CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT; The confirmation.

" Chibuikem is a cultist! " I blurted out sharply.

" I know, Winner-"

" So, is there anything too much or too hard for me to know. what else do I need to know. I mean my. Cousin... is a Cul-"

" Shut up and listen! " She shouted at me.

I immediately kept quiet. I was shocked by her sudden outburst.

" I'm sorry about that. You just need to have some respect for your seniors. If not for the ... it not that you're related to Chibuikem we wouldn't have crossed part! do you think I'm your mate? "

" Um.. no ma. Sorry. " Rebecca apologized for me.

" Winner. Follow me. "

I shook my head but she reached out to me and pulled me forcefully with her hands. She then held my hand like I was her little sister and we heading to the Class door.

"Please don't follow us." She said to Rebecca.

"Okay." Rebecca said and sat down quietly on my table.

"please watch my bag for me Rebecca." I said as I left with Asake.

"Look, your Cousin, Chibuikem.. and I have been friends since Junior Secondary School. I've know him for that long and he has suffered a lot in this School. "

" Like? "

" Bully.. He was brutally bullied. He was forced to do a lot of things.. things they.. I really don't like talking about it. "

" Okay. "

She held my right hand and comforted me. I didn't see anybody walking around. The children in the class room were playing and running around happily. We were in one of the primary School classes. In the Primary one class. It was surprisingly how we sat comfortable in the small chairs.

"Winner. Your Cousin would be fine. He doesn't smoke or drink. I'm sorry for shouting at you ."

"Okay. why did you choose this place for our discussion?"

"Oh well, this was my primary School and I thou it would be the best place for us to discuss without get too much Attention. that's Mrs. Salaudeen the Class teacher." She pointed at a Middle aged woman dressed in an hijab from head to toe. The only visible part of her body was her small round face.

" Did she teach you ? "

" Yes, but not in primary one, She taught us in primary Six. "

" us? "

" Yes. I and Chibuikem. "

" oh! I never knew -"

" He only attended primary Six here. So relax. "

" hnmm... you must have been through a lot. "

" How? " She asked puzzled.

" Yes, I mean, imagine cutting your hair for almost twelve years! "

" oh!" she said as she rubbed her bald scalp with her hands as if she had forgotten for a moment that she was on low cut.

" Well, I didn't cut my hair for that long. I mean, we started cutting our hair when I was in.. hnmmm... oh yes primary five. "

" Wow! " I stared at her. I was so shocked.

" Oh yes. You thought we just, no now.. no... no.. no... Even at that, there was a lot of protests from parents but they all dropped the idea when they realized that their daughters would still have to cut their hair for six years or more in the Secondary Session. "

" Oh! I see. But do you like it? "

" Like what? "

" Cutting your hair? "

" What?! of course not. I mean no normal girl would like to cut her hair. there are some dresses I can't wear. Some places I can't go to without tying a scarf or wearing a wig. I hate it .. I really do.. it's just it's .. it's.. it's... it's.... "

" BONDAGE! " I completed her statement for her.

" Yes.But we don't have a say so, we just move on. I have only one more year to spend here after this term. So... "

" That's selfishness! "

" Ehn?! "

" Yes.. I mean just because you've left doesn't mean others are not suffering... People shouldn't go through what you went through. "

" Oh! thank you ma. My teacher. Look. For everlasting to everlasting this law would not change! girl's would continue to cut their hair! do you know how many head girls have tired? "

" I'm different! "

" oh! really? "

" Yes "

" Wow! So how do you want to do it. "

" If I can't change it here, I'll change it when I leave.. I'll become a lawyer and sir all these evil people. "

Asake burst into laughter when I said this. She laughed so hard that she almost fell. she even got the attention of Mrs. Salaudeen.

" Ah! Winner, you are so naiive and funny. You make me laugh. We should hang out more. "She squeezed my hand tightly and smiled.

" What's funny? "

" It's just that you sound like you just came to Nigeria. Are you even in this country? Do you know that corruption is up there? it's... you know what? I'll not waste my saliva on you. You would definitely grow. "

We stayed there for so long. We kept talking about Osa School and the painful and sweet experiences.

I got a lot of advice from Asake concerning my academics and social life in Osa School.

When I got back to my class, Rebecca wasn't there. I didn't see my bag either. There was no one in the class room for me to ask and the class was not swept! 'I really need to wear my bum short to School tomorrow '.I thought to my self because I knew the dire consequences of not sweeping when it's your turn to. I was part of those whose turn it is to sweep the class room today. Mrs. Yejide does not take excuses.

When I got home, I went straight to the bedroom to meet my dad who was assisting Happiness with her homework. I was so lucky to have him in the house. I knew what would have happened if he wasn't around. I would have had to face my mum's mood swing. When my mum gets angry, she can throw a knife at you if it's close by.

"Um.. daddy please let me explain."

"Ah ahn.... is that the first thing you would say to me are-"

"Oh sorry, Daddy welcome... Oh! I mean Daddy good afternoon."

