ONE

THE GAME

 Adedeji Osase Jean. The only girl in her family which makes her daddy’s pet and mummy’s world, having brothers sometimes is fun and unimaginable and other times you’ll wish you were in hell than with her brothers, she have always wondering what it felt like to have a sister which has left her completely weird and odd, and, sometimes jealous of her friends. She has this special kind of hatred toward girls because she finds them mostly annoying and stupid. Like her partner Rose, oh! Rose who could be more stupid as thou? Rose most times is very blunt, sarcastic and directly the opposite of her name she isn’t Rose, wondered who gave such a name. She’s always the one to put up a fire without a smoke. She is just AMAZING like that. She had always thought she was going to be happy after she got transferred to this school, but, Alas! She is wrong, it’s even way worse than the other. People here are like Zombies ‘fear the walking dead’.

 Rose, is different, she is a detective piece from parent’s complicated story, which earned her the famous ‘Nandi Bull’. She reminds her of home somewhat like the day she was late for lunch and, her brothers treating her so nice and special, she couldn’t sense danger till they actually added salt to her coke. Nandi is like that too, She, Nandi, was the first person to stand up to her, it sounds stupid but really that girl is sure something, still trying to find out about. Only, she has a ‘toy-boy’ most girls are like ‘whis whsss woooh’.

 She also added too much sauce to the vice principal during the practicals. Because he gave her an ‘E’ in two courses.

            Jean home is like ‘hehhh heeehhh’ don’t go there as a child when she gets chicken every day after school period also, always, sat at the front seat in the car, get the best treatments as the only female child even from outsiders now, that didn’t help cause she can’t cook properly, what kind of guy would want to marry a lady that can’t cook. But, anyways she’ll be hiring chiefs to do their jobs. Her school is more devilish than her home; one of the biggest favors you’d be doing yourself is, not to help someone indeed because you’d end up getting yourself in trouble, this particular guy who came late for lectures in the second semesters oh! It was pathetic of her to do, he was about to get busted when she carefree came in the whole drama;

”sir? He actually came late to class because he was helping me to study last night and we both slept very late sir. He must have not heard the alarm because I woke first sir.” Said Jean.

 And everything was going on fine until she heard; “Oh! Yes sir that’s true, but jdean? How come you didn’t talk about the sex part?”

What?! Oh no! That wasn’t true! It’s a big fat lie .The whole class busted out in laughter, since the idiot decided to switch methods which left her completely helpless and stupid. Since then she refused to help anybody since her own brother could hex her in, did it on purpose since their mum had refused to clear his credit cards. He also missed the whole first semesters and left far behind school schedules. So just in case you thinking of being nice on camp you better not be, you shouldn’t be helping your own blood unless, maybe, you two are new to the system. It’s the last class for the day; she was going on peacefully until someone called her name so beautifully it so much sounded like her mum would call her out of bed in the mornings it was like   J-E-A-N |dzi:n|. Her greatest surprise it was someone she least expected it to be Ayo! Almost screaming his name like someone who just a real ‘walking dead’. ‘I was hoping if you will be free for lunch?’

‘I thought you wouldn’t ask’ after realizing she said the wrong thing she turned to walk away, he reached for her hands raised it, and pressed warm lips to her cool skin. “I’m charmed to meet you, although, I must tell you, I feel I already know you”.

 They were heading towards the parking lot when a hobo-like creature dashed in from beneath the car. And yes it’s him! Her twin hobo-brother “why must he always be disturbing my romance life?” She wondered.

 Ayo is every girl dream just too good to be bad. ‘Going on date?’

Stay away, ‘Jonah’. She calls him that when she tries to get back at him. He fumes softly like he always did when he knows someone else’s secret he leaves with a white envelope on the car bonnet ‘What could it be?’ she kept it in neatly in her red bag purse, with a lining of gold which left it already too flashy for any flashing clothing combo’s, anyways it shouldn’t disturb her perfect one lunch to be; rest of lunch didn’t turn out to be what she expected.  Oh! Why must she always be the victim? It was a well planned joke, she knew it Ayo is too good for her not stating her standards are not high but, Ayo? And there was the whole liberal department staring at her. It was fine for everyone to stare-glare at her but not that ‘hobo-creature’ anybody else but not him!

‘April fool’…………… he shouted from his top.

But, yes how can anybody forget today is April 1^st? She just did, she turned to say something to him but the words weren’t coming, wishing the ground could up and swallow her. She pressed her hands hard against her chest in a manner that left her almost choking and falling off.

