Because of Ann by Kelvin Ossai - HTML preview

 

I gave him my number and watched him walk away. Hmmm Marcus. He was one of the biggest problem I faced the previous semester.

Flashback

**********

After me, Ann and Joy had collected our ID cards from the ID card centre, the next thing was to collect our admission letter from the same centre just like every other student. The problem with ours was that due to one excuse, the letter wasn't available and we were asked to come for it later with our ID cards. This time around, I was going for the letter alone because Ann had collected hers and Joy was out of my reach. So one of those days, I went to the centre, after one hot afternoon lecture. I was tired but just had to go get it. On getting to the centre, I saw people scattered everywhere. The gathering looked strange but I felt less concerned. The entrance to the room was clear. I felt the people who were processing their ID card that day were mature enough as to coordinate themselves and even allow the workers have breathing space. Well, I had no business with people outside because only people concerned with ID card queue. I could see some students already inside doing one thing or the other. I made my way to walk straight inside to ask if the letter was available.

Immediately I stepped my foot into the entrance of the open room, one of the students inside rushed me, 'You dey crase? You nor dey see your mates for outside?'

 

Still standing there, I tried to explain to him in low tone that I only came to ask if my admission letter was ready. Before one could say Paul Pogba, this guy pushed me so hard that I had to put in all concentration to maintain my stamina.

Some people who saw the whole thing happen threw words at the guy. Another guy came from inside and said that I was claiming mighty as little as I was because I was in a small group, I don get mind.

I looked at the two guys and rage grew in me. I hated being addressed as a cultist most especially when it's coming from one. I lost myself. Me knowing how crazy I can be after losing myself, I just left the centre back to my class.

The only people I told what I encountered were James and Henry and soon we forgot about it.

Two weeks later, then exam had started. At the same building where we stay to read, the place I once invited Ann and her friends to; we were playing table tennis with the long tables there after our first exam in the morning. A guy dressed smartly came from nowhere and said he wanted to play. We welcomed him because he was also a student of electrical engineering but a year 2 student. We were playing tournament. After some rounds of game, the guy made it to final. He was very good at the game. Being a final, we all stood by the corner to watch the battle of bat between this guy and James. At a point, the ball jumped of the table and run across my side. I was surprised when this guy came to pick the ball and deliberately climbed my feet. It looked strange. I didn't see any reason for him to step on me.

He was the same guy that his friend pushed me in ID card centre and all he could say was refer to me as a cultist.

I took it hard on him. I asked him the meaning of what he just did with anger written on my face. I saw an idiot when the guy answered me

'Me and you nor be same level'

Me: Na im go make you come match me?

Guy: Uya come beat me na.

Me: I nor know wetin I do you. The other day na for ID card centre, today, na for here. E still get day wey you come invigilate us for test and you still take me do anyhow. Who you think say you be self?

Guy: I pass you na. Level wey I get for this school, for your life, you nor fit get am, and till you leave this school, no lecturer fit carry you go invigilate test.

His words sounded challenging and condemning but I had to maintain my worth. Then I said to him, 'I rather stay without invigilating any test than do and hide under lecturers to pass my exams.'

It pained him so much that he said I was insulting him and wanted to start a fight with me if not for the people around that intervened.

Since then, we give each other hard looks whenever we pass or meet each other. And unfortunately, that guy is Marcus.

*********

Back to the present.

And now Marcus is leaving the position I'm going to. So I'm already matching the level he said I will never get to. I've forgotten about it before but now that I remembered. I think I can say it's a minus to him. I saw the shame written on his face. But why did he collect my number?

Anyway, that's his problem. Someone has already started talking with my ever busy course rep. That guy can serve for Africa. I left him and went to meet my friends and told them how Marcus collected my number. They saw it as a normal thing and reminded me I haven't met with the guy that texted me to try see him when I get to school. On my own I thought it that I even needed to see Prince-will for personal reasons. Then I dialled his number and he picked.

‘Where are you?’ he asked me.

I told him my whereabouts and he told me to come and meet him at LHC block. I told my friends to accompany me and they agreed without hesitating.

We were already on our way out of class when I heard somebody calmly call at me. When we turned, it was Shedrack and three

other strange guys.

We walked back to meet up with them halfway. We shared the normal Nigerian guy pleasantry which was stylish hand shake. Afterwards, Shedrack asked me how much I've done about purchase of form and I told me I was yet to buy it. He asked if I know the price and was disappointed when I said no. He advised I should be smart in doing anything I want to. Just when we were about to leave, he brought out his wallet and picked 4 pieces of NGN500 notes and handed it over to me. Then he said, 'The form na 5K. Just manage this 2K from me and try buy the form as soon as possible make you know say that one don finish'

It was difficult to believe his gesture. People of his kind are hardly found in Nigeria. Words were not enough but I managed to manage them and voiced my appreciation to him.

