A picture of what a danfo bus looks like is above ^

4 years earlier

I didn't know if I felt elated or deflated about resuming a new school not to mention High School. I mean I was only twelve years old. I had every right to panic.

"I am very excited about this new phase of your life. My daughter is going to be a High School student" my mom expressed.

My mom has been the only parental figure I grew up knowing so I always tried my best to make her happy in any way I could. My dad was not in the picture but we only ever spoke via phone I didn't feel any connection to him whatsoever.

I hurried to answer so she wouldn't think I was keeping quiet on purpose, you don't ever want to disrespect an African mother, that would lead to slaps that are too painful to express in anything but tears.

"But why do I have to go to secondary school now most of my friends are off to form 6" I whined.

"My dear" my mom cooed, "do you know Ope's Mum?"

I nodded

"She was the one who gave me the idea that instead of paying the next school fees for your going to form 6, she said that I should use the money to pay for your High School education".

I didn't even know Ope's Mum or maybe I knew her but I just didn't want to acknowledge that right now because how do you even suggest things like that to other parents, Seriously, keep your thoughts to yourself.

".........sell the air conditioner, washing machine, and freezer" My mom ranted

"Mom! Hold on, can you repeat that" I thought I didn't hear right.

"Where did you put your ears?" She asked, "I am going to sell the new air conditioner, washing machine, and freezer" she repeated " I had discussed this with your dad and he said that he didn't have any money to give us right now" she expressed sadly.

As salty as I might be when it came to talking about my dad, I hated when people would advise my mom to leave my dad.

"Sister mi(my sister), why don't you leave this man alone and forget about him, someone you haven't seen for twelve years, how do we know he hasn't married another person" my aunt raged. This was just last week

This wasn't something that was said by my aunt only, other members of my mom's family felt the same and expressed themselves in similar ways as my aunt. I didn't know why I felt hurt by this, sometimes I would even cry and my mom would reassure me that she was doing no such thing. I didn't care if I sounded selfish, I still held on to my belief that my mom and my dad would end up together, and letting go of such thought was hard for me.

"How can someone who has stayed abroad for so long can't afford to care for his only daughter?" I murmured

" Maria, we just have to keep praying for your dad, he isn't someone like that. Your dad's family has just taken over his life and he thinks of them first before anyone else" she said

What a coward.

"But mom" I whined, "you were just able to save money to pay for all those appliances you bought, why sell them now?"

My mom smiled

"You are worth more than those material possessions to me. I want you to become someone great in life and I would try my best to give you a good education to achieve that aim"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was going to write an exam I wasn't even prepared for. I am just going to guess as much as possible and hope it works in my favour because who wouldn't do that anyway?

Myself and my mom boarded a danfo bus on our way to the school I was supposed to be attending for the next term. Let me just say that it is the worst form of transportation ever and If you think I am exaggerating, I would try to describe it to the best of my abilities. The bus has a driver, obviously, and a conductor who calls for passengers and collects money from those passengers and he does this while hanging at the entrance of the vehicle. Impossible right? Wrong.

To board the vehicle as a passenger you would have to bend your back, lift one of your legs and place it on the floor of the vehicle while holding onto any part of the vehicle, oh and you have to do this in five seconds max.

Shocking isn't it? Well if you aren't fast enough the driver would start the bus regardless of if you're seated or not, which could make you fall on another passenger or fall on your butt to the seat you're trying to reach or in some extremely rare cases "fall off the vehicle" but this hardly happens.

Nigeria, what a "great" country.

Now, I was on my mom's lap because she would have to pay for me if I were to sit and I was too young for that. I wasn't complaining. I loved sitting on my mom's lap.

"Buy cold pure water and Fanta" a lady who carried a load of soft drinks on her head called out.

"Mom, can you buy me Fanta, please?"I asked

"Not now Maria, I can't reach into my purse maybe when we get down" my mom replied

I frowned, that was not the reply I wanted to hear. I was going to the slaughterhouse, didn't she want me to taste something sweet before I went to the afterlife.

