EMPIRE HIGH SCHOOL - Episode 13

?Katherine’s POV?

I glanced around at the garage to find Emeka. He didn’t show up in cl@ss to get his report card. I knew it was because of what happen in the corridor. I had no idea why Joseph punched Emeka.

I thought they were best friends.

What could have happened at the short duration when they both left the libr@ry?

And why did he say I should stay away from Emeka?

Online shopping for buyers and sellers in Ghana famirac.com is the answer.
I didn’t s-en-sed any bad aura around him when we were together in the libr@ry. Emeka just wanted to be friends with me. He’d joined me in the libr@ry after picking stuffs at the store. He’d picked a

supernatural novel titled “Fountain Falls” It was his favorite novel. It has a volume 2 “The Red Haired Witch”. Emeka begged me to re-ad the book, and he briefed me about it. And with what he said I found it interesting. The same writer wrote the book I re-ad at the libr@ry. We were talking about the writer of those books when Temi, Elena interrupted us and Joseph was behind them.

A loud horn snapped me out of thought. I looked beyond and I saw Emeka in a black Toyota Camry Car. He waved at me and I went to him. I opened the car door and entered.

“Are we free to go home?” He asked

Emeka whined up his tinted gl@ss.

“Yes”

My gaze fell on his bustedl-ips. Emeka noticed i was staring at hisl-ips.

“What happened?” I asked him

He looked away from me and started the car. The car glided into motion. Soon the car st©pped and the gl@ss went down again. A security guard moved closer.

“You don dey go house?”

“Yes.. ”

The man eyed me suspiciously

“Oga no think rubush oo” Emeka said

The guard smiled

“You be boss na”

“Na you boss p@ss” Emeka replied

The guard laughed

“Abeg, oga help me give Mr Ben this money” he took out #2000 from his safe in his car. Another man joinred.

“Oh Mr ben I was just about to give him the money”

The man bend over and looked into the car.

“You get p@rtner today?” He said

“She’s the one I was talking about”

Emeka said

What?!

What did Emeka tell him about me?!

“Na she cause the riff between -”

Emeka placed his hand on the horn.

“Emeka! w€tin Na!”the guard screamed

Mr Ben laughed

“Me?! Riff?! What did i do?

“Don’t worry I’ll talk to Joseph” Mr Ben said

“Don’t worry about it. We’re running late” he gave Mr Ben the money.

“Thank You Emeka” He said

Mr Ben gave the guard #1000.

“I didn’t say you should give him the money. That’s for you”

“He’s my son too”

“Emeka, I’m sharing this with three other guards” the guard said

He reopened the safe and brou-ght out #3000

Why is he giving them money?

“This is for the three guards”

“Ah! Emeka thank you. God bless you” the guard said and walked away

“Mr Ben s£nd me your account number so I can give you that money for Chioma medical bills”

“Thank you Emeka” he said

I could s-en-se sadness in his tone.

“I’ll call you”

“Take care of yourself” He said

The Gl@ss went up and Emeka drove out of the school compound. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

Emeka was nice towards Mr Ben. His plans to transfer money to Mr Ben to pay Chioma medical bills t©uçhed my heart. I didn’t know the full story but with this little, Emeka was generous.

I was concerned about Mr Ben. I wanted to know more but I doubted if Emeka would tell me about it.

“Check the back seat”

He broke the silence. I looked back, there was several nylons on the seat. The items he bought at the tuckshop. Emeka slowed down for the guards to open the Estate Gate. EHS was located in an Estate. He moved out slowly and soon we hit the highway.

“Keep yourself busy with some junks. I picked out few things for you, though I didn’t know you what you like.. ”

“I’m fine.. Thanks”

I held my backpack closely to the che-st.

“Where do you stay?”

“Gold Estate”

“Oh really? ”

“Yes”

“A friend of mine stays in that estate”

Then we lasped into silence

“About Mr Ben.. You mentioned Chioma”

“Yes she’s Mr Ben’s first child”

“She is sick?”

“Yes Chioma is down with Typhoid” he said

“And she is in the hospital?”

“Yes since two weeks. Chioma fainted at school so they rushed her to a pri-vate clinic nearer to her school. They didn’t discharge her because Mr Ben couldn’t afford the bill”

“How much is the bill?”

“#30,000”

What?! And he wants to pay for it?!

“And you intend to transfer the money to him?”

“Yes”

“Wh..Where did get such amount of money to pay the bill?”

He looked at me and focused on the road ahead.

“Yoi don’t know anything about me” he said

“Hey don’t think I bribe-d those guards. Actually, that how i just give them anytime I have money in my safe” he said

“Can i ask you something?”

“Sure”

“Why did you decide to help Mr Ben?”