On a last note, he introduced me to the three guys that were with him as the person he had told them about. I had another handshake with them without even knowing what they were told about me. The three guys all had hard palms and only one managed to smile when I made some jokes.

My friends were awed by what they saw. Seeing the guy, no one will know he is that good. Supporting me to that extent even when I was taking his place because of circumstances that enveloped him. He just earned my respect., not because of the money but because of the events that surrounded his giving. In football, we call his type 'world-class'.

Again, the money was just what I needed. The form was 5k and I already had 3k so the 2k was perfect.

We parted ways with Team Shedrack and headed towards Prince-will. Getting to LHC block, I dialled his number. He didn't pick the call; he just came out from LHC3 and waved at me. We went to meet him and he took us into the hall he was before and asked us to seat. He first questioned the profile of the two people I came with and I told him they were my friends. Right there, he asked me in our native language if I trust them and I told him as much as 99.9%. The discussion was brought to English as he continued.

He asked me how far I have gone in working for him in my department as I earlier told him.

Myself knowing very well that I've done nothing but can easily do something, I told him everything was in control because no other person aspiring for the position has come to the department.

Then Prince-will asked me to be sincere to him about if I was really influential. I don't know what he was to say next so with wisdom, I placed myself on the fence so that I can easily jump to any side.

Then he asked me if I can give him an assurance of at least 20 votes from my department stressing that the real problem is how the people will come to school on the day of election.

One may think 20 votes is too small but believe me, if you get 20 votes from each levels of every department, you will win any election in DSPG.

What he was demanding was not too much. I can easily convince or confuse 20 people into coming to school on the day of election and they will for sure vote for the man I support after making them believe even what the man cannot do. So I told him my hand was on deck and I won't fail him. He seemed okay with what I told him and asked further, 'Has your department elected a representative?'

He had more believe in me when he heard I was the one elected. He also advised me to go and buy form as early as possible for some reasons he didn't say. Before we left, the guy gave us NGN500. The whole thing was becoming interesting and there was no single thought of going back.

For the form stuff, I didn't bring my 3k to school so it became a work for the next day. As early as 1pm, we decided to go home. It was still an early hour of the day so Ify decided to go home with us. On our way out, we met Ann also going home with her friends. We shared smiles before she announced to me that she would come to my place later in the day.

We all entered the same bus and made everyone in the bus enjoy their NGN50 by throwing funny jokes at them. When we got home, the clock was saying 1:38pm. And the afternoon was hot. From the NGN500 Prince-will gave to us, we bought 2 bottles of cold Pepsi that they didn't even let me drink. James and Ify agreed to share one and Henry that I was supposed to share one with told me it was my campaign gift to him and ran away with it only to come back with an empty bottle. I told him thunder will fire him but he thought it was a joke. Look at him now, on the day we wrote our last exam in final year, his charger was stolen.

Around 5pm, after eating and making noise, everyone had to go at once. 20 minutes after they've left, I felt bored. I tried doing things online but social media looked worse. When I couldn't bear it any longer, I decided to visit bet9ja shop close by to watch people lose their virtual bet and also charge my phone. When I got there, it seemed it wasn't yet time for games as people were just few there. All the okada boys were still hustling for money. Once it's 7 o'clock, they will come and give the money to bet9ja. I looked for a good position and sat down.

There were two guys already seated there discussing. I didn't want to listen to their conversion but it kept coming to my ear. I couldn't resist it when I heard the name of Prince-will from them. They said he thinks he can do anything he likes in the school but that they are going to let him know he's young in the game.

I didn't really know what they are talking about but I was sure Prince-will already knew them. I didn't know their names either but there was something I could do to have a report I can give to Prince-will, then I decided to do it.

I opened my phone camera and pretended I was just checking something. They were too serious to notice me. Immediately I had their face to my camera, I tapped the snap command. I ran out of luck and bad enough, the flash light beamed on them.

What a mistake.

As expected, the two guys gazed at me with only one still managing to talk but slowly. I made calculations and understood that the guy that was still talking didn't take it seriously while the other guy read meaning into it. The only pertinent thing in my mind was to risk being smart. I brought my phone close to my eyes like I was examining why it flashed light in the first place.

Then I followed my action with a simple and light word,

'Sorry'.

 

It was perfect and I won the game. That simple word was very crucial in winning the game. Sometimes, to be a good liar, you don't talk much, you say a short word. Long words (i.e trying to explain in details) when you're lying make sensitive people have the feeling that you're lying.

