BOOBS WERE THE PRETTIEST part of the body I could think of, but the big ones were sublime. As a boarding school student, I got to see girls with different sizes, shapes, and builds, and none ever caught my attention like the big beautiful round damsels sitting at top the chests of girls like me. They were also the first thing a boy would take note of in a girl.

It is probably weird to describe breasts this much as a girl—or human being—however, I only took notice in the first place because I envied them, wishing and praying that my agbalumo breasts would switch with that of Jennifer, my side bunkmate. I could not blame my genes because my mothers were noticeable, not to talk of my maternal grandmother who never seemed to find a brassiere each time she visited.

I had started to accept my fate as a part of the flat chested gang when my miracle happened a couple weeks to the end of my SS2 class. Aside the unbearable pain that came with the growth, I—and others—started to see their shapes through my uniform. It was as if God himself chose to give me a sign, telling me that my summer would be the best by checking off two out of the three prayer points I submitted to him at the beginning of the year.

1. Give me bigger boobs, it doesn't have to be extra big, but enough for my brothers to stop calling me bro.

2. Please take away any opportunity for Odion and Akhere to Chaperone me after they graduate.

3. Let the boy of my dreams notice me as more than his stepbrother's best friend.

Number two was on the verge of being completely answered as my twin older brothers were finally releasing their annoying claws off me because they graduated from secondary school, which meant they would not be able to cast their eagle eyes over me all summer. Once upon a time I believed having my three brothers watch over me all the time was a treasure, it quickly turned to a prison and they were the wardens charged with not letting me out of their sight.

In Junior secondary school, they hawked over me all of the time, the oldest, Uyiose, planted spies to report every detail, including and especially boys who dared talk to me. Odion and Akhere would randomly show up in my class, threatening my classmates for sitting next to me, or holding my notebooks. At the end, I got tired and decided anything was better as long as there were far from me, so my parents sent me off to a girl's boarding school at my request.

At first my boarding school was basic, but soon every one of the girls started to grow and after each holiday they would return with stories of everything that happened to them, the fun experiences they had and most of all the boys that they shared moments with. I always felt like an outcast, the only moments I had was getting all of my siblings to back off when my phone rang. While my classmates had boyfriends, creating cliques to giggle about what their boys got them as gifts, I had my fairytale imaginations, waiting for the perfect moment when I knew I would be free.

But the time came. It would be my last holiday as a secondary school student, the last time I got to see him and the only time to make my fairytales real before we all decided to go off to tertiary schools, so I decided that I would make the most of it. I had to.

From the beginning of the school year, I counted down the number of days to when Odion and Akhere would be out of secondary school, and as soon as I got to the house for my final long holiday leading to SS3 I informed my mother I would be enrolling for the August summer school. She did not object easily enough because what my parents loved more than making money was ensuring their children had enough education to make more for the family.

"Pink is girly enough to make me look girly enough, but yellow is sharp and calling. Which do you think I should go for?" I put my mobile device close to my mouth, making a voice recording as I stared at the two sundresses that sat on my bed as I stifled a yawn that threatened as a result of my being tired. I was not as morning person, but my excitement and plans had got me up by five am, and almost completely ready at seven am. I had a goal. Today was the second of August, the first day of summer school and the first day of the rest of my life without brothers. It would also be the first day I would get my love to notice me as the girl that I was.

"I wonder why I keep asking you like you know anything about fashion," I 'arrghed' in light frustration before ending with, "Does not matter, just give me your input by imagining they are colors in films, since you like that." I tapped the padlock button on the WhatsApp chat and sent the voice note, waiting for the response of my best friend.

Every second that went by felt like a thousand years as I waited in my underwear for a response. I scratched behind my left ear, with my eyes glued on the screen of my phone. Once I saw the two ticks turn blue, I bit down on my lips and involuntarily pushed a dropping braid out of my face when a typing appeared underneath the name.

"I just know he's going to say something stupid." I murmured to myself, impatient over his response. "This is why you get a girl as your best friend for emergencies like this, but no Oze, you pick a boy."

Finally, my phone vibrated as his message came in. Just wear something blue, that is your favorite color.

I knew it. I sighed and shut my phone, deciding to choose with the old-fashioned way my father taught me when I was younger and could not pick between sweets at the shop. I placed a hand over my eyes and pointed the index finger of the second at the position of the first dress. "Eenie meeny, mannie moe, father had a donkey," I moved my hands from the first dress to next, back and forth. "Donkey dies, father cries, eenie meeny, mannie moe."

Quickly, I snapped my eyes open. Yellow it is.

After dressing up, I packed my black braids into a bun and let two fall out in the front. I did a one up in the tall mirror before me, ignoring the litter of clothes all around the room and stared at myself.

"You are pretty enough," I said to the girl in the mirror, trying to convince her beating heart. "Stick to the plan and all will be well."

With that I picked up the schoolbag perched on the floor by the door and zoomed downstairs. The gray-colored interior of my house caused everywhere I passed to have a dull feeling, but nothing was duller that the atmosphere around my mother at the dining table. Her light brown skin looked darker, even under the shade of the chandelier right above, her face was scrunched up in a frown and her breakfast of bacon, egg, bread and coffee was barely touched. Especially the coffee because I know my mother drank that thing like it was the key to long life. I squinted as I looked towards her, wondering what was so serious about the A4 paper in her hand. Then I decided to break her out of it.

