THE HEALER - EPISODE 74

Chidinma turned to the other side and opened the glassy freezer out of nervousness. She wondered what exactly her mom wants to hear.
“Whatever thing that happens in my relationship ought to be between me and rema,not her right?” Her subconsciousness snakes through her as she brought out a cold Stone icecream.

“So is that all?” Mrs Uyah’s warm eyes glisten.
“Yes Mom”Chidinma nodded,opening the icecream already,she sat on the kitchen counter.

Mrs Uyah made a “and you’re sure you’re not keeping anything from me” look.
Chidinma didn’t reply,she nervously shoved a spoonful of the icecream into her mouth. Mrs Uyah understands her silence,since she didn’t give an answer,she decides to take it as a yes!.*Rema made love to her already* chidinma’s nervousness was something else now,that’s her style if she’s keeping something.

“I’m going to bed already,goodnight” she uttered,still nervous.

“goodnight and keep that ring on your finger,your father can’t see it now”

Chidinma removed the ring and hurried out. She released the breath she had been holding. Her mom was a quiet a savage,always wants to find out about everything.
What’s more?
She was expecting her to share with her every single thing. How can she feel comfortable telling her that they made love.
*
*
She checked Nonso’s room,he was still up studying while listening to music,he was even dancing. He didn’t notice her presence until she reduced the stereo volume. Nonso stopped dancing and beamed.
“My love” he winked,hugging her.
“I’m fine. How can you get comfortable doing three things at a time?” She asked.
He sighed.”tomorrow is the city’s mathematics competition at nationals. Royal high have a very high hope on me,I feel so not me or do you think I can do it?”

His eyes wasn’t glowing as the cheerful nonso,he looked really scared of tomorrow. Chidinma held her laughter,it will break his heart if she laugh.

“Well you can do it” she shrugged.
“I feel like I can’t,Blaine from emerald high is a pro. I heard our school never won at nationals” he stated.

“There will always be competitors but being you is what makes you beYoutiful. If you think you cannot do it,then you won’t. If you think you can then you will, definitely. Goodnight honey,and….rema said to give you this” she dropped the parcel on his reading stand.

His eyes glowed,it dimmed immediately. One think he is scared of is failure.

“Sister!” He called.
“Do you need anything?”
“Can you sleep here tonight?”
”why? Read your books”
”am still scared”

”hmm okay,let’s assume you’re on the stage and am your audience,yes with this teddy bear,we are your audience” she chuckled.
“Great” he sighed in relief.
He delivered his speech perfectly well,he used his laptop to act as a surveillance where questions would shuffle,Chidinma helped in timing him with the stop watch.

He was really good,his fingers moved faster on the keyboard,she noticed he would solve a question and stopped in the middle of the other one and looked at his sides. He loss concentration easily.
Chidinma got pissed off.

“What do you keep by your side that you’re looking,can’t you concentrate?” She almost yelled.
“Am sorry,let’s try it again” he apologized. She retimed him again, yet he still loss concentration.

Chidinma sighed.
“Am sorry,let’s take it again”
He still loss concentration.
“Am sorry,I told you I can’t—

“Your problem is that you always want to be in the top,you keep looking at sides to monitor your competitor when he’s doing his own”Chidinma cuts in angrily. Apart from losing concentration, Nonso has a problem of always wanting to be the best.

“You think you’re the best? Well you’re not the best,you don’t know anything! Is taking the award that important to you? Award doesn’t matter very soon the audience will forget about it but what they can never forget is the way you fight to get it– the way you present yourself remove award from your mind and don’t think about getting the first place okay,focus on doing your best in trying to attempt all questions okay,and stop pausing while soving”

“Am sorry”
”alright,let’s take again”
”sure”
Nonso repeated it again,this time he was concentrated and focused. Not thinking about the awards or gifts in his mind.

“Good,you were able to attempts 30 questions within 80seconds. What did you score?”

“Well???” Nonso pressed his lips together.
“Score?..
“25” he answered.

“Better but not good enough,be more concentrated and fast”
“Okay,let’s take it again”
”sure”

He clicked next,the questions changed on the screen,he finished within 48seconds. Chidinma noticed he wasn’t using any writing material. Don’t tell me he’s calculating everything in his brain.

