TAKWAS

The memories came back when he saw Malik; Pahjgierna. He saw them at a full blast and of course accompanying the memories was a migraine. It gradually subsided to the extent he could concentrate to a maximum extent in class the next day.

But then he noticed something, being the observer he was.

What he noticed was...

His bestie as she self-claimed to him wasn't talking to her friend Mariam but he didn't want to interfere because girls fights or quarrels were nothing to interfere on or else you would be the main target.

He also noticed that his friend, his bestie and her friend look like they have a history not minding the fact that Kuchali and Malik Omari are cousins. There was a heavy air around three of them. Although they were talking but anyone looking would see that it was superficial, after the greetings and catching up, everything around the three of them seemed to be awkward.

He recounted his sessions again with Doctor Dele in his head, and when they played word-board game, he spelt the words feelings. Why did he spell it? Was he happy that his friend was back or something or maybe something else.

He was also reminded of the fact that age wise in Nigeria, at twenty he's not supposed to be in secondary school. He should be in two hundred level by now in university.

He had a feeling that he won't even graduate in this school, something was going to happen, and that's why he was presently walking down to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) office to register, another national exam to write in this country if he wanted to enter university. He wanted to have a backup plan should in case anything happens to him. His mother wasn’t against him although she reasoned that he was being too pessimistic and he should enjoy being with his mates and graduate like them.

He was about to step on the pathway leading to the gate of the office when he heard his name. It wasn't a whisper of course neither was it a scream but he hard it loud and clear.

He turned to the direction to where he heard it. He turned to a familiar looking black Audi and saw Mariam? Waving at him, as she stopped.

He wasn't going to go over, because she interrupted him first so why would he?

But she didn’t seem to mind as she came down and went to greet him.

"Hey, how far?" she clumsily asked as she brought her hand up for a handshake.

"I’m good you?" He responded back the handshake.

"So where are you going to?" he thought whether he should he be sarcastic in his answer, since it was obvious that he was heading towards the JAMB office before she called him? He decided against the sarcasm and instead replied "I am going to the jamb office for registration"

"But then our school doesn't allow us to do any national exam registration in Ss2, and besides is not like they are going to open their portal for registration at this time?" she asked in confusion "I know" he said not elaborating on what he knew on whether it was the first statement or the second.

They were silent for some seconds before her eyes widened in realization and said “You are not staying long in Pacesetters, are you". It wasn’t a question, rather a statement. Mariam suddenly felt a sense of dread when she saw his smile of confirmation, not that she had spoken much to him, however she threw out a; "sorry for taking your time, just wanted to say Hello and take care, bye" and quickly turned around and left without waiting for his reply.

After she had gone, he had to actually change his direction, because in all sense he did remember that they wouldn't register him so early; it would also cause suspicions and the JAMB officers might think he was rather coming for exam malpractice than actually registering. He was at least glad that he saw Mariam, because she reminded him. Her innocently and genuinely wanting to know how it would be possible for him to register for the exam beforehand was a wakeup call. Because sincerely speaking how did he really think he would pull it off.

Today’s Saturday was hot, maybe because heat season was gradually coming close. The media houses were actually not lying when they said the north was hot, because what in the incoming smoke of hellfire was actually going on today? He thought of where was he could go to; to a least get ice-cream or a cold hydrating drink. Should he go back home, Hajiya might have bought the fruits for the season but if he goes back, she would make him do the fruit salad or fruit juice. And he had already finished his Data processing assignment before stepping out, so he wasn't in the mood to go back home. He walked for five minutes aimlessly, before remembering an eatery he once saw that had food, fast-food, natural and carbonated drinks, he walked further and stopped in front of the eatery.

He entered and a cold air greeted him. The air conditioners were on, the eatery had red and white restaurant looking chairs that were put three-three on round cream tables. There was a big rectangular cream table that had six chairs in the middle of the eatery, making it serve as a demarcation, for those who wanted to either sit at the right or left arm of the eatery. They were tables ranging from a single person to a large table.

Then there was a staircase leading to an upper room that was visible to the customers sitting downstairs; due to the fact that the upper room had glass doors. Simeon noticed that the room had a big sofa that was brown in colour with a red and cream table there. It was like a lounge. He walked to the counter to order and noticed that the people working were wearing red polo shirts with black trousers with the eatery logo on the shirts.

