Abeebat could breathe now, stepping into the threshold of her classroom’s door. Her knees however still quivered, while her heart occasionally skipped beats as Dimeji’s voice kept bellowing like thuds of an elephant, in her heart. Yet, she was way better than she felt in that uncompleted building.
Bimbo, who had all through Abeebat’s absence been fidgeting and treating herself to bits of flesh from her lips, sprinted towards Abeebat on sighting her, grabbed her hand as she entered the classroom, and started to assess the whole of her body with utmost concern.
“Are you okay? Did they hurt you? Are you hurt? Did they hit you with anything? Does anywhere ache?” Bimbo threw all the questions at Abeebat in one breath.
Abeebat couldn’t help but smile as she watched Bimbo fidget all over her. She held Bimbo by her arm now, willing her to stop. “I’m fine, Bimbo. People are watching.”
“I don’t care.” Bimbo muttered. Abeebat couldn’t help but smile again at her cuteness. Bimbo lowered her gaze now. She lacked courage to stare into Abeebat’s eyes. She felt guilty for not being able to tell her about Lolade then. “I’m sorry,” She apologized. “I couldn’t say any…”
The school bell rang now. Their free period was over.
What a free period, Abeebat thought. “We’ll talk about this later, Bimbo. We have Maths now. Let’s go to our seats.”
In 45 minutes, their maths class was over. It was time for their longest break. Abeebat hadn’t paid any attention. The events in the uncompleted building kept replaying in her head. She could remember how red and dangerous Dimeji’s eyes were, the choky smell of his cigarette, how he had pushed her hard against the wall, his husky voice in her face, how Sodiq proved a stitch in time, and how Kamil acquitted her from the Tiger’s domain. She could recall everything clearly.
She could now get why everyone was scared of Dimeji. He was truly scary. She looked around the suddenly noisy classroom, Dimeji and his gang were absent. They did not attend the Maths class. She breathed in deeply and then let it out slowly.
Bimbo found her way to Abeebat once Abeebat’s sitting partner left for the break. She sat beside her now. “What are you thinking about?”
Abeebat shook her head. “Nothing.”
“You are thinking about Dimeji and his friends right?”
Abeebat didn’t deny it. She only shrugged slightly.
Bimbo nervously cleared her throat. “Abeebat, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you about Lolade. I was too scared of what she might do to me. I’m really sorry. Please can you forgive me?” She pouted her lips sheepishly and Abeebat had to stifle a laugh. She was enjoying this.
“I’m really angry at you Bimbo.” Abeebat started, feigning anger. “This is not what friends are for. You know that right? We are supposed to always help each other in times of trouble, not chicken out like a coward.”
Bimbo lowered her gaze, suppressing a sob. She hated herself. She felt low and guilty. She raised her head up now and tears had already welled up in her eyes. Abeebat was taken aback. “I’m sorry, Abeebat. Please forgive me. I wouldn’t act like a coward next time. I promise.”
Abeebat could no longer help herself again. She burst into a fit of laughter. “I was joking Bimbo!”
Bimbo blinked her eyes severally, innocent of what was going on. “I’m not angry,” Abeebat continued in a serious tone now. “I suspected that Lolade was malicious. In fact, I had followed her just to confirm that. I suspected her right then and there. I knew you were scared of her. I was observant of you both.”
Bimbo wiped her tears with her arms, relief taking over her body. “Really? You knew she was a bad person?”
“I suspected.”
“What did they do to you?” Bimbo had worry lines etched over her forehead.
Abeebat shrugged and folded her arms. “Not much. Dimeji wanted to punch me and then his friends intervened and I was set free.” She grinned now, like everything had really been that simple.
Bimbo contorted her face. “Those bastards.”
Abeebat sighed. “Those guys are something else. Especially Dimeji. The guy has serious anger issues.”
“You know Dimeji is not going to stop with you. He must have been mad when his friends asked you to go right?”
“Hmm, Bimbo,” Abeebat shook her head. “He was furious. I know he is going to keep on looking for ways to get his stupid, childish revenge on me. But I’m not going to take any shit from him too. Especially now that I know who he really is.”
Bimbo now shrugged worriedly. “Abeebat, why don’t you just apologize to him and let everyone be at peace? That guy is really dangerous, Abeebat.”
Abeebat shook her head vigorously. “That is totally impossible. He is not going to get any stupid apology from me. Why on earth should I? I have done nothing wrong.”
“But Abeebat…,”
“His friends seem to be cool headed,” Abeebat interupted, biding to change the subject.
