GIVE ME A HEART
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EPISODE 2??
” You’ve been awfully quiet throughout today. What’s your problem?” I said to Cain as we walked home, Wheeling our bikes up the hill.
” It’s my parents,” Cain said. ” They’re complaining about my grades. They kept nagging me about what I’d like to study in the university.”
” And why haven’t you told them?” I asked looking at him directly in the face.
” Because I don’t want to go to the university,” Cain spoke. ” I want to get into trade. School costs a lot of money, time and investments. Why not invest all those things into a profitable business.”
” I agree with you,” I spoke. ” School could be such a waste of time. I’m tired of it all. Trouble is my parents most especially my dad wants me to be a graduate.”
” I guess both our parents are as stubborn as that,” Cain said then as we reached the top of the hill, he stopped immediately. I stopped too and wondered why he stopped.
“What’s the problem?” I asked. He didn’t say anything, he just stared ahead of me. I turned as well and saw a girl trekking down the sloppy hill.
Veronica.
We both stared at her for a long while as she walked down the hill quietly.
” This is perfect,” I spoke excitedly, mounting my bike. ” Time to have some fun.”
Cain frowned his face. ” What are you trying to do?”
” What does it look like I’m doing?” I said carelessly. ” We do this Everytime with the other girls from school, right?”
” I’m not going to be part of this today, Andrew. The hill is very sloppy, she might get hurt,” Cain said, Wheeling his bike away from me.
I was surprised. Usually he loves hitting girls whenever we’re speeding on our bicycles. Why was he suddenly reluctant. I shrugged and rode down the hill past him. The bike took up more speed as it ran down the hill towards where Veronica was walking.
She didn’t know what was coming at her but I did. When she turned, I used my leg and pushed her hard away from the road. ” Get away from the road, diseased girl. You’re in my way.”
She stumbled and fell roughly to the ground, rolling down the hill in dusts. I laughed so hard as I paddled my bike faster towards home. ” See you later tonight, Cain.” I shouted at Cain, waving my hand.
For some unknown reasons, Cain didn’t wave back at me. I saw him walked slowly with his bike to where Veronica laid spread out on the ground with her books scattered around and he stopped.
She glanced up at him, her face dirty from the ground with some harsh bruises. As I rode my bike, I watched as Cain offered his left hand to her. She grabbed it and he raised her up.
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I arrived home and marched straight to the kitchen. Mom had left my fish stew and boiled yam for me in a covered plate. I ate hungrily and changed into my casual wear. Dad was still fishing with his co-fishermen in the sea. It’d take till sunset before he returns.
I liked my new dad. He was a little younger than mom but he was strong, and hard-working and loving. Unlike my biological dad. Mom had married the wrong man in her earlier years of marriage. He maltreated and abused her physically even during pregnancy. When I was born, he maltreated me also. He was a godforsaken hopeless drunk, leaving all the manly responsibly to mom. He just stayed indoors and drinks to stupor. When I turned nine, mom was rushed to the hospital for a bottle dad had used on her head. After that, mom survived and ran away to live with her secondary School classmate who was a successful fisherman. They fell in love and eventually married.
Over the years I stayed with my new dad and little step sister, Lizzy, I’ve been happy with myself. Mom filed a divorce and left her first husband for good. And now, she was living the best life she wants with my new dad. We weren’t rich but we were happy with the little we had.
I walked towards the beach and sat in the sand, overlooking the sea. As I thought, I instantly remembered the girl from my dream. She was a mystrical being, she was special. I wanted her. I wanted to see what she looks like. I felt this strong sense of familiarity between us. I just can’t seemed to place where I might’ve met her and yet, it felt as if I’d known her for ages.
” Andrew,” someone called.
I turned and sighted Oliver. He and the other boys had arrived to play volleyball. I got up and ran up to them. ” Hi guys.”
” You’re here earlier,” Oliver spoke. ” Where’s Cain?”
” Haven’t seen him,” I said. ” I thought he was with you. He always comes with you guys.”
The boys moved a little uneasily. ” I’m not sure he’s going to come today,” Oliver said.
” That’s absurd,” I said. ” Cain never misses our games. He’ll definitely be here.”
Oliver stared at me as if what I’d just said was the most stupidest thing ever. ” On our way coming to the beach, we saw Cain with that diseased girl.”
I raised both my eyebrows. ” That’s not possible.”
Oliver shrugged. ” It was him, alright. They were coming out of a chemist shop when we saw them. He then offered her a ride to her house on his bike.”
My mouth opened, then closed. This was a surprise. What had gotten into Cain? Why would he do that?
From the other side of the beach, a small bunch of my class girls began coming. Naomi was amongst them and she wore shorts and a red top. She walked up to me and kissed me in the cheeks. ” Hey, baby. I’m here for the big game.”
We didn’t waste time. We arranged ourselves in groups with our girlfriends and began playing but my mind wasn’t in the game. I kept worrying about Cain.
Then Cain came around. To everyone’s surprise, he was still in his uniform. He wheeled his bicycle to a coconut tree and sat on the sand, watching us with tired eyes.
” What was that all about yesterday?” I asked as Cain and I cycled to school. We were late again.
” What?” Cain asked, sucking at his lollipop. ” You mean, with Veronica? She was hurt. She had bruises on her face and she strained her wrist a little bit. I thought it’d be nice if I lend her a helping hand.”
” Helping hand?” I asked as we crossed the road. ” The girl I diseased. You might get infected.”
” I took her to go see a chemist,” Cain said.
” But isn’t that taking it too far?” I spoke.
Cain shooked his head and turned to the parking lot. We locked out bikes in the bicycle shed and hurried to the school gate where Jude and his boys were already prepared to deal with the latecomers. We saw someone new in the little crowd of latecomers, it was Veronica.
She seemed to be explaining to Jude the reason why she was late to school that morning but Jude was just anxious to beat her.
” You’re getting your six strokes of cane wether you like it or not,” Jude maintained.
” I’ll take it for her,” Cain said, moving up to Jude. ” You can add hers to mine.”
Jude gaped at him speechlessly. Even the other seniors were amazed.
” Are you out of your mind?” I whispered to Cain but Cain ignored me.
” Very well then,” Jude said and he gave Cain twelve lashes on his bvttocks.
Cain grabbed his bag and went for the assembly. Veronica caught up with him to thank him for his deeds. With that, they both walked together into the assembly ground.
Jude and his fellow seniors watched them for a long time then they turned to me and barked. ” Oya, Andrew. Your turn.”
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