“He’s like a father to me. And chioma is a sister to me”

“How old is she?”

“Chioma is 16”

He replied

“You’re nice” I spilled out my thought.

“I told you” he answered

“Can I ask.. You something again?” I asked

He nodded

“I want to know what happened in the hallway. Why did Joseph punch you?”

Emeka was silent. A frown formed on his face. And I watched him grip the steering ti-ghtly.

Seconds cli-cked by and he didn’t say anything.

Emeka doesn’t want me to know.

I swallowed h@rd and said

“Its okay if you don’t want to talk about it”

“It was because of you” he said

I looked at him

What?! Because of me?!

How? How in hell did I become the reason behind their fighting?!

“You’re kidding right?”

“No”

It was because of me!

Then I recalled Mr Ben’s words before Emeka pressed the horn.

“Na she cause the riff between -”

Between who?

You and Joseph.

I completed Mr Ben’s intended statement.

•••• ••• ••••

?Jeffrey’s POV ?

“Your dad called me this morning” Aunty Joke said to me.

I st©pped mopping the floor.

“I’m not interested”

“Jeffrey we need to talk”

“Aunty,there’s nothing to talk about”

I moved away from her side and carried the mop bucket into the restroom. I didn’t go home after we closed at school. I drove down to my mom’s store straight Because I wanted to avoid the

discussion with my dad. And now I’ve to talk to aunty joke.

I inhaled de-eply before bending down to rinse the bucket.

“Jeffrey, listen to me, you have to listen to your dad and give respect to your Stepmom” Aunty Joke said

“Never”

I went back to the main store and moved to sit at the counter.

“Kilode to n se bayi?” She asked

(Why are you acting Like this?)

“I can never accept that woman”

“I’ve told you countless time that It wasn’t her fault or your dad’s”

“No, you don’t know what happened -”

“My sister told me everything”

“Can we not talk about it now?” I said

“I insist we discuss it -” she tapped the counter

“Your dad said you’ve refused to eat whatever Lola cooks at home. Why?”

“I don’t want to eat her food”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to die” I spat

“Ah! Jeffrey! This is unfair o!”

“Aunty -”

“Why would you think like that?! Lola mean no harm Jeffrey”

“Aunty let’s forget about it” I said

She stared at me

“Ema gba mi o! Ehn Jeffrey in your mouth!” She exclaimed

“Aunty can I stay at your place for this break?” I asked

I don’t want to stay in that house

She eyed me

“No” she spat

I frowned at her

“Since you’ve decided to do things your way then don’t come to my house. You are growing wings now abi” she said

“Aunty no.. Try to un-derstand me”

“Go to your father’s house. He’s waiting for you. And mind you, am going to report you to Aunty Lara”

“Ah! Why now?!” I asked

Aunty Lara was my mom’s elder sister. Grandma had four kids (3 girls and a boy). Aunty Lara, My Mom (Molade), Uncle Jide and Aunty Joke.

Aunty Lara was the strict type. I don’t like really like her. The truth was I’m scared of Aunty Lara.

“Aunty Joke Don’t tell her anything” I pleaded

“Don’t beg me”she walked away

I got out of the high stool and followed her.

“Aunty Joke now.. ”

She pressed her cellphone. She was calling Aunty Lara!

I thought of what to say to my Aunt.

“Hello Sister Mi” she said

I stood in front of her and gestured to her not to say anything. I placed my palms together.

Why won’t she listen?!

“Ehn.. He called you?” She said

Looking at me with a wicked grin. Oh no! Don’t tell me Dad called her!

“O wa ni bi” she said in her native language meaning

(He is here). My mom was from the Yoruba Tribe but my Dad was an Igbo Man.

“Sister Mi Talk to him. Jeffrey is too stubborn” she said

“Yes, I alre-ady told him Lola doesn’t mean any harm. Three years now, and he’s still holding

grudge against his dad” she paused

And continued

“Sister Mi eba Jeff soro dada”

(My Sister talk to Jeff very well)

She handed me the cellphone. The bell at the door Jangles, someone was in our store.

“Gba phone lowo mi, kin Lo da customer lowun”

(Take the phone from me and let me attend to the customer)

She squee-zed the phone into my right palm.

I placed it on my ear and walked Into the restroom to pee.

“Jeffrey what is your problem?” Aunty Lara asked

“Big mummy nothing is wrong. Everything is fine with me”

“So why are you rejecting Lola’s food?”

“I don’t want to eat her food”

“Why?”

I was silent.

Is it by f0rç£ to eat food?

“Jeff listen to me the dead is gone. And do you think your mom will be happy to see what you are doing now?” She said

A tear slid down my cheek. Memories of my Mom flooded my mind.

