Life and a Sixteen-Year-Old by Lemuel Irabor #LAASYO 19 Sept.

19-Sept.

Turns out I couldn't 'verbally debase' my friend before classes.
We got to school quite late.A PMS tanker accident blocked our usual route so we had to take a longer,unfamiliar one.

Oh No!
As I climbed the stairs and got close to our class,I could hear Mr Abdullateef's sonorous voice trying to teach the class the difference between mesas and buttes.
Trust me..
I did a 180 and went to the library instead.
Apparently I wasn't the only one who decided to skip Geo class.
Entering the library I spied some familiar faces:Wole,the Class Rep.,Kid Snozzle..who was,as you can guess,asleep(My God!I think this dude has Trypanosomiasis or something..WORSE),Ade,the tallest in class..and THERESA!
What in the world..?
She winked and had this big grin that you normally see on politicians' faces.
I wanted to leave immediately.
Wait..
It's either I face Mr Abdullateef's wrath or Theresa's 'charm'.
Sighing,I walked to a far corner and sat.
Theresa got up too and sat in the seat before me.
Our library uses those type of tables that accomodate four people.Two facing two.
I settled down to read.
A piece of paper slid from under the partition to my cubicle.
I frowned.Looked at Theresa.She didn't look up.
I opened the note and read:
'Hi.I see you got caught in traffic too..'
I raised an eyebrow.
I half-expected something flirtatious.
Anyway,I wrote back:
'Yeah.'Twas pretty rough out there.
How're you?'
and passed it back through the same means by which it came.
I raised my head and watched Theresa for her reaction.
She acted shocked that I even replied.Then she smiled rather..uh,genuinely and read the note.
I received a reply in less than ten seconds:
'I'm very well.Thank you. Sleep well? I hope my phone call yesterday didn't upset you.'
I replied:
'Yeap.
Slept late.Woke up early.
Pretty much my life story.
And concerning your call,let's just say it was unexpected.'
She replied:
'Lol.. Ok.Been nice passing notes to you.
Do you mind me saying,but you don't look like you talk much.'

I paused.
Not that I was angry though.
On the contrary,I was impressed.
No one in class,not even Joe,had noticed this problem.
I have a problem expressing myself in speech.Most times,when I try,I end up saying the wrong things or searching for words.
That is one of the many reasons I keep a journal,I'm better in written text than in speech.
The only way I try to curb this is by talking EXTREMELY slowly,taking my time to search for and pronounce the words.
And Theresa had noticed.
I began to see Theresa in a new light.

Another note slipped through to me.
It read thus:
'Sorry if I hit a sore spot.'
The bell rang.
I quickly scribbled:
'It's not that,Tessy. Gotta go. I have Biology practicals next. Talk to you later.'
and gave it to 'Tessy' personally as I all but ran out of the library.Tessy was packing her books too.
'Hey man!'
I turned and saw the dude I wanted to 'verbally debase'.
But after the correspondence with Tessy(Heh-Heh..shut up!) in the library.I don't really care to do that anymore.
'Hi Bro..',I replied as we walked into the Biology lab for a practical on Adaptation for Survival.
We were gonna put two Croackers in two different tubs: one ocean water,and the other freshwater.
Poor fish!At least we ate them later,after roasting them in the Home Economics lab.
I didn't have the opportunity of talking to Tessy again at school.
My school's pretty weird for a Nigerian school.Students get to pick whatever subjects they want,from the Arts,Science,Technology,Humanities and Commercial subjects.But they must be 10.

I chose:
-Math(compulsory)
-English(compulsory)
-Biology
-Chemistry
-Physics
-Agric. Science
-Geography
-History
-Electrical Installation and Maintenance
-Literature-in-English

I wanna be a Forensic Medical Practioner and a Writer in the near future,if I live to see it..
Mom came to pick us up.She looked worn-out.She'd been so busy.
Apparently an inexperienced nurse had mixed up semen samples and Mom,as the Matron;had to oversee the whole process of correcting such a fatal mistake.
Just think about it..
Paternity issues,broken marriages,law suits and a whole lot of 'em just because of one error.
And you'd think a fertility clinic'd have little problems.

Studied.
Read ebooks.
Played Monopoly online with Joe..and Kid Snozzle!
Turns out the Kid is a gaming freak.
Mom and Martha prepared Boiled Cassava meal and Okra soup for dinner.
Ate it with relish.
Dad returned home.
Martha and I hung out in her room just talking about stuff.We're so close.We all used to share a room when we were kids,but Marvel preferred to sleep with Mom and Dad.
Martha and I cried ourselves to sleep every night when we were assigned separate rooms just before puberty began.
I told her about Theresa and turns out,Tessy got my number from Martha..

Joe,if you're reading this,I'm sorry I almost verbally debased you.

I called Tessy.
Me:Hey Tessy,howdy?
Tessy: (noisy background)Heyyy!I can't believe it!...
Tessy:You called!
Me: Lol.. You seem surprised.
Tessy: Do I?Anyway,what's up?
Me:Nothing much,you?
Tessy:I'm at the market.Getting stuff for supper.
Me: Ok.So do I call you back?
Tessy: Please do,dear.
Me: OK. See ya!
Tessy:Bye Marty..

*click.

Wait a minute..
Tessy and Marty.
I hate to admit it,but they rhyme so well.
So I went to bed tonight with Tessy on my mind..

Excerpts from Life and a Sixteen-Year-Old by Lemuel Irabor

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