MY RHYTHM AND BLUES

FIVE

Claire stood in front of SS2A, still taking permission to enter when a Senior grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the door,

“Hey… how far?”

The voice came. It was their chief refectory prefect. He was a brown skinned guy with big eyes. He was not exactly someone she would call handsome though.

“Senior, good evening”

“How are you?”

“I’m fine. Senior please, I’m looking for Senior Henry”

“Chill first. Let’s talk first then later you’ll go and see him”

“Please Senior its urgent”

“What’s your name?”

“Claire… Aniekwe Claire”

“SS1 baa”

“Yes Senior”

“I’m expecting you in my class during sports. I don’t want to look for you”

“Yes Senior. Senior please I need to see Senior Henry”

He eyed her curves and said, “Hmm… okay… this one you’re looking for him. Enter inside shaa”

Claire hurried into the class. That guy’s a lunatic. She walked over to Henry’s seat. As usual, Henry was discussing with Jerry and when Claire stopped in front of him, He looked up,

‘Chisom was right about him having nice eyes and long lashes’ she would admit that his eyes were really sending her the wrong message.

“Any problem? Do I know you?”

“Senior, Please… it’s Chisom. Senior please you need to come with me, there’s a problem”

Henry looked at Jerry and Jerry laughed and said,

“You know this SS1 girls too dey jonz. Henry are you sure it’s not a prank?”

“No… Senior, please. Some of your set girls came and took her out of clasx. I’m serious please. I dunno what they are doing to her please Senior”

“Do you remember any of them?”

“Yes, Senior Stephanie, Senior Emmanuella and Senior Chidimma. It’s them I could remember. Please they were looking very angry”

“Oya Jerry, make we go”

…………………………………………………………………………

I was already sniffing when I went round the hall on my knees. My knees were bruised and bleeding. Senior Stephanie was still dragging me around. I broke down.

“Senior please I can’t do it again. Please Senior, my knees are hurting please”

“And how is that my business? Continue moving…”

One of her set girls came and whispered something to her. Her eyes widened. She moved towards me. “I’ll deal with you later”

She kicked my knee, turned and left with her friends. I was on the floor hoping for strength to stand up. I tried and tried but I couldn’t. I don’t think I’ve ever been that helpless in my life, not even when I was a baby.

Tears clouded my eyes as I saw Claire running towards me and walking behind her was Senior Henry and Senior Jerry. She helped me sit up and hugged me.

“Jesus, Chisom!”

I didn’t respond. “… it’s okay. You can cry…”

I hugged her tight and cried into her shoulder a little loudly but who cared. She kept patting my back, helping me to calm down. I still kept crying, wishing I could stop.

And when I looked up, Senior Henry was staring down at me. He sat on his hunkers just in front of me. He looked at me. I was still wet. Claire released me.

“I’m very sorry… Are you okay?”

“No”

Jerry chuckled. How could he be asking me that question? It was so obvious I wasn’t okay.

“Chisom, can you stand?”

“No, my knees are paining me very badly”

“Your knees?”

I changed position from kneeling, I sat and raised my dress slightly and he saw the bruise and I was still bleeding. “f**k, they did this to you?”

He touched it slightly and my breath hitched as I flinched lightly. He came closer looking at my knee, a hand under raising it up slightly. I looked up at him. He turned to look at Senior Jerry.

“Guy, you fit get that first aid box under my locker?”

“Okay. No problem. Little girl follow me”

Senior Jerry said to Claire. Claire looked at him. ‘Small girl??’ She thought. She kept quiet so she would not be disrespectful. She quietly followed him.

I looked at Senior Henry again. Tears leaked from my eyes and a tear dropped on my laps and he looked at me,

“f**k, I’m so sorry Chisom…”

“It’s not your fault Senior”

“Your friend said it was Stephanie. Right?”

“S…Senior please don’t say anything to her”

“How did you get the injury?”

“I fell” I lied “Why are you lying to me? How did you get the injury?”

“I crawled”

“Where?”

“Round the hall…”

“You did what?”

“Senior please…”

He looked at my legs and Senior Jerry arrived soon with Claire and the first aid box and then she handed it to Senior Henry. Senior Henry collected the box from her, unlocked it and brought out the cotton wool. He looked at Senior Jerry as if they were talking in coded language and senior Jerry passed him this wicked smirk and left with Claire.

He opened the cotton wool, took a small amount and gently cleaned the blood that was still oozing out. I groaned and he said,

“I haven’t even applied the methylated spirit yet and it’s paining you like this”

“It’s really painful” He then took my hand to his shoulder, “If it hurts too badly, squeeze my shoulder”

I stare at him for a while, forgetting my pain for a second and I nodded. He opened the bottle of methylated spirit, picked cotton wool with the scissors and dipped it in the bottle, soaking as much spirit as the wool could carry, then he applied it gently on my left knee. I cried out squeezing his shoulder really hard then put my other hand over my mouth to reduce the noise. He looked at me and I stopped and returned his gaze. His lashes fell and for a second and I really hoped he’d kiss me.

Wait … What the hell was I thinking? Especially at this moment. He playfully nudged my head to the side “You’re really crazy. What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing…” I smile looking away. He smirked, when he was done treating the wound, he then bandaged it.

“Let me carry you to your hostel gate.”

“Huh? I… it’ll look somehow”

“What’ll look somehow?” he said surprisingly looking oblivious. He then carried me in a piggy back style and began to move. I was so shy especially when he put his hands under my laps to support me and my arms hung on his neck. He carried me till I reached the front of my hostel gate where Claire was waiting.

She gave me this mischievous smirk before she helped me get off his back holding me very firmly,

“Good night”

He said but I really don’t know that evil spirit that usually took over me when it came to him. I held his hand.

“Senior thank you so much”

He just looked at me and I pulled away quickly

“Just take care of yourself. I’ll check on you tomorrow so I can change the dressing”

“Yes Senior. Good night”