Chapter 5 No. 5

The bell rang and the History teacher left the class. I started packing my book inside my back with one thought in mind. Library. Yeah, that was where I hid my face. Away from those eyes that never seemed to stop staring at me, especially when I had my hood on to hide myself. To never be prey to some people. To some angry teenagers who loved to take out their anger on other people. Some other innocent people.

I got bullied in my junior year and it was hell for me. I was easy prey in the hands of both males and females. It was either they beat me up or sent me errands, especially the female ones. The spoilt mannerless ones. But I knew better than to tell it to their faces. Pretty faces, if I may add.

Junior high school was HELL but home was HEAVEN. I was happy. I was loved. Mr Johnson was caring, loving and sweet. Everything was okay. But that was then before I knew I was adopted. In my first year in high school, the bullying stopped. I didn't know why, but I was glad and that didn't stop me from wearing a hoodie nevertheless. Or was it because I became a senior?

Nah, I didn't think so, seniors bully each other too. School, for me, was getting okay, I had Bisola and Toyin; the only two friends I talked to, and now home was becoming sour, becoming bitter.

When I was about to stand up and find my way to the library, I felt cold water poured on my body, right from the top of my head. I was shocked. My mouth was agape. I turned and met Yinka staring and grinning at me with a look of satisfaction. What is happening?

I thought bullying me was over. I was in my final year for God's sake! This stuff needed to stop. I had a break from getting bullied some months ago! Almost a year! And I must admit I had peace. Just why now? Couldn't my life get any worse?!

"Hey, girl, long time," Yinka said and walked away in her short uniform. I knew people were looking, I did not have to take a look back, I could feel their eyes making holes at the back of my head. This was too much.

Yinka was a spoilt brat, one of the rich spoilt brats I had in my school. Wearing expensive sneakers, pieces of jewellery or a gold wristwatch to show off how wealthy she was. I swallowed hard and quickly rushed out of the classroom with my backpack with me.

I walked down the hallway as normally as I could but at the same time, increased my pace. Students were there, doing one thing or the other, some were going through their lockers, few were gossiping and whispering God-knows-what into each other's ears and giggling. God, it could be about boys!

"Hey, yo, Tosin," one guy called. He was a bully but had never bullied me before. Well, maybe not yet. I had seen him treat other students before, and I knew theirs was worse than mine. I hugged my backpack tightly, had my hood on to cover my wet hair, bowed and hummed a reply.

"Look up," he ordered. His name was Seun. Oluwaseun was the full name, meaning thank you God.

I politely obeyed and met his grinning face. He gulped down the last drink and threw the empty soda can at my face, which hurt. I blinked my eyes as tears found their way down my cheeks, It was as silent as I wanted it to be and I just kept swallowing lumps down my throat.

"Oh! Come see her face! She is crying!" Seun pointed a finger at my face as he made a fake crying face just to mock me. His laughter got other students in the hallway to laugh. This was torture!

"Hey, throw this dirt away in the bin, okay?" Damilola, said to me, thrusting a tissue paper into my hand. One used to wipe her makeover and I guessed saliva too because I was feeling something wet.

I looked at her face, but couldn't do anything. What exactly was I going to do? Damilola winked and walked past by the trash-can that was at a corner. Oluwadamilola was her full name, meaning, God has enriched me. One of the richest girls in Heritage high school from a wealthy home with a career as a young model.

"You know what, Seun, you mess with her again, you are messing with me!" a voice said behind me. I knew the voice. It was Toyin's.

"Hey, calm down, okay?" Seun had his hands up in the air as he was backing away.

"Get out!" Bisola yelled at him, walking toward us. "Now listen carefully everybody," Bisola said, pointing and glaring at them like she used to do when pissed off, "If I see anyone of you picking on her, you are crossing your boundary with me and I'm sure y'all don't wanna do that, 'cause you don't wanna see the other side of me. I mean it." I didn't know how intimidating Bisola's face must have looked but it got the students walking away hurriedly to avoid her eyes.

"Thanks, so much." My voice cracked and hurt at the same time. I had always thought those brats were badass but they loved me.

"Hey, babe, we got you," Toyin hugged me.

I released myself from her embrace and said, "You guys are the best and I will forever be grateful. Thanks." Tears streamed down my face. "But right now, I need to be alone. I don't feel good at all. I mean, why now? Can't I be alone? At least finish Heritage high school in peace!"

I walked away and knew that they were looking at me with pity. They were great friends and I loved them. I smiled a little at the thought and shook my head. I was liking them gradually.

