I quickly finished my plantain, disposed my beans, and went to wash my plate. I also had clothes to wash, and I didn't want to be late to prep. The slightly dusty pathway to the hostel was empty and silent. No single soul was outside, they dared not. As I was about to climb the stairs that led to the hostel, I jammed the one person that isn't supposed to meet me out of the hostel, the school administrator - my maternal uncle.

"What are you doing out?" he asked me in a calm voice.

"I just finished eating," I hurriedly answered him, wanting him to release me, so other students won't see and say his favoring me above others. Because, he was supposed to punish me immediately he sighted me. It was siesta time, and it was a rule that no one must be out by that time.

He looked at me calmly and with pity. I bet my mother had told him all that's going, since he was her favorite and closet brother. "Esse," he finally spoke. After taking his time to stare at me in pity. "You know you can always come to me for help or anything right? I'm always in my office."

I simply nodded, knowing that if I speak, it would lead to another question. My feet began to tap continuously, while I kept on looking around. I didn't want students to know he was my uncle, so people wouldn't start approaching me for silly helps. Even if a few of them knew.

He noticed my tapping feet and unsteady gaze. So he dismissed me. "You can go now. But, don't forget to reach out to me." With that, he walked away without looking back.

I quickly made my way to the dorm. It was almost empty, as almost all the girls were washing their clothes. That was the main reason behind my rushing to the hostel. I quickly changed from my school uniform to towel, as I grabbed my bowls and buckets from the bucket cubicle. I didn't bother carrying soap, knowing fully well that one of the girls would be with my soap jar. I rushed out to join the girls.

As expected, Amarachi was with my soap jar. She and Dammy where engrossed in a talk, so I joined them. I dropped my bowl and put my bucket under the tap that was directly in front of them, turning it on. "What are you guys talking about?" I tried to blend in instantly, as I dropped my uniform and underwear into my small bowl.

"They're collecting our laptops for checking tonight, and will be returning it tomorrow night," Amarachi quickly answered me, while Dammy nodded.

I sighed. "Why?"

"Because some SSS2 students were caught with pornographic items on their system, so they're checking everyone's system," Dammy answered this time around, making me groan.

SSS2 students were fond of getting all students into trouble, always having different things that are not allowed on their system.

I wasn't really bothered, because I knew how to maneuver my way. I knew Joseph was going to be one of the boys in charge of the checking and ransacking of systems. And, if he didn't help, I had an higher help.

I quickly washed my clothes, while the girls and I kept on gisting. After we finished washing, we had our bath and headed to the school premises immediately. It was two minutes before prep we arrived at school, so we were lucky. I hated when the class was full, and I had to walk into the awkward silence and stares. And also, luckily for me Joseph was also in class already.

Immediately I sat down, I turned to him. "They're going to collect our laptops today and check for films," I quickly said, skipping chit chats.

His eyes were already fixed on me before I turned to him. He nodded. "I know." I grinned sillily at him, making him crack a smile. "I know, I know. I should help you and the girls, right?"

I nodded affirmatively.

He chuckled. "Anything for you."

It sounded so platonic, yet I felt tingles run down my spine. I smiled and turned to my front. And as predicted, Mr. Tony - one of our Computer teachers - walked into the class almost immediately, ask all of us to submit our laptops. The news had spread so wide, that everyone was waiting for the moment. We all walked to the front of the class to drop it. He came along with six SSS1 students, who helped him carry the laptops. As he was leaving, he called Joseph, Tolu, Ebuka, and Johnson to follow him. We all knew why.

As soon as he stepped out of the class, the girls ran to my seat. "What did he say?" Dammy asked.

I smiled, nodding.

-----------------------------------------------------

The night prep was over and everyone had gone to the hostel, while I decided to go to Mr. Jonathan's office to try to convince my father into changing economics to music for me. I had spent almost twenty-five minutes begging him and cry. But no, his head is too strong. How I wish there's something I can do to this man, that would pain him.

"But I don't want economics," I said in a quavery voice, tearing up. Mr. Jonathan was looking at his laptop with so much interest, acting like he wasn't listening to our conversation.

