“Ehen Mallam* give me that fat sugarcane!” I pointed at one juicy looking sugar in the basket.
“Haba Princesa…I already chose that one na”, exclaimed Eve my friend .
Na wa for this girl sef. Every time I make a choice, that’s the one she suddenly wants.
School had ended for the day and as usual we were at the barracks gate buying Sugar cane. It was either that or roasted corn if it was the rainy season, . We would munch our afternoon snacks as soon as we got into the home-bound bus. Those who didn’t have money to buy anything would look on longingly at the others as the spittle threatened to drip from their mouths.
“Haba Princesa…I already chose that one na”, exclaimed Eve my friend .
Na wa for this girl sef. Every time I make a choice, that’s the one she suddenly wants.
School had ended for the day and as usual we were at the barracks gate buying Sugar cane. It was either that or roasted corn if it was the rainy season, . We would munch our afternoon snacks as soon as we got into the home-bound bus. Those who didn’t have money to buy anything would look on longingly at the others as the spittle threatened to drip from their mouths.
I wasn't in the mood for Eve’s trouble so I chose another sugarcane.
“Okay, no wahala…Mallam, give me the other one…ehen that one!”
“Princesa, how now?”
I turned around to see KF behind me. KF and I only recently began to talk to each other. Infact we didnt speak to each other until some weeks back when Chy introduced us. Since then the guy had been exceptionally friendly with me. I knew he was friends with Francis. I had seen them together some times so I was suspicious of his agenda.
“Hey KF! Am fine o! Wetin dey happen?” I replied.
“Nothing o! Me and my guys just dey hang out for that joint”
He pointed to a nearby shop where the guys usually hung out.
“Okay no wahala”. I collected my sugarcane in polythene bag from the Mallam and paid him. As I made to leave with my friends, KF pulled me back.
“Princesa…wait small. I want tell you something in private”
“Okay”, I gestured to my friends to go on ahead.
“So what is it?” I asked. Suddenly he was looking too serious .
“Francis wants to talk to you”, he blurted.
It was then I noticed him-Francis. He was standing a few feet from us. He looked very nervous.
Finally the moment was here. I had been waiting like forever!
“Yea…its okay…let him come” I answered.
KF beckoned to Francis and took his leave immediately. I bent my head, i didn’t want to look up. I wasn’t sure I could look at him at such close range.
His voice jolted me.
“Hi”
“Hello” I answered. I stole a look up and saw he was as nervous as I was or even more. That gave me some confidence so I maintained the gaze.
The silence was awkward.
Say something please
“You know I love you”
That was all he said.
I wasn’t sure if it was a question or a statement but I nodded all the same. I couldn’t say a word, wasn’t even sure what to say. I mean no one had ever told me he loved me before. This was all new to me.
“Can we see at school tomorrow breaktime...I see ur friends are waiting for you” he asked.
I nodded again.
“Okay bye-bye” he smiled at me as he walked away happily.
I stood at the same point motionless as I watched his retreating form.
“Princesa!! Princesa!!! Keep standing like zombie there… we don leave you o!
It took my friends shouts to bring me back to planet earth.
I walked towards them slowly. From their faces, I knew everyone couldn’t wait to hear the details.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Next day at school.
This maths lesson is taking too long o! This man no dey tire sef abi hunger no dey catch am? All these teachers sef wey dey like overdo things! This lesson is supposed to last 30minutes…it feels like 2 hours already.
I wasn’t concentrating in class. This was the last subject before breaktime and I couldn’t wait for the teacher to leave. Francis and I had a date!
Thankfully the teacher soon left and the class was gradually emptying out as everyone headed to the School Canteen.
“Princesa are you not coming?”
My seat mate Remi asked. She was about to leave for the Canteen too.
“Not yet…I want to arrange my books first”, I replied pretending to shuffle some stuff around in my locker.
Few minutes later. Class was almost empty except for a few-those who brought their food to school and those who didn’t have any money to spend in the Canteen. I racked my brain trying to remember if we had agreed to meet at a venue during break. Didn’t rack too long when I felt a tap. I looked up to see Efe with this knowing smile on his face. He gestured to the back of the class and I turned to see Francis. He was seated at the last seat in my row smiling back at me. I got up and joined him.
