Beautifully ugly episode 28

Beautifully Ugly
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Episode 28
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As I sat down in the class that Thursday morning, I couldn’t help but stared at Lucy, reminiscing on what she told me before what befell me,
“Prosper, I want you to stay away from Belinda,
I was very surprised to hear a thing like that from her, why do you say so? “I asked in disbelief.

“She attracts failure to whoever associates with her, that’s why everyone gives her distance in this school.

That was exactly what Lucy told me the last time she talked with me before what befell me.

But I was so carried away by emotion, all I could see in her eyes then was jealousy.
Another element that prompted my courage to ignore what she said was after I inquired From some of my close buddies and they all objected to her insinuation.

Like Philip the slim guy that always remained in the class during the break period, he told me that Lucy was only instigating out of jealousy and that I shouldn’t mind her, he even jokingly urged me to link him to Belinda if I wasn’t interested in her.

That was the main reason why I opposed Lucy’s insinuation and went ahead to relate with Belinda.
But it looks like she was actually saying the truth,
Just a few days of associating with Belinda and all these traumas have befallen me.
Isn’t that obvious, The one that Marvelled me most was the pastor that wanted to pray for me that day.
The Incident was indeed a horrendous one for me whenever I thought about it:
As he asked my mum if she knew someone by name: Nimue,
My mum was about to speak and his phone started ringing,
He checked the screen and excused us to answer the call.
His mouth suddenly opened a jar as he spoke with the caller.
He picked up his car key.

“I have a very important and urgent issue to attend to right now, please let’s postpone this meeting to Tuesday’s charismatic hours. “He announced and scurried out of the church.

I was surprised how he just left in the middle of rooting out our problem, I looked at my mum and couldn’t fathom the expression her face wore.

The next thing we heard was that the pastor had been involved in a ghastly motor accident, details had it that his car was smashed by a trailer and he passed on instantly.

The news was so uncertain to me, I wondered how someone could just go so quick.

That incident gave me multiple reasons to believe that something was indeed behind our misfortune.
The pastor that could have been of help to the situation was sailed away by death in just a blink.

My once lovely mum suddenly changed drastically after the incident: to the point that I began to wonder if she even cared a bit about me.

“Mum, why are you concealing things from me, why?
You would always claim you care but only with the tongue,
if you really care about me, why hide things from me?
why keep things away from me?
“Look mama, it’s either you tell me everything I need to know or I will end my l”fe now.” I threatened her that Day with a knife pointing toward my stomach.
I thought she would fear and beg me not to take my
l!fe but her response surprised me a lot.

She laughed historically and said:
“It’s even better you go that way than getting What you seek.
She sighed and ambled out of the house leaving me in total amazement. I didn’t even know when my grip on the knife freed and it fell to the floor.

It pained me so much after hearing that statement from her.
Her actions and behavior towards me also changed.
She didn’t even stay up to anything in the house again.
What is happening was my all-time question then,
even her shop that got burnt which I thought would affect us negatively never did in terms of Breadwinning,
She always brought home palliative of eatable items which I never get to know the source they came from.
Refusing to eat would have been a cool option but I would’ve been damned by one hunger disease called kwashiorkor if I tried it.

“Bonjour Professeur(good morning teacher).”

“bonjour les étudiants, comment allez-vous tous? (Good morning students, how are you all?)

“nous allons bien(we are fine)

I returned from my deep thoughts when I heard that,
Professeur Thomas?
How come I didn’t even see when he entered?
How lucky I was that he did not notice I wasn’t among the students that greeted him, I would have fallen from frying pan to fire.
Professeur Thomas was our french teacher, he was dark-skinned and of low height and his head was a little big, the nose was broadly widened.
His face was sought of funny but it’s only someone that smells death that would go to laugh at him.
The class was always as silent as grave whenever he entered, no one says a word (except he asked questions) till his period ended and he steps out.
Not that he beats people that much but there were rumors that he wasn’t an ordinary human.
“Story had it that he was possessed with a demon that always helped him pass revenge on whoever provokes him.

I could still recall the story Philip the slim guy that always remained in the class during break period told me of one boy by name Joe, the guy emanated from a rich family which gave him the freedom to do as he wanted, seniors didn’t punish him even if he came to school at noon.

Philip told me that the guy was sleeping in the class During Professeur Thomas’ lecture.
He woke him and told him not to sleep but the guy out of arrogance rendered a series of insults to him. Which included telling him his nose looked like a Mercedes car and his head was bigger than breadfruit.
Professeur Thomas didn’t even shout at him for saying such to him, he just shook his head sadly and continued his lecture,

The next day, the guy was nowhere to be found in the school.
A report later came that he slept and didn’t wake up.
Professeur Thomas was suspected of being responsible for his death but no one arrested or interrogated him because he didn’t even say a word to him.
That was how people started fearing him.

“Today, we’ll be reciting Nigeria’s national anthem in French. “His voice awakened me and I watched as He faced the board and wrote for quite some time.
“Everyone looked up.” He shouted.

“This is the Nigeria national anthem in French and English language.” he elucidated as he whomped the long Cane on the board.
” I’m going to be reading out and wants every one of you to repeat after me till I stick to your brains.
Let’s go:

Lève-toi O compatriotes
Arise O compatriots

Obéissez l’appel du Nigeria
Nigerians call obey

Pour servissez votre patrie
To serve our father land

Avec l’amour et la force et la foi
With love and strength and faith

Le travail de vos héros passés
The labor of our heroes past

Ne sera jamais en vain
Shall never be in vain

Pour servissez avec la passion et pouvoir
To serve with art and might

Une nation lié dans liberté, paix et unité
One nation bound with freedom peace and unity.

He sang and we repeated after him thrice before he finally exhausted his time and the bell rang for him to go.

“I want you all to go and memorize it very well cuz everyone of you will be reciting it next time I’m coming here.” he left and Another teacher entered shortly, the lectures went on till the bell rang for break period and
People trooped out leaving me and Philip in the class as usual.
I have taken time to know why he preferred being in the class during break period but he simply remarked that prefers it.
“How far” his voice caused me to look up.
“Cool and you?” I reciprocated the hand he stretched toward me.

“Cool too, affa you don run the stuff?” He asked and I knew exactly what he meant.
He pleaded with me to help him to ask Belinda for her to be his girlfriend but one thing he was oblivious of was the fact that Prosper was in trauma.

“Good day, who among you is Prosper Maxwell.” A junior student interrupted.
“Yeah, I’m the one” I replied expectantly,
“Strika the head boy sent for you, he’s currently waiting at the school library.

” Hmmm, why could he be calling me? I mulled skeptically and quickly got up, told Philip I’ll be back, and hurried to the library.
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“You Liar” he yelled in fury…

To be continued.