I found myself going into the female's restroom and dropping the tissue paper into the waste bin. I sat in the water closet and buried my face in my palms. I cried out painfully. Yes, I did. It relieved the pain, but sometimes.

________

After two days that the incident happened in the hallway, the scenes kept replaying in my head. It was unbearable. I had my head bowed most of the time while working around the school. It was always great to leave school during closing hours but the house wasn't a place I was excited to go to either. Both school and home weren't a place I would like to be but I had no choice.

It was late at night, Dad... Mr Johnson was drunk again, my Mum was sad, figuring how to make mine and my siblings' life better, and grannie was worried. I wanted to help this family in a way I could but I was just seventeen and no one would want to hire anyone under the age of eighteen working for him or her. Huh! Life is full of ups and downs.

I walked to my closet and picked out my pyjamas. Trousers and a t-shirt. My room was painted yellow and the ceilings, white. My room wasn't the flamboyant one, just ordinary, but I knew if things were going well for Mr Johnson and he was in his old self, he would have made my room attractive.

I got out of my room since I wasn't feeling sleepy and I went downstairs to the kitchen to drink water and met Mum sitting and stirring her tea mindlessly. She had trailed off. I sighed, walked up to her and shook her shoulder which brought her to the present state.

"Mum, seriously? You are thinking again?"

She smiled and offered me a tea.

"You can have it. I'm fine," I said and smiled. "What were you thinking about?"

"Something. Now tell me do you still draw? "

Yeah, drawing was one thing I loved doing. I knew how to draw when I was Eight. Even though drawing things was what I started doing back then. But now, human and other stuff. It was something that gave me joy.

"Yes, Mum. I still do. And don't try to change the topic. Tell me what you were thinking about."

"If you are probably wondering why I asked you that, it is because I know that this new attitude your Dad is displaying is affecting you. And I just hope you are still living within you and not dead."

I smiled. She didn't have a clue about what I passed through in school. She knew when the bullying started and when it ended. She had always been there, consoling me and telling me it wasn't going to be forever. She even had to meet up with the proprietress and explain what my mates in school were doing to me.

Mr Johnson had followed me too on many occasions which the proprietress had apologized on their behalf and suspended some students. But some students could be stubborn animals. They continued to bully me, calling me a cry baby, Mummy's pet, Daddy's pet. It was frustrating and embarrassing. And now that this whole thing had started again, I wasn't thinking of telling my Mum. I didn't know why but I wanted it that way.

I will be fine, I thought.

"I'm still living within me and not dead. It's not easy though but am trying," I said and my Mum looked into my eyes.

Her eyes were brown and her eyelashes were full and long. She was beautiful. She cupped my cheeks and said, "I promise to make things right for us all soon. I'll try my best to be there for you. Always come to me If you need me for anything, honey. Please, don't hesitate Tosin. Open up to me if anything is bothering you okay? Your pyjamas are worn out and I will try to get you one soon, okay? I promise I will try my best," she said.

She was damn trying.

"Mum, you're trying your very best already, okay? You are trying. Don't make too many promises. And I will always be there for you. I will always be there. I know I'm seventeen and you might be thinking of what to say that won't bother me too much, right? It's okay, Mum. Really. You can confide in me if you need someone to talk to. I could give you my shoulders to lean on or probably cry on, or just to rest on if those students are giving you hard time in your class, okay? I will always be there, Mum."

Mum laughed and hugged me before saying, "Thanks for the offer. And thank God my students aren't jerks. They don't give me hard times at all. It is a blessing."

"Then you are in for luck," I grinned. My Mum took out her camera and captured me grinning.

"What was that for?" I queried surprisedly.

"Making memories. I love that smile."

I collected the camera from her to take a look and it was beautiful as she said. She was good at capturing things. It was something she loved doing. "You know you could make a career just by capturing people at any occasion."

"You're right. I will try and tell people about it then. Even this teaching idea was from a friend that happens to be the vice-principal of that school. He told me there was a vacancy when I told him I was looking for a job. So that was how it was easy for me to get accepted into the school. I think I will have to tell him. His name is Gideon Gbolagade."

"Okay, Mum. Hopefully, things work out for the best." I walked away to get water from the tap before drinking. I heard the shuttering sound of the camera and knew she was capturing me as I was drinking. I turned, spread out my hand with the cup in one hand and grinned for her to capture more. I didn't hesitate to make more poses before kissing her goodnight and departed to our different rooms.