I was brilliant and always came top in my class and so saying that I started school late really helped me develop,I initially started schooling in primary one but by then, I was nine. I had double promotion twice in my primary school so I wasn't really of age when I got to secondary school. At jss3 third term towards our prize giving day, I was told to come with my mum. My mum has never for once followed me to my school even during PTA's. How was I gonna convince her to come?
When I got home after work around seven that day, my mum was seated in the living room, she was in a very bad mood and I knew right that instant that she had no customer that day, that wasn't a good time to bring up my school's talk so I swallowed up the words. The next day was even worse and the then the day following the next was weirder, if it kept on going like this, mum wasn't going to eventually come and the prize-giving day was the following week.
When I got home on Thursday, my mum looked at the time and for the first time, she noticed the time I entered the house
"Where are you coming from? "
"Ehn?"I scratched my head
"what time does your school close each day? "
"Em,two"I replied facing down
"Ehn-ehn,from two to seven, where do you usually go to?"
"I,to..I.."I spluttered
"Who is the guy? Is he rich? Does he have a car?"
"Mum?"
"Answer me and stop acting silly."
"No,he's my mate. "I lied
"From a wealthy family? "
"Em, yes.."
"How much does he give you per day? "
"Mum, he's not working, he also feeds from his parents."
"Which means he doesn't give you a dime? "
"He does, every month and that's what I do use in school since you don't support me academically."
"How much is it?"
"1k5"
"1k5? Only you? Where's it? You this girl, you're terribly wicked! And you know how I try just to make sure you're feeding, is this how you're gonna repay me? "
"I'm sorry. "
"It's okay, where's the money? "
"Ahn-ahn,which money again? I told you just now that I do use it to survive in school. "
"So you have nothing with you, not even five hundred naira?" she asked scratching her body.
It was then I knew my mum had ran out of drugs and money.
"when will you return it?"I asked
"next week."
"You'll double it oh"
"I'll triple it."
"Deal! " I opened my bag and brought out a five hundred naira note and handed it over to her. She collected it and ran off the house scratching her whole body.
The next day as I was coming home after work, I was attacked by three guys, two were Mrs Alo's children,I knew them very well but the third, I wasn't sure about his face. They punched my face and left me with marks, I wept home to my mum who came out of her room when she heard my voice and was surprised to see the map of Brazil on my face.
"Ahn ahn,who were the idiots that did this to you? "
"She asked after examining me closely. "
"Is it not Mrs Alo's children."
"Mrs Alo,mrs Alo...oh, that dwarf! "
"Yes"
"What exactly did you do to them? "
"I don't know oh."
"Drop your bag and follow me. "
"Mummy, don't worry, I don't want any more trouble. "
"Then you're a bastard!you see, in our family,we're trouble makers and you're part of the family! So, my friend, drop your bag and let's go fight kung-fu"
I dropped my bag on the chair and we moved to Mrs Alo's house. It was already getting dark and the breeze blowing steadily but my mum was using that as warm-up. The two boys were eating outside their house when my mum approached them calling them aggressively, she pulled them with their clothes to the floor after she had first kicked their foods away.
"Ye,ye!mummy!! "They both shouted after several punches has been thrown on them.
"What is it again? "their mum responded from inside.
My mum descended on one and asked me to sit on the other so he wouldn't escape. Their voices became so loud that their mum had to run out and was shocked to see us.
"Ay-ay...Nora and Nina,what has these children done to you again? "
"You should ask from your sons the reason why they attacked my daughter and marked her like a leopard."
"Please,I'm sorry on their behalf. Just leave them alone now. "
My mum wasn't satisfied as she continued punching the boy's face.
"Oya,Nina...come and sit down on him. "We switched positions as my mum diverted her punching to the other boy.
"I didn't put my daughter's cane in you or anybody's hand so you should never touch her again, okay?!"she barked
"Yes ma"the boy sobbed
"When you see Nina, you should run!"
"You should do what? "
"I should run! "He repeated
Their mother got behind my mum to separate her from her son but got punched as well.
"If my daughter proves stubborn or disobedient, come and report her to me, I'll discipline her myself. " My mum got up being satisfied, she told me to get up too but then, their faces were red in colour.
"The other time I came to your house to complain about your daughter's behaviour towards my children, I ended up going home soaked in soapy water."
"That was because you didn't come with your brain then,next time you intend to come to my house, bring alone your complete brain too."
"Come on,Nina...let's go"she pulled me till we got home.
I knew my mum was in a good mood for her to do what she just did so I had to make use of the opportunity to invite her to my school.
"Mum?"
"Yes? "
"Em,my school will be doing her speech and prize giving day next week and I want you to be there.
"Next week what? "
"Wednesday. "
"Don't worry, I'll be there! "
"Yes! "I jumped over her until we both landed on the floor.
On my prize given day, I collected many gifts and got the overall best in my class. I was happy when my mum came to my school but instead of her to come in native wear, she wore a crop top and a crazy Jean. Maybe she thought she was gonna get hooked up with a guy. She was the only different parent among all and she had a gum in her mouth that she chewed so loudly. When the head mistress was giving her speech there was expected to be silence but my mum was the only one blowing gum thereby diverting people's attention. All I only did was laugh because it was nothing compared to the crazy things she normally do, I was sure she wasn't listening to the headmistress speech at all because she sat relaxed and shaking her feet repeatedly. I was just so excited she could make it and that was enough for me. After I've gotten all my presents and it was time to take pictures, I signaled at my mum to come join me. She was reluctant at first but she finally did. After taking a group picture with the headmistress, my mum asked the photographer to take a shot of only she and the headmistress,I wondered why but I kept quiet. After the shot, my mum winked at her and hugged her pecking her cheek. I didn't know what that meant until I got home, my mum had managed to steal the headmistress's phone, two of it.
And seriously, up till now, my mum haven't given me my five hundred naira,she continues to make endless promises which she's never kept.
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