JESSICA??
(My story of faith and pain)
Episode 9.
©Miriam Edem
I arrived at about 3pm and was already on phone with the landlord who waited at the park for me, chattered a taxi that took me home, according to him the principal asked him to do so. We arrived at the compound and it mainly consist of students which I greeted the ones at sight as I slowly followed the landlord taking me to my room.
“This is your key, it was already washed, the landlord said handing the key to me.
“Thank you sir, I said getting it from him and he drew close to me as he wanted saying something to me.
“Be careful with all this girls here, they can steal and beg anyhow, the landlord said and I smiled.
“I un-derstand sir thank you, I said and he left which I opened up the protector there and took my few stuff in. I called the principal and told him am home and he thanked God for that, and I did same to my grandma and lastly called my father but he didn’t pick up.
It was not difficult for me to arrange the room and soon I was already resting when I heard a knock and I stood up to see who it was,
“Hey, welcome, a lady greeted.
“Thanks, good evening, I said leaving the curtain to meet her outside.
“I’m Melinda, she continued.
“I’m Jessica, I said.
“Beautiful. Okay Jessica am in my finals and if you want someone to show you around school or town feel free to let me know okay, she said.
“Thanks, I said and she tou-ched my shoulder smiling se-ductively as she turned to leave and I quickly got in locking my door behind. I was not a kid, I knew what she just did and its got me more scared.
I looked round the room sadly and felt very lonely far from everyone I know, but what broke me more was tomorrow is my birthday. I totally forgot about such a thing and waved it aside because to me there’s nothing worth celebr@ting. I thought of how I will resume my business here while schooling because sincerely speaking, I was only left with five thousand naira home and abroad. What will I use to buy textbooks or the deodorants I do buy to cover my stench? I kept thinking and felt like crying when I remembered my mother. I know what she would have done for me if she was to be alive, but life can be so cruel sometimes.
The next day I decided to go to school to look around because we were to resume next week which was just in 3 days time. I saw my colleagues still having issues with their portal and in the process I got close to Sandra. I don’t know if its because I had a friend by that name in school but luckily for her she was able to solve her issue and we exchanged numbers so we can be updating ourselves even though I’ll be the one to gain more because she had an android phone.
I arrived home at past 2 pm so hungry with all the tour I had with Sandra and saw I was wasting time as I looked at how filled the compound was with students as majority.
I took my last five thousand naira and hit the market and got everything I nee-ded and began production that very day.
In the morning I was already greeting and knocking on the doors of my neighbors showing them what I got,
“I also bake, so if you have any birthday I can give you a beautiful cake at an affordable price, I’ll tell them.
“Ahh this is good o, you just parked in and youre already keeping yourself busy, a man there said.
“Yes sir, this is for school, I told him.
“Keep it up and yes I’ll get a cake for my son though he doesn’t stay with me but I’ll se-nd it over to him, he said.
“If you don’t mind sir can I have a pa-rt payment then you can complete when am done, I said to him.
“There’s no problem, he said and gave me a pa-rt payment after our deal and I was pleased with the sales I had that day and that was the beginning of my business. I sold both at home and school, when ever I am less busy with lectures I take it round showing it to students in my white transparent ru-bber and my course mates were also patronizing me. There was no single day that I didn’t return home with an empty ru-bber and I’ll stop by the market to get more stuff before going home and production starts again.
With the way I was so busy it distracted me from some unnecessary things going on in the compound and it wasn’t long some girls began to pick on me. The good news was that I was too busy to even notice them because I got more sales in school and I didn’t care if they stopped patronizing me or not.
Sandra was very supportive to me also and the principal was so pleased to know how I was doing good after 3 months of my stay in school.
“I hope its not coming in between your study? You should know Dentistry isn’t a joke, He will say.
“I read all night sir, I can’t forget the main reason that brou-ght me here, I will reply.
“That’s very good, take good care of yourself okay, the principal will say.
Everything was indeed going good for me though stressful not until I had a call in school from an unknown number asking me to deliver 3 custard ru-bbers of chin chin. I was happy and told him the cost which he accepted,
“Then I’ll be expecting it tomorrow for a function, he said and my eyes bulged out.