“Score”
“29”
“You’re kinda fast”
Both siblings did a high five.

“Is it the same questions you practiced they will ask tomorrow?”

”no,I only downloaded some questions for time practice”

”you can do it okay,come here”
Chidinma hugged him, patting his hair like a kid.
”will you watch me at nationals tomorrow?” He questioned.
“Time?”
”it should start by 10 or so,olive is coming”
”oh,I will come with her if it won’t affect the talent hunt we registered”
”thank you for being the best sister in the world” he mouthed,touching her icecream.

She snatched it.”am not sharing it,go get your own”

”aaarrghh” he rubbed his neck and dashed out. He came back minutes later. He selected his favorite flavor “chocolate”.

Chidinma was still in his room,checking her friends status on WhatsApp.
”does dad knows?” he asked.
”about??
”your relationship”
”maybe you should help me tell him since you care so much”
”what!!!
”well,it’s better to tell him now than him finding out himself”
”can I use my phone in peace or I should go to my room?
”sorry,I was just being concerned” he apologized.
”be concerned about your studies okay” she replied.

Nonso smiled and used his phone also.
”thanks for the gift” he texts rema on Instagram,he waited for a reply.
Maybe he’s busy.
He even changed his dp,Nonso clicked to check. He had used a picture of his sister and him together. They both looked cute, but why didn’t he allow chidinma’s face show. How can he gets millions likes on just an ordinary picture.

Nonso read comments.

”what are you doing?” Chidinma jolts him out of his thoughts.
”welll….

”see this girl in the movie,she’s doing the Cobra movement.
She was like copying the snake and it was like,right here and she was like” Chidinma tilts her head like a snake will rotate it’s head sideways.

Nonso chuckled.”you didn’t watch that scene closely enough. The snake was copying the girl”.

”See lie, the girl was copying the snake” Chidinma argued.

”its the truth,the snake was copying the girl. The girl was like still water in face and in mind so the snake reflects her action like still water,like a mirror” Nonso uttered.

”Nonsense. So you want to tell me she controlled a snake by doing nothing?” she said.

”being still and doing nothing are two very different things” Nonso said smartly.
Chidinma kept quiet.
”should we goggle the answer or we should keep arguing?” Nonso suggested.
”i hear you” Chidinma retorts,she knew she loss to him already.

#Nationals…
Mathematicians all over the world were being interviewed,everyone talked about the nationals award.
*********
Drema opened his eyes that morning and walked down the stairs still in his robe. He walked downstairs and saw the breakfast on the dinning as well as an apology letter from Tom, rema ignored it and turned on the flat screen in his room,his television alone almost occupied a full wall.

Is today mathematics national award? Waow,I will gladly watch” he said to himself.
Just then his phone rang,it was his manager.

”good morning Kelvin”
”King jewel is seriously finding you”
”tell him you didn’t find me”
”ok,are you getting ready to attend nationals?”
”i have no plans”
”you do,the organizers have been calling me all day,everybody wants you there, most especially the kids”

”whaaaatt!! Not again,the kids will hug the hell out of me”
”better be there,your fans are increasing everyday and Lila will be glad to have you there”
”shes not competing?”
”she is,do not miss the program”

”whaaaatt” rema exclaimed and dropped the call. He knew he had no choice than to go.
***********

The big hall was crowded and we’ll designed. The glass pool were students were swimming glisten and was filled with balloons,they all played around as they were dressed in the colour of the balloons. Some participants were practicing in the big hall while others practiced in different areas. The hall was getting crowded in a hurry,the press were already set.

Queen chiamaka had already called a maid to switch on the television, she wants to watch Lila from the tv.

Hana and two other maids were with her.
”isn’t that Nonso?” Hana gasped.
”who’s Nonso? Queen chiamaka asked.
”chidinma’s brother” Dika answered, Hana was too humiliated to say it.

”ohh,my queen him and Lila are representing their school” Dika smiled.
”its going to be a hot competition” queen chiamaka said. Her eyes couldn’t get over Nonso on the screen. The way he speaks made her remember when rema was younger,he was so fluent,eloquent and bold. He was cute,how could she not spot the resemblance, his warm eyes were appealing as the reporters interview him and other participants.

”seems we have another rema,I hope he wins alongside Lila” queen chiamaka retorts.

