𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐨 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 2022

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏

"How could you, Adeyem? Turning my house into a club! How dare you?"

It was all my fault. Always has, always been, and always will be. The minute Mrs. Idowu and her husband walked in to meet their house as an extension of the club, I knew I might as well bury myself 6feet underground.

It was 10 pm now and our whole apartment had been emptied of all Michael's guests.

"Did you really think you can lie on your innocent little brother? I mean look at him, such a sweet harmless boy!"

I looked over at my brother and I caught him giving a 'you're going to be in so much trouble in my account' face and I glared at him. This was his party, his friends. Why do I have to be punished on his account?

As if that wasn't enough, Mrs. Idowu thought it was best to punish me in the worse way possible - bath with detergent and liquid soap for the rest of the week while she recorded it and posted it on Social media. That was after she finished beating the living daylight out of me every morning before going to school

I couldn't take the shame and embarrassment but I had to be in school even though I was well aware I was the subject of conversation at every corner of the school I turned to. As expected classes were a disaster throughout that week. All everyone ever cared about was the party everyone thought  I threw. The only person that believed me was Miss Ebubechi Ogene, our basic science student teacher.

I was currently in her office that she shares with the basic science teacher, explaining to her what really happened.

"So, let me get this straight. You and your siblings have been living with your aunty, Mrs. Idowu  for 7 years and it's been one hell of a torturous ride the whole time?"

"Yes, and last week Michael—"

"Yes, you already explained that. Look, I am really sorry for what you're going through, and I wish I could help,"

She said, feeling sorry for me but I just looked away from her. In a split second, an idea came to my head and I smiled looking back at her. She looked at me with confusion and a ghost of a smile on her face, she said.

"What? Did I say something?"

"Well, you did say you wanted to help right?"

"Yes, the way this whole school is treating you because of your dyslexia isn't fair at all and instead of trying to help you, they are mocking you and I can't just stand by and do nothing,"

I couldn't help the stray tear that escaped my eye as she spoke so passionately about me, someone whom she just met not up to a month ago. She smiles back at me lovingly saying.

"Hey, don't cry. Crying isn't going to help you and it's only showing these people how weak you are. So please, dry your tears because strong women like you don't cry!"

"Yeah, you're right and I am strong. Speaking of strong I just had a really strong idea. So our 1st term test is coming soon and obviously, I can't read the test question even if I might know the answer because of my dyslexia. What if you help me read the question out loud and help me tick the right answer in the right box since I can't do it myself?"

I said looking at her skeptically, hoping she would buy the idea.

She gave me a thoughtful look before screaming in joy. This gave me a relief that she wasn't just in on the idea she loves the idea and I smiled in relief. All of a sudden she stopped and looked at me, changing her mood to that of someone who is worried about something.

She looked at me slowly biting her lips nervously and I couldn't help but ask.

"What? Why the sudden change of mood?"