Bespectacled

ng used to the environment. I branched the bursar's office, I stopped at the door post to check t

Her hands were clasped under her nose and saying something silently. Praying, I gues

didn't know if she was still in

air to take a file from the big shelf

Damn, that name could

" my eyes

d rolled so she won't lose interest when counting it. She coun

t is

a." I said, She ad

thousand isn't the original instalment plan..." she reclined to rest her back and give a fac

I will bring the

de a mistake telling me such; she risked losing her job. " I will give y

es

gain. I walked to the classroom, once again. That time, they were already used to the way I looked so the

Jesse gave me a brilliant idea by the way. I looked at the one in front of me, considering that I had bigger bullies in my life and I was still alive, what worse could he do? I told him to leave. First, he tried to search my body with his eyes to know what part of my body gave me courage. No part of my body was stronger than a stale

ou?" said Lola, suddenly from

tried to take my face

**

ink of something next to say to her. I was finally at Jesse's hangout, the stall of a gin retailer. Jesse, as appealing as the name sounds, was a graduate, but not with outstanding honors anyway. His story was so popular, parents used it as bed time stories and deterrents. He was many things; con artist, fraud, thief, handy man, thug-lord,

cup of gin. His bloodshot eyes felt like two Spears teasing my body but not ready to pierce through. One of his boys commen

r and Alto with alteration from years of drinking strong liquids. In other words, he spoke like

ave been in troubl

you here

d advance at me. There were like three bottles beside him.

versation was like an encrypted message; they ha

drank a sip of his gin

that can gimme

at it was coming from someone like Jesse. " But you know, you can't b

eye balls under his lids, showing only a crescent

nterpret to his boys. I learnt they had tried to woo her but she had always disappointed them. My mum had a particular breed of men she liked, Jesse and his boys weren't anywhere near it. I couldn't even imagin

Jesse; as that one was giving such fatherly advice at the wrong moment. My future ambition was to be... A rich man. Not rich in heart like that self-proclaimed motivational speaker living on top of us but rich in money. I stared at Jesse, whom despite his education, was a thug boss. Maybe he enjoyed the influence and the fear than wearing suits and ties... Many a times, he ate on credit in canteens (it is a differ

s urgent", he told the woman t

the best option to impress Jesse. " I want to pay my school fees

t question met me like snowball... The impac

ore and my mum doesn't care. " I wan

he must have done wicked things to them. I witnessed one; he stubbed cigarette on one of his boys' back, and I heard him scream do loudly whilst others laughed. He was one of those bo

ow what... How about I give you a loan, and sleep with your..."

o s

ek, seve

me with two w

eek, si

ing my mum." Defeated, he stretched o

was the best my little-man mind could think of. " N

knew in some way; he was going to breach the deal in some way. He eventually agreed, instead he said he wante

excitement and hailed. They were disturbing his concentration so he told them to stop. He placed the money in my little hand, and I observed that one of his fingers was missing. I thanked him a

cket, my hand still in it, feeling its crispiness. New shoes, new

was with some of his friends outside playing street and my mum was probably with one man. I brought out the money, s