~Kunmi~

It was the last day of the term and while our teachers were in a meeting with our parents, we were all in our classes with SS3 students deployed to watch over us to make sure we put on our best behaviors. It was Senior Junior and one other girl whose name I couldn't recollect that came to our class and Junior's s face broke into a smile when he saw me. He walked straight to where I sat, dragged the empty seat in don't of me closer.

"Hey friend. How're you?"

Friend? I smiled.

"I'm fine. Hope you're good too?"

He nodded, with a smile tugging on his lips.

The other girl had also join the clique of the nosiest noise maker in our class. I shook my head. Funny how the ones that are supposed to stop us from making noise are the ones doing the talking.

"I remember your first day in school, feels like yesterday and now, first term is already over."

As in. It always amuse me too. I thought I was going to have a lonely stay here but thanks to Aminah, I was doing just fine.

"So, how far with  music classes? Are you liking it or you are still doing it for the fun of it?"

I mentally winced. I'd rather not talk about anything music with anybody but Junior was only trying to make an innocent conversation. I opened my mouth, about to come up with a reply but I was cut off by Ezekiel who walked up to where we sat. He stood directly in front of Junior and he pointed to his Zipper before making a gesture of pissing. I rolled my eyes. This boy sha.

"Why exactly are you not talking?"

Ezekiel still did not say anything. He only pressed two of fingers together and dragged it across his lips.

Junior shook his head.

"Well, nobody understands what you're saying."

Ezekiel slumped his shoulders before finally taking, his tone overly sober and childlike.

"Senior Junior, I want to go and urinate." He palmed his zipper and I looked away. Werey ni Bobo yii.

"Bye bye."

Junior answered him and he walked off with a little swagger. I couldn't even start to imagine how his siblings are putting on with him.

"Quite a case. That boy."

I nodded. Nutcase self.

We resumed our chitchat, mostly his chitchat because he did most of the talking, I was only answering in monosyllables. From the corners of my eyes, I noticed Adams excused himself from Kunle and he walked out.

Probably going to the Arts Studio.

"Wait oo, I just realized I don't even know your name. Wow, my bad. My Lady, what's your name please?"

I rolled my eyes with a little smile on my lips. Shakespearian style ni.

"Oluwabukunmi, Kunmi for short."

"Wow, a very beautiful name. What's the meaning."

"Literally God added to me."

"Wow. The more reasons why I love Yoruba name. Too bad I'm not yoruba."

"You're not Yoruba?"

He was about to answer when our class teacher walked in, a folder in her hand. She gestured for the two seniors to leave the classroom and they did.

"So guys. Hope we're all feeling fly? I bet you all are. Christmas is in the air."

She greeted with a smile on her face and she started to hand our report cards to us. It was just for formalities though. The results had been uploaded to our portal and sent to our guardian's mail so I don't really see the reason for it.

"So that means we'll see each other next year, right?"

The class chorused yes and she smiled again. She was always smiling. I wonder how she do it; she always has a wide smile on her face that it was basically impossible to imagine how her face would be without a smile.

"Okay then. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. See you guys next year."

She gave us a mock salute before walking out of the classroom. I turned towards Sophia. She has a lips twitched up in a smile.

"I can't be the only one that absolutely love this woman. She's too carefree."

I raised my eyebrows. I was getting surprised by Sophia everyday. It's been three days since the incidence at field and she has ignored me afterwards. It was getting increasingly hard to figure her out.

And I absolutely don't understand why I feel the need to figure her out.

I don't even like her.

"Babes, how's your result?"

I looked up to see Aminah beside me with a huge smile plastered on her face. She was so similar to our class teacher. I opened my mouth to talk but she was already peering down at my opened report card. I could feel her eyes trail the percentage before trailing over the grades for each subject.

"Oh wow, you're surprisingly good. 77%? Now, I feel dull."

I smiled.

"Of course not. What's yours by the way?"

She flopped down on the chair in my front.

"You don't even want to know. I'm going to miss you by the way. It's just three weeks but it's probably going to feel like three months."

"Eeh. I'm pretty sure it's Kunle you should be saying that too."

She smiled and I wasn't sure if the color rising on her cheeks was her blushing or something else entirely.

"Come on, if he should hear this now, he'll just be feeling himself."

I smiled. I liked watching them. They seems to genuinely like each other and that's the more reason why Sophia must be so bitter.

"I'd have loved to come to your house during Christmas but we won't even be at home. We are going for a family vacation."

Oh. Trust Aminah. I guess she doesn't even feel the need for her friends to invite to do something before she do that particular thing.

