Chapter 14: Ibere mi ( My beginning) 14

I just said a single pray of ' Ọlọrun, Mama mi (God, my mom )' It might seem more like a silly question. It might sound absurd of me including my mom. Was she the one who told me to be so lazy. Maybe Ọlọrun can think of my mom and help her daughter, that was what I thought.

" Ey-eyin (Y-You...)" I trailed off, rubbing my sweaty palms together making a mess. I felt cold sweat coming from my pores like rain. My green and white uniform got real wet it.

My teacher stood at the end of the class with a dangerous smile playing on his lips. He was waiting for me to either disgrace myself or leave his class and never to return. I was so sure about it.

While my classmates made mockery of me. Fake. All are so fake. My mom is the only person who is real and true.

My knees grew soft, I wished the ground could just open up and swallow me. Or my mom was here.

"sir, E kọ wa ( you taught us...)" He could have made me finish whatever nonsense I was about to say. But he didn't. Instead, he called upon a boy named Sonya, a dark slender boy, whose face makes me feel sick.

"Sonya, Mo mọ pe o ti fiyesi akiyesi ni kilasi. Nitorina o le kọ gbogbo kilasi naa (Sonya, I know that you paid attention in class. So could you teach the whole class..)"

I felt ashamed and confronted about everything.

The said boy stood up with a sly smile.

Sonya can be said the overall best in the class. While I, the overall failure in the class. His face, his presence, his everything annoys me. But why?

Envy. That's the only reason. I envy him a lot. He doesn't have two heads, he has one like me. Why can't I be like him. Why can't I be brilliant as him.

Being so brilliant, brought him popularity not only in the school, but also the village as a whole. Teachers loved him alot, while I, the unfortunate one, is hated whole heatedly. Funny.

My mom is the only person who loves me.

My mom often say to me " Maṣe fi ara rẹ we ẹnikẹni, iwọ ni iwọ (Never compare yourself to anyone, you are you)" I am Morenikeji, not Sonya.

I felt so defeated and hated.

I didn't know what Sonya was about to say, my mouth opened involuntary and said what I never believed I could say.

" O kọ wa nipa awọn ọna itan ni Ile-ife (You taught us about historical arts in Ile-ife)"

I was surprised, and I wasn't the only person surprised, my teacher smile faded into something I could identify as astonishment. My classmates, including Sonya's mouths were left hanging in surprise.

" Tani o sọ fun ọ ... Ta-tani o sọ fun (Who told you...wh-who told her?)"

Who will tell me, nobody apart from God. His reaction tells that he didn't even want to see my face in his class, ready for my downfall. And I was right.They weren't even expecting the dumbest human being in the class to be intelligent today.

A drop of tears fell from my eyes before vanishing. " Ko si ẹnikan (Nobody)" I said with a boldness I never knew I had before this.

Sonya gave me a little genuine smile before he sat down. I didn't take that smile to heart, it was useless. I don't need it. The smile I need now, was my mom sweet smile.

" Nitorina ti ko ba si ẹnikan ti o sọ fun ọ, ṣe o jọwọ jọwọ sọrọ diẹ sii nipa rẹ, Miss Morenikeji (So if no one told you, can you please talk more about it, Miss Morenikeji)" Mr. teacher wasn't ready to accept that I could really respond intelligently. He was just waiting for me to make a wrong move, and you know it. I am out of his sight, his life for good.

I looked at my teacher in the eyes for the first time in my life, my teacher looked scared and stubborn.

I tore my eyes from my teacher and accidentally caught Sonya's looking at me with acknowledgement, nodding his head with approval.

Fake! I hate him alot, I immediately took away my eyes from him. And boldly taught the class with the inspiration of Ọlọrun.

God remembered my mom and had mercy on me.