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Fifteen
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2020-10-08 06:49:00‘Aren’t you full of surprises?’ I shifted my eyes to look at Marcel.
‘Marcel, stay out of this’. Vivian said.‘I wasn’t talking to you Vivian, let Amanda speak. Clearly, she can fight her own battles’. He snapped, cold eyes never leaving mine.‘I always thought you were a little bit low on the brains department but now I am convinced you are a big dullard, the biggest that has ever graced this school. You should be grateful to have been gifted with such a pretty face, without it you’ll be a complete nuisance. Channel all that energy into your studies and maybe you’ll get some results because the next time you hit any girl, I do not know what I will do’.
For the first time, I witnessed my classmates observe total silence. The king had rained curses on the kingdom’s outcast, what could they do but stare in admiration?
When you cry because of an idiot, have you ever stopped to ask yourself; does this idiot even know he made me cry? I did that today and I realized that must have been his goal, to make me cry and I stopped the tears immediately, I won’t give him the pleasure of seeing my tears, my weakness, not even my anger.
‘Amanda. Principal’s office, now’. Mr. Dan ordered, a look of disapproval etched onto his face. Even he had been quiet for the king’s speech.
Abike, Hen and Vivian walked me to the principal’s office feeding me words of encouragement. Hen said I should become a superhero for bullied girls, she even came up with a name; mad Mandy.
As I sat in the principal’s office with Becca beside me bawling her eyes out, I concentrated on chanting sweet potatoes until she slipped a small paper before me.
‘I’m sorry Amanda but you have been given a two weeks suspension for bullying, Mrs. Dapo is on her way to fetch you’.
I was being suspended for bullying? The irony of life.
‘It’s okay, I understand’. I said to the petite woman.Rasheed was outside when I got out of the principal’s office. When he saw the look on my face, he opened his arms for a hug and I gladly indulged. Leaned on his chest, I let the tears pour.
‘I am a horrible person’. I mumbled into his chest. He lifted my face so I could look at him.
‘Never say that again, you are great’. He said sternly.‘I’m not, I am horrible. My mom is going to freak, I just ended up creating more problems for her, I never want her to worry about me’. I cried like a baby.
‘She’s your mom, she’ll always worry for you. It’s going to be fine, I promise’. Looking into his eyes, I couldn’t help but believe him.
‘Only because you promise’. He smiled and pinched my cheek.‘I always knew you were wrestling material’.‘You are not mad I slapped your crush?’
‘That is not what people call slap Amanda. You redesigned her face and she totally deserved it. My crush on her is officially over’.‘Yeah, right’. I scoffed. ‘I need to get ready, Abike’s mom will be here soon’.His smile fell.
‘How long?’‘Two weeks’.‘It could have been worst’‘I guess’.‘Make sure you study, no slacking’.‘I was waiting for that’. I said with an eye roll.He walked me to my dorm. The girls tried to raise my spirits but Hen’s glassy eyes ruined all their efforts. I packed a few books and sat at the administrative block where Mrs. Dapo picked me up after a few words with Ms. Flora.
‘Why didn’t mom come?’ I asked as she drove me home. She flashed me a smile that was faker than bobrisky’s eyelash.
‘You mother isn’t feeling too well dear’.‘Is it the alcohol?’ Her eyes flew from the road to me, she almost dropped us in a gutter.‘Amanda. Your mother is…’
‘Going through a lot? I know. Is she angry?’‘It wasn’t your fault’.‘Thank you aunty’.‘Omo mi. You are my daughter too, anything I’d do for Abike I’d do for you as well. Treat her like your sister’.‘She is my sister, I’m grateful to you two’.Ekpe was there to open the gate and complain about the starvation mom was putting him under. I was sure she didn’t bother to feed herself, how much more the gateman? Mrs. Dapo rushed back to the hospital as I walked through the front door.
My mom was asleep on the sofa and I quietly walked past her.
‘Sit down Amanda’.Her voice startled me and I hit my leg on the center table. Limping, I took the farthest seat from her. She sat up and looked me over.‘Suspension, really? Why are you being rebellious?’
I wanted to argue and tell her I had only acted out because I had been provoked but I knew better not to.‘I’m sorry ma’. I mumbled, letting my eyes fall to the ground.‘I am paying for you to get the best education as well as training, I expect you to behave and not cause any troubles for yourself. Do not let anything affect your studies, in our country today you can’t get anywhere without proper education. Do not mess up your life’.
‘I could say the same for you’. I whispered but the house was quiet.
‘I am your mother Amanda, you will respect me’. For the first time in a long while, I saw an expression on her numb face.‘Respect is earned, not demanded. Mother’.
‘Amanda!’ Her rage matched the one I felt inside and we sat there glaring at each other.‘There’s food in the kitchen’. She said and walked to her room.I spent most of my special break sleeping. When I couldn’t fall asleep, I read my school books but they were hard to discern without Rasheed’s help.
For the first time since I got it, my phone came in handy. I downloaded a lot of movies and played games Abike had previously installed. Most of my evenings were spent listening to radio shows on Ekpe’s radio.
He offered to take me on a tour of the city and I was particularly grateful to see the beach market, commodities were sold at a much cheaper rate. We bought lots of seafood and that evening I made fisherman stew.
My mom’s face lit up when I invited her to the dinning, she ate so well and I couldn’t stop the small smile that crept up my cheeks when I saw her empty plate. She wasn’t any better than she had been during the Christmas holidays; she was hardly home, came back wasted and always had loud music thrumming through the house.
Looking at her emaciated body, one would think she was my younger sister until they saw her face then they’do think she just woke from a coma.
Whatever was going on with her was really bad but how’d I get through to her when she avoided me like her life depended on it?
Ten days into the holidays and I got a call from a strange number, hesitantly I pressed the answer button and put the phone to my ear.
‘Hello’. I said
‘Hey brown eyes’.
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