9.5

INDEPENDENCE DAY

MARIAM

I called Malik Omari, to find out how he was, and to catch up on everything. Even if he didn’t fully reveal where he had gone, at least he should tell me something. The silence between he and his sister was killing me. His phone rang, and he picked on the third ring. "Hello little sis, how are you?" He asked

"Malikk, you’ve started. I am good and you?" I answered

"Am here, doing great, so how is your Independence Day going?"

"It's like a normal day for me; I wanted to ask you if you're free so we could catch up on things" I said tentatively.

"Alright no problem, I’d like to bring Simeon along for moral support if that’s okay" He murmured a bit.

“Which one is moral support? You’re saying it like I’m going to devour you”

“Well, who knows the questions you would ask” he said chuckling a bit.

I needed answers and if felt more relaxed with Simeon around, then so be it. In a way, I was also looking forward to seeing Simeon.

"Alright, baban yahya, bring your moral support along" I stated with resignation in my voice.

"Okay, just text the address, and I'll come and meet you there" he answered and we hung up.

After thirty minutes, I was dressed and ready. I wore a light sweater, along with a black jean, and some flats sandals. I put on simple stud earrings and carried my handbag, that had my wallet, and phone inside, and I was off.

After having informed my mother earlier about my outing, she sternly warned that, at the most I should spend three hours thirty minutes and come back, because she felt whatever catch up and gossip that I wanted to do, I could do it within that time span.

I didn't argue with her, because first she is a woman, secondly, she is a mum, thirdly, she's a Nigerian mum.

I got into my black car, with the driver and left. On the streets, I could see people wearing green and white, to celebrate the independence. Some extra ones even had the flag applied on their mouths as lipstick, the two colours green and white were divided into three sections, which is green-white-green; which is how the Nigerian flag looks like.

Some were dancing, while others were chanting the national anthem.

When we turned a corner, we were met by a traffic light, which showed red light at the time, indicating for us to stop, and we did. Suddenly!

People started marching, holding the flag and wearing all types of green with white. Some even had green and white wigs on their heads. After the march past was over; a bunch of students from different schools, who had on different school uniforms also marched, reciting the national anthem, which was being accompanied by drummers; who looked sharp in their dark green attire and white caps, making them look like navy generals. While others were doing some gymnastics in the air, it was fun to look at, but at the same time, time wasting.

Some people, now realized that the traffic light was now purposely put on red, on all sides, so that they could be spectators of the show.

After realizing this, they started honking their cars, and even going to the extent of raining insults on the paradors. After some minutes, the coast became clear and we all went to our various destinations.

I finally arrived at the restaurant. The cold air greeted me inside, due to the large air conditioner. Good thing I wore my sweater.

Looking around to see if maybe they had arrived, I didn’t see anyone. Even with the little time I wasted. Maybe he was picking up Simeon and his house was far or something. I quickly ordered for myself and sat down to wait.

Having nothing to do for the time being, I decided to stare at the place. The restaurant’s interior was lemon green and cream, with red mini velvet sofas on green- and cream-coloured square tables. At the far end of the restaurant, there was a big, green, three-seater sofa, with a cream and red glass table facing it. There were two little stairs to climb, before reaching the sofa. Maybe it was for families.

My order was ready, as it was placed in my front. I was slowly sipping my Sprite, and eating my egg filled bread-sandwich, when I saw three people walk in, but what caught my attention was Simeon.

He wore an ash sweatpants, with maroon t-shirt, that hugged his body well, I could see some little indications of his toned chest, faintly looking like it was abs. He had on a headphone on his neck, while he casually put on of his hands into his pockets, and the other one was holding his phone. He hardly rose his head up, but he seemed to know his way around.

I could see people discreetly and shamelessly looking at him from different angles.

I wanted to close their eyes and- Wait!!! Hold on Mariam, calm yourself down.

Malik Omari wore black shorts, with a red t-shirt and a lollipop in his mouth. Kuchi!? I was surprised to see her here. She wore a black crop top and blue jeans, with a small white bag, hanging across her chest.

We all greeted ourselves, except when I went to hug Kuchi, she gave me a half-hearted hug. Okay? What and where is all these coming from?

Malik Omari went to order what to eat. The atmosphere around us was a bit awkward, not because Simeon was quiet, but because Kuchali was outrightly ignoring me. She was fiddling and drawing something on her laptop with her digital pen, did her sister annoy her from the house or something?

Malik came back with their orders. He took me to another table, to talk, we excused ourselves and almost as we left, I turned to see my friend showing Simeon what she was drawing and she was all smiles with him.

That left a sour taste in my mouth.

