The Tears of Ngozi

Chapter Four : Ngozi

FEW YEARS LATER

Ngozi had grown into a beautiful young lady, she was now getting ready to go to the university. She is average in height, very beautiful, smart and jovial lady. She is fair in complexion but due to the stress and hot sun that meted on her , her colour dimmed a bit to chocolate . If there was anything like white chocolate as a type of color complexion , she would fit the description .

Ngozi remembered the advice her parents gave to her when they were all praying the previous day. While she packed her luggages getting ready for the university, which was a world on its own. She recalled back on her parents advice to her ;

MR OKAFOR : Ngozi my daughter, you are all grown now and are about to enter the university , (He spoke with so much seriousness). When you get to school don't forget the daughter of whom you are , be very careful .

MRS NNENNA: Yes !! Nnem !! ( Meaning my mother, sometimes Mrs Nnenna refered to her daughter as My mother , because according to her Ngozi took most features from her grandmother). You are a child of God , don't go there and forget your self . Mind your business , don't follow bad people and read your books.

NGOZI :. Okay mum and dad, I have heard all you guys said , I will make sure to mind my business, read my books so I could graduate in flying colors and also involve God in my daily living. ( She spoke assuring her parents)

MRS NNENNA : I know you will not disappoint us , remember if you are going through hard times in school don't forget to call us and let us know. We are here for you ( She ended her speech)

NGOZI : Mum and Dad, Don't you trust me ? , I promise to make you proud .

Ngozi flashed back to reality and she was almost done packing , " So by tomorrow I will be in the university. " she thought to herself and then she finally packed in the last of her items in a travelling bag and dropped it by the side of her bed . She was so nervous , so she didn't go down to the dinning room to eat that evening and slept off on empty stomach.

*****

FEW WEEKS LATER

Ngozi was seen in a lecture hall normally refered to as the lecture auditorium, which was fully furnished with classroom materials. The White board, markers of different colours, book shelf for students to pick a book of interest and a small library that each lecture auditorium had , which was meant for students to go in with a book and read , Student lockers etc. Suddenly the bell rang ( Signifying the end of the previous course period and the beginning of the next course).

Ngozi just finished from her music class, walking back to her locker to pick her next materials for her next course , her

rival (Dorcas), who was in same level with her in school and both in the music club hated her in music club and was jealous of her lovely voice and singing skills . Dorcas spotted her from afar , knowing that she was just coming from the music class where she initially left . Dorcas signaled to her girls and directed their attention to Ngozi .

According to them she was a newbie who just recently decided to join the music club, because of her awesome voice and this made them dislike her .

“ What should we do to this little pest that think she can come and outshine us in this campus? ",

(Dorcas asked her friends, enviously staring at Ngozi who was faraway from them trying to arrange her locker and take her book for the next lecture.)

“Lets taunt her” ( Her two friends replied).

They walk straight to where Ngozi’s locker was , and then one of them banged at he locker, closing it forcefully . Then dorcas smiled and the conversation ensued ;

"Here's the most beautiful lady with the most angelic voice of all , give way for her, so she could pass. “

( Ngozi was ashamed as people started staring and laughing at her. )

Just as Ngozi was about to leave , dorcas blocked her way and said to her ,

“ Sing something for us, please “

Dorcas was a known bully in the school , everyone feared her because she was a very mean girl, a spoilt rich brat . No one wanted to cross her path , or they wouldn't hear the last of it. Ngozi fell into Dorcas trap the day she decided to join the music club in COMPTON ACADEMY , worst of all she auditioned for a role as the leading soloist In the music club and actually got the part.

This was Dorcas spot, no one ever sang solo in the music club except dorcas . So when Ngozi became the soloist Instead of her for that year in school, Dorcas vowed to make her life miserable.

This wasn't her first attempt in ridiculing Ngozi , there were several times she did bully her . There was a time during the Compton Talent Show, when Ngozi lost her dress which she was supposed to wear as the leading soloist , it was all Dorcas plot to stop her from taking her spot , the spot she maintained every year .

Dorcas pretended to care and like Ngozi when they both resumed in the university , but planned on ridiculing her as time went on . She actually took Ngozi’s dress for the performance as the leading soloist and hid it so she wouldn't find it, then brought a shabby outfit for her to put on telling her that was the leading soloist alternative dress and that would replace the dress she lost.

Ngozi been a newbie in the music club innocently wore the dress to the performance Not knowing it was a shabby dress that was in the lost and found area of the hall .

Ngozi was not allowed to perform because she couldn't find the soloist outfit that was handed to her and She was asked to make a refund as the leading soloist outfit cost money and it was a costume their music club used every year to represent the soloist in various music contest or presentation.

After some days Ngozi found the dress in Dorcas’s locker, rumpled and torn. Ngozi confronted Dorcas , that was when Dorcas, showed her real colour, threatening to deal with Ngozi , if she pushes her to the wall . And that she was only pretending to be her friend during the music festival , so she could disgrace her and teach her lesson for stealing her spot in the music club.

Ngozi felt bad and angry at Dorcas , while she was raging in anger, Dorcas could see a bright little light like fire glowing in Ngozi’s eyes and then Dorcas could feel a kind of sensation crawling through her , she then felt weak and hypnotized .

