HIDDEN IN THE PUBLIC

GENESIS

If you have nothing to be grateful for.... Check your pulse - someone somewhere
A/N - meaning of some pidgin would be translated in brackets ()

A year ago

Thomas's POV

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"Hurry up and get into the car, we have to beat the traffic" my mom yelled at me while I snapped out of my thoughts, I grumbled out of our bungalow and scrabbled myself to the passengers seat of my mom's car, tightened my seatbelt before jamming the car door. Yeah all because it requires a lot of energy to close my mom's twelve years old car and the seat belt is to prevent me from flying out of the car during the process. Well it is not so bad as it seems at least it could still transport.

"Exited to see Lagos?" My mom asked with a smile but little did she know that I can see the pains beyond that smile.

Dad left the world eight years ago while I was nine years old and the only thing we inherited was one of his old car and house while the rest went to his family members which I've only seen twice (the day my dad was buried and the day for reading my father's will) hmmmm that bad.

"Yes mum" I returned the smile back to her as she struggled to roar the engine to live.

"Well, here it comes" she whispered and zoomed off. The two hours ride out of ibadan was smooth and sillent. I peeped through the car's window to feel the peaceful breeze of ibadan probably for the last time.

Ibadan is a big city but Lagos was said to be more civilized and modern but who cares, I was contented with our little abode and friends. Although most of my friends would kill an hippopotamus to go to Lagos, unfortunately am not one of them. Durhhhh

Ever since I told them at my school that I'll be traveling to Lagos, I had been the talk of the Town even Bimpe, the girl I have been chasing for the past two years just gave me her number to call her when I arrive at Lagos.

Not that nobody in my town has gone to Lagos but that state has been over hyped and even compared to London. Those who haven't gone thinks money grows on trees in Lagos and London.

Mom already sold our house, she said we are going to start a new life at her college friend's house at Lagos city. I've already written my finals in ibadan and am to wait for the results at Lagos and probably go to college there if accepted.

"And welcome to Lagos" mum roared in excitement but what greeted me first was traffic congestion and trailers deep smokes making us cough like a recovering patient of tuberculosis. "Normally Joy's house is just a thirty minutes drive from here but with Lagos traffic, it might take us three hours" she nodded in affirmation while I arched a brow in disgust.

"So we have to cope with this everyday trouble?" I asked

"C'mon Thomas, you know am financially unstable and I have no choice but to sell the house. Don't worry dear you'd love Lagos, it is such a beautiful city with wonderful houses, jobs, people, and lot more"

"Yeaaaaaah so beautiful and generous that it even gave me a welcome gift of smoke as high as a tobacco weed which is capable of causing nasal congestion" I said with sarcasm while she looked at me with a frown before concentrating on the frustrating traffic.

"But it is not that bad really"

"I really pray so" I said

"Definitely" she said with lot of enthusiasm.

Normally my mum is just like every typical African woman, very optimistic and persuasive, Gosh you better don't try to argue with her coz that wont get you anywhere. Although my mum is her late thirties, she looked more fourtish probably because of the stress. A small tribal mark ran across her face, speaking of tribal marks, am so grateful to my late father for not allowing them ruin my face all for the sake of culture.