"Sophia, are you okay? You've been awefully quiet since morning."

I looked away from Aminah to Sophia. The later looked at Aminah with a blank expression on her face. She blinked twice before she regained her composure.

"Of course, I'm fine."

Then she stood up and walked out of the classroom. We were only few in the class anyway. Most of my classmates left immediately our class teacher left.

"Most times, I don't even understand Sophia."

I nodded at Aminah's words. "She acts like a bipolar."

Aminah burst into laughter. "She's not that bad. I really like Sophia and she's nice but I guess, she doesn't warm up to people that easily."

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell Aminah that Sophia isn't that nice. That she might even be putting on a facade but I did not. Because I wasn't sure about that. Maybe I should just observe Sophia more before saying anything.

"By the way, I don't know you're friends with Junior, how come?"

"Not friends per say. It's just really nice and friendly."

She smiled, a brief smile that ended before it even started.

"Well, remember, people like things, ain't always what they look like."

Hmm? I was still trying to wrap my head around her words when she talked again.

"God. They're still not done with the PTA meeting? I can't wait to leave jhare."

She stretched and faked a yarn before putting her head on my table. My lips subconsciously stretched into a smile.

                                ********
                               ~Adam~

It was the last day of the term and I was in the Visual Arts Studio. The teachers and the school's administrators were in a meeting with our parents and guardians. That's how they do our PTA meeting every term, at the last day of the term so parents would be able to take their wards home themselves, especially for boarders that doesn't stay in Lagos. SS3 students were normally deployed in twos and threes to watch over the junior classes to keep them from making noises or causing trouble. More like to let the parents know the school is grooming its students to be responsible. That has always worked but not for SS2 class anyway. The SS3 students have very little hold over us so we were always free to use the period however way we want it. The seniors assigned to my class were gistung away with my classmates when I left the class.

Especially Senior Junior.

A wierd name for a wierd guy. He was busy chatting animatedly with Kunmi before I never the class. I don't even know they knew each other, not to talk of chatting animatedly like that.

Which I found a little bit disturbing.

"Guy, I brought your report sheet for you. You're always so holed up in this place. Na wa oo."

It was Kunle and he started walking towards me.

"Boy, you're always playing basketball. Na wa oo."

"It's been long I enjoyed playing self."

"Aah aah. You guys played yesterday na. Your team even won and you were shinning teeth like a mumu, so you did not enjoy that?"

He was behind me now and he stared intently at what I was drawing. It was a Christmas themed Art work.

"That doesn't mean anything jhare. Sophia basically stopped playing with me."

I smiled and shook my head. So that's what it is all about.

He moved away from where he stood to sit on the stool adjacent the canvas and he threw the report sheet at me. I tucked it away in my backpad without checking it. He burst into laughter.

"E be things oo. You did not even check it. Oga oo. It must be good to be intelligent."

I shook my head, laughter forming at the pit of my stomach.

"If I sound you ehn, you'll just faint. See A straight A student calling me intelligent. In fact, yah mad."

He continued laughing and his laughter trailed off when someone opened the door. My back was to the door so I couldn't see who entered but it must be Sophia and I was right when she walked fully into the studio and she flopped down on the stool beside Kunle without a word.  Kunle turned to look at her.

"Are you okay? You look off."

That was exactly what I was about to ask. Sophia had been tense since yesterday. She was always quiet with people but now, she was more quiet.

"I'm fine."

That was her curt reply before she started pressing her phone. I exchanged a knowing glance with Kunle.

"Are you sure?"

He probed again before he reached out and he touched her forehead with his palm.

"Your temperature is high. Are you sure you're okay? Do you need to go to the clinic?"

Sophia shrugged his hands off.

"I said I'm fine."

"But....."

"Kunle, I'm fine. Please just drop it."

I exchanged another glance with Kunle and I shrugged before turning back to what I was drawing. We fell into a comfortable silence.

"So, Sophia, how's your sister?"

I asked her after a while.

"Fine" was her curt reply. She did not even look up from her phone. I exchanged another glance with Kunle and the later turned to look at her again.

"But seriously, Sophia, we're your friends, If you can't tell us what's going on with you, then who......"

"Kunle!" She interrupted, a voice slightly higher than usual. "What don't you understand in leave me alone?"

I swallowed what I was about to say.

"It seems like the PTA meeting is over. I'm out of here. See you guys next year."

And she left. Without a backward glance.

"Sophia sha. It's one stupid mood swing after the other. Why can't she just tell us whatever is wrong with her. I don't even know what's up with her again."

I ignored Kunle's words as I continued to draw. I cleared my throat after a while.

