ALL FOR NOTHING
Episode Fifteen
It felt like a dream when Principal Ogunsola announced right there in the Assembly ground that I wouldn’t be enlisted among the eligible candidates for the scholarship to study in Germany. It had been a culture of Achievers high school to enlist her best students for the scholarship award by the Klosc foundation. I had always dreamt of winning that scholarship and being able to study abroad.
After the incidence with Toyin, I lost purpose. The news had spread through out school and even the teachers didn’t believe I was innocent. I got a two weeks suspension from school while the case was still being investigated. Timi and Sola had claimed that I was the one who planned everything. They had told the school management that it had been my plan to take advantage of Toyin and that he (Timi) tried to stop me but I insisted and since he was my friend he had to oblige. Everyone knew Timi to be my best friend and since it was himself who was testifying against me, no one doubted it.
Toyin’s father was really annoyed that he wanted to sue the school and lock me up for the rest of my life. Mama had to beg on her knees crying for him to take pity on a poor widow and his only son. When uncle Kayode heard of it, he supported Toyin’s father that I should be dealt with.
“You see why I said my late brother was very unlucky? Instead of going to school you are busy looking for ways to take advantage of girls. You even had to rape someone’s daughter. Imagine sixteen year old like you.” Uncle Kayode said adding more pains to the one I was already having.
Everyone doubted me except for mama. Mama was the only person who believed I was Innocent. Toyin detested me more than she had ever loved me. She stopped coming to school and I knew it had to do with the stigma of what had happened.
When I resumed school after the suspension, I was no longer the Ayo I used to be. If not for the final exams that were barely a month to when the incidence took place, I would have been expelled but the school management took pity on me and gave me the opportunity to write the final exams. All offices I was handling were taken away from me. I became really miserable.
Timi and Sola also got suspended but not with a stigma like mine. I couldn’t believe Timi could tell such lies against me. I couldn’t believe Timi could make my life miserable.
I still had the cell phone in my possession and every time I tried calling Toyin, it wasn’t going through. I couldn’t eat nor sleep neither was I able to read anymore. All I wanted more than ever was to prove my innocence that I did not take advantage of Toyin and it could have been someone else..
The exams finally started but it wasn’t the same Ayo who wanted to have nine A’s that sat for the exams. I was already tired of having fingers pointing at me whenever I was in school. I just wanted to write the exams and leave the school. The news had also gone round Utti district that Mama became the talk of every gathering.
“Just one child that she has, she couldn’t raise him up properly.” They would say.
On the first day of the exams, we had Chemistry practicals and Toyin was around to write it too. I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to meet her and tell her how sorry I was for what happened to her and also to make her believe me that I was innocent of all the accusations.
She walked past me like she didn’t seem to know me. I didn’t perform very well in that exam because I had lost the zeal to study. After the exams I walked up to her but it wasn’t like it used to be when she’d smile on seeing me. She was bitter.
“Toyin I’m really sorry for what happened. I know I can’t bring back what you’ve lost but I just want you to know that I’m really sorry. I just hope you can believe me when I say I didn’t plan anything with Timi and Sola to take advantage of you.” I said.
“It’s easy for you to say that. I trusted you but what did you do? How come you were naked? Timi said you asked him to leave and that was why he left with Sola. I want to really believe that you were not the one who did this to me but I can’t. Have a nice day and please don’t come near me again.” She said and walked out.
I couldn’t take it anymore and for each passing day I couldn’t wait for the exams to finish. I wasn’t writing to get A’s anymore but to finally leave Achievers high school and everyone who had betrayed me. No matter how hard I tried no body wants to believe me.
A night before our last paper, I decided to write a letter to Toyin. I just needed her to forgive me as I wouldn’t be seeing her ever again.
“Dear Toyin, I know you’ve asked me to stay away from you but I want you to know that I’ll not do that until you finally give me a chance to really explain what happened between us. Remember how I told you that we are still young and shouldn’t rush things yet. I really meant it and nothing would make me do something like that to you. How I found myself in that room and how my clothes left my body I don’t understand. I don’t want to say Timi and Sola had something to do with it but I am having the feeling they do. You are my friend and you should have known me by now. Maybe the fact that I kissed you that day is why you are doubting my innocence. I kssed you because I love you and for that reason I will never take advantage of you. I wanted to apply for the scholarship so as to have a good life and who knows someday I would be able to become committed and then probably ask you to marry me. It may appear stupid to think that but believe me Toyin, that was my plan. The school management had taken away all my rights to enrol for the scholarship exams both in this country and abroad and you know what that means-no more schooling for me. I don’t know when I’ll be seeing you again but I believe when the day comes that our paths will cross again, you’d have been able to forgive me. Once again, I love you and wouldn’t do anything that will make you doubt that.”
After the exams, I walked up to her and gave her the letter.
“What is this?” She asked.
“Just read it when you get home.” I said and turned to leave. I saw Timi but we didn’t say a word to each other. By the time I got home, mama was out. I felt really disturbed because I have failed mama. Even if she believed that I was innocent, I knew she was battling inside of her. I could believe that all my efforts from JSS1 amounted to nothing at the end of the day. It was all for nothing.
Mama decided I’d go and learn tailoring since there was no money to send me to the university. Toyin had left the country already without replying my letter. Timi also was planning to leave immediately after our results get released. I didn’t like the idea of learning tailoring but I had no choice. Mama met with one of her friend whose son owned a tailoring shop in Utti and every necessary arrangements were made for me to start learning the following week.
Every night I was dying of depression. Nobody understood my pains. I was smiling yet dying. I was eating yet starving emotionally. Suicidal thoughts began to come into my head. I just couldn’t take it anymore. To make matters worse, when our results were released, I got a D7 in Biology. The result was no way near Kunle’s own. Achievers high school recorded a very poor performance that year. When I saw the result, I knew I was doomed. I decided I’d leave Utti and go very far away. The memories were too painful and staying in Utti will keep me locked up in my frustration and depression. I decided to leave Utti without telling mama. I decided to take another path in life. All my struggles in school amounted to nothing and all thanks to those whom I called my friends. I decided to leave every thing to God and to keep hoping that someday the truth will come out. However I had learnt a very important lesson and that is not to trust anyone.
While mama was making plans to make me start tailoring as soon as possible, I was making my plans to leave Utti and even if I knew it would hurt mama, I had to do it. Since money was really the problem in our lives, I decided to dare life and make the money. This time around I was ready to break the rules and do anything that could make me rich so that I could stand up to those who looked down on me and made my life a living h’ll. I promised myself to be rich and prove to those who thought that nothing good could come out of my life. I was ready to prove to Uncle Kayode, Timi and even Toyin that turning their backs on me and stabbing me on the back was the biggest favour they ever did to me…
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