“I alre-ady told you, everything that happened to Lade wasn’t your dad’s fault. It was her fate and there was nothing to st©p it from happening”

It was a lie!

Mom would have gotten better if Dad was around to take care of her. No one knew my mom had cancer until she coll@psed at the store. My dad wasn’t home, he was out of the country as at that time. I called him before anyone else and hoped he would come home in the next two days but he’d said he was too busy at work. My mom spoke to him when she regained consciousness, she begged him to take care of me if anything happens to her. I bec@m£ very scared after hearing her

words. I didn’t want her to die. In tears I asked her to stay alive but then she confessed the cancer was in the last stage. I felt bad, and guilt filled my mind Because I didn’t know she was terribly

sick until she coll@psed. I never suspected anything before that day. My mom died four days after admittance into the hospital.

More tears dr!pp£ddown my cheeks as I recalled the event. In the morning I was re-ading a book to my mom when she gave up the ghost. I didnt believe it when the doctor announced her death to

me. They covered her face and soon after breaking the news to my Aunts, they moved her to the mortuary in the hospital. It was then I believed it. She was really gone! She left me!

My dad c@m£ home the next day, the man who said he couldn’t make it few days back, he made it the next day. Definitely he could have made it home the day I called him or the next but he didn’t

want to come home. His wife was sick and he didn’t know about it.

He admitted that he never suspected that she was I’ll. Aunty Lara blamed him back then but now she was supporting him.

How could she forget her sister easily?

“Jeffrey all am saying is that try to let go and be yourself again. St©p blaming your father for Lade’s death”

I was speechless

“So ti gbo?”

(Have you heard?)

I couldn’t talk because of the tears.

“Jeff are you there?” She asked

“Yes.. Thanks Ma”

I know how much you loved your mom. Don’t think am saying you should let someone else take her place in your heart. All am saying is that you should give Lola a chance in your life”

“Okay.. Ma” I said shakily

“Ma binu oko mi.. Anything just let go of it”

(Don’t be annoyed my dear)

“I’ll s£nd money to you before the end of the week” she said

Aunty Lara gives me #5000 every week for allowance.

“Apologize to your parents when you get home because your dad wasn’t happy when he called me. So plea-se give him another chanced cause I know he regretted what he did to your mom”

“Okay” I said

“I’ll call you later”

I hummed a response with a sniffle

“Take care” the line dropped

I cried for seconds. I calmed and rinsed my face and I moved out of the room.

I st©pped on track when I saw the person at the counter. Unbelievable!

“You’re pretty” My Aunt Said

“Thanks Ma”

Kate was there!

A sanitary pad was on the counter.

I listened to their conversation.

“Do you know Jeffrey?”

“Yes.. Jeffrey Adams”

“So.. How well do you know him?”

“I don’t know him too well because he doesn’t talk to anyone at school” Kate said

Then my aunt eyes fell on me

I was surprised to find Kate in our store!

“Oh Jeffrey, look your schoolmate is here!”

Kate looked at me with a wi-de eye before glacing back at the sanitary pad on the counter.

“Do you know her?” Aunty Joke asked

I nodded

“She’s my cl@ssmate. . ”

“Oh! Really?!” she said

I hummed a response and walked to the counter. Kate packed the sanitary pad into the nylon my aunt gave to her. She avoided my gaze in the process. I stared at her – and tried to figure why she

was avoiding an eye contact with me.

“Well.. Jeff, it seems you are not close to anyone in your cl@ss” Aunty Joke Said

I didn’t respond

Kate gave her #1000 and our gaze met. Her cheeks flu-shed de-eply. I could see the red colour on them. She wasn’t blu-shing. Kate was embarr@ssed.

Why?

Oh! It was because of the pad!

That’s not a big deal

“What’s your name?” Aunty Joke asked.

“Ka.. Ka” she paused

Kate shyness has set in once again. What happened? She was talking fine with my Aunt before I c@m£ in. She fixed her gaze on the counter, staring right at the nylon on it. I exchanged glances with Aunty Joke. She needs someone to help her out.

“Katherine Adebowale” I completed her statement

“But you can call her Kate for short” I quoted the lines she had said the first day Kate stepped into cl@ss.

“My name is Katherine Adebowale but you can call me Kate for short”

Kate glanced up at me but she looked away quic-kly.

“Nice name” Aunt Joke said

“Tha.. Thank you Ma” She replied in a low tone

“Jeff why don’t you give her change while I ease myself in the toilet” Aunt Joke said

She moved away from the drawer and I filled in her place. She walked off.

What should I say to her?

Hello? Hi? How are you?

Kate was just heading home because she still had her uniform on. I left school right after Mrs Salako distributed the cards. I didn’t wait to check others report cards. My cl@ssmates are fond of comparing card just to know who scored the highest point.

