Echoes of the past

Chapter 9

At first I was scared to check but pulled the courage after all the worst was to change my course perhaps this time I can pick what I wanted.

I stared at them. My brain refused to process what I was seeing.

Anita? my mother said. Anita, what does it say?"

I looked up at her. My eyes were wet. I didn't know when I had started crying.I don't know if the tears was from relief or sadnesses, because I can't possibly change my course with 350, like I literally scored 350 out of 400.

I passed, it came out as a whisper first Mummy, I passed, this time around audible enough for her to hear.

She screamed. My mother actually screamed. Then she was hugging me again, and I was crying into her shoulder, and somewhere behind us my father's footsteps were pounding down the hallway.

What happened? he demanded. Is everything okay?

She passed my mother shouted. Our daughter passed!

My father stood in the kitchen doorway. For a moment, he didn't move. Then his face cracked into a smile—a real one, not the small polite one he wore in court. He crossed the room in three steps and wrapped both arms around both of us.

We never doubted you, he said. But his voice was thick, and I knew he was lying.

They had doubted. I had doubted. Everyone had doubted.

But it didn't matter now.

I pulled out my phone and texted Ezekiel: I passed.

Three dots appeared immediately. Then: I knew you would. Can I call you?

I stepped outside into the backyard, where the evening air was cool and the sky was turning orange. My phone rang.

Congratulations,he said.

Thank you, I said.

And then, because I couldn't help it, because the relief was too big to keep inside: I was so scared, Ezekiel. I was so scared.

I know, he said softly. But you did it anyway. That's who you are, Anita. That's who you've always been.

How was your result I said out of guilt, as I finally remembered he wrote too and he was the one that informed me results was out.

Just fine came his reply, after much persuading he told me he scored 299 not everyone is as brilliant as you came his side joke.we laugh it off and talk about random things, before he ended the call.

I stood in my backyard, watching the sun set, and for the first time in my life, I believed something good about myself.

Why will I not I passed my JAMB. I made my parents proud. I had a boy who remembered how I took my tea.

But somewhere deep in my chest, a question was already forming. A small one. Quiet.

Now what?

Because passing an exam was just the beginning. University was waiting. A whole new life was waiting.

And I had no idea who I would be when I got there.