"So, how have you been?" I asked Malik as we sat down, he rolled his eyes playfully as he answered; "I’m great madam, how many times would you keep on asking how I am"

“I thought you said you brought Simeon out for moral support? Why is your moral support sitting all the way there?” I found myself teasing him and that made him smile as the little tension cleared up.

“I have to be brave now, alright I’m listening to you, what do you want to know and ask?” he said as he took a big scoop out of his ice-cream.

"Malik, where did you go to for a year plus?" I decided to go straight to the point.

"I went to prison" he answered indifferently. I looked at him speechless. PRISON???

“I don’t understand” was the only thing I could say at this point.

“I know” he replied not wanting to expand on it, I could feel myself getting irritated.

"You know what, never mind you sound like you don't want to talk about this, so let me just allow you be" I choose to reply instead and made a move to stand up and rejoin the others when he caught my hand and said; "Habha little sis, it's not like that".

"Toh it's like what then Malik? Your friends and classmates don't see you for almost a year, then you're suddenly back, I want to know what happened to you since obviously my friend doesn't want to tell me. I try to catch up, you tell me it's because you've been in a prison house and I'm asking but you're replying like I'm disturbing you. Well, I'm sorry"

I don't even know why I'm angry. At the end of the day, it might have been traumatic for him there and he doesn't feel like going through the image by discussing about it. I didn't think of this side at all, I just became angry and almost shouted at him.

Mariam... You need to calm down.

"No Mariam-" he started off but I cut him off.

"You know what, I'm really sorry, I didn't even think that maybe prison house must have been traumatizing for you, I just started assuming things and became angry. Maybe when you’re ready, you will talk." I held his hand that was on the table in a sort of reassuring way. He just smiled back.

Another thought came to my mind and I found myself asking. "Does that mean that you and Simeon may have met in prison?" He seemed hesitant to answer but at the end he answered "yes". I just nodded my head and left it at that. There were more questions to ask obviously but he wasn’t going to answer half of them, so I decided to bring something up instead. “You know I liked you when we were in junior class but you kept on shoving little sis everywhere in my face up and down”, he laughed a bit as he replied with; “I knew that was why I said that”

“If you knew, why did you torture me with that? You already have sisters, Kuchi and her sister, although they are more of cousins but you’re close with her. I’m not your sister”

“Who told you, you aren’t?” he said a bit too solemn but if I took Malik seriously, it was at my own risk and two seconds later we laughed it off. I found myself asking again. “Malik, ever since you got back, you haven’t come to see my mum, why though? You know she only knows you and Kuchi to be my friends in school”

“I’m sorry about that Mariam, one of these days I’ll try and come. I’m still trying to settle in” I wasn’t convinced about the answer but I will take what I can get. We were done with our food and I looked over to the others to see Simeon intently looking at Kuchi’s drawing as she was smiling too. Why couldn’t she smile like that to me? I tried my luck as I motioned Malik for us to go back and join the rest, so that we wouldn’t miss out on the fun too.

Sitting down opposite her and seeing her mood brighter, I tried again; “Hey Kuchie-" but I guess today wasn’t my day because she rudely cut me off and faced her brother entirely.

"Malik, I think it's time for us to go, isn't it?" Malik quietly sighed and stood up as he gave me an apologetic look. I was sat watching what just transpired like a film.

She then turned to look at Simeon; "Bestie are you not coming?"

He shook his head as he gave her an incredulous look. She seemed angry by that. Malik then turned to look at him, before asking him. "Ferox, how would you get home then by yourself?"

"You would take me home, right? Won't you?" The question was directed at me, because looked at me as he spoke. I blinked and didn’t answer because I was still trying to understand today. Malik nodded his head in understanding at him while Kuchali seemed angrier? Or were my eyes deceiving me.

"Bestie but we came together" she tried using another resort with him, however he didn't answer.

I was replaying everything in my head as they left, I decided to ask Simeon something I totally forgot to ask Malik.

"Simeon, what does Ferox mean?"

"It means fierce" he replied

"Oh wow, is it your tribal name?" It sounded cool

"Nope it's of Latin origin"

I was a bit puzzled, so I pushed further again. "Why Latin, are you half-caste or something?"

"No, it's just a name Malik decided to give me, his reason was that I am strong and fierce" I nodded my head like I seemed to understand.

"So why do you call Malik Pahjgierna?" I wanted to laugh at how I was asking my questions, like I was a silent celebrity that made her money through gossiping.

"It means my friend in his tribe" to which I affirmed my head to what he said.

We kept quiet for a while and I was itching with questions

Why he didn't go with them?

What brought him to Kaduna, all the way from Lagos?

How and why did both he and Malik end up in prison?

My mind was still in thoughts when he spoke up again.

"How old are you?" his attention was on me as he dropped his phone and put his arms on the table, waiting for my answer.

"Haven't you heard? Never ask a lady her age?" I responded instead.

