Chapter Five: Just the Start

"Morning guys." Jane greeted happily.

Mart and Viva replied her back, whilst Mabel arched her right eye brow upward.

" Am guessing you are happy more than us with that big smile of yours."

Jane smiled even wider. " Well, isn't it obvious? Am more than happy. Am a step closer to achieving my dream."

" Hey dream girl, better chill and don't get over excited. You know, it not good."

Mart patted Jane.

Viva just shook her head at her best friends conversations.

Soon, the exam started.

Thankfully, Jane and her friends studied vehemently hard, and the questions turned out to be a piece of cake for the four best friends and other serious students.

"Wow! I can't believe the exam can be so easy." Mart uttered to his friends.

"My dear, easy is an understatement."

"Yeah, I agree with viva." Mabel joined the conversation.

Jane nodded her head and added.

" Yes guys, but let's just pray for heaven to help us. Everything has been done, the only thing that remain is the results."

They all agreed together.

The results will take a week to come out. Pending that time, Jane decided to help her grandma with her business and making more sales whilst hoping for a good results. Mama liya also hoped and prayed for her granddaughter's wish to be granted, but the little thing Jane didn't know was that, things don't go rosy just like that for everybody.

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" Father, how far on Jane's scholarship matter?" Mira asked her father.

" It going okay , she won't be included in the scholarship."

Mr. Sal replied to his daughter.

She smiled triumphantly. " Thank you father, you are best."

Her father just nodded.

After a week, the students gathered to check their name on the lists of students to be included in the scholarship program.

Many students rejoiced, seeing their name there, including Jane friends except for Jane. Her name wasn't in the list of both the first batch and the second batch.

Jane almost fell down.

" No! This can't be. I know I did well, so what wrong?" She blurted out!

Her friends were speechless. A deafening silence enveloped the four, only the silent sobs of Jane could be heard. After a while, not able to withstand it anymore, Mart squatted close to Jane.

" Calm down Jane , maybe there is a mistake somewhere alright. Please stop crying."

"Please Jane, stop crying."

Viva begged while holding her hands together.

Mabel just stood there with a tears dropping on the floor, seeing Jane in a touching position. The trio all knew how this scholarship program was important to her, even more important than their own reasons.

Jane continued to sob harder, gaining the other students sympathy.

Her friends hugged her, patted, and soothed her back, hoping it would relieve her.

Jane not in the mood for anything, so voiced out.

" Let me be please.......I need to go."

The trio were not sure about leaving Jane all alone, cause who knows, she might do something stupid or get in trouble. Seeing the look of hesitation in her friends eyes, she whispered,

" I will be fine, trust me. Am not stupid."

Then, without waiting for their reply, she turned around and started walking away.

Her friends sighed and granted her request, giving her time to think things through. Their mood to even celebrate earlier was killed.

Each of them were in their different thoughts, wondering why bad things always happened to people with good heart.

Jime reported the whole scene that took place, when Jane saw her name not included in the list board.

Mira laughed hysterically. " That, serves her right yes. Well, I guess it time to win her friends heart especially Mart."

She laid back on the local sofa, thinking about her second plan to win Jane's friends heart.

Meanwhile, Jane walked through the Riverside leading to her Grandma's house, lost in her thought. All hopes of sight seeing the big cities was gone, getting a good well paid job was gone, helping her grandma was gone, seeing her other family members was shattered!.

Everything was down, but she didn't understand how it happened. Clearly, she remembered she answered all the questions correctly and appropriately, so where did she got it wrong?

" Huh!! All these thoughts are driving me crazy" She exhaled loudly, sighing in frustration..

On getting home, she met Mama liya gasping for air harshly. And immediately, she squatted to her grandmother's level. She was already in panic.

" Grandma, what's wrong? Please. "

She voiced out unable to hold back her tears from falling.

Seeing her granddaughter's tears, Mama liya tried to speak but was unable to. Her face started to discolored due to the immense pain.

Noticing the change in Mama liya's face, she stood up and scooted to the village doctor's place, exhaling loudly due to the speed she used in running.

On getting there she shouted, " Mr. Lowes! It me Jane, grandma is gasping for air heavily, and I don't know why. This morning, she was fine until now.

"Her face even discolored, I think she is in great discomfort. Please help us."

Mr. Lowes, who heard Jane voice and listened to her complaint, came out immediately.

" Didn't she take her drug regularly?? Anyways lead the way."

Mr. Lowes and Jane, then headed to her place but when they got there, Mama liya already passed out.

Her body was unable to take the pain anymore. Mr. Lowes moved close to Mama liya, held her right wrist to check her pulse.

Though, her pulse seems weak, but she is still alive. Turning his gaze to Jane, who look as if she has lost everything.

" Jane don't stare like that, she is still alive barely though, cause her pulse is weak, but she will be fine."

As if his words contained magic, immediately her eyes became alive, she blinked multiple times and whispered. " For real, how?"

"Yes, just give me some minutes." Then, he stood up and went out to get his medical equipments.

Soon, he came back. Opening his medical box, he started treating Mama liya.

After 15 minutes , he was done treating her and gave Jane a list of medicinal herbs in order to boost her grandmother's recovery, then he sighed.

" Honestly, Jane, your grandmother's health is getting worse. Her record shows she has stopped taking her drug a month ago and that explains the reason why she was gasping for air.

" It was a result of blood seizure and like I said earlier, her cancer is really eating deep into her.

" She needs immediate and effective treatment which she can't get here except in the big cities."

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