TEENAGE TRAUMA

I'll make you proud

        "You guys! That cannot be Tricia's mum. Did you not see her?"  I said to Kevin and Cristal. "She actually is. And I don't think we should be making any assumptions about their family. It's a bit disrespectful", Cristal suggested. Throughout the rest of that day, and two weeks after, Tricia didn't show up at school. I had suggested meeting our Class teacher to call Tricia or her mum and ask for her well being on our behalf but Cristal informed me that it was a bad idea because Tricia didn't have a phone and we definitely did not want to speak to her mum. "She spoke to the Counsellor earlier today, maybe she can tell us something. Let's go see her!" Kevin suggested and we agreed to meet the school counsellor during our free period that day.
          "Sorry but I can't give you guys such information" The counsellor mentioned. "But we're not asking for any personal information, miss, we just want to know the kind of thing she told you yesterday. If she was hurt, scared, or anything related to that" Cristal responded. "You guys seem to have assumptions on what she told me but I don't care about whatever kind of information you're asking for, my job doesn't permit me to tell anyone about what students tell me. Whatever happens in this office stays in this office". The counsellor said and asked us to leave if we had nothing else to say. We reluctantly left and pondered what we were going to do. "With the look of things, we're going to have to steal the class journal or whatever it's called. You know, that one that contains all students' information" Cristal suggested.    
"You can't be serious. There's no way we're stealing a whole student's file without getting caught." I said. "But what do we need it for? Her home address? We agreed we don't need her mum's number." I mentioned. "Then yes, we need it to get her home address" Cristal replied. "You're saying we should go to Tricia's house? Excuse me, miss  Cristal, do you remember what her mum looked like? There's no way we're going there, it's straight up suicide" I argued. "Okay, we'll get back to that later, let's just find out a way to get those files". Cristal said. "Wait...who said we have to be the ones stealing it. I can't do that without getting caught and neither can any of you. So, we just have to ask for favours from some other people." Kevin said with a smile. I didn't know what exactly the idea was but it did not seem like a good one, judging my Kevin's facial expression. "So, what exactly are you saying?" I asked curiously. "We can ask Amber and Josh to do it for us. 😁" Kevin suggested. "Do you even hear yourself? Amber and Josh? Do you think you're dreaming? Those two are never gonna listen to us anyway." I replied.
"But that's not such a bad idea though. Because, what other option do we have?" Cristal Said in agreement to Kevin's idea.
"Ugh, fine, but only cause we don't have any other choice. So, who's gonna talk to Amber?"
"Not it!" Cristal hurriedly yelled.
"Not it either! Kevin, you're the one talking to Amber". I called out and said to Kevin.
"Whatever, she really dislikes the both of you so I was gonna do it anyway". Kevin said with nonchalance in his voice.
"I'm guessing that leaves Debbie with Josh." Cristal said. "Why not you?" I argued.
"Josh is Amber's boyfriend. What do you expect? He's been giving me attitude since he and Amber got together but he seems cool with you". She explained.
"Fine". I agreed, rolling my eyes. The day seemed to be going by very slowly and I was always so bored.
So I went to sit with Josh. "What's up?" I began.
"What a pleasant surprise". He answered.
"You busy?"
"No, bored, actually"
"And Amber?" I asked. "I don't even know where she is. Probably vaping in the toilet." He answered, "so to what do I owe this pleasant surprise?". "I need your help with something, it's really urgent and it's not for just me, Please." I answered. He took a deep sigh and said rolling his eyes, "Of course you need my help with something. What?". "Well, I need you to get me Tricia's file." I said. "That's a weird request. What do you need it for and why are you coming to me?" He asked. "Josh come on, if anyone can pull this off, it's gonna be you, definitely". I replied. "Okay, but You know I have to speak to Amber about this though" He reminded me.
"Yh, sure" I said rolling my eyes, "but just tell her it was Kevin's offer, not mine" I added
"So you're doing this for Kevin." Josh mentioned

"No, I'm doing it for Tricia" I answered, taking my leave.

After school, I told Kevin that I had convinced Josh to help and he informed me that he Amber also agreed to help.

"So, when do we plan to go?" Kevin asked me

"We?" I asked
"Debbie, come on, you and I and probably Cristal"

"Dragging her into this may not be the best idea"
"So, you're saying I should go alone.." Kevin mentioned

"No, I... what do you want my to do now? My mum won't let me go, and you're just putting me in such a hard spot and making me feel selfish. It's not like I have a choice." I ranted as I watched Kevin's driver pull up next to us.

"Bye, Debbie". Kevin said and left for his driver's car.

I felt a kinda bad. I didn't feel like Kevin and I ended that conversation well. Our tests were to commence the next day so I wasn't really on my phone much. I spent most of my time reading as I felt this undetermined pressure to perform outstandingly and let people see me as one who's even more intelligent than Kevin. And most importantly, I would have made a certain someone very proud. I couldn't even think much of Tricia and I constantly debated with myself if I should tell my mum about Tricia and even ask her if I could go visit her. But I felt the answer to my request was predetermined since she was quite over protective but what could I expect? we're Nigerian. She'll probably say she had a 'bad dream' about it or something. 🙄
I decided not to let anything get in the way of my studies though I felt I was trying too hard sometimes, since no matter what I did, though my dad would praise me for an outstanding performance, he'd still say I could do better and compare me to other  kids. But don't feel bad for me, it wasn't like some traumatising experience for me.