"Typical Nigerians, always answering a question with a question. Anyways, I thought ladies said that when they were single and not married according to social stance on the age a woman is to marry. Or a woman says that when, I don’t know Mariam”

I was laughing before he finished and he in turn smiled back.

"Okay fine, I am seventeen " I replied giving up. "What of you?" I returned the question. "I am twenty-one" he replied shocking me.

"Don't you feel somehow that most of your mates are in university, and they are like in their second or third year" I couldn't help but ask.

"Prison got in the way" he replied like it's every day you enter a place called prison, stop your education then continue. Nonetheless, I on the other hand should have decoded that his education was tampered with, but even at that, no matter how I calculated it, some timeline was still missing.

“I can see the wheels turning in your head, there were other things too that altered my education asides prison” he added.

"So why art class?" I asked deciding to change topic. "Because I hate maths first of-" “But you're great at it" I cut him off.

"Yes" he sighed then continued, "I'm good at it not because I like it, but for an entirely different reason"

"I see"

"As I was saying, I don't like calculations, and I have an interest in theatre art, mass comm and international relations. So, I will go for either of them".

Wow, his personality didn't seem to match all these outgoing kinds of ideas, but what do you know? People are completely different and more focused when it comes to things they like.

"So, are you the only child, or there are other rascals called siblings behind you?" We both laughed at his question

"No, I'm an only child, what of you?"

"Same, me too I am mother's son" he answered back.

"I thought as much, if not, I would just be pitying your siblings, whenever you're angry" I jokingly said.

"Do you like being a prefect?"

"First of all, bah, I'm just a shadow prefect, and to answer your question, it's a yes and no thing.

Yes because, it's kinds of serves as a distraction from things, it also makes me a bit happy, that I've achieved something small you know. Then no because, in a way, it requires you to be perfect. Using myself as an example, I have to wear neat uniforms and socks; my hair has to be tidy and I have to always make my hair according to the school's hairstyle. I have to be punctual, smell and look good, my uniform has to be tidy from school start to school end. In general, I have to live according to my prefect- ship"

"It sounds a bit tough but I’m sure you and most of the rest can handle it that’s why you’ve been selected" he stated, then asked curiously, "what is a shadow prefect, and how are they selected?"

"A shadow prefect, implies its name. A prefect being chosen for the time being in Ss2 especially, because the Ss3's are busy with mock exams and preparing for WAEC and are mirroring the responsibilities of their successor". I answered the first part.

I drank my water that I ordered when we started talking. Then continued on; "Most times, the prefects choose who they think is best suited for their occupying positions, and if the principal and some selected teachers that make up a committee for things like this are okay with it, they approve"

"That's organized, so who choose you?" Simeon prodded

"It's actually the principal, because most prefects, my predecessor and teachers complained that I am too soft and a walk over". We enjoyed the silence for a while, when I remembered something again and asked.

"I'm curious," I started speaking, then he nodded his head for me to continue.

"I'm curious to know, how did you get into school, because most Nigerian schools don't admit people into Ss 2. Then, didn't they see your record? But I mean looking at Pacesetters and the calibre of children inside, your mum may have connections"

He smiled a cunning smile. "It's safe to say that I am intelligent, also may be safe to say my mother has monies"

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Pride comes before a fall Simeon. What is monies sef?" I teasingly retorted. "You're not even ashamed, it's your mother’s money your bragging of, not your own" I added.

We both laughed at my words. "Of course, don't you also brag about your own father's monies, in your own way?" He shot back. "I do, but it doesn't compare to parents love, my mother especially" I sheepishly answered.

"Mothers are the best" he replied.

"Dads also try" I tried to chip in willfully.

"Some father's try, not all. You also look like you are saying that to convince yourself of something" he sounded angry when he said that. I gave him a questioning look instead to ask my unspoken question.

He just smiled back instead and replied: "my father is dead"

"Sorry for-"

"Don't be, I'm not" he cut me off quickly

"Well then, I'm not" he looked at me intently, before really laughing.

"You are funny, mean but kind, like the green small girl, in power puff girls" I smiled and gave him an incredulous look.

"You mean buttercup?" I answered.

"Yes, Buttercup, I'll call you that from now on"

We bantered for a while, until I saw all the missed calls, from my mum. I quickly motioned for us to go back, but not before getting something for my driver to eat, for the long hours I kept him, and as for Simeon, he just waited for me.

Simeon gave us directions, to his street, but told us he was okay walking down, though I insisted, his words were:

"Buttercup, how can a handsome looking guy like me come down from a girl's car, let me walk a bit, don’t you know my female gossipy neighbours, wouldn’t admire me"

I shook my head as I thought; I know right, male species all have EGO as their middle name.

I just rolled my eyes and we left.