“ We are going to begin with these ones “ were the words of Mrs Nwaforaku as we stared at some text books she brought out from the library shelve. “What are we expected to do with these books teacher? Austin asked. Teacher looked at him in askance. “You can eat them if you wish”. I wanted to chuckle but I didn’t, in fact it wasn’t funny. “Look into them, solve these ones first by next week we change to other text books okay!” “Yes teacher” we responded. “Teacher please when exactly is this competition expected to hold? I asked. “This July, you see we do not have enough time. Whatever differences you guys are going through now, I don’t care. You've got to settle okay! Get to work immediately.” When she said this Austin looked at me with such a glance insinuating or rather enquiring whether I told teacher, but the truth is quite simple, I didn’t. Teacher made for the door but before she left she remarked “You know this is a time for sacrifice” she said slowly “If you do not achieve this by yourself, nobody would. The Principal trusts in you, the staff hope in you, your fellow students depend on you but most especially, I believe in you. If you wish to make it to the top, only you would decide this and make it happen.” Those words as little as they seemed weren’t ordinary to me, later did I know that they were extraordinary to Austin. Teacher left.
“Did you tell teacher? Austin asked as I was flipping through the pages of the text book. “I didn’t“. I answered back. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to remain there. How Mrs Nwaforaku knew was something I couldn’t tell though I’m not that surprised, someone must have told her. I stood to leave Austin caught my arm. It reminded me that particular moment in the class he held my arm, I immediately felt the difference. The other time, his hand was rough, this time I could feel the softness of his palm. His palm was as soft as Romance bread. I stood still then he called me “Amii” that’s a petting way of calling my name Amara. I wouldn’t say he called me that just because of me, for since he joined us, he is known for calling everyone especially girls by short petting names as much calm as his demeanour was, Sandy for Sandra, Lizzy for Elizabeth, UC for Uche, Onyi for Onyinye and then Amii for Amara. No matter how complicated a name seemed, he must figure out something caring.
I didn’t turn to see his face “What do you want Austin? I just asked though I never expected any particular answer. “Your forgiveness” he answered. Then I turned to his face. He was looking at me. I observed his face, his fine curves and carvings, his awesome dimples. He was a fine boy. Of course he was loved by girls. Why didn’t I notice all these qualities before? Perhaps I was covered by my jealousy for my lost position. I knew that my ambition for the senior prefect was at stake if not already overtaken. He was looking at me in the eye. My mind felt his palm on my arm. I didn’t know what to say but I couldn’t resist. We stared at each other in the eye for some time before we heard some footsteps approaching the library door, he let go my arm.
The lessons and preparations were really intensive on us. No breaks, no free periods, we used all our spare times. Seconds rolled into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days, days into weeks which later transformed into a month, and that’s July, the July is here. Just two week to go. I was resting my head on the library table, I was exhausted. I read through the hours of the night, and there was I, struggling to complete my scope. I didn’t know when I submitted to the will of Morpheus, I dozed off. “Ami” Austin tapped me at the back. He kept a bottle of zobo and two meat pies on the table. “Get up and eat” he said to me. It reminded me of the biblical Elijah who was waken up by an angel with the same words "get up and it". I was really hungry and perhaps Austin was the angel. I was still feeling dizzy he got me up by my shoulders and shifted those snacks closer to me. I looked at him and he said again “Don’t say no, I know you are tired, take something” I felt compelled to, I took them and said “Thank you”. “So how far have you gone” I cared to ask, “Well” he answered “I have tried my best”. I drew my books closer and stared at it as I ate the snacks. Austin got up, took my books, closed them and parked them carefully inside my bag. “What are doing Austin” I astonishingly asked. “Parking your books for you”. He looked at me and smiled showing up his dimples. He knew that he hasn’t given me enough explanation. He drew his chair closer and said “Let’s have some break”. “Austin” I tried to give excuse “You know I haven’t finished what I have and ……” He interrupted “Shhh, those things should wait later okay. We can’t just kill ourselves because of one competition like that.”
“So what do you want now” I asked
“Good, tell me about yourself”
“Oh my God, what do you wish to know” I asked anxiously.
“Anything maybe your childhood” he said looking at me.
“Okay” I began “My name is Amara” we laughed, there was definitely no need introducing my name, but I did. “I’m the 4th and the last born in my family. My primary school days were at Sacred Heart in Odoakpu. I’m the only girl in my family. I had a sweet beginning. My brothers were so fond of me that I rarely do anything when I was small not now. Because I was the only girl, they never allowed me lack anything. I used to have cakes from Mr Biggs for my snacks. I got whatever I wanted then. It was only my mother that used to flog me. She would make sure I studied every day, she is a lecturer at college of education Nsugbe while my father traded at main market but he no more goes there, he’s incapacitated.”
"What happened to your father? He asked
"He had partial stroke".
“I’m sorry about your father".
"Don't be, he's fine".
"so what about your brothers” he asked.
“One has married, the other two have graduated”.
“What exactly do you mean”, I know he would ask such question and so I expected it. “I was sought for a long time. My immediate elder brother is older than me with 12 years”.
“Oh my God, you must be an 11th hour answer to a long prayer. I knew your brothers would handle you like an egg” he commented.
“That was then, I’m now a servant. I do everything now. I cook a lot when they are around. Okay, that’s enough of me, now tell me about yourself”
“At your service ma, I wish I had a little of your enjoyment as a child. I grew up and became conscious of myself at nursery two only to find out I was washing my school uniforms”. I busted out of laughter “oh my God who knows how your school uniform would be like then” I teased
“It was horrible dear, whenever I wore it, it looked as if I was put inside it then” I laughed again.
“Then we had a house help that was very malicious. She used to cook for us yam every day to the extent that we were nicknamed yam at school.” At this I couldn’t hold myself laughing.
“My dear it’s not funny oo. There was a big shoe I used to wear then and my classmates used to call it canoe because they believed I would never get drowned in water with it.” I nearly fell from my seat while laughing. “You are laughing” he said “I wore that shoe to the extent that the shoe itself knew the way to school, on Saturday morning the shoe will just be trekking to school on its own, I would get it back and lock them inside the cupboard.” Tears was already coming out from my eyes. “Laugh if you like but I won’t I tell you again” He said jokingly. I knew he was joking yet I had to calm myself down.
“Okay continue” I playfully begged. He waited a bit and then told me “Let’s have a little walk”.
He stood up and waited for me. While I wanted to stand I missed my feet and made to fall, he caught me. He stared me in the eye and got me up slowly. His hands were still on me. As he stared into my eyes I stared into his eyes. His eyes were communicating many things to me, things I claim not to know but I know, things I claim not to want but I want them. Our faces drew closer and closer and closer. Really, there are times of no resistance. The space between our lips could then be measured in inches. It was three inches to go before we heard from outside “Let me collect a book from the library I’m coming”. It was our biology teacher, Mrs Ezenwa. She was definitely informing another teacher her whereabouts which caused us an awesome moment. We disengaged immediately and tried to reinstate a calm demeanor. “Good day teacher” we greeted at the same time. She stood, looked at us, waved her head, smiled and exclaimed as she walked over the shelve “We can’t wed people in the library”. We both glanced at each other.
…………wait for season 03………… Next weekend
