Federal
Government College Girls Secondary School was about rounding up its session.
Its final year student were preparing to take their final exams. Ella was one
of its outstanding final year students.
|
She
had started as a science student and due to her love for Art had almost changed
But
the principal had refused. He felt it would be a waste to allow such a
brilliant student change to Art just because she could paint some vague
abstract works. So, after much persuasion, Ella had remained in the sciences
but had insisted she took on art as an additional course. It was no skin of the
back of the principal. Over time, the Art teacher had come to discover how
talented she was. This girl called Ella was a genius.
She
was the overall best student in science and was his best Art student. She had
entered the school on a Federal Government scholarship that would also take her
to the university. He'd heard she was an orphan.
He
and his wife had been childless after fifteen years of marriage, how he wished
this gifted child were his. He had conducted a test for them as their mock exam.
Her work was naturally the best, but he'd noticed there was always a tinge of
sadness associated her works with all her works. It was distinct in the
background. It made her work more intriguing.
Many
times, he'd felt the need to call her and question her about her past. Perhaps
her
sadness
was an unconscious reflection of her works. He'd heard she'd grown up
in
an orphanage, he knew she would go far
In
her work and one day; she would drop the sciences and become an artist. He
checked
his watch, it was almost closing time. He raised his head to beckon to a female
student who was passing by.
"Get
me Ella Modebe. She's in SSS3A" "Yes sir," the junior student
said, dashing
off
to do the teacher’s bidding. Minutes later, the teacher saw Ella walking to the
classroom. She tried to shield her eyes from the harsh ray of the sun. She was
beautiful with long curly dark hair, a slim built with long tampered legs. Her
skin was very fair and smooth. An ideal waistline, well-proportioned backside
and hips.
She
didn't know her parents, she had no idea where she was from or who she
was.
Some
people had abused her out of jealousy, claiming she must have been a product of
a Nigerian prostitute who had traveled to Italy and had been deported to
discover she was pregnant.
People
waved stories around her but she had grown a tough skin and never allowed such
insinuations and verbal insults get to her. Right now, she wondered why the Art
master wanted her. She had thought she did well in the test despite
the
earlier attack of migraines. She sent silent thanks to her friend, Julie.
"Good
afternoon sir," she greeted.
The
Art master raised his head. He hadn't seen her come in. This girl would break
so many hearts, he thought to himself as he
Studied
her. “Sit down Ella,” he gesture to a seat.
“Is
there any problem sir?” she asked, seeing her work was the one he’d been
studying.
Mr.
Oyeche smiled. “Not really, its just that I have noticed for a long time that
your work has always had this aura of sadness around it, why is it so?” he
asked.
She
stared everywhere but him. She didn’t know what to say.
“You
might not know it Ella, but your paintings are abstract and as such, they
depict your subconscious thoughts.”
She
kept quiet still. She was a great talker. For a minute, it occurred to her that
maybe her work wasn’t good. Could she have been deluding herself all this
while? She only painted what she felt.
“Sir,
is my painting not good ….”
“Your
paintings are beautiful, you’re talented, there’s no doubt about that, but
you’re too sad and you allow it show in your works but I guess it gives its own
beauty and interpretation. Its okay.”
“Thank
you sir,” she said with a relieved smile breaking through her beautiful face
that left Mr. Oyeche holding his breath.
“You
can go, I heard your literally and debating society is for tomorrow?” he
demanded.
“Yes
sir,” she gushed.
“You
can go,” he said again.
She
left filled with so much relief, her mind was on the event for tomorrow, which
was also a visiting day. It meant nothing to her because she had no one to
visit her.
Only
friend, Julie, whose family always cared to visit. Julie’s father was a medical
doctor, a known gynecologist and her mother was a lawyer. Julie had told her that
she was the only girl with two brothers who lived abroad with their mother and
came home occasionally. But just yesterday, a message had arrived for her
through the driver that her elder brothers and her mother had come in and the
whole family was coming to see her tomorrow. How she hated family
gatherings!
She
would make sure she wasn’t there when they come. She didn’t want anyone
starring at her with eyes filled with pity.
The
next day, while getting dresses for the lit and dramatic society ceremony, a
junior student knocked on their door.
“Senior
Ella, other schools have started arriving, “Ella, Julie and Latie, another of
their roommate exchanged looks of dismay.
“So
early?” cried Latie in vexation. “See you, I thought I said we should move the
time to 3p.m, but you girls insisted on 1p.m. see now,” chipped in Julie, who
was the vice president while Ella was the president.
“Oya,
Presido, its time o.” Ella squeezed her features into a frown; she was still in
a negligee. She turned to the junior student.
“Who’s
in the hall?” “Senior Boma,” she replied. Thank God senior Boma was the social
prefect. “She sent you to call us?” queried Latie, her eyes lowered. The junior
shifted from one foot to the other, she hated giving messages to senior, they
all made her feel uncomfortable.
Well,
except for senior Ella, she was so sweet.
Ella,
seeing the girl looking uncomfortable, asked her to go.
"Lets
hurry up," Ella cried, putting on her shoes.
"My
parents will be here by 5p.m, I hope you girls will be around, cried
Julie?"
"Of
course now," gushedLatie. She was a very boisterous girl. A dark beauty in
her own right. She never failed to make a joke out of everything and when the
three girls were gathered, she added life to their discussions.
