Chapter 8

• “Ahhhhhh!!!" That was the sound I made while forcing myself to get out of bed for two weeks now I have been waking up any time I please, the earliest was around 10:00 AM but now I had to force myself to wake up around 6 AM, some part of me wished the suspension continued, but it was for the best it ended, because I was eager to see Sandra and explain myself to her regardless of what her father had said earlier. She must have calmed down by now, she would listen to me I guess.
• I sluggishly took my bath and fixed a quick breakfast before I took off to school....
• Arriving at the school gate.
• “Ahh," I took a deep breath wondering what awaits me at the other side of the gate.
• Has my name been cleared? Or have they added more lies to my head? All these questions kept entering my head as I opened the gate and went in.
• I noticed people were talking about me as soon as I walked by them, I tried to pretend as if I wasn't hearing or seeing them talking and pointing in my direction.
• I went straight down to my class line, as the morning assembly started, I could see everyone, Sandra, Emeka, James and Jessica but one person was missing..... Ayo, he was not in the assembly line and I found that really strange. Ayo always comes to school very early. How come he is not in the morning assembly? I thought to myself, but that thought quickly erased from my mind when Sandra looked in my direction.
• I couldn't tell if she was still mad at me from her gaze, it was as if she was trying to read me the way she looked at me.This made me not feel at ease at all wondering what she was thinking about...
• The morning assembly was over and we all scattered to our various classes. On my way to my Class I noticed that the school building had changed, the school wall colours were brighter, they must have repainted this building, but why? And when? I asked myself as I kept on walking and as I passed the laboratory class..
• “Huh," I paused.
• Laboratory class? This is weird because two weeks ago we didn't have any laboratory class.
• On the door of the laboratory there was an inscription which reads.
• THIS LABORATORY IS DONATED BY CHIEF SENATOR OBI EMEKA.
• I peeped inside the lab through the window and saw it was filled with new and latest equipment with laboratory facilities.
• So this is the reason why Emeka was pardoned. Money really does solve a lot of problems....
• Walking into my class, I sat down on my usual seat ready for lectures to commence but I noticed people were acting strange towards me, was it because of what happened two weeks ago, but why are they looking at me in a pitiful way? I wanted to scream at them so that they could all stop staring at me like that but I didn't, I just remained cool all through the lectures...
• Hours went by, and finally it was time for English language class, Miss Esther (Youth corper) came in wearing her NYSCE uniform.
• We all stood up and greeted her. She greeted us back then started her teaching… Half way through her class though she stopped teaching to talk to me.
• “Chris, I am truly sorry I know you must be hurting a lot right now, I want you to know that if you ever need anything or want to talk to someone I am here for you, alright?"
• I was like this has been two weeks already, why will I still be hurting from the cane and punishment? This is strange.
• “MA is nothing I have forgotten about, I mean I am actually happy."
• I said but was confused at the class reaction to my statement, the whole class looked shocked including Miss Esther, but I don't know Why.
• “How can you say a thing like that? Don't you have a heart, Chris? or have these two weeks made you lose your sense of humanity?" Miss Esther frowned at me.
• Humanity?!! What the hell is this woman talking about? I was really confused and lost.
• What wrong have I said now?
• “MA, do you want me to be crying or hurting for the punishment I received two weeks ago? I don't understand Ma. I am lost."
• All of a sudden the whole class started murmuring to themselves, Miss Esther face was as if she wanted to cry
• “Oh, you haven't heard, have you?"
• ”Heard about what, Ma?" I was totally lost.
• “I am so sorry Chris but your friend..Ayo… he was involved in a car accident, a week ago, he is in a critical condition now in the hospital. He is currently on life support."
• Is as if someone just pulled the trigger aimed at my chest, I couldn't breathe well. This can't be true, tears started dropping from my eyes as I remember the day I was with my cousin Felicia and I saw Ayo's missed calls, maybe his parents were calling me to inform me about their son, Ayo's condition but I didn't call back.
• I stood there crying, saying the words “I should have called back,"repeatedly.
• Miss Esther came to console me with some of my classmates, while others just looked at me.
• “I am sorry if you had to find out like this, but I thought you knew since he is your best friend, don't cry again please, I am so sorry okay, Chris."
• “I have to go and see him, I have to go see him right now. Please," I said and tried to leave the class but Miss Esther won't allow it.
• “You can't go now, until the school is over besides you don't know which hospital he is in."
• She took me to my seat, but I continued crying. This made Sandra feel sorry for me, and she came to console me.
• “Chris, I am so sorry. I don't know Ayo that much but I know you love him and I see you are in a lot of pain, we should pray to God he gets better, crying does not solve anything you know?"
• “I know but I cannot help myself. He came to me to apologize for what happened regarding you but I slammed the door in his face, he called me severally after that but I didn't pick up, cause I blamed him for what happened, which was not his fault, it was all mine! now he is at the hospital thinking I hate him, but I don't, I wish it was me in his state not him." I wept.
• “Please don't say that, you are breaking my heart with your words."
• She said and before we know it I and Sandra are already crying. She hugged me and held me tight. I don't know if she had forgiven me yet but at that moment she was a real friend to me...
• After school Miss Esther took me to see Ayo in the hospital. Sandra said she wanted to come along. She took permission from her dad of course and the three of us went to see Ayo in the hospital together......
• All through the trip Sandra held my hands, but my mind was on Ayo. I would give up Sandra if that would make him well. The journey was very long accompanied by Lagos traffic jams so it took us about 1 hour and 15 minutes before we finally arrived at the hospital.
• It had the sign.
• Welcome To CHRIST SAVING HOSPITAL
• ______________
• TBC
• What do you think will happen next?
• Would things get better or are they about to get a lot worse?