JANE

"Stop it!" Maggie cried out. "You are hurting me.I just want to know why you are late from work again and you reek of alcohol by the way"

"It is none of your concern! David retorted, now get out of my sight before I do it myself".

I'm in my room listening to my parents do what they know how to do best.

My name is Jane. I grew up in what most people call a dysfunctional home.

My mother was a drug addict and my dad was a drunk, he had a special seat at the pub. One could even refer to him as the king of the pub.

He would come back home every night and he and my mum would fight nonstop.

My parents were not role models at all. The only thing they taught me and my brother Danny was that it was okay to be mentally and physically abused.

Today must have been a really good drinking day for dad. I'm on the verge of turning my music so loud but I don't want the event that transpired last week to take place again.

My father almost spanked the crap out of me.

Nights like these get me in my feelings for my good neighbours, they don't deserve this at all and I'm affirmative that one day, they will file a noise complaint against my parents (who am I kidding, a noise complaint in Nigeria? Lol) but until then, we will continue to share in the agony of two mentally deranged human beings.

Tonight seems a little different, mum isn't screaming at the top of her lungs, she is rather calm and collected.

I guess she is tired of throwing tantrums here and there.

I had a lot to do all day and I'm exhausted, I have trouble sleeping at night so I tend to bury myself in schoolwork, to help me sleep but tonight, I don't feel like it.

It was hell for us anytime dad came back home drunk, he would spend hours yelling at mum which ninety per cent of the time always ended up with him inflicting several injuries on mom.

Sometimes I wondered why both of them were still together.

It was obvious there was no love amongst them. He made that clear for some time now. What could be holding her back? Was is it the money? Yeah, Dad was hell rich but mom was doing very well for herself too.

Did dad have anything against her? Was he blackmailing her?

As I laid on my bed staring up at the ceiling. I couldn't help but wonder if this was ever going to end?

I have thought of leaving this house but I can't leave Danny here. When I applied to go to University, my parents made sure it was a private university a few kilometres away from home.

I am happy to have Danny as my brother it was all I ever wanted as a child but sometimes I wish I was an only child, I would have defied my parents and applied for admission in a school thousands of kilometres away from them.

All I kept praying for was redemption and redemption at this point simply meant morning. Nights like this reminded me of the popular scripture; Joy cometh in the morning.

Music had a way of washing off the odd feeling, thankfully I have my phone and earphones to do the magic.

I aggressively plugged in my earphones and listened to a few jams, I didn't even realize when I fell asleep.

The next day

Alarm goes off

I groaned as I rolled over on my bed. I hate my alarm, does it have to be so loud all the time?.

I said my prayers, went downstairs to do my morning routine which includes checking on my mum, fixing breakfast, getting myself and Danny ready for school.

Danny is starting Secondary school today, I can't believe that my baby brother has grown up so much.

I'm downstairs but I can't find my mum, normally she'd be at one corner whimpering and cussing around.

That's odd, where is she? I checked everywhere and I can't find her. I have to fix breakfast anyways, so I strode into the kitchen and that's when I noticed the note by the microwave.

"I'm sorry, I have an urgent business trip, I'll be back during the weekend.

Take care of your brother. Xoxo, mum."

I'm not surprised at all, she keeps missing important days in our lives.

Danny specifically told me to make pancakes for him today.

20minutes later, I'm done and there's no sight of Danny or my Dad. I'm a bit worried and I'm too tired to go back upstairs so I call out for Danny.

"Danny come downstairs, breakfast is ready"

"Coming" Danny responded

"Is it not too early to shout?" my Dad said.

"Jeez Dad, you startled me. How long have you been standing there".

"Good morning to you too," Dad says, sarcastically

"Good morning Dad"

"So, you'll be writing your Waec this year, congratulations ma'am, I'm off to work". My Dad said and walked off.

Although the relationship between my Dad, mum and Danny was strained, I noticed he had a soft spot for me even though it was always for a few seconds.

.

"Danny, I'm going to take a shower, make sure you eat before I'm done"

I'm not a fan of food in the morning, it

upsets my stomach a great deal.

It's 6:45 am already, I need to hurry so I won't be late.

My school is a private school so our uniforms are quite different from other schools, we are allowed to wear any kind of shoe as long as it wasn't heels.

There's this shoe my mum bought for me some months ago and I have been waiting to put them on.

I'm ready and as I reached downstairs, I see that Danny is ready too.

"Our driver is outside," Danny said.

"Okay let's go" I responded.

This must be the longest ride to school ever, today is Monday and the roads are so busy.

I checked my wristwatch and it's 7:25 am, school starts at 8 and the journey to school is still far.

"Can't we use another route, sir?" I asked our driver.

"No, we can't ma the road is under construction," our driver said.