The
three girls were the best of friends. For Latie, her dad was the present
chief judge of her state and being the last in a family of six, she had never
known want or lacked anything, but she was humble and never allowed her
family's wealth to get into
her
head just like Julie. With them, Ella found true friendship and love.
Julie
peered at Ella who tried to avoid their stares. "What about you, Ella?
Please don't make excuses. You never agree to come with us when any of our
families members come visiting." She chided.
"Its
true," chipped in Latie, also staring at her.
They
were set to go. "I might be busy ... "
Ella
volunteered weakly."Na lie, put in Latie. What a weak excuse
Don't
mind her Julie, that was what she said when my mum came, she disappeared
Don't
worry, I will drag her." Ella glared angrily at Latie. "If you like,
look
me well, well, dem say eye no dey kill person," she said and they
all burst into laughter.
"Okay! Okay, before you people eat me
raw,
I will come ... "
"You
will! Oh darling," Julie gushed, hugging her, her excitement obvious.
"E
don do now," Latie said, feigning jealousy. "Leave am, abi you wan
suffocate am?" they all laughed as they trooped out of the room for the
programme. Four hours later, a junior student walked up to Julie to tell her,
her folks were around. Quickly, she beckoned to Latie and Ella.
"My
folks are around please let's go."
"I'm
coming, let me see the last ... ' "Abi you wan dodge?" Latie
interrupted
Ella"Of
course not," she replied indignantly
"Then
lets go now,"
Julie
said, already walking away. Latie followed, leaving Ella
Standing
"Let me go and change into my house wear," she said and Latie turned
and glared at her.
"Your
uniform is okay, there's nothing wrong with it, in fact you're just looking for
an excuse, na you sabi sha," and she stalked off after Julie.
Ella
stood for sometime unsure of what to do. She didn't want to go, she knew she
would felt like an outsider, but if she didn't go, her friends wouldn't be happy
with her.
She
started, walking slowly. Finally she got to the hall and scanned the faces
looking for Julie and Latie. There were so many parents who had come to visit
Emotions
caught out her throat. This was why she hated coming here. It made herfeel like
an impostor. She didn't belong. Perhaps if she had parents or relatives, the
pain would be easy to bear. In all their years together, she refused their
every invitation to come and meet their parents.
Seeing
so many parents, she felt like turning and running, how she avoided this place
like a plague and now, loyalty to her friends had brought her here. Then she
sighted Julie and Latie with an elderly couple and a guy. Slowly, she walked up
to them.
Julie
saw her first, her face broke into a smile of relief. She stood up and went to
drag her
by
the hand. "Daddy! Mummy, this is Ella, my friend, school," Dr.
Ojiakwu said, smiling and look -the three of us share a room."
"Good
evening ma, good evening sir," she greeted.
"How
are you?" Julie's father replied, smiling, while his wife managed a tight
smile.
Julie
pushed her into a seat. She stared everywhere but at them until Latie nudged
her
and bent down to whisper into her "That's Julie's brother, God! isn't he
handsome ? He’s a medical student in Cambridge London.
God!
if only he'd just look at me, I could melt all over." But I think he’s had
his eyes on you since you walked in here."
With
that revelation, Ella lowered her head the more. She looked like a trapped
rabbit
looking
for a way to escape. Latie, seeing no reply to her observation, nudged her
again then stepped deliberately on her toe.
"Latie,"
she cried in a loud voice, glaring at her. Involuntarily, her eyes locked in a
stare
with
a pair of very bright and laughing eyes. Quickly, she lowered her head again.
“Your
friend here is very quiet" Dr. Ojakwu noted. A nudge sent Ella looking up.
"
She's
very shy," volunteered Julie, smiling. Ella smiled and looked away. When
Julie offered
her
a piece of meat pie, she took it, murmuring her thanks. She bit into it and
munched
slowly.
"Why
don't you girls show Emeka you’re your school,” Dr Ojiakwu, smiling and looking
from one face to the other. “No problem, “Julie replied, standing up.
Emeka
stood up as well. All four trooped out of the hall. While Latie and Julie
chattered and asked questions about London,
Ella
kept quiet.
"Your
friend is so quiet," Emeka observed, starring intently at Ella who refused
to meet his eyes.
"Ha,
bro Emeka, she's like that. She doesn't talk," Julie replied.
"Ella,
where are you from?" Emeka suddenly asked.
There
was sudden silence. Nobody spoke, he wondered if he'd said the wrong thing.
"Brother
Emeka, she's an orphan. She lost her parents when she was a baby," Julie
whispered into Emeka’s ear.
Emeka
felt stupid. He looked at the girl, she appeared close to tears. He finally
understood why she acted like a trapped rabbit back in the visiting hall. What
with so many parents
and
student, she would definitely feel out of place. He felt tongue tied, he wanted
to
apologize,
at the same time, he was curious about her. He wanted to ask a lot of
questions
but he didn't know how. He also knew he was attracted to her. She was so
beautiful, he had seen pretty girls, back in London but she was exquisite. The
most beautiful woman he'd ever come across.
There
and then, he knew he wanted to protect her from this mean world. He wanted her
more than he'd ever wanted anything in his life. Emeka Ojiakwu was in love for
the first time in his twenty-three years ....
CHAPTER 5
TO BE CONT.
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