It all began in 2020

CHAPTER ONE🍗

(ABUJA)

(JANUARY 2020)

CHAPTER ONE🍗

TUNDE

Honestly, I didn't want to be there. I had no interest whatsoever being where I was presently, hence why I was staring out the window, watching some people play basketball. I was enjoying the view until I heard someone call my name "Tunde! Tunde!!" I was snapped out of my trance and a confused me turned back to remember that I was actually meant to be listening to the teacher in front of the class. My classmates used this opportunity to laugh at me, but as usual, it didn't move me. I was used to it anyway, the mockery, the bullying, it was something I woke up to every morning because I was fine with it. Because I knew I had my best friend with me all the time.

Mrs Mary or "mama Jesus" as we call her was finally out of the class and looking at the board, I realised that I didn't pay attention to a single thing she said throughout her fifty minutes with us. At least she came to class. I remembered some of my teachers who for weeks wouldn't come to class except to give us tests and point out places we should study for our exams. So much for getting an education.

I used this as an opportunity to get out of the class and have an opportunity of breathing fresh air. I'm slightly asthmatic, that's why I love sitting by the window in class. I have access to fresh air, and it gives me an amazing opportunity to focus on other things whenever the class gets boring. While I was outside, I realised that I was the only one outside which meant that classes were still going on. I went over to the dining hall which was quite far away from the class block to get some water. On my way, I met Daniel, the best friend I introduced a few lines ago.

Daniel and I have been friends ever since I started secondary school, and that's been four years. Although we haven't shared a class since JSS 1 or 7th grade, whichever you call it, we've been there for each other, always having each other's back. Sure we've argued, fought, insulted each other even, but I guess there's no relationship without such incident.

"Why are you out? You know I can report you to the principal right?" he told me.

I laughed at his joke and minutes later he joined me in the laughter. "No but seriously, why are you out?" he asked.

"I'm going to the dining hall to get some water. Do you mind joining me?"

"Sure."

And so together, we went through the stress of walking over to the dining hall for some water. And that's because that's the only place we're allowed to fetch water from in our school. Sure you're free to drink from the taps but you wouldn't be doing yourself any good if you chose that alternative.

After we were done, I planned on going back to class, I think it was Civic Education, but Daniel dragged me back. "Don't tell me you're going back to class."

"Yes. What happened?" I chuckled.

"Let's scale." he said unamusingly.

"You want us to skip school?"

"Of course. We would go out and buy a lot of suya and even visit mama Chidi's shop for that her jollof rice."

Now, knowing Daniel, I knew he wouldn't take no for an answer. But then, looking at the offer he gave me, it did sound delightful. Civic Education was a pretty straight forward and useless subject anyway, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to go have some fun myself, and on the bright side, it was the period before break.

"But I don't have money on me."

"Don't be foolish Tunde. I definitely can't bring up such a treat if I didn't have money on me."

"Okay. Sounds nice. How much do you have?"

"Fifteen thousand Naira." Daniel said with an ear aching Igbo accent.

"Okay then." I agreed to do it. To be honest, I know it's something a normal child wouldn't be proud to do. But then, when was I ever normal?

We knew we couldn't jump over the fence at the front gates due to the high amount of security that was there. But there was a part of our school that was very very very far back and literally had no fence and led to the streets. The only problem was that we couldn't walk there. We needed someone with a car to take us. I might seem cunny, but one thing is that Daniel is a mastermind at things like this, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he ended up a thief or a fraud. He pretty much flunked school anyway, it was a surprise how I managed to pass my exams.

We went back to the dining hall and went into the administrative part of the dining hall which was where the head of kitchen stayed and where all members of the kitchen staff had their breaks. We met one who was on his way to use the restroom and Daniel stopped him, and we entered the lavatories with him. We ensured we were alone and Daniel informed the man what we were about to do. With the look on his face, we knew he didn't want any part in it. But we assured him that no one would know about our encounter and we promised to pay him two thousand naira.

Since all the members of the dining staff were in having their rest, we decided to use it as an opportunity to quickly follow him to where he parked his car. We got into the back seat and laid low on the carpets so no staff would see a bunch of students in another staff's car. The ride was bumpy since there were no tarred roads leading to the place, but after a few minutes, the car stopped. Daniel and I came down from the car and thanked the man. Daniel reached into his pockets and pulled out a wad of cash and gave the young man two thousand naira as promised. Now, it was left to us.

Throughout we ensured we bent down and stayed low to avoid getting caught. We walked into the bushes and went westwards, to the streets. To be honest, it was frightening, as I had never been to that part of the school before, but Daniel seemed like he was cool with it, and so I knew I had to be cool too.

We finally made it to the streets and sure we looked weird being the only people dressed in school uniforms, we knew no one would question us about it. That was just how it was. We knew it would take some time to get to where the markets were and it would be tiring walking the distance, so we stopped a keke NAPEP, (a tricycle taxi), on our way. We hitched the ride and paid the driver fifty naira. Sure it was difficult to find change, owing to the thousand naira notes we carried, but it was worth the wait.

We arrived at mama Chidi's canteen and boy was she delighted to see Daniel. We were the only people in her shop that morning, so it was no surprise she treated us very nicely. We ordered four plates of jollof rice and some chicken, along with glass bottles of Coca-Cola and Sprite. Minutes later, our order was ready and we dug in. We shared the plates of rice and chicken between us and picked up the next plate whenever we were done. Our meal cost us exactly a thousand naira and Chidi paid exactly that.

I was full and I knew I had eaten food that was much better than what would have been served at school, but I was still craving some suya, non the less. I knew I wouldn't eat it immediately, hence why Chidi and I planned on buying them for keeps. There were many of them lined up on the streets, and it was common knowledge that wherever they sold suya, they also sold kilishi. Daniel and I enjoyed the liberty to try a variety of samples from the sellers and they were delicious. Although, we finally settled on buying from a man that seemed to dip his meat in barbeque sauce. We bought the entire stock and that set us back three thousand naira, but that meant we still had about nine thousand left.

We knew we had a lot of money left, but didn't know what to do with it. I suggested Daniel saved the money, so we could have another day such as this, but that was when he brought up the idea of us going to the cinemas to a movie. It's been long since I watched a movie in the comfort of the cinema's theatre halls and knowing we had a lot of money left, I agreed to it.

We hailed a taxi and told him where we were going. He told us the price and Daniel and I both thought it was a bit expensive. We hailed another, and this particular one wound the windows down. We looked into the car to talk to the driver and that was when we knew we were in trouble.