Chapter 50: Chapter 50

~Uthman~

When the driver drove in, I saw our extended families coming out of the main house.

My first reaction was panic because seeing them like that reminded me of when mom died.

I calmed down immediately afterwards, believing nothing tragic had happened. I got down on from the car and took them in, one by one. They were mostly from my dad's family and then mom's too. They must have just finished one of the numerous meetings.

They've done so many meetings and it has yielded no positive result. They might as well end the marriage. Completely.

Are you really sure about that? Can you really live without mom and Moji? What about your dad? Think of how lonely he would become.

He has always been lonely and that was a choice he made himself. We wouldn't be here if not for him in the first place.

I still resent him lowkey.

Even though he has been nothing short of amazing to me these days. If only he could be that amazing to mom and Moji.

'Ekaasan Sir. E kaasan Ma'

I greeted all of them together, prostating flat.

Oshey. Omo kaaro, O Ji re.

I laughed at my subconscious as I slowly stood up.

'Aah aah. Booda Uthman, okunrin ma ti de' (You're now a man)

I smiled at an Uncle's words and stretched to my tallest height.

Ode ni e. (you're a fool)

'Oko olómoge, Àwon àuntí nko? (A slang for asking for someone's supposed girlfriends)

'Wón wà sir' (They're fine sir)

I replied and they all burst into laughter.

'E se jéjé oo' (Be careful oo)

I nodded as they all began to take their leave. I turned to go inside and I saw mom coming out of the house. I took in her appearance.

She looked chubbier, happier than when she was here.

This must be the signs that their marriage deserves to end. She's happier out there than in here.

'How're you? Your dad told me of your jamb result. Congratulations. I'm so proud of you. I couldn't stop telling people at work about the fact that my son scored......'

Work? But she wasn't working na.

'My brother......'

I heard Moji's voice and I looked at the direction where it came from. True, it was my sister running down the stairs.

She was running so fast and wild that I barely managed to knee to her height before she enveloped me in a hug.

In the tightest hug ever.

None of us said anything, just hugging each other. I don't know how long we hugged and she pulled back and I stared at her face.

It's been last then two month and it felt like two years already.

'Oh my God! I've missed you way too much. Look at you. Look at how lean you've become. Look at how thin you face is. Ehn? Have you been eating?'

What? I stared at her. Awestruck. Who was supposed to be the older one here?

She trailed her hands along my jawline.

'You've gotten so thin.' She continued, her voice cutting a little.

'But that must be because you've been eating only noodles and I've always told you to learn how to cook. Now, look at your life now.'

Her voice was now chastising. I laughed and hugged her small body to mine again. I knew I've missed her but I just did not know how much until now.

I can't survive without her.

I looked up to see mom staring at us with a smile on her lips and tears in her eyes.

Without them.

We pulled apart and I stood up but Moji still held onto my hands. We entered the sitting room.

There were bottles of soft drinks and empty packets of snacks in their sitting room. I looked around, willing dad to appear from the house.

'Your dad left like a minute before you arrived. He had an emergency.'

Mom replied, as if reading my thoughts and I nodded slowly at her. I still haven't said a word to her.

'I cooked something for you. It's in the kitchen'

I nodded again and there was an akward silence. Moji was now hugging my legs. I smiled.

'We should probably go. It's getting late.'

I nodded again. What was I expecting? That they've miraculously settled their fight. It wasn't even a fight per say.

I watched her pick her bag from the dinning. Moji let go of my legs and I beckoned that I knee to her level. There were tears in her eyes when I did that.

'I'll miss you but please stop eating only noddles, you look like broomstick.'

What? I burst into laughter at the words and the mischievous glint in her eyes. I followed them to the car. It was a new car.

Probably one she got with her own money.

'Your dad asked me for the best gift he could get you. I told him to search his heart and buy you what he feels you would love the most. It's in your room.'

Her words were still in my head as they left and I climbed the stairs to my room. My heart was in my mouth as I opened the door and entered my room.

No way

Yes way.

I stared at the carton of PES.

PES 2020.

My dad did not really just get me PES 2020.

