Bespectacled

called me that name again. In front of the class, stood a woman, in clerk-like dres

is Bla

stood fro

ryone's eyes were on me. My shoe kept making disturbing noise, the opening of the shoe kept clapping against the ground. Lawd! I didn't ask for a show! I looked down on my shoes, I could feel the

ng towards the corridor, I couldn't find her. I found a man walking past. I c

quare glasses. She was holding a paper. She said I should co

u a stude

t my shoes again. He kept trying to

ave someone laugh and say it to my face than lie. I looked at his polished w

ooking fo

office. It smelt like antiseptic. Oh

one?" she a

other letter after, it looked like 'I', I tried bending my head to see a better view to complete the

, and next, was the governor's. Posters and signs placed at different spot as if pasted based on unfair favoritism. I saw a poster that said ' IDIOMS' the one that caught my eyes, ' DILLY OF A PICKLE'; vaguely I had thought the woman

d panned her head up to me. She weaved her fingers in to each

rying to do?! Ar

to my position like

her would pay your fees." He has left the

told me. I will remind him." She

f you can't pay, there izz no shame in kissing us goodbye." Her diction made it look like she read those idioms for reference. I didn't k

y small by

t to go home." I felt ch

great! She agreed, but I left that 50 naira on her table. Whilst I was walking away from her office, I saw the letter that compl

cked material possessions, which to others meant I am poor, it was demeaning to go on the street and beg. No, bad idea. Betwixt this, I recalled that my mum kept money in a tin under her bed. If I stole it, she might not suspect me. But, she hardly even knew I existed.

re you th

That vanilla essence only spoke to me

money to feed. Still, the money she always gave her was never enough to give us meals that could fill our bellies. Sometimes we ate food for a person. And garri, because it was classed as carbohydrate in school, it sounded a 1000 times more su

e for my good. Maybe God was behind me. My brother had been outside since he came back from school, grandma was cooking; no snitch. I left the lantern and stealthy entered room. I had to leave the lantern not to get attention. I recognized my mum's room in the dark because we had our clothes stock-piled in a large bag. Whatever I was doing, I made sure I did

ey. But the problem was which felt like tangible money. I prayed a small prayer and took like six of it. I heard the door creak and breeze blew in slightly -No one still. I straightened and turned towards the door, I tipped my toes and walked t

ith that old book, scribbling. She left, leaving a long streak of her cologne. The smell was beautiful, and unbelievably, I wanted her to wait behind and let it mix with the air. Maybe that was why she was staring at me; to make me perceive her

grandma. I saw the pot fall on the ground and spill the beans like shattered dreams. My mum came out hearing the noise, and saw it. My mum bellowed at her mum, insulting her intelligence and the old woman couldn't hear clearly whatever her daughter was saying. Like I said earlier, she couldn't hear well. We al

chill that made one'

idn't do whatever you said." I continu

k. And I, tried to hold my own tears. My grandma detached herself and went to rest on the couch. In a minute, I heard her make nasal noises. I watched for a moment, like I imagined a guardian angel would have done. I walked over to my spot, the same spot close to where I almost kissed the wall, the corner of the room. I saw that roll of money on the ground. I tried to rewind back to the scene; to know if my mum didn't see it. Miraculously, I remembered my legs were on something when I faced my mum. I thought it was the part of the rug where it's wools had disintegrated. I immediately placed it in my bag. I laid on my side, with my head on my bag. Not long, I heard Solomon come in and crawled up to his space to sleep. I turned to see him, he unusually curled himself. Maybe he was still feeling guilty. Soon, he unconsciously stretched his body on the rug, like he was going to be dissected. My mum walked in and locked the door. I smelt cigarette smoke follow her as she entered. She blew the light off from the lantern. I didn't know why. She then entered her room. The light from the moon gleamed