They continued talking while I tried more to confuse them that it was nothing by taking selfie. The guys were reckless as they continued to blab. I just pretended to be into my phone but I was brain recording every of their conversation. When they felt okay with their plans and views, they changed their discussion topic to football.

At a time, past 6pm, I remembered Ann told me she was going to come. She must have come and didn't meet me at home. Immediately, I unplugged my phone and rushed home. On getting home, I tried to see if there was any note as she always keeps a note each time she comes to my house and I was not around but I didn't see any. I was having the feeling that she got mad that I didn't wait for her and then didn't bother to keep any note. I brought out my phone and dialled her number; it was switched off. I felt guilty but will I kill myself? No.

I opened my door, smiled to my room and lay down on the floor. All that happened in the bet9ja shop started replaying in my head. A part of me was telling me to call Prince-will immediately but the second part discouraged me being that I don't even know their names.

That night, lacking what to do and being also that we contributed money to buy fuel for generator, I decided to read my books. At least to make academic use of the available energy. It was same old story. When I open book, I feel I know it already. I just managed to play around some calculations in my note and when I couldn't waste my time any longer, I went to my next door neighbour's room to join them (others who visited) in watching a movie (Snake in the plane) from his laptop. It was a positive one because I succeeded in keeping myself busy till I felt like sleeping.

The next morning brought a stormy Friday. It looked like the heavens were going to cry all day. I had to prepare for it. I decided to prepare early so that even though the rain starts and refuses to stop, I must have gotten to school already.

In me, I felt there was something special about the day. I was going to buy the form and again I was going to tell Prince-will what happened plus that I will make sure I see Ann to apologise for disappointing her.

BY 8:30am, I got to school. I met two other jobless guys who came early just to secure a charging space. I was wasting my time making mockery of them until I realised it was going to be a busy day for me.

I got serious at once. The first step I took was dialling James's number. He told me to give him 5 minutes that he was already at the school gate. I dialled Henry too but his wasn't reachable.

I stood outside the class, waiting for James to arrive. When he did, he was with our course rep, Kelvin.

Before I could talk to the James I've been waiting for, Kelvin began, 'You don see who dey look for you?'

Me: Who?

Kelvin: Na one guy from Foundry Engineering. He say he wan see our representative and I don even give am your number.

Me: Nobody call me o. When you give am the number?

Kelvin: This morning. Maybe he go call later. You don buy the form?

Me: I go buy am today.

Kelvin: Okay, stay strong.

He walked away while me and James stood to talk. I briefed him of what happened at the bet9ja shop and he supported that Prince-will should hear about it.

Before we could move an inch, my phone started singing Dammy Krane's Amin. It was an incoming call from a strange number. I delayed picking the call just to get a better side of the song. That song tells me that someday, one will make it. When I finally picked the call, a masculine voice came from the other end. The voice was enough evidence that the guy was older than me so when he first greeted me, I knew he needed something from me. After he introduced himself, I found out he was the guy Kelvin just told me about. He asked if I was in school and when I gave him a positive reply, he asked to see me. He asked about my location but I declined and told him I will come see him instead. Then he told me he will be waiting at 'Student's Affair' and that I should do well to come as soon as possible.

James heard the conversation so I didn't have to tell him. Together, we embarked on the journey to TETFUND block where Student's Affair is. In a short time, we got there and I dialled the guy’s number. He was seeing us already so he came to meet us. Everything was happening fast. The guy looked like he had no time. He asked to confirm if I was from Elect/Elect department and I nodded in affirmation. He then started preaching of how he wants to be the speaker of the house and will need my vote the day we will be sworn in. I asked him to give me a reason he deserves my vote and he said as an engineering student, it's my obligation to bring power to engineering. I smiled and told him I'm with him then he asked if I've bought form and I told him I will buy it same day.

When he learnt that I had the money with me, he told me that I was in the right place that the form is sold just in the student's affair block.

So we walked inside and bought the form.

One of my agendas was to see Prince-will and if he was in school, I knew he was likely to be in LHC which is close to Student's Affair block. I decided to check on him from there. I called him and he confirmed he was in the same hall I met him the previous day then I told him to wait for me that I had something to tell him.

It wasn't up to 150 seconds and we were already in LHC block. So we walked into LHC3 only to see Prince-will seating with the two guys I came to report to him.

How do I handle this?

It is at times like this that life in a movie becomes sweeter than life in reality. In a movie, it has been written in a script but in life, it's just permutation and combination that's why you copy things less from movies. It may not be so in reality. I could easily go there and beat them but it happens only in movies. It was my turn to solve a problem I didn't cause.

