Chapter 56: Chapter 56

~Uthman~

We finished our exams today. Like we were really done with exams. No more secondary school's exams.

We trudged out of the hall together because the external invigilator had insisted that we should all submit our scripts together.

I shielded my eyes from the sun with my hand immediately I stepped out of the hall. It was closing time for the school and we could hear the loud chatters of students as we walked from the hall to the main building.

'Now, I'm really done with secondary school. It's almost unbelievable.'

One of my mates whom I couldn't place his voice said and almost immediately Caleb and his gang jumped up and shouted, throwing the hands up. They even went ahead to take their shirts oo.

'Ohh, my eyes. Why are these people taking off their shirts? It's not even like they have a sexy body like that.'

Hana said beside me and Akin was quick to answer her.

'Of course, they won't allow people like us that have a flauntable to flaunt it in peace.'

'Abi in pieces. Please where is the sexy body?'

Jade asked him, rolling her eyes in an overly exaggerated manner.

Akin who was walking with Ayisha in front of us stopped and turned back.

'Really? Jade, are you sure? You might not be able to keep your eyes and hands off my chest if if should unveil it.'

I burst into laughter.

Nigga said Unveil. Idiot.

Jade covered her eyes.

'Now, I'm afraid. Please don't unveil it oo. I might just go blind.'

'He actually has a nice built oo. But then, you people can't know.'

Ayisha replied with a sly smile and grabbed Akin's elbow, making him to turn back as they continued to walk.

See these ones oo.

Some of our juniors that were in school came over to hug and congratulate us immediately we got to the main building. They even signed on our shirts.

'Wow. I can't wait to be in your shoes too. I can't wait to finally drop the pen.'

One girl that I presumed to be in JSS1 said and I smiled to myself.

You that just started.

'Hey Senior Uthman, can we sign on your shirt?'

I turned to see Wura and her friends standing beside me. Wura was holding a Marker. Jade has her hands on my arms that I had crossed over my chest and Wura was silently shooting daggers at her.

Wow. This might be fun. Let me rile Jade up a little.

I flashed a charming smile at the girls and I unfolded my arms from my chest, causing Jade hand to fall off. But I quickly grabbed it, intertwining it with mine.

'Of course. You guys are free to sign. Afterall, we might not see each other again.'

Wura moved closer, marker poised to sign on my chest.

'Actually, we're not signing on our shirts.'

Jade said and dragged me away, making the girls to hiss loudly.

'That leach, look at the way she was touching your chest. Tsk tsk tsk. You were enjoying it, weren't you?'

I shrugged.

'It was just an honest gesture.'

'Honest gesture, my foot. That girl has a crush on you and you know it.'

'And I have a crush on you and you know it.'

I replied, making a silly dance move with my hands. She rolled her eyes, muttering manwhore underneath my breath.

'And what are you students doing here?'

A loud voice that I recognized to be Dr Mrs Adewale, the proprietres of the school said and we all froze. The juniors signing on our shirts disappeared.

'What's all that writings on your uniforms? Did I raise you guys to be like this? Lakeview did not raise touts. And you, where are you bottons? Why are your shirts off? Are you in the motor park? You, why are you flying your pollor? Why is your tie loosened?'

She said all these in one breath, pointing to the culprits one after the other. Then her eyes met mine.

'My head boy, hope you did not join multitude to do evil?'

I replied in affirmation and her eyes scanned my body.

'Good! I trust you. And you guys, do you feel like you're free to do whatever it is you want now that you're done with your exams? Tsk tsk tsk. You won't do that while you are still in my school's uniform. Now, wear your shirts properly and fix yourselves.'

Then she started walking towards where her car was packed. Her driver was holding the door for her. Before she stepped inside, she turned back to us with a smile on her face.

'And congratulations guys. I'm so proud of you. The sky is your starting point. I can still remember your excited faces when you all resumed JSS1. Time really flies, right? See you on your social night.'

Then she did a mock salute, entered the car and the car zoomed off.

'That woman is seriously bipolar.'

Jade said, arms akimbo.

The guys that obeyed her remove their shirts again. Without a word, we all walked into our class without a word. It was like we all concluded internally.

'Wow. I'm going to miss my class. I'm going to miss my seat. I'm going to miss my.. Everything.'

One of our classmates said with a loud voice and she proceeded to sit on her chair and to hug her table.

'Oh my God! See my classroom. I'm going to miss coming to this class every morning.'

'Oh dear me lord. I can't believe I'm starting to feel nostalgic.'

