Diary of David (EPISODE ONE)

It was a sunny monday morning and I was sweating profusely as I walked through the muddy footpath connecting my house and school, I never walked through the main roads because I couldn't afford to be seen by my classmates especially the girls, only my very close friends knew I walked to school they even nicknamed me 'STARTREK' but I didn't care, as far as no girl knew, I was fine with it. The distance was approximately 5 kilometres, even the people who jug as exercise didn't have to go this far, the bushes beside the footpath were so tall they could even cover my head I had to struggle my way through most of the times "Chai.....am sure this is the road my great grand father used when he was still alive" I said to myself. Walking to school was easily avoidable by me because my mom gave me 300 naira for transport everyday but I was not ready to dash some random okada man 300 naira everyday; am not father christmas or Jesus christ. God gave me legs and am ready to use them anytime, anyday and everyday. I finally got to the gate of my school and gave a long sigh of relief "pheew". I took a cursory look at my watch and it was 7:30 AM "wow am early today O! Thank God". I bounced into the school like it was my father that bought the gate I had a very big grin on my face and one would think I just got 10 over 10 in a pop quiz until one of the fearful looking security men disrupted my moment of ecstacy with a rather harsh tone "hey you stop there". His name was 'LAST KOBO'. The name was traced to his poor reputation in gambling, were he would gamble with other security men until his very last kobo is gone. "Ah ah oga last kobo wetin I do this time again na..... See see see am early today its just 7:30AM" I jokingly said pointing my rusted wrist watch to his face "comot dat dirty thing for my face joor, abi you dey mad?" He yelled "in case you don't know the time is 8:36AM" he added. I was perplexed and stared down at my watch again but this time I took a more concentrated look at it, the second hand was not moving, I tapped it hard with my index and forefinger, then the silly watch started working again, it had actually stopped working 66 minutes ago "it must be the battery" I said. Last kobo kept his deadly gaze locked on me "which kind mumu battery be that. That watch wey your granpapa dash you before he die. See as you be sef, you resemble person wey go farm" I scanned through myself and noticed lastkobo was not far from the truth. My unkempt hair was full with grass, the white shirt I wore was looking brownish and soaked with sweat dripping down my face like a leaking water tanker my trouser had traces of splashed mud and my shoes were literally soaked in mud. I remorsefully returned my gaze to last kobo "oga abeg you know say my house far" "hmmm David na so you dey talk everyday, well sha that one no concern me oya take this cutlass go join your fellow late comers for school farm" I reluctantly took the cutlass from his hand and head towards the farm, I couldn't expect less from an illiterate gate man.... Well at least he is one of the few people that called me by my actual name unlike those foolish friends of mine; should secondary school students even be forced to do farm work in school for just coming late? Is that even legal. It was just my second week in SS2 and this is not how I planned on starting it. In fact all these were the least of my worries at this very moment as I was on my way to the farm, I was more bothered about jane seeing me like an isrealite slave forced to work for brutal egyptians. Jane was the girl I was in love with since we were in JS2, now that we were placed in the same class this would be the best time to strike. In no time I got to the farm, I gazed at the mini jungle with great sadness, it was just like the one I passed through to get to school everyday only that this was smaller. I rushed in and found a fellow regular late comer 'Obi', why wasn't I surprised to see him, he was one of my close friends. I quickly dashed to him "hey Obi afa na" I greeted "heeeey star-trek how bodi na?" He teasily said "shut up you fool, if any girl hear that thing I swearr you don die be that, abi your sense dey your yansh" I said angrily "bros calm down eee, no girl go hear; you too dey fear sef" Obi had a funny ibo accent that made me laugh whenever he spoke. "DAAAAVID! DAAAAVID!!" I heard someone shout my name, but who could that be I tried to satisfy my hungry curiosity and turned around, it was Folake Babatunde, standing at the other end of the farm waving ceaselessly at me trying to grab my attention. I couldn't believe my eyes; what is she doing here, girls are seldomly sent to the farm. Folake was my only friend that was a girl, in fact she was my best friend we go way back since kindergarten. We were so close that people sometimes addressed her as my wife. "Oya go your wife done begin find you" Obi murmured "she is not my wife, ozwor" I said as I quickly ran to meet her with smiles on my face "ah ah folake what are you doing here" I asked "I was late and that useless gateman was given instructions that all late comers should be redirected to the farm; its our useless car O! The old thing just broke down on our way to school" she shamefully said "oh sorry ehn!" I said trying to amielorate d her problem. Well I was not all that sorry because I liked talking with Folake she was a very good companion and I was never bored around her so why on earth would I be sorry about having someone like that around me for the rest of the day. In every bodies books me and Folake should be dating, she was good looking, had long and straight like that of an oyibo, pointed nose, fair in complexion and of average height. Yes I think she is good looking and pretty generous too but my mind never crossed dating her, I virtually told folake everything about me and she did the same. Including that I liked Jane, so from time to time Folake would give me tips on how to talk to Jane but I never had the courage to do it. I found her really helpful. I was still engrossed in a tiete-n-tiete with Folake, I heard female voices approaching the farm. For curiosity sake I ran and peeped over the fence to find out who possessed such charming voices. Lo and behold to my surprise it was jane and her gang, they were like Beyonce and her backup dancers walking so determined to start an act. My jaw dropped and my eyes flung open like someone who just won a lottery. At that moment I swear 5 frogs would have fit into my mouth and there will still be room for more, my heart was pounding really fast and hard. I couldn't help but ruminate on the possible reasons why she would be headed for the farm at this time-could she have come late or has that silly agric teacher sent her on an errand again, without coming to any reasonable conclusions I quickly shrugged off the thought and my 'jimmy neutron' brain arose from its slumber........ TO BE CONTINUED...... STAY TUNED