STORY: MY UNCLE PART 9

MY UNCLE PART 9
As long as I had waited for this day and as happy as I
should have been, I was still very sad about what
happened between me and uncle cheatmaster. I couldn’t
just smile at the tall building that was standing in front of
me with ‘Girls hostel’ written on it. I wanted to be happy
that I was finally going to experience the life as a boarder
but I just couldn’t take my mind off everything. I put on a
fake smile as my dad helped me with my suitcases.
My mother who carried her bag and just my pillow in her
hands was smiling warmly at me. I guess she still
thought I was sad about leaving home. My sister on the
other hand really looked sad that I was leaving. She took
my buckets out of the trunk and went to stand beside my
mum, not saying a single word. I felt really bad that I was
leaving her but it had been the decision of our parents to
make me boarder. I couldn’t even console her. I was just
too weak to be in any other mood. We walked into the
gates after greeting the security guards who stood there.
They even helped with some of my items which made it
easier for us while one of the security guards directed us
to where we were supposed to get checked in.
We walked about five minutes until we came to a point
where five women were seated at a table under a canopy.
They looked like the ‘house mothers’ like I usually hear
the boarders call them. They looked a little old except two
who looked like they were in their early thirties. They
smiled at us as we approached them. My dad and mum
who had been smiling all the way from home greeted
them and exchanged words before I was asked to open
my suitcases for search. They said it was a normal thing
since provisions and some other things weren’t allowed,
they needed to make sure there was no contraband
brought to the hostel.
“Did you label your items with your name written on
them?” one of the house mothers asked.
I nodded my head and muttered a “yes ma” while I and
my dad were asked to sign some papers. After I was
being checked in, they told me to say my goodbyes as
my family weren’t allowed further at that point. After
holding everything in, the tears that had built up since
began to drop and I cried as I hugged them. I didn’t just
cry because I was going to miss them. I cried because all
of a sudden I became scared. While clinging to them, one
of the house mothers called me a baby and asked to take
my things to room seven on the second floor. I waved my
family goodbye as I watch them leave the premises. I
carried the lightest items and hoped that I would find
someone to help me with the rest and just when I was
thinking about it, one of the young house mothers
decided to help with some of my belongings. She just
kept smiling at me which made me feel a little better. On
getting to room seven on the second floor, I heard one of
my friends, Annabelle talking loudly.
As I opened the door of room seven, I saw some of my
mates seated at a corner in the room, just talking. By the
time they looked up, they all shouted “Meso!!! Meso!!!” as
they ran towards me. Smiling, I hugged them one after
the other. They collected my belongings from the house
mother who had helped me carry some of them and they
all followed me to get the rest. I don’t know what
happened but all of a sudden, my sadness dissolved and
I was filled with joy.
After about two hours, I was done unpacking. My friends
had helped me with most of the unpacking. They
arranged my clothes into the closet, they arranged my
bed and helped me with a few other things. Not long
after, I heard the bell ring and asked Annabelle the reason
for the bell.
“It’s time for dinner,” Anabelle said. She hadn’t stopped
smiling ever since I arrived.
“I’m so happy you’re here” She had said earlier.
I said, “okay” and followed them as we all left the room to
the dining hall which was a two minutes walk from the
girls hostel. We all got into the hall and went to take our
seats. The hall was a big one indeed, the hostel boys and
girls shared it and so it was flooded with a lot of
students. I looked around while seated on my chair
amazed at the plenty students that came in.
From the senior boys and girls to the junior boys and
girls, all in our house wear. The junior girls had a long
ugly looking gown while the senior girls had a different
type of gown but much more good looking.
Same as the boys with the juniors in shorts and seniors
in trousers. You could tell the difference from the way
they dressed and also the way they behaved. You could
see the junior boys like the ones in my set, Ayo and
co,running around and playing in their short bodies while
the senior boys strolled in coolly with their hands in their
pockets. I noticed senior Daniel among the midst of some
of the other senior boys laughing and chatting but I
looked away not wanting him to notice me yet.
“Everyone settle down and keep quiet,” I heard the senior
prefect boy shout and immediately the hall was as quiet
as a graveyard. “Shall we pray,” he said again and
everyone stood up with their heads bowed and eyes
closed.
The next thing I heard was “For the food we are about to
eat, we thank you oh lord” echoing all over the hall before
they took their seats again. They began to call row by row
to line up for their food. While I and my friends were still
waiting to be called on, we kept on chatting until I felt a
tap on my shoulder. I looked at who had tapped me and
saw a junior boy holding a plate of meat in his hands.
“Senior Daniel said I should give you this,” looking at him
confused, I told him I didn’t want it. I mean how did he
even know I was around. I didn’t even tell him I was going
to be a boarder. I guessed he had seen me too. The boy
refused to return it and said senior Daniel had said not to
go back without handing the plate of meat to me. I sighed
and collected the plate from his hands before he dashed
out of sight.
“If you don’t want it, give me oo. You people will just be
forming for school father again,” Funke who had probably
been eyeing the meat said.
I just laughed and handed her the plate of meat before
our row was called to get our food. After dinner, the same
junior boy who had brought the plate of meat earlier
came walking towards me.
“Senior Daniel said he wants to see you now,” he said. “He
is beside the palm tree just outside the dining hall”
I nodded at his message and went immediately to see
him. I already waved my friends bye and told them I
would see them in the hostel. On getting to the place the
junior boy had described, I saw senior Daniel leaning
coolly on the palm tree.
“Hey! my baby,” he said when he saw me.
I smiled and greeted him with a ‘good evening’.
“You know, you can just say ‘hey dad’ or ‘hello dad’ or
‘hey Daniel’ you don’t have to be so formal. I’m not the
house master. Anyway, how are you?
“I’m fine,” I replied.
“You know I’m angry with you,” he said again.
Smiling I said, “Did I do something wrong?”
“Your number one offence is you were coming to the
hostel as a boarder and you didn’t even tell me. Two, you
rejected my meat, you think I didn’t see you ehn and
three you can’t even hug your school father. Chai!! My life
No now, it’s not…” before I could complete my statement
he completed it for me.
“like that. I know oo. It’s not always like that.” he said and
opened his arms gesturing me to hug him in which I did.
“I’m just teasing you but I’m still angry oo” he said but
before we could talk further, I heard and saw someone
call his name while walking up to us.
“Daniel, the senior prefect boy is calling you” the other
senior boy said.
I’m guessing it was his friend because I used to see
them hanging around together. Senior Daniel who heard
this told me to go back to my hostel, that he would see
me later and immediately he followed the other boy as
they walked towards the boys hostel. I guessed he
couldn’t say no to the senior prefect since he was still a
class below him so he had to leave.
To be continued…