“Who? Sodiq? Kamil?”
“I don’t really know who is who but both of them seem calm.”
“That’s true. But Sodiq is definitely not as calm as Kamil.”
“Is Kamil the tallest one?”
“Hmmm,” Bimbo pondered. “No. Sodiq is the tallest one. Kamil is the one with average height. The one that seats opposite you.”
“Oh,”
“Kamil was never like them.” Bimbo said, with far away eyes. Like she was reminiscing.
Abeebat was suddenly curious. “What do you mean?”
Bimbo faced her friend now. “He used to be a good boy. He never smoked, drank or even bullied an ant.”
“Then why is he like that now?”
“I really don’t know. Maybe after his mom died when we were all writing Junior WAEC.”
“His mom is dead?”
Bimbo nodded and Abeebat couldn’t help but start to pity him. Whenever she came across people’s whose mothers were dead, especially her peers, she always felt a kind of sympathy and compassion for them. She couldn’t imagine not having a mother. Hers was her world. She loved her to death.
“I think the death of his mother made him like that. I’m not sure but I think so. After we resumed for SS1, he became friends with Sodiq and Dimeji and started smoking and drinking. He became the boss of the gang and started bulling students. He also stopped doing well in his academics. He became another Kamil entirely.”
As Abeebat listened to her friend, she tried to fathom the real Kamil as opposed to what he currently was and what really changed him.
“So you mean you’ve given up your revenge on that stupid girl?” Lolade couldn’t help but ask that question. Kamil immediately shot her a stern look but that did not stop her stop talking. “I will be disappointed in you if you’ve really decided to let her be. I will.”
“Keep quiet, Lolade. No one is going to do anything called revenge. So just keep quiet.” Kamil retorted.
“Oh, now you are talking to me,” Lolade started, with dripping sarcasm. “I thought we were having a bout.”
Kamil simply rolled his eyes, staring away.
It was one of those early mornings when Kamil and his gang all gathered in their classroom, having a chat with one another. Kamil was seated on his seat while Lolade was seated on his seat’s desk, her right leg crossed over her left. Dimeji and Sodiq, on the other hand, were both seated on the desk across Lolade.
Dimeji who had been smiling devilishly as Lolade teased him about giving up on Abeebat, finally opened his mouth to speak. “You know what Lolade,” He started, still smiling like one who had a really wicked plan being devised in his mind. “I’ve decided to be smart this time around. I’m not going to let some stupid idiots interrupt me like they did last time,”
Kamil and Sodiq kept staring at their friend, even as he insulted them.
“I’m going to use my brain this time. You don’t worry.” He continued to smile sinisterly as he glanced intermittently at his friends now. “My good friends, you guys have anything to add? Anything to say?”
Kamil just sighed and looked away. Sodiq did almost the same thing. They had no idea what to do or say again. They just hoped he wasn’t going to do anything crazy.
Dimeji grinned now. “Great. No comments.”
With that, Dimeji got off the desk and strolled out of the classroom, with his hands in his pockets.
“Only God knows what that fool is planning now,” Sodiq said, as he watched his friend walk away.
“You guys stopped him the last time so don’t blame him if he is planning something secretly,” Abeebat accused.
Kamil shot her another hard-stone look.
“Sodiq, please can you excuse us,” Lolade used her eyes to plead.
Getting the cue, Sodiq excused himself from the classroom.
Lolade got down to seat beside a reluctant Kamil. “I can’t believe you did not spare me as little as a glance for a full week, just because of that rude thing,”
Kamil faced her now, his expression, deadpan. “You are a girl, how would you feel if you were maltreated?
Lolade chuckled. “Oh please, I’m not a brazen idiot. I’m not that rude thing.”
Kamil raised his eyebrows. “Oh, really?”
“What is wrong with you Kamil?!” Lolade did not get why Kamil was so angry with her.
“Don’t assist Dimeji on getting any stupid revenge again. Understand?” Kamil glared at her.
“Fine!” She said, raising her hands up in mock surrender. “Fine! Happy now?”
Kamil stared away, being all reluctant.
Lolade used her hand now, to draw Kamil’s face to hers as she unbuttoned her shirt. “I’ve missed you baby,” She said with seductive eyes.
Kamil briefly glanced at her cleavage, before turning his head away again.
“Come on now,” Lolade pleaded desperately, trying to get him to focus on her…
Thanks For Reading this Episode.
Hope You Enjoyed this it?
Watch out Next week, for “Save My Soul” Episode 6.
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