“Hi”

I said to Kate as I sort out change in the drawer. She didn’t reply. I guess she was still finding it h@rd to talk. “Don’t mind my Aunt.. I know she talks a lot” I said

The lady care sanitary pad costs #270,so her change was #730.

I looked up at her. Kate was toying with the nylon with her head slightly bowed. Kate’s shyness was out of the world. I leaned forward on the counter.

“Hello Miss Kate” I said

She didn’t raise her head

“You can have your change” she stretched her head to receive it without raising her head.

“Do i scare you that much?” I said

I don’t un-derstand!

Why won’t she look at me?!

I’ve seen her talking to our cl@ssmates!

Kate looked up.

Our gaze met again and this time she didn’t look away but she did the most surprising thing. Kate snatched the money from my hand.

“I’m.. sorry” she said

She raced out of the store!like she ran at a fast speed.

Kate! I wanted to call her but I held back.

Why did I want to call her?

She alre-ady purchased a good and I gave her change.. Just like I would do to a random customer.

I rushed to the transparent door to see where she went, I noticed a black toyota Camry with tinted gl@sses.

I trecognized it!

What was Kate doing in Emeka’s car?!

The car pu-ll-ed out of the driveway and drove off.

Emeka? Kate? Emeka and Kate?

Kate in that guy’s car?! Unbelievable!

When did they bec@m£ close?!

“Jeffrey” Aunt Joke called

“What’s wrong with Kate?” She asked

I felt uncomfortable! And suddenly I bec@m£ concerned! I wanted to know something about them. I need to find out what in hell was Kate doing in Emeka’s Car?!

I rushed to the drawer and gr@bb£d my black Jacket and keys.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll be right back”

“Jeff..” she called out but I was alre-ady out of the store. I looked at the time 3:45pm.

I started the bike and followed the route Emeka’s Car went.

I searched for Emeka’s Car in the sllight traffic on the highway. I felt my hands tremble as I pressed my horn. I need to find the car before i lost track of them completely.

How long has he been driving Kate home?

What was going on between them?

I wondered

Finally the cars moved and in no time I found a better space. I looked around throu-gh my helmet and I sp©tted Emeka’s car behind a trailer. I couldn’t see throu-gh cause the gl@sses were tinted.

I don’t trust him!

An image of Emeka’s using this traffic as a chance to t©uçh Kate improperly flashed my mind’s eye.

No! No! No!

“Kate is different! She isn’t Like some girls in our cl@ss” A voice reminded

The road was free, so I followed them closely. They won’t recognize me because I had my helmet

and back jacket on.

I packed my bike at a far distance when Emeka pu-ll-ed up in front of an Estate gate.

Kate stays in this Estate!

I should have suspected it when we were heading to this place. It was a familiar route. Why?

Well it turned out to be that Aunt Joke stays in this Same Estate!

Wow! What a coincidence!

Perhaps is Emeka living in this Estate too?

I doubt it simply because he should have drove in if he was residing in the Estate.

I Watched them from afar. Kate c@m£ out of the Car. She went to the driver’s seat.. Probably to

thank him for driving her home.

What’s he up to?

Emeka got out of the car and st©pped Kate by gr-abbing her upper arm.

I clenched my fists.

She stared down at his hold on her and he withdrew. I couldn’t hear what he was saying to her. He opened the backseat and brou-ght out a nylon. It was Mrs Jeremiah’s store package. Emeka gave

it to her but Kate didn’t take it from him.

She said few words to him with a smile on her face.

Did she just smile at him?! OMG!

But

She was totally shy with me!

Was that shyness or she was trying to avoid me?!

Damn it! Emeka of all boys!

How did he manage to get Kate to be free with him?!

Did he cast a spell on her?!

Kate waved at Emeka and he did the same. He did the sign of call me and she responded with a nod!

What?! Emeka has Kate’s contact?!

Jeffrey you don sleep too much!

I started my bike and drove off. If Kate could flow with Emeka like that.. Then why was she acting differently with me?! She didn’t even look af me Like that!

She avoided my gaze but she smiled at the school baddest boy!

Maybe she doesn’t like me!

I thought de-eply

It’s all my fault!

I’m so stupid!

I recalled Kate told my Aunt that I don’t talk to anyone at school. My attitude at school had pissed many student off.

Kate must have felt the same too. And when we met in the hallway.. I think twice. Kate would st©p and stare at me as if she had something to say to me. And I won’t say anything.. All I did was walk

away.. Like a dummy!

My heartbeat ra-pidly. Why on earth did I follow them?

I don’t know!

And I had no idea why I was feeling this way.

I drove at a high speed as I was in a hurry to get back to the store.