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I'm back with an update!

Cheers to @Oluwatosin320 for the encouragement and this chapter is dedicated to her!

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

MARIAM'S POV

Senioritis is a common illness in the Royal Academy.

It is quite evident as I walked through the SS3 floor. They were playing around, having fun, chatting on phones and playing loud songs; activities I had no idea were really possible at the Royals.

I walked as fast as I could to avoid being a victim of running errands or unnecessary talks and I could only sigh in relief when I got into my brother's class.

I scanned the room for him and found him talking to one of his girlfriends. He is such a player.

My brother and I are complete opposites; he is more carefree and extroverted than I am. The rebellious kid is the perfect description for him while I was the ideal good child.

"Muiz."

I called lightly as I walked to his desk.

I tried to ignore the stare of his best friend, Giwa, who was seating behind him.

"Mariam, what are you doing here?"

His girlfriend smiled at me. At least this one is even nice. I forced a smile back before signaling to Muiz that we need to talk.

"Babe, a second."

He said kissing her on the forehead before following me out.

This kid ehn.

I don't even know why the girls follow him around. But that is not even the issue at hand. The issue right now is bigger than some girls or whatever.

"What's wrong? This one that you are here. You hate coming here."

Muiz asked actually looking worried.

He placed his hands in his pocket and stared me in the eye waiting for a reply.

My dear brother.

My annoying, protective, brother.

Looking at him closely now, I could notice the changes in his features.

He has gotten a bit thinner, his lips a bit darker, his eyes a bit more red. I hope what mum said is not true. I hope it has not gotten to that extent.

"Muiz are you okay?"

"What type of JAMB question is that? How do I look? I have exams piling up abeg. I am not okay. Is this what you are here for, to ask if I am okay?"

"Yes..."

He cut me off before I could complete my sentence,

"Are you not here for Giwa? The both of you and your arguments. Abeg, don't bring me to the middle of your wahala..."

I rolled my eyes and tried to stop the smile forming on my face.

"Stop it Muiz. Look, mum called."

That got him to be serious. This got me to be serious.

"Why? What's wrong again?"

My mum is a single mother and most times while she appears to be strict, we both know that she is facing a lot to afford all these luxuries for us. Fact is we are not as rich as some people here but we are here because of her hard work. We love her. Muiz especially! So, why did he do that?

"She found something wrong in your room Muiz. A box of cigarette and when she searched further, she found some substance. Muiz, what is wrong with you? Imagine how hurt mum was when she called me. Why will you subject yourself to this?"

He looked shocked.

He shifted back in surprise and almost fell.

It broke my heart to know my brother is doing what caused the death of our father. Hard drugs.

How could he possibly do it after knowing how hard we are still struggling to get over the huge space our dad has left?

"Muiz, why?"

He looked down at his tapping feet and then at me.

"Mariam."

He scratched his hair too hard as he stared far ahead.

"What was mum doing in my room in the first place? It is my privacy!"

"Are you hearing yourself? She was cleaning up. Is that an excuse? You... I don't know what to say. You know how much drugs have caused damage to this family and you still do this."

"Do you think I want to?"

He said a little too loudly and we successfully got everyone's attention including Giwa's who was now on his feet. Muiz noticed it and immediately dragged me out of the corridor to a quiet place where we could talk better.

"Do you think I want to?"

He whispered now.

"I can't stop. I can't stop! I want to but I can't go a day without it. It helps me cope with all the stress. It is like stress relieve. Like paracetamol or coffee. Yes, coffee: it helps me stay alert like coffee."

I could not help the tears pulling in my eyes as I watched my brother start to get uneasy in front of me. He looks so much like our father and right now, I can see history repeating itself and I hate it. I really hate it.

I was young, around 5 years old, when my father died from overdose. He would always get high but he was also the best when he was sober. Mum loved him. She tried to help with everything but at the end of the day he died. He killed himself. He overdosed and the worst part is we walked in to see him dead in our sitting room. I still have flashes of that day and now, Muiz?

Watching my lovely brother go through that path again is killing me.

I reached for his hands and it was only then I noticed how patched it looks.