“Tomorrow? I asked.
“Yes why? Won’t it be possible? He asked and I looked at Sandra who nodded at me to accept it.
“Okay no problem. What about the money? I asked.
“You deliver before payment, don’t worry you’ll have it in cash, he replied.
“Please I nee-d to get everything for the production, pa-rt payment will do then you can balance up tomorrow when I deliver, I said.
“I already told you I won’t pay because you ladies has scammed me twice. So you deliver and have your money, should I find another if you’re not ready? He asked and I looked at Sandra who rolled her eyes.
“Okay fine, tomorrow then, I replied with a frown.
“Deal, see you then, he said.
“But wait! What about your address? I asked.
“You’ll know tomorrow, he replied and dropped the call.
“He sounds strange, are you sure this is real? I asked Sandra.
“Are you asking me that? You’re now a renowned business woman just do it and deliver after all its not the first time, she replied.
“But I got things to do, there’s a test in 2 days time what will I do? I asked.
“Is that it? Don’t worry I’ll sleep over at your place today and help you, Sandra innocently said and I felt bad. I appreciate her help but then no one should know what am going throu-ghand not her because I was scared of what her reaction will be.
Even at the compound, I air my mat with style so no one will notice and the way my room was located was also an advantage for me.
“Don’t worry Sandra I can handle it after all its weekend, thank you, I said to her.
“I don’t un-derstand you anymore Jess, what are you hiding from me? You don’t invite me to your house what are you hiding? She asked.
“What are you saying? Don’t you visit me? I asked back..
“You don’t make me sleep over so we can read anytime I bring that up that’s what I mean, she replied.
“Oh Sandra let’s not go there, its just that am used to slee-ping alone and I sleep on a mat hope you know that? So will you sleep on a mat with me huh? I asked.
“I know you can buy a mattress, okay let me do that for you, she replied.
“I have so many things to use my money for, don’t forget am not different from an orphan and there are some luxuries I don’t want now until I finally graduate from school, I said.
“Okay fine, she said with a frown and I smiled hitting her.
“Don’t worry you’ll follow me tomorrow down there okay, I said and she hissed at me.
“I don’t want again, she said and I laughed.
That night I suffered like hell and was awake frying even at past 2 a.m with the steady power supply the environment had which helped me out.
I didn’t know when I sle-pt off after I was done until I heard a knock on the door and I sluggishly sat up,
“Who is it? I asked with a sleepy tone.
“Wake up sleepy head its morning, I heard Sandra voice and almost screamed out so disappointed.
“Why are you here this early? I asked trying to roll my we-t mat and to change up,
“Are you letting me in or not? She asked still outside.
“I’m coming, I replied struggling with my clothes and smelled myself and felt like crying. I quickly used the air fresher in the room and used a powerful perfume on my bo-dy and used my bag of clothes to cover the mat as I dried the place up and hurriedly opened up.
“My God what kept you so long? She asked coming in but I was so uncomfortable with my heart beating fast.
“Changing up besides I sle-pt very very late when it was already morning, I replied drawing my reading chair for her to sit.
“You’re done frying? She asked.
“Yes yes, I said drawing the ru-bbers for her and she shouted.
“I actually came to help you na since you didn’t want me to sleep over, she said.
“Its okay, I’ll call the man now to know where I’ll be delivering, I said taking my phone.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Sandra asked looking at me and I sniffed.
“Just sleepy but am fine don’t worry, I replied dialing his number and he picked out.
“Good morning sir, I greeted.
“Yes morning, am I expecting it today? He asked.
“Its ready, where am I delivering? I asked.
“I nee-d it at 9a.m I already told you its for a function, he replied.
“9? I asked and heaved.
“Okay fine, the address, I said checking the time to see it was past 8a.m.
“I’ll text you with the directions so you won’t be confused, don’t worry I’ll pay for the stress, he said and dropped the call and I looked at Sandra.
“What type of a person is this? Where did he have my number sef? I asked getting frustrated with his attitude.
“You are still asking question? You better start looking for a way to bath so we can hit the road, Sandra replied and I hissed to get myself ready………..
TBC