 The rest of that day didn’t work out fine for her, the news has reached almost half of the campus, Helen has posted about it on her blog, and it was the trending gist of the school for a very long time. Lying still on her bed half awake she thought of a sweet jolly pay back, and yes! She will do just one perfect thing, and it will work out. It was one month after, using the perfect bait Nandi yes, she don’t like her for a breathe but? You have to behave like a monkey to get a banana from it. Don’t you think it is time to make peace? Even, if it is a fake? Even for once? Acting cool and nice to her, was one of the strategies she will use in getting her, she even attended one of her parties without been invited, there was where they became ‘peace’ just say ‘fate?’ “The friend of my friend is my enemy”. She had went for the party looking just normal, surprised she didn’t even break a sweat about Jean banging into her party, makes her wonder but, happy at least her plan wasn’t going bad, she created a scene to get closer to Nandi, it worked perfectly well. If you are wondering what happened at the party, ‘everything that happened at a party stays at the party.’

It’s no news that Rose and Jean are now partners in crimes ‘once bitten twice shy’ nobody is ready to mess with Jean unless, you already a mess.

Moreover, her brother is always been supportive, a huge fan of her. The second semesters exams are fast approaching, everyone become a suspect no friend zone, no hang over parties, no love stories, it this time students fall in love with the lectures if they want to pass, the female students some traded their bodies in exchange for better results. Others did so unimaginable silly things to please their male lectures, the males at this times became friends with the intelligent female students and some join secret associations. And the rest preferred to read, pray, and, or, use exam malpractices. Like every normal student Jean read as much as she could, the rest was prayers, it’s no doubt she should remain amongst top students this fall. But, the news is that Ayo was found in the bottom half. Yes! She had did that, got the hobo-creature to make her a spare key from the VC office keys and later every day after exams she sneaked into the office, sometimes removed his papers or, better still show him pity and, swipe his papers with another’s, it felt so good to her knowing she is getting her sweet pay back on him! Must have cleared a victim and, also help hobo gain credits too. Happily Jean waited, looking forward to the GPDs and holidays. She couldn’t wait to get out of there, knowing what she herself had done.

TWO

PLAYFUL VITCIMS.

Back at home everything seemed so right and perfect expects for one thing, her step- mum had travelled which would be leaving her in care of my hobo-brother. The Game went perfectly well, “he got what he deserved, Yes! That serves him right” she smiled after imagining how crazy he would be if after he must have seen his results, crazy! He must have almost gone mad!

 she strolled into the kitchen half awake  to have beautiful gleams; it reminded her of those heavenly aromas’ but, unfortunately her step- mum has gone for a business trip so they left in the care of Bisi, the house maid, she too, is, good to a point though. Something seemed wrong in the kitchen an awful smell came from the other side of the well arranged room, ‘oh no!’ Jean opened the freezer after she had trailed the foul smell. The freezer has been stocked with rotten beefs and fish. ‘Bisi!’ she yelled from where she stood not longer minding the odor, Bisi came in afterwards with a smile that shows those two beautiful dimples in her checks. ’”Don’t Ma me! And better stop that………..”  

Interrupted by Hobo, he seems to feel like the man in charge. ‘What in Food name is happening here? And Brai? Why the noise this beautiful early morning?’ He usually calls her that home, he feels Jean, Osase, or even Adedeji, is too formal for him. ‘What has the poor girl done to deserve this? Morning is still is.’ Feeling very pissed she said calmly, but, the fire was in the tone of her icy voice still indicated how angry was she ‘take care of that freezer Mr. Do good.’

‘You more romantic in your icy tone’ David said with a big grin, there again he goes making humors out of everything.   He followed her into the garden like a lost puppy, he, however knew how to make his sister calm even when she would want to break his jaw and hang it over his neck. She has told him that always.

Slowly, she sank back into the tub of hot water in her bath room She felt odd; as if when she had woken she left her soul in the dream land. Throughout her life Jean has been surrounded by men- the men of her family, men who worked with dignity and has, earned respect, with much jealousy if not hatred. The heated water soon began to turn cold as she rose from the tub, the brief seconds it had taken her to grab the towel she hurriedly tied it around her leaving only the upmost of her body covered and her breast fully cupped in it, something seemed to troubled, she reached out for her phone and placed a call but, Nandi wasn’t picking she must be having parties she thought, ‘but at this hour’ she wondered, something seemed unusual to her this morning. She had ordered Bisi to bring her meal up and, she would not be entertaining visitors. Settling for her bag purse she found the envelope her brother had given her. What she saw n it almost made her balls plug out of their sockets, she wouldn’t believe her own mother would want to re-unite with the family now, why now? That her dad is contesting for Governorship, and, the family was much at peace now, long forgotten about her. Series of thoughts ran across her mind, Stop! She tried not to remember the day her mother moved out of the house with a man, she has always, hated that man.

