THE CHAT ROOM : PART 1 – 10
PART 4
Temi Akintade
I was chatting with Tayo one evening after my mother left for church when Bose came to tell me that she had passed her JAMB exams.
A sudden paranoia hit me. What if I didn’t pass my JAMB exams? I tried to imagine the list of unending things that could happen to me if I don’t pass my exams.
I followed Bose to the number cafe and a tall lanky man helped me check my JAMB score. He tossed the paper to Bose whose face fell the moment she saw my score.
“What did I score?” My heart drummed softly.
“168.” She grabbed my hands and pulled me outside with her. “What were you thinking? How did you manage to get this score? Didn’t you read at all?” Bose looked like she was gloating at me. I wasn’t even sure if she was asking sincere questions.
I knew I didn’t study hard for the exams because I spent 80 percent of my time chatting with Tayo.
“I blame that boy Tayo. If you were not chatting with him maybe you would have gotten a high score.” Bose said slyly.
I snatched my result from her and walked home, ignoring her calls. I didn’t even care if she wanted to apologize but I was more concerned about getting home. My mother was picking beans in a stainless steel tray when I arrived.
It was the tray that was shared at my cousin’s wedding a few years ago. The tray still had the wedding sticker on it. Only that it has faded with time.
“I didn’t pass my JAMB exams.” I showed her the paper. I was ready for her scolding or beating as usual but I was surprised when she said nothing.
“That means you will go to the college of education because even the Polytechnic cannot accept this score.” She continued picking her beans without sparing me a glance.
“Go and put the medium-sized pot on fire pour water on it and allow it to boil so we can cook these beans.”
I went to the kitchen and did as she was told.
THE CHAT ROOM : PART 1 – 10
Later that night, I told Tayo all that happened between me and my mum and what had happened between me and my friend Bose.
Then he told me that my friend was just jealous of me. I wondered what she could be jealous about because she had everything I had except my handsome Tayo.
That night, Tayo asked me to do something that I have never considered doing in my life. He asked me to take a picture of myself nked. I didn’t because I was scared that I would get caught.
Then he stopped talking to me. I begged and apologized but he said he would not speak to me until I did what he was asking.
I couldn’t bring myself to do that. I became scared that he was going to find me unattractive and leave me.
The day that followed was a Saturday. My mother did not go to work but it was a day that she would always want to boss me around the house.
Paulina scrub here, scrub there. That is not how to scrub a plate. Why is your room so dirty? She was always never minding her business!
That morning, we spent two hours sweeping the front of the house. She kept saying that I didn’t sweep the floor well enough. I was became fed up and dropped the broom. “I am tired!”
She gave a short laugh. “Isi gini? You say what?” My mother always spoke in ibo when she gets angry.
“I am tired. We have been sweeping this place for two hours! I have other things to do!”
A certain kind of pain I didn’t understand flashed through her eyes. “You dare speak back to me Paulina? Your daughter will do this same thing to you! I suffer to put food on your table and this is what I get?”
“You frustrate me all the time! I don’t even like it whenever you are around!” I blurted before I could stop myself.
My mother didn’t beat me. She let me alone. And from that day, she spoke less to me except on the day she wanted to give me money for my acceptance fees into the College of Education Zuba.
My mother didn’t know that I had gotten angry with her because of the demand Tayo was placing on me.
Finally, I succumbed to Tayo’s demand because I was lonely and there was no one to speak to. The only person who liked me was not speaking to me because I denied giving him what he had asked for.
When everywhere was quiet and dark, except for the yellow bulb that lit my small cramped room, I took my nvde photos and sent them to Tayo. He was excited. He sent me a ksses emoji and sent me another photo of a white woman with a huge b©ssom.
Then he told me, that once he comes back home for holidays in Abuja that he would give me a solution that will enlarge my brea$t.
I became excited that I couldn’t wait for Tayo to come back for his mid-semester break.
THE CHAT ROOM : PART 1 – 10
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