HUDU

SIMEON

Teenagers, youths, young adults, whatever category they are being called, are mean.

Children are gullible and they easily forgive, they easily love, they don't care what people say.

Adults are more matured and talk with respect and regard; so, they are somehow mean but kind in their words.

MARIAM

When I was in Jss2, on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, after lunch break, I was about to enter my class, when I tripped and fell down. My elbow got badly injured and blood was flowing, the worst part was that everyone was laughing. Why do we always want to be mean with ourselves?

I felt embarrassed and sad, and the blood kept flowing. It was a smallish girl, who shouted at everyone to stop laughing, but they didn't, she took my arm and guided me to the school clinic, where I got treated. But we didn't become friends.

It was when we started first term of Jss3, I was going to buy snacks from the school canteen, Yolanda, Chelsea's friend 'accidentally' hit me and her zobo poured on my uniform. I was angry because, my uniform got stained and anyone who has had a firsthand experience of zobo stains, knows that it's not easy to remove. The unfortunate thing was that I didn't bring my sweater since the weather was a bit hot.

I was angry and confused, the girl didn't even bother to help me clean up, she just said a flimsy sorry and left. I felt someone tap my shoulder; it was that same girl that helped me in Jss2. We have never been in the same class since Jss1, when I was in Jss1A, she was in Jss1C, Jss2 was reverse, but in Jss3, we are bought in B class. She smiled a warm smile and gave me her sweater to wear; then she offered to help buy my snacks.

The next day, I gave it to her washed and folded, after spraying perfume on it, she laughed and said 'thank you kawana. The perfume smells nice'. Since then, we have been friends.

Currently, we were having government class and the government teacher asked me a question, and I stood up to answer. My seat is the third seat, on the second row, that means I am somehow in the middle of the class. Immediately I stood up, I heard whispers and laughter. I was confused on what was funny, I thought the new boy did something again. I turned but instead I saw him frowning at them, then I noticed the laughter was at me, I then looked around my seat, I saw the light blue chair had a big red stain, then with my hands already shaking, I touched my skirt and it was wet.

I felt myself freeze up and curse my stupidity; why didn’t I count my cycle days or check my calendar? I felt someone tying something to my waist. The person took me outside, and kept on covering my face with their hand. From other student's windows, I could hear whispers.

When we entered the girl's bathroom, I heard girls saying things like what is a boy doing here?

Some people are shameless, they want to do illegal act in the bathroom.

A boy in girls’ toilet? It was when the person removed their hand, I now saw it was Simeon who helped me. He looked angry and was mummering things, then he turned and faced me, he was talking to me but I didn't hear, I could feel myself crying. It wasn't until he shook me that I heard what he was saying.

"What brand of sanitary towel do you use?" I noticed he sat me down on a toilet seat as he asked.

"Just buy anyone" I answered in shame.

"Don't you have a specific one? Aren't you reacting or itchy to anyone? Don't cry, don't worry I'll get Hajiya's type for you, in the meantime, have your bath, lock the door and don't allow anyone inside except me".

At this point, I have never felt so happy about the Proprietress decision, concern having bathrooms in the male and female toilet, most schools I know don't have bathrooms, even if they do, I don't think they have new set of towels every week or bathroom slippers always clean, or a bathtub but Pacesetters was different, like a bathroom in a hotel.

I folded my uniform because I wanted to wash it at home, along with Simeon's blazer, I noticed it got a little stained, I then washed my underwear and had my bath.

I didn't know how long I waited, but it wasn't a long wait because my thighs weren't sticky and blood wasn't dripping, that I was grateful to God.

"Open the door, I brought things". I wanted to laugh because he called pads things but I couldn't because I was having needle piercing menstrual pain.

I opened the door wide enough for the leather bag to pass through. I noticed that the bag was from the school's mini shopping centre. Yes, our school has shopping centre, don't ask me for what.

I really wanted to laugh when I saw what was in the bag. He bought three different brands of sanitary towels, then he bought a new pair of disposable underwear, and a red vest with shorts. And then there was a tea bag inside, which am assuming is for my stomach wrenching pain.

I quickly changed and put all the dirty things in the bag, along with my wet underwear, that I washed and came out to notice he was the only one standing there.

"Thank you for buying these things, please just text me your account details and I'll repay you everything"

"Everything here costs two million". Wait... Two million. He just doesn't want me to pay him back. I, gave a sheepish smile and said a thank you.

"Okay, thank you, sorry what is the tea for?"

"For the pain you experience, drugs aren't really good, it's best you take tea and then you lie down, it will eventually go down. I took a pass from the government teacher, and he said it was okay for you to go home and rest. Sorry for intruding into your privacy, I texted your driver to come and pick you up, he's on his way. Would you like me to stay here or should I go?"

My mind didn’t go to how he knew my password, he must have asked Kuchi for it, speaking of, where’s my friend though. My thoughts went back to the fact that he asked me a question which I replied; "Please stay here” then covered it up with a thank you once again. He just smiled in response. He's handsome I thought to myself.