Another classmates said and I rolled my eyes that they're being overly dramatic.

As if you're not feeling a dull ache in your heart right now.

Whatever.

'This portrait is still here. God, I'm seriously going to miss here. This classroom. This school. This moment. This everything.'

Hana said and went to carress her picture on the portrait.

The rest of the class moved towards the portrait too and Caleb stood directly in the middle of it.

'Graduants to be, I welcome you all to the sign out ceremony of Lakeview 2020 set. Ladies and ladles, be free to sign on anywhere signable.'

My erupted in yells and cat calls and they proceeded to to start signing on each other. Keji knelt in front of Caleb and proceeded to sign right on his Zipper.

I thought they fought and broke up.

I looked around to see that they were not the only one doing that. Most of my classmates were signing on their friends intimate parts. Paul was signing on Paulina's ass. Even Dan was signing on Hana's boobs.

I looked at Jade who was sitting on what used to be her table. I picked up the nearby marker.

'Babe, will you let me do the honor of signing on your boobs?'

She looked lost for her while before she thrust her chest forward.

Wawu. I smiled as I inched closer to her.

This is when I get to know how it feels like to brush one's hands over a girl's breast.

'Just know that that would be the last thing you'd used those hands for.'

I instantly moved back at her words.

'Killjoy.'

'Manwhore'

'Is that your own pet name for each other? It's only God that understands your relationship.'

We looked up at Akin's voice. He was standing right in front of us with the rest of the geng.

'They have such an unusual relationship.'

'Or abnormal. They're kuku both abnorma....'

Jade did not allow Akin to finish his reply to Ayisha's words before she smacked him on the head earning a loud yell from him. He grabbed his head.

'Aah God! Thank God we're done with secondary school now. No more Jade hitting my head.'

Jade made to hit him again and he ducked.

'Violence must be your middle name.'

She stuck out her tongue at him.

'By the way, senior boy and senior girl, are you guys trying to set the pace? Is that why you don't have any signing on your uniform?'

Dan said, looking at both Jade and I. He was obviously looking for anybody's signature on our bodies.

'I'm not a fan of that thing. It's barbari.....'

Akin did not allow Jade to finish her words before he reached out and signed on her back.

Jade shrieked but the rest of the geng were quick to move closer to her and to sign on her body. I laughed at the sight of her shrieking and trying to get away from them. When they were done with her, they all turned to me.

'Senior boy, your turn.'

I put out a hand to stop them.

'Nah, babes first.'

Akin and Daniel cooed and I turned to Jade who rolled her eyes at me. I moved to stand in front of her. Her knees weren't drawn together and I got in between her thighs. I handed the marker to her.

'I have a lot of things to write and jerk and asshole top that list.'

I shrugged.

'Write them.'

She started to write on my chest and I looked down at her. Her lashes were fanning her lower eyes because she had them lowered and I could see the outline of her upper lips. I moved even closer to her.

'I wish we were alone right now.'

Her lips stretched into a thin smile.

'In your dreams boo.   There, I'm done.'

She replied and shove me away. I glanced down at what she wrote but I couldn't see it properly.

'So Jade drew an heart emoji and she put your names in it. I go love oo.'

Akin said as he started to sign on my chest. I looked at Jade but her gaze was intent on the portrait at the back of the classroom. She stood up and walked to it.

'Someone should come and snap me in front of this portrait. Please.'

Just when I was about to say nobody brought their phones to school, five of my classmates produced their phones and the photo session started.

Like an hour after, we've snapped what must be like a thousand pictures when we are trudged out of our classroom.

For the last time. Like finally, finally!

'I still can't believe it though. Like we won't be coming back next session. Oh God! I wished I could come back.'

Fola said as the last person to step out of the classroom closed the door behind him.

'That's no big deal now. You can always come back. We won't even hold you.'

Daniel replied her and she shouted God forbid. We all burst into laughter.

'This is where we say our final goodbyes.'

'God, I can't believe how I'm feeling right now. I feel like a kid that an elder sibling collected her candy. I'm going to miss Lakeview too much.'

I looked at Jade who was standing beside and I intertwined our hands.

'That's probably how we all feel right now.'

***********

Hours later, we were on the field still waiting for our drivers but they were not forthcoming. We actually weren't waiting for them like that because we were enjoying ourselves. We've played ball, the girls chased themselves on the field and they even played all sort of games with their hands.

Imgine Jade playing Water fall on my leg. I won't allow her to hear the end of it.