One thing was that immediately I entered, our eyes met so there was no way I could run back, they will just pluck my eye at night. I could go there and speak on another thing but who knows if Prince-will has already told them I was coming to tell him something, I won't be safer either. But one thing was sure, I must do something. My greatest problem was that I had less than 2 seconds to think all these possibilities as we were already walking to meet the seating team of Prince-will and his enemies he believes to be his friends.

Even James didn't know what I was facing. Of course, he didn't know the guys and I wasn't thoughtful enough to show him their picture before the moment. Before one could notice, we were already standing before the three guys. When I tried to look at the face of the two strange guys, I saw guilt, hatred and command written. I had to play safe to be safe. We shook hands together before Prince-will demanded we sit down before talking. Trying to sit down, my eyes met with that of one of the guys again and he winked me with a rugged face. I couldn't show them that I was completely lazy so I sent back the look with a stronger face.

I decided to ignore them to make sure I play my card well. I started by telling Prince-will I just bought the form. He demanded to see it. I showed him and he confirmed it was authentic. Then I continued

'My guy, e get wetin make me say I want see you'

Prince-will: Continue, I dey listen.

Me: Okay, when I go buy this form, e get one fair guy wey I see, he say the day wey them go swear us in, say make I vote for am as the speaker of the house.

Prince-will: Wetin be the guy name?

Me: I nor even ask am. He just say he go call me later.

Prince-will: So wetin be the problem now?

Me: I nor know whether make I support the guy or another better person dey.

Prince-will: (smiled) For this life, nobody be better person. We all change when we see things we've not seen before.

Me: Na true.

Prince: See, for now, forget other people. Just go fill your form make you submit. We go settle down play the game after SUG election. Time dey, enough time.

 

I thanked him and stood up to leave with the excuse that there was a lecturer in our class already. Prince-will who seemed not to joke with studies urged me to get to class as soon as possible. Before we left, I took anthem look at the guys but they refused to look back at me.

I smiled and bounced out with James. We didn't go far before James asked,

'Why you go there go mumu yourself?'

Me: good question. Thank God say you nor ask am for there.

James: Uya answer me.

Me: You see those two other guys wey dey there?

James: Uhm

Me: Na them I be wan report give Prince-will.

James: Shey you say you nor know them before?

Me: So I tell you now say I know them before? Na coincidence we take meet for there.

James: Okay, na now I dey understand. Na bad game be that o.

Me: Thank God say you don dey use your head now.

James: Shey them be friends?

Me: I nor know. E nor matter wetin them be, wetin I know be say the guys dey backbite am.

James: Nawa o. Guy you go dey careful o.

Me: You nor need to tell me.

James: I don forget say you be safety officer.

Me: Idiot

 

when we got to class, the lecturer was already in but yet to start lecture. We quickly settled for a seat at the back as there was no better option.

After the lecture, now with James, Henry and Ify, we went to the school Auditorium, our usual camp. I narrated to the house, Henry and Ify in particular what happened under the last 24 hours. They waved it off but still commented it was a one-way thing. That case closed, I brought out my form and started filling. I can't submit the form until two senior lecturers have signed so after filling the form, I moved to Engineering complex alone to ask for signatures. At three trials, I was able to get the signature of our exam officer and that of Mechanical Engineering. Afterwards, I went to submit my form.

Since the start of the semester that our department was pushed to NH3, Mass Communication students had been occupying our Engineering hall, MPH which was a perfect illustration of irony. So since I was already close to MPH, I decided to see Ann first before going far away back to New Hall buildings.

I dialled her number, it rang but she didn’t pick the call. I was a bit worried but didn't want to conclude anything.

I went closer to hall and found out that some people were outside while others were inside. It was obvious they were separated for a test.

I looked at the people outside, there was no Ann. I peeped inside, I saw her sitting at the front row. When our eyes met, she went to meet the invigilator and afterwards came to meet me outside.

Before I could apologise to her for not being at home when she came the previous day, she hurriedly told me not to be angry with her because she didn't come that she will explain to me when she's through. I smiled and told her to go inside and make sure she does well. She told me to wait for her that we will go home together then I told her to come meet me in auditorium when she's through.

She nodded and rushed inside then I did a U turn and walked away. When I got to the auditorium, there was no Ify. I met just James and Henry. ‘Where is Ify,’ I asked.

Henry: You dey crase. Na she dey important pass the two of us wey you see for here?

Me: E get wetin I want take you do before?

We were still playing when Ify walked inside with a black nylon. Whatever it was, I knew it was eatable so I rushed her but she dodged me and ran to give it to James. I relaxed f