A video game.

A football game at that.

I distinctly remembered his words at the beginning of the session.

'I've tolerated that mindless obsession of yours....'

And now he just got me a video game of that mindless obsession.

I did not know when a scream left my mouth and I put a fist in it to suppress further screams.

Holy Freaking Freak.

I have PES 2020 live and direct in my room.

What if it's a joke and it's something else in the carton?

Lailai. (Never)

I replied my subconscious but I quickly opened the carton.

It was really PES 2020.

I think I just fell in love with my dad.

*********

The game was all we talked about the next day at school. It was officially a day to WAEC. It was also the day the new school prefects were appointed. The prefects were to have a meeting with the acting prefects by 12pm and it was currently a little after 11. We were all in our class.

Yesterday, I called Dan and Akin to gist them about the gift and before I knew it, they were both in our house.

We set up the game.

We played the game all through the night.

Two days to your exams. Keep it up.

Man cannot come and go and kill himself.

'Imagine! We thought PES 2019 was the best. Just look at all the features of that of 2020. God, I can't wait to go home and resume playing the game.'

Akin and I smiled at Dan's words.

'That's the aim. They keep improvising. Now, matter how good this 2020 own is, that of 2021 would definitely be better. Way better self.'

'I don't care, I just want to back home and continue playing.'

Dan replied Akin again. He was so excited about the game that he might as well move to my house.

'And your dad got your that game? Wow. Man has really changed oo.'

Akin said, putting his hands on his head. Then, he added as an afterthought.

'Should we just exchange dads. My dad would rather break and smash my games.'

I heard a tsk tsk sound from where Jade and Hana sat. I turned towards them. Jade was picking her ears with her hand to show whatever it is we were saying was boring her. Hana was shooting daggers at Dan.

'So, was that reason why you did not call me yesterday?'

Hana asked Dan, her voice low.

Dan started to say something but he only ended up stuttering.

Jade whispered something to Hana's ears but I heard her anyways.

'You're not the only one they did not call. I even called this one and he ignored it. Have I not suffered?'

Oh Shit. My phone was on silence throughout yesterday. I did not even have time to check it this morning because we played the game until 7:30am. It was only after we realized that it was that we scampered to prepare for school.

Or you did rub and shine?

Now, I must conclude that my subconscious is a lot more different from me. For one thing, it's very stupid.

'Thank God my boyfriend doesn't like video games because I can't imagine competing against a game. A video game. At my age. God forbid.'

Jade said, shaking her head.

What?

Akim burst into laughter and he stood up, patting my back.

'You don finally entered one chance. Thank God my girlfriend doesn't mind.'

He said and he turned towards where Aisha was sitting. She was sitting at the far end of the class, headphone on. The way she was staring pointedly at Akin confirmed that she heard everything we said and she minds, a whole lot.

She stood up and left the classroom, Akin hot on her tails. I wanted to laugh but I couldn't.

Yeah. They started dating but that's not the story for today.

I turned back to look at Jade. She was already on her feet, a smile on her face.

'It's 12 already. We should go to the conference room.'

*********

~Jade~

'So that would be all. Do you guys understand everything?'

We all chorushed yes and the principal nodded. The meeting was over and students started filing out. I stood up too and started walking out. I was just by the door when someone pulled me back.

I knew it was Uthman and I shrugged his hands off and started to walk out. He pulled me back and I realized we were the only one in the room.

My throat suddenly became dry.

'Let's talk ehn.'

He dragged me back to the middle of the room just as someone poked their head in.

It was Charles, the acting General Monitor and I knew he probably wanted to lock the door. He looked so excited about his new post.

Wait till they choke you with work.

Uthman walked to him, whispered something to his ears, collected the key from him and locked us in.

Now, my throat was devoid of air.

I sat on table as he walked towards me.

Was this the moment?

He dragged a chair to my front and sat down on it. I folded my arms over my chest.

'How are you?'

What?

'I guess I'm fine. Since I waited for your call last night for eternity and when I decided to call you, you did not pick up. I thought something had happened but you were perfectly fine playing a video game all through the night.'

