The Lost Ones

Chapter Thirty Seven |♠Study sessions and Friendships ♠|

                       ♠ Chikamsi ♠

She sighed for the umpteenth time, closed the book on her well laid bed and groaned.
Since Chikamsi had returned from the Nationals competition, her mother had kept her in the house for days.

School wasn't necessary for their set currently, since they were about to start their long stretch of examinations. Chikamsi had been trying to read, she had promised to give herself a treat if she could just pass her jamb  well, and have all C's in WAEC.

She ignored the gnawing feeling and picked up her phone, Chikamsi scrolled through her messages, she had told her followers she had exams and would have to be focused for a while, which meant no frequent updates.

She had expected Chetachi to say something quirky in response, about how the Chikamsi he knew was addicted to her growing popularity, all she got was silence.
The silence from Chetachi was almost deafening.

She sighed, he wasn't the one that had brought Chikamsi back home, he wasn't the betrayer, but the bad news came from his mouth.
She hadn't said a word to Chetachi since the day he told her her mother wanted her back home.

Quickly, Chikamsi hid her phone under the duvet and flipped open her textbook to a random page, as her father knocked on the door. “Come in," she called out, grateful he was one of those African parents who had the decency to knock, they were very rare.

“I know you're not reading, " he said, Chikamsi opened her mouth, but the words didn't come out. “I saw you online three minutes ago." He supplied, she groaned.

“Fathers in tech, now we won't hear word," she chuckled, and burst into laughter when her dad made the peace sign.

“Do you really want to pass this WAEC and NECO, Kamsi?" He asked her, the seriousness in his voice told Chikamsi  he wasn't here to punish or scold her for being online.

She shook her head, “I will not stay one year with you and mummy in this house." Chikamsi grimaced, one whole year doing nothing but enduring her mother's countless insults and nagging?
The thought alone made her reopen her textbook to the page she had actually been reading previously.

Mr Benjamin touched Chikamsi's shoulder lightly,an encouragement, before he left.
She sighed, and picked up her phone again.

                        ♠ Tobiloba ♠

“Are you sure you can cope with reading on your own?" His mother asked him, worry creased her features. He smoothened her wrinkled forehead and kissed it, “Yes, mummy."

The older woman shrugged and refocused on the Bible she had been reading.

Tobiloba admired her, he allowed himself to wonder for a brief moment, what it would be like if he found a godly wife, his father was a lucky man.

He continued doing the dishes, hopefully he would be done in time to put in some hours of basketball practice before his father came back and it would be time for evening prayers.

The scholarship still felt like a dream, his heart warmed up whenever he remembered that he had been awarded a sports scholarship to an Ivy league university, for being the most skillfull basketball player during The Nationals competition.

Tobiloba's father had tears in his eyes, and Daniel had insisted that he get his own share if the money for housing his brother.

In all, he was glad to have made his family proud, and his relationship with God hadn't suffered one bit.
“I know I've said this countless times, but thank you Lord for this scholarship." He whispered, as he dried his hands on a kitchen towel and told his mother he was  headed out.

“Greet that boy, Peniel for me." She called after him.

Eastwell village was a quiet town.

The people who lived there generally minded their business, and nosed into other people's businesses from time to time.

Tobiloba wanted to spend what little time he had before the commencement of his exams with his parents, because his school had been slated to resume in August.

When he reached the basketball court, a smile tipped the corners of his lips, Peniel had been waiting for him.

The taller boy slapped Tobi on the back in a friendly greeting, and handed him the basketball he had been holding.

“I'll win all our games before you go back to school." Tobiloba smiled, his new friend was very competitive.

Authors Note
Hey y'all 😗
Who's hungry?😂