Believe - Episode 28

 

By the time, Anu and Funmi got back to the audience seats, Ayo had already told the rest of the group all Anu told her. The same thing, Anu had told Funmi and Oreoluwa. Bukky wouldn’t have believed if Promise hadn’t agreed with some parts of the story that she knew about.

“Hi,” Anu greeted. They all looked in her direction but weren’t surprised to see her . They were only surprised to see two people instead of three, as Oreoluwa didn’t come back with them.

“Where’s Ore?” Promise demanded.

“He went to thank Dammy,” Funmi answered. “And where’s senior Bidemi?”

“The principal sent for her,” Bukky answered while Funmi sat beside her.

“Ermm,” Anu scuffed to gain their attention. “I apologize for whatever pain I might have caused you all.”

“Apology accepted,” all but Bukky said.

“So…” Bukky stared at Anu in a way that meant to say 'what else.'

“Ayo,” Anu called. “You need not worry about sacrificing the gold medal for us… I mean for anyone of us.”

“Yes,” Funmi agreed.

“Yes…” Bukky kept staring.

“And you can win this Olympiad if you really put your mind to it because I believe in you. All you need to do is believe in yourself.”

Ayo stood up and gave Anu a warm hug.

“Now, apology accepted,” Bukky said behind them.

Anu released herself from Ayo’s embrace and hugged Bukky

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/believe

. Ayo was glad things turned out this way. She smiled lightly and sat back on her chair.

“What now?” Promise asked the obvious.

“Yes, what now?” Bukky added.

“We prepare for the finals,” Anu answered joyfully.

“Yes, we prepare for the finals,” Funmi repeated. “But we need to be certain of something.”

“What?” the group chorused.

“We need to be sure Ayo wouldn’t give up the position for anyone because this Ayo I’m looking at ehn.”

“What?” Ayo eyed. “I already believe I can win. So...”

“Someone who truly believes wouldn’t say it like that,” Bukky said and put an arm on Ayo’s shoulder.

Ayo looked at her left, Promise was there, staring at her. She looked at her right and saw Anu, her beloved friend. Behind her were Funmi and Bukky and she avoided looking towards that direction. She looked at her feet instead and said, “I really believe. I do.”

“No, you don’t,” Promise said.

“I… I really believe I can win but…”

“Don’t even dare say the but,” Bukky advised.

Anu sighed. She looked straight at Chibuzor, a senior student from her school, First Apex. Chibuzor was answering his questions for the 60 seconds of fame in the senior category.

‘Well done to you Chibuzor. That was a nice round, far better than the last one.’ – She had heard the quiz master commend him. She could hear Bukky, Funmi and Promise say motivational words to Ayo. She stared at nothing and said, “I didn’t let you win.”

“What do you mean?” Ayo asked. She noticed Anu wasn’t even looking at them but at the main stage. Chibuzor had just been told that he qualified for the finals along with another student from Soundhope schools.

“During the first Prelim,” Anu continued. “I didn’t give up to let you win.”

Ayo stared in disbelief. She looked around her and noticed the rest of them aren’t as surprised as she was. “Then why did you tell me you let me win? Why did you make me believe you let me win?” Ayo cried.

“I didn’t,” Anu corrected. “You all assumed I did but the truth is I didn’t let you win. It was all you. You won against me for the very first time Ayo.”

Ayo smiled to herself. This revelation renewed her hope. It made her believe more, “So winning against you was all by myself?”

“Yes.” Anu smiled gleefully. The quizmaster’s voice could still be heard faintly.

“I won against you, Anu.” Ayo smiled back. She turned to her left and said again, “Promise, I won against her.”

Promise smiled back at her. She was happy to see the new Ayo.

Ayo looked behind her and repeated the same thing to Bukky and Funmi. She sighed. “I won against her,” She said to herself and looked at Anu. She hugged her tightly and said slowly, “Thank you,”

“Thank you too,” Anu said.

“Now the competition is going to be a fair one,” Funmi said.

“Yes, a fair competition indeed,” Anu said. Now we shall see who’s better amongst all 6 of us.”

“I’ll give it my best,” Ayo said.

“Give it your all,” Bukky added.

“That reminds me,” Funmi began. “Did Israel qualify?”

“That’s true. Who are the two students joining us in the finals,” Anu added.

“Israel from your school and another boy like that,” Promise answered.

“The boy is from Soundhope right?” Anu queried.

“I think so,” Bukky answered. “He was wearing some kind of pink top and I think grey trousers.”

“He’s short abi?” Anu asked further. She wanted to be sure it was Samuel that qualified.

“Me I don’t know oo,” Bukky said. “His name his Samson or…”

“Samuel. It’s Samuel,” Anu interrupted. “This final would be really tough for all six of us.”

“Why?” Funmi asked. “Because your boyfriend qualified?”

“Shut up joor. He’s very very good in maths.”

“So are we,” Ayo who had long been quiet said.

Read " Hope " by the same author ( HABEEBLLAH DAMILOLA )

. “Because I believe. I believe and I’m sure you believe in yourselves too.”

Both Funmi and Anu nodded their head.

“And I believe in all three of you,” Oreoluwa said from behind them.

“You meant to say four,” Funmi teased. “Your girlfriend nko?”

“Dammy?” Oreoluwa asked.

“Of course.”

“I believe in you guys more,” Oreoluwa concluded and sat down beside Funmi. “Besides…”

“Girls!!!” the five girls screamed and laughed happily thereafter.

“Whatever!” Oreoluwa. “All I know is that the three of you can’t win but one of you as to.”

“If possible, we would take first, second and third,” Funmi said, pointing to herself first, then Ayo and lastly Anu.

“God forbid,” Anu rejected. “Me, first and you two” – She pointed at Ayo and Funmi – “can fight for the second and third.”

“Join us next week to meet the finalists,” the quizmaster began. “In this edition of Mathematics Olympiad. Goodbye, till next week.”

“The gold medal is mine!!!” Ayo screamed at the top of her voice as the quiz master and audience leaves the stage.

One final chapter to go. Though the chapter isn't the end but the beginning of another part, which I'm still thinking what to call it.

You can keep your comments flowing in as I would love to see them. Love you fans. Thanks for reading this far.