I was stunned. We were discontinuing our exams because of a damn disease? Of what importance was the damn pandemic? It wasn’t even the first global ailment. We were told to go home after the principal made that horrid announcement. I knew the term was already coming to an end but I had hoped to enjoy the few days I had left. 

"Buchi, are you okay?" my friend, Alex asked with a concerned look on his face. 

"I'm fine."

Reality had once again slapped me in the face. I never lived in a world of fantasies but school was my only sanctuary. My mother had always been a great person, my father, the exact opposite. He was an annoying thorn in my flesh.

School made me forget my problems and just move with the flow. Then, even that was being taken from me all in the name of a stupid disease. 

"...and they said the holiday will be for a month but with the pandemic it's most likely going to last longer. Buchi are you listening?" Alex rambled. I had forgotten the boy was still there. 

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not,” he countered. “What's bothering you this time?"

I was never the type to share my problems freely, especially with the people I called my friends because frankly, I couldn’t trust any of them. I could never trust anyone. No matter how nice of a person Alex had been to me, I just could not bare my mind to him.

"Little one, I'm fine", I said with a slight smirk and my favorite pet name for him – to deceive him a little. I left him where he stood as there wasn’t time for me to spend there. I went to my class, collected my things and walked towards the car park, where the driver was presumably waiting for me. 

I got home in the worst mood anyone could imagine. Why would they cut our exams short because of a damn disease? Don't get me wrong, I was not a fan of exams but school was my sanctuary. I could do anything just to go to school each day and drop my problems at the front gate, and yet, even that was closed down. It was enough to give me a heart attack. 

When my father got home, I gravely told the news. "The principal said the school will be closed for a month due to the new pandemic.”

He didn’t even seem bothered. All he said was “okay” and went into his room.

My name is Buchi Chiedozie. I was fifteen at the time. This is the story of how my period of isolation was spent. Most of my peers gained a lot during the period worldwide of lock down, I gained a lot too. I gained lots of fresh scars, I gained more strength mentally. That was a trying time for me. I almost went mad if not for my God, my mother and my siblings. Without these amazing people, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Please join me as I recount those days. I hope you will all learn a thing or two from my experience.

A/N
Hello everyone. This is the first chapter. I hope you like it. Please be sure to vote and leave your comments. Thanks a bunch.
Love,
Diane Kleine.