SO I'LL LIKE TO ANNOUCE SOMETHING.
I AND ishpep2 WILL BE COLLABORATING AND WRITING A STORY.
'FINDING FIKAYO' YOU'LL EASILY FIND IT ON HER PROFILE, BUT WE WON'T BE STARTING UNTIL DECEMEBER, SO YOU CAN FOLLOW HER AND ADD THE BOOK TO YOUR READING LISTS AND WAIT FOR SEPTEMBER.
"Rachel, you haven't loosed your hair?" Kunmi asked irritated.
"Don't bring this hair to my party o. We will fight o" Kunmi said as I kept silent.
I glanced at my so called friends. Joy's words kept striking all the raw nerves in my body. All the obvious facts that I had chosen to ignore.
"What's my best food?" I suddenly asked.
Gani glared at me "Why would anyone know your best food? Why should we know it?" Gani asked as Temi clapped her two fingers in mockery.
"Don't forget the sneakers o" Kunmi said as I chuckled.
The sneakers Kunmi had sent the screenshot to me cost about 10,000 naira. The money was the problem, the problem was the person I was buying for.
Was she worth it?
I knew the answer deep down. I shook my head as I listened to Kunmi talk about the boys she was inviting to the birthday party.
"Can you guys help me loose my hair?" I asked knowing the answer already.
Gani hissed loudly "What did you eat this morning?" Gani asked.
"Your hair that has used more than one month, I just did my nails yesterday. You want me to use it to loose your dirty hair? You are not serious" Josie said with a hiss.
"Rachel, don't bring this hair to my party o. I'm serious" Kunmi said again.
"Let her bring it. Shebi you didn't sha give her the special invitation card" Gani said.
I blinked my eyes rapidly as I stood up and walked to my seat. Tears rushed to my eyes but I didn't let any of them fall. I refused to believe that all I had done for them, they couldn't do the same for me.
When the bell for break was rang, I rushed up to them "Help me buy my snacks. I have to visit the toilet" I said as I ran out of the classroom scared to hear their replies.
I ran to the female toilet and stared at myself through the wide mirror. Tears rushed to my eyes again as I tried to rein it in. Maybe Joy was wrong, maybe I was wrong. Maybe they didn't know my best food, maybe they couldn't help me to loose my hair but at least they would be able to buy me snacks.
I had bought snacks for them for over a year. I walked to the cafeteria, my heart slamming in my chest. I walked towards our usual seat scared of what I was going to see.
My heart broke the moment I saw that they didn't buy me anything.
"You didn't buy anything?" I asked.
"When did we agree to buy you something?" Temi asked with an hiss.
"Abeg jare" Kunmi said as I managed a smile.
"I left my meal card in the class,can anyone lend me hers?" I asked.
"If you forgot it, go and get it back. My parents work for me alone, and not you" Josie snapped as tears rushed to my eyes.
I turned and started to walk away. A tear slid down my cheek as I burst into a race. Tears clouded my vision as I ran towards the female rest room.
Luckily for me, it was empty. I walked into one of the toilets and burst into loud sobs. I hugged my legs as my body rocked forward and backward as I cried.
I was pained. I was hurt. Everything I had chosen to ignore all these years; I had to come to terms with it.
I was fake! A total fake!
Joy doesn't wear a fake image to impress others.
I wore a fake image to impress and satisfy them.
Joy does what she loves without taking anyone's opinion into consideration.
All it took was for Gani to insult and brain wash me, I dropped Music. I reduced the way I watched anime's. I even stopped playing; what I loved the most.
It was then realization dawned on me. Joy was right. They were my friends but I was a tool to them. Even if I clocked sixteen, would they accept me?
I broke into another round of sobs as I drew my legs closer and continued crying. I was badly hurt.
I didn't know when I stopped crying. But when I stopped; I had a split headache and I felt sore all over. I pulled myself to my feet as I checked my wristwatch.
I wasn't in the least bothered that it was already school over. I had cried for about two and half hours. I opened the door and saw a few girls in the restroom.
I walked towards a tap and started splashing water repeatedly all over my face. My eyes were red and the tears had made lines on my face.
I washed my face as used the towel to clean my face before I stepped out of the restroom. I walked slowly to my class and found Joy standing there with a worried expression.
Ini, Ife and SK were also standing there looking around. Joy was the first to see me and she ran towards me and grabbed my shoulders.
"Are you okay?" She asked concern written all over her face.
Tears rushed to my eyes immediately. We had barely been friends for a week and I disappeared and she was so worried about me while my over a year friends were no where to be found.
SK frowned upon seeing me "Did you cry?" He asked as Ife eyed him.
"Stop asking the obvious" Ife snarled as he turned to me.
"Hey coach, can I take a break today?" I asked with a small smile and Joy nodded.
I walked past them into the class and grabbed my school bag before walking towards the gate under the concerned gaze of Joy and others.
The driver noticed I didn't look good and tried not to make any noise till we got home. I didn't remove my uniform before I climbed into my bed and slept off.
I opened my eyes to meet my parents concerned eyes. I sat on the bed and I turned to them.
"Rachel, are you okay?" My mom asked.
I turned to my dad and blinked my eyes. I hugged him and suddenly burst into tears. My body rocked forward and backward as I cried.
"Rachel, what is the problem?" My dad asked.
"Darling talk to me" My mom said as she burst into tears.
"My baby, talk to me. You are scaring me" my mom said but I couldn't stop crying.
"I'm so stupid" I said as I continued crying.
"I'm the most stupid human existing" I said again.
I couldn't believe myself. I had turned myself upside down just to please and impress them yet they didn't accept me. I became the opposite of myself just to fit in yet I failed. No wonder I didn't know who I was.
Since I was fake, there wad no way I would be able to know who I was.
Joy is Joy. She is real.
I was fake. A total fake!
"I'm so stupid" I muttered again. I couldn't believe I had sacrificed so much for people who wouldn't sacrifice the smallest thing for me. I had sacrificed myself, my dreams, my life, my confidence, my talents, my gifts and what did I get in return? Nothing.
YOU ARE READING
BEING A TEEN SERIES: CLOCKING SIXTEEN.
Teen FictionBEING A TEEN SERIES: CLOCKING SIXTEEN (BOOK 2) Every teenage girl looked forward to clocking sixteen. Not that there was anything special about the day you clocked sixteen but the fact that you were sixteen already. To some girls, its the time to h...
