The Thorny Path - Episode 4

 

Nnenna stopped going to the security man's house after school. She loved to sit outside the classroom floor or she would stay in primary two classes with a teacher. Her name was Mrs. Coker and she stayed late till everyone had gone home. Uncle, the security man smiled at her when her mummy came to school to get her into the car. He waved at her mummy, and she waved back before they drove home.

"Why don't you stay with Uncle again?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"Did he beat you?"

She turned quickly to her mummy and said NO . Mummy ignored her and continued driving home. She didn't say anything but she played Nnenna's favourite barbie song. Nnenna didn't like Uncle again and she ignored him. After Tolani told her that her mummy told her not to get close to men or allow men to touch her unnecessary. She was scared because Uncle will begin to touch her unnecessary but she didn't know why it is not a good thing.

During the break time, Uncle saw her running around the school compound and called her. She stopped and turned at Uncle then remembered what Tolani told her. She wanted to ignore Uncle and run into the classroom but stopped. She wanted to know what Uncle would say to her

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. Everyone was playing in the playground and she walked towards Uncle.

As she walked closer, Uncle walked into the security house. She walked into the house too, and stopped, looking at Uncle. Uncle was sitting down and smiling at her. "What Uncle? Why did you call me? Break time will soon be over and I want to go to my class," she said and walked into Uncle's house.

She put her back to the wall and kept looking at Uncle. Uncle was sitting down and smiling at her. Nnenna shook her head and wanted to walk out, but the uncle stood up and held her. She looked into Uncle's eyes and he kissed her and smiled. She felt irritated and ran out of the house. She knew what Uncle did was bad. Uncle was becoming annoying and she was going to tell Tolani about it. Uncle also smelt bad.

When the break was over, Ms. Aliyu began to teach them about bullying and calling someone fat. She said that they weren't a good thing to do and say. She said fighting was not a solution to everything. "Do not fight. Fighting has never solved anything except giving people injuries."
Ms. Aliyu also said that people's mouth can cause someone to kill themselves and they must be aware of what comes out of their mouths.

Everyone was nodded that they enjoyed the teaching. They asked questions and Ms. Aliyu answered. Nnenna also enjoyed the classroom but she continued thinking about Uncle and the kiss. She hated it and wanted to go and hit him with something. Ms. Aliyu told them to begin to treat each other better to make the world a better place. "When everyone acts right, the world will be a better place for everyone to live in, but when we insult everyone, everyone will be sad every day. Let us act right. And do not fight," she said and held her ear.

"Okay, aunty," they chorused.

"We are done for today and I pray everyone will begin to act right."

Everyone began to murmur. Tolani stood up and went to hug Yewande. They all clapped and Ms. Aliyu smiled. "That is what I love to see everyone do. Share love with your friends. I am so happy. Are you people happy too?" she asked.

"Yes, aunty!" they shouted.

"I love Yewande. I love everyone," Tolani said and smiled.

The school ended and Tolani sat on a chair outside the school watching smaller girls and boys sitting on a seesaw and it swung up and down. "Janglova, like a motor. Janglova, like a motor..." three of them on the seesaw sang.
 students began to laugh. "What?" One of the girls came down from the seesaw and asked.

"Nothing. But it is Jingle over not janglova. Village girl," the boy said.

The girl hissed and climbed back to the seesaw. Tolani smiled. She is eight years old — they were younger — and she did not want to join them. She loved it. They were very small and were in the lower classes. She turned when Nnenna touched her. She smiled. Nnenna smiled too. "I will forgive you for laughing at me that day. It is very good to forgive," Tolani said.

Nnenna shook her head. "I did not laugh at you? Or which day? I cannot remember o." 

Tolani laughed. "When you stood up and told our teacher that I was bragging about getting everything in the test," she said.

"I am so sorry," Nnenna said and they hugged each other.

"When is your mummy coming? Everyone will soon leave the school," Tolani said.

"Soon. She likes to come early. I told her to be coming early. I don't like the security man," she said.

"I don't like him too.

Read " Living In The Ghetto " by the same author ( Obinna Tony )

. He likes to look at me somehow with his ugly face. Eww."

Nnenna covered her mouth and tapped Tolani. "It is not good to call someone ugly," she said and stopped. "But I hate him so much."

Tolani tapped her too and rolled her eyes. "But it's not good to hate someone too," she said and laughed.

"He kissed me on my cheeks and it is so disgusting," Nnenna said and tears dropped from her eyes. She touched her cheeks and rubbed it softly feeling irritated.

"Eww, that is disgusting and you need to tell your mummy about it," she said.

Nnenna's mummy car stopped and Nnenna cleaned off her face and ran into the car. She turned her face to the other side when his mummy greeted the security man. They drove home. She wanted to tell her mummy about it but she was scared her mummy will shout at her. Her mummy blamed her for everything even when she reports the uncles touching her unnecessary. She said they were only playing with her.