My driver arrived, asking me if I was okay. I responded my head in the negative. I saw him talking to Simeon and he just nodded at him, after shaking hands, probably thanking him. My friend quickly ran towards us, panting and huffing and just hugged me.

“Sorry Kawana, I was cleaning the seat and fighting with those stupid boys. Bye Ko” she hugged me which I returned and smiled in appreciation

"Can you send me a message when you are home?" I heard Simeon say "Yes, sure, thank you once again", with that I left.

My mum wasn't going to be at home, she was probably at her shop. We arrived home and the driver helped me carry my things to my room. I was feeling so weak I first of all put my own things in the washing machine, before I put Simeon's blazer. He said I should text him. Maybe he put his number, I scrolled down looking for Simeon but didn't find it.

I then rechecked my phone again to see if there was any strange name. Yes, I saw it he saved it as new boy. He knew that I never really called his name so... But now I felt guilty. I sent him the message.

Mariam: I got home safely, thank you.

New boy: well then take care, make sure to change your towel three times and bath at intervals, don't walk around often and try to bath. Don't take sugary things or peppery things as they intensify the pain more, Goodnight ;).

I wanted to laugh; I didn't have it in me to get upset because a boy was telling me things I already know. Wait how does he know these things? Does he have a girlfriend? The thought made me feel somehow. Mariam, don't jump into conclusions easily. Maybe he googled it.

As I felt myself having a headache, I went down to go and make the new tea I was bought and then rest.

SIMEON

"Mummy! Mummy, there is blood on your leg" the nine-year-old boy shook his mother who seemed to be unconscious. This blood didn't seem to be the normal ones his mum got from wounds due to belt marks and slaps, because it continuously flowed down her leg. As little and fragile as he was, he dragged the rug that had his unconscious mum.

A rug was heavy to carry on its own then now there was an unconscious person on it. He was sweating, it took twenty minutes to reach the guest bathroom because his parents own were upstairs. Using all his strength, he lifted her legs, then pushed them in first, before pushing her shoulders next into the bath-tub, finally her body was inside, he undressed her, it wasn't the first time he saw her naked, but he never stayed for a long period, because even without anyone telling him, seeing his parents naked he knew morally and spiritually is wrong.

However, if he was called in to the bathroom by her, he only helps scrub her back or wash her hair, Today, he had a feeling he was going to fully bath her.

Looking at the warm water in the tub, he noticed it was now a light red, he drained it and refilled the tub again with warm water.

"Shimmy, is that you? His mother asked halfway conscious. She couldn't help but smile, feel guilty, feel proud, feel embarrassed, angry, happy. In a way her child was an adult, in a way he was still a child.

"Yes, Hajiya it's me. You were bleeding from your legs". She looked at her son, he had the respect to keep his eyes on her face and the floor. She wanted to cry because to her she had failed in her responsibility to her son.

"Shimmy, can you buy mummy sanitary towel? If you buy it, it will cure mummy's blood. You know where Mummy hides her money right? You go to a shop and tell them to give you sanitary towel or sanitary pad" Anything for his mother he thought, as he ran to do her bidding.

They were so rich that if they were to use their money to wash plates, nothing will affect them, but yet they didn't have cooks, cleaners or drivers working for them. In fact, they seemed to be isolated. As small as Lagos is, and as crowded as it seems, their father still found a way to isolate them, that even going to their 'neighbour', would be a twenty-minute drive.

A nine-year Simeon ran through the streets. This was the first time he went alone to get something for his mum, they were always together when she was allowed to get things. This made him observant the more, he navigated all the signs and the landmarks to the nearest store.

He ran through a city that never slept, a city that anything could happen to a little boy, but today it seemed God saw him and sent his guardian angel to watch him.

He bumped into a woman who was walking. "Sorry Aunty, I didn't see you". She smiled at him and nodded her head to indicate that it wasn’t a bother, but something made her want to know why a little boy was running fast like he was on a mission.

"It's okay, where are you running off to?". He didn't want to answer because his mum always told him to be careful of strangers’ whether male or female. She seemed to understand. Instead, she politely asked to see what he wrote on the paper.

The writing was not really perfect because it seemed to be his own but she understood perfectly well what he wrote. She didn't dare question him but couldn't help but still say

"Who sent you to buy this?" she inquired.

" My mother, she said it will cure her wound"

"Alright then let's go so that we can buy this to cure her wound. I know the perfect one". Taking his hand, she bought him his mummy's cure, took him home and helped with his mum.

As she was leaving, he said "please Aunty what is your name?"

"You can call me Mummy Ishola" he waved her and she left.

As his mind went back to the day’s events, he truly agrees that teenagers, youths, young adults, whatever category they are being called, are mean. While, children are gullible and they easily forgive, they easily love, they don't care what people say.

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Zobo = purple hibiscus drink in Nigeria

The text in bold under a character's POV are memories, while the long texts in italics are messages.