”he will win ooo,my queen you will say I say so. That boy is mad in book ooo” Dika affirmed.
”okay,let’s see. I know that boy, Blaine he’s good too. I doubt if Lila’s school will win,they’ve never won at nationals” queen chiamaka said.
” I swear Nonso will win,my queen it seems you don’t understand what am saying,I know that boy very well” Dika argued.
Queen chiamaka smiled.
”well am not doubting his ability”
************************
The competition was about to start, all the judges were present. They filled up 50 front chairs.
The press did their usual as they were snapping celebrities attire in line from purse to shoe to hair and clothes.

Two big cars arrived at the same time and as their guards opened the door, Nora stepped out with her best friend,Laura.
The reporters snapped singularly their shoe,bag,jewelry and any other important stuff on them.

REPORTING LIVE; Nora Maxwell, world’s best body queen just arrived as well the governor’s daughter, Laura.

Nora wore the most expensive shoe worth 45million,Just shoe!!

People started commenting*
*It’s expected*
*Madam show off*
*She has the money*
*Is it true she sleeps with producer to get a role in movie*
*Gross! By their shoes we shall know them*
*Wahala for who no wear expensive shoe*
*Pretending to be innocent in the public by supporting kids education*

Nora slowly removed her glass as she walked down with her guards, she dressed to kill, reporters threw questions at her.

IS THE RUMOUR TRUE THAT YOU SUPPORTED STUDENTS

WHY DID YOU RESIGN AS JOEL’S MODEL? IT’S REALLY UNFAIR

DOESN’T HE PAY YOU WELL?

Nora didn’t say a word,rather her guards protected her and ensured no reporter touched her while her manager replied the reporters.

NO QUESTIONS FOR NOW,THANK YOU!

Nor entered inside the national competition hall as everyone was already sitted. The students waved at her,most gave her their notes to sign on their notes.

But if only they knew Nora came there for a bad intention! To kill what Chidinma cherish the most, the only thing Chidinma loved more than her own life,the only person she can die for in her world.

The moderator took the mic,he recognized all the celebrities present,the students clapped, more than a thousand were present…
500schools in totals. All the whole floors were occupied, they watched from the large screen which displayed.

I CAN’T WAIT FOR DREMA TO ARRIVE, HE’S THE ONE WE ARE AWAITING!

OUR CITY’S SWEETHEART,
REMA LUCIEN HASN’T ARRIVED.
****************
Meanwhile, Nonso stood at the back stage with other competitors, they were 30 in number.
He was as nervous as hell. Lila was making it worse for him,she was just too proud and he doesn’t seem like someone who will go and speak to her first.

How can they work together if she keep putting on that attitude?.
Finally he decided to talk to her first.

”princess Lila” he called,at least that’s what others call her.
”yes???? She moved her eyes in a roll.
”how prepared are you??” he asked.
”i should be asking you that! Are you up to the task? Can you get to the second half?” Lila started.
”i can’t get to the second half” Nonso replied. The guy from emerald high laughed at him.
”most handsome guys actually have nothing in their brain,how can an amateur compete with a pro like me, well emerald high have always won…..we are here to beat you once again” Blaine mocked.

”if you’re a pro,you should be scared of competing with an amateur like me and him” Lila spoke for Nonso, Nonso was surprised.

”two brainless people,ohh am sorry my princessssss” the other guy, Andre mocked dragging the word princess.

Lila scoffed and held nonso hand. ”the both of you are fools,you and Liam! I look at the right side of your brain,nothing is right.

I look at the left side of your brain, nothing is left” Lila blasted and walked to the other side with Nonso for them to strategize.
**************
”where are the competitors?” Nora asked Ria,her hand maid.
”all competitors are back stage, they will soon call them in” she replied her.
” cool” Nora walked out with her manager, Cynthia.
*****************
Nonso and Lila were still strategizing when Cynthia walked into the backstage with warm milk smoothies.

”hi honey” she smiled.
”You all have a gift from Nora” she added. Well Nora already ordered smoothies,she had personally poisoned the one for Nonso…
To differentiate it,she customized their names on it.

”Thank you” everyone beamed.
”milk is good for the brain,you should drink it before you’re called in”

”okay” they chorused.
Nora smiled inwardly from behind.