SAVAGE |Rewriting|

Chapter16

"Amen!" The pastor finished as he dropped the microphone on the glass alter that had two flower pots on each sides.

"Amen!" Everyone in the congregation muttered as they all began leaving the church. But then, the moderator was quick to announce that we the youths should stay back for a programme planning meeting.

I clutched my lilac purse as I stomped out of the church was a frown etched on my face. It was breezy, really breezy outside the church. My gown began to go up, reacting to the billowing wind that began to carry both dust and pieces of trash that laid around the church compound.

"Will you not wait behind or are you being rebellious?" My mom stated as she saw me coming towards her car direction where she was already standing at. "Where is Zimuzor?"

I sighed as I soon reached where she was. Her shiny head tie was being blown around by the wind which was getting much more fiercer. "He's inside."

"Then get back inside and join him. Are you not seeing your fellow youths or do you want to be the odd one? Just a simple instruction and you will not comply." What was with mothers and raising their voice when you are just in front of them.

"I'm pitying you. You will soon be the one that will complain that the youth leaders wasted time while talking to us and that you are tired and hungry." I rolled my eyes and turned, heading back to the church.

Just then, in their tens, youths trooped out of the church building. Evidently, they were done with whatever meeting was being held. I was so riled up, after returning back here, it's to find the meeting over.

"Sister Kaima!" I groaned inwardly and flashed Veronica, a twenty three years lady that was the youth co ordinator of this particular district, the most fake smile.

Veronica moved towards me in faster strides while I made no attempt to walk up to her and make her journey easier. I stood still at where I was, tapping my foot on the ground as I darted my eyes here and there, looking at my mates keep trooping out of the church.

I could recognise John and Joanna. They were devilish twins. When we were younger, there was once upon a camping retreat programme where the kids were taken apart as usual and given a different part to stay and listen to their own message. During the boring pastors message, I soon fell asleep, only to be awoken minutes later with stuffing of papers inside my mouth.

John and Joanna kept laughing at me when my I scrunched up my face and removed the rubbish from my mouth. Later on, Melody a friend of mine had told me that they were the culprits.

Talking of Melody, I saw her amongst the youths exiting the church gate. She was dressed in pepper red and white heels that had quite a pointed mouth.

A hand tapped my shoulder twice and I snapped back to reality. "Sis Kaima, I've been talking to you for some minutes now and you seem lost. Very lost." That was from Veronica who never failed to address every female in this church by the title 'Sister'.

"I didn't see you during the meeting." She began and I nodded, waiting for her to proceed. "Well, it was about no other thing than the youth camping programme that will come up in August."

"Only?"

She nodded. "Yes. Or, do you have any intentions of volunteering as a worker during the programme?"

"No, no."

We finished with exchange of pleasantries and I started off to the car. Mom and Zimuzor was already inside. And now I was wondering how I didn't see the latter among the troops of youths, earlier on.

"Finally, you remembered you have a family." Mom began as soon as my butt kissed the back seat. I always loved staying there. And Zimuzor too.

"I was talking to Veronica."

"That was why you had to prove your point that the youth meetings are always long by having prolonged discussions with Veronica, when the actual meeting is already over."

I kept mute. And she talked and talked till she got tired and had to shut her mouth up.

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"Life club members get to the hall!" I was passing the SS2 block when I overheard Naomi screaming on top off her lungs.

She really felt fulfilled with being the president of the club. But what she never knew was that I was the one that set her up there. I was the one that chipped in to the literature teacher that she would do the job well. All that, was just to be free from being the president of that club any longer.

Teddy told me sometime ago that Naomi always wanted to study Mass communication. That she wanted to either be seen behind the screen as a top reporter or become a motivational speaker.

I fell into bouts of laughter. It was ironic, really ironic.

I soon cornered off to the SS3 block and entered into my class which was SS3A. Everyone was busy dealing with their stress. And I wondered what to do as well. Something that exempted reading.

"Please pass me that novel." The ever resonating voice of Chelsea filled the calm air. I spared her a glance and saw that she was talking with Adanna who was sitting beside her.

Adanna's eyes went up that exact moment I was passing their seat to mine and our eyes locked. I broke the contact and hurried to my seat.

I said I found her irritating of late but right now I wanted her irritations. It's said that one doesn't respect and value another, until they wake up to a day when they for that same person and finds them gone. That was exactly how I felt right now.

I didn't have very much friends. Just a few. The few that dared to break into my walls and come crashing into me.

I wasn't really as they said. That rude, bad mouthed snub of a girl, was their own definition of me. But I knew myself better. I was just some bullied girl that ensured that I didn't return back to my previous state. And a girl who wouldn't love to see someone innocent bullied.

I turned and spared the duo that I paid attention to when I first entered the class, a glance. I was jealous. This would have been me talking with Adanna. But now I was left to wallow in loneliness.

Then the scene that happened a long time ago when the dinner party was upcoming and Chelsea was attacked Naomi cause because she wanted to know if it was really fun here in such occasions; replayed in my mind.

"Kaima this one you are not talking. Is something the matter?" Adanna walked up to me. I guess she had been observing me.

I shrugged. "Nothing, just school stress." This made Adanna chuckle. "School stress? You haven't even entered university and you are being stressed out. Simply tell your mother to open a tailoring shop for you."

I bursted out laughing. Not out of bliss but due to the emotions that came with the memory.

"When have you started running mad?" I turned to behold Dindu who held a bewildered expression on his face. When did he get back to his seat which was beside mine?

Was he now back to talking to me?

"And this question is meant to mean?" I furrowed my brows and looked him straight in the eye.

"You are basically laughing at nothing. And I know that's because you are bored. I'm here now so feel free to talk to me." He spoke as though he was super sure of what he uttering.

Which was actually true.

I sighed. "Clueless? Lets talk about us." He added.

"There is no longer us." I reminded him.

"It was all your choice. You broke up without a valid reason just because you saw some SS2 girl forcing herself on me. You didn't even bother listening to my explanation. For all you care, I cheated on you. How? And you even went to the extent of breaking up with me for nothing. I'm sure if I did that to you, you would join some silly girls that think that all boys are scam and cheats. But then, you really opened my eyes to understand that...that all girls are the same. And sorry, to say, you aren't excluded." Dindu poured out what he had been probably wanting to tell me.

I...I went speechless. What was wrong with me? Like what the exact fuck was my problem?

I finally breathed out, finding my voice. And when I sought to look at his face and stoop my self to apologize, he was gone.