Bedroom Whispers

BETRAYAL - VILLAIN

Talking of betrayal, I've experienced it firsthand. Only this time, I was the villain.

This one comes readily to mind because it taught me big lessons on forgiveness. It happened many years ago in junior secondary school. We, students, rolled in cliques back then in the boarding school. It was a thing then, to be within a clique. To have your own support group. People who would be willing to do and undo for your sake.

Being in Command Secondary School, to survive, you needed some form of backup. Either senior students, or tough guardians, or a strong formidable clique. Basically, your support system must be tight.

We started off as three guys (one barrack boy, and two of us civilians). We gradually allowed in temporary folks who we felt could cover-up for some lapses within our clique. Sometimes money, sometimes protection from bullies, sometimes fun. Various reasons. So this guy had come. He was fair and chubby (the classic ajebo image), so we thought, money. Very innocent guy. We took him in. Became a part of us. I still remember his face. Always smiling. His face, when he got angry, was funny, because he couldn't pull a scowl.

I got close to him cos we kinda shared some things. I was also soft and had this gentle carriage, so while the group engaged in the normal guys' rough play and all, we'd just talk and get to bond. We shared intimate moments together. He even introduced me to his elder brother.

But there was an issue in the group. What belonged to one belonged to all. So we shared provisions and money within ourselves. But since he had an elder brother, his provisions were kept with him, and his elder brother, already a made 'commando' (I think he was in SS2 then) knew what obtained in the junior dorm, the bullying and all, so he gave him provisions only as needed.

This caused a big rift within the group. They felt he was kinda cheating on the group. Benefitting from the others while keeping his things away. He already explained things to me, but in groups like that, the voice of the minority doesn't count, UNLESS you are an INFLUENTIAL minority. And me, LOL! Small body, regular average guy, no cash to flaunt around, we just flowed on with major decisions. So the group decided to cut him off. I was surprised by the way he took it. Very calmly and with smiles. I shouldn't have been surprised though. He had little time for negative vibes.

But we were not done as a group. We decided to frame him. Back then ehn, one of the hated things in school was to be a made out snitch. If you were caught snitching, especially on a group, there was this invisible tag that came on you. Believe you me, your life would become miserable. Seniors would become your nightmares, looking for the smallest of offenses to give you the worst of punishments, and your mates would avoid you, not wanting to be caught in close association with you, for fear of transferred hate.

So the plan was since they knew I was the closest to him, I would cozy up to him, and frame up false stories of how I hated the guys for what they did to him, and how he was still my pal, and I'll paint the group as bad, and try to make him say negative things about the INFLUENTIAL guys so that I'd report those words and they'd pin him with it. We got a neutral fellow to become like a friend to me, so we were like a clique. Me, him, and the neutral guy. I cut off public associations with my previous group (although we still met after lights out) and moved with this newly formed one.

Long story short was, tried as hard as we could, this guy never had anything negative to say about anybody. Was pure to the core. He soon opened up the new group to other cool-headed guys. I met with them for discussions and we read together at night preps. The neutral fellow soon became tired of the new group and fell out. But somehow I was drawn in. Probably because of the kind of pure love that existed amongst these guys.

I soon couldn't hold it anymore and had to confess to him. I told him of the main reason why I'd cozied up to him. Told him of the plans the group had. Told him everything. What broke me was how the guy just laughed out loud, hugged me, and said something like, "God watches over his own." He then broke out into his funny village dance. Something broke in me that day. I'm a little bit teary now, but back then, it was just this solemn realization that this guy had something I needed to have. Such heart was rare.

Needless to say, I stayed with him for a little while, got to meet his new acquaintances. They later formed a kind of fellowship, they met and prayed almost every night. I attended a few of their prayer meetings. It was just amazing. Reminiscing now, it makes sense. One of those nights, I came for the prayer meeting late and the door was shut but not locked. I remember walking to the door and hearing strange sounds. The window was open so I peeped inside and saw them, all kneeling in a circle, hands joined together and muttering things that were not English. Some of them were praying and laughing.

Eh. 🙆🏼‍♂️🙆🏼‍♂️🙆🏼‍♂️ Me I ran o. 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 With the rumors of command witchcraft and night meetings. I japa for my life o. But the image comes back now, and having experienced the filling of the Spirit (as known in the Christian parlance), I smile. That boy was filled with the Spirit of Love, right from that tender age. We were in JSS 2 or 3. Can't really remember now.

But it altered me for life. Gave me a new perspective on life. Especially his forgiveness part. It changed me. I still went back to the old group, and we stayed together for a long while. I changed their perspective about him, told them about how he was a nice guy, and meant no harm. The group moved on. We even had times when we all came around (him included) for 'midnight soakings' and stories and hearty laughs. We didn't know how to play ball too,  so while other guys got to play ball, we talked more. Boarding school sha.

The group never knew I snitched on them (the snitcher became the snitch) 🤣😂🤣 and the gentle soul never gave a hint about any of it. His heart was just so pure. 💚💚💚

And to imagine that this kinda thing happened way back in junior school. I'm glad I met him though. Who knows what such attitude/character could bloom into if allowed to develop?