Finally, we got down from the prison, sorry, the bus. Good riddance I thought.

~~~

Springsland Secondary School

Our motto: We build great deaths

Wow, did I read that right? I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was seeing clearly.

Our motto: We build great minds

Maybe I was overreacting, but then again what if God was trying to tell me something.

"God speaks to everyone in different ways especially little children" I recollected the pastor's teachings in church the past Sunday on God's love for little children.

Can you focus on what's in front of you?

Right.

This school was huge, if I would end up in this school after the exams then I don't mind leaving Primary School for Secondary School earlier than my friends but I would miss Stephanie. She was my best friend.

She bullied you. Are you even supposed to be calling her that?

We were much younger when that happened.

I had forgiven her even if she never brought it up or apologized.

The school was painted with a mix of purple and white. It looked like a four-story building and looked huge. Imagine getting lost in this place, there were hibiscus flowers planted around the school and a huge palm tree was right beside the black gate.

There was a security man at the gate, he looked me up from head to toe with scorn, which made me feel self-conscious in my pink high school musical polo paired with a pink jean skirt and crocs footwear. My mom noticed this and pushed him from the way.

Why did he look like he was judging me based on my appearance, was I not a good fit for such a prestigious school? My mind became flooded with different questions.

"That's why Nigeria is this way when a security man who is supposed to be of help to others is treating people like scum, where does that leave the rest of us?" my mom pondered

"I am going to report him to the principal as soon as we get there," my mom said

My mom had been here before seeing that she knew her way around the school. She led us into what I assumed was the reception. I tried to take the surroundings of the school and all I could say was wow!
This school was beautiful. There were more flowers inside giving the school a parky look.

The office of the receptionist was so modest and cozy. They were pictures of students plastered to the wall and a picture of the President of Nigeria and the governor of our state hung on the wall right above the receptionist. The lady seated behind a glass desk, that looked like it could break just by touching it, smiled at My mom and me.

"Welcome ma, how may I help you?" she asked in an overly sweet voice.

Most receptionists act as they would rather be anywhere in the world than attending to people. I couldn't blame them. Their job felt kinda boring to me.

My mom was a people's person, she could win over the most heartless of souls and make them laugh in a matter of seconds. I guess she was built that way. I was the complete opposite. I always looked like humans were never supposed to show up within a 10 feet radius of wherever I was standing. I could keep a frown on my face for ages without smiling. The only exception was for my friends, family, and elders.

"Thank you ma, I have been here before but I don't think I met you here. My daughter's *common entrance examination was scheduled for today" my mom answered swiftly.

She stood this time, she was a chubby woman and looked to be of average height. She had braids on. Typical. She had minimal makeup on her face and her dark skin looked like chocolate.

She looked at me for the first time since I had entered

So now you notice me. I feel so special. Not. I thought as I bowed my head in respect to her.

She smiled at me and looked at my mom" Yes ma, I have been informed by the principal already. She would have to follow me to the school's library, that's where she would be taking her exams"

Yay! Note the sarcasm

"Ok, that's not a problem. Maria, let me pray for you before you go"

I turned to my mom, She was a light-skinned woman with a diamond-shaped face, Her brown eyes were always so warm and I could see the reflection of my head looking bigger in them as I looked into her eyes.

She closed her eyes and I did the same involuntarily " Heavenly father, I bless you for today, your children are here in your presence to ask once again for your mercy. Father, your daughter Maria is about to write an important exam today, Daddy, be with her and guide her in Jesus' name. For in Jesus Name we have prayed"

There was a collective response of three Amens

I knew my mom said Amen and I also said mine, I turned my head to the side and saw the receptionist smiling at us.

Maybe she wasn't that bad after all.

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A/N:

Hey lovelies, I hope you are enjoying the ride.

*Common entrance examinations are written by students who have graduated from primary school and are about to enter secondary school.

Nigerians were colonized by the British so we kinda "follow" their educational system.

I would be using high school and secondary school interchangeably.

I'm Nigerian, where are you guys from?

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