But now, we were all tired and we laid on the field, breathing and panting.

'But what the actual fuck? Did our drivers all decided to abandon us?'

Paul said, sitting up from the grass. He picked his phone and dialed who I supposed was his driver. After conversing on the phone for like 2 minutes, he dropped the car and slumped his shoulders.

'Apparently there was a serious accident on Sango road and that led to a serious hold up. They're probably all stucked there.'

Oh. So that was what happened. We fell into a peaceful silence for a while before Caleb spoke up.

'But this is past 6 already. What if they don't get here till 9 or even 10? I say we start walking till we reach where we can take a public transport and who knows, we might even run into them afterall, it's a one way route to our school.'

I rolled my eyes at his ridiculous idea but he stood up and most of our classmates stood up with him. I sat up and stared at them.

'Are we seriously doing this, guys? Do you even know the distance between here and the main road?'

Ayisha voiced out my concern and I inwardly thanked her.

'And besides, we've exhausted ourselves. Let's just stay here and play till whenever they get here.'

Another petite girl said but the guys were already walking towards the gate.

'Let's just join them. I bet it's gonna be fun.'

Jade did not wait for any of us to reply her before she joined them. The rest of the gang stood up too.

Wow. We're seriously doing this.

And that was how we trudged that path on that day. We're tired but we all wanted to stay a little while longer in each other's company.

*********

I did not walk into our house, I crawled ni.

Eeh. God! I'm never walking anything in my life again.

You might even take a ride from your bedroom to your bathroom.

I don't care oo. Thank God we met some of the drivers on the way self. If not, I would've died.

Nobody kuku asked you guys to walk.

Only mom was in the sitting room and she was watching a film on African Magic Yoruba.

'Eku Ile Ma.'

I prostrated halfway and she smiled.

'Kaabo, oko mi. You're finally done with your exams. Congratulations dear. A ma gbo esi Ayo.'

'Amiin ma.'

'Oya, go and freshen up and come down for dinner. It must have been tiring for you. The traffic and accident and all.'

You don't even know half of it.

I looked around the sitting room, my eyes searching for Moji but she was no where to be found. On a normal day, she would be in the dinning playing piano tiles on her phone.

'Where is Moji?'

'Oh, that one? She should be in her room?'

I nodded and painstaking climbed the stairs.

God won't forgive Caleb for suggesting that we should walk. It's indeed the walk to remember.

When I opened Moji's room, she wasn't there. I closed it and went to my room and there she was on my bed, reading my A one in English.

The bed where you had someone's daughter just a week ago.

Oh, since that day, I've not been able to sleep on my bed without thinking about her.

About how she felt in my arms.

And all those sounds.

God knows I had to walk away.

And while I was in the hallway, it took all my self restraints not to return to the room and let that lead to wherever it was going to lead to.

And the lord's prayer too. Remember? You specifically recited and lead us not into temptation like 20 times.

I smiled. I have the best subconscious. Really.

'Are you done smiling to yourself?'

Moji's voice broke me out of my reverie and I walked closer to the back.

'What's this? Scholar Moji, I've not seen you in a long time. It's the phone crazed Moji that returned.'

She rolled her eyes.

'Why are you not playing with your phone by the way?'

She pouted.

'Dad collected it.'

'Really? Did you do anything wrong?'

She nodded.

'Mom told me to pick beans but I got carried away by piano tiles and dad collected it.'

About time, right? I'm even surprised he allowed her to use it for that long.

'Don't worry, he'll probably give you back in a week or two.'

'That's not happening.'

She replied with something like a dejected tone and I immediately turned to look her. I was initially facing my walldrobe and changing.

'Immediately he collected it, he removed the sim and he cleared everything that was on it. Then he returned it to me and told me to go and give the gateman. That I should tell him it's a gift from him.'

I bit my tongue to keep myself from laughing. Dad finally got Moji.

'Ehyah. What will you now use to chat with prince charming?'

She rolled her eyes.

'Prince Charming ko, charming prince ni.'

'It means the same thing.'

'Whatever.'

'But Daniella and Gabriella are using phones now. Why can't I?'

I joined her on the bed.

'Because you're not them and besides, you know how spoilt they are. You shouldn't be like them.'

Gabriella and Daniella were her cousins from mom's side. They had extremely rich parents who were always travelling around the world. They left their two kids with nannies and now the kids were spoilt than the world rotten itself.

