It’s Saturday evening, a week after the misunderstanding between Ayo and Bukky. Ayo along with Funmi and Oreoluwa just arrived at the Heart City Shopping Mall, where Anu had promised to meet with them. She dialed Anu’s number after a few minutes of waiting, with no sign of her.
“Go into the restaurant section. I will meet you there in five minutes.” – Anu had told her over the phone.
They walked into the restaurant and found a table near the glass wall that served as a demarcation from the outside. Ayo picked that spot because it would enable her to see everything going on outside. They settled on the seats around the table, leaving an empty for Anu. Before Anu’s arrival, they had ordered chicken fries and began enjoying the meal.
True to Anu’s word. Less than five minutes after they had settled, she strolled in, flaunting a pink one hand bag. She had previously seen them while entering the restaurant, so she headed towards them immediately and soon took her seat.
“Ayo! Ayo!! Ayo!!!"A furious but caring mother called from the kitchen. She kept calling until she couldn’t hold her patience anymore. Now muttering to herself ‘it's past six in the morning and this girl still finds pleasure in sleeping when she’s supposed to be preparing for school’.Esther Cole left what she was doing in the kitchen and headed straight to the bedroom. She took a look at the sleeping figure on the bed and displeasure was written all over her face. She, however, could not blame the 10 year old girl. Instead, she blamed the untimely death of her husband, the girl’s father. She tapped the sleeping figure on the bed thrice before the girl yawned loudly and replied ‘Yes’ amidst sleepy eyes.As soon as the girl answered, she prepared to continue her sleep but was interrupted by her mother who was visibly angry.“Come on! Get up and get dressed for school,” the woman yel
It was Ayo’s first day as a secondary school student and also in a new school. She reminded herself of the first day she was there. It was just three weeks ago during the summer break, when she came with her mom to register as a J. S. S 1 Student. On that day, she had written the school’s entrance examination as a determining factor to either accept or reject her. She was lucky to have scraped a little above the pass mark. Anyways, she was offered admission a week after that and was informed to begin registration in earnest. Since then, she hadn’t returned to the premises until today.Judging by the standard and look of the school, it’s a school for the average family, built on a 3-plot land. It has a U-shaped structure. It is a three floor building with enough classrooms, library, 2 school halls, a dining hall, 2 staff rooms, enough offices, laboratories and so much more. Its sporting facilities are accurately equipped and the teachers are well qualif
“Hey! You there, come to the podium,” the principal’s repeated his statement and this too, found its way through Ayo’s discarded mind. She could hear someone talking but she didn’t know the owner of the voice was pointing directly at her, or she doesn’t want it to be her. Then, the girl behind tapped her gently. Ayo was infuriated, not because of the touch but of calling her attention to something she was trying to ignore. Now, everyone knows it’s her the principal is referring to.As if that wasn’t enough, the girl added, “He’s talking to you.”“Me?” Ayo asked, as if shocked by the girl’s word.“Are you deaf or what?” The principal adjusted his glasses to make sure he’s looking in the right direction. “You without the school uniform.”Ayo, knowing fully well she was the only one not wearing the school uniform, realized there’s no
After that brief moment of triumph for Ayo, the vice principal, Mrs. Smith, read out the school rules and regulations from the school’s handbook, among which are; lateness and laziness are not allowed, obey your senior at all time.“Failure to comply with these rules attract punishment to the deterrent.” She looked up at the students. “I mean appropriate punishment from the disciplinary committee.”Ayo knew she had violated two of those rules just this morning, her first day in school. She dreaded the idea of the senior students eventually reporting to a teacher. Yet, she felt at ease, owing to the likeness she believed they all have towards her.‘If only my mom had enough money to pay for my school’s transport! If only I didn’t have to change my school! If only we didn’t move from our old house! If only my dad was still alive!’ Ayo muttered to herself, taking herself down the memory
“Who is Ayomide Cole!?” A male student strolled into JSS 1B, uninvited.Ayo froze where she sat. 'What is it again?' she lamented. She couldn’t even raise her head up, as she recalled the face of the intruder. Getting into trouble with him that morning was just a misdeed and she wanted nothing more than to apologize. Maybe, he eventually reported her to a teacher. She got more tense just at the mere thought of that. Was she going to be caned today? She buried her face on her desk.“I asked who is Ayomide?,” Bayo, the senior student Ayo encountered at the gate, repeated.“It’s her!” A girl yelled, pointing directly at Ayo.Both Bayo and Ayo traced the owner of the voice. Ayo noticed it was the same fat girl, who wouldn’t stop talking in the assembly that morning. ‘What kind of girl is this for God’s sake?’Bayo on the other hand traced the pointing finger of the girl who s
It was about 2 PM before Mrs. Cole got to work that day. She proceeded to her boss’ office, without delay, to let him know she had arrived. Her boss, Mr. Badmus was not happy about her late arrival. Though, he was aware she went to her daughter’s school and he had permitted her to go. But he never expected her to arrive this late when it’s just 2 hours to closing.“I thought you promised to be at the office before 12,” Mr. Badmus said, rather calmly. He didn’t want to upset her. He knew all about what she has faced and what she is still facing. She saw him as her comforter and benefactor. Still yet, as her boss, he ought to let her know what she did wasn’t right.“This is past two, and you are just coming in!” he queried. “You know it’s not polite.”“Please sir, I’m really sorry. It wasn’t totally my fault. The traffic was just too much,” explained Mrs. Cole. “B
Ayo couldn’t wait for school to be over. To her, the time was getting slower by the minute. She knew her mates were talking about her and she could not wait to get out of the class. Throughout the rest of the lesson for that day, she paid less attention. She just wanted to get home. Not only did she want to avoid them, worms are beginning to bite at her stomach. All thanks to her timid self for making her lunch spill. At that moment of thoughts, she heard the jingle of the bell.“At last, it’s 2 O’clock,” Ayo stated.“Are you in a hurry to get home?” Bukky asked curiously.“Not really.” She carried her backpack and lunch bag.” I just want to get away from school.” She walked past Bukky briskly on her way out of the classroom. After she left the class, she went to stand by one of the school buses on which ‘School Bus 3’ was written boldly. She has been told earlier by the
When Bayo got home, he became restless. He couldn’t help but think about the events of the day, which had left his mind at a cliff. From when he pardoned a junior student to when he was told to call the same student. He was even surprised she was in a B-class, judging from how his classmates had praised her. They just wouldn’t stop talking about how brave she was, that morning. He was she most of them had exaggerated but he had no choice but to listen, since he wasn’t there to witness it himself.That same Monday, he had also encountered a woman while on gate duty, one that wasn’t his. The striking resemblance of the Nightingale girl, as she was now called, and the unknown woman didn’t escape his notice. And he couldn’t help but think she was her daughter. The woman had even complimented him without him knowing her. She had also told him to take care of her daughter like her big brother and smiled down at him. In his mind, he