"Muiz, look at me. Look at me. Mum is coming tomorrow. If it is the stress, you can take a year off. Leave this school, go to a rehab or something, just please stop. Muiz, you have to stop."

"I have tried."

His voice broke.

"I can't stop. I tried. I did. I stopped for two days and I almost died. I do not want to disappoint you and mum but I succeeded in doing just that. Mariam, I tried."

I pulled him into a hug and for the first time since we were little kids crying during our father's burial, we cried our eyes out.

"I tried. I tried."

******

"How did you start it?"

This was the first thing I asked after our crying session. I was just so curious to know what will make my brother go through the same lane our father did. He knows and remembers more about our father than I do, so what made him start in the first place.

Muiz shook his head.

"I don't want to say."

"What the hell do you mean by you don't want to say? Guy, I am the only one that can help you tomorrow."

He placed his head in his hands.

Scratching it anxiously like he has been doing for a while now.

"Mariam, it was at a party... Uhm, I wanted to fit in you know?"

"Fit in with who? You were there with Giwa? Was he the one that put you in that situation?"

My voice was rising with each additional question. Giwa is the perfect bad boy. The most popular in his set and even though smart, he can be also corny. Yes, we are close but if anyone can be such an influence to my brother, I really want to hope that it is not him.

"Stop, it was not Giwa."

I heaved a sigh of relief.

"Then it was who?"

"Mariam please let it go. We have to talk on how to convince mum."

"I am not letting it go Muiz! This is bullshit. What could have made you do this? Please just let me know. Help me understand."

It was breaking me slowly to see him like this. To see him like our dad. To see him scratch all his hand and hair so harshly. Why did he start? When did he start?

"Mariam, I met someone at the party. The party was after one of our Mock exams last year and I was stressed out. My ex thought it would be nice to go out and have fun after the exam but I was stressed, you know? I just wanted to stay home but I ended up there and..."

I nodded, pleading him to go on.

"I met this guy from school and we were talking about exams and all. And he told me he copes well when he takes the drug... it helps him focus and he told me to try it out. I really wanted to say no, trust me, but he is one of the best students here and even some other class 2 students agreed with him."

I held his hand.

"My ex agreed too so I took a sniff that night and it felt good. I felt good. I took some home and anytime I was tired from reading, I will take a bit. Just a bit I promise and it helped me focus. But I could not stop. I asked my ex for more and she said smoking has the same effects so I started that too. I can't stop. I tried. I tried. But I find myself crawling back to it. I can't stop."

I hugged him and held back the sound of my sobs.

My heart was breaking with each passing second.

I wanted to help.

Help heal him or maybe take back the hands of time.

I just did not want him to feel this pain anymore.

I wanted to take all the pain. Help him somehow.

What will mum say?

What will we do?

"Muiz, does it still help?"

"No, it doesn't. I don't know myself anymore Mariam. I can't go a day without it. It feels like I am dying. I am changing and I can feel it. I am not happy without it. Shit, I took a sniff this morning before class because I can't just cope without it. I don't want mum to know. I can't bear to look her in the face if she comes."

Dying?

That is a word I never want to hear anymore.

I don't want this. What is happening?

I was having a peaceful morning but now it all feels like everything is upside down.

Why?

Am I dreaming?

Coming here, I hope he would have said no; I hoped he would have said it was Giwa's.

I hoped he would have given an excuse not accept it like this; not tell me that he is dying and suffering.

I could not hold my sob anymore.

"You have to take a break Muiz. Leave Royals."

We got Mariam's POV!!!

Drug abuse and addiction is a real thing and it is so sad that there are many others like Muiz! To all Muizs out there who has fallen under abuse as a result of peer pressure or other pressures (academic, family, e.t.c), drugs would only make it worse. Drugs which might be a source of escape would instead hold you down. You have to fight the addiction even though it is hard and dark for your physical, mental, and emotional health. For yourself.

Please ask for help today. The Lord is your strength and He loves you always.

Remember to share, like, and drop a comment!

please drop a comment oo, it would really motivate me in writing!

Love y'all,

Eniola_writes 💕