He ordered a big cup of chocolate ice-cream and went to sit down on a table facing the window, that gave him a give him a good view of the television showing music videos at the same time.

He was enjoying his ice-cream and at the same time playing a game on his phone, when he decided to check the messaging app to see if there were any important messages from the group chat or anyone else.

After turning on his data, he waited for the messages to pop through first while he still continued to enjoy his ice-cream. While the other messages took some time to flood in, he went to the group chat to check what was happening; and of course, it was irrelevant chats of Chelsea trying to cause trouble again and the circle of either people ignoring her or answering her in a more hostile manner.

Scrolling down and seeing nothing of importance, he then went down and skipped the strange numbers he frequently got, of girls trying to be taught more ‘math’. Anytime he asked them how they got his number, they either dismissed the question or they said it wasn’t relevant and important.

He knew their obvious intentions but didn't want to dwell on it, Simeon decided to check if anyone uploaded a status and he caught sight of Mariam's status, touching on her status; he saw that it was a picture.

In the picture, she was laughing and it looked like the shot taken of her was unaware, he also noticed her dimples as she closed her eyes and seemed to be holding the shirt of a guy, he didn't care to know about but the face of the guy looked familiar. She looked beautiful and he noticed another person looking at her. It was as if the person wasn't supposed to be captioned too, more like a photo bumper, but that wasn't his concern, she just looked beautiful.

He didn't know when his fingers replied to her status but they did and he hadn't realized he had typed you have beautiful dimples. He wanted to delete the message but he saw she had read it and she was already typing her reply.

Mariam: thank you

Ferox: you are welcome.

He thought the conversation would end there, but then, she was typing again.

Mariam: so how was the registration?

Ferox: I didn't actually register again because I remembered that it was too early and I don't think the officials would listen to any reason right now.

Mariam: So, are you at home or something?

Ferox: no actually I just decided to take ice cream, wanted to just enjoy a little peace.

Mariam: oh, some enjoyment. While I'm just here suffering in one prefect ship meeting that doesn't want to end.

Ferox: surely it can't be that bad?

Mariam: it is bad o! You need to see the head boy right now. We are sitting at a long table and he's at the head sitting together with the head girl, such a funny sight, like they are King and Queen and we are his frustrating ministers lol

Ferox: lol I see. So, are you all then intentionally frustrating him or what?

Mariam: well yes but not all of us, some of us like me is innocent you know. Some are making ridiculous requests, like the male labour prefect; Hakeem, he's suggesting the school needs more mops to mop the tarred roads, and what is funny is that he says it with a straight face, like who mops tarred roads, hahaha

He didn't know he had spent much time, until when one of the workers politely asked if he could share his table with a family, since the whole eatery was full, he just paid for the ice-cream and left.

Ferox: wow you are one hell of a bunch.

Mariam: ikr, then my fellow uniform prefect wants girls to stop wearing blazers on our whites and the whites should be more transparent, now all the male prefects are now supporting him, bunch of pervs

Ferox: sorry typical boys, I don't think you will achieve your aim of what you went there for.

He didn't know he was so engrossed on his phone until he felt the honk of a keke. He looked up to notice he was almost hit by it and the driver was raining curses on how teenagers were unruly in this generation. He was enjoying himself too much to care.

He made sure he safely crossed to the other side of the road before he continued texting, and when he checked his phone again, he was surprised to find out that Mariam was keeping him up to date.

Mariam: I also think the same way, hmm, now we have moved unto sports. Male sports prefect is now saying, in our own set we shouldn't wear the school's tracksuit that is given to us, especially girls, that we should wear sports bra and pant boxer. What even is a pant boxer? (side eye)

Mariam: is there even a pant boxer. And the funny thing is that none of the female prefects have brought up issues that I know are real, kaii this set is just annoying (rolls eyes). I don't even know how to classify them.

Mariam: hey have you gone? Let me just follow you nah (runs from here).

Ferox: haha no sorry, I just had to cross the road. I didn't know that this prefect ship meetings are interesting like this, I would like to become one you know, in order to just see the drama.

Mariam: you should o (smirks), maybe you will put these boys in their place, wait till they start fighting. It just gets interesting.

