Chapter 7

Dear mama,

The weather is getting dry and dusty, the wind is harsh and it's getting impossible to see very far ahead because of the fog.

It's so dry my lips turn chapped a few seconds after running my tongue on it.

When Bose noticed it she said I should rub vaseline on my lips to prevent it from getting chapped. She said it was the harmattan and it will take some time getting used to.

It's not as cold as winter though, and there's no snow, just dust. I've caught a cold now and it hurts to even sneeze 'cause of the dryness.

I went to write the tests I missed today. Uncle Taju left his car and driver so Bose and I won't have to take transport.

The test was easy although after what happened last week I haven't read much.

There was hardly anyone around, just the headmaster and a few teachers who were marking.

The teachers around didn't say anything to me. They didn't even respond when I greeted them. It doesn't matter though. I'm sure they must've gotten a good scolding from the headmaster.

Dear mama,

I finished the rest of my tests today. I am glad it's finally over. School starts back next week and I won't say I'm looking forward to it

I'm sure Deji will be punished for what he did last week and even though I dislike him very much I don't think I can bear to see anyone beaten without tearing up

The headmaster told me it was unavoidable to get punished publicly because if he isn't punished that way others who want to do similar will not think twice before doing such.

I really don't think that concept works for someone like Deji. He may just hold a deeper grudge for me and plan something worse for me without leaving a trace that'll lead back to him.

The headteacher also said that Mrs. Sola wouldn't bother me anymore as I will not be seeing her again. I wonder if she got fired. I wouldn't like that though, I mean that is the work she is probably using to feed her family that is if she has one.

The only reason I want to go to school on Monday is to be sure that I and Lola are still good. I actually want to know if she was actually laughing at me the other day or it was something else that was amusing her.

I know if it was the other way round nothing will be amusing to me at that point in time, but then people are different.

Dear mama,

Hmm mommy there is gist.

You were right when you told me once that people were not always what they seem to be.

Lola is a liar. I really can't believe she will do what she did to me.

So apparently it was her and Deji's plan.

Deji told Lola that he likes me and he will like to have a taste of an ' oyibo babe '. Deji isn't the only guy that has approached Lola about me but Lola got jealous.

Before I came Lola had lots of admirers, but that changed upon my arrival.

Deji kept disturbing Lola about me so she told him that I wasn't interested and I said he looked like a gorilla.

I never said that but Deji does look like one.

Deji was angry at the rejection but what pissed him off was that when I had refused to show him my work he had thought I had been mocking him.

I was oblivious to all this of course. Deji had taken the beating Mrs. Sola gave him that day to heart so he decided to show me who was the boss.

Honestly, all I can say is that Deji is a big coward. Of he liked me he should have just told me so and all this drama would have been avoided.

The other day Lola had really been laughing at me. She was the mastermind of it all along. Feeding Deji with lies so as to get riled up against me.

When Deji found out the truth about everything he apologized to me. To be honest I was shocked when he did. He laughed my expression off.

Lola was beaten publicly while she had to recount all she did. Deji was punished too. He has to clear bushes for a week during lunch.

I'm glad the issue has been resolved though. And I have learned a lesson from all this to never trust people by what they seem to be.

Dear mama,

The weather is getting worst. My lips bled today and so did my nose. Grandma rubbed my chest with ' aboniki ' balm and told me to sniff it.

It is hot and has a strong mint smell, it made my eyes water but it did relieve me though.

School has been going on all right. I'm now friends with Deji which is actually funny even to me.

Lola and I are obviously no longer friends but I feel for her she looks depressed these days I wonder what's wrong.

Deji asked me today if I actually think that he looks like a gorilla. I told him he didn't look like one but I guess my facial expression betrayed me.

We both ended up laughing together.

Mrs. Sola is no longer in our school. I learned from Deji that she relocated to another town. Her leaving the school had nothing to do with me. Mr. Ayo is still very much around but he doesn't even respond when I greet him.

I am glad things are relatively normal now except for grandma's health that seems to be deteriorating. She hides it when she's with me though but I have been seeing Dr. Ojo visit more often so I know.

I hope she gets well soon.

I love you mama

Dear mama,

Lola hasn't been in school for like three days now. I hope all is well with her.

Deji told me that Lola is a big-time ' ashewo '. I didn't believe him but he told me he wasn't lying and that she had offered herself to him before.

Sex doesn't seem like a big deal among my peers but it is amongst the adult. When Bose saw me with Deji today she was not pleased and told me that boys only wanted one thing from girls.

She also told me not to let Deji touch me so that I will not go and ' carry belle '.

I feel like I am too young to be in my class. Most of my peers are fourteen, some a year younger or two years older.

I was made to know that most of them repeat class several times or start school very late.

There's a whole lot of perverseness in the school. Even between teachers and students.

Deji told me that before I came one of the seniors' impregnated a teacher. She was doing her NYSC at the time. He said it was a really big case then and had to be taken to the baale.

It's Lola's own that is a surprise to me. She told me when we were close that she was a virgin. Maybe she lied about that too.

Either way, it's none of my business

Dear mama,

Lola is pregnant. It does not come as a shock to Deji who said he had expected it but it did come as a surprise to me.

All the while we were friends she never told me that she was seeing anybody, but again our friendship was a lie.

Lola's mum came to school today. She was in the headteacher's office and her voice was loud so I and Deji heard when she told the headteacher that she wanted to know the bastard named ' Ire ' that was responsible for her daughter's pregnancy.

The headteacher tried in vain to calm her down but she insisted that she was having none of that till she saw this ' Ire '

Deji was laughing when we were afar off the office. I asked him what was amusing in all that and he said that Ire was currently nowhere to be found as the boy had gone to Lagos to finish his studies.

I actually pity Lola and I think it's unfair. Both of them carelessly had sex and now Lola is the only that will bear the brunt of their carelessness.

She will have to stop her education to pay attention to her unborn baby and asides that she will suffer a lot of shame and stigma from people around her. She will be called all sorts of names. The list goes on.

The boy, on the other hand, will go on with his life as if nothing had ever happened. He will most likely have a family and live happily. Lola will most likely not have that.

If there's one thing I've noticed in this place is that people here are very judgemental. Nigeria isn't the type of place you can get a man that will marry you when you already have a child out of wedlock

I wish Lola the best and I hope she will make the right decision for herself and her unborn child.

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