P for Perfect

Chapter 3- Osas

I only want you to smile- Umar

I intended to pay full attention to Mr. Ola today regardless of his boring subject (economics is terrific! Ha ha!) but the moment Umar took a seat next to me I knew that would never happen. Usually our chairs would be a good distance away from each other but because this class is considerably smaller than the others Mr. Ola improvised and made all of us join our chairs.

With the tables practically glued together it was very easy for seat partners to chit chat, doodle and even do some even more obscene things without him noticing. The moment he turns to the board to jot something Umar turns his cocoa eyes to face me.

"Did you hear that Liv and Tivdo have broken up?" He asks. I nod my head, I heard it straight from the camel's mouth.

"I think it's Tivdo's fault, Liv tried so hard to make it work. The guy's always complaining." He continues, making a face in the process.

"He just wanted someone that will be doing all the rubbish with him jare, someone like that ss1 girl. What's her name again sef?" I add, pretending to jot something down when Mr. Ola looks in my direction.

"Tolu?"

"Yes, that girl is a certified ho."

"Guyy!" He whisper shouts, patting me enthusiastically on my arm. A little too enthusiastically.

"Oww," I whine although I'm laughing. You can't have a normal conversation without him hitting you.

"I've been seeing her with dem Alex recently sef, she's got new preys."

"Hmm," I grunt, immediately thinking of Ara. If this stupid Alex guy tries anything with Tolu I'll personally shove his face into the gutter outside the living quarters of the security guards.

"Exactly my thoughts," Umar smiles at me.

"Next thing you know she'll be coming for you," I joke even though I know it will never happen. For one, Umar likes tall girls. So he doesn't have to kneel down to talk to her. Him and Jibril are the tallest guys in our entire school, sporting a slightly rare 5'10".

"God forbid," he quickly rejects it, throwing his hand over his head. I let out a stifled laugh that threatens to blow out until I clasp my free hand over my mouth.

"Besides, I've got my eyes on someone already," he continues, a cute smile threatening to appear on his lips.

"Ehen? Do I know her?" I ask, positively curious.

"Of course you do, I'm pretty sure you also like her."

"Ah, you're so confident. Must I remind you I like fewer than 10 people in this school?"

"Believe me," he assures me. The way he stops writing to look at me squarely gets me to shut up, and actually believe him. He seems to know what he's saying. Before I can actually say something though, the bell goes off.

"Finally, is your dad picking you up today?" He asks, already shoving his books into his bag. Mr. Ola is saying something about an assignment but nobody seems to be listening, neither am I.

"Yes," I answer shortly. Just the thought of seeing him is enough to dampen my mood. Umar doesn't let it slide though, he gives me a knowing look and hands me a bar of Mars chocolate that literally appeared from nowhere.

"Call me when you get home ok?" He reminds me, because I always forget. I nod silently and watch him make his way out, even though Mr. Ola is still talking. The man glares at the back of his head but swallows his disapproval, mostly because Umar is Principal Aisha's son and also because that's just his nature. I'm not so privileged though, so I stay behind until he's totally out of the class before making my way to the car park.

••••

My father is not actually my father. In my head, I call him Samuel because that's his name. He married my mum when I was 11 but I've only lived with him since I was 15 in ss1. When he married my mum he made her throw me into boarding school immediately, I have no idea what convinced her to bring me back home but I've been going to school as a day student since ss1. I'm still not sure which I prefer.

Where's my real father? Dead? Lost? Decapitated? In prison? Well it's none of the above. In reality my biological father lives in Dubai and has a holiday house exactly 80km away from Eko Atlantic City. He stays there every Christmas and from there visits his friends and family, you know, the important people in his life. Well, except his freaking daughter. I've never met him, but I've seen him. I've seen him in my sister's pictures, my sister's Instagram posts, my sister's room. He's everywhere when it involves Winnie but just not with me. And I have no idea why.

Reasonably, I hate him. I hate him, my stepfather and my mother. I hate all of them but even my hate is passive. When I was 12 and stuck in the walls of boarding school I resented them, but now I'm 17 and between trying so hard to read and the competition in school and keeping friendships and figuring out my life. I've found that I have no energy to hate. I've found that they don't even deserve that much from me. They don't deserve anything from me.

Beep! Beep!

The horn from the Lexus in front of me startles me out of my reverie. I had no idea I was just standing there, when did Samuel arrive?

"What are you thinking of ehn?" He asks when I enter the car. He doesn't sound accusatory, nor does he sound pissed. But I feel like snorting either way. At the other end of the car is Tiwa, my step sister. She attends Legacy High, the only competition for SOHL in EAC. Her hair is styled in delicate and intricate cornrows that stop a little over her waist. Her head is bent over her phone and she only gives me a passive look as I enter. I'm not hurt though, I want nothing to do with her.

I've spent 3 years living with her and I've only ever said basic things to her. She reminds me of my mum, selfish and short sighted.

"How was school?" Samuel asks, looking at me through the rear view mirror.

"It was fine," I reply curtly. He looks like he wants to say something else but decides against it, and that's about it. Nothing more, nothing less.