Tough Skinned

Part I

           

Oluoma

    Adjusting my tie as I took a good look at myself in the mirror in my room. I guess I am ready for my first day at MarkBenson High School Lekki.

     I can't believe I'm actually changing schools; everything feels so surreal to me and I'm terrified. I imagined what my first day would be throughout my 4 years in Lake City Apo and No I don't live in Abuja, Yes my parents sent me to an all girls Leadership Academy in Abuja to make me step out of my ‘shell’. It only made me more shy oh! The struggles of being an African child.

      “Lulu come and spread my bread for me  biko you know just how I like it. Aunty Ijeoma doesn't like to listen to me ” Chiemezie my 6 year old brother whined as he jumped on my arranged bed and scattered it. This boy is lucky he is adorable.

      “ChiChi  biko m na-abịa I'm just trying to get myself ready for school” turning to face him I asked him “How do I look?”

      “You look like those girls in the umm... In that adult cartoon you just started watching apart from your hair. Why is your hair in puff puff ?” A perplexed look crossed his chubby face while he studied me like some lab experiment.

       I sighed. I thought he wouldnt notice my hair. In Lake City, the Christian girls were told to cut their hair as it causes distraction. Its a dumb idea I'm aware but its life anyways since I left after SS1 and I'll be joining in MarkBenson in SS2, my hair hasnt grown to a considerable level. My mum thought it would look cute on me if Ijeoma did my hair in a neat puff puff  with different colours of ribbons. I was about to protest but she received a business call that lasted forever. If my 6 year old brother could notice it; Im certain my new classmates would. There goes my first impression.

     “Chi my hair is in puff puff because Mummy said it would look nice on me now come lets go and eat before Ijeoma starts vexing for us” I picked up my black adidas school bag after i straightened my bed. Then I took my brother by the hand to the kitchen.

    ChiChi said my uniform is like Anime girl school uniform. I dont know whether I should wear pop socks or just stick with my new grey ankle socks. My school uniform consists of a grey pleated high waisted skirt that is about 5 inches above the knee with 2 pairs of white shirt one long sleeve and the other pair short sleeve with a blue breast pocket that has the schools logo on it, one blue blazer with a grey breast pocket on the left side, one grey round neck sweater and a blue tie with grey stripes. Our uniform is to be paired with any type of grey socks.    
                
       Personally, I think the uniform is really classy but Im certain the length of my skirt is not going to be noticed.

        “Oluoma I hope you and your younger brother are ready for school because I have someone waiting for me in my office and I'm not going to be late for any reason” my Mum  screamed my name as she came out of the room with my Dad following her.

       “Yes Mummy, Chiemezie and I are ready” I ran to the parlour to greet my  parents as a sign that we were ready
“Mummy good morning, Daddy good morning ” All I got was an absent minded nod from my Mother and a grunt from my Dad.

      Chiemezie was immediately at my side with nutella stained cheeks to greet them. My Dad finally looked up from his phone and began to scrutinize my new uniform. Then he looked over to my brother and instantly, I knew he was going to shout.

    “gini bu ihe ahu di ihu gi?”  my Dad barked as he sent Chiemezie a very disapproving look. My brother with tears already pooling in his eyes responded with a very firm voice
“Daddy its the nutella that I used to spread my bread”

“So is that why you used it to rub your face like cream?? You should stop taking all these sugary things you're already chubby. When I was your age, I didn't know what butter is and I still took my bread dry like that”
    
   Thats because they probably didn't invent butter back in your days. I held back my tongue as always with a very blank expression on my face because I am used to... Well 4 out of his 6 children are used to this very well. “You guys start going to the car I'm already late for work” Mummy said   nonchalantly not looking up from her phone. “Yes mummy” we both chorused as we left the parlor with immediate effect.

      Pulling my brother to hug me as we reached the kitchen. I want him to know I'm always there for him. ChiChi didn't even cry like the hard guy he is aspa based on levels now. He just wiped a stray tear on his cheek and got himself together.

   I removed my water bottle from the freezer and put 6 slices  of bread that is heavily coated in nutella in a  zip lock. Don't judge me that is my breakfast. Then I carried my cute blue lunch bag and ushered my brother to my mums car to wait for her.

   Not long after, my Mum entered the car and ignited the engine of her silver Honda Pilot. Latest model.
My parents co-own a nation wide importing and exporting business that my Mum mostly manages while my Dad is an engineer that has his own firm. You could say my parents are loaded. I have 5 siblings out of which 2 are girls and 3 are boys with the first born being a girl; the second a boy with that constant rotation till you meet my last born Chiemezie that I Senior with 9 years. That's the largest age gap between my siblings and I sometimes, I use it and do celebrity in my family.

   Feeling the familiar nausea building up in my stomach as we were already on the road, I reached for my schoolbag bringing out with me 3 tablets of mentos mint. It helps with my motion sickness. I popped two in my mouth while I stretched my hand to the back to give my brother because I know he is going to ask me to give him some of it.

  “Oluoma, this is your first day at your new school. Remember how you begged me to change your schools. I've done it so that you would not say I was the reason you didn't do well in life. You know our deal. Do one week as a day student and then you would resume boarding. Don't forget why you're in school therefore you shouldn't come back with bad grades. Am I clear??”

“Yes Mummy ” I responded as I kept on licking my mint mentos. Dropping Chiemezie at his own school. No we don't go to the same school. My Dad wanted us to be independent so we all go to different secondary schools. My chest was beating hard as I kept replaying scenarios on how my first day would be at my new school.
I'm actually going to see boys my age and class for the first time in 4 years. I hope they aren't rude or anything because my friends were telling me stories on how rude and perverted their class boys are and I just hope my case is different.

  “We're here. Good luck at school may God guide your steps in Jesus name” “Amen” I responded before getting out of the car to as different students said their goodbyes to their parents and greeted their friends.

I hope Damola's Nigerian books were actually true because now I'm scared.

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Igbo Dictionary

Biko m na-abịa - Please Im coming
Gini bu ihe ahu di ihu gi- What is on your face?

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