It’s been 20 years now since her mother evolved into the thin air now she wants the family she left and choose a man over? She wondered how hurt her brother must have been if he had seen it, her had always loved their mom more, only him seemed to be carrying memories about her and, some-what contacted her. Father should be back this weekend after his campaign at Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria.

Her father, Mr. Adedeji T. Peters have always love his family and even his betrayed wife he also, carried memories; only, Jean seemed to be upset about it-her.

The lousy car horn jerked her out of her numerous thoughts, she peeped from her window, her brother! Olumide a young slim dark youth stepped out of the house he’s only 3 years older than the twins, he looked thinner than usual, but, still cutie as ever with his golden eye that would make any girl-lady fall for him at the first look.

She rushed down still in her night gown. ‘Since when did you get back?’ she asked in an icy tone. ‘Won’t big brother be getting any hugs?’ he swept his arms open, she gladly jumped into them as he lifted her far above his head as he had usually did when she was a child. He gently placed her on the ground. She wondered where and how he got such strength to do that.

Olumide is the second son of the family, also rebellious too, her dad always have issues with him, makes him call off important meetings when necessary most time left the poor man down with illness. He always says Olu took after his mother. Whenever, Olu seemed to be back home it is either he is trouble, out of money, or either, he misses home. This time he seemed to be home because, he missed home.

‘Where’s D?’ he asked after the last bag have been offloaded from the car. “I don’t know why don’t you check for yourself? Going up?” Olu followed her lead like an Italian service man does; she helped him settle two of his bags careful in the sitting room directly towards the lead to his room. ‘Can’t go this far bro! My hands ache already gan.’
She walked out of the sitting room somewhere half way up the stairs she said ‘what is your purpose of coming? Dad won’t be really impressed to seeing you.’

Olu understood his sister and waved his hand to close the matter only him- himself knows what he wanted revenge swept up his veins has he remembered what happened to him. Lunch was served; David hung around his brother’s neck on sighting him, only him understood his brother. ‘What’s up Bro? good to see you again finally’, still holding his brothers neck very close, he seemed to be doing that on purpose anyways.

 Jean tip-toped from the back and tinkled her two brothers sending the fork in the older hand swinging in the air. David gave Jean a hot chase around the big long dining table; he had only stopped to catch his breath.

 ‘Jean’s better than you kid bro, give up the chase.’ David stopped after two more helpless run around the table, jean brought her tongue in and out in a manner that looks irritating but, fashionable, she, does that only at home and at her family members. They settled for lunch, stealing food from each other’s plate, doing the plate fight, only Olu was not interested in that, though, he wins always even when their elder was around, he smiled remembering that.

 ‘A treat on big bro!’ The twin stopped abruptly leaving a plate almost falling off. Dave had quickly caught it at his own end, and he safely placed the plate back on the table winked at his sister, before they also gave their big bro a hot chase. This time Olu have been wise enough to head outside, as he rushed into his car and yanked the gate opened, the twin also followed him driving around the estate. One overtaking the other.

The heavenly aroma coming from the kitchen made Olu and the twin stomachs sing and grumble loudly, ‘that was a good chase you two.’ ‘You were just lucky and you know it.’

‘Yea that’s right if only she allowed me drive.’

 Jean knew better than anyone there was no luck beating Olu; he always seemed to win at all ends.

Bisi came out to help off load the things they brought. ‘Madam is back. And food is ready’

‘Since when?’ it just past 8:00 pm in the evening she thought her step mum should be back next month. She hurried back to her room to have a cool bath, today was so exhausting for them. A board smile came up on her face when she remembered how much she missed her once happy family and brothers too. She misses a lot about her home, the love they shared, the happiness, the laughter and even the food too.

The heavenly aroma coming from the kitchen made her lick her tongue in a way a child would when about to be   served food. She hurried down the stairs, and, what she saw almost made her eyeballs pluck out of their socket. ‘What?’ Her mother was standing there waiting for her patiently to come down and greet her. If only she knew how much, and long she waited for her to come back, she would even sometimes leave her room door unlocked for her.

 What is she doing here? Why has she come now that the wound is almost not done healing? Or maybe it’s her ghost? And why are her brothers smiling at her? Did they about this too? Was that why they tricked her out of the house? Does her father know about this too? Was that why he sent step-mum aboard? Was that why Olu came back? Stop! She closed her eyes wishing everything would come back to normal if after she opens them. Took a deep breath opened them, but she could see her mother standing there still waiting for her-her daughter to run into her arms. Her mother was first to break the silence.  ‘Jean, I now you surprised to see me here, but….’

She left the room almost immediately she was almost down In tears. Then, her father walked into the room. He, himself was surprised to see Olu at home, the second he saw his wife, he looked at the youths face searching for answers. What’s this? She is supposed to be happy her mother finally came back home. But she isn’t she is angry about everything that very moment.