~6~ Surprise dinner

I WAS CURRENTLY IN CLASS. After the library incident with Adaeze. Dili and I had walked together to class as we were in the same class. The people in the hallway didn't disappoint either, like I expected people looked openly at us in surprise. Dili walking beside me was sure to raise a ruckus all over the whole school as they all didn't have any other better thing to do with their lives.

When we reached the classroom it was even worst, you could vividly hear the various murmuring of my classmates.

"Ah, mad o. Are my eyes seeing clearly or what?" I heard a random voice inquire in disbelief.

I as always ignored every single one of them and was about to journey to my seat when I heard Dili say.

"Bye Rica" I looked at him oddly, wasn't he going to stay for class. English teacher was probably on her way here.

I was about to inquire further but I then remembered that Dili hardly ever came to classes. It wasn't like he regularly skipped or anything, no he was actually given a formal approval from the principal to not attend classes when or if he didn't want to. See what I said he was really favoured, not that I'm complaining or anything. On a matter of factly, it wasn't even my business whatsoever.

Still although he wasn't a regular in classes that didn't stop him from being one of the best academically. Who was Dili really? he was such a mysterious character.

I mumbled a low "Bye" and left to my seat. I didn't miss the slight grin that took over Dili's features after I spoke. After that he too left.

"So who can tell me what a noun is?" My English teacher, Miss Faith's voice invaded my train of thought.

Everyone released a strangled groan at her question.

"What is it ehn?" she asked the class while adjusting her thick rimmed glasses.

"Ma" Feyi one of the few classmates I could say was nice started "It's just that we've been doing the topic for a long time now. All the way from JSS till now. Why are we always learning this particular topic every year" you could hear the frustration in her voice and I really couldn't blame her. You see, in Nigeria this was very common with English teachers, they always taught us the same thing over and over again, and they always gave us unnecessarily long notes that we wouldn't even use during exams, it was quite frustrating. The most common things that were always taught were Letters, essay's, parts of speech, figures of speech, and articles. It's like they couldn't help themselves but teach it every single time.

"Forget about JSS sef, we are talking since primary school sef" Daniel added with a chuckle making everyone else to laugh also.

"Silence!" ordered Miss Faith, she looked like she wanted to slap somebody.

"Go and ask the schools syllabus if you want answered, now stop with the unnecessary bickering and jot down this few note" She barked out in anger making the entire class go into complete silence.

"Ohh God I hate dictation" I heard a voice muttered from somewhere in the class.

I then began to jot down as Miss Faith dictated.

.....

"So Rica I heard about the incident that you caused the other day?" My father's gruff voice resonated throughout my room. After my failed attempt at death, I had been in the hospital for five days, and as I already expected, no one visited me in that five days of confinement in the hospital, not a single soul. I got discharged today so I was presently at home in my room and my very angry father was currently reprimanding me.

"Don't you have anything to say for yourself young lady?" My father asked after few minutes passed of me not uttering a single word.

I looked up from my bed to have a good look of my father. Mr Okafor was a tall buff man and almost like all Igbo men he was definitely not lacking in the looks department although his age wasn't that quite young.

"I'm-so-rry s-ir" I shuttered out, tears threatening to fall out of my eyes. I am well aware that I am weak, there wasn't even any need for me to deny it.

He angrily sighed "God you're such a disgrace. Only a week of me outside the country and you try to undergo such a foolish act. Do you want to spoil my good name this girl!" The more he spoke the more his eyes became a lot more angry.

You see, my father and my mother had almost nothing in common which made me wonder why they even got married in the first place. But the one thing the had in common was 'not wanting their good name to be soiled'. They both were high end perfectionist so they both saw me as a disgrace no matter what I did to please them.

"I'm sorry sir" was all I could mumble once more before he finally left my room with a very disappointed and angry gaze.

.....

"Miss Rica!" jolting up from my sleep I looked around dazed. Realization dawn on me that I was in the car.

"Miss, we've reached" Mr seye said pointing out that we were parked outside the house.

"Oh, thank you" I said reaching out to open the car door.

"Ehrm ma'am if I may?" Mr Seye's voice stopped me from stepping my other leg outside the car.

"Yes?" I asked.

"It seems like you zone out and sleep a lot these days, is anything the problem?" I was shocked to say the least, I and my driver never really interacted that much. You could say our relationship was strictly business as it was. This was the first time that he had ever bothered to know of my well being.

I gave him a genuine smile and said.

"There is no problem Mr seye, you don't need to worry. Thank you for asking though" I lied without batting an eyelash. I mean how could I tell him the truth, I didn't have 'a' problem, I have 'various' problems, and It didn't really seat well on me to bombard the poor man with them.

Giving him yet another smile I then exited the car. Once again as I was about to enter the house he called to my attention.

"Oh and ma'am" I turned back to hear what he wanted to say.

"You're parents said they would be joining you for dinner this evening" Was what he said after that he drove off.

My parents? were going to have dinner with me? Well don't we see surprises everyday. I wonder what the occasion was.

Removing those thoughts from my mind I entered the door passcode and entered the empty wallow mansion. I will just have to wait till it's evening to know what was soo special about today.

...

The silence in the dinning room was filled with the sound of cutleries hitting against the plates.

"The steak is well done isn't it dear?" my mother was the first to break the silence.

"Yes it is" My father gruffly replied. Then after that the silence came back. God this was soo awkward, it has been years since I and my parents had dinner together, so it was kind of- would I say -uncomfortable for me.

"So Rica" my mother started, her eyes left her food to look at me. I quickly swallowed the food that was in my mouth to respond to her.

"Yes Mom" her gaze hardened. Quickly I rephrased my words.

"Yes mother" at this she gave me a smile of approval.

"Well, I and you Father have exciting news for you" Her smile was Soo wide that I was afraid her mouth would tear apart.

I curved an eyebrow, 'Exciting news?' well she's definitely got my attention now. I waited patiently for her to continue while placing a piece of steak in my mouth.

I really should have known that any news that was 'exciting' to my parents, would be quite the complete opposite to me. If only I had known.

"You are getting engaged!" she squealed out in pure delight. The food I was once chewing, I spat out of my mouth not caring that I was probably going to be shouted at for it.