Chapter Twenty-Seven

The following morning, Dera's small Nokia phone rang with the six o'clock alarm. She lifted her arm out of the covers to turn it off and then checked the time. Like a robot, Dera sat up, rubbed her eyes sleepily, and got out of bed. It was Wednesday, three days since Mr. Johnson had given her an ultimatum to pay her debts or face expulsion from school. It was also the day she would film her ideas and send them to Goodwall. With the thought of Goodwall, she stretched blissfully, smiling in anticipation. After completing her morning chores, she brushed her teeth, got dressed, and walked into the kitchen to have breakfast. She ladled some jollof rice onto her plate and sat down at the kitchen table to eat.

'Are you still participating in the Goodwall stuff?' Beatrice asked as she entered the kitchen.

'Yes, I have all my thoughts written down. Andrew will help me with the video recording.'

'Do you really want to win the prize?' Beatrice stared at Dera.

'That's exactly what I want. I want to be among the winners.'

'Then, we're going to place all our hopes on you. You'll unleash your super brain and become one of the winners in all the challenges,' Beatrice purposely teased Dera.

'Yes, Dera, we all believe in you.' Emeka entered the kitchen, took an avocado from the fridge, and started cutting it in half. 'You're the best, go for it.' He reached for the loaf of bread on the table and took a slice.

'Are you two trying to tease me to death?' asked Dera with a sweet smile.

Beatrice smiled warmly and gently hugged Dera's shoulder. 'Okay, we won't tease you anymore. But even though I have some doubts about the prizes and everything, I still believe that we should give it a try,' she said, looking at Dera. 'Good luck.' Beatrice held up her fist in support of Dera and then grabbed some fruits before leaving the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Emeka scooped out one half of his avocado, spread it on the bread, folded it in half, and took a big bite.

After Dera finished her breakfast, Andrew took out his phone and filmed her as she confidently presented her ideas. Each of the challenges was filmed differently. Once they were done, they watched the recordings, satisfied with the results. Andrew then sent them through the Goodwall account he had created for Dera using his phone.

As they left the backyard where they had recorded the videos, Dera asked Andrew, 'Andrew, will you return to school today?'

'I will wait until the winners are announced,' Andrew replied.

'What about your work?'

'My boss already gave me his permission,' Andrew smiled.

Dera sighed and said, 'Let's hope I don't disappoint you.'

'Silly girl, it's just a challenge. Even if you lose, you'll always be my adoring little sister,' Andrew comforted her.

Dera turned around to look at him and spoke slowly, 'I don't want to settle for a consolation prize. I truly want to win this, even if it's just one challenge.'

Her words triggered a wave of emotion, and Dera poured herself into Andrew's arms, seeking comfort like a child who had been wronged. Andrew knew that his sister needed the money more than anyone else, so seeing her like this tugged at his heartstrings. He held her gently, patting her shoulder. 'Like I once told you before, you'll always win in the game of life and in the game of love.'

'Who's talking about love?' Dera raised her head and playfully pinched Andrew's cheek.

'You really know how to showcase your silly ways,' Andrew chuckled.

'Of course, you're only allowed to see this part of me,' Dera playfully rolled her eyes.

It was seven-thirty in the morning when Dera stepped out of the house. Normally, she would ride her bicycle to school, but yesterday she had to walk due to the decision of selling her bicycle. However, today was different. Andrew, her brother, had given her some money to take the bus instead. Grateful for her brother's support, Dera felt a sense of happiness and appreciation.

As the bus carried her towards school, Dera gazed out of the window, admiring the beautiful buildings she passed along the way. She had always cherished the town she called home. Dera, along with her parents and brother, resided in Mbaitoli, Imo State—a place she considered perfect due to its proximity to the capital city, Owerri. It only took a short fifteen to thirty-minute bus or taxi ride to reach Owerri. While Dera treasured her current abode, she also nurtured dreams of living near the shores of Nigeria or even exploring another country, if only for a few days. The idea of new experiences and different horizons filled her with a sense of longing and excitement.

The ride to Peach Secondary School took about five to ten minutes, depending on traffic. Dera didn't mind as she enjoyed the beautiful scenery from the bus window. When she arrived in front of the school gates, she walked inside and headed straight to the garden. Putting on her work gloves, she picked up the watering can and began watering the plants.

'You seem excited to be taking care of the garden,' Jennifer remarked as she approached Dera.

'Yeah, I love planting things, and it makes me happy to see them flourish,' Dera replied with a blissful smile. 'Everyone should have reasons to love gardening,' she added after a moment.

Jennifer shrugged and said, 'Well, I love gardening because scientific evidence has shown that it's beneficial to us. For instance, it offers therapeutic and natural experiences that can help with anxiety and depression. It's a rewarding and refreshing activity.'

'That's a good point. Sometimes, we can learn from plants and flowers too,' Dera said.

'What is there to learn from things we take care of?' Jennifer asked.