Dorcas went to report herself to the principal of the school what she did to the costume and then she was punished for it and asked to refund the money for the leading soloist costume . Ngozi unaware of what she was doing or the fact that she had supernatural powers didn't know she hypnotized Dorcas into confessing .

Dorcas couldn't understand how she voluntarily went to confess to the principal, which made her get two weeks detention and even had to pay again for the dress after which she was asked to apologize to Ngozi, what she despised doing , let alone to someone she hated . She then remembered that she was speaking with Ngozi when it all happened.

Back to reality, Ngozi looked up at Dorcas and her crew , when they approached her and warned them to leave alone, and then Ngozi tried walking out of the hallway,

but Dorcas blocked her even the more this time ,with her friends who were following Dorcas behind ready for anything . Then from nowhere a voice was heard from the school hallway,

" Let her go”

A baritone voice sounded from behind Ngozi and Dorcas, which could make anyone tremble.

A tall, dark and skinny or should I say slender figure appeared to be walking towards them. It was Dele, he was the son of a politician , his family had affluence and influence in the society and even in the university.

He walked straight to where Dorcas was , he wanted to confront her, Dele was tired of dorcas continuous bullying on other students , making them feel inferior. And he wouldn't let her bully anyone again, atleast not on his watch.

He rushed to where Ngozi was and asked " Are you okay? " ( He asked Ngozi to be sure they hadn't hurt her),

Ngozi replied with a smile " yes I am" .

Before he could say anything else , she walked briskly out of the hallway.

"What did you do to her? " Dele asked Dorcas.

Dorcas was scared , "Nothing ,she lied" , I was just trying to tell her to be careful next time , So she wouldn't loose her costume, she had to answer wisely . In the whole school ,dorcas didn't fear any body except dele and his family. Because they practically were shareholders of the university .

*****

Dele was from a wealthy home, his father was richer than Dorcas family, so this made her fear Dele and his family. She was scared that one word or order from him, then she would be rusticated out of Compton academy which was one of the most prestigious academy in the city .

People who attended Compton were seen as. Intelligent , smart and rich . Plus their standard of teaching is the best in the eastern part of Africa, Which made them to be awarded several times for their efficient and consistent teaching methods or techniques which has produced great alumni’s or great men. Compton academy set a goal for each student to pass or be rusticated, the school is owned by a strict man and he and the other holders of the school made the university a disciplinarian university .

So Dorcas was not ready to get herself rusticated from the school, Plus she also has eye for Dele . Did I mention that Dele was a very cute guy, he was admired by the girls in school because unlike other guys , it didn't move him to flock around girls, and he was a free spirited guy , who was a good guy.

despite his father’s affluence, he still remained humble.

FEW MONTHS LATER

Ngozi’s was seen leaving the lecture hall to her hostel. It was spring break and she wasn’t about to miss reuniting with her family. She already had her bags packed to go home immediately after their final papers . She then decided to branch to a shopping mall to get some things before leaving.

*****

Ngozi is seen at a shopping mall buying groceries for her mother .( Her phone vibrates).....

Ngozi reaches deep into her pant pocket,brings out a phone and picks the call, placing the phone on her neck and using her shoulder to hold it.

“ Hello mum! " ( A distinct chatter is heard from the other end of the call)

"How are you mum? "

" How about dad?" , " Hope you are taking care of yourself and daddy?" ( A voice could be heard from the other end of the line) ," My dear I thank God o, I am so fine, looking fresh. Even your father is very healthy , his retirement benefits has really made him look fresh . plus the rest he takes once in a while. It really looks good on him."

( Ngozi smiled ) , " Good to hear from you guys , I am at the shopping mall , getting what you instructed me to buy ," ( Ngozi continued speaking to into the phone ) , " I will soon be back home to you guys, thank God school is no longer in session for now. I can come back home and relax with my lovely family. "

(Her mum replied back to her ), " hope you are taking your studies serious ?"

Ngozi replied " yes ma" ,

" Hope you are not looking for trouble? " ( Ngozi's mother always loved to ask her daughter funny questions, but she knew her daughter wasnt a trouble maker )

( Ngozi replied back to her mum thus ) , " No ma, I don't look for trouble and you know that "

" Come back safe o and pray before boarding any plane , the world is rough and only the tough survive (Mrs Nnenna talking from the other side of the phone said finally to her daughter as she ends the call).

" Ok , I will . " (Ngozi spoke back to her mother ) , But there's. Still some groceries I need to buy" .

As she was about to leave the shopping plaza, dorcas comes in with her friends sighting Ngozi they decided to make trouble .

" Hey you!!! " ( signalling to Ngozi). What are you doing here hope you didn't come to shoplift anything here? (Her friends giggled behind her).

"What is that supposed to mean? " , asked ngozi. My mum told me to get some things from this place and I didn't shoplift anything, leave me alone " (Ngozi yelled at them in anger in anger ) .

Suddenly there was a misty smoke surrounding the part of the shopping mall they were in ,

Dorcas was coughing, while her friends ran away and the mall security guards were called to come and put out the fire , they went there but couldn't see any fire that burnt, but a very poisonous smoke that engulfed the area were Dorcas was in, (the smoke actually faded off and dorcas fainted) .

Dorcas was rushed to the hospital to recieve immediate treatmment.