The day, the devil was ready for me, I was not prepared. I had seen Zainab trying out new clothes she had picked in a dump when I stopped and told her, “My Love, you look hot in this.” Immediately, it was another chase. What did I say wrong na? “Mama! Chimo o! Mama open the door!” I shouted as I neared the house with speed but that woman was not at home, she had gone to the market and had locked the door. I saw Zainab coming and immediately diverted to run around the house and she followed me with that same stick.
As I struggled to open the back door, Zainab descended on me. She used her stick to reshapen my head and as if that was not enough, she grabbed me and bit me on my back and shoulder. I will screaming when my mother happened upon us. Seeing what was going on, she screamed, dropped her bag and ran to rescue me from Zainab but the deed was already done. “You want to kill my son abi? Zainab!” She yelled. Zainab ignored her and simply walked away while I remained on the floor groaning in pain. My un-nice mother stared at me for a moment then burst into laughter, despite the fact that I had several lumps on my head.
I was angry. What kind of mother is this na? Anyway, I got so angry that I said I was not going to eat in that house. While everyone ate at night, I sat down to watch TV, hoping my mother would come and beg me like before but this woman just served her husband, her daughter then took the pot of soup into her room and locked it there.
Chaiii! Hunger will finish me today o. Me that I was planning to sneak into the kitchen later on and fill my stomach, wash my plate and continue the vexing the next day. I could not concentrate on the TV again, in fact the football I was watching turned to buns in my eyes.
The thunder that will punish some boys in my school will be wearing tennis shoes when it arrives. Imagine fine boy like me, the school cap that I had been forming too big to wear since SS1, I finally wore it to cover my lumpy head but the boys in my school won’t let me rest. Immediately I bounced into the class, one stupid boy with his yam leg was like,
“Chike, na why you dey cover your head?”
“Guy, I just feel like am today.” I said in a cool big boy voice but this stupid boy just removed my cap, exposing my head to everybody in my class. Come and see laughter. I got angry and went to sit in the toilet, sulking for the rest of the day. All this for Zainab.
To be continued…
© Angela Okoduwa
