Unscathed

Before : Campanellino.• Abuja, Nigeria. A person's life doesn't always change only because of a dramatic event. sometimes small and insignificant things have more powerful effects and can greatly show it impact on our lives. I walked down the street of dawaki, looking for a kiosk to buy eggs. Being among boys is not easy, they make you do all their works and act like it is nothing.  Today is ya Imtiaz duty day and the lazy human being left the house early saying he has a body to work out for. Imagine. "Would you mind shifting please " I asked petite lady blocking the way. "Sorry "She shifted a little bit, well enough for me to pass.  I have seen her times without number on the street jogging with her brother or I think husband. I walked to the kiosk I usually buy eggs from , I met the owner smiling like a fool. "Haunty, Good morning " He greeted cheerfully. I nodded , he is usually this kind but then he saw our maid and he said he feels like he is love with her. Feels. "I want five crates of eggs . Give it to your boys to bring and also tell them the amount so I will send ladi with later" I directed. Still looking at me, he passed me a black nylon . "Aunty , this is for you. it is not much so please manage it " he prattled. I collected it from his hands and uttered a thank you before leaving there. I walked down home humming like a child who has been gifted a pack of sweets. A car honked behind me and I acted like I didn't hear it. The person continue honking irking the soul out of me.  I turn ready to jump on the person fiercely when I met ya imtiaz eye's burning into my face . " Do you think I am your driver. Just because I want to drop you home and you are there doing shakara. for who ?" he yapped. I pout entering the car. He revved the car to life and drove back home. I walked through the back door to the kitchen meeting ladi preparing the batter for akara. "aunty kin dawo (you are back)" She asked whisking the batter hard. "yes ladi. I will fry it , go and rest you have been walking since" I stated. She looked at ne for a while wiping her hands on the towel . " But Uncle imtiaz asked me to clean his room " she replied. Seriously, skipping his duty works and asking the maid to clean his room. Is this how he is going to continue his life as a lazy chicken? "Dallah go and rest . he will come and meet me, when he ask you why you didn't do it tell him to come to me . I am ready for him, I am always ..." "what did just say " Ya imtiaz interjected. "so the play I dey with you is too much bah? when did I become your mate ? answer me?"he queried.  I stood mute still turning the batter, I know I sounded disrespectful but it is too much , he is supposed to do the works today since it is Saturday but being the lazy chicken he is , he did not.  "Is it not Hajara that I am talking to? ahbi you don't turn deaf "He questioned , pipping at me . " I am sorry " I enunciated looking down. he hissed leaving the kitchen with a water bottle in his hand, gulping it down. he threw the bottle back to the kitchen. Ladi hurriedly picked it up putting it in the dustbin. I wiped the lone tears threatening to fall down . "Hey big sister . I missed you " Karima greeted hugging me. I hugged her back crying. "Why are you crying? Ya imti ba? that guy is something self. how I wish I was not the last born I would have give him a taste of his medicine " She hissed . Ya imtiaz might not be the best brother but I know he is trying to hide it. times without number you will hear baba talking to him about changing his ways .  He can't just live like an old man, he should be lively and mingle with his family but no he didn't heed to his word.  There was a time he almost lost his mind and sanity over what? Football . When he asked baba if he could join the club in school , baba agreed but then he started playing with his studying. he will ditch class for a week and exams? they are not in his bucket list.  Baba asked him to drop out of the football club, he watched his every movement from school to home and then lesson.  Nothing like practicing sports it was prohibited in our house and since then he isolates his self in a shell no one can break . Even mummy. I turn on the faucet rinsing my face . Walking down through the hall, I stopped by the door leading to ya imtiaz and ya bello's room. I knocked patiently waiting for him to answer because I know ya bello travelled for a business trip.  "Yes , ki shigo (come inside)" and again he thought it was ladi . He looked at me before grabbing his phone "what do you want this time?" He barked eyeing me  "I I I am so sorry, I ..I .. didn't mean to be disrespectful to you. please forgive me "I apologized. He stared at me for a minute before pressing his phone.  He called his friend forgetting that he left me standing . "Alright, I will be there in thirty " he ended the call.  "I will be back in an hour so make sure the room is well cleaned and wash the bathroom too "he croaked "oh and do the laundry for me. " he added.  I started working playing music to match my current mood and fasten my work. I finished everything except for the laundry and I am already wasted. I sluggishly packed the clothes and the white hand towels to the laundry room .  "Sannu mummy"I greeted mummy who was walking to the kitchen. "My campallino, how are you? I missed you so much " she said touching my cheeks . "Mummy you saw an hour before and you asked me the same set of questions " I whined almost dropping the clothes in my hand.  "well I guess I am always worried about my campallino, right "She coaxed .  I nodded smiling before heading to the back door, I dropped the clothes aside before looking for the gate man to take it to the laundry shop close to our house.  There is no way I will wash my clothes and still wash for him. na me born him? In our house , you do you chores by yourself or pay for it outside the house but inside you do it. As baba put it 'it is the best way to discipline ourselves so that we won't be new to it and it is his money so we should learn how to earn it'.  And I am truly grateful for that because I didn't grow up to be a spoiled brat despite baba being affluent.  The tone of my phone ringing scared me, I stared at it . Firstly I didn't change my ringing tone and secondly I don't know this number so I won't pick . The number called again but I ignored waiting for the gate man . Then phone vibrate indicating an incoming message. 'Hey dummy , pick my calls ' it says. I cursed under my breath, someone I don't know is calling me a dummy . Imagine. 'Hi Anon , sorry I don't know you and I won't pick yours call. P.S : Stop calling me a dummy if not ' I pressed the sent button. I don't know whothe person is and he/her thinks he call me a dummy. He is definitely lying, I am not his mate. 'Mumu it is me Aisha. I changed my number earlier and I even messaged you on w******p but you didn't reply," It says again. Aisha is a close friend of mine not my best friend though.She is the closest friend I have and I relate more to her. ' Sadly my time is precious and I have projects to finish before next semester so I don't have time to play around like you're' I replied