Ferox: Lol you mean like a physical fight or argument? Anyways, where do you people hold the meetings?

Mariam: it has never gotten to a physical fight yet, but it’s strong argument and we hold it in King head boy’s palace (smirks). But who are we to complain when there is always small chops and drinks served (victory dance). It always ends up like a party.

Ferox: oh, that's nice of him, but don't his parents complain with all the noise that will surely be going on?

Mariam: no not at all. You seem to forget that eighty percent of people in Pacesetters are from affluent homes. His mum is the cool aunty and his dad is quiet, always hardly noticed you know, so she even anticipates and prepares for our coming. By the way, I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable with all my questions, I just wanted to say hi and well curiosity got the best of me.

Ferox: If you’re talking about earlier, it's okay, we are good?

Mariam: well, I have to go (peace fingers), later (surfs away). It's like someone is about to tear someone's cloth.

He couldn't help but laugh loudly to the extent that people turned to look. He had arrived home with all the texting he was doing. He noticed Hajiya wasn't at home and she already prepared jollof rice with fish in a flask and kept salad in the fridge and had juice the fruits. He did summersaults in his mind to celebrate that he wasn’t the one going to juice them. Simeon went to wash his hands at the same time microwave the lukewarm food.

Although, as they say an idle mind is the devil’s workshop because his thoughts were just popping in and out of the place.

Would this thing ever leave him?

Would people ever find out what he did?

Would he really graduate peacefully as he hoped?

Will he have the chance to behave and feel normal like his mates without the other trying to ruin things?

What if one day, he lets his guard down in school and the other wants to interact with his mates? What would he be?

He didn't want to dwell on it, yet the nagging feeling at the back of his mind wouldn’t stop.

MARIAM

I couldn't stop laughing, we had another fight again as usual. Just stupid things, I sometimes wonder if our principal and vice principals were okay in choosing the boys, they choose for prefect ship, but no problem they were shadow prefects so at least no problem for now. Shadow prefects were always prefects chosen in Ss2 and had probatory period for one and a half term, by the third term of Ss2, there would be a day when those that passed would be elected, those that fit into a role than the present one they occupied would be reshuffled, while some whom were never given shadow prefects, yet had some qualities that the teachers and students observed; were elected. That category was our best part because students were always surprised by one thing or the other.

I came back to an empty house, thinking my mum must have gone out, but I was wrong, because her door was left ajar, she was on her blue and silver rug, sitting down, and her body was shaking, as she buried her face in her hands, signifying that she was crying.

I entered quietly and knelt down close to her and hugged her, as she quickly dried her tears. I didn't need to ask what was wrong, however my mind was telling me, that it had something to do with my father, we stayed like that for some time before she told me she was feeling sleepy and proceeded to climb her bed to sleep, I adjusted her and turned on the air-conditioning when I took notice of her phone on the floor where she earlier sat down. Curiosity got the best of me and I picked it up.

It didn't have a password, because, to her it was complicated to remember, and I was always the one called per second to remind her of the password she put. I swiped it open and it immediately showed me her text messages with one of her friends, and I noticed the format of the conversation were things like:

Why would he do this to me? To us?

He has a daughter he should consider about for goodness’ sake.

Though I was fighting with myself that it maybe something entirely different and I didn't want to believe that maybe what I saw is different from what my mind would tell me. With the little strength I had left in me, on shaky legs I took myself back to my room and amidst the tears that blocked my view, I found myself writing in my book.

Can you hear my laughter?

Do you hear the pain in it?

The sadness there, do you hear it?

Do you see my eyes?

How they frost over and become an impossible scarlet black?

Can you feel my skin?

How my ear twitches from time to time, do you?

Can you breathe that putrid smell, I have smelt with my own nose?

How it changes from sour to enchanting to disgusting?

If you can, it may be that you did it wrong and I did it right or

I did it wrong and you did it right.

If you can't, then I won't give you the satisfaction of my senses to use, because they are connected with my emotions

I folded the paper and kept it inside my note and went to sleep. I was too tired to do anything.

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Keke = Tricycle ( a form of public transport used in Nigeria. It's pronounced keh-keh fast at once)

There are places during their text messages that were put in bracket to signify the emojis used, it’s there because this app doesn’t actually allow emojis in use, hence the words for it.