'I know. I know. Do you know they both have two different boyfriends? Even Gabriella's boyfriend would come and they'd be in her room.'

I frowned. Wtf? Gabriella was just 12 or probably 13 her sister was 11. I know Moji spent like a week or two with them and now, that explains all the rubbish she's been spitting since she got back. I moved closer to her.

This is going to be super awkward.

'Like I said ealier, Moji. You're not Gabriella or Daniella. You're a princess and a good princess should wait till she's like 20 years old to look at a boy. Ehn? You can't have a boyfriend till you're at least 19 oo.'

She started to nod but then stopped abruptly. Her eyes were thoughtful.

'But why do I get to wait till I'm that old? How old are you? Shey you don't have a girlfriend ni?'

She was eyeing me suspiciously.

My mouth dropped opened.

Well, well, well, he who wants equity must come with a clean hands.

I stood up.

'But why am I even having these conversation with you? You're 9. Act like a nine year old. Go to the garden and play with sand.'

Her laughter followed me all the way to the bathroom.

***********

Loud music was blaring. The MC was calling  on people to raise the vibe of the hangout. Girls were openly rocking guys. They were all holding cups of Chapman and whatever it was.

We were in a corner overlooking a lake and we were seated on a pavement, only Jade was standing and she was standing in between my legs, her left hand resting on my right thigh. She was staring at the crowd with excitement.

'Can't believe we are classmates with all these people. Just look at how they are going all out.'

She said with her gaze intent on a girl rocking a boy.

'I thought it was meant to be an educative hangout for those graduating secondary school this year.'

She continued and Dan was quick to answer her.

'Educative kinni? They just put that on the flyer so that our parents would allow us to attend. And besides, let's just throw education out of the window for now.

Jade rolled her eyes and rested her hand fully on my thigh. My hands moved out of their volition to caress her hair. She slapped it away.

'Don't ruin my perfectly styled hair oo.'

I bent down so my mouth was on her ears. I kissed her earlobes slowly.

'You did not have a problem with it the other time in the........ Ouch.'

She did not allow me to finish before she hit my head.

Confirmed. This girl loves violence.

'But, the hangout is okay sha. With the DJ and MC and all. Our 2k wasn't wasted.'

Ayisha said from where she sat with Akin. The later was playing with her hair and I looked down at Jade. She did not even notice anything. She was starting to shake her body to the music blaring.

'Oya, go Jade. Go Jade. Go Jade. Jade Jade. Shake that body.'

Hana started cheering her up. She was also dancing to the song, tapping her legs on the floor. The song they were playing was Soco by Wizkid.

Jade danced for a total of 15 seconds before she gave up.

Too bad.

I was starting to get lost in my moves.

I'd definitely love to see her dance later.

Whenever we are alone.

Kaare. Well done. It's that one that you're a pro at.

'God! I'm shy. I'm not used to dancing in public like this.'

'Wow. This is the first time I'm hearing Jade and shy in the same sentence. Wow.'

Jade smiled and turned so her body was facing mine. I moved my hands to her hair and this time, she allowed me.

'Jade?'

We all turned to the direction of the voice. It was a guy and he looked oddly familiar.

'Oh, Isreal. How are you? I told you said you weren't going to attend. What changed?'

'I was dragged by my friends ni oo.'

Jade left where she was and met him halfway. They hugged and I counted up to 15 before they pulled apart. Isreal looked up at us and he waved with a smile on his face.

I don't like this Isreal sha.

I don't even trust him, especially with the way he was looking at her.

I couldn't make out what they were saying until Jade turned back to us and told us Isreal wanted to introduce her to someone.

And then they both left without even waiting for me to reply.

It's okay.

We continued watching the supposedly educational hangout all the while making small chats but I was not really listening. I was waiting for Jade to get back.

5 minutes

10 minutes

20 minutes

And she still wasn't back. Where the fuck did that Isreal dude take her?

Just when I was about to go in search of her, I saw her coming. I visibly relaxed but tensed up again when I saw the look of her face.

She was extremely angry.

She got to us and yanked her tote bag forcefully from Hana's laps. The later nearly fell at the impact.

'Bestie, what happened? Why are you....?

'I'm going back home guys. We'll see later.'

She started to walk away and Akin grabbed her arms. She shrugged it off angrily.

And she walked off.

I jumped to my feet and the rest did the same.

'No guys, wait here. Let me go and find out what happened. We'll be back.'

They nodded and I turned back to run after her.

No matter how much I call her, she did not answer.

And she did not stop.