My father sighed, before he said, "Young lady, you're disturbing my peace. I wonder why I'm still negotiating this with you. You said you wanted art, I let you. And now you want to study music? That's never going to happen. Music is a useless subject, it's done to waste time. And you have no time to waste. The moment you argued you wanted to go to art, I knew you'd become a great lawyer and take over the firm. And now, that's my only aim. If you can get 'A' in maths, and you've been getting Bs and Cs in economics, I see no reason for you to drop it now. You're a brilliant girl, and no subject is hard for you."

"But father..." The phone beeped and the line went off. Did he hang up on me? Argh! I don't have the passion for economics, but I do for music. I'll only mess the subject up if he forces me.

I dropped Mr. Jonathan's phone on his desk and said a very low 'Thank you sir', before walking out and heading to the hostel.

As I walked to the hostel from the main staffs' office, my mind couldn't stop thinking of all the possible things I could do to my father, that would hurt him. Kill him? Fail? Poison him? Run away? Nah, that one won't pain him. Stab him? Plot a robbery? Argh! The best is to poison him.

I walked straight to my dorm. The whole building was dark, except for the light reflecting from the bathroom. Immediately I stepped into the hostel, Mrs. Adigun, the most chitty-chatty staff in the school was leaving our hostel. So when she saw me, she asked, "Where are you coming from?"

She never minded her business and she also never kept it a secret.

My head was throbbing, throbbing from the tears I had poured out during the call with my father. With the way I was feeling, I knew I wasn't going to give her good answers. "Mr. Jonathan's office."

"What were you doing in a male educators office? By this time? What were you doing there?"

Instead of giving her the amebo she wanted, I made her assume more.

I sighed. "Ma, it's confidential." With that, I started walking away.

She pulled me back, reflectively. "Are you walking out on me? Are you talking to me like that? I'd report you to the principal." Can't this woman look into my eyes and see its redness? Can't she use her common sense?

I sighed, before using my anger to reply her. "See ma, I'm respecting you oh. Don't you think you're more than amebo? See- ma please, just let me be. Allow me to go in peace."

She also became angry. "Ah! Esse I did not know you're this rude oh." I hissed and turned away. "I'd report you to the principal." She thought I was going to apologize. Mtchew, apologize ko, apologize ni.

"Mtchew. Amebo." With that, I walked away.

"Burn!" someone shouted within the hostel. It came from Iseoluwa's bed corner. Iseoluwa really hated that woman, so I wasn't surprised.

She reflectively turned to the direction of the voice. "Put on the light, and come here," she commanded Matilda, who was entering the hostel. She walked to Iseoluwa's bed space, and asked out loud, "Who said that?"

"WASSCE! [Waske]" Someone from Ebun's corner shouted, after sucking in a deep breath. Some people had started giggling, but I wasn't in the mood. I sat down on Dammy's bed, Dammy was my bunkmate.

Mrs. Adigun became confused and got really furious. "All of you come out!" Most girls pretended to be at sleep, while some ignored her. "I said out!" The 'good girls' came out.

"What's going on here?" Miss Tunji, the most respected and trusted housemistress, walked in. "Or forget, Esse. Come out and explain." Pfft, always Esse. Because Esse won't lie abi? Be deceiving yourself.

I walked out quietly to where she was standing, in front of the hostel. "Ma, it's actually nothing serious. Mrs. Adigun asked me why I came in late, so I tried to explain to her that it was confidential. But, she won't listen to me." Miss Tunji didn't like Mrs. Adigun too.

She looked at Mrs. Adigun up down and sighed out loud. "Okay girls! Back to your bed. It's light out." With that she walked to the light switch, turned it off and left the room, leaving Mrs. Adigun standing in her usual position, stunned.

After few minutes of standing and realizing that she has been put in her place, Mrs. Adigun sighed and left. Mtchew amebo.

I sat down on Dammy's bed, remembering the words of my father as I began to cry, remembering how he made it clear to me that my opinion was still irrelevant. "Hey." My head snapped up, and I was met with Ebun. "Wait! Are you?" she asked with furrowed brown, as she walked closer to me.

"No, I'm not." I stood up from the bed, dusting my house wear skirt like it was dirty.

She smiled warming. "It's not a sin to cry you know. I feel it's the best when you let it all out. Cry as much as you want, as long as you feel better," she said as she placed her left hand on my shoulder.

Lialia.

I wasn't ready to let myself feel weak, even if I already felt so most of the time, I still wasn't going to let it show.