He started to say something but I beat him to it.

'I can't believe I became boyfriendless so soon. It's unbelievable.'

He stood up.

Nah, he jumped up.

And he walked closer to me, so his hands were laying on my sides. He was smiling.

'I'm sorry. Okay?'

What?

'Move back if you're sorry. Reflect on what you've done wrong and come back to apologize. Okay?'.

I replied and stood, moving past his arms and attempted to walk away. He pulled me back to him abruptly. One minute I was walking away and the next minute, I was in his arms. Our bodies were pressed together and I saw his eyes drop to my lips.

Hallelujah. This is that moment. Now, I forgive you.

He helped me sit on the table again and he moved back to sit on the chair.

What just happened?

What just happened?

What just happened?

'When was the first time you had a panic attack?'

Ehn? Where did that come from?

Are we going to waste this precious alone moment talking about other things when we could have easily used it to.......

God!

'Hmm?'

I glared at him.

'When my grandma died.'

I paused. I really don't want to go down an ugly memory lane but with Uthman sitting across me and his eyes silently urging me on, I did not know when I started talking.

'We lived together. She has been living with us for as long as I could remember. And she was my favorite in that house. She was like a calming breeze who always knew the right words to say and at the right moment especially when Zee gets into trouble with our parents. She was hale and healthy until she died. Nobody saw it coming at all.'

'Were you with her when she died?'

'Not technically. Grandma was an early riser so one morning four years ago in May, she did not wake up on time and I went to her room to wake her up. She was just sleeping like she used to except that she wasn't snoring and that's a huge thing but my grandma's snores can wake a dead person.'

I smiled at that memory. Zee and Saheed would record her snores and play it to her when she woke up but my grandma would vehemently deny making those sounds.

I was still smiling that I did not know when tears started running down my cheeks. I wiped them with the back of  my palm.

'But that morning, she wouldn't wake up no matter how much I tried to wake her. Her body was cold and I was filled with dread as I yelled her name. Dad and Zee soon entered, asking what's wrong. Then dad examined her and proclaimed her dead. But grandma couldn't have died because she was fine last night and I heard her snores until I fell asleep. I just sat beside her still calling her name, shouting her name when I started to feel something building up in my lungs, in my throat. I opened my mouth, trying to take in air with it because in the moment, I couldn't breathe with my nose but it was like the room was suddenly devoid of air. One minute, I was on the bed, the next minute, I was on the floor, panting, my chest constricting but I couldn't breathe no matter how hard I tried to. It was so severe that time I had to be admitted to the hospital. I couldn't even mourn grandma properly. '

It was the first time I was reliving that memory. I always try as much as possible not to think of all the time that I had panic attacks because....

I trailed off, apprehension rising in my chest. I opened my mouth, trying to suck air in but there was no air. It was like I was trapped in an airless container.

I was hyperventilating.

I closed my eyes. This is why I don't relive those memories. Those bitter memories.

One minute, Uthman was sitting down and watching me, worry etched deep on his forehead and the next, he was in front of me grabbing my hands.

'Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.'

He was moving his hands up and down in front of me and I followed the movement.

My breathing soon subsidized and he heaved a sigh of relief.

And he hugged me.

It was the first time we were hugging after it happened. I wrapped my arms around his back.

'I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you.'

I shook my head.

'No, I'm glad you did.'

Who knows? Maybe I would stop having panic attacks now that I've relived the first time it happened and what caused it.

Uthman pulled back a little to stare into my ears.

'Are you okay now?'

I nodded and he started to pull back, fully.

I grabbed his shirt without thinking twice about it.

He looked down at where my hand was grabbing his shirt before he looked at my face.

'Jadeshola, we should........'

I pulled him closer and he started to shake his head.

'We should leave. The rest must be wondering where we are.'

How come he is thinking and talking straight with this little distance between us?

I swallowed and pulled him even closer.

Just as the door opened.

We both turned to look at the person and our mouths dropped open.

I thought he locked the door.

I turned to look at him again and his eyes mirrored my expression.

Oh No.