“So what are you having for lunch?” he asked.
“Hmmm…I don’t know. Maybe we should get to the canteen first” I answered.
We got to the canteen and boy! Did he spend money?!?! He bought almost every thing that was on display that day. I only needed to look at it lingeringly and he had paid for it!
This boy was living up to his reputation of being loaded o! I thought.
Ice cream, Cakes, Puff-puff, Oranges, Chocolates, Biscuits, Soft drinks and many more!
If the plan was to impress, then he sure as hell has succeeded. I was over-impressed!
We found a quiet spot to sit and talked for a while. Soon the bell sounded signalling the end of Break-time and I had to go back to class. As he walked me back to class, I couldn’t help stealing glances at him. God! I must have done something very right!! The boy was too foine!!!
I arrived class with my bag of goodies in tow and everyone was surprised. What happened? Who dash princesa money today??? The questions were in their eyes.
I didn’t care what anyone thought. I was in love with a rich, handsome boy!
The days flew by. We spent every spare time we had together…never apart except during classes. Break time we would head to the farthest corner of the school field where we would lie down beside each other making plans for our future together. We talked about everything-our wedding, the number of kids we would have and all the silly things adolescents(he was 16, two years older than my 14) our age talked about.
Our love was innocent and pure. We derived pleasure from just being together, holding hands and sharing our dreams.
We also began to go home after school together. My friends didn’t like this but I couldn’t care less.
It was on one of these trips home that we shared our first kiss. My very first kiss!
We were on the bus when suddenly, Francis turned to me and said:
“Close your eyes Princesa…I have a surprise for you”
I was excited. Even then I loved surprises so I closed my eyes and waited eagerly. Was it a present or what? I was soon to find out.
What happened next was a really HUGE surprise. I felt his mouth on mine and his tongue gently coerced my lips open. My eyes jerked open as I realized I was being kissed. I had read about this in books, saw it in movies but never knew how it felt to be kissed until then.
It was a very short kiss. Ended just as suddenly as it began but It felt nice and I was in love(ok infatuated maybe) so it also felt right.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It was one week to exams. Four weeks since I and Francis started dating(or whatever it was we were doing,lol!). Something was odd though. All these while I never saw Francis in his Class. Yes, he hung out with boys from SS2E and all but I never for once saw him taking a lesson in his class. Whenever I asked him about it, he always had an excuse or the other. I was worried he wasn’t taking his studies seriously. There I was…serious effico and my boyfriend was a class truant. I didn’t like it at all.
Then one day, at our usual ‘Break time hang out’. I learnt the truth.
He was unusually quiet that day and I was worried so I prodded.
“What is it Francis? Why are you so quiet?? Did I do something??
He shook his head. “No…you didn’t. I was just thinking about something”
“About what? Talk to me” I persuaded.
“I guess it’s about time I told you this. Am really sorry I didn’t tell you until now”
I was now very worried. What was he talking about??
He went on.
“I didn’t know how you will feel if I told you this and I didn’t want you to leave me so…”
“Will you quit beating about and tell me what it is?” I cut in impatiently.
“The truth is that…am …not…in…(long pause) SS2E. Am supposed to be repeating SS1E”
Jesus Lord! I was stunned!!
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Yes all the signs were there-his not being in class and all that but not in my wildest dream could I have thought he was repeating a class!
I was in shock but I was still able to gather from what he was saying that he was ashamed of repeating SS1 which was why he prefer to live in a ‘fools paradise’ pretending to be what he wasn’t-one of the SS2 boys.
“Okay, no wahala…Mallam, give me the other one…ehen that one!”
“Princesa, how now?”
I turned around to see KF behind me. KF and I only recently began to talk to each other. Infact we didnt speak to each other until some weeks back when Chy introduced us. Since then the guy had been exceptionally friendly with me. I knew he was friends with Francis. I had seen them together some times so I was suspicious of his agenda.
“Hey KF! Am fine o! Wetin dey happen?” I replied.
“Nothing o! Me and my guys just dey hang out for that joint”
He pointed to a nearby shop where the guys usually hung out.
“Okay no wahala”. I collected my sugarcane in polythene bag from the Mallam and paid him. As I made to leave with my friends, KF pulled me back.