"It's evening. What happened, why did you stay long in school today? we're you waiting for your Brother?" by that he meant were you waiting for Chubuikem? My Dad has this weird habit of calling Chibuikem my 'brother' but my mum, she'll try rather go back to the village than to call Chibuikem my 'brother'.

"Um.. Yes... Yes, he was having lesson. He has to prepare for his mock examination this term."

"Okay, it's fine."

"Okay, thank you Daddy." I heaved a sigh of relieve and went straight to the Kitchen to meet my mum.

"Mummy good evening -"

"Are you okay?! where have you been? "

" In School-"

" Shut your mouth up! ah ahn... look at.... Daddy Winner come ó, your daughter is back from School. "

" I've seen her. " My Dad shouted from. the room and that settled everything. Her look of anger turned into that of disappoinment.

"oh! okay.. So, you passed the kitchen and went to the room to see your father first abi (right)?"

"You were busy so, I-"

"Shut your mouth up my friend! and where is your School bag? "

" Oh! it's in school. "

" What? "

" Um.. it's in the library and it's locked. "

" okay. if anything happens to that school bag, you will buy it. nonsense. Go and have your bath please ... and come quickly so you can help me in the kitchen. "

" Yes mummy. " I responded happily.

That night, I had a nightmare. Yes it was about Chibuikem. I'm this night mare, I saw him drinking blood.

When I woke up from the night mare, it was morning. It the dawned on me that yesterday ,Asake didn't tell me anything about what Chibuikem went through that made him take such a deadly decision.

'what! she deceived me. Maybe she is one of them. '

"Rebecca!" I shouted at the top of my voice when I got to Rebecca's class. She didn't answer and that annoyed me even more.

"Rebecca! I'm talking to you! how dare you! where were you yesterday? you almost got me. into trouble. "

" Am I your slave? " She asked sharply.

" No but-"

" But what, Winner. You guys left me here all alone. I was waiting for you guys like an idiot. I didn't know where you went to. I had to leave it was almost five o'clock. "

" You should have left my bag. "

" Left your bag, where? So that they would steak your books right? you can't even say thank you. Do you now how hard it was to carry your bag and my bag home? You that have plenty books and big dictionaries in your bag. "

" Oh! I'm so sorry. " I apologized to her after realizing my mistake.'This is all Asake's fault. '

"What happened? you look tired." Rebecca's question brought me back to the present and also reminded me of the night mare I had last night.

"Oh! yes. I had a nightmare. in fact nightmares because they were more than one. "

" About???..... "

" My ..... Chibuikem. "

" Ah! God! Winner! relax. it's not as bad as you think. You need to calm down and be careful what you think! "

" I can't calm down. I don't think I can trust Asake. "

" Why not? "

" You know she took me away yesterday, promising to tell me about Chibuikem's past and why her has to join the cult.. bla... BLA... BLA... and so on and so forth. "

" Oh yes that's true. So what did she tell you? "

" Nothing! "

" Ah! "

" Absolutely nothing! "

" Wow! so, you guys just say down there and were staring at each other like idiots? how come you stayed that long? What time did you even leave yesterday?"

"Rebecca calm down... ha.. ha.. ha.... " I laughed out loud for the first time in three days now. I laughed happily even though the eye bags I had could hold a pack of Candy.

"Hey ! Rebecca! no! we were not just staring at each other ooooo. We spoke but she kept digressing. All she told me was that Chibuikem did a lot of things he wasn't supposed to do for those that bullied him when he was here. "

" Things like? "

In response to her question, I sang a very popular Nigerian songs that answers a lot of questions with on simple question:

" If you ask me..... na who I go ask?

This matter wé you see so... e heavy for mouth.... if you ask me..... this matter for ground.... na who I go ask... "

" Don't ever sing again please ... your voice is horrible. So, was that all she said?"

" Yes.. and the rest was all about her hair.. she said her hair was really long in primary School Oh! and also, she said Kehinde my class captain was in her class."

" Really? "

" Yes. "

" so, how come she's now in SSS 2 (Grade11) while Kehinde is in JSS2? "

" She repeated a lot! "

" Wow! and she is a class captain. "

" As in .... she told me that Kehinde was fake before -"

" How? "

"I mean she was always forming.. pretending to be who she's not."

" Wow! "

" Yes. "

I stayed in Rebecca's class until break period. No teacher came to her class and I wasn't bothered if a teacher was in my class or not because I knew for sure that if other teachers don't come, Mrs. Yejide would come and teach us a lesson with her came for not sweeping when it was out turn to do so. Staying in Rebecca's class was a form of escape. "

I didn't go to my class during break, neither did I go to The food vendors place not the Library.

I went to the Senior School Session.

I went to meet Chibuikem's closest friend. His sit mate- Koyejo.

"Um.. good afternoon Senior Koyejo.. please can .. can.... um.. please -"

"talk wetin you wan talk abeg! (say what you want to say please!)".

" Please can I confirm something's from you? "

" Yes, I'm a man! " He answered curtly.

" Okay? " I responded puzzled.

" I am not a Cultist. " He said, staring at me like a doll. He looked at me as if he knew my problems and the solution to it.

"Open your eyes."