbled together.

"Hey guys quit it, that's a very good plan Jane. As for me, I will love to explore the city and also pursue my passion of becoming a beautician of course."

Mabel trilled.

The four best friends all hummed and laughed together.

~~~~~~

At home

Jane walked to the scene of seeing her grandma coughing drying.

She immediately dropped her local leather bag, and ran toward Mama liya, meticulously patting her back to relieve her, and passing her a glass of water beside the bed.

After three minutes, Mama liya finally stop coughing. " My dear, thank you."

Jane hummed. " Seriously grandma, is there anything wrong? What's with the sudden cough, you almost made me cry."

"Hush, my dear you know I don't like to see your tears, now clean that little drop from your precious eyes. Yours eyes are too beautiful to shed tears. "

Mama liya then sighed. " It about the sales. They are too poor and today, someone came here to say my goods are fake and useless. She even threw and scattered them on the ground.

"The goods that, I am just managing. How will she just say that? It like she already kept malice with us.

" I don't even want to think about it, but it hurt and, "

Mama liya paused to cleaned her tears, that has started dropping the moment she narrated what happened, when Jane wasn't around and she continued,

" Sorry, I just can't control the tears."

Jane widened her eyes in disbelieve. "No, that's can't be. Why?Who would do that? Because of what?"

The last word came as a whisper, while she slumped back gently on the bed.

~~~~~~~~~