“Princesa…wait small. I want tell you something in private”
“Okay”, I gestured to my friends to go on ahead.
“So what is it?” I asked. Suddenly he was looking too serious .
“Francis wants to talk to you”, he blurted.
It was then I noticed him-Francis. He was standing a few feet from us. He looked very nervous.
Finally the moment was here. I had been waiting like forever!
“Yea…its okay…let him come” I answered.
KF beckoned to Francis and took his leave immediately. I bent my head, i didn’t want to look up. I wasn’t sure I could look at him at such close range.
His voice jolted me.
“Hi”
“Hello” I answered. I stole a look up and saw he was as nervous as I was or even more. That gave me some confidence so I maintained the gaze.
The silence was awkward.
Say something please
“You know I love you”
That was all he said.
I wasn’t sure if it was a question or a statement but I nodded all the same. I couldn’t say a word, wasn’t even sure what to say. I mean no one had ever told me he loved me before. This was all new to me.
“Can we see at school tomorrow breaktime...I see ur friends are waiting for you” he asked.
I nodded again.
“Okay bye-bye” he smiled at me as he walked away happily.
I stood at the same point motionless as I watched his retreating form.
“Princesa!! Princesa!!! Keep standing like zombie there… we don leave you o!
It took my friends shouts to bring me back to planet earth.
I walked towards them slowly. From their faces, I knew everyone couldn’t wait to hear the details.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Next day at school.
This maths lesson is taking too long o! This man no dey tire sef abi hunger no dey catch am? All these teachers sef wey dey like overdo things! This lesson is supposed to last 30minutes…it feels like 2 hours already.
I wasn’t concentrating in class. This was the last subject before breaktime and I couldn’t wait for the teacher to leave. Francis and I had a date!
Thankfully the teacher soon left and the class was gradually emptying out as everyone headed to the School Canteen.
“Princesa are you not coming?”
My seat mate Remi asked. She was about to leave for the Canteen too.
“Not yet…I want to arrange my books first”, I replied pretending to shuffle some stuff around in my locker.
Few minutes later. Class was almost empty except for a few-those who brought their food to school and those who didn’t have any money to spend in the Canteen. I racked my brain trying to remember if we had agreed to meet at a venue during break. Didn’t rack too long when I felt a tap. I looked up to see Efe with this knowing smile on his face. He gestured to the back of the class and I turned to see Francis. He was seated at the last seat in my row smiling back at me. I got up and joined him.
“So what are you having for lunch?” he asked.
“Hmmm…I don’t know. Maybe we should get to the canteen first” I answered.
We got to the canteen and boy! Did he spend money?!?! He bought almost every thing that was on display that day. I only needed to look at it lingeringly and he had paid for it!
This boy was living up to his reputation of being loaded o! I thought.
Ice cream, Cakes, Puff-puff, Oranges, Chocolates, Biscuits, Soft drinks and many more!
If the plan was to impress, then he sure as hell has succeeded. I was over-impressed!
We found a quiet spot to sit and talked for a while. Soon the bell sounded signalling the end of Break-time and I had to go back to class. As he walked me back to class, I couldn’t help stealing glances at him. God! I must have done something very right!! The boy was too foine!!!
I arrived class with my bag of goodies in tow and everyone was surprised. What happened? Who dash princesa money today??? The questions were in their eyes.
I didn’t care what anyone thought. I was in love with a rich, handsome boy!
The days flew by. We spent every spare time we had together…never apart except during classes. Break time we would head to the farthest corner of the school field where we would lie down beside each other making plans for our future together. We talked about everything-our wedding, the number of kids we would have and all the silly things adolescents(he was 16, two years older than my 14) our age talked about.
Our love was innocent and pure. We derived pleasure from just being together, holding hands and sharing our dreams.
We also began to go home after school together. My friends didn’t like this but I couldn’t care less.
It was on one of these trips home that we shared our first kiss. My very first kiss!We were on the bus when suddenly, Francis turned to me and said:
“Close your eyes Princesa…I have a surprise for you”
I was excited. Even then I loved surprises so I closed my eyes and waited eagerly. Was it a present or what? I was soon to find out.