"You should cut her some slack. It must be the stress of her sister and all that. She wasn't like this before, was she?"

His eyes must have softened a little because his voice softened too.

"I know but at least, she should talk to us. I just want normal Sophia back."

I bit back my reply. I know better than that. It's not always easy to talk about things. Sometimes, it's just better to keep things locked up.

"Just like..." I trailed off. "Be a little nicer to her."

He scoffed. "I can't be anything but nice to her."

I nodded.

"We should probably go. We shouldn't keep our parents waiting."

I nodded again and I removed the paper from the canvas. I'd continue with the drawing at home.

                              *********

Mom was leaning against her car when I got to the field. Several posh cars were packed on the school's field and I've long concluded that most of the parents use this PTA meeting as an avenue to flaunt the cars.

"Korede, why are you so late? I've been waiting for you."

She said as soon as I got to her. A huge smile was plastered on her face and she hugged me, cutting off my reply. She smelled of lavender.

She smelled of home.

It was really a odd timing but my heart was soaring with love for this woman. She was even tiny in my arms self.

"Wow, Korede. We're of the same height now. Really? I should start eating beans more."

I burst into laughter as I pulled back from the hug. Her face was full of happiness and excitement. They radiated from the smile tugging on her lips, at the twinkle in her eyes. She really is a beauty to behold; that kind that deserves to protected every time.

Too bad dad happened to her.

"Korede, what happened? You zoned out."

"Mom, really? Beans? Just give it up. Give me till March next year, you'll have to tilt your head to the very back before you can see my face."

She folded her hands on her chest as she stared at me incredulously.

"Ehn ehn. You're that sure?"

"Most definitely."

We used to measure our heights together but these days, we got too caught up in other things to even remember to do that. I was becoming more and more detached from her these days and I hated that. I always want to be there for her.

Mom entered the car and I was about to enter the passenger's side when Kunmi and Aminah walked to the car that was packed beside mom. A woman who looked like Kunmi was sitting at the drivers corners and she heaved a sigh when she saw the two girls.

I couldn't make out most of their conversations but I guessed Kunmi was introducing Aminah to her mom. Then Aminah walked off with Kunmi waving at her.

I entered the car and was about to close it when Kunmi walked to the other side of the driver's corner. She opened the door and was about to enter when she saw me. Her eyes immediately lit up and I don't my own heart lit up at that.

Like it was the most beautiful sight I've ever seen.

"Hey. See you next year."

She nodded and waved before she entered the car, shut the door and the driver drove off. It was only then that I realized that I had to close the door too. I did just that and I was fastening the seat belt when I saw mom staring at me quizzically. I instinctively leaned back.

"Korede, am I missing important some important things in your life?"

I raised my brows.

"Important things like?"

"Like you liking a girl, having a girlfriend."

She looked away from me to start the car and she drove out of the school's compound.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"No oo. Where is that even coming from?"

"You have a girl you like?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Of course not."

"Then what was that with that pretty girl."

Pretty girl? Pretty girl? I burst into laughter when I realized she was talking about Kunmi.

"Mom, Kunmi is just a friend. That's all."

"Oh oh. I thought you guys were shooting a Zee World romcom earlier."

I burst into laughter. You see, when mom is carefree like this, she's just so uncontrollable.

"But you have to tell me whenever you like a girl, hmm? It's just normal for me to know."

I nodded gingerly but I mentally scowled. I don't plan on liking a girl any time soon. I don't even think I should like any girl so definitely, a girlfriend wasn't in the plan. I can like a girl until I defeat this demon.

A demon I couldn't even whisper to myself.

"Korede, I'm serious oo. I don't want to become a mother whose son has a girlfriend without her knowledge."

"Mama, I've heard you oo."

"Better"

She tried to navigate a bend and in the process of turning the wheel, her long sleeved gown hitched up and I could see the deep scar that ran across her upper wrist. I stared at it until the clothe covered it again.

I know most of her scars heal but she still prefers to cover up completely. Even at home, she always wear clothes that cover the whole of her body.

My heart soared for her again.

But it wasn't with love this time.

It was with anger.

Pain.

Hurt.

And sadness.

I wondered about the scars in her heart, about the ones that would never heal and I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces.

I did not say a word till we got home.

Hmmm. Sorry I missed my Friday update. I was extremely busy.

Hmmm, Sophia seems to have more issues than we even know about.

And Ezekiel 😂😂, please we need to borrow him sense.

Adam's relationship with his mother is....... I don't even know the word for it. Borrow me one abeg.

See you guys on Tuesday.

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Love you 💖 💖