I pushed her hands away and insisted. "I said I'm not crying, are you going to force me to accept it?" I snapped.

She laughed and raised her hands in a mock surrender. "Never would. Accept it or not, it's your choice." She turned to leave, but she sighed instead and turned back to me. "Pushing people away, won't provide solutions. Isolating yourself, won't help. You need to come out of your shell, Esse. And sometimes it's not bad to feel weak, some things are understandably too tough." She smiled warmly at me again and turned to leave.

But I didn't want to be left alone, if not I'd cry myself to death. "Wait! Please don't go, just stay for a sec. Just a sec," I practically begged her.

She chuckled and said, "Okay then, my job is done. Your sec is over."

I sighed and smiled. "I didn't mean practically a sec, fish. Just keep me company please." I've never begged for someone's company like this, her company is cool. She keeps it lively. I like it a little.

She smiled satisfied and jumped on Amarachi bed. I flinched, I didn't like people staying anyhow on my bed, but Amarachi and Dammy didn't mind. So it's none of my business. "So...what should we talk about?" I asked her, as I raised my legs and tucked it, yoga style.

"Care to share why you were crying?" she asked curiously with a wide smile.

I shook my head. "Please, I'll appreciate it, if you never bring up that topic again. It's confidential." She didn't seem offended by my reaction, she smiled instead and nodded. But I felt the guilt, but also ignored it. "Okay then, tell me how you're always so happy and find it difficult to hate?"

She laughed as she adjusted, so she was now sitting upright and facing me, allowing the moon that was breaking through the window shine on her. She was pretty fair, and had a really dark hair and long lashes. "I simply don't let stuff get to me. When you let it get to you, you let it destroy you. Just simply push it behind you, and smile. Life is too short to be hating my dear. Try it once, laugh at stuff that makes you angry, and you'd find yourself smiling, living not hating. It's amazing," she said with a smile. But before I could speak, she continued. "You look like that kind of girl who doesn't talk much, but in her mind, she has a name she calls everyone and describes everyone in a bad way. And mostly hate. Am I wrong?"

She got me so right, but I was definitely not concurring to it. I chuckled. "Almost right, and almost not. I do have names I call most people, but I don't describe people in a bad way. I do mostly hate though, but not mostly. Okay...that was confusing," I murmured the last part to myself, chuckling.

She laughed heartily. "I get, you don't want to agree. Omo art, I won't blame you. You art girls like arguing ehn."

"No, we don't," I tried to defend us quickly.

She laughed at me again. "You see. You just argued."

It was my turn to laugh. "Abegi." And immediately something crossed my mind, so I quickly asked her. "I'm not trying to pry or anything oh, but I want to ask you something."

She smiled and nodded. "Ask nah, no p."

She really is a nice girl oh.

I took in a deep breath, before asking. "Where do you get your gist from?" I asked completely curious.

"You've not heard of Miss KnowAll? Wait, do you even know about the TalkFree app?" She asked in complete shock. I shook my head. "What? Are you in this school? Do you live in a cave or something? That app is in vogue! Everyone has it on their tab or system."

I felt a little out of place like I didn't know anything. Suddenly my intelligence felt useless. I felt like a wise-fool. I nodded, before speaking. "Okay, so who's this Miss KnowAll?" I asked eagerly and also trying to avoid getting abused again.

"She's the person that gives all of us gist nah. And anyone that she doesn't give us, I get it from Nimi. Nimi is international amebo master, but she mostly gets it from Tochi." Wow! So that's how it works! "Oh, Amarachi and Dammy are coming oh!"

I didn't want them to see me talking to Ebun, so I jumped off Dammy's bed and whispered, "Can you send it to me tomorrow, when we've been given our system?" She nodded. "Thank you." With that, I climbed my bed and pretended to be at sleep.

"Wait...was Esse just talking to you?" Amarachi asked in shock, immediately they both arrived.

Ebun gave a humorless laugh. "Esse? Me? No oh, she was just asking where you guys were and I should tell you guys she's tired, that no one should wake her." I smiled to myself. She gave them the perfect answer. "Esse have liver oh, if you see what she did to Mrs. Adigun ehn!" She changed the topic and caught their attention. I smiled to myself and tried to put myself to sleep.

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Omo art - Yoruba way of saying Art student. Omo in general means, child.

Abegi - a slang for please or 'forget that thing'.