Life of a Nigerian Teenage Girl

FOUR

Eriola Idowu

I raised my head to find none other than Dayo, it was so embarrassing to have him here watch me cry this way. We were not close, he was just captain of blue club for our inter-house sport so I kinda knew him. He was also one of finest boys in our school, there was no way I wouldn't know him.

"What's wrong Eri?" He asked me, I could see that he was sincerely worried about me.

It was kind of funny he made it here from SS2 science to SS1 arts, had the news spread so far already?

I was going to respond when I heard the very familiar voice call my name. "Eri!"

"Brother Benson!" I was surprised to see him. Did he also hear about the fight already? He must think bad of me already.

He hurried to where I sat and held my face in his hand looking worried. I have known him for six years, since I first saw him with my brother and not once have I cried in his presence.

"It's fine". He said softly.

"Benson, I guess I'd leave her with you. I have a class going on, just saw her when returning from the toilet". Dayo told brother Benson who just nodded. After Dayo left, brother Benson sat beside me and started petting me.

"Stop crying naw, it's not worth it". He told me but he wouldn't understand how I felt. I was betrayed by my best friend and brother the same day.

"Brother Benson, it's just not fair! Why did she have to do that? Why did he?" I asked him in-between tears.

"Because they are idiots and do not deserve your tears". He told me as I sniffled. "Now stop crying okay?" He added and I nodded even though I still had some tears trickling down my face.

"By the way, don't call me brother Benson, it's weird. Just call me Benson". He told me, my eyes lit up in utter shock. Benson keh, that's not possible.

"Ah! Brother Benson, that won't be right". I replied him.

"Let me be the judge of that". He replied.

Maybe it really won't hurt to call him by his name, sounds very nice to me. It makes me feel like we were somehow close.

"Or Buju?" I teased him and we both laughed. It felt really good to be laughing again.

For the rest of the day, I stayed away from Inioluwa and brother Tayo. They should be doing anyhow they like, my own time will come too.

It was time to go home and we went same way we did in the morning, sitting separately in the bus, this time, I was sitting beside Benson while brother Jonas sat behind us. Brother Tayo and Inioluwa were still sitting together being all lovey-dovey, too bad Iniola was caught up in playing with her friends that she did not observe.

When we finally got home, I did all I could to avoid brother Tayo. I even ate dinner in my room which caused fight between Iniola and I because I brought my plate after she had finished washing plates.

"You knew mine was not there!" I argued with her trying to make her wash my plate.

"I don't want to hear fight there ooo, the two of you". Mummy Tayo shouted from the sitting room where she and my dad were talking "adult matters".

"Just wash it, I don't have energy to fight this night". I snapped at her, it must have been my foul mood but I was being really harsh.

"No". She said firmly, running out of the kitchen while sticking her tongue out to me. I felt like beating sense into her head.

Eventually, I washed my plate and swept the house before retiring to bed. There was no one to chat with as Inioluwa and I were not on good terms, I just watched a korean drama and slept off in the process.

Iniola was surely going to nag me the next morning if she happened to be the one who turned it off for me because that's usually what happens. I watched an episode and sleep off in between, the sound would be disturbing her sleep so she will put the movie off and nag me the next morning.

NEXT MORNING
It was the usuals but today, when I woke Ini up she stood up quickly and started rambling.

"If you know watching movie is not your calling then don't be watching it, I can't be offing your phone every time you watch film like I'm your maid......" she just rambled on and I cut her short with a very insincere, short "sorry".

That didn't stop her though, she still continued talking until I left the room for her and went to prepare for school.

There was one difference this morning though, brother Tayo did not sit with Inioluwa in the bus today.

"Guess there is trouble in paradise". Benson told me the moment I sat down and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Serves them right". I replied him.