Turning A Teen

Chapter 11

Armed robbery.

Days flew by quickly after my party, and I still hadn't come to a conclusion on whether or not to tell mom. When I was sure my mind was made up, and that I had arrived at a decision, I would chicken-out at the last minute or talk myself out if it.

My relationship with the twins wasn't any better, Amara avoided me like a plague in the house while Ngozi had given up on trying to talk to me after I snobbed her countless times.

I had Shola to keep me company, so I didn't miss Ngozi that much. She paid visits after school, and sometimes on rare occasions she would come straight to my house from school in her uniform, and on rare occasions I meant instances when she couldn't go home to change her uniform to mufti because the gist she wanted to give was premium.

I knew every single thing that happened in Redeemers college thanks to Shola, she was my eyes and ears, even though I didn't attend the school. Shola always gave up to date and detailed happenings of the school, her class included.

It was always one fight or the other in JSS 3, if miss A wasn't fighting miss B, miss B would fight Mr C and all those shenanigans.

I last saw Tobi at my birthday party, I guess it was because he didn't want to associate himself with junior students. Words gets around fast in Redeemers college.

According to Shola "Tobi doesn't want junior students insinuating rubbish about him.Those junior students cannot be undermined, they had a very active and wild imagination.

Besides, hanging out with junior students would only drag his prefectship in the mud, no one would respect a senior who not only hangs out with junior students, but also visits them after school in their houses."

I understood Shola perfectly, I wouldn't blame the boy. Who needs enemies when you have a person like Amara Orji as your half sister, that girl could do anything. It wouldn't be surprising if he visits one day and she starts a rumour about him in school the next day.

Although Tobi hardly visited the house, he would send his regards to me through his sister, whenever she visited.

Its been weeks since that awful night, and neither of us had heard a single word from dad. No phone calls begging for mom and I to come back to him, or texts, or calls from extended family members demanding an emergency family meeting to be held, nothing.They all grew tired.

It was only one person that frequently called mom to check up on her, Aunt Maria. Mom was using a loud button phone with torchlight, AKA Nokia 33 ten. So whenever Aunt Maria called, they had to speak in hushed voices to prevent anyone from listening in on their conversation.

I trust dad knew where to find us, it was just his ego at play. Imagine him walking to the front door of the orji's and say "Can I have my wife back, I know I have done wrong by hitting her. I am very sorry and am now remorseful." That would never happen, not in this life nor the next.

Dad was not the type to handle situations like this in that manner, he was more likely to call a family meeting with all of mom's extended family members reporting her shortcomings as a wife to them.

They would turn a blind eye to both their shortcomings as a couple, and rather focus on supporting dad. He was always right to them, money answerth all things. Just give my mother's people some Naira and they will dance to your tune.

I didn't know what games dad was up to, I honestly wanted to know what was going on in his head. Did he plan on separating from mom for good? and if so what would be my fate.

Today was finally the day, mom kept postponing our visit to a nearby salon where she hoped for me to start my apprenticeship soon. We've been putting the visit off because Uche was sick, and his mother was the one to take us there, but she had to cater to her son needs first.

The sun was scorching hot as we left the house, a very bright and sunny Saturday afternoon. it was a weekend so the twins and Mr Michael were at home. Mrs Orji refused to drive her car to our destination, her exact words were "Angel It's not far, it's a trek able distance, let's do small exercise."

I didn't like the idea of trekking under the hot sun, whether far or not, but if I am being honest the trekking actually helped me familiarize myself with the neighborhood.

It wasn't any fancy estate, just a simple neighborhood with well structured buildings. Shops selling similar wares and kiosks looking the same.

I was already sweating when we arrived at Madam Betty's kiosk. Her place was tiny and cramped, she had four girls (apprentices) in that tiny kiosk. How would I manage? From the look of things she didn't have electricity running through the place, meaning there wouldn't be fan which equals to not having fresh air.

Madam Betty exchanged pleasantries with mum and mummy Uche. she was dressed in a tight fitting gown, which hugged her curves. Madam Betty had a tribal mark, which easily gave away her tribe. Plus her accent only proved me right when she spoke.

"Mummy Uche longest time ooo, its been a while. You just abandoned me like that, you are now braiding your hair somewhere else Abi?" Madam Betty said accusingly.

Was she blind? couldn't she see that her friend was now on low cut.

"My sister, it's not what you think oo"
Mummy Uche said, removing the small scarf she used in covering her head, revealing her low cut.

"Why you cut your hair na!" She exclaimed.

"What of my girls, Amara and Ngozi, how are they?"

Madam Betty was a talker, she was ready to bombard mummy Uche with her numerous questions. Now was not the time for catching up, I was tired of standing and was also thirsty.

Mummy Uche finished answering all her questions and when she was done, she told her about wanting me to start apprenticeship under her.

Good news was it was possible, she didn't mind an extra girl (apprentice), but the bad news was the cost of learning under her.

Madam Betty brought out a rumpled sheet of paper where she scribbled down the cost of learning hairdressing under her, in a not-so-good-looking handwriting.

My mouth hung open as I read it:

– One hundred and fifty thousand naira (non-negotiable)

– Two packs of cabin biscuit.

– Two cartons of can malt. (She mentioned a specific brand of malt)

– 1 pack of plastic coke.

– One live fowl {Chicken}.

– Compulsory forty thousand naira to be paid before graduation.

             "Very good" I muttered.

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