KELENNA

Tired Of Waiting

It's been two weeks since I left Orlu to Owerri in the earliest hours of 5th June without the consent of my parents and almost ended in 'reportedly'.

Home had been unbearably overwhelming lately and it was hundred percent my fault but... I can't concede to certain things.

I'd rather be away, I need a breath of fresh air and thank God my friend Jideka suggested this solution and helped me escape.

This move was already cowardly enough, and I really hope it doesn't turn out to be a terrible one as well. I mean I'm just 17 year old Victor Kelenna Elom, I just completed secondary school for God's sake!

But does that justify anything? I doubt.

I brought whatever this was upon myself.

Time to get serious with my life, maybe if I work hard... I will have a chance to make amends.

It was already past nine in the morning and the sun didn't seem like it had any plans of showing its face today.

Dressed in a green polo and black jeans, I was ready to head out, but... someone still hasn't showed up.

I sighed again for the hundredth time since dawn, seriously is Jideka in alliance with the sun as well? Because tell me why he is still not here yet!

He agreed to be here before 8 am so we could get started already with why and what I'll be doing here.

I slipped my phone out of my pockets, about to give him a call for the 20th time today, his line has been going straight to voicemail since morning.

Once the screen unlocked, my thumb was already on the call logs but I paused... the home screen wallpaper caught my attention... right, I think it's about time I changed that.

I stared at the smiley faces of her and I in the background with another guy that looked like the third wheel he was, it looked like he was pasted there digitally by some bad graphic designer, but I know Chibuike would rather be present spiritually than be online...

I chuckled at that thought, but it wasn't long until I frowned again, went to my gallery, deleted the pic and others like it, and then changed my wallpaper to a sea picture.

I dialed Jideka's line again and this time he picked and just yelled a "Guy I de come, I de come." Before hanging up, I didn't even get a chance to say anything and his background was very noisy.

I've been staying in a small apartment where he told Oga Efon drop me at that day, and I was just managing the 30K I was able to steal from my parents before I left and I'm about to finish the money because I never imagined that feeding oneself would be this expensive, thought draining and hard.

I literally spend 20 out of 24 hours in a day thinking of what to eat the next day, and the next, and the day after. I didn't have to worry about this at home but now I must.

I stood around the room for a bit, got to the window and looked out to the bustling city for a long time until I got tired, drew the curtains and sat back down on the bed.

It has been over an hour since I had breakfast and I was already hungry again, I took the half drank can of coke on the table and three slices of bread, the bread felt too light for my hunger, so I slightly squeezed them together in my palm before taking a bite.

I brought the coke to my lips and was ready finish it in three gulps, I downed a gulp and paused, staring at the remaining drink in the plastic can, I got an idea.

Who says I have to always be like this all the time?

I got a stainless wide plate, a fork, a knife and a takeaway cup, placed them on the table and pulled it to the bed. I put the already disfigured bread in the plate, picked up the knife and cut it into small chunks, then poured the coke into the cup, I wish I had a glass or good ceramic one, this would have been more magnificent.

But nevertheless, half bread they say is better than none... but mine isn't even up to half.

I kept the knife and picked the fork, setting the five star meal properly in front of me, I took a quick picture and uploaded it on my w******p status before elegantly digging in.

...

Two hours later... I fluttered my heavy eyelids open and reached for my phone beside me to check the time. I don't have a clock so whenever my phone battery is dead, I get left behind in the world time zone.

I squinted my eyes when the screen lit up because the brightness almost blinded me. Geez! Why did I leave it this high?

It was 12:41 p.m. and Jideka was nowhere to be found or reached, I had slept off waiting! But now I'm a bit worried, did anything happen to him or what?

I checked my w******p and there's already tons of reactions and replies from both people I know personally and those I don't. I really need to delete and block plenty people now for more privacy now that I am here.

There was a voice note reply from an unsaved number that sounded like... my mom???

Immediately I played the audio, her alarmed and irritated voice rang out.

"Kelenna ebe ka i no??!! (Kelenna where are you?)"

If I didn't know better I will think she was really concerned about my wellbeing where I am. They hadn't even made any attempt to look for me... maybe they will soon when they realize I am really gone for real.

At least this would save them the face they didn't want to lose.

But how in the world did she get this particular number?! I had left my own sim card at home so they would not even be able to reach me and registered another one with a friend's NIN after paying him.

So how... oh! This was still my w******p account, and even though I've taken out my sim, I can still get messages from contacts.

I hesitated for a while before typing a brief reply to her.

"At least I am alive mummy and I will be fine." Clicked the send button and almost immediately she started recording an audio reply. I didn't wait to hear what it was and went straight to settings to delete my account immediately.

That done, I stood up, washed my face, combed my hair and lingered for a little longer gazing at my reflection in the mirror, how I look? That's talk for another day, but I'll give you a little hint –

I'm not light skinned.. and I'm not dark skinned either,

I'm not short.. but I don't have to bend to enter the door hehe..

I'm not skinny.. but I carry heavy stones in my pocket sometimes when the wind in on aggressive mood so I can still remain firm on the ground.

And my looks would win my brain in a beauty contest!

You should be able to decipher my facials and other physical traits with these few points of mine until I'm ready to unbox myself.

That said, I took my bag, swung it over my shoulder and closed the door behind me, tired of waiting for Jideka like he is the second coming of Christ.