ðð I am so sorry for the late update. A lot is happening to me. Anyways, I want to share with you that my waec result was excellent. I want to thank all of you that had prayed for my success. God will bless you bountifully.
Enjoy this chapterð
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I ran my fingers through my hair, time and time again, in an attempt to calm the silent war within my mind. I hissed a breath through my clenched teeth. I watched the reflection of myself at the mirror in the toilet room. Tears ran down my cheeks and soaked the collar of my school uniform. I could taste the salt on my lips. The tears just kept coming and my bloodshot swollen eyes stared helpless back at me.
"Naomi, you need to stop crying. We have class to attend," Peggy whispered and rubbed my back.
"Why?" I wailed. "Why did this have to happen?"
"Please, stop crying. Crying isn't the solution right now. We are having maths. We can't be late for class or we will be punished"
"What's the use of going to class?" I sneered and glared at Peggy. Her eyes were also swollen from her crying. She wiped her cheek but a tear still trickled down. "I wouldn't be able to concentrate. It's a fact".
"We need to go to class!" she insisted. "We need to".
You might be wondering what happened. Well, I will summarize it to you.
I was so happy when my family and I started our journey back home. As soon as we arrived home, I prepared my school uniform for the next day. My parents didn't allow Anita and me to go to school. They wanted us to rest after the long journey.
Early the next day, with a cheerful smile on my face, I skipped to school. I wanted to give Freddy a big hug. Sadly, I was told something that spoilt my mood.
Well...They said Freddy had an asthmatic attack while climbing the stairs. But the worst was that he fell, rolled down the stairs and soon he was on the floor with his uniform soaked with blood. Peggy just told me now. I couldn't stop crying. He did some surgeries yesterday and was fighting for his life. I just wish I could leave this school and visit him. I need to be there for him. How could I concentrate in class when my boyfriend had a severe accident and was fighting for his life.
I wiped my cheeks and nodded, "Fine! I will go to class. Just have it in mind that I am not listening".
She sighed, slid her hand into mine and pulled me back to class. I wasn't the only one affected. Some students were gloomy. They said they couldn't forget the image of seeing Freddy soaked in blood and motionless.
I need to make plans to see him. He needs to know that I am sorry for slapping him. I didn't mean to. I also care about him.
There was a great pang in my heart that made my chest ached. I sat on my chair and forced my attention on the white board in the classroom. As soon as school closed, I went to Anita. I asked her if she had heard about Freddy's accident.
Anita placed both her hands on my shoulder and replied, "My classmate told me. I am sad right now. I can't believe that the Freddy I spoke to few days ago is now fighting for his life".
I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a gloomy sigh. "I want to see him".
"We will"
"We will?"
"Yeah! But we have to tell mom and dad about Freddy. That's the only way they can give us their permission. Maybe we will visit him during the weekend. It's just thursday," she said and squeezed my shoulder tenderly. "For now, I need to attend my waec class lesson. We can talk when I come back from school".
I looked into the noisy classroom. A tall figure was making its way towards us.
"Hey," Daniel greeted as he came closer to us. "How are you doing Naomi? I haven't seen you for a long time".
"I'm...."
Not good! My Freddy is in the hospital.
"She's fine," Anita added and smiled at him. "Today was not just...um...exciting".
Daniel cocked a brow and leaned forward. "Have you been crying? Did you fail your test?"
I forced a smile. "I had a good midterm test result. I'm happy"
"You don't look happy"
"Daniel, leave my sister alone oo. She's fine," Anita chuckled and placed her arm on his shoulder. "Come on, Head boy. Let's get to class" She waved at me and pulled Daniel to the classroom.
I also had Freddy's midterm test result with me. Can you guess how he performed?Sha.....My score was higher than his but he did well. He passed maths. Our maths teacher said that he was proud of him. Mrs Bridget also thanked me for all the time I had spent teaching Freddy. His grade was good. I want to visit him so I can show him his wonderful result. He would be so happy.
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"Are you sure?" I sent a quizzical look at Anita and hopped on her bed.
She slammed her chemistry textbook close and rose a brow. "Don't you think it's the right thing to do?"
"But Freddy is my boyfriend," I whined and fiddled with my fingers. "I can't tell mom and dad that".
"Before you accepted him as your boyfriend, you guys we're friends. So he is your friend. Your good friend. We will tell mom and dad that"
"Won't they suspect? They might think we are lying?"
"Boy plus friend equals boyfriend. A boy that is your friend. Freddy is like your best friend. You guys read together, go home together,...um.. argue together and..."
I cut her short when my laughter erupted in the room. "Yeah! We do argue and fight like tom and jerry," I chuckled.
"You see! You even prepare lunch for him and take it to school. You guys became friends before you turned into couples. So we will tell mom and dad that your friend had an accident in school and you want to see him. That will not be a lie," Anita explained and stared at me. "What do you think?"