I think he noticed the disappointment written all over my face and then he assured me that he would reach school fast enough.

We got to school on time, I bid goodbye to Danny and went on my way to class.

I'm grinning from ear to ear, I have missed my Best friend Kelly so much and I can't wait to see her. She travelled during the holidays and knowing who Kelly is, I know she has plenty of gist for me.

"Jane, you look amazing, senior year has got nothing on you." Wait a minute, you went shopping without your best friend? Is this what our friendship has turned to? We get new shoes separately?"

I couldn't help but laugh listening to my best friend Kelly chatter. Kelly has always been this way, loquacious, fun and razz.

"I didn't go shopping without you, my mum got these for me the last time she travelled, it has been sitting in my closet for a while now. What better day to strut in them than today?".

"Whatever, let's hurry or we will be late for class". Kelly said

Kelly and I have been friends since childhood, we grew up in the same neighbourhood before her parents moved out.

Kelly is kind, smart, down to earth and her beauty is breathtaking. God took time to create her because she has the perfect body. A shiny hair, glossy skin, beautiful eyebrows, I could go on and on. Kelly was a badass in her way.

We did almost everything together while growing up. We had playdates, went to the same nursery school, shared the same desk and have been inseparable since.

I'm grateful for Kelly she is the only person who is aware of my parents' situation. We love each other so much and there is no room for pretence in our friendship.

Our first day in school is exciting as usual, friends and lovers have reunited.

Classes went on smoothly, everyone looked so delighted to be back in school.

After a week I'm sure they'll all be tired and we would be back to the grumpy student's lifestyle.

It's time for our short break and I'm pleased because I cannot wait for Kelly to tell me how she spent her holidays and whatever juicy news she heard concerning students during that holiday.

Everywhere is almost filled at the cafeteria, luckily for us, we found empty sits at some corner.

"How was the holiday," I asked smiling like a puppy.

"See the way you are smiling, you love gist ehnn"

"Yes o especially when it is from you, you're the queen of legit information" by now Kelly is laughing so hard and shaking her head.

"I had fun during the holidays, my grandma did spoil me a little, half of my family relatives were there, we hung out, visited new places, I had my first alcohol, gosh!" "It wasn't pleasant at all, I wonder why people take it anyways "

"Omg, you're so lucky, I wish I had cousins, you know my parents don't have siblings and we are not close to anyone in our family"

"You have me jhoor, that's enough, just talk to mum so she would let you come with me next time, Danny can tag along," Kelly said smiling.

"I will try," I said sticking out my tongue.

"How did you spend yours anyways," Kelly asked.

"You know, the usual, I read a lot of novels, watched Tv and studied a bit"

"Bookworm Jane, you never cease to amaze me".

"Anyways, are you aware that Anthony the bully is now dating Dorcas? they posted a lot of pictures together on Facebook during the holidays" Kelly asked.

"I wouldn't know, I don't have them on Facebook " I answered absentmindedly.

"This one you are sounding like this, don't tell me you're still nurturing that crush you had for him during the junior year" Kelly teased.

"You know that ship has sailed

Bess".

Anthony was my first crush, he was the most handsome boy I had ever seen. I would feel butterflies in my stomach anytime I laid eyes on Him. The way he smiled was captivating and oh his voice gave me chills anytime he spoke.

Anthony was intelligent, so many girls wanted to be friends with him. Sadly, he didn't recognize me, I wasn't attractive and I was a nobody compared to the kind of girls he hung out with.

In Jss.3 everyone noticed Anthony changed, he would bully students and seize their lunch boxes from them. He became fearful and distant.

No one knew why he changed from being sweet to a stranger overnight. We gave him a name, Anthony the bully but no one dared call him that to his face. I stopped crushing on him when he changed.

I and Kelly are still chatting when

Anthony walks in with Dorcas. Everyone starts cheering them on.

Dorcas is exceptionally beautiful, for a girl of 15 going on 16, she has curves in the right places. She was the centre of attraction and every guy in school wanted to date her.

They looked good together, almost too good" I said to Kelly.

That's when I felt a stab of jealousy." Maybe she was right, I'm not over that crush yet.

"I told you!" Kelly said

"Atlantic Fm!"

We both laughed and continued with our lunch.

After school, I bid goodbye to Kelly and went on to pick my brother from the junior section of the school.

That was when I noticed a tiny figure strolling towards me.

The little boy I'm seeing from afar cannot be my brother. I can't even recognise Danny, his shirt is torn, his hair scattered, he has a split lip, bruises on his cheeks and just one pair of shoes on.

I ran towards him worried that he might have fallen or even worse.

I held him on his shoulders and tried to make eye contact with him but he looked away refusing to meet my eyes.