Two Birds

Eight

Inioluwa's POV

" Duh. . . Principal Lawson told Isaac and Isaac told me, he won't be able to see you off because he's busy with Principal Lawson but he told me to give you our group portrait to take home. " Phoebe explained, passing the drawing paper; that contained an artwork that she and Tobi had made for our group. The painting was usually rotated amongst all of us–it signified our oneness. Something I cherished.

" What are you gonna be doing?" Phoebe asked, rushing a coat of red lipstick on her naturally red, thin-lipped mouth.

" What kind of question is that? What people do when they get suspended now?" Tobi answered, making the three of us to roll our eyes simultaneously.

" Which is?" Phoebe asked, her eyebrow raised.

" Partying and flexing. " Tobi replied, nudging my shoulder.

Those two things were the least things on my mind right now.

" Tobi, not everybody is YOU. Okay?" Zarah said, hands folded and eyes tired and used to Tobi's nonchalance.

" Seriously?" Tobi said, looking at me.

" Zarah's right. I'll just be at home doing what I usually do but you guys will still come over during the week and other days when you're free."  I said, staring at each of them eye to eye but none of their eyes meeting mine. " Right?"

Phoebe started, hands behind her back and her long thin legs kicking against the ground. " Well. . ."

" Phoebe. . . " I called, staring at the girl who had once struggled with coping here after leaving Australia.

Phoebe answered, " I have plans. Lots of plans. Saturday's my grandmother's birthday and we're throwing her a party. And then there's Sunday with the thanksgiving mass and other. . ."

Tobi probed his hands into his pocket, " I also have plans. "

I nodded my head, trying to keep my real emotions from displaying. " Oh. . . Ok. Zarah, you're coming to see me right. "

Zarah replied, adjusting her hijab. " Actually, Ini. I'm busy this week maybe the next. "

" That's fine. " I said, running my hand on the drawing paper, avoiding their eyes.

" And don't bother asking Isaac, he also has plans. He always has plans. " Zarah added. " But. We might come next week."

I flashed a smile. " No, problem. "

***

The drive back home was a blend of peaceful and nerve-wrecking. My mother chose to ignore me by driving promptly while singing along to What's Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner; her shoulder length wig framed her oval head perfectly and along with her it swayed right then left and I chose to overlook the whole thing by watching the hazy trees and houses from the front seat window.

After a while, I turned to glance at her, knowing fully well that she would not pay heed to me when that song was up. My mother's dark brown face still housed her clean girl makeup and she was still in her business pant suit which meant she had driven to pick me from work. She could have told the driver to come pick me up but she had chosen to leave her very busy schedule to come see me. My heart was glad.

" Mom. . ." I called out gently, rubbing my manicured fingernails.

She did not answer instead she stretched her hand forward to increase the volume of the radio; an act that had caught me by surprise. I called her again but she chose to sing loudly, tapping the steering wheel with her long nails.

That's it.

I stretched out my hand and turned the music down, earning the attention I needed.

" Mom. I was framed. " I said.

She smiled. " I know you were. "

' You do. " I said, turning to look at her while she responded with a nod.

She replied, " You are my daughter and I know you; stealing exam papers, condoms. Pills. These are not your cup of tea. "

I smiled. " Great " I straightened my skirt. " We're on the same page then, I propose we sue the school latest tomorrow. "

She burst out in laughter. " Sweetie. Yes. You are innocent and no; we can not sue the school since they have evidence against you and you have no evidence proving your innocence. "

" So. They win. "

" If you think of it that way, you know you can make this indefinite suspension work in your favour. "

" I don't see how I can anything work in my favour.  I'll be away from my friends and most of my social life. I'll not represent the school at the essay competition and I won't be a prefect. "

" I know how much those things mean to you but do they really matter to you. This indefinite suspension can be a means for you to rediscover yourself so that when you return back to school, you'll return a better person. "

I sighed, slouching on the seat. " You make it sound easy. " I muttered, rubbing my temples.

The radio came up again with a different song; Lose you to love me by Selena Gomez. My mother hummed along and I couldn't help singing along.

Soon enough, the large white gate of my home stood in front of me and after a few honks from my mother's car, the gateman rushed out to open the gate. Then, my mother drove in and parked her BMW next to her other car.

I stepped out with my bag but somehow I found my feet stuck to the ground. My eyes stared deeply into my white duplex home where I would spend most if not all of my suspension days and inside my head; I was deliberating about my identity.

Who was I really without my cliché?

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* It's time to switch over to Chisom. *

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