"I think we should tell mom and dad about Freddy," I whispered and bit my finger. I pondered on my decision and added, "Freddy is a good boy. When he gets better, I will introduce him to our family. Our parents aren't that primitive. They won't kill us....I think...Anita, are you sure they won't kill us?"
She wiggled her brows and winked. "I have a plan that will work"
"What's the plan?"
"Make mom feel pity. Imagine we tell her about how Freddy lost his sister and grandma. Then we will explain to her the condition of Freddy's mother. She is close to going insane. If she loses Freddy, she might go insane. This will make her feel pity and she will want us to go. We need to describe the way Freddy fell down the stairs. We must talk about blood. Mom will not have the mind to say no"
"Oh my gosh! That will definitely work" I stretched my palm. "High five!" She slammed her palm on mine and smirked.
That night, we walked to the living room and paused beside the couch.
"Good evening, Mom and Dad" we chorused and both put on a sad face.
"What happened?" Mom asked when she saw my gloomy look. I haven't described my parents to you. My mom has the typical Nigerian look. She was beautifully endowed with curves at the right places. Her hip was wide and she was a true black beauty but with a lighter complexion. Anita resembled my mother. She had her complexion and big hip. My father was dark in complexion and that's why I'm dark. I look more like my father than my dad. He has the big belly that most fathers have.
"A good friend of mine is fighting for his life in the hospital," I sighed and my eyes welled up with tears.
"What happened to the person?" Dad quizzed and rose a brow.
"He..."
Anita placed her hand on my shoulder. "I'll tell them" I nodded. She looked at mom and sadness clouded her features. "He is asthmatic".
"Oh!" Mom gasped. "Eyah!"
"He had an asthmatic attack in school. He was climbing the stairs," she paused and waited for my parents' reaction. Their attention was fixed on her. Anita's lips curved downwards and she added, "He missed a step, fell, rolled down...He kept rolling and rolling and rolling. His body was slamming the tiled stairs"
"Your school stairs are tiled?" My mom's eyes rounded in horror.
"Yes! Soon he reached the bottom stairs and his body was soaked with blood. It was just gushing out"
"Ah!" My mom placed her hand on head. "How is he?"
A tear trickled down my cheek and I quickly wiped it.
"We don't know!" I replied.
"His name is Freddy. He is a good friend to Naomi. Do you know that he is a good influence on Naomi?" Anita said with a smug look.
"A boy!" my dad mumbled. My parents' expression had turned to that of disapproval.
Good influence on me? I thought it was the other way round. I'm the one who is a good influence on him.
"Did you see Naomi's result? She got A in maths. Someone that used to get B. Do you what to know how? She studies in school with Freddy. Reading with a fellow student made her sharp and smarter," Anita disclosed and pouted.
"Oh!" My dad snapped his finger. "Yes! Naomi told me that she studies in school. Is it with that boy?"
"Yes, dad!" I smiled. "I know you find it weird to hear that I am friends with a boy. Mom and Dad, I'm willing to introduce him to you so that you can know the kind of boy I am associating with".
My dad nodded. "I will like to see him"
"But can we visit him in the hospital?" I threw the question and bit my bottom lip as I waited for his reply.
"Where is the hospital?"
Anita quickly replied. I had called Freddy's mom earlier to find about Freddy's condition. She told me he was out of danger but still in a critical condition. He had some head injuries.
My dad stroked his mustache and glanced at my mother.
"We will be going to that area on Saturday. Let's drop them," My mom persuaded.
My dad was still thinking about it when Anita chimed in, "I pity his mother".
"Why?" My mother asked.
"Her daughter died. Yes! Freddy lost his elder sister recently in a car accident. His mother's mother...as in his grandma died few weeks ago. His mother is still mourning. If anything should happen to Freddy, she might go insane. We also want to give her support. She is a kind lady. Naomi has met her in school".
"Na wa oo! Sometimes you will think your problems are big but you won't know what your fellow human being might be going through. Chai! That woman is going through a lot. Her mother and daughter is dead. A parent is not meant to bury their child. The child is meant to bury them. Ah! God help us"
"Yes, mom. So can we go and see him? You can come if you want to," Anita implored.
"You have our permission. We will take you there," My mom replied.
"Thank you very much"
"We should also add him to our prayer. Let's pray for him and his family," My dad added.
"We can pray now," I voiced.
We all gathered at the center table and prayed. After that, I went to my room with a smile. Now, I would be able to see Freddy. It really hurts me to know that he is going through that. I want him to get better.
Freddy, I am coming. Please get well soon. I know you are strong.
~~~Author's Note~~~
Freddy is in the hospital oo! ððð How was your reaction when you heard this?
Do you think he will survive?
Did Naomi did the right thing by telling her parents about Freddy?
What do you think Naomi can do to help Freddy's condition?
The way Naomi's parents reacted, is it the way your parents would react?
Anyways, I actually crazy enough to ask ðð Did you enjoy this chapter?
Thanks for reading. Pls DON'T FORGET to Vote. ââ Love y'all ðâ¤â¤â¤
Your faithfully,
Me ðððð