What happened next was a really HUGE surprise. I felt his mouth on mine and his tongue gently coerced my lips open. My eyes jerked open as I realized I was being kissed. I had read about this in books, saw it in movies but never knew how it felt to be kissed until then.
It was a very short kiss. Ended just as suddenly as it began but It felt nice and I was in love(ok infatuated maybe) so it also felt right.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It was one week to exams. Four weeks since I and Francis started dating(or whatever it was we were doing,lol!). Something was odd though. All these while I never saw Francis in his Class. Yes, he hung out with boys from SS2E and all but I never for once saw him taking a lesson in his class. Whenever I asked him about it, he always had an excuse or the other. I was worried he wasn’t taking his studies seriously. There I was…serious effico and my boyfriend was a class truant. I didn’t like it at all.
Then one day, at our usual ‘Break time hang out’. I learnt the truth.
He was unusually quiet that day and I was worried so I prodded.
“What is it Francis? Why are you so quiet?? Did I do something??
He shook his head. “No…you didn’t. I was just thinking about something”
“About what? Talk to me” I persuaded.
“I guess it’s about time I told you this. Am really sorry I didn’t tell you until now”
I was now very worried. What was he talking about??
He went on.
“I didn’t know how you will feel if I told you this and I didn’t want you to leave me so…”
“Will you quit beating about and tell me what it is?” I cut in impatiently.
“The truth is that…am …not…in…(long pause) SS2E. Am supposed to be repeating SS1E”
Jesus Lord! I was stunned!!
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Yes all the signs were there-his not being in class and all that but not in my wildest dream could I have thought he was repeating a class!
I was in shock but I was still able to gather from what he was saying that he was ashamed of repeating SS1 which was why he prefer to live in a ‘fools paradise’ pretending to be what he wasn’t-one of the SS2 boys.
The impact of the news I just heard hit me and I realized that the boy sitting beside me had practically shucked a year’s school work(that was the third term), he had not done assignments nor written class tests and it was only a few days to the terms final examinations. The exams that determined if you were to be promoted or not! I was really disappointed but the next step was to remedy the situation.
We tried. I helped him copy notes and we studied together but our efforts were like the struggles of a dying man doomed to death.
The exams came and went and we hoped against hope but we couldn’t escape the verdict. It was clearly written in his report card-ADVISED TO WITHDRAW.
That day, the last day of the term. I cried, he cried too. We promised not to lose contact with each other. He was going to write me when he got to a new school. I begged him not to forget me cos I wouldn’t him.
That was the last time I saw Francis. I would only see him in my dreams from then on.
Later on, A family friend told me of this new boy at her school. His name was Francis(same surname). He was one of the hottest boys in school. The girls were all dying for him…bla-bla-bla.
For months I waited, hoping he would contact me. Months turned to years, still no contact. I gave up hope…didn’t need no soothsayer to tell me he had moved on.
And so I moved on too.
It’s been 13 years now. Sometimes, I can’t help wondering where he is, what he is doing and what he looks like now. Am not even sure I’d recognize him if I saw him again. Would be nice to see.
Ps: Now I can rest abi? All ye gist mongers,,,you got ur story!lol!
We tried. I helped him copy notes and we studied together but our efforts were like the struggles of a dying man doomed to death.
The exams came and went and we hoped against hope but we couldn’t escape the verdict. It was clearly written in his report card-ADVISED TO WITHDRAW.
That day, the last day of the term. I cried, he cried too. We promised not to lose contact with each other. He was going to write me when he got to a new school. I begged him not to forget me cos I wouldn’t him.
That was the last time I saw Francis. I would only see him in my dreams from then on.
Later on, A family friend told me of this new boy at her school. His name was Francis(same surname). He was one of the hottest boys in school. The girls were all dying for him…bla-bla-bla.
For months I waited, hoping he would contact me. Months turned to years, still no contact. I gave up hope…didn’t need no soothsayer to tell me he had moved on.
And so I moved on too.
It’s been 13 years now. Sometimes, I can’t help wondering where he is, what he is doing and what he looks like now. Am not even sure I’d recognize him if I saw him again. Would be nice to see.
Ps: Now I can rest abi? All ye gist mongers,,,you got ur story!lol!
*Mallam: Hausa man