"Mum, yuck. Friend eggs." I faked a gag, placing my black and white polka dot school bag on the empty dining chair.

My mother jumped slightly, laying the paper faced down on the glass table at the same time as she looked up at me. "Your boiled egg is in the pot, stop disturbing me each time I decide to eat it fried."

"But it is so weird that anyone would want to eat something so dis—" The look she gave me stopped my choice of adjective. "So fried." I managed to give an awkward laugh before heading to get my breakfast in the kitchen. I found my food easily. I was the only one in the house who hated eggs if they were anything but boiled, so my family ensured to remember that during times when egg was part of our meals. Asides that I was not allowed to be picky with food.

With everything I considered breakfast on my tray, I headed back to the dining area to see my Mothers attention back on the paper as before. This time I noticed the others that her arms rested on.

"Okay, what are you reading that is making you frown this early morning? News on Nigeria? That is the only thing that can make me distort my face. And you said frowning makes you old." I set my food on the table, taking a seat adjacent to the one with my bag.

"Oze, just eat your food and go. Your brothers are even waiting to drive you over."

I almost choked on the piece of bread I stuffed in my mouth. "Why are they plural? And I thought you were driving me?"

"Because they are two, and no I am not. I have things I need to take care of with your father." She tilted her head to the side, wearing an exhausted look.

I felt my own frown slide up my face, with a combination of whines from deep down my throat. "But mummy, why can't only one drive me. It is not like the two of them are going to be seated on the driver's seat, with four hands on the steering and all."

My mother shook her head at me. "It is up to you. If they leave you, or decide they don't want to take you, you're on your own." With that she went back to studying the paper in her hand, and I had no choice but to eat in silence, angry at the fact that Odion and Akhere would be driving me to school. Just like that, all the ideas I planned out to make a good new impression that was not associated with any of my brothers was now completely thrown out the window.

"When is daddy coming from his trip?" I broke the silence again, unable to keep quiet. At least, talking about my father was better than talking about my brothers. Far better. Those ones made up everything that was wrong with my life, including all the secret statements my roommate said about 'not being girly enough to have a boyfriend' after we played truth and dare, and I told them I had never had a boyfriend. They meant it more like a tease than an insult, but it was the truth. Which was why this August, all my plans involved being the very definition of girly, the right colors, the right outfits, the right mannerisms to catch his eyes.

"Uh," my mother paused, staring through me rather than at me, "Soon." With that, she returned to her paper, not making eye contact with me once. I would have questioned her some more because since I returned from school my father had been on a trip in one of the states in Nigeria, but my phone rang. I fished it out from the side of my school bag, answering immediately I saw the caller ID.

"Your mum is picking me up too, right?" the voice on the other side of the line was calm and gentle, just like the entire personality of the owner, my best friend who could never choose the best outfits for me each time I asked him to.

"It's the boys driving me," I responded, ensuring that all of the frustrations were laced in my voice.

"Oh. Bummer, I don't get to see the sexy Mrs. Ighodalo."

"Eww, that is dis—" once again I caught the eyes of my mother who now had her attention on me. "Ike never refer to her like that again. I will tell her and she will report to your own mother. Or, even better, I will report to her myself."

"You're just jealous. What time would you guys be coming?" I sensed the tension in his voice, knowing what he would say next. "Sopuluchi is going with my dad, and I will have to join them if you guys don't come on time." Jamuike Akubundu and his stepbrother Sopuluchi never got along, but managed to tolerate themselves enough to live in peace. Once I had tried to intervene, because if he were to be my in-law, I would want both of them to communicate more than just sharing a father, but Ike had told me to stay out of it. Although he told me he had forgiven his dad for what he did to his mother, I could always sense that he never actually did.

"Don't worry. We are coming now." I do wish it were any other way, and the brothers were closer because I 90% ended the call and picked up my pace in clearing my dishes because I wanted to get a chance to see Sopuluchi, my one true true love.

As I started to run to my brothers room to let them know I was ready, my mother threw a question at me. "Oze, are you comfortable in that outfit?" She wore a worried look, which made me worry. Did I not look comfortable? Because I was not, at least not entirely. But sacrifice. More skin meant more attention.

"Yes, mummy. Love you." I raced away from her sight before she tried to convince me to go pick up my T-shirt and jeans. As for my brothers, they had not been in their room, but at the car park, awaiting me as they talked loudly about something I cared not for. I groaned as I saw them, Akhere was behind the wheel—typically—and Odion was in the passenger seat.

"Gah," I flexed my neck, "Let's get this over with."

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hi, welcome to At the End of August, probably not the first August story that might not finish in August. This is a new journey that I promise to see the end of. No running away from this draft, no leave, no transfer, lol.  I plan on having an updating schedule, and Wednesday sounds like a beautiful day for Oze. So, new chapters every Wednesday. Might be two, might be one. Expect one this Wednesday too. 

QOTD: What you think of Oze? 

What is your favourite body part? Don't say boobs too please. 

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Vote, Comment, Share. There is a new story in town. 

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