School Days

Episode Eight

     It was October and the result were out. The graduated students milled about the school grounds, dressed in mulfti. Some had come with their parents. Most people in the year had performed brilliantly, particularly Joe Uzoma. He had won a scholarship to study electrical engineering. During the valedictory service that had been held in July he had collected prizes in Chemistry, physic and technical drawings. Denis had done well also :she was hoping to study accountancy. Alice, too, had made his paper 

     I'll study architecture ;he had announced happily when he got his results. I'll always be an artist. 

    The principal had beamed at all of them saying. I'm very proud of you all. 

      Joe Uzoma was thinking about other matters. He thought of the past years in which so much had happened. What were the things that really mattered? he wondered. Joe.,I'm proud of you, Mr mallums had said. It was the same thing the principal always said. Same thing, but a different Joe now. 

       Shortly after she left, Precious had sent a letter to him ;

       Dear Joe, 

         It looks funny how I'm writing to you, but I hope everything turned out to be good. It may not have been my worries, but i can't just sit back there and watch someone who is innocent to bear the blame. I had always believed you were innocent. 

        I also want to let you know that I am doing okay here and looking forward to getting admission into the university to study medicine.

      Could things have been different? I don't really know. You remember what you said to me last that day? Well, to illustrate the fact, I feel just the same as you. But i think people should sort out things inside them self first, and I'm trying. 

        All the same, I want you to know that what you did for your brother was terrific and gergous. Cool! It was the greatest thing ever. To rap it up I must admit that you are going to be someone special one day. 

                                                                                                           Precious 

   The greatest thing ever! That was the kind of thing a girl could write. Would he ever understand girls (rhetorical analysis). He knew he might never see her again, but he would never stop thinking about her, especially that image of her beautiful face with her long hair flowing out beneath her school cap that night when they were walking home together, or that day when she sat with him at his moms burial night. Yet it hurts even more to say her name, even to think about her. It is funny to see how someone can make you feel both happy and sad at the same time, Joe thought. 

    Alice came over. 'what a year!' 

     'yes'. 

    And for unknown reasons, they burst out laughing. 

     `why are you laughing?ʼAlice said between gulps. 

    “why are you laughing?ʼ Joe said. 

 They laughed so hard that tears started rolling down their cheek. Students around stared, wondered,and then smiled at the two boys. The End