Chapter 10: Chapter 10

~Uthman~

I got home around 6 pm even though it was a Friday. We had a friendly match with Royal Academy. We won, of course, we can't lose with the star boy playing. Aunty Bola was cooking something in the kitchen. Probably efo roro because of the strong aroma of eru and palm oil. My stomach growled, reminding me that the only thing I  ate today was that meat pie in the cafeteria.

"I'm home."

"Kaaba. How was the match?"

"Fine ma."

I lingered by the kitchen door without saying anything. She turned and stopped, surprised to see me still standing there.

"You should go freshen up, dinner will be served before you are done."

"Yeah."I nodded at her and left. I passed by Moji's room. Her door was slightly open and she was reading her Queen Premier on her bed.

"Scholar Moji, howdy?"

She looked up and smiled at me

"I'm fine. How was the match?"

"We won, of course, your brother played so we won."

"Aah, don't blow your own. You're not Neymar."

That made me smile. The only player my sister likes and knows is Neymar. She practically droll over him every day. He was her wallpaper on her tab.

"Oshey Neymar's first love. Dinner is almost ready though, you should go and eat."

"Bad belle' She replied, standing up from her bed 'I'll end up marrying him whether you like it or not. You just watch out."

"Amiin, "I replied and laughed at her retreating back. My sister is a case on her own. A minute's later, we were all seated on the dining chairs, eating dinner of semo and efo riro. A question was on the tip of my tongue to ask. Midway through the dinner, I cleared my throat and Aunty Bola and Moji looked up. I kept quiet.

"What's the problem? Is there a problem with the food?"

"No" I replied hurriedly. "It's just that...." I trailed again.

"What?" Aunty Bola asked again

"So, tomorrow is my friend's birthday and I don't know what to get her as a gift."

"Her." Aunty Bola asked, her chin raised

"Yeah, Michelle," I added quickly.

"Oh, your girlfriend." Moji interrupted and I turned to glare at her.

"____to be." She added and burst into laughter. Aunty Bola looked at me and laughed too.

"Why do you look so off, Uthman? You guys are at the stage where you have girlfriends and hide them away from us."

"Well, I don't have a girlfriend," I replied curtly

"But you have a girl you like." Aunty Bola added. Oh no, my modern stepmother should not join in this malady. Yes, my Stepmom is 29, not that old. She was 20 when she came into our house. And she's super, super modern.

"I don't like Michelle like that, I'm serious."

They both laughed again.

"Well, we'll wait and see. And about the gift, why don't you her a necklace, perhaps, and chocolates, cards, and a novel?"

"Wow, I should get her a necklace."

"Yeah and that reminds me, I have one I bought last month and I haven't used it should check if you can give her that."

After we were done with dinner, I followed her to her room, the room she shares with my dad. It's the room I hardly enter in the house. She brought the necklace out of her drawer and even I marveled at the sheer beauty of the think necklace with a heart-shaped pendant. I hope Michelle doesn't hope the pedant symbolizes anything tho.

"Thank you ma and about the money, I'll....."

I looked at her, she was looking at me with a bewildered expression, her arms folded across her chest.

"So now, you want to pay your mom for giving you something."

I tensed and she stopped. My arms fisted and I started to turn away.

"I'm sorry, I did not mean to say that." She added, hurriedly

I said nothing till I got to the door. I turned and muttered thank you before retreating to the comfort of my room. I had felt at peace with her earlier, even laughed and joked together but she ruined it all by mentioning 'Mum', it was a scared word for me. I don't even want to think about it.

******

It was a knock on my bedroom door that woke me up the next morning. I woke up and glanced at my bedside bed, it was just 5:30, maybe Moji was waking me up for morning prayers. I slept late the previous night, I stayed up till 12 to wish Michelle a happy birthday. I opened the door to see dad standing outside, his hands poised in the air as if to knock again.

"Good morning Sir."I greeted almost grumpily, sleep was far from being cleared from my eyes.

"Morning, you almost overslept again. Observe your prayers and you'll join me to attend a medical program at UI by 10."

He said and started walking away.

Wait, what? Today is Michelle's birthday. I have a party to attend.

"I have a prior appointment."

He turned and looked at me as if I have grown two heads.

"That wasn't debatable kiddo. You're following me to that program."

"What? No..." I started to talk but he already left. Wow. Wow. Now what? Am I going to miss Michele's party? And I know how all these conferences labor, we'll probably finish by 6 pm, earliest. Oh, shitty shit.

******

By 9:30, Dad was ready and I was ready too, I put a call through to Michele to tell her I won't be able to make it to her party.

"Well, what can you do? Family and your career come first she tried to sound nonchalant about it but I could detect the disappointment in her voice. Days like this, I just wish I wasn't an upright kid and I'll just disobey dad and sneak off to the party.

"I'm very sorry. I'll make it up to you. I promise."

She laughed, short laughter that ended as soon as it started.

"Come on, Uthman. It's okay really. We'll see on Monday. Bye-bye  haha good day."

And she hung me. Michelle was not happy with me and that's a first.

******

~Jade~

"Dad, can I come with you to the conference?"

I said to dad over breakfast. Zee had gone back to school and mom is going to a wedding at Oyo.

"And what exactly do you want to go and do there?" Shaheed asked

To sing Bope Bope oo, Europe was on the top of my tongue to ask but I swallowed it, knowing fully well that if I want to use my ears for the rest of the week, I should never talk to my elder brother like that.

"To learn more of course, and besides, it changes nothing if I follow you guys. Daddy now, E jor sir."

"Wahala po oo. Dress up, the program is my ten."

"Yes yes," I shouted, almost doing glass on my seat.

But now, 11 am, I regret asking Dad to allow me to follow them to the conference. Why? Because we ran into the Gbadamosi's family. Our fathers exchange pleasantries and we sat together. Now I'm sitting beside the cocky idiot. He wasn't his cocky self today though. He's been quiet since morning. What's he doing here anyway Is he not supposed to be preparing for a party? That aside, the conference is as boring as fuck, I should have just slept at home.

"So,  you guys attend the same secondary school?"

Mr. Gbadamosi asked, it was during the break for the conference and we were eating in a cafeteria. Because we're the kids, we were sitting beside each other again.

"Yes."

"You guys are friends?"

What?? I turned to look at Uthman before I looked at his dad again. Even Grandma before her death knows I don't see eye to eye with Uthman at all. And Dad, no matter how busy he's le things about me.

"I've heard a lot about you, star student of Lakeview. Straight A's and record-breaker. Your dad must be super proud of you." My dad said and I scowled. Where did he hear all those from? Not from me.

"Yes, I'm proud of him except for his mindless obsession with football of course. He wants to become a medical doctor and he's obsessed with football."

There was an awkward silence until Saheed added.

"I play football too. It's a very good sport."

Now, this was super awkward. Why did I come here in the first place? And Uthman was busy eating as if he was not in the center of all this awkwardness.

"Medical doctors, that play football? You guys have made our profession so trite. Don't you think so, Doctor Badmus?"

Uthman's dad asked my dad. My dad laughed small laughter and continued eating. Oluwa oo. This is awkward.

Hours later, the conference was over and we were all filling outside to our various cars. I spotted Saheed talking to Uthman just outside. I was walking to them when Uthman started walking away.

"What were you guys talking about?"

"You guys did not even talk to each other at all. Kilode? Your childish rivalry is that deep?"

"It's not childish and we don't talk at all so kinni a fe so?"

"He's handsome though, looks like a perfect model."

Now, we were back to this. I shook my head and walked away.